Page 288 - the-idiot

‘I think I understand, Lukian Timofeyovitch: you were
not sure that I should come. You did not think I should start
at the first word from you, and you merely wrote to relieve
your conscience. However, you see now that I have come,
and I have had enough of trickery. Give up serving, or try-
ing to serve, two masters. Rogojin has been here these three
weeks. Have you managed to sell her to him as you did be-
fore? Tell me the truth.’
‘He discovered everything, the monster ... himself ......’
‘Don’t abuse him; though I dare say you have something
to complain of….’
‘He beat me, he thrashed me unmercifully!’ replied
Lebedeff vehemently. ‘He set a dog on me in Moscow, a
bloodhound, a terrible beast that chased me all down the
street.’
‘You seem to take me for a child, Lebedeff. Tell me, is it a
fact that she left him while they were in Moscow?’
‘Yes, it is a fact, and this time, let me tell you, on the very
eve of their marriage! It was a question of minutes when
she slipped off to Petersburg. She came to me directly she
arrived— ‘Save me, Lukian! find me some refuge, and say
nothing to the prince!’ She is afraid of you, even more than
she is of him, and in that she shows her wisdom!’ And Lebe-
deff slily put his finger to his brow as he said the last words.
‘And now it is you who have brought them together
again?’
‘Excellency, how could I, how could I prevent it?’
‘That will do. I can find out for myself. Only tell me,
where is she now? At his house? With him?’