"Well, I mean, if you don't wish that the estate should go to your brother."
The patient was silent. Only his eyes widened unnaturally and his face flushed more and more.
"And also, my friend, you ought to take into consideration the fact that you have orphaned nieces--and what sort of capital have they? Then there is your mother," continued Arina Petrovna.
"You've managed to give everything away to Yudushka!"
"Whatever may have happened, I know that I myself am to blame. But it wasn't such a crime after all. I thought 'he is my son.' At any rate, it isn't kind of you to remember that against your mother."
"Oh, don't talk like that. All Christians----Everybody doesn't die right away, still in general----"
"There you go--'in general!' Always your 'in general!' You think I don't see."
"I see you take me for a fool. Well, if I am a fool, let me remain a fool. Why do you come to a fool? Don't come, don't worry about me."
"I'm not worrying. But in general there is a term set to everybody's life."
Arina Petrovna lowered her head and meditated. She saw clearly that her case was almost a failure, but she was so tortured that nothing could convince her of the fruitlessness of further attempts to influence her son.
"I don't know why you hate me," she declared finally.
"Not at all--on the contrary I--not at all. In fact I--why, the idea--you brought us all up--so impartially."
He spoke in jerks and gasps. A broken yet triumphant laugh made its way into his voice. His eyes sparkled. His shoulders and legs quivered.
"Perhaps I have really sinned against you, then for Christ's sake forgive me."
Arina Petrovna rose and bowed till her hand touched the floor. Pavel Vladimirych shut his eyes without replying.
"Suppose we let the question of the estate alone. You couldn't make any arrangement in your present condition. Porfiry is the lawful heir. Well, let the real estate go to him. But what about your personal property and capital?" Arina Petrovna ventured to state her point directly.
Pavel Vladimirych shuddered, but remained silent. It is very possible that at the word "capital" he gave no thought whatsoever to his mother's insinuations, but simply mused: "September is here already. I have to collect the interest."