Page 254 - the-idiot

began to lick the paper from below, and soon, gathering
courage, mounted the sides of the parcel, and crept around
it. In another moment, the whole of it burst into flames, and
the exclamations of woe and horror were redoubled.
‘Nastasia Philipovna!’ lamented Lebedeff again, strain-
ing towards the fireplace; but Rogojin dragged him away,
and pushed him to the rear once more.
The whole of Regojin’s being was concentrated in one
rapturous gaze of ecstasy. He could not take his eyes off
Nastasia. He stood drinking her in, as it were. He was in the
seventh heaven of delight.
‘Oh, what a queen she is!’ he ejaculated, every other min-
ute, throwing out the remark for anyone who liked to catch
it. ‘That’s the sort of woman for me! Which of you would
think of doing a thing like that, you blackguards, eh?’ he
yelled. He was hopelessly and wildly beside himself with ec-
stasy.
The prince watched the whole scene, silent and dejected.
‘I’ll pull it out with my teeth for one thousand,’ said Fer-
dishenko.
‘So would I,’ said another, from behind, ‘with pleasure.
Devil take the thing!’ he added, in a tempest of despair, ‘it
will all be burnt up in a minute—It’s burning, it’s burning!’
‘It’s burning, it’s burning!’ cried all, thronging nearer
and nearer to the fire in their excitement.
‘Gania, don’t be a fool! I tell you for the last time.’
‘Get on, quick!’ shrieked Ferdishenko, rushing wildly up
to Gania, and trying to drag him to the fire by the sleeve of
his coat. ‘Get it, you dummy, it’s burning away fast! Oh—