Page 137 - the-idiot

He opened the door just enough to let his head in. His
head remained so placed for a few seconds while he qui-
etly scrutinized the room; the door then opened enough to
admit his body; but still he did not enter. He stood on the
threshold and examined the prince carefully. At last he gave
the door a final shove, entered, approached the prince, took
his hand and seated himself and the owner of the room on
two chairs side by side.
‘Ferdishenko,’ he said, gazing intently and inquiringly
into the prince’s eyes.
‘Very well, what next?’ said the latter, almost laughing in
his face.
‘A lodger here,’ continued the other, staring as before.
‘Do you wish to make acquaintance?’ asked the prince.
‘Ah!’ said the visitor, passing his fingers through his hair
and sighing. He then looked over to the other side of the
room and around it. ‘Got any money?’ he asked, suddenly.
‘Not much.’
‘How much?’
‘Twenty-five roubles.’
‘Let’s see it.’
The prince took his banknote out and showed it to Fer-
dishenko. The latter unfolded it and looked at it; then he
turned it round and examined the other side; then he held
it up to the light.
‘How strange that it should have browned so,’ he said, re-
flectively. ‘These twenty-five rouble notes brown in a most
extraordinary way, while other notes often grow paler. Take
it.’

1 The Idiot