"Do you say he is consumptive?"
"Yes. It really would be happier for him to die young. If I were in his place I should certainly long for death. He is unhappy about his brother and sisters, the children you saw. If it were possible, if we only had a little money, we should leave our respective families, and live together in a little apartment of our own. It is our dream. But, do you know, when I was talking over your affair with him, he was angry, and said that anyone who did not call out a man who had given him a blow was a coward. He is very irritable today, and I left off arguing the matter with him. So Nastasia Philipovna has invited you to go and see her?"
"To tell the truth, she has not."
"Then how do you come to be going there?" cried Colia, so much astonished that he stopped short in the middle of the pavement. "And and are you going to her 'At Home' in that costume?"
"I don't know, really, whether I shall be allowed in at all. If she will receive me, so much the better. If not, the matter is ended. As to my clotheswhat can I do?"
"Are you going there for some particular reason, or only as a way of getting into her society, and that of her friends?"
"No, I have really an object in goingThat is, I am going on business it is difficult to explain, but"
"Well, whether you go on business or not is your affair, I do not want to know. The only important thing, in my eyes, is that you should not be going there simply for the pleasure of spending your evening in such companycocottes, generals, usurers! If that were the case I should despise and laugh at you. There are terribly few honest people here, and hardly any whom one can respect, although people put on airsVaria especially! Have you noticed, prince, how many adventurers there are nowadays? Especially here, in our dear Russia. How it has happened I never can understand. There used to be a certain amount of solidity in all things, but now what happens? Everything is exposed to the public gaze, veils are thrown back, every wound is probed by careless fingers. We are for ever present at an orgy of scandalous revelations. Parents blush when they remember their oldfashioned morality. At Moscow lately a father was heard urging his son to stop at nothingat nothing, mind you!to get money! The press seized upon the story, of course, and now it is public property. Look at my father, the general! See what he is, and yet, I assure you, he is an honest man! Onlyhe drinks too much, and his morals are not all we could desire. Yes, that's true! I pity him, to tell the truth, but I dare not say so, because everybody would laugh at mebut I do pity him! And who are the really clever men, after all? Moneygrubbers, every one of them, from the first to the last. Hippolyte finds excuses for moneylending, and says it is a necessity. He talks about the economic movement, and the ebb and flow of capital; the devil knows what he means. It makes me angry to hear him talk so, but he is soured by his troubles. Just imaginethe general keeps his motherbut she lends him money! She lends it for a week or ten days at very high interest! Isn't it disgusting? And then, you would hardly believe it, but my motherNina Alexandrovnahelps Hippolyte in all sorts of ways, sends him money and clothes. She even goes as far as helping the children, through Hippolyte, because their mother cares nothing about them, and Varia does the same."
"Well, just now you said there were no honest nor good people about, that there were only moneygrubbersand here they are quite close at hand, these honest and good people, your mother and Varia! I think there is a good deal of moral strength in helping people in such circumstances."
"Varia does it from pride, and likes showing off, and giving herself airs. As to my mother, I really do admire heryes, and honour her. Hippolyte, hardened as he is, feels it. He laughed at first, and thought it vulgar of herbut now, he is sometimes quite touched and overcome by her kindness. H'm! You call that being strong and good? I will remember that! Gania knows nothing about it. He would say that it was encouraging vice."
"Ah, Gania knows nothing about it? It seems there are many things that Gania does not know," exclaimed the prince, as he considered Colia's last words.
"Do you know, I like you very much indeed, prince? I shall never forget about this afternoon."
"I like you too, Colia."
"Listen to me! You are going to live here, are you not?" said Colia. "I mean to get something to do directly, and earn money. Then shall we three live together? You, and I, and Hippolyte? We will hire a flat, and let the general come and visit us. What do you say?"
"It would be very pleasant," returned the prince. "But we must see. I am really rather worried just now. What! are we there already? Is that the house? What a long flight of steps! And there's a porter! Well, Colia I don't know what will come of it all."
The prince seemed quite distracted for the moment.
"You must tell me all about it tomorrow! Don't be afraid. I wish you success; we agree so entirely I that can do so, although I do not understand why you are here. Goodbye!" cried Colia excitedly. "Now I will rush back and tell Hippolyte all about our plans and proposals! But as to your getting indon't be in the least afraid. You will see her. She is so original about everything. It's the first floor. The porter will show you."