Page 703 - the-brothers-karamazov

‘Well, there you are again.... Come, cheer up, cheer up!’
Grushenka said to him persuasively. ‘I’m very glad you’ve
come, very glad, Mitya, do you hear, I’m very glad! I want
him to stay here with us,’ she said peremptorily, address-
ing the whole company, though her words were obviously
meant for the man sitting on the sofa. ‘I wish it, I wish it!
And if he goes away I shall go, too!’ she added with flash-
ing eyes.
‘What my queen commands is law!’ pronounced the Pole,
gallantly kissing Grushenka’s hand. ‘I beg you, panie, to
join our company,’ he added politely, addressing Mitya.
Mitya was jumping up with the obvious intention of de-
livering another tirade, but the words did not come.
‘Let’s drink, Panie,’ he blurted out instead of making a
speech. Everyone laughed.
‘Good heavens! I thought he was going to begin again!’
Grushenka exclaimed nervously. ‘Do you hear, Mitya,’ she
went on insistently, ‘don’t prance about, but it’s nice you’ve
brought the champagne. I want some myself, and I can’t
bear liqueurs. And best of all, you’ve come yourself. We
were fearfully dull here.... You’ve come for a spree again, I
suppose? But put your money in your pocket. Where did
you get such a lot?’
Mitya had been, all this time, holding in his hand the
crumpled bundle of notes on which the eyes of all, espe-
cially of the Poles, were fixed. In confusion he thrust them
hurriedly into his pocket. He flushed. At that moment the
innkeeper brought in an uncorked bottle of champagne,
and glasses on a tray. Mitya snatched up the bottle, but he

0 The Brothers Karamazov