confession
by assuring the prince that he was ready, if need be, to shed his very
life's blood for him.

Hippolyte, too, was a source of some distraction to the prince at this
time; he would send for him at any and every hour of the day. They
lived,--Hippolyte and his mother and the children,--in a small house not
far off, and the little ones were happy, if only because they were able
to escape from the invalid into the garden. The prince had enough to do
in keeping the peace between the irritable Hippolyte and his mother, and
eventually the former became so malicious and sarcastic on the subject
of the approaching wedding, that Muishkin took offence at last, and
refused to continue his visits.

A couple of days later, however, Hippolyte's mother came with tears in
her eyes, and begged the prince to come back, "or HE would eat her up
bodily." She added that Hippolyte had a great secret to disclose. Of
course the prince went. There was no secret, however, unless we reckon
certain pantings and agitated glances around (probably all put on) as
the invalid begged his visitor to "beware of Rogojin."

"He is the sort of man," he continued, "who won't give up his object,
you know; he is not like you and me, prince--he belongs to quite a
different order of beings. If he sets his heart on a thing he won't be
afraid of anything--" and so on.

Hippolyte was very ill, and looked as though he could not long survive.
He was tearful at first, but grew more and more sarcastic and malicious
as the interview proceeded.

The prince questioned him in detail as to his hints about Rogojin. He
was anxious to seize upon some facts which might confirm Hippolyte's
vague warnings; but there were none; only Hippolyte's own private
impressions and feelings.

However, the invalid--to his immense satisfaction--ended by seriously
alarming the prince.

At first Muishkin had not cared to make any reply to his sundry
questions, and only smiled in response to Hippolyte's advice to "run for
his life--abroad, if necessary. There are Russian priests everywhere,
and one can get married all over the world."

But it was Hippolyte's last idea which upset him.

"What I am really alarmed about, though," he said, "is Aglaya Ivanovna.
Rogojin knows how you love her. Love for love. You took Nastasia
Philipovna from him. He will murder Aglaya Ivanovna; for though she is
not yours, of course, now, still such an act would pain you,--wouldn't
it?"

He had at