Идиот

           “Youarenotgoingto,afterall?Andtheytoldme—oh,NastasiaPhilipovna—theysaidyouhadpromisedtomarryhim,him!Asifyoucoulddoit!—him—pooh!Idon’tmindsayingittoeveryone—I’dbuyhimoffforahundredroubles,anydaypfu!Givehimathousand,orthreeifhelikes,poordevil,andhe’dcutandrunthedaybeforehiswedding,andleavehisbridetome!Wouldn’tyou,Gania,youblackguard?You’dtakethreethousand,wouldn’tyou?Here’sthemoney!Look,I’vecomeonpurposetopayyouoffandgetyourreceipt,formally.IsaidI’dbuyyouup,andsoIwill.”

           “Getoutofthis,youdrunkenbeast!”criedGania,whowasredandwhitebyturns.

           Rogojin’stroop,whowereonlywaitingforanexcuse,setupahowlatthis.LebedeffsteppedforwardandwhisperedsomethinginParfen’sear.

           “You’reright,clerk,”saidthelatter,“you’reright,tipsyspirit—you’reright!—NastasiaPhilipovna,”headded,lookingatherlikesomelunatic,harmlessgenerally,butsuddenlywounduptoapitchofaudacity,“hereareeighteenthousandroubles,and—andyoushallhavemore—.”Herehethrewapacketofbank-notestiedupinwhitepaper,onthetablebeforeher,notdaringtosayallhewishedtosay.

           “No—no—no!”mutteredLebedeff,clutchingathisarm.Hewasclearlyaghastatthelargenessofthesum,andthoughtafarsmalleramountshouldhavebeentriedfirst.