Book 1 Chapter 56 Nekhludoff and the Prisoners

Their conversation was interrupted by the inspector, who said
that the time was up, and the prisoners and their friends must
part. Nekhludoff took leave of Vera Doukhova and went to the
door, where he stopped to watch what was going on.

The inspector's order called forth only heightened animation
among the prisoners in the room, but no one seemed to think of
going. Some rose and continued to talk standing, some went on
talking without rising. A few began crying and taking leave of
each other. The mother and her consumptive son seemed especially
pathetic. The young fellow kept twisting his bit of paper and his
face seemed angry, so great were his efforts not to be infected
by his mother's emotion. The mother, hearing that it was time to
part, put her head on his shoulder and sobbed and sniffed aloud.

The girl with the prominent eyes--Nekhludoff could not help
watching her--was standing opposite the sobbing mother, and was
saying something to her in a soothing tone. The old man with the
blue spectacles stood holding his daughter's hand and nodding in
answer to what she said. The young lovers rose, and, holding each
other's hands, looked silently into one another's eyes.

"These are the only two who are merry," said a young man with a
short coat who stood by Nekhludoff's side, also looking at those
who were about to part, and pointed to the lovers. Feeling
Nekhludoff's and the young man's eyes fixed on them, the lovers--
the young man with the rubber coat and the pretty girl--stretched
out their arms, and with their hands clasped in each other's,
danced round and round again. "To-night they are going to be
married here in prison, and she will follow him to Siberia," said
the young man.