uard?"

"Yes, that's the man!" said another voice.

There was no room for doubt in the prince's mind: one of the voices was
Rogojin's, and the other Lebedeff's.

Gania stood at the door like a block and looked on in silence, putting
no obstacle in the way of their entrance, and ten or a dozen men
marched in behind Parfen Rogojin. They were a decidedly mixed-looking
collection, and some of them came in in their furs and caps. None of
them were quite drunk, but all appeared to De considerably excited.

They seemed to need each other's support, morally, before they dared
come in; not one of them would have entered alone but with the rest each
one was brave enough. Even Rogojin entered rather cautiously at the head
of his troop; but he was evidently preoccupied. He appeared to be gloomy
and morose, and had clearly come with some end in view. All the rest
were merely chorus, brought in to support the chief character. Besides
Lebedeff there was the dandy Zalesheff, who came in without his coat
and hat, two or three others followed his example; the rest were
more uncouth. They included a couple of young merchants, a man in
a great-coat, a medical student, a little Pole, a small fat man who
laughed continuously, and an enormously tall stout one who apparently
put great faith in the strength of his fists. A couple of "ladies" of
some sort put their heads in at the front door, but did not dare come
any farther. Colia promptly banged the door in their faces and locked
it.

"Hallo, Gania, you blackguard! You didn't expect Rogojin, eh?" said the
latter, entering the drawing-room, and stopping before Gania.

But at this moment he saw, seated before him, Nastasia Philipovna.
He had not dreamed of meeting her here, evidently, for her appearance
produced a marvellous effect upon him. He grew pale, and his lips became
actually blue.

"I suppose it is true, then!" he muttered to himself, and his face took
on an expression of despair. "So that's the end of it! Now you, sir,
will you answer me or not?" he went on suddenly, gazing at Gania with
ineffable malice. "Now then, you--"

He panted, and could hardly speak for agitation. He advanced into the
room mechanically; but perceiving Nina Alexandrovna and Varia he became
more or less embarrassed, in spite of his excitement. His followers
entered after him, and all paused a moment at sight of the ladies. Of
course their modesty was not fated to be long-lived, but for a moment
they we