Идиот

           —“But,ontheotherhand,ifonelooksthingsintheface,youknow—uponmyhonour,theprinceisararegoodfellow—and—and—and—well,hisname,youknow—yourfamilyname—allthislookswell,andperpetuatesthenameandtitleandallthat—whichatthismomentisnotstandingsohighasitmight—fromonepointofview—don’tyouknow?Theworld,theworldistheworld,ofcourse—andpeoplewilltalk—and—and—theprincehasproperty,youknow—ifitisnotverylarge—andthenhe—he—”(Continuedsilence,andcollapseofthegeneral.)

           Hearingthesewordsfromherhusband,LizabethaProkofievnawasdrivenbesideherself.

           Accordingtoheropinion,thewholethinghadbeenonehuge,fantastical,absurd,unpardonablemistake.“Firstofall,thisprinceisanidiot,and,secondly,heisafool—knowsnothingoftheworld,andhasnoplaceinit.Whomcanhebeshownto?Wherecanyoutakehimto?WhatwilloldBielokonskisay?WeneverthoughtofsuchahusbandasthatforourAglaya!”

           Ofcourse,thelastargumentwasthechiefone.Thematernalhearttrembledwithindignationtothinkofsuchanabsurdity,althoughinthatheartthereroseanothervoice,whichsaid:“AndwhyisnottheprincesuchahusbandasyouwouldhavedesiredforAglaya?”ItwasthisvoicewhichannoyedLizabethaProkofievnamorethananythingelse.

           Forsomereasonorother,thesisterslikedtheideaoftheprince.