1 The Brothers Karamazov
rapidly, and she ran out of the room.
‘And you could refuse to forgive her when she begged
your forgiveness herself?’ Mitya exclaimed bitterly again.
‘Mitya, don’t dare to blame her; you have no right to!’
Alyosha cried hotly.
‘Her proud lips spoke, not her heart,’ Grushenka brought
out in a tone of disgust. ‘If she saves you I’ll forgive her ev-
erything-.’
She stopped speaking, as though suppressing something.
She could not yet recover herself. She had come in, as ap-
peared afterwards, accidentally, with no suspicion of what
she would meet.
‘Alyosha, run after her!’ Mitya cried to his brother; ‘tell
her... I don’t know... don’t let her go away like this!’
‘I’ll come to you again at nightfall,’ said Alyosha, and
he ran after Katya. He overtook her outside the hospital
grounds. She walking fast, but as soon as Alyosha caught
her up she said quickly:
‘No, before that woman I can’t punish myself! I asked
her forgiveness because I wanted to punish myself to the
bitter end. She would not forgive me.... I like her for that!’
she added, in an unnatural voice, and her eyes flashed with
fierce resentment.
‘My brother did not expect this in the least,’ muttered
Alyosha. ‘He was sure she would not come-.’
‘No doubt. Let us leave that,’ she snapped. ‘Listen: I can’t
go with you to the funeral now. I’ve sent them flowers. I
think they still have money. If necessary, tell them I’ll never
abandon them.... Now leave me, leave me, please. You are