Page 170 - the-idiot

whole household, you low, base wretch?’ cried Varia, look-
ing back at her brother with proud defiance.
A few moments passed as they stood there face to face,
Gania still holding her wrist tightly. Varia struggled once—
twice—to get free; then could restrain herself no longer,
and spat in his face.
‘There’s a girl for you!’ cried Nastasia Philipovna. ‘Mr.
Ptitsin, I congratulate you on your choice.’
Gania lost his head. Forgetful of everything he aimed a
blow at Varia, which would inevitably have laid her low, but
suddenly another hand caught his. Between him and Varia
stood the prince.
‘Enough—enough!’ said the latter, with insistence, but all
of a tremble with excitement.
‘Are you going to cross my path for ever, damn you!’
cried Gania; and, loosening his hold on Varia, he slapped
the prince’s face with all his force.
Exclamations of horror arose on all sides. The prince
grew pale as death; he gazed into Gania’s eyes with a strange,
wild, reproachful look; his lips trembled and vainly endeav-
oured to form some words; then his mouth twisted into an
incongruous smile.
‘Very well—never mind about me; but I shall not allow
you to strike her!’ he said, at last, quietly. Then, suddenly, he
could bear it no longer, and covering his face with his hands,
turned to the wall, and murmured in broken accents:
‘Oh! how ashamed you will be of this afterwards!’
Gania certainly did look dreadfully abashed. Colia
rushed up to comfort the prince, and after him crowded

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