Page 412 - the-idiot

rovitch to Prince S. the next day, ‘but she is not often so
violent as she was yesterday; it does not happen more than
once in three years.’
‘Be quiet, Ivan Fedorovitch! Leave me alone!’ cried Mrs.
Epanchin. ‘Why do you offer me your arm now? You had
not sense enough to take me away before. You are my hus-
band, you are a father, it was your duty to drag me away by
force, if in my folly I refused to obey you and go quietly. You
might at least have thought of your daughters. We can find
our way out now without your help. Here is shame enough
for a year! Wait a moment ‘till I thank the prince! Thank
you, prince, for the entertainment you have given us! It was
most amusing to hear these young men... It is vile, vile! A
chaos, a scandal, worse than a nightmare! Is it possible that
there can be many such people on earth? Be quiet, Aglaya!
Be quiet, Alexandra! It is none of your business! Don’t fuss
round me like that, Evgenie Pavlovitch; you exasperate me!
So, my dear,’ she cried, addressing the prince, ‘you go so far
as to beg their pardon! He says, ‘Forgive me for offering you
a fortune.’ And you, you mountebank, what are you laugh-
ing at?’ she cried, turning suddenly on Lebedeff’s nephew.
‘We refuse ten thousand roubles; we do not beseech, we de-
mand!’ As if he did not know that this idiot will call on them
tomorrow to renew his offers of money and friendship. You
will, won’t you? You will? Come, will you, or won’t you?’
‘I shall,’ said the prince, with gentle humility.
‘You hear him! You count upon it, too,’ she continued,
turning upon Doktorenko. ‘You are as sure of him now as if
you had the money in your pocket. And there you are play-

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