Page 707 - the-idiot

bench in the park. It is not far from our house. Varvara Ar-
dalionovna, who must accompany you, knows the place
well.
‘A. E.’
‘What on earth is one to make of a girl like that?’ said
Varia.
Gania, little as he felt inclined for swagger at this mo-
ment, could not avoid showing his triumph, especially just
after such humiliating remarks as those of Hippolyte. A
smile of selfsatisfaction beamed on his face, and Varia too
was brimming over with delight.
‘And this is the very day that they were to announce the
engagement! What will she do next?’
‘What do you suppose she wants to talk about tomorrow?’
asked Gania.
‘Oh, THAT’S all the same! The chief thing is that she
wants to see you after six months’ absence. Look here, Ga-
nia, this is a SERIOUS business. Don’t swagger again and
lose the game—play carefully, but don’t funk, do you un-
derstand? As if she could possibly avoid seeing what I have
been working for all this last six months! And just imag-
ine, I was there this morning and not a word of this! I was
there, you know, on the sly. The old lady did not know, or
she would have kicked me out. I ran some risk for you, you
see. I did so want to find out, at all hazards.’
Here there was a frantic noise upstairs once more; sev-
eral people seemed to be rushing downstairs at once.
‘Now, Gania,’ cried Varia, frightened, ‘we can’t let him
go out! We can’t afford to have a breath of scandal about

0 The Idiot