'Well, my dearest?'

'Tell me, did it never occur to you that this illness was sent us as a
punishment?'

Elena looked seriously at him.

'That idea did come into my head, Dmitri. But I thought: what am I to be
punished for? What duty have I transgressed, against whom have I sinned?
Perhaps my conscience is not like other people's, but it was silent; or
perhaps I am guilty towards you? I hinder you, I stop you.'

'You don't stop me, Elena; we will go together.'

'Yes, Dmitri, let us go together; I will follow you.... That is my duty.
I love you.... I know no other duty.'

'O Elena!' said Insarov, 'what chains every word of yours fastens on
me!'

'Why talk of chains?' she interposed. 'We are free people, you and I.
Yes,' she went on, looking musingly on the floor, while with one hand
she still stroked his hair, 'I experienced much lately of which I had
never had any idea! If any one had told me beforehand that I, a young
lady, well brought up, should go out from home alone on all sorts
of made-up excuses, and to go where? to a young man's lodgings--how
indignant I should have been! And that has all come about, and I feel no
indignation whatever. Really!' she added, and turned to Insarov.

He looked at her with such an expression of adoration, that she softly
dropped her hand from his hair over his eyes.

'Dmitri!' she began again, 'you don't know of course, I saw you there in
that dreadful bed, I saw you in the clutches of death, unconscious.'

'You saw me?'

'Yes.'

He was silent for a little. 'And Bersenyev was here?'

She nodded.

Insarov bowed down before her. 'O Elena!' he whispered, 'I don't dare to
look at you.'

'Why? Andrei Petrovitch is so good. I was not ashamed before him. And
what have I to be ashamed of? I am ready to tell all the world that I am
yours.... And Andrei Petrovitch I trust like a brother.'

'He saved me!' cried Insarov. 'He is the noblest, kindest of men!'

'Yes... And do you know I owe everything to him? Do you know that it
was he who first told me that you loved me? And if I could tell you
everything.... Yes, he is a noble man.'

Insarov looked steadily at Elena. 'He is in love with you, isn't he?'

Elena dropped her eyes. 'He did love me,' she said in an undertone.

Insarov pressed her hand warmly. 'Oh you Russians,' he said, 'you have
hearts of pure gold! And he, he has been waiting on me, he has not slept
at night. And you, you, my angel.... No reproaches, no h