Page 240 - the-idiot
P. 240
The prince held out the letter silently, but with a shak-
ing hand.
‘What, what?’ said the general, much agitated.
‘What’s all this? Is he really heir to anything?’
All present concentrated their attention upon Ptitsin,
reading the prince’s letter. The general curiosity had re-
ceived a new fillip. Ferdishenko could not sit still. Rogojin
fixed his eyes first on the prince, and then on Ptitsin, and
then back again; he was extremely agitated. Lebedeff could
not stand it. He crept up and read over Ptitsin’s shoulder,
with the air of a naughty boy who expects a box on the ear
every moment for his indiscretion.
