Page:Dostoevsky - The Idiot, Collected Edition, 1916.djvu/21

I haven't taken to him. Come and see me, prince. We'll take off those gaiters of yours, we'll put you into a first-rate fur coat, I'll get you a first-class dress-coat, a white waistcoat, or what you like, I'll fill your pockets with money!... we'll go and see Nastasya Filippovna! Will you come?"

"Listen, Prince Lyov Nikolayevitch!" Ledebyev chimed in solemnly and impressively. "Don't miss the chance, oh, don't miss the chance!"

Prince Myshkin stood up, courteously held out his hand to Rogozhin and said cordially:

"I will come with the greatest of pleasure and thank you very much for liking me. I may come to-day even, if I've time. For I tell you frankly I've taken a great liking to you myself, I liked you particularly when you were telling about the diamond earrings. I liked you before that, too, though you look gloomy. Thank you, too, for the clothes and a fur coat directly. As for money, I have scarcely a farthing at the moment."

"There will be money, there will be money by the evening, come!"

"There will, there will!" the official assented, "by evening, before sunset there will be!"

"And women, prince, are you very keen on them? Let me know to start with!"

"I, n-no! You see.... Perhaps you don't know that, owing to my illness, I know nothing of women."

"Well, if that's how it is," cried Rogozhin, "you are a regular blessed innocent, and God loves such as you."

"And the Lord God loves such as you," the official repeated.

"And you follow me," said Rogozhin to Ledebyev.

And they all got out of the carriage. Lebedyev had ended by gaining his point. The noisy group soon disappeared in the direction of Voznesensky Prospect. The prince had to go towards Liteyny. It was damp and rainy; Myshkin asked his way of passers-by--it appeared that he had two miles to go, and he decided to take a cab.

Chapter II

General Epanchin lived in a house of his own not far from Liteyny. Besides this magnificent house--five-sixths of its rooms