"You in the position of a factory owner and a wealthy heiress are
dissatisfied; you don't believe in your right to it; and here now
you can't sleep. That, of course, is better than if you were
satisfied, slept soundly, and thought everything was satisfactory.
Your sleeplessness does you credit; in any case, it is a good sign.
In reality, such a conversation as this between us now would have
been unthinkable for our parents. At night they did not talk, but
slept sound; we, our generation, sleep badly, are restless, but
talk a great deal, and are always trying to settle whether we are
right or not. For our children or grandchildren that question--
whether they are right or not--will have been settled. Things
will be clearer for them than for us. Life will be good in fifty
years' time; it's only a pity we shall not last out till then. It
would be interesting to have a peep at it."

"What will our children and grandchildren do?" asked Liza.

"I don't know. . . . I suppose they will throw it all up and go
away."

"Go where?"

"Where? . . . Why, where they like," said Korolyov; and he laughed.
"There are lots of places a good, intelligent person can go to."

He glanced at his watch.

"The sun has risen, though," he said. "It is time you were asleep.
Undress and sleep soundly. Very glad to have made your acquaintance,"
he went on, pressing her hand. "You are a good, interesting woman.