"Your mother?" he muttered, not understanding. "What do you mean? What mother are you talking about? Was she?… Why, damn it! of course she was yours too! Damn it! My mind has never been so darkened before. Excuse me, why, I was thinking, Ivan… He he he!" He stopped. A broad, drunken, half–senseless grin overspread his face.
At that moment a fearful noise and clamor was heard in the hall, there were violent shouts, the door was flung open, and Dmitri burst into the room. The old man rushed to Ivan in terror.
"He’ll kill me! He’ll kill me! Don’t let him get at me!" he screamed, clinging to the skirt of Ivan’s coat.
