“Fool, I am just such a scoundrel as you, as all, not a decent man. There’s never been a decent man anywhere.”

“He’s guessed the truth at last! Can you, Kirillov, with your sense, have failed to see till now that all men are alike, that there are none better or worse, only some are stupider, than others, and that if all are scoundrels (which is nonsense, though) there oughtn’t to be any people that are not?”

“Ah! Why, you are really in earnest?” Kirillov looked at him with some wonder. “You speak with heat and simply.⁠ ⁠… Can it be that even fellows like you have convictions?”

“Kirillov, I’ve never been able to understand why you mean to kill yourself. I only know it’s from conviction⁠ ⁠… strong conviction. But if you feel a yearning to express yourself, so to say, I am at your service.⁠ ⁠… Only you must think of the time.”

“What time is it?”