Page 308 - the-idiot

you, I’ll be a faithful wife to you—you need not doubt that.’
Then she thought a bit, and said, ‘At all events, you are not a
flunkey; at first, I thought you were no better than a flunkey.’
And she arranged the wedding and fixed the day straight
away on the spot.
‘Then, in another week, she had run away again, and
came here to Lebedeff’s; and when I found her here, she
said to me, ‘I’m not going to renounce you altogether, but I
wish to put off the wedding a bit longer yet—just as long as I
like—for I am still my own mistress; so you may wait, if you
like.’ That’s how the matter stands between us now. What
do you think of all this, Lef Nicolaievitch?’
‘What do you think of it yourself?’ replied the prince,
looking sadly at Rogojin.
‘As if I can think anything about it! I—‘ He was about to
say more, but stopped in despair.
The prince rose again, as if he would leave.
‘At all events, I shall not interfere with you!’ he mur-
mured, as though making answer to some secret thought
of his own.
‘I’ll tell you what!’ cried Rogojin, and his eyes flashed fire.
‘I can’t understand your yielding her to me like this; I don’t
understand it. Have you given up loving her altogether? At
first you suffered badly—I know it—I saw it. Besides, why
did you come post-haste after us? Out of pity, eh? He, he, he!’
His mouth curved in a mocking smile.
‘Do you think I am deceiving you?’ asked the prince.
‘No! I trust you—but I can’t understand. It seems to me
that your pity is greater than my love.’ A hungry longing to

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