Page 814 - the-idiot

warring against that which is destined to supersede it and
take its place—hindering the Coming Men, and knowing
not that itself is in a dying condition. I did not fully believe
in this view even before, for there never was such a class
among us—excepting perhaps at court, by accident—or by
uniform; but now there is not even that, is there? It has van-
ished, has it not?’
‘No, not a bit of it,’ said Ivan Petrovitch, with a sarcastic
laugh.
‘Good Lord, he’s off again!’ said Princess Bielokonski,
impatiently.
‘Laissez-le dire! He is trembling all over,’ said the old
man, in a warning whisper.
The prince certainly was beside himself.
‘Well? What have I seen?’ he continued. ‘I have seen men
of graceful simplicity of intellect; I have seen an old man
who is not above speaking kindly and even LISTENING to
a boy like myself; I see before me persons who can under-
stand, who can forgive—kind, good Russian hearts—hearts
almost as kind and cordial as I met abroad. Imagine how
delighted I must have been, and how surprised! Oh, let me
express this feeling! I have so often heard, and I have even
believed, that in society there was nothing but empty forms,
and that reality had vanished; but I now see for myself that
this can never be the case HERE, among us—it may be the
order elsewhere, but not in Russia. Surely you are not all Je-
suits and deceivers! I heard Prince N.’s story just now. Was
it not simple-minded, spontaneous humour? Could such
words come from the lips of a man who is dead?—a man

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