Page 742 - the-idiot

but shame, shame has pursued me! You and Nina will come
to my grave, Colia; poor Nina, I always used to call her Nina
in the old days, and how she loved.... Nina, Nina, oh, Nina.
What have I ever done to deserve your forgiveness and long-
suffering? Oh, Colia, your mother has an angelic spirit, an
angelic spirit, Colia!’
‘I know that, father. Look here, dear old father, come back
home! Let’s go back to mother. Look, she ran after us when
we came out. What have you stopped her for, just as though
you didn’t take in what I said? Why are you crying, father?’
Poor Colia cried himself, and kissed the old man’s
hands
‘You kiss my hands, MINE?’
‘Yes, yes, yours, yours! What is there to surprise anyone
in that? Come, come, you mustn’t go on like this, crying
in the middle of the road; and you a general too, a military
man! Come, let’s go back.’
‘God bless you, dear boy, for being respectful to a dis-
graced man. Yes, to a poor disgraced old fellow, your father.
You shall have such a son yourself; le roi de Rome. Oh, curs-
es on this house!’
‘Come, come, what does all this mean?’ cried Colia be-
side himself at last. ‘What is it? What has happened to you?
Why don’t you wish to come back home? Why have you
gone out of your mind, like this?’
‘I’ll explain it, I’ll explain all to you. Don’t shout! You
shall hear. Le roi de Rome. Oh, I am sad, I am melancholy!
‘Nurse, where is your tomb?’’
‘Who said that, Colia?’

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