But now it's closed, and everybody's gone away except
myself."
"Don't you find it lonely, to be all by yourself, like this?"
Soloveitchik was silent.
Then, shrugging his shoulders, he said: "It's all the same to me."
They remained silent. There was no sound but the rattling of the dog's
chain.
"It's not the place that's lonely," exclaimed Soloveitchik with sudden
vehemence. "But it's here I feel it, and here," He touched his forehead
and his breast.
"What's the matter with you?" asked Sanine calmly.
"Look here," continued Soloveitchik, becoming more excited, "you struck
a man to-day, and smashed his face in. Perhaps you have ruined his
whole life. Pray don't be offended at my speaking to you like this. I
have thought a great deal about it all, sitting here, as you see, and
wondering, wondering. Now, if I ask you something, will you answer me?"
For a moment his features were contorted by his usual set smile.
"Ask me whatever you like," replied Sanine, kindly. "You're afraid of
offending me, eh? That won't offend me, I assure you. What's done is
done; and, if I thought that I had done wrong, I should be the first to
say so.
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