Page 280 - the-idiot

‘I agree,’ said Lebedeff, firmly, looking round involuntari-
ly at his daughter, who had come nearer, and was listening
attentively to the conversation.
‘What is it all about?’ asked the prince, frowning. His
head ached, and he felt sure that Lebedeff was trying to
cheat him in some way, and only talking to put off the ex-
planation that he had come for.
‘I will tell you all the story. I am his nephew; he did speak
the truth there, although he is generally telling lies. I am at
the University, and have not yet finished my course. I mean
to do so, and I shall, for I have a determined character. I
must, however, find something to do for the present, and
therefore I have got employment on the railway at twenty-
four roubles a month. I admit that my uncle has helped me
once or twice before. Well, I had twenty roubles in my pock-
et, and I gambled them away. Can you believe that I should
be so low, so base, as to lose money in that way?’
‘And the man who won it is a rogue, a rogue whom you
ought not to have paid!’ cried Lebedeff.
‘Yes, he is a rogue, but I was obliged to pay him,’ said the
young man. ‘As to his being a rogue, he is assuredly that, and
I am not saying it because he beat you. He is an ex-lieuten-
ant, prince, dismissed from the service, a teacher of boxing,
and one of Rogojin’s followers. They are all lounging about
the pavements now that Rogojin has turned them off. Of
course, the worst of it is that, knowing he was a rascal, and
a card-sharper, I none the less played palki with him, and
risked my last rouble. To tell the truth, I thought to myself,
‘If I lose, I will go to my uncle, and I am sure he will not re-