“What do you mean, though,” asked Muishkin, “ ‘by such a business’? I don’t see any particular ‘business’ about it at all!”

“Oh, undoubtedly, this person wished somehow, and for some reason, to do Evgenie Pavlovitch a bad turn, by attributing to him⁠—before witnesses⁠—qualities which he neither has nor can have,” replied Prince S⁠⸺ drily enough.

Muiskhin looked disturbed, but continued to gaze intently and questioningly into Prince S⁠⸺’s face. The latter, however, remained silent.

“Then it was not simply a matter of bills?” Muishkin said at last, with some impatience. “It was not as she said?”

“But I ask you, my dear sir, how can there be anything in common between Evgenie Pavlovitch, and⁠—her, and again Rogojin? I tell you he is a man of immense wealth⁠—as I know for a fact; and he has further expectations from his uncle. Simply Nastasia Philipovna⁠—”