Page:Dostoevsky - The Idiot, Collected Edition, 1916.djvu/32

"I have little time for making acquaintances as a rule," observed the general, "but as you have no doubt some object...."

"That's just what I expected," Myshkin interrupted, "that you would look for some special object in my visit. But I assure you I have no personal object except the pleasure of making your acquaintance."

"It is of course a great pleasure to me too, but lief is not all play, you know, one has work sometimes as well.... Moreover, so far, I haven't been able to discover anything in common between us.... any reason, so to speak...."

"There certainly is no reason, and very little in common, of course. For my being Prince Myshkin and Madam Epanchin's being of the same family is no reason, to be sure. I quite understand that. And yet it's only that that has brought me. It's more than four years since I was in Russia, and I left in such a state--almost out of my mind. I knew nothing then and less than ever now. I need to know good people; there is also a matter of business I must attend to, and I don't know to whom to apply. The thought struck me at Berlin that you were almost relations, and so I would begin with you; we might perhaps be of use to one another--you to me and I to you--if you were good people, and I ad heard that you were good people."

"I am very much obliged to you," said the general, surprised. "Allow me to inquire where are you staying?"

"I am not staying anywhere as yet."

"So you've come straight from the train to me? And... with luggage?"

"All the luggage I have is a little bundle of my linen, I've nothing else; I generally carry it in my hand. I shall have time to take a room this evening."

"So you still intend to take a room at a hotel?"

"Oh yes, of course."

"From your words I was led to suppose that you had come to stay here."

"That might be, but only on your invitation. I confess, though, I wouldn't stay even on your invitation, not for any reason, but simply... because I'm like that."

"Then it's quite as well that I haven't invited you, and am not going to invite you. Allow me, prince, so as to make things clear once and for all: since we have agreed already that there can