“I mean that I should like to marry Katerina Maslova—”
“How strange!” said Mary Pavlovna, fixing her eyes on Simonson.
“—And so I made up my mind to ask her to be my wife,” Simonson continued.
“What can I do? It depends on her,” said Nekhludoff.
“Yes; but she will not come to any decision without you.”
“Why?”
“Because as long as your relations with her are unsettled she cannot make up her mind.”
“As far as I am concerned, it is finally settled. I should like to do what I consider to be my duty and also to lighten her fate, but on no account would I wish to put any restraint on her.”
“Yes, but she does not wish to accept your sacrifice.”
“It is no sacrifice.”