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"And what about the maid?" asked Nastasia Philipovna, with undisguised contempt. "Oh, she was turned out next day, of course. It's a very strict household, there!" "And you allowed it?" "I should think so, rather! I was not going to return and confess next day," laughed Ferdishenko, who seemed a little surprised at the disagreeable impression which his story had made on all parties.
If you would allow me to see it, I should perhaps be able to tell you." The prince held out the letter silently, but with a shaking hand. "What, what?" said the general, much agitated. "What's all this? Is he really heir to anything?" All present concentrated their attention upon Ptitsin, reading the prince's letter. The general curiosity had received a new fillip. Ferdishenko could not sit still.
"Ferdishenko," he said, gazing intently and inquiringly into the prince's eyes. "Very well, what next?" said the latter, almost laughing in his face. "A lodger here," continued the other, staring as before. "Do you wish to make acquaintance?" asked the prince. "Ah!" said the visitor, passing his fingers through his hair and sighing. He then looked over to the other side of the room and around it.
"We have evidence. In the first place, his mysterious disappearance at seven o'clock, or even earlier." "I know, Colia told me that he had said he was off to I forget the name, some friend of his, to finish the night." "H'm! then Colia has spoken to you already?" "Not about the theft." "He does not know of it; I have kept it a secret. Very well, Ferdishenko went off to Wilkin's.
"Why do you tease him?" cried the prince, suddenly. "You've moved him to tears," added Ferdishenko. But Hippolyte was by no means weeping. He was about to move from his place, when his four guards rushed at him and seized him once more. There was a laugh at this. "He led up to this on purpose.
"See, it is rising now!" "Well, what then? Did you suppose it wasn't going to rise?" asked Ferdishenko. "It's going to be atrociously hot again all day," said Gania, with an air of annoyance, taking his hat. "A month of this... Are you coming home, Ptitsin?" Hippolyte listened to this in amazement, almost amounting to stupefaction. Suddenly he became deadly pale and shuddered.
"Oh, you naughty man!" cried Nastasia, laughing and clapping her hands like a child. "Bravo!" said Ferdishenko. Ptitsin laughed too, though he had been very sorry to see the general appear. Even Colia laughed and said, "Bravo!" "And I was right, truly right," cried the general, with warmth and solemnity, "for if cigars are forbidden in railway carriages, poodles are much more so."
"H'm! why must you needs go up and change your coat like that?" asked the prince, banging the table with his fist, in annoyance. "Oh, don't be so worried on my account, prince! I assure you I am not worth it! At least, not I alone. But I see you are suffering on behalf of the criminal too, for wretched Ferdishenko, in fact!"
That is, he went to school, looked after his father, helped Varia in the house, and ran her errands, and went frequently to see his friend, Hippolyte. The lodgers had disappeared very quickly Ferdishenko soon after the events at Nastasia Philipovna's, while the prince went to Moscow, as we know.
"It's burning, it's burning!" cried all, thronging nearer and nearer to the fire in their excitement. "Gania, don't be a fool! I tell you for the last time." "Get on, quick!" shrieked Ferdishenko, rushing wildly up to Gania, and trying to drag him to the fire by the sleeve of his coat. "Get it, you dummy, it's burning away fast! Oh DAMN the thing!"
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