Page 120 - the-idiot

tinued, in response to Gania’s bow; but she did not invite
him to sit down. ‘You are going to be married?’
‘Married? how—what marriage?’ murmured Gania,
overwhelmed with confusion.
‘Are you about to take a wife? I ask,—if you prefer that
expression.’
‘No, no I-I—no!’ said Gania, bringing out his lie with a
telltale blush of shame. He glanced keenly at Aglaya, who
was sitting some way off, and dropped his eyes immediate-
ly.
Aglaya gazed coldly, intently, and composedly at him,
without taking her eyes off his face, and watched his con-
fusion.
‘No? You say no, do you?’ continued the pitiless Mrs.
General. ‘Very well, I shall remember that you told me this
Wednesday morning, in answer to my question, that you
are not going to be married. What day is it, Wednesday,
isn’t it?’
‘Yes, I think so!’ said Adelaida.
‘You never know the day of the week; what’s the day of
the month?’
‘Twenty-seventh!’ said Gania.
‘Twenty-seventh; very well. Good-bye now; you have a
good deal to do, I’m sure, and I must dress and go out. Take
your portrait. Give my respects to your unfortunate mother,
Nina Alexandrovna. Au revoir, dear prince, come in and
see us often, do; and I shall tell old Princess Bielokonski
about you. I shall go and see her on purpose. And listen,
my dear boy, I feel sure that God has sent you to Petersburg

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