Free eBooks at Planet eBook.com Alyosha entered the room he came upon Rakitin, who was
just taking leave of Mitya. They were both talking loud-
ly. Mitya was laughing heartily as he saw him out, while
Rakitin seemed grumbling. Rakitin did not like meeting
Alyosha, especially of late. He scarcely spoke to him, and
bowed to him stiffly. Seeing Alyosha enter now, he frowned
and looked away, as though he were entirely absorbed in
buttoning his big, warm, fur-trimmed overcoat. Then he
began looking at once for his umbrella.
‘I must mind not to forget my belongings,’ he muttered,
simply to say something.
‘Mind you don’t forget other people’s belongings,’ said
Mitya, as a joke, and laughed at once at his own wit. Rakitin
fired up instantly.
‘You’d better give that advice to your own family, who’ve
always been a slave-driving lot, and not to Rakitin,’ he cried,
suddenly trembling with anger.
‘What’s the matter? I was joking,’ cried Mitya. ‘Damn it
all! They are all like that.’ He turned to Alyosha, nodding
towards Rakitin’s hurriedly retreating figure. ‘He was sit-
ting here, laughing and cheerful, and all at once he boils up
like that. He didn’t even nod to you. Have you broken with
him completely? Why are you so late? I’ve not been simply
waiting, but thirsting for you the whole morning. But never
mind. We’ll make up for it now.’
‘Why does he come here so often? Surely you are not such
great friends?’ asked Alyosha. He, too, nodded at the door
through which Rakitin had disappeared.
‘Great friends with Rakitin? No, not as much as that. Is