Page 831 - the-idiot

why am I a scandal-monger? I see—I see you are tremen-
dously amused, at this moment! Probably you are laughing
at me and fitting those silly lines to my case—
‘Maybe sad Love upon his setting smiles, And with vain
hopes his farewell hour beguiles.
‘Ha, ha, ha!’
Hippolyte suddenly burst into a fit of hysterical laughter,
which turned into a choking cough.
‘Observe,’ he gasped, through his coughing, ‘what a fel-
low Gania is! He talks about Nastasia’s ‘leavings,’ but what
does he want to take himself?’
The prince sat silent for a long while. His mind was filled
with dread and horror.
‘You spoke of a meeting with Nastasia Philipovna,’ he
said at last, in a low voice.
‘Oh—come! Surely you must know that there is to be a
meeting today between Nastasia and Aglaya Ivanovna, and
that Nastasia has been sent for on purpose, through Rogojin,
from St. Petersburg? It has been brought about by invita-
tion of Aglaya Ivanovna and my own efforts, and Nastasia
is at this moment with Rogojin, not far from here—at Dana
Alexeyevna’s—that curious friend of hers; and to this ques-
tionable house Aglaya Ivanovna is to proceed for a friendly
chat with Nastasia Philipovna, and for the settlement of sev-
eral problems. They are going to play at arithmetic—didn’t
you know about it? Word of honour?’
‘It’s a most improbable story.’
‘Oh, very well! if it’s improbable—it is—that’s all! And
yet— where should you have heard it? Though I must say,

0 The Idiot