Page 159 - the-idiot

‘Bullets?’ cried Nastasia.
‘Yes, here in my chest. I received them at the siege of Kars,
and I feel them in bad weather now. And as to the third of
our trio, Epanchin, of course after that little affair with the
poodle in the railway carriage, it was all UP between us.’
‘Poodle? What was that? And in a railway carriage? Dear
me,’ said Nastasia, thoughtfully, as though trying to recall
something to mind.
‘Oh, just a silly, little occurrence, really not worth telling,
about Princess Bielokonski’s governess, Miss Smith, and—
oh, it is really not worth telling!’
‘No, no, we must have it!’ cried Nastasia merrily.
‘Yes, of course,’ said Ferdishenko. ‘C’est du nouveau.’
‘Ardalion,’ said Nina Alexandrovitch, entreatingly.
‘Papa, you are wanted!’ cried Colia.
‘Well, it is a silly little story, in a few words,’ began the
delighted general. ‘A couple of years ago, soon after the new
railway was opened, I had to go somewhere or other on
business. Well, I took a first-class ticket, sat down, and be-
gan to smoke, or rather CONTINUED to smoke, for I had
lighted up before. I was alone in the carriage. Smoking is
not allowed, but is not prohibited either; it is half allowed—
so to speak, winked at. I had the window open.’
‘Suddenly, just before the whistle, in came two ladies with
a little poodle, and sat down opposite to me; not bad-look-
ing women; one was in light blue, the other in black silk.
The poodle, a beauty with a silver collar, lay on light blue’s
knee. They looked haughtily about, and talked English to-
gether. I took no notice, just went on smoking. I observed

1 The Idiot