bell at General Epanchin's door. The general lived on the first floor
or flat of the house, as modest a lodging as his position permitted. A
liveried servant opened the door, and the prince was obliged to enter
into long explanations with this gentleman, who, from the first glance,
looked at him and his bundle with grave suspicion. At last, however, on
the repeated positive assurance that he really was Prince Muishkin, and
must absolutely see the general on business, the bewildered domestic
showed him into a little ante-chamber leading to a waiting-room that
adjoined the general's study, there handing him over to another servant,
whose duty it was to be in this ante-chamber all the morning, and
announce visitors to the general. This second individual wore a dress
coat, and was some forty years of age; he was the general's special
study servant, and well aware of his own importance.

"Wait in the next room, please; and leave your bundle here," said the
door-keeper, as he sat down comfortably in his own easy-chair in the
ante-chamber. He looked at the prince in severe surprise as the latter
settled himself in another chair alongside, with his bundle on his
knees.

"If you don't mind, I would rather sit here with you," said the prince;
"I should prefer it to sitting in there."

"Oh, but you can't stay here. You are a visitor--a guest, so to speak.
Is it the general himself you wish to see?"

The man evidently could not take in the idea of such a shabby-looking
visitor, and had decided to ask once more.

"Yes--I have business--" began the prince.

"I do not ask you what your business may be, all I have to do is to
announce you; and unless the secretary comes in here I cannot do that."

The man's suspicions seemed to increase more and more. The prince was
too unlike the usual run of daily visitors; and although the general
certainly did receive, on business, all sorts and conditions of men, yet
in spite of this fact the servant felt great doubts on the subject
of this particular visitor. The presence of the secretary as an
intermediary was, he judged, essential in this case.

"Surely you--are from abroad?" he inquired at last, in a confused sort
of way. He had begun his sentence intending to say, "Surely you are not
Prince Muishkin, are you?"

"Yes, straight from the train! Did not you intend to say, 'Surely you
are not Prince Muishkin?' just now, but refrained out of politeness?"

"H'm!" grunted the astonished s