The Brothers KaramazovHe was saved by meeting an old merchant who was be-
ing driven across country in a hired trap. When he overtook
him, Mitya asked the way and it turned out that the old
merchant, too, was going to Volovya. After some discus-
sion Mitya got into the trap. Three hours later they arrived.
At Volovya, Mitya at once ordered posting-horses to drive
to the town, and suddenly realised that he was appallingly
hungry. While the horses were being harnessed, an om-
elette was prepared for him. He ate it all in an instant, ate
a huge hunk of bread, ate a sausage, and swallowed three
glasses of vodka. After eating, his spirits and his heart grew
lighter. He flew towards the town, urged on the driver, and
suddenly made a new and ‘unalterable’ plan to procure that
‘accursed money’ before evening. ‘And to think, only to
think that a man’s life should be ruined for the sake of that
paltry three thousand!’ he cried, contemptuously. ‘I’ll settle
it to-day.’ And if it had not been for the thought of Grushen-
ka and of what might have happened to her, which never left
him, he would perhaps have become quite cheerful again....
But the thought of her was stabbing him to the heart every
moment, like a sharp knife.
At last they arrived, and Mitya at once ran to Grushen-
ka.