P.P.S.
It is that same green bench I showed you today.
Shame on you!
I was forced to add that as well.
The note had been written hastily and folded anyhow, most likely just before Aglaya came out to the terrace.
In inexpressible agitation, resembling fear, the prince again clenched the paper tightly in his hand and quickly jumped away from the window, from the light, like a frightened thief; but in making this movement he suddenly ran smack into a gentleman who turned up right at his shoulder.
"I've been watching you, Prince," said the gentleman.
"Is that you, Keller?" the prince cried in surprise.
"I've been looking for you, Prince.
I waited by the Epanchins' dacha—naturally, I couldn't go in.
I followed you as you walked with the general.
I'm at your service, Prince, you may dispose of Keller.
Ready to sacrifice myself and even to die, if necessary."
"But . . . what for?"
"Well, there's sure to be a challenge.
This Lieutenant Molovtsov, I know him, that is, not personally ... he won't suffer an insult.
Our sort, that is, me and Rogozhin, he's naturally inclined to consider riffraff, and maybe deservedly—so you turn out to be the only one answerable.
You'll have to pay the piper, Prince.
He's made inquiries about you, I've heard, and a friend of his is sure to call on you tomorrow, or maybe he's waiting for you now.
If you grant me the honor of choosing me as a second, I'm ready to accept the red cap for you;' that's why I was waiting for you, Prince."
"So you're also talking about a duel!" the prince suddenly burst out laughing, to the great astonishment of Keller.
He laughed his head off.
Keller, who had indeed been on pins and needles, waiting until he had the satisfaction of offering himself as a second, was almost offended, seeing how merrily the prince laughed.
"Nevertheless, Prince, you seized him by the arms.
For a noble person, it's hard to suffer that in public."
"And he shoved me in the chest!" the prince exclaimed, laughing. "We have nothing to fight about!
I'll apologize to him and that's that.
But if it's a fight, it's a fight. Let him shoot; I even want it.
Ha, ha!
I know how to load a pistol now!
Do you know how to load a pistol, Keller?
First you have to buy powder, gunpowder, not damp and not the coarse kind used for cannons; and then you start by putting in some powder, you get felt from a door somewhere, and only then drop in the bullet, not the bullet before the powder, because it won't fire.
Do you hear, Keller: because it won't fire.
Ha, ha!
Isn't that a splendid reason, friend Keller?
Ah, Keller, you know, I'm going to embrace you and kiss you now.
Ha, ha, ha!
How was it that you so suddenly turned up in front of him today?
Call on me sometime soon and we'll have champagne.
We'll all get drunk!
Do you know that I have twelve bottles of champagne in Lebedev's cellar?
Lebedev offered it to me as a 'bargain' two days ago, the day after I moved to his place, so I bought it all!
I'll get the whole company together!
And you, are you going to sleep this night?"
"Like every other, Prince."
"Well, sweet dreams then!
Ha, ha!"
The prince crossed the road and disappeared into the park, leaving the somewhat puzzled Keller pondering.
He had never seen the prince in such a strange mood, and could not have imagined it till then.
"A fever, maybe, because he's a nervous man, and all this has affected him, but he certainly won't turn coward.