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Rogojin fixed his eyes first on the prince, and then on Ptitsin, and then back again; he was extremely agitated. Lebedeff could not stand it. He crept up and read over Ptitsin's shoulder, with the air of a naughty boy who expects a box on the ear every moment for his indiscretion. "It's good business," said Ptitsin, at last, folding the letter and handing it back to the prince.
"Not quite, esteemed prince," replied Lebedeff, with some acerbity.
Or if that were impossible he would like to be alone at home, on the terrace-without either Lebedeff or his children, or anyone else about him, and to lie there and think a day and night and another day again!
Keller alone was still disgusted with Lebedeff and his speech; he turned from one to another, saying in a loud voice: "He attacks education, he boasts of the fanaticism of the twelfth century, he makes absurd grimaces, and added to that he is by no means the innocent he makes himself out to be. How did he get the money to buy this house, allow me to ask?"
The latter was frowning more and more, and walking excitedly up and down, trying not to look at Lebedeff. "You see," he said, "I was given to understand that Ferdishenko was that sort of man, that one can't say everything before him. One has to take care not to say too much, you understand? I say this to prove that he really is, so to speak, more likely to have done this than anyone else, eh?
Hippolyte gazed steadfastly at him, but said nothing. To look at him one might have supposed that he was unconscious at intervals. "Excuse me," said Lebedeff, "but did you observe the young gentleman's style?
Just then Lebedeff returned, having put on his coat. "Five weeks!" said he, wiping his eyes. "Only five weeks! Poor orphans!" "But why wear a coat in holes," asked the girl, "when your new one is hanging behind the door? Did you not see it?" "Hold your tongue, dragon-fly!" he scolded. "What a plague you are!"
He remembered that Lebedeff had said that he looked ill, and had better see a doctor; and although the prince scouted the idea, Lebedeff had turned up almost immediately with his old friend, explaining that they had just met at the bedside of Hippolyte, who was very ill, and that the doctor had something to tell the prince about the sick man.
Arrived home again, the prince sent for Vera Lebedeff and told her as much as was necessary, in order to relieve her mind, for she had been in a dreadful state of anxiety since she had missed the letter. She heard with horror that her father had taken it.
"You hear how he slanders me, prince," said Lebedeff, almost beside himself with rage. "I may be a drunkard, an evil-doer, a thief, but at least I can say one thing for myself. He does not know how should he, mocker that he is? that when he came into the world it was I who washed him, and dressed him in his swathing-bands, for my sister Anisia had lost her husband, and was in great poverty.