trying to understand her.
“Both yourself and him,” he answered softly.
“I am glad to hear it,” she snapped out maliciously, and she suddenly blushed.
“You don’t know me yet, Alexey Fyodorovitch,” she said menacingly. “And I don’t know myself yet. Perhaps you’ll want to trample me under foot after my examination tomorrow.”
“You will give your evidence honorably,” said Alyosha; “that’s all that’s wanted.”
“Women are often dishonorable,” she snarled. “Only an hour ago I was thinking I felt afraid to touch that monster … as though he were a reptile … but no, he is still a human being to me! But did he do it? Is he the murderer?” she cried, all of a sudden, hysterically, turning quickly to Ivan. Alyosha saw at once that she had asked Ivan that question before, perhaps only a moment before he came in, and not for the first time, but for the hundredth, and that they had ended by quarreling.