arrived at Nastasia's house one day,
with Epanchin, Totski immediately began to speak of the intolerable
torment of his position. He admitted that he was to blame for all, but
candidly confessed that he could not bring himself to feel any remorse
for his original guilt towards herself, because he was a man of sensual
passions which were inborn and ineradicable, and that he had no power
over himself in this respect; but that he wished, seriously, to marry at
last, and that the whole fate of the most desirable social union which
he contemplated, was in her hands; in a word, he confided his all to her
generosity of heart.

General Epanchin took up his part and spoke in the character of father
of a family; he spoke sensibly, and without wasting words over any
attempt at sentimentality, he merely recorded his full admission of
her right to be the arbiter of Totski's destiny at this moment. He then
pointed out that the fate of his daughter, and very likely of both his
other daughters, now hung upon her reply.

To Nastasia's question as to what they wished her to do, Totski
confessed that he had been so frightened by her, five years ago, that
he could never now be entirely comfortable until she herself married. He
immediately added that such a suggestion from him would, of course, be
absurd, unless accompanied by remarks of a more pointed nature. He
very well knew, he said, that a certain young gentleman of good family,
namely, Gavrila Ardalionovitch Ivolgin, with whom she was acquainted,
and whom she received at her house, had long loved her passionately,
and would give his life for some response from her. The young fellow had
confessed this love of his to him (Totski) and had also admitted it in
the hearing of his benefactor, General Epanchin. Lastly, he could not
help being of opinion that Nastasia must be aware of Gania's love for
her, and if he (Totski) mistook not, she had looked with some favour
upon it, being often lonely, and rather tired of her present life.
Having remarked how difficult it was for him, of all people, to speak
to her of these matters, Totski concluded by saying that he trusted
Nastasia Philipovna would not look with contempt upon him if he now
expressed his sincere desire to guarantee her future by a gift of
seventy-five thousand roubles. He added that the sum would have been
left her all the same in his will, and that therefore she must not
consider the gift as in any way an indemnification to her