my gratitude for all
your kind wishes on my behalf, and to say that if I find I need your
services, believe me--' Here she bowed them away, as it were, and they
both marched off again, looking very foolish. Gania evidently could not
make head nor tail of the matter, and turned as red as a lobster; but
Varia understood at once that they must get away as quickly as they
could, so she dragged Gania away; she is a great deal cleverer than he
is. As for myself, I went there to arrange a meeting to be held between
Aglaya Ivanovna and Nastasia Philipovna."

"Nastasia Philipovna!" cried the prince.

"Aha! I think you are growing less cool, my friend, and are beginning
to be a trifle surprised, aren't you? I'm glad that you are not above
ordinary human feelings, for once. I'll console you a little now, after
your consternation. See what I get for serving a young and high-souled
maiden! This morning I received a slap in the face from the lady!"

"A--a moral one?" asked the prince, involuntarily.

"Yes--not a physical one! I don't suppose anyone--even a woman--would
raise a hand against me now. Even Gania would hesitate! I did think at
one time yesterday, that he would fly at me, though. I bet anything that
I know what you are thinking of now! You are thinking: 'Of course one
can't strike the little wretch, but one could suffocate him with a
pillow, or a wet towel, when he is asleep! One OUGHT to get rid of him
somehow.' I can see in your face that you are thinking that at this very
second."

"I never thought of such a thing for a moment," said the prince, with
disgust.

"I don't know--I dreamed last night that I was being suffocated with a
wet cloth by--somebody. I'll tell you who it was--Rogojin! What do you
think, can a man be suffocated with a wet cloth?"

"I don't know."

"I've heard so. Well, we'll leave that question just now. Why am I a
scandal-monger? Why did she call me a scandal-monger? And mind, AFTER
she had heard every word I had to tell her, and had asked all sorts of
questions besides--but such is the way of women. For HER sake I entered
into relations with Rogojin--an interesting man! At HER request I
arranged a personal interview between herself and Nastasia Philipovna.
Could she have been angry because I hinted that she was enjoying
Nastasia Philipovna's 'leavings'? Why, I have been impressing it upon
her all this while for her own good. Two letters have I written her in
that strain, and I began strai