I am dreadfully afraid."

"It undoubtedly has already!" observed Gania.

Varia had risen from her place and had started to go upstairs to her
mother; but at this observation of Gania's she turned and gazed at him
attentively.

"Who could have told her?"

"Hippolyte, probably. He would think it the most delightful amusement in
the world to tell her of it the instant he moved over here; I haven't a
doubt of it."

"But how could he know anything of it? Tell me that. Lebedeff and the
prince determined to tell no one--even Colia knows nothing."

"What, Hippolyte? He found it out himself, of course. Why, you have no
idea what a cunning little animal he is; dirty little gossip! He has
the most extraordinary nose for smelling out other people's secrets, or
anything approaching to scandal. Believe it or not, but I'm pretty sure
he has got round Aglaya. If he hasn't, he soon will. Rogojin is intimate
with him, too. How the prince doesn't notice it, I can't understand. The
little wretch considers me his enemy now and does his best to catch me
tripping. What on earth does it matter to him, when he's dying? However,
you'll see; I shall catch HIM tripping yet, and not he me."

"Why did you get him over here, if you hate him so? And is it really
worth your while to try to score off him?"

"Why, it was yourself who advised me to bring him over!"

"I thought he might be useful. You know he is in love with Aglaya
himself, now, and has written to her; he has even written to Lizabetha
Prokofievna!"

"Oh! he's not dangerous there!" cried Gania, laughing angrily. "However,
I believe there is something of that sort in the air; he is very likely
to be in love, for he is a mere boy. But he won't write anonymous
letters to the old lady; that would be too audacious a thing for him to
attempt; but I dare swear the very first thing he did was to show me up
to Aglaya as a base deceiver and intriguer. I confess I was fool enough
to attempt something through him at first. I thought he would throw
himself into my service out of revengeful feelings towards the prince,
the sly little beast! But I know him better now. As for the theft, he
may have heard of it from the widow in Petersburg, for if the old man
committed himself to such an act, he can have done it for no other
object but to give the money to her. Hippolyte said to me, without any
prelude, that the general had promised the widow four hundred roubles.
Of course I understood, and the