ke 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."

Gania laughed sarcastically, but said nothing. The prince, seeing that
he did not quite like the last remark, blushed, and was silent too.

"Has my father asked you for money?" asked Gania, suddenly.

"No."

"Don't give it to him if he does. Fancy, he was a decent, respectable
man once! He was received in the best society; he was not always the
liar he is now. Of course, wine is at the bottom of it all; but he is a
good deal worse than an innocent liar now. Do you know that he keeps a
mistress? I can't understand how mother is so long-suffering. Did he
tell you the story of the siege of Kars? Or perhaps the one about his
grey horse that talked? He loves, to enlarge on these absurd histories."
And Gania burst into a fit of laughter. Suddenly he turned to the prince
and asked: "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I am surprised to see you laugh in that way, like a child. You came
to make friends with me again just now, and you said, 'I will kiss your
hand, if you like,' just as a child would have said it. And then, all at
once you are talking of this mad project--of these seventy-five thousand
roubles! It all seems so absurd and impossible."

"Well, what conclusion have you reached?"

"That you are rushing madly into the undertaking, and that you would
do well to think it over again.