Идиот

           Helaidmuchstressonthegeniusofthesufferer,asifthisideamustbeoneofimmensesolaceinthepresentcrisis.

           NinaAlexandrovna—seeinghissincerityoffeeling—saidatlast,andwithoutthefaintestsuspicionofreproachinhervoice:“Come,come—don’tcry!Godwillforgiveyou!”

           Lebedeffwassoimpressedbythesewords,andthetoneinwhichtheywerespoken,thathecouldnotleaveNinaAlexandrovnaalltheevening—infact,forseveraldays.Tillthegeneral’sdeath,indeed,hespentalmostallhistimeathisside.

           TwiceduringthedayamessengercametoNinaAlexandrovnafromtheEpanchinstoinquireaftertheinvalid.

           When—lateintheevening—theprincemadehisappearanceinLizabethaProkofievna’sdrawing-room,hefounditfullofguests.Mrs.Epanchinquestionedhimveryfullyaboutthegeneralassoonasheappeared;andwhenoldPrincessBielokonskiwishedtoknow“whothisgeneralwas,andwhowasNinaAlexandrovna,”sheproceededtoexplaininamannerwhichpleasedtheprinceverymuch.

           Hehimself,whenrelatingthecircumstancesofthegeneral’sillnesstoLizabethaProkofievna,“spokebeautifully,”asAglaya’ssistersdeclaredafterwards—“modestly,quietly,withoutgesturesortoomanywords,andwithgreatdignity.