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He had awaited the prince's return from Ekaterinhof with feverish impatience. On the latter's arrival, at six in the morning, Gania had gone to him in his room, bringing with him the singed packet of money, which he had insisted that the prince should return to Nastasia Philipovna without delay.
Again Nastasia Philipovna did not hear the sentence out. She glanced at Gania, and cried, laughing, "What a face! My goodness, what a face you have on at this moment!" Indeed, Gania did not look in the least like himself.
"Some dirty little thousand or so may be touched," said Lebedeff, immensely relieved, "but there's very little harm done, after all." "It's all his the whole packet is for him, do you hear all of you?" cried Nastasia Philipovna, placing the packet by the side of Gania. "He restrained himself, and didn't go after it; so his self-respect is greater than his thirst for money.
"Can you do something for me? I must see Nastasia Philipovna, and I asked Ardalion Alexandrovitch just now to take me to her house, but he has gone to sleep, as you see. Will you show me the way, for I do not know the street? I have the address, though; it is close to the Grand Theatre." "Nastasia Philipovna? She does not live there, and to tell you the truth my father has never been to her house!
I had told her before that if anyone came and rang especially you, and I gave her your name she was not to tell about me. Then I thought, what if he goes and stands opposite and looks up, or waits about to watch the house? So I came to this very window, looked out, and there you were staring straight at me. That's how it came about." "Where is Nastasia Philipovna?" asked the prince, breathlessly.
Colia promptly banged the door in their faces and locked it. "Hallo, Gania, you blackguard! You didn't expect Rogojin, eh?" said the latter, entering the drawing-room, and stopping before Gania. But at this moment he saw, seated before him, Nastasia Philipovna. He had not dreamed of meeting her here, evidently, for her appearance produced a marvellous effect upon him.
"Upon my word, I didn't! To this moment I don't know how it all happened. I I ran after Aglaya Ivanovna, but Nastasia Philipovna fell down in a faint; and since that day they won't let me see Aglaya that's all I know." "It's all the same; you ought to have run after Aglaya though the other was fainting." "Yes, yes, I ought but I couldn't! She would have died she would have killed herself.
Nastasia Philipovna was quite capable of ruining herself, and even of perpetrating something which would send her to Siberia, for the mere pleasure of injuring a man for whom she had developed so inhuman a sense of loathing and contempt.
Her usual practice in such cases as the present was to say nothing, but stare at him, without taking her eyes off his face for an instant. This manoeuvre, as she well knew, could drive Gania distracted. Just at this moment the door opened and the prince entered, announcing: "Nastasia Philipovna!"
"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.
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