Page 822 - the-idiot

she burst into tears; but when he tried to soothe her she
began to laugh. He was quite struck by the girl’s deep sym-
pathy for him; he seized her hand and kissed it. Vera flushed
crimson.
‘Oh, don’t, don’t!’ she exclaimed in alarm, snatching her
hand away. She went hastily out of the room in a state of
strange confusion.
Lebedeff also came to see the prince, in a great hurry to
get away to the ‘deceased,’ as he called General Ivolgin, who
was alive still, but very ill. Colia also turned up, and begged
the prince for pity’s sake to tell him all he knew about his
father which had been concealed from him till now. He said
he had found out nearly everything since yesterday; the poor
boy was in a state of deep affliction. With all the sympathy
which he could bring into play, the prince told Colia the
whole story without reserve, detailing the facts as clearly as
he could. The tale struck Colia like a thunderbolt. He could
not speak. He listened silently, and cried softly to himself
the while. The prince perceived that this was an impression
which would last for the whole of the boy’s life. He made
haste to explain his view of the matter, and pointed out that
the old man’s approaching death was probably brought on
by horror at the thought of his action; and that it was not
everyone who was capable of such a feeling.
Colia’s eyes flashed as he listened.
‘Gania and Varia and Ptitsin are a worthless lot! I shall
not quarrel with them; but from this moment our feet shall
not travel the same road. Oh, prince, I have felt much that
is quite new to me since yesterday! It is a lesson for me. I

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