Page 716 - the-idiot

derstanding the sufferings of another. Prince, you are the
ideal of generosity; what are other men beside yourself? But
you are young—accept my blessing! My principal object is
to beg you to fix an hour for a most important conversa-
tion—that is my great hope, prince. My heart needs but a
little friendship and sympathy, and yet I cannot always find
means to satisfy it.’
‘But why not now? I am ready to listen, and—‘
‘No, no—prince, not now! Now is a dream! And it is too,
too important! It is to be the hour of Fate to me—MY OWN
hour. Our interview is not to be broken in upon by every
chance comer, every impertinent guest—and there are
plenty of such stupid, impertinent fellows’—(he bent over
and whispered mysteriously, with a funny, frightened look
on his face)—‘who are unworthy to tie your shoe, prince.
I don’t say MINE, mind—you will understand me, prince.
Only YOU understand me, prince—no one else. HE doesn’t
understand me, he is absolutely—ABSOLUTELY unable to
sympathize. The first qualification for understanding an-
other is Heart.’
The prince was rather alarmed at all this, and was obliged
to end by appointing the same hour of the following day for
the interview desired. The general left him much comforted
and far less agitated than when he had arrived.
At seven in the evening, the prince sent to request Lebe-
deff to pay him a visit. Lebedeff came at once, and ‘esteemed
it an honour,’ as he observed, the instant he entered the
room. He acted as though there had never been the slightest
suspicion of the fact that he had systematically avoided the

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