“Where is the money?” asked Stepan again, showing her his knife.

“How can you⁠ ⁠…” she said.

“You will see how.”

Stepan came close to her, in order to seize her hands and prevent her struggling with him, but she did not even try to lift her arms or offer any resistance; she pressed her hands to her chest, and sighed heavily.

“Oh, what a great sin!” she cried. “How can you! Have mercy on yourself. To destroy somebody’s soul⁠ ⁠… and worse, your own!⁠ ⁠…”