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Alexandrovna, Colia, and behind the rest, Hippolyte.

II.

HIPPOLYTE had now been five days at the Ptitsinsā€™. His flitting from the princeā€™s to these new quarters had been brought about quite naturally and without many words. He did not quarrel with the princeā€”in fact, they seemed to part as friends. Gania, who had been hostile enough on that eventful evening, had himself come to see him a couple of days later, probably in obedience to some sudden impulse. For some reason or other, Rogojin too had begun to visit the sick boy. The prince thought it might be better for him to move away from his (the princeā€™s) house. Hippolyte informed him, as he took his leave, that Ptitsin ā€œhad been kind enough to offer him a corner,ā€ and did not say a word about Gania, though Gania had procured his invitation, and himself came to fetch him away. Gania noticed this at the time, and put it to Hippolyteā€™s debit on account.

Gania was right when he told his sister that Hippolyte was getting better; that he was better was clear at the first glance. He entered the room now last of all, deliberately, and with a disagreeable smile on his lips.

Nina Alexandrovna came in, looking frightened. She had changed much since we last saw her, half a year ago, and had grown thin and pale. Colia looked worried and perplexed. He could not understand the vagaries of the general, and knew nothing of the last achievement of that worthy, which had caused so much commotion in the house. But he could see that his father had of late changed very much, and that he had begun to behave in so extraordinary a fashion both at home and abroad that he was not like the same man. What perplexed and disturbed him as much as anything was that his father had entirely given up drinking during the last few days. Colia knew that he had quarrelled with both Lebedeff and the prince, and had just bought a small bottle of vodka and brought it home for his father.

ā€œReally, mother,ā€ he had assured Nina Alexandrovna upstairs, ā€œreally you had better let him drink. He has not had a drop for three days; he must be suffering agoniesā€”The general now entered the room, threw the door wide open, and stood on the threshold trembling with indignation.

ā€œLook here, my dear sir,ā€ he began, addressing Ptitsin in a very loud tone of voice; ā€œif you have really made up your mind to sacrifice an old manā€”your father too or at all events father of your wifeā€”an old man who has served his emperorā€”to a wretched little atheist like this, all I can say is, sir, my foot shall cease to tread your floors. Make your choice, sir; make your choice quickly, if you please! Me or thisā€”screw! Yes, screw, sir; I said it accidentally, but let the word standā€”this screw, for he screws and drills himself into my soulā€”ā€

ā€œHadnā€™t you better say corkscrew?ā€ said Hippolyte.

ā€œNo, sir, NOT corkscrew. I am a general, not a bottle, sir. Make your choice, sirā€”me or him.ā€

Here Colia handed him a chair, and he subsided into it, breathless with rage.

ā€œHadnā€™t you betterā€”betterā€”take a nap?ā€ murmured the stupefied Ptitsin.

ā€œA nap?ā€ shrieked the general. ā€œI am not drunk, sir; you insult me! I see,ā€ he continued, rising, ā€œI see that all are against me here. Enoughā€”I go; but know, sirsā€”know thatā€”ā€

He was not allowed to finish his sentence. Somebody pushed him back into his chair, and begged him to be calm. Nina Alexandrovna trembled, and cried quietly. Gania retired to the window in disgust.

ā€œBut what have I done? What is his grievance?ā€ asked Hippolyte, grinning.

ā€œWhat have you done, indeed?ā€ put in Nina Alexandrovna. ā€œYou ought to be ashamed of yourself, teasing an old man like thatā€” and in your position, too.ā€

ā€œAnd pray what IS my position, madame? I have the greatest respect for you, personally; butā€”ā€

ā€œHeā€™s a little screw,ā€ cried the general; ā€œhe drills holes my heart and soul. He wishes me to be a pervert to atheism. Know, you young greenhorn, that I was covered with honours before ever you were born; and you are nothing better than a wretched little worm, torn in two with coughing, and dying slowly of your own malice and unbelief. What did Gavrila bring you over here for? Theyā€™re all against me, even to my own sonā€”all against me.ā€

ā€œOh, comeā€”nonsense!ā€ cried Gania; ā€œif you did not go shaming us all over the town, things might be better for all parties.ā€

ā€œWhatā€”shame you? I?ā€”what do you mean, you young calf? I shame you? I can only do you honour, sir; I cannot shame you.ā€

He jumped up from his chair in a fit of uncontrollable rage. Gania was very angry too.

ā€œHonour, indeed!ā€ said the latter, with contempt.

ā€œWhat do you say, sir?ā€ growled the general, taking a step towards him.

ā€œI say that I have but to open my mouth, and youā€”ā€

Gania began, but did not finish. The twoā€”father and sonā€”stood before one another, both unspeakably agitated, especially Gania.

ā€œGania, Gania, reflect!ā€ cried his mother, hurriedly.

ā€œItā€™s all nonsense on both sides,ā€ snapped out Varia. ā€œLet them alone, mother.ā€

ā€œItā€™s only for motherā€™s sake that I spare him,ā€ said Gania, tragically.

ā€œSpeak!ā€ said the general, beside himself with rage and excitement; ā€œspeakā€”under the penalty of a fatherā€™s curse

ā€œOh, fatherā€™s curse be hangedā€”you donā€™t frighten me that way!ā€ said Gania. ā€œWhose fault is it that you have been as mad as a March hare all this week? It is just a weekā€”you see, I count the days. Take care now; donā€™t provoke me too much, or Iā€™ll tell all. Why did you go to the Epanchinsā€™ yesterdayā€”tell me that? And you call yourself an old man, too, with grey hair, and father of a family! Hā€™mā€”nice sort of a father.ā€

ā€œBe quiet, Gania,ā€ cried Colia. ā€œShut up, you fool!ā€

ā€œYes, but how have I offended him?ā€ repeated Hippolyte, still in the same jeering voice. ā€ Why does he call me a screw? You all heard it. He came to me himself and began telling me about some Captain Eropegoff. I donā€™t wish for your company, general. I always avoided youā€”you know that. What have I to do with Captain Eropegoff? All I did was to express my opinion that probably Captain Eropegoff never existed at all!ā€

ā€œOf course he never existed!ā€ Gania interrupted.

But the general only stood stupefied and gazed around in a dazed way. Ganiaā€™s speech had impressed him, with its terrible candour. For the first moment or two he could find no words to answer him, and it was only when Hippolyte burst out laughing, and said:

ā€œThere, you see! Even your own son supports my statement that there never was such a person as Captain Eropegoff!ā€ that the old fellow muttered confusedly:

ā€œKapiton Eropegoffā€”not Captain Eropegoff!ā€”Kapitonā€”major retiredā€”Eropegoffā€”Kapiton.ā€

ā€œKapiton didnā€™t exist either!ā€ persisted Gania, maliciously.

ā€œWhat? Didnā€™t exist?ā€ cried the poor general, and a deep blush suffused his face.

ā€œThatā€™ll do, Gania!ā€ cried Varia and Ptitsin.

ā€œShut up, Gania!ā€ said Colia.

But this intercession seemed to rekindle the general.

ā€œWhat did you mean, sir, that he didnā€™t exist? Explain yourself,ā€ he repeated, angrily.

ā€œBecause he DIDNā€™T existā€”never could and never didā€”there! Youā€™d better drop the subject, I warn you!ā€

ā€œAnd this is my sonā€”my own sonā€”whom Iā€”oh, gracious Heaven! Eropegoffā€”Eroshka Eropegoff didnā€™t exist!ā€

ā€œHa, ha! itā€™s Eroshka now,ā€ laughed Hippolyte.

ā€œNo, sir, Kapitoshkaā€”not Eroshka. I mean, Kapiton Alexeyevitchā€” retired majorā€”married Maria Petrovna Luā€”Luā€”he was my friend and companionā€”Lutugoffā€”from our earliest beginnings. I closed his eyes for himā€”he was killed. Kapiton Eropegoff never existed! tfu!ā€

The general shouted in his fury; but it was to be concluded that his wrath was not kindled by the expressed doubt as to Kapitonā€™s existence. This was his scapegoat; but his excitement was caused by something quite different. As a rule he would have merely shouted down the doubt as to Kapiton, told a long yarn about his friend, and eventually retired upstairs to his room. But today, in the strange uncertainty of human nature, it seemed to require but so small an offence as this to make his cup to overflow. The old man grew purple in the face, he raised his hands. ā€œEnough of this!ā€ he yelled. ā€œMy curseā€”away, out of the house I go! Colia, bring my bag away!ā€ He left the room hastily and in a paroxysm of rage.

His wife, Colia, and Ptitsin ran out after him.

ā€œWhat have you done now?ā€ said Varia to Gania. ā€œHeā€™ll probably be making off THERE again! What a disgrace it all is!ā€

ā€œWell, he shouldnā€™t steal,ā€ cried Gania, panting with fury. And just at this moment his eye met Hippolyteā€™s.

ā€œAs for you, sir,ā€ he cried, ā€œyou should at least remember that you are in a strange house andā€”receiving hospitality; you should not take the opportunity of tormenting an old man, sir, who is too evidently out of his mind.ā€

Hippolyte looked furious, but he restrained himself.

ā€œI donā€™t quite agree with you that your father is out of his mind,ā€ he observed, quietly. ā€œOn the contrary, I cannot help thinking he has been less demented of late. Donā€™t you think so? He has grown so cunning and careful, and weighs his words so deliberately; he spoke to me about that Kapiton fellow with an object, you know! Just fancyā€”he wanted me toā€”ā€

ā€œOh, devil take what he wanted you to do! Donā€™t try to be too cunning with me, young man!ā€ shouted Gania. ā€œIf you are aware of the real reason for my fatherā€™s present condition (and you have kept such an excellent spying watch during these last few days that you are sure to be aware of it)ā€”you had no right whatever to torment theā€”unfortunate man, and to worry my mother by your exaggerations of the affair; because the whole business is nonsenseā€”simply a drunken freak, and nothing more, quite unproved by any evidence, and I donā€™t believe that much of it!ā€ (he snapped his fingers). ā€œBut you must needs spy and watch over us all, because you are a-aā€”ā€

ā€œScrew!ā€ laughed Hippolyte.

ā€œBecause you are a humbug, sir; and thought fit to worry people for half an hour, and tried to frighten them into believing that you would shoot yourself with your little empty pistol, pirouetting about and playing at suicide! I gave you hospitality, you have fattened on it, your cough has left you, and you repay all thisā€”ā€

ā€œExcuse meā€”two words! I am Varvara Ardalionovnaā€™s guest, not yours; YOU have extended no hospitality to me. On the contrary, if I am not mistaken, I believe you are yourself indebted to Mr. Ptitsinā€™s hospitality. Four days ago I begged my mother to come down here and find lodgings, because I certainly do feel better here, though I am not fat, nor have I ceased to cough. I am today informed that my room is ready for me; therefore, having thanked your sister and mother for their kindness to me, I intend to leave the house this evening. I beg your pardonā€”I interrupted youā€”I think you were about to add something?ā€

ā€œOhā€”if that is the state of affairsā€”ā€ began Gania.

ā€œExcuse meā€”I will take a seat,ā€ interrupted Hippolyte once more, sitting down deliberately; ā€œfor I am not strong yet. Now then, I am ready to hear you. Especially as this is the last chance we shall have of a talk, and very likely the last meeting we shall ever have at all.ā€

Gania felt a little guilty.

ā€œI assure you I did not mean to reckon up debits and credits,ā€ he began, ā€œand if youā€”ā€

ā€œI donā€™t understand your condescension,ā€ said Hippolyte. ā€œAs for me, I promised myself, on the first day of my arrival in this house, that I would have the satisfaction of settling accounts with you in a very thorough manner before

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