Page 776 - the-idiot

pose.’
‘On the contrary, I shall sit as far from it as I can. Thanks
for the hint.’
‘Ha, ha! Then you are afraid you WILL wave your arms
about! I wouldn’t mind betting that you’ll talk about some
lofty subject, something serious and learned. How delight-
ful, how tactful that will be!’
‘I should think it would be very foolish indeed, unless it
happened to come in appropriately.’
‘Look here, once for all,’ cried Aglaya, boiling over, ‘if I
hear you talking about capital punishment, or the econom-
ical condition of Russia, or about Beauty redeeming the
world, or anything of that sort, I’ll—well, of course I shall
laugh and seem very pleased, but I warn you beforehand,
don’t look me in the face again! I’m serious now, mind, this
time I AM REALLY serious.’ She certainly did say this very
seriously, so much so, that she looked quite different from
what she usually was, and the prince could not help notic-
ing the fact. She did not seem to be joking in the slightest
degree.
‘Well, you’ve put me into such a fright that I shall certain-
ly make a fool of myself, and very likely break something
too. I wasn’t a bit alarmed before, but now I’m as nervous
as can be.’
‘Then don’t speak at all. Sit still and don’t talk.’
‘Oh, I can’t do that, you know! I shall say something fool-
ish out of pure ‘funk,’ and break something for the same
excellent reason; I know I shall. Perhaps I shall slip and fall
on the slippery floor; I’ve done that before now, you know.