Page 392 - the-idiot

doubt, to the presence of the ladies, he was becoming quite
jovial.
‘As to the article, prince,’ he said, ‘I admit that I wrote it,
in spite of the severe criticism of my poor friend, in whom
I always overlook many things because of his unfortunate
state of health. But I wrote and published it in the form of
a letter, in the paper of a friend. I showed it to no one but
Burdovsky, and I did not read it all through, even to him.
He immediately gave me permission to publish it, but you
will admit that I might have done so without his consent.
Publicity is a noble, beneficent, and universal right. I hope,
prince, that you are too progressive to deny this?’
‘I deny nothing, but you must confess that your arti-
cle—‘
‘Is a bit thick, you mean? Well, in a way that is in the pub-
lic interest; you will admit that yourself, and after all one
cannot overlook a blatant fact. So much the worse for the
guilty parties, but the public welfare must come before ev-
erything. As to certain inaccuracies and figures of speech,
so to speak, you will also admit that the motive, aim, and
intention, are the chief thing. It is a question, above all, of
making a wholesome example; the individual case can be
examined afterwards; and as to the style—well, the thing
was meant to be humorous, so to speak, and, after all, every-
body writes like that; you must admit it yourself! Ha, ha!’
‘But, gentlemen, I assure you that you are quite astray,’
exclaimed the prince. ‘You have published this article upon
the supposition that I would never consent to satisfy Mr.
Burdovsky. Acting on that conviction, you have tried to in-

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