to the
point. God? What God? Why didn't you think of God then?" she said, and
opening her mouth, stopped short.

Nekhludoff only now smelled a strong odor of liquor and understood the
cause of her excitement.

"Be calm," he said.

"I have nothing to be calm about. You think I am drunk? Yes, I am
drunk, but I know what I am talking about," she said quickly, and her
face became purple. "I am a convict, while you are a lord, a prince,
and needn't stay here to soil your hands. Go to your princesses----"

"You cannot be too cruel to me; you do not know how I feel," he said
in a low voice, his whole body trembling. "You cannot imagine how
strongly I feel my guilt before you!"

"Feel my guilt," she mocked him maliciously. "You did not feel it
then, but thrust a hundred rubles in my hands. 'That's your price----'"

"I know, I know, but what am I to do now? I have decided not to leave
you," he repeated; "and what I say I will do."

"And I say that you will not!" she said, and laughed aloud.

"Katinsha!" he began.

"Leave me. I am a convict, and you are a prince; and you have no
business here," she shrieked, violently releasing her hand from his,
her wrath knowing no limit.

"You wish to save yourself through me," she continued, hastening to
pour out all that had accumulated in her soul. "You have made me the
means of your enjoyment in life, and now you wish to make me the means
of saving you after death! You disgust me, as do your eye-glasses and
that fat, dirty face of yours. Go, go away!" she shrieked,
energetically springing to her feet.

The warden approached them.

"Don't you make so much noise! You know whom----"

"Please desist," said Nekhludoff.

"She must not forget herself," said the warden.

"Please wait a while," said Nekhludoff.

The warden returned to his seat on the window-sill.

Maslova again seated herself, her eyes downcast and her little hands
clutching each other.

Nekhludoff stood over her, not knowing what to do.

"You do not believe me," he said.

"That you wish to marry me? That will never happen. I will sooner hang
myself."

"But I will serve you anyway."

"That is your business. Only I don't want anything from you. Now, that
is certain," she said. "Oh, why did I not die then!" she added, and
began to cry piteously.

Nekhludoff could not speak; her tears called forth tears in his own
eyes.

She raised her eyes, looked at him, as if surprised, and with her
'kerchief bega