Historical fiction; Russia -- Social conditions -- 1801-1917 -- Fiction
“I am very proud, in spite of what I am,” she continued. “You called me
‘perfection’ just now, prince. A nice sort of perfection to throw up a
prince and a million and a half of roubles in order to be able to boast
of the fact afterwards! What sort of a wife should I make for you,
after all I have said? Afanasy Ivanovitch, do you observe I have really
and truly thrown away a million of roubles? And you thought that I
should consider your wretched seventy-five thousand, with Gania thrown
in for a husband, a paradise of bliss! Take your seventy-five thousand
back, sir; you did not reach the hundred thousand. Rogojin cut a better
dash than you did. I’ll console Gania myself; I have an idea about
that. But now I must be off! I’ve been in prison for ten years. I’m
free at last! Well, Rogojin, what are you waiting for? Let’s get ready
and go.”
“Come along!” shouted Rogojin, beside himself with joy. “Hey! all of
you fellows! Wine! Round with it! Fill the glasses!”
“Get away!” he shouted frantically, observing that Daria Alexeyevna was
approaching to protest against Nastasia’s conduct. “Get away, she’s
mine, everything’s mine! She’s a queen, get away!”
He was panting with ecstasy. He walked round and round Nastasia
Philipovna and told everybody to “keep their distance.”
All the Rogojin company were now collected in the drawing-room; some
were drinking, some laughed and talked: all were in the highest and
wildest spirits. Ferdishenko was doing his best to unite himself to
them; the general and Totski again made an attempt to go. Gania, too
stood hat in hand ready to go; but seemed to be unable to tear his eyes
away from the scene before him.
“Get out, keep your distance!” shouted Rogojin.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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