The Brothers Karamazovat once made her sit down in an arm-chair facing Alyosha,
and ecstatically kissed her several times on her smiling lips.
She seemed quite in love with her.
‘This is the first time we’ve met, Alexey Fyodorovitch,’ she
said rapturously. ‘I wanted to know her, to see her. I wanted
to go to her, but I’d no sooner expressed the wish than she
came to me. I knew we should settle everything together —
everything. My heart told me so — I was begged not to take
the step, but I foresaw it would be a way out of the difficulty,
and I was not mistaken. Grushenka has explained every-
thing to me, told me all she means to do. She flew here like
an angel of goodness and brought us peace and joy.’
‘You did not disdain me, sweet, excellent young lady,’
drawled Grushenka in her singsong voice, still with the
same charming smile of delight.
‘Don’t dare to speak to me like that, you sorceress, you
witch! Disdain you! Here, I must kiss your lower lip once
more. It looks as though it were swollen, and now it will be
more so, and more and more. Look how she laughs, Alexey
Fyodorovitch!
Alyosha flushed, and faint, imperceptible shivers kept
running down him.
‘You make so much of me, dear young lady, and perhaps
I am not at all worthy of your kindness.’
‘Not worthy! She’s not worthy of it!’ Katerina Ivanovna
cried again with the same warmth. ‘You know, Alexey Fy-
odorovitch, we’re fanciful, we’re self-willed, but proudest of
the proud in our little heart. We’re noble, we’re generous,
Alexey Fyodorovitch, let me tell you. We have only been