Page 896 - the-idiot

and—and stop me?’ thought the prince, as he approached
the familiar spot. But no one came out.
He passed under the gateway and into the street. The
crowds of people walking about—as is always the case at
sunset in Petersburg, during the summer—surprised him,
but he walked on in the direction of Rogojin’s house.
About fifty yards from the hotel, at the first cross-road, as
he passed through the crowd of foot-passengers sauntering
along, someone touched his shoulder, and said in a whisper
into his ear:
‘Lef Nicolaievitch, my friend, come along with me.’ It
was Rogojin.
The prince immediately began to tell him, eagerly and
joyfully, how he had but the moment before expected to see
him in the dark passage of the hotel.
‘I was there,’ said Rogojin, unexpectedly. ‘Come along.’
The prince was surprised at this answer; but his astonish-
ment increased a couple of minutes afterwards, when he
began to consider it. Having thought it over, he glanced at
Rogojin in alarm. The latter was striding along a yard or so
ahead, looking straight in front of him, and mechanically
making way for anyone he met.
‘Why did you not ask for me at my room if you were in
the hotel?’ asked the prince, suddenly.
Rogojin stopped and looked at him; then reflected, and
replied as though he had not heard the question:
‘Look here, Lef Nicolaievitch, you go straight on to the
house; I shall walk on the other side. See that we keep to-
gether.’