Page 40 - the-idiot

ents or special abilities of any kind; on the contrary. I have
always been an invalid and unable to learn much. As for
bread, I should think—‘
The general interrupted once more with questions; while
the prince again replied with the narrative we have heard
before. It appeared that the general had known Pavlicheff;
but why the latter had taken an interest in the prince, that
young gentleman could not explain; probably by virtue of
the old friendship with his father, he thought.
The prince had been left an orphan when quite a little
child, and Pavlicheff had entrusted him to an old lady, a
relative of his own, living in the country, the child needing
the fresh air and exercise of country life. He was educated,
first by a governess, and afterwards by a tutor, but could not
remember much about this time of his life. His fits were so
frequent then, that they made almost an idiot of him (the
prince used the expression ‘idiot’ himself). Pavlicheff had
met Professor Schneider in Berlin, and the latter had per-
suaded him to send the boy to Switzerland, to Schneider’s
establishment there, for the cure of his epilepsy, and, five
years before this time, the prince was sent off. But Pavli-
cheff had died two or three years since, and Schneider had
himself supported the young fellow, from that day to this, at
his own expense. Although he had not quite cured him, he
had greatly improved his condition; and now, at last, at the
prince’s own desire, and because of a certain matter which
came to the ears of the latter, Schneider had despatched the
young man to Russia.
The general was much astonished.