bewildered. She knew nothing as yet, why, how, with what object it had been. Now all these questions rushed at once into her mind. And again she could not believe it: “He, he is a murderer! Could it be true?”
“What’s the meaning of it? Where am I?” she said in complete bewilderment, as though still unable to recover herself.
“How could you, you, a man like you. … How could you bring yourself to it? … What does it mean?”
“Oh, well—to plunder. Leave off, Sonia,” he answered wearily, almost with vexation.
Sonia stood as though struck dumb, but suddenly she cried:
“You were hungry! It was … to help your mother? Yes?”
“No, Sonia, no,” he muttered, turning away and hanging his head. “I was not so hungry. … I certainly did want to help my mother, but … that’s not the real