Page 164 - the-idiot

tered alone but with the rest each one was brave enough.
Even Rogojin entered rather cautiously at the head of his
troop; but he was evidently preoccupied. He appeared to
be gloomy and morose, and had clearly come with some
end in view. All the rest were merely chorus, brought in to
support the chief character. Besides Lebedeff there was the
dandy Zalesheff, who came in without his coat and hat, two
or three others followed his example; the rest were more un-
couth. They included a couple of young merchants, a man
in a great-coat, a medical student, a little Pole, a small fat
man who laughed continuously, and an enormously tall
stout one who apparently put great faith in the strength of
his fists. A couple of ‘ladies’ of some sort put their heads in
at the front door, but did not dare come any farther. Colia
promptly banged the door in their faces and locked it.
‘Hallo, Gania, you blackguard! You didn’t expect Rogo-
jin, eh?’ said the latter, entering the drawing-room, and
stopping before Gania.
But at this moment he saw, seated before him, Nasta-
sia Philipovna. He had not dreamed of meeting her here,
evidently, for her appearance produced a marvellous effect
upon him. He grew pale, and his lips became actually blue.
‘I suppose it is true, then!’ he muttered to himself, and
his face took on an expression of despair. ‘So that’s the end
of it! Now you, sir, will you answer me or not?’ he went on
suddenly, gazing at Gania with ineffable malice. ‘Now then,
you—‘
He panted, and could hardly speak for agitation. He ad-
vanced into the room mechanically; but perceiving Nina

1