Page 229 - the-idiot

cial importance. In short, he plainly showed his conviction
that a man in his position could have nothing to do with
Rogojin and his companions. But Nastasia interrupted him
at his first words.
‘Ah, general!’ she cried, ‘I was forgetting! If I had only
foreseen this unpleasantness! I won’t insist on keeping you
against your will, although I should have liked you to be be-
side me now. In any case, I am most grateful to you for your
visit, and flattering attention … but if you are afraid …’
‘Excuse me, Nastasia Philipovna,’ interrupted the gener-
al, with chivalric generosity. ‘To whom are you speaking? I
have remained until now simply because of my devotion to
you, and as for danger, I am only afraid that the carpets may
be ruined, and the furniture smashed! … You should shut
the door on the lot, in my opinion. But I confess that I am
extremely curious to see how it ends.’
‘Rogojin!’ announced Ferdishenko.
‘What do you think about it?’ said the general in a low
voice to Totski. ‘Is she mad? I mean mad in the medical
sense of the word .… eh?’
‘I’ve always said she was predisposed to it,’ whispered
Afanasy Ivanovitch slyly. ‘Perhaps it is a fever!’
Since their visit to Gania’s home, Rogojin’s followers had
been increased by two new recruits—a dissolute old man,
the hero of some ancient scandal, and a retired sub-lieuten-
ant. A laughable story was told of the former. He possessed,
it was said, a set of false teeth, and one day when he want-
ed money for a drinking orgy, he pawned them, and was
never able to reclaim them! The officer appeared to be a ri-

The Idiot