agitated. "I had
heard a report of it, but would not believe it."

"Whom did you hear it from?" asked Aglaya, alarmed. "Rogojin said
something about it yesterday, but nothing definite."

"Yesterday! Morning or evening? Before the music or after?"

"After--it was about twelve o'clock."

"Ah! Well, if it was Rogojin--but do you know what she writes to me
about?"

"I should not be surprised by anything. She is mad!"

"There are the letters." (Aglaya took three letters out of her pocket
and threw them down before the prince.) "For a whole week she has been
entreating and worrying and persuading me to marry you. She--well, she
is clever, though she may be mad--much cleverer than I am, as you say.
Well, she writes that she is in love with me herself, and tries to see
me every day, if only from a distance. She writes that you love me,
and that she has long known it and seen it, and that you and she talked
about me--there. She wishes to see you happy, and she says that she is
certain only I can ensure you the happiness you deserve. She writes such
strange, wild letters--I haven't shown them to anyone. Now, do you know
what all this means? Can you guess anything?"

"It is madness--it is merely another proof of her insanity!" said the
prince, and his lips trembled.

"You are crying, aren't you?"

"No, Aglaya. No, I'm not crying." The prince looked at her.

"Well, what am I to do? What do you advise me? I cannot go on receiving
these letters, you know."

"Oh, let her alone, I entreat you!" cried the prince. "What can you do in
this dark, gloomy mystery? Let her alone, and I'll use all my power to
prevent her writing you any more letters."

"If so, you are a heartless man!" cried Aglaya. "As if you can't see that
it is not myself she loves, but you, you, and only you! Surely you have
not remarked everything else in her, and only not THIS? Do you know what
these letters mean? They mean jealousy, sir--nothing but pure jealousy!
She--do you think she will ever really marry this Rogojin, as she says
here she will? She would take her own life the day after you and I were
married."

The prince shuddered; his heart seemed to freeze within him. He gazed
at Aglaya in wonderment; it was difficult for him to realize that this
child was also a woman.

"God knows, Aglaya, that to restore her peace of mind and make her happy
I would willingly give up my life. But I cannot love her, and she knows
that."

"Oh, make a sacrifice