"Mammahasjusttoldmeallaboutthetwohundredroubles, AlexeyFyodorovitch, andyourtakingthemtothatpoorofficer...andshetoldmealltheawfulstoryofhowhehadbeeninsulted...andyouknow, althoughmammamuddlesthings...shealwaysrushesfromonethingtoanother..., didyougivehimthemoneyandhowisthatpoormangettingon?"
"ThefactisIdidn'tgiveittohim, andit'salongstory," answeredAlyosha, asthoughhe, too, couldthinkofnothingbuthisregretathavingfailed, yetLisesawperfectlywellthathe, too, lookedaway, andthathe, too, wastryingtotalkofotherthings.
Alyoshasatdowntothetableandbegantotellhisstory, butatthefirstwordshelosthisembarrassmentandgainedthewholeofLise', undertheinfluenceofthestrongimpressionhehadjustreceived, , whathehadread, -dreamsandwovenwholeromancestogether—, , Lisecouldnothelpclaspingherhandsandcryingout:
"Soyoudidn'tgivehimthemoney! Soyoulethimrunaway! Oh, dear, yououghttohaverunafterhim!"
"No, Lise; it'sbetterIdidn'trunafterhim," saidAlyosha, gettingupfromhischairandwalkingthoughtfullyacrosstheroom.
"Howso? Howisitbetter? Nowtheyarewithoutfoodandtheircaseishopeless?"
"Nothopeless, '-morrowhewillbesuretotakeit," saidAlyosha, pacingupanddown, pondering."Yousee, Lise," hewenton, stoppingsuddenlybeforeher, "Imadeoneblunder, butthat, eventhat, isallforthebest."
"Whatblunder, andwhyisitforthebest?"
