Page 768 - the-idiot

what in the world you are driving at, Hippolyte. I think we
had better drop the subject!’
‘Very well, we’ll drop it for a while. You can’t look at any-
thing but in your exalted, generous way. You must put out
your finger and touch a thing before you’ll believe it, eh?
Ha! ha! ha! I suppose you despise me dreadfully, prince, eh?
What do you think?’
‘Why? Because you have suffered more than we have?’
‘No; because I am unworthy of my sufferings, if you
like!’
‘Whoever CAN suffer is worthy to suffer, I should think.
Aglaya Ivanovna wished to see you, after she had read your
confession, but—‘
‘She postponed the pleasure—I see—I quite understand!’
said Hippolyte, hurriedly, as though he wished to banish
the subject. ‘I hear—they tell me—that you read her all that
nonsense aloud? Stupid @ bosh it was—written in delirium.
And I can’t understand how anyone can be so I won’t say
CRUEL, because the word would be humiliating to myself,
but we’ll say childishly vain and revengeful, as to RE-
PROACH me with this confession, and use it as a weapon
against me. Don’t be afraid, I’m not referring to yourself.’
‘Oh, but I’m sorry you repudiate the confession, Hip-
polyte—it is sincere; and, do you know, even the absurd
parts of it—and these are many’ (here Hippolyte frowned
savagely) ‘are, as it were, redeemed by suffering—for it must
have cost you something to admit what you there say—great
torture, perhaps, for all I know. Your motive must have
been a very noble one all through. Whatever may have ap-