, half a year ago, and had grown thin and pale.
Colia looked worried and perplexed. He could not understand the vagaries
of the general, and knew nothing of the last achievement of that worthy,
which had caused so much commotion in the house. But he could see that
his father had of late changed very much, and that he had begun to
behave in so extraordinary a fashion both at home and abroad that he
was not like the same man. What perplexed and disturbed him as much as
anything was that his father had entirely given up drinking during the
last few days. Colia knew that he had quarrelled with both Lebedeff and
the prince, and had just bought a small bottle of vodka and brought it
home for his father.

"Really, mother," he had assured Nina Alexandrovna upstairs, "really you
had better let him drink. He has not had a drop for three days; he must
be suffering agonies--The general now entered the room, threw the door
wide open, and stood on the threshold trembling with indignation.

"Look here, my dear sir," he began, addressing Ptitsin in a very loud
tone of voice; "if you have really made up your mind to sacrifice an old
man--your father too or at all events father of your wife--an old man
who has served his emperor--to a wretched little atheist like this, all
I can say is, sir, my foot shall cease to tread your floors. Make your
choice, sir; make your choice quickly, if you please! Me or this--screw!
Yes, screw, sir; I said it accidentally, but let the word stand--this
screw, for he screws and drills himself into my soul--"

"Hadn't you better say corkscrew?" said Hippolyte.

"No, sir, NOT corkscrew. I am a general, not a bottle, sir. Make your
choice, sir--me or him."

Here Colia handed him a chair, and he subsided into it, breathless with
rage.

"Hadn't you better--better--take a nap?" murmured the stupefied Ptitsin.

"A nap?" shrieked the general. "I am not drunk, sir; you insult me!
I see," he continued, rising, "I see that all are against me here.
Enough--I go; but know, sirs--know that--"

He was not allowed to finish his sentence. Somebody pushed him back into
his chair, and begged him to be calm. Nina Alexandrovna trembled, and
cried quietly. Gania retired to the window in disgust.

"But what have I done? What is his grievance?" asked Hippolyte,
grinning.

"What have you done, indeed?" put in Nina Alexandrovna. "You ought to be
ashamed of yourself, teasing an old man like that--and in your position,
too.