Page 690 - the-idiot

Gania had begun to frown, and probably Varia added
this last sentence in order to probe his thought. However, at
this moment, the noise began again upstairs.
‘I’ll turn him out!’ shouted Gania, glad of the opportu-
nity of venting his vexation. ‘I shall just turn him out—we
can’t have this.’
‘Yes, and then he’ll go about the place and disgrace us as
he did yesterday.’
‘How ‘as he did yesterday’? What do you mean? What did
he do yesterday?’ asked Gania, in alarm.
‘Why, goodness me, don’t you know?’ Varia stopped
short.
‘What? You don’t mean to say that he went there yester-
day!’ cried Gania, flushing red with shame and anger. ‘Good
heavens, Varia! Speak! You have just been there. WAS he
there or not, QUICK?’ And Gania rushed for the door. Var-
ia followed and caught him by both hands.
‘What are you doing? Where are you going to? You can’t
let him go now; if you do he’ll go and do something worse.’
‘What did he do there? What did he say?’ ‘They couldn’t
tell me themselves; they couldn’t make head or tail of it; but
he frightened them all. He came to see the general, who was
not at home; so he asked for Lizabetha Prokofievna. First of
all, he begged her for some place, or situation, for work of
some kind, and then he began to complain about US, about
me and my husband, and you, especially YOU; he said a lot
of things.’
‘Oh! couldn’t you find out?’ muttered Gania, trembling
hysterically.