Laevsky began again pacing from one end of the room to the other
in excitement, and said:

"I'm glad I see my faults clearly and am conscious of them. That
will help me to reform and become a different man. My dear fellow,
if only you knew how passionately, with what anguish, I long for
such a change. And I swear to you I'll be a man! I will! I don't
know whether it is the wine that is speaking in me, or whether it
really is so, but it seems to me that it is long since I have spent
such pure and lucid moments as I have just now with you."

"It's time to sleep, brother," said Samoylenko.

"Yes, yes. . . . Excuse me; I'll go directly."

Laevsky moved hurriedly about the furniture and windows, looking
for his cap.

"Thank you," he muttered, sighing. "Thank you. . . . Kind and
friendly words are better than charity. You have given me new life."

He found his cap, stopped, and looked guiltily at Samoylenko.

"Alexandr Daviditch," he said in an imploring voice.

"What is it?"

"Let me stay the night with you, my dear fellow!"