Chapter 8

           “Ididnotexpectyou,gentlemen,”begantheprince.“Ihavebeenilluntilto-day.Amonthago,”hecontinued,addressinghimselftoAntipBurdovsky,“IputyourbusinessintoGavrilaArdalionovitchIvolgin’shands,asItoldyouthen.Idonotintheleastobjecttohavingapersonalinterview...butyouwillagreewithmethatthisishardlythetime...Iproposethatwegointoanotherroom,ifyouwillnotkeepmelong...Asyousee,Ihavefriendshere,andbelieveme...”

           “Friendsasmanyasyouplease,butallowme,”interruptedtheharshvoiceofLebedeff’snephew—“allowmetotellyouthatyoumighthavetreatedusrathermorepolitely,andnothavekeptuswaitingatleasttwohours...

           “Nodoubt...andI...isthatactinglikeaprince?Andyou...youmaybeageneral!ButI...Iamnotyourvalet!AndI...I...”stammeredAntipBurdovsky.

           Hewasextremelyexcited;hislipstrembled,andtheresentmentofanembitteredsoulwasinhisvoice.Buthespokesoindistinctlythathardlyadozenwordscouldbegathered.

           “Itwasaprincelyaction!”sneeredHippolyte.

           “Ifanyonehadtreatedmeso,”grumbledtheboxer.

           “ImeantosaythatifIhadbeeninBurdovsky’splace...I...”

           “Gentlemen,Ididnotknowyouwerethere;Ihaveonlyjustbeeninformed,Iassureyou,”repeatedMuishkin.

           “Wearenotafraidofyourfriends,prince,”remarkedLebedeff’snephew,“forwearewithinourrights.