you referring to your own skeleton--I mean, your very
bones?"

"Yes, my bones, I--"

"Quite so, I see; because, you know, little mistakes have occurred now
and then. There was a case--"

"Why do you tease him?" cried the prince, suddenly.

"You've moved him to tears," added Ferdishenko. But Hippolyte was by no
means weeping. He was about to move from his place, when his four guards
rushed at him and seized him once more. There was a laugh at this.

"He led up to this on purpose. He took the trouble of writing all that
so that people should come and grab him by the arm," observed Rogojin.
"Good-night, prince. What a time we've sat here, my very bones ache!"

"If you really intended to shoot yourself, Terentieff," said Evgenie
Pavlovitch, laughing, "if I were you, after all these compliments, I
should just not shoot myself in order to vex them all."

"They are very anxious to see me blow my brains out," said Hippolyte,
bitterly.

"Yes, they'll be awfully annoyed if they don't see it."

"Then you think they won't see it?"

"I am not trying to egg you on. On the contrary, I think it very likely
that you may shoot yourself; but the principal thing is to keep cool,"
said Evgenie with a drawl, and with great condescension.

"I only now perceive what a terrible mistake I made in reading this
article to them," said Hippolyte, suddenly, addressing Evgenie, and
looking at him with an expression of trust and confidence, as though he
were applying to a friend for counsel.

"Yes, it's a droll situation; I really don't know what advice to give
you," replied Evgenie, laughing. Hippolyte gazed steadfastly at him,
but said nothing. To look at him one might have supposed that he was
unconscious at intervals.

"Excuse me," said Lebedeff, "but did you observe the young gentleman's
style? 'I'll go and blow my brains out in the park,' says he,' so as not
to disturb anyone.' He thinks he won't disturb anybody if he goes three
yards away, into the park, and blows his brains out there."

"Gentlemen--" began the prince.

"No, no, excuse me, most revered prince," Lebedeff interrupted,
excitedly. "Since you must have observed yourself that this is no joke,
and since at least half your guests must also have concluded that after
all that has been said this youth MUST blow his brains out for honour's
sake--I--as master of this house, and before these witnesses, now call
upon you to take steps."

"Yes, but what am I to do, Lebedeff?