All this is something like scandal." Liputin threw up his hands with an air of oppressed innocence.
"A scandal-monger! Why not say a spy while you're about it?
It's all very well for you, Alexey Nilitch, to criticise when you stand aloof from everything.

But you wouldn't believe it, Stepan Trofimovitch--take Captain Lebyadkin, he is stupid enough, one may say...

in fact, one's ashamed to say how stupid he is; there is a Russian comparison, to signify the degree of it; and do you know he considers himself injured by Nikolay Vsyevolodovitch, though he is full of admiration for his wit.
'I'm amazed,' said he, 'at that man.

He's a subtle serpent.' His own words.

And I said to him (still under the influence of my conversation, and after I had spoken to Alexey Nilitch), 'What do you think, captain, is your subtle serpent mad or not ?' Would you believe it, it was just as if I'd given him a sudden lash from behind.