Page 395 - the-idiot

ill-treated his subordinates, I am absolutely certain of it; I
cannot imagine how you could bring yourself to write such
a calumny! But your assertions concerning Pavlicheff are
absolutely intolerable! You do not scruple to make a liber-
tine of that noble man; you call him a sensualist as coolly
as if you were speaking the truth, and yet it would not be
possible to find a chaster man. He was even a scholar of
note, and in correspondence with several celebrated scien-
tists, and spent large sums in the interests of science. As to
his kind heart and his good actions, you were right indeed
when you said that I was almost an idiot at that time, and
could hardly understand anything—(I could speak and un-
derstand Russian, though),—but now I can appreciate what
I remember—‘
‘Excuse me,’ interrupted Hippolyte, ‘is not this rath-
er sentimental? You said you wished to come to the point;
please remember that it is after nine o’clock.’
‘Very well, gentlemen—very well,’ replied the prince. ‘At
first I received the news with mistrust, then I said to myself
that I might be mistaken, and that Pavlicheff might possibly
have had a son. But I was absolutely amazed at the readiness
with which the son had revealed the secret of his birth at the
expense of his mother’s honour. For Tchebaroff had already
menaced me with publicity in our interview….’
‘What nonsense!’ Lebedeff’s nephew interrupted violent-
ly.
‘You have no right—you have no right!’ cried Burdovsky.
‘The son is not responsible for the misdeeds of his father;
and the mother is not to blame,’ added Hippolyte, with

The Idiot