Page 201 - the-idiot

on this anniversary.
In the first place there were present Totski, and General
Epanchin. They were both highly amiable, but both appeared
to be labouring under a half-hidden feeling of anxiety as to
the result of Nastasia’s deliberations with regard to Gania,
which result was to be made public this evening.
Then, of course, there was Gania who was by no means
so amiable as his elders, but stood apart, gloomy, and mis-
erable, and silent. He had determined not to bring Varia
with him; but Nastasia had not even asked after her, though
no sooner had he arrived than she had reminded him of the
episode between himself and the prince. The general, who
had heard nothing of it before, began to listen with some
interest, while Gania, drily, but with perfect candour, went
through the whole history, including the fact of his apology
to the prince. He finished by declaring that the prince was a
most extraordinary man, and goodness knows why he had
been considered an idiot hitherto, for he was very far from
being one.
Nastasia listened to all this with great interest; but the
conversation soon turned to Rogojin and his visit, and this
theme proved of the greatest attraction to both Totski and
the general.
Ptitsin was able to afford some particulars as to Rogojin’s
conduct since the afternoon. He declared that he had been
busy finding money for the latter ever since, and up to nine
o’clock, Rogojin having declared that he must absolutely
have a hundred thousand roubles by the evening. He added
that Rogojin was drunk, of course; but that he thought the

00 The Idiot