Page 166 - the-idiot

since I lost two hundred roubles of my father’s money
to you, at cards. The old fellow died before he found out.
Ptitsin knows all about it. Why, I’ve only to pull out a three-
rouble note and show it to you, and you’d crawl on your
hands and knees to the other end of the town for it; that’s
the sort of man you are. Why, I’ve come now, at this mo-
ment, to buy you up! Oh, you needn’t think that because I
wear these boots I have no money. I have lots of money, my
beauty,—enough to buy up you and all yours together. So I
shall, if I like to! I’ll buy you up! I will!’ he yelled, apparently
growing more and more intoxicated and excited.’ Oh, Nas-
tasia Philipovna! don’t turn me out! Say one word, do! Are
you going to marry this man, or not?’
Rogojin asked his question like a lost soul appealing to
some divinity, with the reckless daring of one appointed to
die, who has nothing to lose.
He awaited the reply in deadly anxiety.
Nastasia Philipovna gazed at him with a haughty, iron-
ical. expression of face; but when she glanced at Nina
Alexandrovna and Varia, and from them to Gania, she
changed her tone, all of a sudden.
‘Certainly not; what are you thinking of? What could
have induced you to ask such a question?’ she replied,
quietly and seriously, and even, apparently, with some as-
tonishment.
‘No? No?’ shouted Rogojin, almost out of his mind with
joy. ‘You are not going to, after all? And they told me—oh,
Nastasia Philipovna—they said you had promised to marry
him, HIM! As if you COULD do it!—him—pooh! I don’t

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