"No, no! they are all enemies! I've tried them often enough, believe me," and
Gania turned his back on Varia with these words.
"But she is not that sort of woman, I tell you!" said Gania, angrily. "She
was only acting."
"I know that--I know that; but what a part to play! And think what she must
take YOU for, Gania! I know she kissed mother's hand, and all that, but she
laughed at you, all the same. All this is not good enough for seventy-five
thousand roubles, my dear boy. You are capable of honourable feelings still, and
that's why I am talking to you so. Oh! DO take care what you are doing! Don't
you know yourself that it will end badly, Gania?"
So saying, and in a state of violent agitation, Varia left the room.
"There, they are all like that," said Gania, laughing, "just as if I do not
know all about it much better than they do."
He sat down with these words, evidently intending to prolong his visit.
"If you know it so well," said the prince a little timidly, "why do you
choose all this worry for the sake of the seventy-five thousand, which, you
confess, does not cover it?"
"I didn't mean that," said Gania; "but while we are upon the subject, let me
hear your opinion. Is all this worry worth seventy-five thousand or not?
"Oh, well, then you may know that I shall certainly do it, now. I shall
certainly marry her. I was not quite sure of myself before, but now I am. Don't
say a word: I know what you want to tell me--"
"No. I was only going to say that what surprises me most of all is your
extraordinary confidence."
"That Nastasia Philipovna will accept you, and that the question is as good
as settled; and secondly, that even if she did, you would be able to pocket the
money. Of course, I know very little about it, but that's my view. When a man
marries for money it often happens that the wife keeps the money in her own
hands."
"Of course, you don't know all; but, I assure you, you needn't be afraid, it
won't be like that in our case. There are circumstances," said Gania, rather
excitedly. "And as to her answer to me, there's no doubt about that. Why should
you suppose she will refuse me?"
"Oh, I only judge by what I see. Varvara Ardalionovna said just now--"
"Oh she--they don't know anything about it! Nastasia was only chaffing
Rogojin. I was alarmed at first, but I have thought better of it now; she was
simply laughing at him. She looks on me as a fool because I show that I meant
her money, and doesn't realize that there are other men who would deceive her in
far worse fashion. I'm not going to pretend anything, and you'll see she'll
marry me, all right. If she likes to live quietly, so she shall; but if she
gives me any of her nonsense, I shall leave her at once, but I shall keep the
money. I'm not going to look a fool; that's the first thing, not to look a
fool."
"But Nastasia Philipovna seems to me to be such a SENSIBLE woman, and, as
such, why should she run blindly into this business? That's what puzzles me so,"
said the prince.
"You don't know all, you see; I tell you there are things--and besides, I'm
sure that she is persuaded that I love her to distraction, and I give you my
word I have a strong suspicion that she loves me, too--in her own way, of
course. She thinks she will be able to make a sort of slave of me all my life;
but I shall prepare a little surprise for her. I don't know whether I ought to
be confidential with you, prince; but, I assure you, you are the only decent
fellow I have come across. I have not spoken so sincerely as I am doing at this
moment for years. There are uncommonly few honest people about, prince; there
isn't one honester than Ptitsin, he's the best of the lot. Are you laughing? You
don't know, perhaps, that blackguards like honest people, and being one myself I
like you. WHY am I a blackguard? Tell me honestly, now. They all call me a
blackguard because of her, and I have got into the way of thinking myself one.
That's what is so bad about the business."
"I for one shall never think you a blackguard again," said the prince. "I
confess I had a poor opinion of you at first, but I have been so joyfully
surprised about you just now; it's a good lesson for me. I shall never judge
again without a thorough trial. I see now that you are riot only not a
blackguard, but are not even quite spoiled. I see that you are quite an ordinary
man, not original in the least degree, but rather weak."
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