Page 61 - the-idiot

project being only in an embryo condition; but a great
change now came over Nastasia Philipovna. She suddenly
displayed unusual decision of character; and without wast-
ing time in thought, she left her country home and came up
to St. Petersburg, straight to Totski’s house, all alone.
The latter, amazed at her conduct, began to express his
displeasure; but he very soon became aware that he must
change his voice, style, and everything else, with this young
lady; the good old times were gone. An entirely new and dif-
ferent woman sat before him, between whom and the girl
he had left in the country last July there seemed nothing in
common.
In the first place, this new woman understood a good
deal more than was usual for young people of her age; so
much indeed, that Totski could not help wondering where
she had picked up her knowledge. Surely not from her
‘young lady’s library’? It even embraced legal matters, and
the ‘world’ in general, to a considerable extent.
Her character was absolutely changed. No more of the
girlish alternations of timidity and petulance, the adorable
naivete, the reveries, the tears, the playfulness... It was an
entirely new and hitherto unknown being who now sat and
laughed at him, and informed him to his face that she had
never had the faintest feeling for him of any kind, except
loathing and contempt— contempt which had followed
closely upon her sensations of surprise and bewilderment
after her first acquaintance with him.
This new woman gave him further to understand that
though it was absolutely the same to her whom he married,

0 The Idiot