Page 205 - the-idiot

with Ferdishenko. Possibly the latter was not mistaken in
imagining that he was received simply in order to annoy
Totski, who disliked him extremely. Gania also was often
made the butt of the jester’s sarcasms, who used this meth-
od of keeping in Nastasia Philipovna’s good graces.
‘The prince will begin by singing us a fashionable ditty,’
remarked Ferdishenko, and looked at the mistress of the
house, to see what she would say.
‘I don’t think so, Ferdishenko; please be quiet,’ answered
Nastasia Philipovna dryly.
‘A-ah! if he is to be under special patronage, I withdraw
my claws.’
But Nastasia Philipovna had now risen and advanced to
meet the prince.
‘I was so sorry to have forgotten to ask you to come, when
I saw you,’ she said, ‘and I am delighted to be able to thank
you personally now, and to express my pleasure at your res-
olution.’
So saying she gazed into his eyes, longing to see whether
she could make any guess as to the explanation of his mo-
tive in coming to her house. The prince would very likely
have made some reply to her kind words, but he was so daz-
zled by her appearance that he could not speak.
Nastasia noticed this with satisfaction. She was in full
dress this evening; and her appearance was certainly cal-
culated to impress all beholders. She took his hand and led
him towards her other guests. But just before they reached
the drawing-room door, the prince stopped her, and hur-
riedly and in great agitation whispered to her:

0 The Idiot