"'How, after our acquaintance, after our talks, after all ... So, if I had not then met you here accidentally (her voice began to ring, and she stopped for a moment) ... you would have gone off, and would not have even shaken my hand in parting; gone off without regret?' "Insarof turned away. 'Helen Nikolayevna, please don't speak thus. I am, as it is, already not cheerful. Believe me, my decision has cost me great effort. If you knew ...' "'I don't wish to know why you depart,' Helen interrupted him, frightened. 'This is evidently necessary. We must evidently part. You would not grieve your friends without cause. But do friends part thus? We are of course friends, are not we?' "'No,' said Insarof. "'How?' muttered Helen, and her cheeks colored slightly. "'Why, that is exactly why I go away, because we are not friends. Don't oblige me to say what I do not wish to tell, what I shall not tell.' "'Formerly you used to be frank with me,' Helen spoke up with a slight reproach. 'Do you remember?' "'Then I could be frank; then I had nothing to hide. But now--' "'But now?' asked Helen. "'But now ... But now I must go. Good-by!' "Had Insarof at this moment raised his eyes to Helen, he would have seen that her whole face shone,--shone the more, the more his face grew gloomy and dark; but his eyes were stubbornly fixed on the floor. "'Well, good-by, Dimitry Nikanorovitch,' she began. 'But since we have met, give me now at least your hand.' "Insarof started to give her his hand. 'No, I cannot even do that,' he said, and again turned away. "'You cannot?' "'I cannot. Good-by!' And he started to go out. "'Just wait a moment,' she said. 'It seems you are afraid of me. Now, I am braver than you,' she added, with a sudden slight tremor along her whole frame. 'I can tell you ... do you wish me to tell ... why you found me here? Do you know where I was going?' "Insarof looked in surprise at Helen. "'I was going to your house.' "'To my house?' "Helen covered her face. 'You wished to compel me to say that I love you,' she whispered--'there, I have said it.' "'Helen!' exclaimed Insarof. "She took his hands, looked at him, and fell upon his breast.