Page 865 - the-idiot

Aglaya too?’
‘Yes—yes—oh; yes!’
‘How so? Do you want to make out that you love them
BOTH?’
‘Yes—yes—both! I do!’
‘Excuse me, prince, but think what you are saying! Rec-
ollect yourself!’
‘Without Aglaya—I—I MUST see Aglaya!—I shall die in
my sleep very soon—I thought I was dying in my sleep last
night. Oh! if Aglaya only knew all—I mean really, REALLY
all! Because she must know ALL—that’s the first condi-
tion towards understanding. Why cannot we ever know all
about another, especially when that other has been guilty?
But I don’t know what I’m talking about—I’m so confused.
You pained me so dreadfully. Surely—surely Aglaya has not
the same expression now as she had at the moment when
she ran away? Oh, yes! I am guilty and I know it—I know
it! Probably I am in fault all round—I don’t quite know
how—but I am in fault, no doubt. There is something else,
but I cannot explain it to you, Evgenie Pavlovitch. I have no
words; but Aglaya will understand. I have always believed
Aglaya will understand—I am assured she will.’
‘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

The Idiot