“No, prince, she will not. Aglaya loved like a woman, like a human being, not like an abstract spirit. Do you know what, my poor prince? The most probable explanation of the matter is that you never loved either the one or the other in reality.”

“I don’t know⁠—perhaps you are right in much that you have said, Evgenie Pavlovitch. You are very wise, Evgenie Pavlovitch⁠—oh! how my head is beginning to ache again! Come to her, quick⁠—for God’s sake, come!”

“But I tell you she is not in Pavlofsk! She’s in Colmina.”

“Oh, come to Colmina, then! Come⁠—let us go at once!”

“No⁠—no, impossible!” said Evgenie, rising.

“Look here⁠—I’ll write a letter⁠—take a letter for me!”

“No⁠—no, prince; you must forgive me, but I can’t undertake any such commissions! I really can’t.”

And so they parted.