I'm certainly an experienced
patient," said Mitya, with an effort to be polite, "and I feel that if you
are watching over my destiny in this way, you will come to my help in my
ruin, and so allow me, at least to explain to you the plan with which I
have ventured to come to you ... and what I am hoping of you.... I have
come, madam--"

"Don't explain it. It's of secondary importance. But as for help, you're
not the first I have helped, Dmitri Fyodorovitch. You have most likely
heard of my cousin, Madame Belmesov. Her husband was ruined, 'had come to
grief,' as you characteristically express it, Dmitri Fyodorovitch. I
recommended him to take to horse-breeding, and now he's doing well. Have
you any idea of horse-breeding, Dmitri Fyodorovitch?"

"Not the faintest, madam; ah, madam, not the faintest!" cried Mitya, in
nervous impatience, positively starting from his seat. "I simply implore
you, madam, to listen to me. Only give me two minutes of free speech that
I may just explain to you everything, the whole plan with which I have
come. Besides, I am short of time. I'm in a fearful hurry," Mitya cried
hysterically, feeling that she was just going to begin talking again, and
hoping to cut her short. "I have come in despair ... in the last gasp of
despair, to beg you to lend me the sum of three thousand, a loan, but on
safe, most safe security, madam, with the most trustworthy guarantees!
Only let me explain--"

"You must tell me all that afterwards, afterwards!" Madame Hohlakov with a
gesture demanded silence in her turn, "and whatever you may tell me, I
know it all beforehand; I've told you so already. You ask for a certain
sum, for three thousand, but I can give you more, immeasurably more, I
will save you, Dmitri Fyodorovitch, but you must listen to me."

Mitya started from his seat again.

"Madam, will you really be so good!" he cried, with strong feeling. "Good
God, you've saved me! You have saved a man from a violent death, from a
bullet.... My eternal gratitude--"

"I will give you more, infinitely more than three thousand!" cried Madame
Hohlakov, looking with a radiant smile at Mitya's ecstasy.

"Infinitely? But I don't need so much. I only need that fatal three
thousand, and on my part I can give security for that sum with infinite
gratitude, and I propose a plan which--"

"Enough, Dmitri Fyodorovitch, it's said and done." Madame Hohlakov cut him
short, with the modest triumph of beneficence: "I have promise