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Nastasia listened to all this with great interest; but the conversation soon turned to Rogojin and his visit, and this theme proved of the greatest attraction to both Totski and the general. Ptitsin was able to afford some particulars as to Rogojin's conduct since the afternoon.
"You must have misunderstood what I said," said Nastasia, in some surprise. "If you wished to preserve your good name, why did you not give up your your 'guardian, Totski, without all that theatrical posturing?" said Aglaya, suddenly a propos of nothing. "What do you know of my position, that you dare to judge me?" cried Nastasia, quivering with rage, and growing terribly white.
As you decide, so shall it be." Totski grew white as a sheet. The general was struck dumb. All present started and listened intently. Gania sat rooted to his chair. "Marry whom?" asked the prince, faintly. "Gavrila Ardalionovitch Ivolgin," said Nastasia, firmly and evenly. There were a few seconds of dead silence.
He realized that he had gone a little too far. "Had we not better end this game?" asked Totski. "It's my turn, but I plead exemption," said Ptitsin. "You don't care to oblige us?" asked Nastasia. "I cannot, I assure you. I confess I do not understand how anyone can play this game."
Totski was very eloquent all through, and, in conclusion, just touched on the fact that not a soul in the world, not even General Epanchin, had ever heard a word about the above seventy-five thousand roubles, and that this was the first time he had ever given expression to his intentions in respect to them.
He might have been successful in life, and never have gone to fight the Turks." Totski ended his tale with the same dignity that had characterized its commencement. Nastasia Philipovna's eyes were flashing in a most unmistakable way, now; and her lips were all a-quiver by the time Totski finished his story. All present watched both of them with curiosity.
She did not consider herself to blame for anything that had happened in former years, and she thought that Gavrila Ardalionovitch should be informed as to the relations which had existed between herself and Totski during the last five years.
Seeing Gania, he smiled venomously and muttered to himself, "Look at that!" He gazed at Totski and the general with no apparent confusion, and with very little curiosity. But when he observed that the prince was seated beside Nastasia Philipovna, he could not take his eyes off him for a long while, and was clearly amazed. He could not account for the prince's presence there.
Like most men of the world, Totski had rather despised such a cheaply-bought conquest, but of late years he had begun to think differently about it. It had struck him as long ago as last spring that he ought to be finding a good match for Nastasia; for instance, some respectable and reasonable young fellow serving in a government office in another part of the country.
"I am not laughing, Nastasia Philipovna; I am only listening with all my attention," said Totski, with dignity. "Well, why have I worried him, for five years, and never let him go free? Is he worth it? He is only just what he ought to be nothing particular. He thinks I am to blame, too. He gave me my education, kept me like a countess. Money my word! What a lot of money he spent over me!
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