Page 519 - the-idiot

other way, or the pistol won’t shoot. What are you laughing
at? I wish you to buy a pistol and practise every day, and you
must learn to hit a mark for CERTAIN; will you?’
The prince only laughed. Aglaya stamped her foot with
annoyance.
Her serious air, however, during this conversation had
surprised him considerably. He had a feeling that he ought
to be asking her something, that there was something he
wanted to find out far more important than how to load a
pistol; but his thoughts had all scattered, and he was only
aware that she was sitting by, him, and talking to him, and
that he was looking at her; as to what she happened to be
saying to him, that did not matter in the least.
The general now appeared on the verandah, coming
from upstairs. He was on his way out, with an expression of
determination on his face, and of preoccupation and worry
also.
‘Ah! Lef Nicolaievitch, it’s you, is it? Where are you off
to now?’ he asked, oblivious of the fact that the prince had
not showed the least sign of moving. ‘Come along with me;
I want to say a word or two to you.’
‘Au revoir, then!’ said Aglaya, holding out her hand to
the prince.
It was quite dark now, and Muishkin could not see her
face clearly, but a minute or two later, when he and the gen-
eral had left the villa, he suddenly flushed up, and squeezed
his right hand tightly.
It appeared that he and the general were going in the
same direction. In spite of the lateness of the hour, the

1 The Idiot