from the sick man, chere, you see—well, you recognize them. . . . They are our defects, our impurities, of course, and the sick man is Russia. . . . But the impurities leave him, they enter into the swine, I mean us, my son, the others, and we run violently down a steep place as if possessed of the devil, and we shall perish. But the sick man will be cured and he will sit at the feet of jesus and all will be cured. . . . Yes, Russia will be cured someday!

VARVARA: You’re not going to die. You say that just to torment me a little more, cruel man. . . . STEPAN: No, chere, no . . . Besides, I shall not die altogether. We shall be raised from the dead, we shall be raised from the dead, won’t we? If God is, we shall be raised. . . . That is my profession of faith. And I make it to you whom I loved. . . .

VARVARA: God is, Stepan Troflmovich. I assure you that he exists.

STEPAN: I realized that on the road . . . amidst my people. I have lied all life long. Tomorrow, tomorrow, chere, we shall live again together. . . . (He falls back dead.)

VARVARA: Dasha! (Then, standing stiffly) 0,mon Dieu, have pity on this child!

ALEXEY (rushing out of the room on the right): Madame, madame! . . . (DASHA comes on.) There! Look there! (He points to the room.) Mr. Stavrogin!

(DASHA runs toward the room. A gasp is heard from her. Then she comes out slowly.)

DASHA (falling on her knees): He has hanged himself.

II

(The NARRATOR enters.)

THE NARRATOR: Ladies and gentlemen, one word more. After Stavrogin’s death the doctors conferred and pronounced that he showed not the slightest sign of insanity.

CURTAIN

The end