The Devils (The Possessed)

Eight days later, rumors have already spread through the town. Lebyadkin and his sister leave town, Shatov shuts himself away, and people speculate whether Stavrogin is employed in “special business” (221) for the government. Peter Stepanovich quickly becomes acquainted with everyone in the town, including Yulia Mikhailovna, the wife of the new governor. At the same time, rumors persist that Peter is a “former revolutionary” (223) who has been acquitted of his crimes, possibly because he gave information to the authorities about his fellow protestors. Peter visits his father twice and Stepan is left distraught and emotional. Having seemingly recovered from her poor health, Liza becomes engaged to Maurice Nikolaevich. Stepan is interested to learn that Captain Lebyadkin and his sister have moved across the river to the other side of the city. The narrator states that a “new episode” (228) is about to begin.

After shutting himself away to recover from Shatov’s attack, Stavrogin begins taking visitors again. Peter visits Varvara and she takes him to Stavrogin’s room. Stavrogin is irritable in the presence of the chatty Peter, resenting that Peter has presented him as some kind of leader to their group of “hotheaded” (235) political activists. Stavrogin has promised his mother that he will propose soon to Liza; Peter assures him that, on hearing this alternative proposal, Liza will abandon Maurice Nikolaevich for Stavrogin.