Page 67 - the-idiot

he was a man of sensual passions which were inborn and
ineradicable, and that he had no power over himself in this
respect; but that he wished, seriously, to marry at last, and
that the whole fate of the most desirable social union which
he contemplated, was in her hands; in a word, he confided
his all to her generosity of heart.
General Epanchin took up his part and spoke in the
character of father of a family; he spoke sensibly, and with-
out wasting words over any attempt at sentimentality, he
merely recorded his full admission of her right to be the
arbiter of Totski’s destiny at this moment. He then pointed
out that the fate of his daughter, and very likely of both his
other daughters, now hung upon her reply.
To Nastasia’s question as to what they wished her to do,
Totski confessed that he had been so frightened by her, five
years ago, that he could never now be entirely comfortable
until she herself married. He immediately added that such
a suggestion from him would, of course, be absurd, unless
accompanied by remarks of a more pointed nature. He very
well knew, he said, that a certain young gentleman of good
family, namely, Gavrila Ardalionovitch Ivolgin, with whom
she was acquainted, and whom she received at her house,
had long loved her passionately, and would give his life for
some response from her. The young fellow had confessed
this love of his to him (Totski) and had also admitted it in
the hearing of his benefactor, General Epanchin. Lastly, he
could not help being of opinion that Nastasia must be aware
of Gania’s love for her, and if he (Totski) mistook not, she
had looked with some favour upon it, being often lonely,

The Idiot