Page 757 - the-idiot

love only you—and—please don’t jest about it, for I do love
you very much.’
‘Well, this matter is important. We are not children—we
must look into it thoroughly. Now then, kindly tell me—
what does your fortune consist of?’
‘No—Aglaya—come, enough of this, you mustn’t behave
like this,’ said her father, in dismay.
‘It’s disgraceful,’ said Lizabetha Prokofievna in a loud
whisper.
‘She’s mad—quite!’ said Alexandra.
‘Fortune—money—do you mean?’ asked the prince in
some surprise.
‘Just so.’
‘I have now—let’s see—I have a hundred and thirty-five
thousand roubles,’ said the prince, blushing violently.
‘Is that all, really?’ said Aglaya, candidly, without the
slightest show of confusion. ‘However, it’s not so bad, espe-
cially if managed with economy. Do you intend to serve?’
‘I—I intended to try for a certificate as private tutor.’
‘Very good. That would increase our income nicely. Have
you any intention of being a Kammer-junker?’
‘A Kammer-junker? I had not thought of it, but—‘
But here the two sisters could restrain themselves no
longer, and both of them burst into irrepressible laughter.
Adelaida had long since detected in Aglaya’s features the
gathering signs of an approaching storm of laughter, which
she restrained with amazing self-control.
Aglaya looked menacingly at her laughing sisters, but
could not contain herself any longer, and the next minute

The Idiot