ly, and
what's to be done now?"

"And this is Stavrogin, 'the vampire Stavrogin,' as you are called by a
lady here who is in love with you! Listen! I have told you already, I've
put all my life into one hour and I am at peace. Do the same with
yours... though you've no need to: you have plenty of 'hours' and
'moments' of all sorts before you."

"As many as you; I give you my solemn word, not one hour more than you!"

He was still walking up and down and did not see the rapid penetrating
glance she turned upon him, in which there seemed a dawning hope. But
the light died away at the same moment.

"If you knew what it costs me that I can't be sincere at this moment,
Liza, if I could only tell you..."

"Tell me? You want to tell me something, to me? God save me from your
secrets!" she broke in almost in terror. He stopped and waited uneasily.

"I ought to confess that ever since those days in Switzerland I have
had a strong feeling that you have something awful, loathsome, some
bloodshed on your conscience... and yet something that would make you
look very ridiculous. Beware of telling me, if it's true: I shall laugh
you to scorn. I shall laugh at you for the rest of your life.... Aie,
you are turning pale again? I won't, I won't, I'll go at once." She
jumped up from her chair with a movement of disgust and contempt.

"Torture me, punish me, vent your spite on me," he cried in despair.
"You have the full right. I knew I did not love you and yet I ruined
you! Yes, I accepted the moment for my own; I had a hope... I've had
it a long time... my last hope.... I could not resist the radiance that
flooded my heart when you came in to me yesterday, of yourself, alone,
of your own accord. I suddenly believed.... Perhaps I have faith in it
still."

"I will repay such noble frankness by being as frank. I don't want to be
a Sister of Mercy for you. Perhaps I really may become a nurse unless I
happen appropriately to die to-day; but if I do I won't be your nurse,
though, of course, you need one as much as any crippled creature. I
always fancied that you would take me to some place where there was a
huge wicked spider, big as a man, and we should spend our lives looking
at it and being afraid of it. That's how our love would spend itself.
Appeal to Dashenka; she will go with you anywhere you like."

"Can't you help thinking of her even now?"

"Poor little spaniel! Give her my greetings. Does she know that even in
Switzerlan