Then it was true what I imagined yesterday at Stepan Trofimovitch's, that you--are rather devoted to me ?" she said with a smile, hurriedly pressing my hand to say good-bye, and hurrying back to the forsaken Mavriky Nikolaevitch.
I went out weighed down by my promise, and unable to understand what had happened.

I had seen a woman in real despair, not hesitating to compromise herself by confiding in a man she hardly knew.

Her womanly smile at a moment so terrible for her and her hint that she had noticed my feelings the day before sent a pang to my heart; but I felt sorry for her, very sorry--that was all! Her secrets became at once something sacred for me, and if anyone had begun to reveal them to me now, I think I should have covered my ears, and should have refused to hear anything more.

I only had a presentiment of something...

yet I was utterly at a loss to see how I could do anything.