Page 490 - the-idiot

had a right to do what they did, and that they were even
doing a good deed, perhaps. I consider there is the greatest
difference between the two cases. And recollect—it was a
YOUTH, at the particular age which is most helplessly sus-
ceptible to the distortion of ideas!’
Prince S. was now no longer smiling; he gazed at the
prince in bewilderment.
Alexandra, who had seemed to wish to put in her word
when the prince began, now sat silent, as though some
sudden thought had caused her to change her mind about
speaking.
Evgenie Pavlovitch gazed at him in real surprise, and this
time his expression of face had no mockery in it whatever.
‘What are you looking so surprised about, my friend?’
asked Mrs. Epanchin, suddenly. ‘Did you suppose he was
stupider than yourself, and was incapable of forming his
own opinions, or what?’
‘No! Oh no! Not at all!’ said Evgenie. ‘But—how is it,
prince, that you—(excuse the question, will you?)—if you
are capable of observing and seeing things as you evidently
do, how is it that you saw nothing distorted or perverted in
that claim upon your property, which you acknowledged a
day or two since; and which was full of arguments founded
upon the most distorted views of right and wrong?’
‘I’ll tell you what, my friend,’ cried Mrs. Epanchin, of
a sudden, ‘here are we all sitting here and imagining we
are very clever, and perhaps laughing at the prince, some
of us, and meanwhile he has received a letter this very day
in which that same claimant renounces his claim, and begs