"

"And pray what IS my position, madame? I have the greatest respect for
you, personally; but--"

"He's a little screw," cried the general; "he 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? They're all against me, even to my own
son--all against me."

"Oh, come--nonsense!" cried Gania; "if you did not go shaming us all
over the town, things might be better for all parties."

"What--shame you? I?--what do you mean, you young calf? I shame you? I
can only do you honour, sir; I cannot shame you."

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

"Honour, indeed!" said the latter, with contempt.

"What do you say, sir?" growled the general, taking a step towards him.

"I say that I have but to open my mouth, and you--"

Gania began, but did not finish. The two--father and son--stood before
one another, both unspeakably agitated, especially Gania.

"Gania, Gania, reflect!" cried his mother, hurriedly.

"It's all nonsense on both sides," snapped out Varia. "Let them alone,
mother."

"It's only for mother's sake that I spare him," said Gania, tragically.

"Speak!" said the general, beside himself with rage and excitement;
"speak--under the penalty of a father's curse!"

"Oh, father's curse be hanged--you don't frighten me that way!" said
Gania. "Whose fault is it that you have been as mad as a March hare all
this week? It is just a week--you see, I count the days. Take care
now; don't provoke me too much, or I'll tell all. Why did you go to the
Epanchins' yesterday--tell me that? And you call yourself an old
man, too, with grey hair, and father of a family! H'm--nice sort of a
father."

"Be quiet, Gania," cried Colia. "Shut up, you fool!"

"Yes, but how have I offended him?" repeated Hippolyte, still in the
same jeering voice. "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 don't wish for your company, general. I always avoided you--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!"

"Of course he never existed!" Ga