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Prince；_ and_tenez_〃he went on with a sort of flattering
harshness； 〃Mr。 Razumov here begins to understand that too。〃
His eyes which he turned upon Razumov seemed to be starting out
of his head。 This grotesqueness of aspect no longer shocked
Razumov。 He said with gloomy conviction
〃Haldin will never speak。〃
〃That remains to be seen；〃 muttered the General。
〃I am certain；〃 insisted Razumov。 〃A man like this never
speaks。 。 。 。 Do you imagine that I am here from fear？〃 he added
violently。 He felt ready to stand by his opinion of Haldin to
the last extremity。
〃Certainly not；〃 protested the General； with great simplicity of
tone。 〃And I don't mind telling you； Mr。 Razumov； that if he had
not come with his tale to such a staunch and loyal Russian as
you； he would have disappeared like a stone in the water 。 。 。
which would have had a detestable effect；〃 he added； with a
bright； cruel smile under his stony stare。 〃So you see； there
can be no suspicion of any fear here。〃
The Prince intervened； looking at Razumov round the back of the
armchair。
〃Nobody doubts the moral soundness of your action。 Be at ease in
that respect； pray。〃
He turned to the General uneasily。
〃That's why I am here。 You may be surprised why I should 。 。 。〃
The General hastened to interrupt。
〃Not at all。 Extremely natural。 You saw the importance。 。 。
〃Yes；〃 broke in the Prince。 〃And I venture to ask insistently
that mine and Mr。 Razumov's intervention should not become
public。 He is a young man of promiseof remarkable aptitudes。〃
〃I haven't a doubt of it；〃 murmured the General。 〃He inspires
confidence。〃
〃All sorts of pernicious views are so widespread nowadaysthey
taint such unexpected quartersthat； monstrous as it seems； he
might suffer。 。 。 。 His studies。 。 。 。 His。 。 。〃
The General； with his elbows on the desk； took his head between
his hands。
〃Yes。 Yes。 I am thinking it out。 。 。 。 How long is it since
you left him at your rooms； Mr。 Razumov？〃
Razumov mentioned the hour which nearly corresponded with the
time of his distracted flight from the big slum house。 He had
made up his mind to keep Ziemianitch out of the affair
completely。 To mention him at all would mean imprisonment for
the 〃bright soul；〃 perhaps cruel floggings； and in the end a
journey to Siberia in chains。 Razumov； who had beaten
Ziemianitch； felt for him now a vague； remorseful tenderness。
The General；giving way for the first time to his secret
sentiments； exclaimed contemptuously
〃And you say he came in to make you this confidence like
thisfor nothing_a propos des bottes_。〃
Razumov felt danger in the air。 The merciless suspicion of
despotism had spoken openly at last。 Sudden fear sealed
Razumov's lips。 The silence of the room resembled now the
silence of a deep dungeon； where time does not count； and a
suspect person is sometimes forgotten for ever。 But the Prince
came to the rescue。
〃Providence itself has led the wretch in a moment of mental
aberration to seek Mr。 Razumov on the strength of some old；
utterly misinterpreted exchange of ideassome sort of idle
speculative conversationmonths agoI am toldand completely
forgotten till now by Mr。 Razumov。〃
〃Mr。 Razumov；〃 queried the General meditatively； after a short
silence； 〃do you often indulge in speculative conversation？〃
〃No； Excellency；〃 answered Razumov； coolly； in a sudden access of
self…confidence。 〃I am a man of deep convictions。 Crude
opinions are in the air。 They are not always worth combating。
But even the silent contempt of a serious mind may be
misinterpreted by headlong utopists。〃
The General stared from between his hands。 Prince K…
murmured
〃A serious young man。 _Un esprit superieur_。〃
〃I see that； _mon cher Prince_；〃 said the General。 〃Mr。 Razumov
is quite safe with me。 I am interested in him。 He has； it
seems； the great and useful quality of inspiring confidence。
What I was wondering at is why the other should mention anything
at allI mean even the bare fact aloneif his object was only
to obtain temporary shelter for a few hours。 For； after all；
nothing was easier than to say nothing about it unless； indeed；
he were trying； under a crazy misapprehension of your true
sentiments； to enlist your assistanceeh； Mr。 Razumov？〃
It seemed to Razumov that the floor was moving slightly。
This grotesque man in a tight uniform was terrible。 It was right
that he should be terrible。
〃I can see what your Excellency has in your mind。 But I can only
answer that I don't know why。〃
〃I have nothing in my mind；〃 murmured the General； with gentle
surprise。
〃I am his preyhis helpless prey；〃 thought Razumov。 The
fatigues and the disgusts of that afternoon； the need to forget；
the fear which he could not keep off； reawakened his hate for
Haldin。
〃Then I can't help your Excellency。 I don't know what he meant。
I only know there was a moment when I wished to kill him。 There
was also a moment when I wished myself dead。 I said nothing。 I
was overcome。 I provoked no confidenceI asked for no
explanations〃
Razumov seemed beside himself； but his mind was lucid。 It was
really a calculated outburst。
〃It is rather a pity；〃 the General said； 〃that you did not。
Don't you know at all what he means to do？〃 Razumov calmed down
and saw an opening there。
〃He told me he was in hopes that a sledge would meet him about
half an hour after midnight at the seventh lamp…post on the left
from the upper end of Karabelnaya。 At any rate； he meant to be
there at that time。 He did not even ask me for a change of
clothes。〃
〃_Ah voila_！〃 said the General； turning to Prince K with an air
of satisfaction。 〃There is a way to keep your _protege_； Mr。
Razumov； quite clear of any connexion with the actual arrest。 We
shall be ready for that gentleman in Karabelnaya。〃
The Prince expressed his gratitude。 There was real emotion in
his voice。 Razumov； motionless； silent； sat staring at the
carpet。 The General turned to him。
〃Half an hour after midnight。 Till then we have to depend on
you； Mr。 Razumov。 You don't think he is likely to change his
purpose？〃
〃How can I tell？〃 said Razumov。 〃Those men are not of the sort
that ever changes its purpose。〃
〃What men do you mean？〃
〃Fanatical lovers of liberty in general。 Liberty with a capital
L； Excellency。 Liberty that means nothing precise。 Liberty in
whose name crimes are committed。〃
The General murmured
〃I detest rebels of every kind。 I can't help it。 It's my nature！〃
He clenched a fist and shook it； drawing back his arm。 〃They shall
be destroyed； then。〃
〃They have made a sacrifice of their lives beforehand；〃 said
Razumov with malicious pleasure and looking the General straight
in the face。 〃If Haldin does change his purpose to…night； you
may depend on it