Page 697 - the-idiot

which had caused so much commotion in the house. But he
could see that his father had of late changed very much, and
that he had begun to behave in so extraordinary a fashion
both at home and abroad that he was not like the same man.
What perplexed and disturbed him as much as anything
was that his father had entirely given up drinking during
the last few days. Colia knew that he had quarrelled with
both Lebedeff and the prince, and had just bought a small
bottle of vodka and brought it home for his father.
‘Really, mother,’ he had assured Nina Alexandrovna up-
stairs, ‘really you had better let him drink. He has not had a
drop for three days; he must be suffering agonies—The gen-
eral now entered the room, threw the door wide open, and
stood on the threshold trembling with indignation.
‘Look here, my dear sir,’ he began, addressing Ptitsin in
a very loud tone of voice; ‘if you have really made up your
mind to sacrifice an old man—your father too or at all
events father of your wife—an old man who has served his
emperor—to a wretched little atheist like this, all I can say
is, sir, my foot shall cease to tread your floors. Make your
choice, sir; make your choice quickly, if you please! Me or
this—screw! Yes, screw, sir; I said it accidentally, but let the
word stand—this screw, for he screws and drills himself
into my soul—‘
‘Hadn’t you better say corkscrew?’ said Hippolyte.
‘No, sir, NOT corkscrew. I am a general, not a bottle, sir.
Make your choice, sir—me or him.’
Here Colia handed him a chair, and he subsided into it,
breathless with rage.

The Idiot