Page 753 - the-idiot

in the world.
‘What children we are still, Colia!’ he cried at last, enthu-
siastically,—‘and how delightful it is that we can be children
still!’
‘Simply—my dear prince,—simply she is in love with
you,—that’s the whole of the secret!’ replied Colia, with au-
thority.
The prince blushed, but this time he said nothing. Colia
burst out laughing and clapped his hands. A minute later
the prince laughed too, and from this moment until the eve-
ning he looked at his watch every other minute to see how
much time he had to wait before evening came.
But the situation was becoming rapidly critical.
Mrs. Epanchin could bear her suspense no longer, and in
spite of the opposition of husband and daughters, she sent
for Aglaya, determined to get a straightforward answer out
of her, once for all.
‘Otherwise,’ she observed hysterically, ‘I shall die before
evening.’
It was only now that everyone realized to what a ridicu-
lous deadlock the whole matter had been brought. Excepting
feigned surprise, indignation, laughter, and jeering—both
at the prince and at everyone who asked her questions,—
nothing could be got out of Aglaya.
Lizabetha Prokofievna went to bed and only rose again
in time for tea, when the prince might be expected.
She awaited him in trembling agitation; and when he at
last arrived she nearly went off into hysterics.
Muishkin himself came in very timidly. He seemed to

The Idiot