“Me! How can you . . .! You darling!” she added, taking Natasha’s hand with her own, which trembled, and both relapsed into silence, gazing at each other. “I must tell you, my angel,” Katya broke the silence ecig forum , “we have only half an hour to be together; Mme. Albert would hardly consent to that, and we have a great deal to discuss. . . . I want . . . I must . . . Well, I’ll simply ask you — do you care very much for Alyosha?” “Yes, very much.” “If so . . . if you care very much for Alyosha . . . then . . . you must care for his happiness too DR REBORN ,” she added timidly, in a whisper. “Yes. I want him to be happy. . .” “Yes. . . . But this is the question — shall I make him happy? Have I the right to say so, for I’m taking him away from you. If you think, and we decide now, that he will be happier with you, then . . . then . . .” “That’s settled already, Katya dear. You see yourself that it’s all settled,” Natasha answered softly, and she bowed her head. It was evidently difficult for her to continue the conversation. Katya, I fancy, was prepared for a lengthy discussion on the question which of them would make Alyosha happy and which of them ought to give him up. But after Natasha’s answer she understood that everything was settled already and there was nothing to discuss. With her pretty lips half opened, she gazed with sorrow and perplexity at Natasha, still holding her hand. “And you love him very much?” Natasha asked suddenly. “Yes; and there’s another thing I wanted to ask you, and I came on purpose: tell me, what do you love him for exactly?” “I don’t know,” answered Natasha, and there was a note of bitter impatience in her voice. “Is he clever; what do you think?” asked Katya. “No, I simply love him higher education . . .” “And I too. I always feel somehow sorry for him.” “So do I,” answered Natasha. “What’s to be done with him now? And how he could I can’t understand!” cried Katya. “Now that I’ve seen you I can’t understand!”
