“It was said, though the story was not well authenticated, Gavril Ardalionovitch was particularly unlucky on this occasion, too; that seizing the opportunity while Vavara Ardalionovna was running to Lizaveta Prokofeyevna, and he was left alone with Aglaia, he had thought fit to begin talking of his passion; that, listening to him Aglaia had in spite of her tears and dejection, suddenly burst out laughing and had all at once put a strange question to him; would he, to prove his love, burn his finger in the candle? Gavril Ardalionovitch was, so the story went, petrified by the question; he was so completely taken aback and his face betrayed such extreme amazement, that Aglaia had laughed at him as though she were in hysterics. and to get away from him ran upstairs to Nina Alexandrovna where she was found by her parents.

This story was repeated to Myshkin next day by Ippolit whom being too ill to get up, sent for the prince on purpose to tell it to him. How Ippolit got hold of the story we don't know, but when Myshkin heard about the candle and the finger, he laughed so much that Ippolit was surprised. Then he suddenly began to tremble and burst into tears...”