Page 975 - the-brothers-karamazov

see me again, and when I dragged myself down to her, she
rushed to kiss me, crying, and as she kissed me, she pushed
me out of the room without saying a word, so I couldn’t find
out what was the matter. Now, dear Alexey Fyodorovitch, I
rest all my hopes on you, and, of course, my whole life is
in your hands. I simply beg you to go to Lise and find out
everything from her, as you alone can, and come back and
tell me — me, her mother, for you understand it will be the
death of me, simply the death of me, if this goes on, or else
I shall run away. I can stand no more. I have patience; but
I may lose patience, and then... then something awful will
happen. Ah, dear me! At last, Pyotr Ilyitch!’ cried Madame
Hohlakov, beaming all over as she saw Perhotin enter the
room. ‘You are late, you are late! Well, sit down, speak, put
us out of suspense. What does the counsel say. Where are
you off to, Alexey Fyodorovitch?’
‘To Lise.’
‘Oh, yes. You won’t forget, you won’t forget what I asked
you? It’s a question of life and death!
‘Of course, I won’t forget, if I can... but I am so late,’ mut-
tered Alyosha, beating a hasty retreat.
‘No, be sure, be sure to come in; don’t say ‘If you can.’ I
shall die if you don’t,’ Madame Hohlakov called after him,
but Alyosha had already left the room.

The Brothers Karamazov