The boy took the slap without a word, but withdrew into his corner again for some days. A week later he had his first attack of the disease to which he was subject all the rest of his life—epilepsy. When Fyodor Pavlovitch heard of it, his attitude to the boy seemed changed at once. Till then he had taken no notice of him, though he never scolded him, and always gave him a kopeck when he met him.
Fyodor seems to have a soft spot for epilepsy. I also noticed that Fyodor has the same first name as the author. Self insert Mr Hyde?
Aside: the author was epileptic.
