today,” she whispered hesitatingly.
“Whom?”
“Father. I was walking in the street, out there at the corner, about ten o’clock and he seemed to be walking in front. It looked just like him. I wanted to go to Katerina Ivanovna. …”
“You were walking in the streets?”
“Yes,” Sonia whispered abruptly, again overcome with confusion and looking down.
“Katerina Ivanovna used to beat you, I dare say?”
“Oh no, what are you saying? No!” Sonia looked at him almost with dismay.
“You love her, then?”
“Love her? Of course!” said Sonia with plaintive emphasis, and she clasped her hands in distress. “Ah, you don’t. … If you only knew! You see, she is quite like a child. … Her mind is quite unhinged, you see … from sorrow. And how clever she used to