However, “his feelings were confused, but warm and joyful – and at the same time a small, cold, stubborn part of his brain kept reasoning: Stop before it's too late!...” ( 123). Ekaterina's refusal to marry Startsev was a turning point in history and clearly affected Startsev's spiritual state in the future. After his feelings were rejected, this “small, cold, stubborn section of his brain” continued to grow (123). Now material senses, such as banknotes and private transport, give Dmitry Ionych much more satisfaction than spiritual senses such as the feeling of love or passion for helping the sick. However, Chekhov leaves readers wondering whether Startsev was ever capable of truly loving someone, since it took him only three days after the rejection for him to “calm down and continue with his life as before”.”