Page 751 - the-idiot

had given them some money to buy Schlosser’s History for
him, from another schoolfellow who at that moment was
driven to raising money by the sale of his books. Colia and
Kostia were about to make this purchase for their friend
when chance brought the hedgehog to their notice, and they
had succumbed to the temptation of buying it. They were
now taking Petroff the hedgehog and hatchet which they
had bought with his money, instead of Schiosser’s History.
But Aglaya so entreated them that at last they consented to
sell her the hedgehog. As soon as she had got possession of
it, she put it in a wicker basket with Colia’s help, and cov-
ered it with a napkin. Then she said to Colia: ‘Go and take
this hedgehog to the prince from me, and ask him to accept
it as a token of my profound respect.’ Colia joyfully prom-
ised to do the errand, but he demanded explanations. ‘What
does the hedgehog mean? What is the meaning of such a
present?’ Aglaya replied that it was none of his business. ‘ I
am sure that there is some allegory about it,’ Colia persisted.
Aglaya grew angry, and called him ‘a silly boy.’ ‘If I did not
respect all women in your person,’ replied Colia, ‘and if my
own principles would permit it, I would soon prove to you,
that I know how to answer such an insult!’ But, in the end,
Colia went off with the hedgehog in great delight, followed
by Kostia Lebedeff. Aglaya’s annoyance was soon over, and
seeing that Colia was swinging the hedgehog’s basket vio-
lently to and fro, she called out to him from the verandah,
as if they had never quarrelled: ‘Colia, dear, please take care
not to drop him!’ Colia appeared to have no grudge against
her, either, for he stopped, and answered most cordially:

0 The Idiot