All kinds of people passed through the roadhouse. Farmers driving their cattle, officials in express coaches, tradesmen and monks. The girls looked at them with lazy eyes; they were not interested in getting acquainted with them or having affairs with them. One night, Sophia not yet having returned, a fine carriage drove into the yard. Two youngish, aristocratic men sat in the cushions. They did not leave the carriage, but admonished the coachman to change the horses quickly because they wanted to reach another roadhouse that night.
Grushenka lingered around the yard, avoiding the heavy atmosphere of the crowded guest room. She walked slowly over to the carriage. Her face and figure, not clearly visible in the twilight and the light from the coach lanterns, intrigued one of the men, the smaller of the two. “Will the young lady,” he said to her, “charm two hurried travelers with a friendly good evening?” And he tipped his hat in a respectful manner. He was not sure who Grushenka might be. She had a fine dress on, one of Nelidowa's traveling dresses, which Katerina had given her because she had no use for Nelidowa's things any more, and she had a fine bearing and presence. But why should an aristocratic girl stay in such a second-rate roadhouse overnight? That was usually not done. Grushenka went leisurely to the coach, leaned over the low door and slowly looked the men over. The smaller fellow spoke again, this time more enthusiastically because of the girl's beauty.
“If we can do anything for you, my Lady, let your word be a command.
Be sure that my friend and I will do anything we can for such a lovely Lady as you are.” He gave his friend a slight poke in the side, indicating that he should help along the same line. But this young man was absorbed in his own thoughts. He had not paid much attention to the girl and seemed a bit annoyed that his companion was trying to sail into an adventure. He was dressed, like his friend, in a wide traveling cloak. His white neck cloth of fine silk shone in the flickering light of the yard. He had a most distinguished face, bold blue eyes, an aristocratic nose and a clean cut, full mouth, sensual but displaying the force of self restraint. He hardly glanced toward Grushenka; his eyes eagerly followed the doings of his coachman and of the stablemen. He looked like a conspirator who wants to reach the place of action on time. Grushenka liked him at first sight. In fact, she felt so attracted to him that she resented his passivity towards her. But the eagerness of his companion spun the conversation one step further. “I cannot imagine, Mademoiselle, that you would stay here overnight by your own wish, when twenty verst from here is the famous X- Inn, where all comfort is rendered to travelers. Has your carriage broken down, or is there any other reason why you cannot move on?” Grushenka rested her eyes fully on the speaker. If he would give her a lift she would be in Moscow before that fool of a coachman could have notified Madame Sophia, and before that time she was quite sure no attempt would be made to follow her. The little fellow, aware of her deliberations, continued his efforts. “We certainly would be delighted to take you along to Moscow, or even to Petersburg, where we are going, if you…” and he stopped. Grushenka decided her fate.
She would do it! Run away! She leaned into the carriage and whispered, “You see that big oak tree down the road? I will wait there for you.
If your carriage stops, I shall be glad to accept your invitation and you won't be sorry-” she added with a faint smile. After that she went to the appointed place with quick steps, without looking back. She was very excited. Would they pick her up, or not? The handsome man turned to his smaller companion and reminded him that they were in a hurry and not interested in girls at that moment. The other one retorted that there was never a time that one should not pay attention to the weaker sex, and when they came to the oak tree, the coachman stopped. Grushenka slipped in. She was seated between the men on the broad back seat of the carriage. The little fellow very formally began the introductions. “My name is Fladilow Szerementon,” he said. “This is Mihail Stieven. We travel on a government commission of which we won't speak. We're bound for Petersburg, as I said before.”
Grushenka nodded and was satisfied that this time Mihail took full notice of her, making a little bow and trying to distinguish her features in the soft moonlight. She answered, “I am also on a trip whose object I won't mention. I'm on my way to Moscow and am very grateful that you gentlemen can take me along. You will permit me not to give you my right name. Call me Mary, which is one of my names. I cannot expect that you take me to Moscow for nothing and I will do right by both of you, if you so desire. In fact I have to ask you to pay for my lodging at the Inn and it will be cheaper for you if I share a room with you. You will ask me why I am so outspoken in all this,” she added and turned to Mihail. “But I see your thoughts are far away and I will spare you the trouble of finding out all about me and of courting me. I am easy and willing.” She took a hand of each of her traveling companions and leaned full back in the seat giving both a warm pressure with the sides of her body. “You have very fine hands, anyway,” said Mihail, taken by surprise by this unusual little oration. “You certainly are not a girl used to work. We will not pry into your secrets and will see to your comfort- although I am annoyed with that little man on your other side, who can never let the women alone. Beware of him!” he added with a smile. “Then to our good friendship,” answered the girl. She turned lightly around to Fladilow and gave him a little kiss. This done, she turned to Mihail, put her hand behind his head and, as well as the swaggering coach would permit, she kissed him on the lips. During this kiss something happened which once in a while does take place. Grushenka fell violently in love with Mihail. It went through her body like an electric shock. She looked at him with glaring eyes, she could not help feeling his body, she caressed his face, she pressed herself towards him, she was so attracted by him that she traveled along the road in a trance. She felt light and happy as though suddenly cured after a great illness. She behaved like a young girl who has been, against her will, very virtuous for many months and is suddenly close to a man who electrifies her. She forced Mihail to put his arms around her, she leaned her head on his chest, she looked longingly at the moon. At the same time she did not forget the other companion whose good graces had put her in this position and who had to be taken into the bargain. Her free hand, therefore, was in his lap.
Grushenka remembered this poetic drive through the moonlight her whole life. Her first adventure, something she had done of her own free will. The drowsy waggling of the coach, the giggling of her enamored mind, the stillness of the wide country; Mihail was pleased but still a bit suspicious as to where this adventure with a mysterious girl would lead. Fladilow was also satisfied, for even though a good poke might not be in store for him, he at least had fixed it up for his friend and superior and that would be a feather in his cap. The lights of the inn came into sight. They had arrived for their night's rest. Mihail took a big private room, ordered the deeply bowing innkeeper to serve a hearty meal, and Fladilow, seeing that Grushenka was taken up so much with his boss, asked the innkeeper whether he could not send another girl as a fourth guest to the repast. The innkeeper, with a twinkle in his eye, swore that he had a most beautiful girl at hand for the comfort of his guests and that he would send her right to them. The light of the flickering candles shone over the mixed company: the young and aristocratic men in shirt sleeves, hungry, dusty and behaving most informally, as two young fellows will do when they are not in the company of ladies; the wayside whore, rustic, healthy and plump, eager to get as much money out of her prey as possible; and Grushenka, in the stylish dress of a Lady, acting refined and using every opportunity to please Mihail towards whom she shot ardent glances. Both men were most attentive to her, treating the little whore scantily, and the latter could not make out what it was all about. She got really jealous of Grushenka, who seemed to take both men away from her and whom she could not classify.