Page 260 - the-idiot

I

wo days after the strange conclusion to Nastasia Phil-
Tipovna’s birthday party, with the record of which we
concluded the first part of this story, Prince Muishkin hur-
riedly left St. Petersburg for Moscow, in order to see after
some business connected with the receipt of his unexpected
fortune.
It was said that there were other reasons for his hurried
departure; but as to this, and as to his movements in Mos-
cow, and as to his prolonged absence from St. Petersburg,
we are able to give very little information.
The prince was away for six months, and even those who
were most interested in his destiny were able to pick up very
little news about him all that while. True, certain rumours
did reach his friends, but these were both strange and rare,
and each one contradicted the last.
Of course the Epanchin family was much interested in
his movements, though he had not had time to bid them
farewell before his departure. The general, however, had
had an opportunity of seeing him once or twice since the
eventful evening, and had spoken very seriously with him;
but though he had seen the prince, as I say, he told his fam-
ily nothing about the circumstance. In fact, for a month
or so after his departure it was considered not the thing
to mention the prince’s name in the Epanchin household.