Chapter 5

           Itwaslatenow,nearlyhalf-pasttwo,andtheprincedidnotfindGeneralEpanchinathome.Heleftacard,anddeterminedtolookupColia,whohadaroomatasmallhotelnear.Coliawasnotin,buthewasinformedthathemightbebackshortly,andhadleftwordthatifhewerenotinbyhalf-pastthreeitwastobeunderstoodthathehadgonetoPavlofsktoGeneralEpanchin’s,andwoulddinethere.Theprincedecidedtowaittillhalf-pastthree,andorderedsomedinner.Athalf-pastthreetherewasnosignofColia.Theprincewaiteduntilfouro’clock,andthenstrolledoffmechanicallywhereverhisfeetshouldcarryhim.

           InearlysummerthereareoftenmagnificentdaysinSt.Petersburg—bright,hotandstill.Thishappenedtobesuchaday.

           Forsometimetheprincewanderedaboutwithoutaimorobject.Hedidnotknowthetownwell.Hestoppedtolookabouthimonbridges,atstreetcorners.Heenteredaconfectioner’sshoptorest,once.Hewasinastateofnervousexcitementandperturbation;henoticednothingandnoone;andhefeltacravingforsolitude,tobealonewithhisthoughtsandhisemotions,andtogivehimselfuptothempassively.Heloathedtheideaoftryingtoanswerthequestionsthatwouldriseupinhisheartandmind.“Iamnottoblameforallthis,”hethoughttohimself,halfunconsciously.

           Towardssixo’clockhefoundhimselfatthestationoftheTsarsko-Selskirailway.