Laevsky began again pacing from one end of the room to the other in excitement, and said: 

“I’m glad I see my faults clearly and am conscious of them.  That will help me to reform and become a different man.  My dear fellow, if only you knew how passionately, with what anguish, I long for such a change.  And I swear to you I’ll be a man!  I will!  I don’t know whether it is the wine that is speaking in me, or whether it really is so, but it seems to me that it is long since I have spent such pure and lucid moments as I have just now with you.”

“It’s time to sleep, brother,” said Samoylenko.

“Yes, yes. . . .  Excuse me; I’ll go directly.”

Laevsky moved hurriedly about the furniture and windows, looking for his cap.

“Thank you,” he muttered, sighing.  “Thank you. . . .  Kind and friendly words are better than charity.  You have given me new life.”

He found his cap, stopped, and looked guiltily at Samoylenko.

“Alexandr Daviditch,” he said in an imploring voice.

“What is it?”

“Let me stay the night with you, my dear fellow!”

“Certainly. . . .  Why not?”

Laevsky lay down on the sofa, and went on talking to the doctor for a long time.

X

Three days after the picnic, Marya Konstantinovna unexpectedly called on Nadyezhda Fyodorovna, and without greeting her or taking off her hat, seized her by both hands, pressed them to her breast and said in great excitement: 

“My dear, I am deeply touched and moved:  our dear kind-hearted doctor told my Nikodim Alexandritch yesterday that your husband was dead.  Tell me, my dear . . . tell me, is it true?

“Yes, it’s true; he is dead,” answered Nadyezhda Fyodorovna.

“That is awful, awful, my dear!  But there’s no evil without some compensation; your husband was no doubt a noble, wonderful, holy man, and such are more needed in Heaven than on earth.”

Every line and feature in Marya Konstantinovna’s face began quivering as though little needles were jumping up and down under her skin; she gave an almond-oily smile and said, breathlessly, enthusiastically: 

“And so you are free, my dear.  You can hold your head high now, and look people boldly in the face.  Henceforth God and man will bless your union with Ivan Andreitch.  It’s enchanting.  I am trembling with joy, I can find no words.  My dear, I will give you away. . . .  Nikodim Alexandritch and I have been so fond of you, you will allow us to give our blessing to your pure, lawful union.  When, when do you think of being married?”

“I haven’t thought of it,” said Nadyezhda Fyodorovna, freeing her hands.

“That’s impossible, my dear.  You have thought of it, you have.”

“Upon my word, I haven’t,” said Nadyezhda Fyodorovna, laughing.  “What should we be married for?  I see no necessity for it.  We’ll go on living as we have lived.”