This same morning dawns with no less painful presentiments. His sadness will not attach itself to anything. Little by little he expects that today something decisive is to happen. Vera Lebedeff bursts into tears, then laughs; he kisses her hand and she snatches it away. The Epanchins call. He apologizes for the vase. I'm not sorry for the vase, I'm sorry for you. Then Vera, three minutes after they leave. Aglaya Ivanovna has just given me a message. She begs you earnestly not to go out of the house for a single moment all today, until seven o'clock in the evening. She looked at me in a way that made my heart stop beating.
Hippolyte arrives half an hour later, coughing till the blood comes. I am off. I had the pleasure of seeing Gavrila Ardalionovitch and Aglaya Ivanovna enjoying a rendezvous on the green bench. I went there to arrange a meeting to be held between Aglaya Ivanovna and Nastasia Philipovna. This morning I received a slap in the face from the lady. A moral one. When there's a fire, the finest lady in the world will skip out. Ships are burned behind one sometimes. Wait till seven or eight o'clock. At a quarter past seven she is there, pale, eyes ablaze, dressed hastily in a light mantle. You are quite ready, I observe. Hippolyte. Yes, he told me. Rogojin has been waiting. There is not another soul in the house now excepting our four selves.
Aglaya has prepared her speech long ago. I came to speak to you as one human being to another. I began to be sorry for Prince Lef Nicolaievitch on the very day I made his acquaintance. You could not love him, you tortured him, and threw him over. You are self-loving to madness. All you could love was your shame. Take your treasure. Go away at once, this instant. Or would you like me to command him, now, at once, to throw you up, and remain mine for ever. There he is. If he does not approach me at once and take me and throw you over, then have him for your own. I give him up to you. Both look at him like madwomen. All he can see is the poor despairing face which has pierced his heart for ever. How can you. She is so unhappy. Aglaya's look bereaves him of speech. Oh, my God. She rushes out. The prince makes a rush after her and is held back. What. Would you go to her. To her. She falls senseless into his arms. Mine, mine. Has the proud young lady gone. Get away, Rogojin. Rogojin takes his hat, and without a word, leaves the room. A few moments later the prince is seated by Nastasia on the sofa, gazing into her eyes and stroking her face and hair, as he would a little child's.
