Page 534 - the-idiot

That’s jealousy—that is the real jealousy.
‘But do you know what I have been thinking out dur-
ing this last week, Parfen? I’ll tell you. What if she loves
you now better than anyone? And what if she torments you
BECAUSE she loves you, and in proportion to her love for
you, so she torments you the more? She won’t tell you this,
of course; you must have eyes to see. Why do you suppose
she consents to marry you? She must have a reason, and that
reason she will tell you some day. Some women desire the
kind of love you give her, and she is probably one of these.
Your love and your wild nature impress her. Do you know
that a woman is capable of driving a man crazy almost, with
her cruelties and mockeries, and feels not one single pang of
regret, because she looks at him and says to herself, ‘There!
I’ll torment this man nearly into his grave, and then, oh!
how I’ll compensate him for it all with my love!’’
Rogojin listened to the end, and then burst out laugh-
ing:
‘Why, prince, I declare you must have had a taste of this
sort of thing yourself—haven’t you? I have heard tell of
something of the kind, you know; is it true?’
‘What? What can you have heard?’ said the prince, stam-
mering.
Rogojin continued to laugh loudly. He had listened to
the prince’s speech with curiosity and some satisfaction.
The speaker’s impulsive warmth had surprised and even
comforted him.
‘Why, I’ve not only heard of it; I see it for myself,’ he said.
‘When have you ever spoken like that before? It wasn’t like