\'You\'vebeensobusyto-day,ArkadyIvanovitch,youhaveforgottentowindthediningroomclock,\'shesaid。AllthosesevenyearsI\'vewoundthatclockeveryweek,andifIforgotitshewouldalwaysremindme。ThenextdayIsetoffonmywayhere。Igotoutatthestationatdaybreak;I\'dbeenasleep,tiredout,withmyeyeshalfopen,Iwasdrinkingsomecoffee。IlookedupandtherewassuddenlyMarfaPetrovnasittingbesidemewithapackofcardsinherhands。
\'ShallItellyourfortuneforthejourney,ArkadyIvanovitch?\'Shewasagreathandattellingfortunes。Ishallneverforgivemyselffornotaskingherto。Iranawayinafright,and,besides,thebellrang。Iwassittingto-day,feelingveryheavyafteramiserabledinnerfromacookshop;Iwassittingsmoking,allofasuddenMarfaPetrovnaagain。Shecameinverysmartinanewgreensilkdresswithalongtrain。\'Goodday,ArkadyIvanovitch!Howdoyoulikemydress?Aniskacan\'tmakelikethis。\'Aniskawasadressmakerinthecountry,oneofourformerserfgirlswhohadbeentrainedinMoscow,aprettywench。Shestoodturningroundbeforeme。Ilookedatthedress,andthenIlookedcarefully,verycarefully,atherface。\'Iwonderyoutroubletocometomeaboutsuchtrifles,MarfaPetrovna。\'\'Goodgracious,youwon\'tletonedisturbyouaboutanything!\'ToteaseherIsaid,\'Iwanttogetmarried,MarfaPetrovna。\'\'That\'sjustlikeyou,ArkadyIvanovitch;itdoesyouverylittlecredittocomelookingforabridewhenyou\'vehardlyburiedyourwife。Andifyoucouldmakeagoodchoice,atleast,butI
knowitwon\'tbeforyourhappinessorhers,youwillonlybealaughing-stocktoallgoodpeople。\'Thenshewentoutandhertrainseemedtorustle。Isn\'titnonsense,eh？”
“Butperhapsyouaretellinglies？”Raskolnikovputin。
“Irarelylie,“answeredSvidrigailovthoughtfully,apparentlynotnoticingtherudenessofthequestion。