Page 312 - the-idiot

of your love; but besides that, she must attribute SOME-
THING else to you—some good qualities, otherwise the
thing would not be. What you have just said confirms my
words. You say yourself that she found it possible to speak
to you quite differently from her usual manner. You are sus-
picious, you know, and jealous, therefore when anything
annoying happens to you, you exaggerate its significance.
Of course, of course, she does not think so ill of you as you
say. Why, if she did, she would simply be walking to death
by drowning or by the knife, with her eyes wide open, when
she married you. It is impossible! As if anybody would go to
their death deliberately!’
Rogojin listened to the prince’s excited words with a bit-
ter smile. His conviction was, apparently, unalterable.
‘How dreadfully you look at me, Parfen!’ said the prince,
with a feeling of dread.
‘Water or the knife?’ said the latter, at last. ‘Ha, ha—that’s
exactly why she is going to marry me, because she knows
for certain that the knife awaits her. Prince, can it be that
you don’t even yet see what’s at the root of it all?’
‘I don’t understand you.’
‘Perhaps he really doesn’t understand me! They do say
that you are a—you know what! She loves another—there,
you can understand that much! Just as I love her, exactly
so she loves another man. And that other man is—do you
know who? It’s you. There—you didn’t know that, eh?’
‘I?’
‘You, you! She has loved you ever since that day, her
birthday! Only she thinks she cannot marry you, because

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