ThoughRaskolnikovlookedatSoniaashesaidthis,henolongercaredwhethersheunderstoodornot。Thefeverhadcompleteholdofhim;hewasinasortofgloomyecstasyhecertainlyhadbeentoolongwithouttalkingtoanyone。Soniafeltthathisgloomycreedhadbecomehisfaithandcode。
“Idivinedthen,Sonia,“hewentoneagerly,“thatpowerisonlyvouchsafedtothemanwhodarestostoopandpickitup。Thereisonlyonething,onethingneedful：onehasonlytodare!Thenforthefirsttimeinmylifeanideatookshapeinmymindwhichnoonehadeverthoughtofbeforeme,noone!Isawclearasdaylighthowstrangeitisthatnotasinglepersonlivinginthismadworldhashadthedaringtogostraightforitallandsenditflyingtothedevil!I……
Iwantedtohavethedaring……andIkilledher。Ionlywantedtohavethedaring,Sonia!Thatwasthewholecauseofit！”
“Ohhush,hush,“criedSonia,claspingherhands。“YouturnedawayfromGodandGodhassmittenyou,hasgivenyouovertothedevil！”
“ThenSonia,whenIusedtoliethereinthedarkandallthisbecamecleartome,wasitatemptationofthedevil,eh？”