Chapter 3

           Hewasnotcompletelyunconscious,however,allthetimehewasill;hewasinafeverishstate,sometimesdelirious,sometimeshalfconscious.Herememberedagreatdealafterwards.Sometimesitseemedasthoughtherewereanumberofpeopleroundhim;theywantedtotakehimawaysomewhere,therewasagreatdealofsquabblinganddiscussingabouthim.Thenhewouldbealoneintheroom;theyhadallgoneawayafraidofhim,andonlynowandthenopenedthedooracracktolookathim;theythreatenedhim,plottedsomethingtogether,laughed,andmockedathim.HerememberedNastasyaoftenathisbedside;hedistinguishedanotherperson,too,whomheseemedtoknowverywell,thoughhecouldnotrememberwhohewas,andthisfrettedhim,evenmadehimcry.Sometimeshefanciedhehadbeenlyingthereamonth;atothertimesitallseemedpartofthesameday.Butofthat—ofthathehadnorecollection,andyeteveryminutehefeltthathehadforgottensomethingheoughttoremember.Heworriedandtormentedhimselftryingtoremember,moaned,flewintoarage,orsankintoawful,intolerableterror.Thenhestruggledtogetup,wouldhaverunaway,butsomeonealwayspreventedhimbyforce,andhesankbackintoimpotenceandforgetfulness.Atlasthereturnedtocompleteconsciousness.

           Ithappenedatteno’clockinthemorning.Onfinedaysthesunshoneintotheroomatthathour,throwingastreakoflightontherightwallandthecornernearthedoor.