"Yes, I have found it."
"Faith in what?"
"In life."
"But if there is nothing to believe in?"
"Impossible!"
"I don't know. I don't know." Kseniya Ippolytovna raised her hands to her head. "The Japanese, Naburu Kotokami, is still looking for me in Paris and Nice… I wonder if he knows about Russia…. I have not had a smoke for a whole week, not since the last little mouse died; I smoked Egyptians before …. Yes, you are right, it is impossible not to have faith."
Polunin went to her quickly, took her hands, then dropped them; his eyes were very observant, his voice quiet and serious.
"Kseniya, you must not grieve, you must not."
"Do you love me?"
"As a woman—no, as a fellow-creature—I do," he answered firmly.