What is there to weep over now?
Though indeed, who knows?
I might, perhaps, have been more grieved if I had got this news a fortnight sooner." "A fortnight ?" repeated Lisa.

"But what has happened then in the last fortnight ?" Lavretsky made no answer, and suddenly Lisa flushed even more than before.
"Yes, yes, you guess why," Lavretsky cried suddenly, "in the course of this fortnight I have come to know the value of a pure woman's heart, and my past seems further from me than ever." Lisa was confused, and went gently into the flower-garden towards Lenotchka and Shurotchka.
"But I am glad I showed you that newspaper," said Lavretsky, walking after her; "already I have grown used to hiding nothing from you, and I hope you will repay me with the same confidence." "Do you expect it ?" said Lisa, standing still.

"In that case I ought--but no! It is impossible." "What is it?
Tell me, tell me." "Really, I believe I ought not--after all, though," added Lisa, turning to Lavretsky with a smile, "what's the good of half confidence?
Do you know I received a letter today ?" "From Panshin ?" "Yes.

How did you know ?" "He asks for your hand ?" "Yes," replied Lisa, looking Lavretsky straight in the face with a serious expression.
Lavretsky on his side looked seriously at Lisa.
"Well, and what answer have you given him ?" he managed to say at last.
"I don't know what answer to give," replied Lisa, letting her clasped hands fall.
"How is that?
Do you love him, then ?" "Yes, I like him; he seems a nice man." "You said the very same thing, and in the very same words, three days ago.

I want to know do you love him with that intense passionate feeling which we usually call love ?" "As you understand it--no." "You're not in love with him ?" "No.