Page 626 - the-idiot

VIII

S HE laughed, but she was rather angry too.
‘He’s asleep! You were asleep,’ she said, with contemp-
tuous surprise.
‘Is it really you?’ muttered the prince, not quite himself
as yet, and recognizing her with a start of amazement. ‘Oh
yes, of course,’ he added, ‘this is our rendezvous. I fell asleep
here.’
‘So I saw.’
‘Did no one awake me besides yourself? Was there no
one else here? I thought there was another woman.’
‘There was another woman here?’
At last he was wide awake.
‘It was a dream, of course,’ he said, musingly. ‘Strange
that I should have a dream like that at such a moment. Sit
down—‘
He took her hand and seated her on the bench; then sat
down beside her and reflected.
Aglaya did not begin the conversation, but contented
herself with watching her companion intently.
He looked back at her, but at times it was clear that he did
not see her and was not thinking of her.
Aglaya began to flush up.
‘Oh yes!’ cried the prince, starting. ‘Hippolyte’s sui-
cide—‘