Page 886 - the-idiot

tionate terms, and, without speaking of what had happened,
Colia promised to come very early the next day. He said lat-
er that the prince had given no hint of his intentions when
they said good-bye, but had hidden them even from him.
Soon there was hardly anyone left in the house. Burdovsky
had gone to see Hippolyte; Keller and Lebedeff had wan-
dered off together somewhere.
Only Vera Lebedeff remained hurriedly rearranging
the furniture in the rooms. As she left the verandah, she
glanced at the prince. He was seated at the table, with both
elbows upon it, and his head resting on his hands. She ap-
proached him, and touched his shoulder gently. The prince
started and looked at her in perplexity; he seemed to be
collecting his senses for a minute or so, before he could re-
member where he was. As recollection dawned upon him,
he became violently agitated. All he did, however, was to
ask Vera very earnestly to knock at his door and awake him
in time for the first train to Petersburg next morning. Vera
promised, and the prince entreated her not to tell anyone
of his intention. She promised this, too; and at last, when
she had half-closed the door, be called her back a third time,
took her hands in his, kissed them, then kissed her forehead,
and in a rather peculiar manner said to her, ‘Until tomor-
row!’
Such was Vera’s story afterwards.
She went away in great anxiety about him, but when
she saw him in the morning, he seemed to be quite himself
again, greeted her with a smile, and told her that he would
very likely be back by the evening. It appears that he did not