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- CRIME AND PUNISHMENT 443
losophy. I confess that I hastened here for the sake of the
women."
"As soon as you buried Marfa Petrovna?"
"Quite so," Svidrigai'lov smiled with engaging candour.
''WTiat of it? You seem to find something wrong in my speak-
ing Uke that about women?"
"You ask whether I find anything wrong in vice?"
"Vice! Oh, that's what you are after! But I'll answer you in
order, first about women in general; you know I am fond of
talking. Tell me, what should I restrain myself for? "Wliy
should I give up women, since I have a passion for them? It's
an occupation, anyway."
"So you hope for nothing here but vice?"
"Oh, very well, for vice then. You insist on its being vict.
But anyway I like a direct question. In this vice at least there
is something permanent, founded indeed upon nature and not
dependent on fantasy, something present in the blood like an
ever-burning ember, for ever setting one on fire and maybe, not
to be quickly extinguished, even with years. You'll agree it's an
occupation of a sort."
"That's nothing to rejoice at, it's a disease and a dangerous
one."
"Oh, that's what you think, is it? I agree, that it is a disease
like everything that exceeds moderation. And, of course, in this
one must exceed moderation. But in the first place, everybody
does so in one way or another, and in the second place, of course,
one ought to be moderate and prudent, however mean it may be,
but what am I to do? If I hadn't this, I might have to shoot
myself. I am ready to admit that a decent man ought to put up
^ith being bored, but yet . . ."
"And could you shoot yourself?"
"Oh, come!" Svidrigai'low parried with disgust. "Please
don't speak of it," he added hurriedly and with none of the
bragging tone he had shown in all the previous conversation.
His face quite changed. "I admit it's an unpardonable weak-
ness, but I can't help it: I am afraid of death and I dislike its
being talked of. Do you know that I am to a certain extent
a mystic?"
"Ah, the apparitions of Marfa Petrovna! Do they still gc
on visiting you?"
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