Page 530 - the-idiot

Aglaya laughing at everybody, and at himself most of all—he
entirely believed them. He did not feel the slightest sensa-
tion of offence; on the contrary, he was quite certain that it
was as it should be.
His whole thoughts were now as to next morning early;
he would see her; he would sit by her on that little green
bench, and listen to how pistols were loaded, and look at her.
He wanted nothing more.
The question as to what she might have to say of spe-
cial interest to himself occurred to him once or twice. He
did not doubt, for a moment, that she really had some such
subject of conversation in store, but so very little interested
in the matter was he that it did not strike him to wonder
what it could be. The crunch of gravel on the path suddenly
caused him to raise his head.
A man, whose face it was difficult to see in the gloom, ap-
proached the bench, and sat down beside him. The prince
peered into his face, and recognized the livid features of
Rogojin.
‘I knew you’d be wandering about somewhere here. I
didn’t have to look for you very long,’ muttered the latter
between his teeth.
It was the first time they had met since the encounter on
the staircase at the hotel.
Painfully surprised as he was at this sudden apparition of
Rogojin, the prince, for some little while, was unable to col-
lect his thoughts. Rogojin, evidently, saw and understood
the impression he had made; and though he seemed more or
less confused at first, yet he began talking with what looked