"White Nights" (, Belye nochi) is a short story by Fyodor Dostoevsky, originally published in 1848, early in the writer's career. Like many of Dostoevsky's stories, "White Nights" is told in the first person by a nameless narrator. The narrator is a young man living in Saint Petersburg who suffers from loneliness. He gets to know and falls in love with a young woman, but the love remains unrequited as the woman misses her lover, with whom she is finally reunited. Synopsis The short story is divided into six sections: First Night The narrator describes his experience walking in the streets of St. Petersburg. He loves the city at night, and feels comfortable in it. Because all the people he is used to seeing are not there, he no longer feels comfortable during the day. He drew his emotions from them: if they were happy, he was happy; if they were despondent, he was despondent. New faces made him feel alone. As he walked, the houses would talk to him and tell him how they were being renovated or painted a new color or torn down. He lives alone in a small apartment in Saint Petersburg with only his old and unsociable maid Matryona to keep him company. He tells the story of his relationship with a young woman, Nastenka (a diminutive of the name Anastasia). He first sees her standing against a railing and crying. He becomes concerned and considers asking her what is wrong, but eventually, he continues walking. There is something special about her, and he is very curious. When he hears her scream, he intervenes and saves her from a man who is harassing her. The young woman holds his arm, and he explains that he is alone, that he has never known a woman, and that he feels timid with her. Nastenka reassures him that ladies like timidity and that she likes it, too. He tells her that he spends every minute of every day dreaming about a girl who would say two words to him, who will not repulse him or ridicule him as he approached. He says that he thinks of talking to a random girl timidly, respectfully, passionately--telling her that he is dying in solitude and that he has no chance of success with her. He tells her that it is a girl's duty not to rudely reject or mock a man