Page 128 - the-idiot

‘But how was it?’ he asked, ‘how was it that you (idiot that
you are),’ he added to himself, ‘were so very confidential a
couple of hours after your first meeting with these people?
How was that, eh?’
Up to this moment jealousy had not been one of his tor-
ments; now it suddenly gnawed at his heart.
‘That is a thing I cannot undertake to explain,’ replied
the prince. Gania looked at him with angry contempt.
‘Oh! I suppose the present she wished to make to you,
when she took you into the dining-room, was her confi-
dence, eh?’
‘I suppose that was it; I cannot explain it otherwise?’
‘But why, WHY? Devil take it, what did you do in there?
Why did they fancy you? Look here, can’t you remember ex-
actly what you said to them, from the very beginning? Can’t
you remember?’
‘Oh, we talked of a great many things. When first I went
in we began to speak of Switzerland.’
‘Oh, the devil take Switzerland!’
‘Then about executions.’
‘Executions?’
‘Yes—at least about one. Then I told the whole three years’
story of my life, and the history of a poor peasant girl—‘
‘Oh, damn the peasant girl! go on, go on!’ said Gania, im-
patiently.
‘Then how Schneider told me about my childish nature,
and—‘
‘Oh, CURSE Schneider and his dirty opinions! Go on.’
‘Then I began to talk about faces, at least about the EX-

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