Chapter 12

           Coliatooktheprincetoapublic-houseintheLitaynaya,notfaroff.Inoneofthesideroomstheresatatatable—lookinglikeoneoftheregularguestsoftheestablishment—ArdalionAlexandrovitch,withabottlebeforehim,andanewspaperonhisknee.Hewaswaitingfortheprince,andnosoonerdidthelatterappearthanhebeganalongharangueaboutsomethingorother;butsofargonewashethattheprincecouldhardlyunderstandaword.

           “Ihavenotgotaten-roublenote,”saidtheprince;“buthereisatwenty-five.Changeitandgivemebackthefifteen,orIshallbeleftwithoutafarthingmyself.”

           “Oh,ofcourse,ofcourse;andyouquiteunderstandthatI—”

           “Yes;andIhaveanotherrequesttomake,general.HaveyoueverbeenatNastasiaPhilipovna’s?”

           “I?I?Doyoumeanme?Often,myfriend,often!IonlypretendedIhadnotinordertoavoidapainfulsubject.Yousawtoday,youwereawitness,thatIdidallthatakind,anindulgentfathercoulddo.Nowafatherofaltogetheranothertypeshallstepintothescene.Youshallsee;theoldsoldiershalllaybarethisintrigue,orashamelesswomanwillforceherwayintoarespectableandnoblefamily.”

           “Yes,quiteso.IwishedtoaskyouwhetheryoucouldshowmethewaytoNastasiaPhilipovna’stonight.Imustgo;Ihavebusinesswithher;IwasnotinvitedbutIwasintroduced.AnyhowIamreadytotrespassthelawsofproprietyifonlyIcangetinsomehoworother.