Page 194 - the-idiot

now to take me to her house, but he has gone to sleep, as you
see. Will you show me the way, for I do not know the street?
I have the address, though; it is close to the Grand Theatre.’
‘Nastasia Philipovna? She does not live there, and to tell
you the truth my father has never been to her house! It is
strange that you should have depended on him! She lives
near Wladimir Street, at the Five Corners, and it is quite
close by. Will you go directly? It is just half-past nine. I will
show you the way with pleasure.’
Colia and the prince went off together. Alas! the lat-
ter had no money to pay for a cab, so they were obliged to
walk.
‘I should have liked to have taken you to see Hippolyte,’
said Colia. ‘He is the eldest son of the lady you met just now,
and was in the next room. He is ill, and has been in bed
all day. But he is rather strange, and extremely sensitive,
and I thought he might be upset considering the circum-
stances in which you came ... Somehow it touches me less,
as it concerns my father, while it is HIS mother. That, of
course, makes a great difference. What is a terrible disgrace
to a woman, does not disgrace a man, at least not in the
same way. Perhaps public opinion is wrong in condemning
one sex, and excusing the other. Hippolyte is an extremely
clever boy, but so prejudiced. He is really a slave to his opin-
ions.’
‘Do you say he is consumptive?’
‘Yes. It really would be happier for him to die young. If
I were in his place I should certainly long for death. He is
unhappy about his brother and sisters, the children you saw.

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