‘Oh yes, when they can’t stay behind, and I cannot stay here?’ ‘Elena, my angel!.. but think, I have, perhaps, to leave Moscow in a fortnight. I can’t think of university lectures, or finishing my work.’ ‘What!’ interrupted Elena, ‘you have to go soon? If you like, I will stop at once this minute with you for ever, and not go home, shall I? Shall we go at once?’ Insarov clasped her in his arms with redoubled warmth. ‘May God so reward me then,’ he cried, ‘if I am doing wrong! From to-day, we are one for ever!’ ‘Am I to stay?’ asked Elena. ‘No, my pure girl; no, my treasure. You shall go back home to-day, only keep yourself in readiness. This is a matter we can’t manage straight off; we must plan it out well. We want money, a passport----’ ‘I have money,’ put in Elena. ‘Eighty roubles.’ ‘Well, that’s not much,’ observed Insarov; ‘but everything’s a help.’ ‘But I can get more. I will borrow. I will ask mamma.... No, I won’t ask mamma for any.... But I can sell my watch.... I have earrings, too, and two bracelets... and lace.’ ‘Money’s not the chief difficulty, Elena; the passport; your passport, how about that?’ ‘Yes, how about it? Is a passport absolutely necessary?’ ‘Absolutely.’ Elena laughed. ‘What a queer idea! I remember when I was little... a maid of ours ran away. She was caught, and forgiven, and lived with us a long while... but still every one used to call her Tatyana, the runaway. I never thought then that I too might perhaps be a runaway like her.’ ‘Elena, aren’t you ashamed?’ ‘Why? Of course it’s better to go with a passport. But if we can’t----’ ‘We will settle all that later, later, wait a little,’ said Insarov. ‘Let me look about; let me think a little. We will talk over everything together thoroughly. I too have money.’ Elena pushed back the hair that fell over on his forehead. ‘O Dmitri! how glorious it will be for us two to set off together!’ ‘Yes,’ said Insarov, ‘but there, when we get there----’ ‘Well?’ put in Elena, ‘and won’t it be glorious to die together too? but no, why should we die? We will live, we are young. How old are you? Twenty-six?’ ‘Yes, twenty-six.’ ‘And I am twenty. There is plenty of time before us. Ah, you tried to run away from me? You did not want a Russian’s love, you Bulgarian! Let me see you trying to escape from me now! What would have become of us, if I hadn’t come to you then!’ ‘Elena, you know what forced me to go away.’ ‘I know; you were in love, and you were afraid. But surely you must have suspected that you were loved?’ ‘I swear on my honour, Elena, I didn’t.’ She gave him a quick unexpected kiss. ‘There, I love you for that too. And goodbye.’ ‘You can’t stop longer?’ asked Insarov.