Page 907 - the-idiot

latter took them, with a sort of perplexity. A new, sad, help-
less feeling weighed on his heart; he had suddenly realized
that not only at this moment, but for a long while, he had
not been saying what he wanted to say, had not been act-
ing as he wanted to act; and that these cards which he held
in his hand, and which he had been so delighted to have at
first, were now of no use—no use... He rose, and wrung his
hands. Rogojin lay motionless, and seemed neither to hear
nor see his movements; but his eyes blazed in the darkness,
and were fixed in a wild stare.
The prince sat down on a chair, and watched him in
alarm. Half an hour went by.
Suddenly Rogojin burst into a loud abrupt laugh, as
though he had quite forgotten that they must speak in whis-
pers.
‘That officer, eh!—that young officer—don’t you remem-
ber that fellow at the band? Eh? Ha, ha, ha! Didn’t she whip
him smartly, eh?’
The prince jumped up from his seat in renewed terror.
When Rogojin quieted down (which he did at once) the
prince bent over him, sat down beside him, and with pain-
fully beating heart and still more painful breath, watched
his face intently. Rogojin never turned his head, and seemed
to have forgotten all about him. The prince watched and
waited. Time went on—it began to grow light.
Rogojin began to wander—muttering disconnectedly;
then he took to shouting and laughing. The prince stretched
out a trembling hand and gently stroked his hair and his
cheeks—he could do nothing more. His legs trembled again

0 The Idiot