ntip," whispered the boxer eagerly, leaning past the back of
Hippolyte's chair to give his friend this piece of advice. "Take it for
the present; we can see about more later on."

"Look here, Mr. Muishkin," shouted Hippolyte, "please understand that we
are not fools, nor idiots, as your guests seem to imagine; these ladies
who look upon us with such scorn, and especially this fine gentleman"
(pointing to Evgenie Pavlovitch) "whom I have not the honour of knowing,
though I think I have heard some talk about him--"

"Really, really, gentlemen," cried the prince in great agitation, "you
are misunderstanding me again. In the first place, Mr. Keller, you have
greatly overestimated my fortune in your article. I am far from being
a millionaire. I have barely a tenth of what you suppose. Secondly, my
treatment in Switzerland was very far from costing tens of thousands of
roubles. Schneider received six hundred roubles a year, and he was
only paid for the first three years. As to the pretty governesses whom
Pavlicheff is supposed to have brought from Paris, they only exist
in Mr. Keller's imagination; it is another calumny. According to my
calculations, the sum spent on me was very considerably under ten
thousand roubles, but I decided on that sum, and you must admit that
in paying a debt I could not offer Mr. Burdovsky more, however kindly
disposed I might be towards him; delicacy forbids it; I should seem to
be offering him charity instead of rightful payment. I don't know how
you cannot see that, gentlemen! Besides, I had no intention of leaving
the matter there. I meant to intervene amicably later on and help to
improve poor Mr. Burdovsky's position. It is clear that he has been
deceived, or he would never have agreed to anything so vile as the
scandalous revelations about his mother in Mr. Keller's article. But,
gentlemen, why are you getting angry again? Are we never to come to an
understanding? Well, the event has proved me right! I have just seen
with my own eyes the proof that my conjecture was correct!" he added,
with increasing eagerness.

He meant to calm his hearers, and did not perceive that his words had
only increased their irritation.

"What do you mean? What are you convinced of?" they demanded angrily.

"In the first place, I have had the opportunity of getting a correct
idea of Mr. Burdovsky. I see what he is for myself. He is an innocent
man, deceived by everyone! A defenceless victim, who deserves
indu