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【内容简介】
一个忠厚、善良、具有自我牺牲精神的年轻人梅什金公爵（即小说中的“白痴”）从国外归来，由于命运的安排被卷进生活的旋涡。他被两个同样十分美丽、非常聪明、蔑视世俗成见的将军女儿阿格拉娅和从小父母双亡被人面兽心的地主收为外室的纳斯塔西娅所爱。由此引起一连串的喜怒哀乐、悲欢离合、冲突、斗争乃至凶杀。《白痴》（1868）发展了“被侮辱与被损害的”主题，女主人公娜斯塔西亚强烈的叛逆性和作为正面人物的梅什金公爵的善良与纯洁，使小说透出光明的色调。但一些用以攻击革命者的“虚无主义者”形象，削弱了小说的揭露力量。
【作者简介】
陀思妥耶夫斯基（Ф.М.Достоевкий，1821～1881），俄国19世纪文坛上享有世界声誉的一位小说家，他的创作具有极其复杂、矛盾的性质。陀思妥耶夫斯基生于医生家庭，自幼喜爱文学。遵父愿入大学学工程，但毕业后不久即弃工从文。在法国资产阶级革命思潮影响下，他醉心于空想社会主义，参加了彼得堡进步知识分子组织的彼得拉舍夫斯基小组的革命活动。陀思妥耶夫斯基擅长心理剖析，尤其是揭示内心分裂。他对人类肉体与精神痛苦的震撼人心的描写是其他作家难以企及的。他的小说戏剧性强，情节发展快，接踵而至的灾难性事件往往伴随着复杂激烈的心理斗争和痛苦的精神危机，以此揭露资产阶级关系的纷繁复杂。矛盾重重和深刻的悲剧性。陀思妥耶夫斯基的善恶矛盾性格组合、深层心理活动描写都对后世作家产生深刻影响。
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Part 1 Chapter 1 Towards the end of November, during a thaw, at nine o'clock one morning, a train on the Warsaw and Petersburg railway was approaching the latter city at full speed. The morning was so damp and misty that it was only with great difficulty that the day succeeded in breaking; and it was impossible to distinguish anything more than a few yards away from the carriage windows. Some of the passengers by this particular train were returning from abroad; but the third-class carriages were the best filled, chiefly with insignificant persons of various occupations and degrees, picked up at the different stations nearer town. All of them seemed weary, and most of them had sleepy eyes and a shivering expression, while their complexions generally appeared to have taken on the colour of the fog outside. When day dawned, two passengers in one of the third-class carriages found themselves opposite each other. Both were young fellows, both were rather poorly dressed, both had remarkable faces, and both were evidently anxious to start a conversation. If they had but known why, at this particular moment, they were both remarkable persons, they would undoubtedly have wondered at the strange chance which had set them down opposite to one another in a third-class carriage of the Warsaw Railway Company. One of them was a young fellow of about twenty-seven, not tall, with black curling hair, and small, grey, fiery eyes. His nose was broad and flat, and he had high cheek bones; his thin lips were constantly compressed into an impudent, ironical--it might almost be called a malicious--smile; but his forehead was high and well formed, and atoned for a good deal of the ugliness of the lower part of his face. A special feature of this physiognomy was its death-like pallor, which gave to the whole man an indescribably emaciated appearance in spite of his hard look, and at the same time a sort of passionate and suffering expression which did not harmonize with his impudent, sarcastic smile and keen, self-satisfied bearing. He wore a large fur--or rather astrachan--overcoat, which had kept him warm all night, while his neighbour had been obliged to bear the full severity of a Russian November night entirely unprepared. His wide sleeveless mantle with a large cape to it--the sort of cloak one sees upon travellers during the winter months in Switzerland or North Italy--was by no means adapted to the long cold journey through Russia, from Eydkuhnen to St. Petersburg. The wearer of this cloak was a young fellow, also of about twenty-six or twenty-seven years of age, slightly above the middle height, very fair, with a thin, pointed and very light coloured beard; his eyes were large and blue, and had an intent look about them, yet that heavy expression which some people affirm to be a peculiarity. as well as evidence, of an epileptic subject. His face was decidedly a pleasant one for all that; refined, but quite colourless, except for the circumstance that at this moment it was blue with cold. He held a bundle made up of an old faded silk handkerchief that apparently contained all his travelling wardrobe, and wore thick shoes and gaiters, his whole appearance being very un-Russian. His black-haired neighbour inspected these peculiarities, having nothing better to do, and at length remarked, with that rude enjoyment of the discomforts of others which the common classes so often show: "Cold?" "Very," said his neighbour, readily. "and this is a thaw, too. Fancy if it had been a hard frost! I never thought it would be so cold in the old country. I've grown quite out of the way of it." "What, been abroad, I suppose?" "Yes, straight from Switzerland." "Wheugh! my goodness!" The black-haired young fellow whistled, and then laughed. The conversation proceeded. The readiness of the fair-haired young man in the cloak to answer all his opposite neighbour's questions was surprising. He seemed to have no suspicion of any impertinence or inappropriateness in the fact of such questions being put to him. Replying to them, he made known to the inquirer that he certainly had been long absent from Russia, more than four years; that he had been sent abroad for his health; that he had suffered from some strange nervous malady--a kind of epilepsy, with convulsive spasms. His interlocutor burst out laughing several times at his answers; and more than ever, when to the question, " whether he had been cured?" the patient replied: "No, they did not cure me." "Hey! that's it! You stumped up your money for nothing, and we believe in those fellows, here!" remarked the black-haired individual, sarcastically. "Gospel truth, sir, Gospel truth!" exclaimed another passenger, a shabbily dressed man of about forty, who looked like a clerk, and possessed a red nose and a very blotchy face. "Gospel truth! All they do is to get hold of our good Russian money free, gratis, and for nothing. " "Oh, but you're quite wrong in my particular instance," said the Swiss patient, quietly. "Of course I can't argue the matter, because I know only my own case; but my doctor gave me money--and he had very little--to pay my journey back, besides having kept me at his own expense, while there, for nearly two years." "Why? Was there no one else to pay for you?" asked the black- haired one. "No--Mr. Pavlicheff, who had been supporting me there, died a couple of years ago. I wrote to Mrs. General Epanchin at the time (she is a distant relative of mine), but she did not answer my letter. And so eventually I came back." "And where have you come to?" "That is--where am I going to stay? I--I really don't quite know yet, I--" Both the listeners laughed again. "I suppose your whole set-up is in that bundle, then?" asked the first. "I bet anything it is!" exclaimed the red-nosed passenger, with extreme satisfaction, "and that he has precious little in the luggage van!--though of course poverty is no crime--we must remember that!" It appeared that it was indeed as they had surmised. The young fellow hastened to admit the fact with wonderful readiness. "Your bundle has some importance, however," continued the clerk, when they had laughed their fill (it was observable that the subject of their mirth joined in the laughter when he saw them laughing); "for though I dare say it is not stuffed full of friedrichs d'or and louis d'or--judge from your costume and gaiters--still--if you can add to your possessions such a valuable property as a relation like Mrs. General Epanchin, then your bundle becomes a significant object at once. That is, of course, if you really are a relative of Mrs. Epanchin's, and have not made a little error through--well, absence of mind, which is very common to human beings; or, say--through a too luxuriant fancy?" "Oh, you are right again," said the fair-haired traveller, "for I really am ALMOST wrong when I say she and I are related. She is hardly a relation at all; so little, in fact, that I was not in the least surprised to have no answer to my letter. I expected as much." "H'm! you spent your postage for nothing, then. H'm! you are candid, however--and that is commendable. H'm! Mrs. Epanchin--oh yes! a most eminent person. I know her. As for Mr. Pavlicheff, who supported you in Switzerland, I know him too--at least, if it was Nicolai Andreevitch of that name? A fine fellow he was--and had a property of four thousand souls in his day." "Yes, Nicolai Andreevitch--that was his name," and the young fellow looked earnestly and with curiosity at the all-knowing gentleman with the red nose. This sort of character is met with pretty frequently in a certain class. They are people who know everyone--that is, they know where a man is employed, what his salary is, whom he knows, whom he married, what money his wife had, who are his cousins, and second cousins, etc., etc. These men generally have about a hundred pounds a year to live on, and they spend their whole time and talents in the amassing of this style of knowledge, which they reduce--or raise--to the standard of a science. During the latter part of the conversation the black-haired young man had become very impatient. He stared out of the window, and fidgeted, and evidently longed for the end of the journey. He was very absent; he would appear to listen-and heard nothing; and he would laugh of a sudden, evidently with no idea of what he was laughing about. "Excuse me," said the red-nosed man to the young fellow with the bundle, rather suddenly; "whom have I the honour to be talking to?" "Prince Lef Nicolaievitch Muishkin," replied the latter, with perfect readiness. "Prince Muishkin? Lef Nicolaievitch? H'm! I don't know, I'm sure! I may say I have never heard of such a person," said the clerk, thoughtfully. "At least, the name, I admit, is historical. Karamsin must mention the family name, of course, in his history- -but as an individual--one never hears of any Prince Muishkin nowadays." "Of course not," replied the prince; "there are none, except myself. I believe I am the last and only one. As to my forefathers, they have always been a poor lot; my own father was a sublieutenant in the army. I don't know how Mrs. Epanchin comes into the Muishkin family, but she is descended from the Princess Muishkin, and she, too, is the last of her line." "And did you learn science and all that, with your professor over there?" asked the black-haired passenger. "Oh yes--I did learn a little, but--" "I've never learned anything whatever," said the other. "Oh, but I learned very little, you know!" added the prince, as though excusing himself. "They could not teach me very much on account of my illness. " "Do you know the Rogojins?" asked his questioner, abruptly. "No, I don't--not at all! I hardly know anyone in Russia. Why, is that your name?" "Yes, I am Rogojin, Parfen Rogojin." "Parfen Rogojin? dear me--then don't you belong to those very Rogojins, perhaps--" began the clerk, with a very perceptible increase of civility in his tone. "Yes--those very ones," interrupted Rogojin, impatiently, and with scant courtesy. I may remark that he had not once taken any notice of the blotchy-faced passenger, and had hitherto addressed all his remarks direct to the prince. "Dear me--is it possible?" observed the clerk, while his face assumed an expression of great deference and servility--if not of absolute alarm: "what, a son of that very Semen Rogojin-- hereditary honourable citizen--who died a month or so ago and left two million and a half of roubles?" "And how do YOU know that he left two million and a half of roubles?" asked Rogojin, disdainfully, and no deigning so much as to look at the other. "However, it's true enough that my father died a month ago, and that here am I returning from Pskoff, a month after, with hardly a boot to my foot. They've treated me like a dog! I've been ill of fever at Pskoff the whole time, and not a line, nor farthing of money, have I received from my mother or my confounded brother!" "And now you'll have a million roubles, at least--goodness gracious me!" exclaimed the clerk, rubbing his hands. "Five weeks since, I was just like yourself," continued Rogojin, addressing the prince, "with nothing but a bundle and the clothes I wore. I ran away from my father and came to Pskoff to my aunt's house, where I caved in at once with fever, and he went and died while I was away. All honour to my respected father's memory--but he uncommonly nearly killed me, all the same. Give you my word, prince, if I hadn't cut and run then, when I did, he'd have murdered me like a dog." "I suppose you angered him somehow?" asked the prince, looking at the millionaire with considerable curiosity But though there may have been something remarkable in the fact that this man was heir to millions of roubles there was something about him which surprised and interested the prince more than that. Rogojin, too, seemed to have taken up the conversation with unusual alacrity it appeared that he was still in a considerable state of excitement, if not absolutely feverish, and was in real need of someone to talk to for the mere sake of talking, as safety-valve to his agitation. As for his red-nosed neighbour, the latter--since the information as to the identity of Rogojin--hung over him, seemed to be living on the honey of his words and in the breath of his nostrils, catching at every syllable as though it were a pearl of great price. "Oh, yes; I angered him--I certainly did anger him," replied Rogojin. "But what puts me out so is my brother. Of course my mother couldn't do anything--she's too old--and whatever brother Senka says is law for her! But why couldn't he let me know? He sent a telegram, they say. What's the good of a telegram? It frightened my aunt so that she sent it back to the office unopened, and there it's been ever since! It's only thanks to Konief that I heard at all; he wrote me all about it. He says my brother cut off the gold tassels from my father's coffin, at night because they're worth a lot of money!' says he. Why, I can get him sent off to Siberia for that alone, if I like; it's sacrilege. Here, you--scarecrow!" he added, addressing the clerk at his side, "is it sacrilege or not, by law?' "Sacrilege, certainly--certainly sacrilege," said the latter. "And it's Siberia for sacrilege, isn't it?" "Undoubtedly so; Siberia, of course!" "They will think that I'm still ill," continued Rogojin to the prince, "but I sloped off quietly, seedy as I was, took the train and came away. Aha, brother Senka, you'll have to open your gates and let me in, my boy! I know he told tales about me to my father--I know that well enough but I certainly did rile my father about Nastasia Philipovna that's very sure, and that was my own doing." "Nastasia Philipovna?" said the clerk, as though trying to think out something. "Come, you know nothing about HER," said Rogojin, impatiently. "And supposing I do know something?" observed the other, triumphantly. "Bosh! there are plenty of Nastasia Philipovnas. And what an impertinent beast you are!" he added angrily. "I thought some creature like you would hang on to me as soon as I got hold of my money. " "Oh, but I do know, as it happens," said the clerk in an aggravating manner. "Lebedeff knows all about her. You are pleased to reproach me, your excellency, but what if I prove that I am right after all? Nastasia Phillpovna's family name is Barashkoff--I know, you see-and she is a very well known lady, indeed, and comes of a good family, too. She is connected with one Totski, Afanasy Ivanovitch, a man of considerable property, a director of companies, and so on, and a great friend of General Epanchin, who is interested in the same matters as he is." "My eyes!" said Rogojin, really surprised at last. "The devil take the fellow, how does he know that?" "Why, he knows everything--Lebedeff knows everything! I was a month or two with Lihachof after his father died, your excellency, and while he was knocking about--he's in the debtor's prison now--I was with him, and he couldn't do a thing without Lebedeff; and I got to know Nastasia Philipovna and several people at that time." "Nastasia Philipovna? Why, you don't mean to say that she and Lihachof--" cried Rogojin, turning quite pale. "No, no, no, no, no! Nothing of the sort, I assure you!" said Lebedeff, hastily. "Oh dear no, not for the world! Totski's the only man with any chance there. Oh, no! He takes her to his box at the opera at the French theatre of an evening, and the officers and people all look at her and say, 'By Jove, there's the famous Nastasia Philipovna!' but no one ever gets any further than that, for there is nothing more to say." "Yes, it's quite true," said Rogojin, frowning gloomily; "so Zaleshoff told me. I was walking about the Nefsky one fine day, prince, in my father's old coat, when she suddenly came out of a shop and stepped into her carriage. I swear I was all of a blaze at once. Then I met Zaleshoff--looking like a hair-dresser's assistant, got up as fine as I don't know who, while I looked like a tinker. 'Don't flatter yourself, my boy,' said he; 'she's not for such as you; she's a princess, she is, and her name is Nastasia Philipovna Barashkoff, and she lives with Totski, who wishes to get rid of her because he's growing rather old--fifty- five or so--and wants to marry a certain beauty, the loveliest woman in all Petersburg.' And then he told me that I could see Nastasia Philipovna at the opera-house that evening, if I liked, and described which was her box. Well, I'd like to see my father allowing any of us to go to the theatre; he'd sooner have killed us, any day. However, I went for an hour or so and saw Nastasia Philipovna, and I never slept a wink all night after. Next morning my father happened to give me two government loan bonds to sell, worth nearly five thousand roubles each. 'Sell them,' said he, 'and then take seven thousand five hundred roubles to the office, give them to the cashier, and bring me back the rest of the ten thousand, without looking in anywhere on the way; look sharp, I shall be waiting for you.' Well, I sold the bonds, but I didn't take the seven thousand roubles to the office; I went straight to the English shop and chose a pair of earrings, with a diamond the size of a nut in each. They cost four hundred roubles more than I had, so I gave my name, and they trusted me. With the earrings I went at once to Zaleshoff's. 'Come on!' I said, 'come on to Nastasia Philipovna's,' and off we went without more ado. I tell you I hadn't a notion of what was about me or before me or below my feet all the way; I saw nothing whatever. We went straight into her drawing-room, and then she came out to us. "I didn't say right out who I was, but Zaleshoff said: 'From Parfen Rogojin, in memory of his first meeting with you yesterday; be so kind as to accept these!' "She opened the parcel, looked at the earrings, and laughed. "'Thank your friend Mr. Rogojin for his kind attention,' says she, and bowed and went off. Why didn't I die there on the spot? The worst of it all was, though, that the beast Zaleshoff got all the credit of it! I was short and abominably dressed, and stood and stared in her face and never said a word, because I was shy, like an ass! And there was he all in the fashion, pomaded and dressed out, with a smart tie on, bowing and scraping; and I bet anything she took him for me all the while! "'Look here now,' I said, when we came out, 'none of your interference here after this-do you understand?' He laughed: 'And how are you going to settle up with your father?' says he. I thought I might as well jump into the Neva at once without going home first; but it struck me that I wouldn't, after all, and I went home feeling like one of the damned." "My goodness!" shivered the clerk. "And his father," he added, for the prince's instruction, "and his father would have given a man a ticket to the other world for ten roubles any day--not to speak of ten thousand!" The prince observed Rogojin with great curiosity; he seemed paler than ever at this moment. "What do you know about it?" cried the latter. "Well, my father learned the whole story at once, and Zaleshoff blabbed it all over the town besides. So he took me upstairs and locked me up, and swore at me for an hour. 'This is only a foretaste,' says he; 'wait a bit till night comes, and I'll come back and talk to you again.' "Well, what do you think? The old fellow went straight off to Nastasia Philipovna, touched the floor with his forehead, and began blubbering and beseeching her on his knees to give him back the diamonds. So after awhile she brought the box and flew out at him. 'There,' she says, 'take your earrings, you wretched old miser; although they are ten times dearer than their value to me now that I know what it must have cost Parfen to get them! Give Parfen my compliments,' she says, 'and thank him very much!' Well, I meanwhile had borrowed twenty-five roubles from a friend, and off I went to Pskoff to my aunt's. The old woman there lectured me so that I left the house and went on a drinking tour round the public-houses of the place. I was in a high fever when I got to Pskoff, and by nightfall I was lying delirious in the streets somewhere or other!" "Oho! we'll make Nastasia Philipovna sing another song now!" giggled Lebedeff, rubbing his hands with glee. "Hey, my boy, we'll get her some proper earrings now! We'll get her such earrings that--" "Look here," cried Rogojin, seizing him fiercely by the arm, "look here, if you so much as name Nastasia Philipovna again, I'll tan your hide as sure as you sit there!" "Aha! do--by all means! if you tan my hide you won't turn me away from your society. You'll bind me to you, with your lash, for ever. Ha, ha! here we are at the station, though." Sure enough, the train was just steaming in as he spoke. Though Rogojin had declared that he left Pskoff secretly, a large collection of friends had assembled to greet him, and did so with profuse waving of hats and shouting. "Why, there's Zaleshoff here, too!" he muttered, gazing at the scene with a sort of triumphant but unpleasant smile. Then he suddenly turned to the prince: "Prince, I don't know why I have taken a fancy to you; perhaps because I met you just when I did. But no, it can't be that, for I met this fellow " (nodding at Lebedeff) "too, and I have not taken a fancy to him by any means. Come to see me, prince; we'll take off those gaiters of yours and dress you up in a smart fur coat, the best we can buy. You shall have a dress coat, best quality, white waistcoat, anything you like, and your pocket shall be full of money. Come, and you shall go with me to Nastasia Philipovna's. Now then will you come or no?" "Accept, accept, Prince Lef Nicolaievitch" said Lebedef solemnly; "don't let it slip! Accept, quick!" Prince Muishkin rose and stretched out his hand courteously, while he replied with some cordiality: "I will come with the greatest pleasure, and thank you very much for taking a fancy to me. I dare say I may even come today if I have time, for I tell you frankly that I like you very much too. I liked you especially when you told us about the diamond earrings; but I liked you before that as well, though you have such a dark-clouded sort of face. Thanks very much for the offer of clothes and a fur coat; I certainly shall require both clothes and coat very soon. As for money, I have hardly a copeck about me at this moment." "You shall have lots of money; by the evening I shall have plenty; so come along!" "That's true enough, he'll have lots before evening!" put in Lebedeff. "But, look here, are you a great hand with the ladies? Let's know that first?" asked Rogojin. "Oh no, oh no! said the prince; "I couldn't, you know--my illness--I hardly ever saw a soul." "H'm! well--here, you fellow-you can come along with me now if you like!" cried Rogojin to Lebedeff, and so they all left the carriage. Lebedeff had his desire. He went off with the noisy group of Rogojin's friends towards the Voznesensky, while the prince's route lay towards the Litaynaya. It was damp and wet. The prince asked his way of passers-by, and finding that he was a couple of miles or so from his destination, he determined to take a droshky. １１月底，一个解冻的日子，虽晨９点钟左右，彼得堡。华沙铁路线上一列火车开足马力驶近了彼得堡。天气是那样潮湿和多雾，好不容易才天亮。从车厢窗口望去，铁路左右１０步路远的地方就很难看清什么东西。旅客中有儿国外回来的人，但三等车厢里人比较满，全是些从不远的地方来的下等人和生意人。所有的人不无例外地都疲倦了，一夜下来大家的眼皮都变沉了，人人都冻僵了，脸也变得苍白萎黄，就像雾色一般。 在一节三等车厢里，有两个旅客从天亮起就面对面坐在窗口，两人都年轻，两人几乎都不带什么行李，两人穿得也讲究，两人都有相当引人注目的长相，再有，两人又都愿意互相攀谈。如果他们俩一个知道另一个此刻特别出众在什么地方，那么无疑会对机遇这么奇妙地使他们面对面坐在彼得堡－华沙铁路线的三等车厢里感到不胜惊讶了。他们中一个个子不高、２７岁左右，有着几乎是黑色的卷曲的头发，一双灰色的但是炯炯有神的小眼睛，宽而扁的鼻子，颧骨大大的脸庞。他那薄薄的嘴唇时而露出一种厚颜无耻的、嘲讽的、甚至刻毒的微笑，但是他有一个高高的额头，样子很好看，这就掩饰了长得丑陋的脸的下部。在这张脸上死一般苍白的脸色特别显眼，虽然年轻人体格相当强壮，但是这种苍白却使他的整个脸呈现出疲惫不堪的样子。与此同时，他的脸上还有某种激情，令人不安，这和他那无耻、粗野的微笑以及犀利、自我满足的目光很不相称。他穿得很暖和，身上是一件宽大的黑色面子的羔羊皮袄，所以夜间没有挨冻，而他的邻座显然对１１月俄罗斯潮湿的寒夜缺少准备，因而浑身打颤，不得不饱受寒冷的滋味。他身穿一件带有一顶大风帽的相当肥大的无袖斗蓬，与遥远的国外如瑞士或意大利北部冬天旅客们常穿的斗蓬完全一样，而他们当然没有考虑从艾德库年到彼得堡这样的路程。但是在意大利适用而且完全可以满足需要的东西，在俄罗斯却显得全然不合适了。穿着带风帽斗蓬的人是个年轻人，也是２６或２７岁左右，中等偏高的个子，有一头稠密的颜色非常浅的头发，凹陷的双颊稀疏地长着几乎是全白的楔形胡须。他那碧蓝的大眼睛专注凝神，但目光中有某种平静而沉郁的神态，充满了奇怪的表情，有些人根据这种表情一眼就能猜测到这个人患有癫痫病。不过，年轻人的脸是讨人喜欢的，清瘦而秀气，但是没有血色，现在甚至冻得发青。他的手中晃动着一个用褪色旧花布裹起来的小包袱，大概，其中便是他的全部行装了。他的脚上是一双带鞋罩的厚底鞋。这一切都不是俄罗斯的装束。穿皮袄的黑发邻座看出了这一切，浮现。出一丝粗鲁的嘲笑，有时候人们在旁人失败时就是这样无礼地、漫不经心地表达他们的幸灾乐祸的。部分地是因为无事可做，终于他问道： “冷吗？” 他说着，耸了耸肩。 “很冷，”邻座非常乐意回答说，“而且，您瞧，还是解冻的日子，如果到了严寒，会是怎样呢：我甚至没有想到，我们这儿竟这么冷，已经不习惯了。” “从国外来，是吗？” “是的，从瑞士来。” “嗬，瞧您！……” 黑头发的年轻人吹了一声口哨，便哈哈大笑起来。 话就这样攀谈开了，穿着瑞士斗蓬的浅色卷发的年轻人准备回答皮肤黝黑的邻座提出的所有问题。他的这种态度是令人惊讶的，而且他丝毫没有计较有些问题提得十分随便，不得体和无聊。他一边回答，一边顺便表明，他确实有很长时间不在俄罗斯了，有四年多了，他是因病去国外的，那是一种奇怪的神经毛病，类似癫痫或舞蹈病，不知怎么的要打颤和痉挛。黑皮肤那个人听着他说，好几次都暗自窃笑。当他问到：“结果治好了吗？”而浅色卷发者回答说“没有，没治好”时，他更是笑了起来。 “嘿，钱呢，一定白白花了许多，而我们这里的人就是相信他们，”黑皮肤那一个讥讽说。 “千真万确，”坐在旁边的一个插进来说。这位先生穷得很蹩脚，大概是十多年未升迁的小公务员，４０岁左右，体格强壮，红鼻子，脸上长满粉刺。“干真万确，只不过俄罗斯的财力全都被他们白白弄去了。” “哦，我这件事上您可就错了，”从瑞士回来的病人平静和忍让地说，“当然，我不会争论，因为我不了解整个情况，但是我的医生却倾其所有给我到这里的路费，而且在那里供养了我几乎有两年。” “怎么，没有人给您钱吗？”黑皮肤的问。 “是的，在那里供养我的帕夫利谢夫先生两年前去世了，后来我写信给这里的叶潘钦将军夫人，她是我的远房亲戚，但我没有收到口信、这样我就回来了。” “您去哪里呢？” “也就是我住在哪里吗？……我还不知道，真的……是这样……” “还没有决定吗？” 两位听者重又哈哈大笑起来。 “您的全部财产不会都在这个包裹里吧？”黑皮肤的人问。 “我准备打赌，就是这样，”红鼻子公务员异常得意地附和着，“行李车厢里没有别的行李，虽然贫穷不是罪，这点还是不能不指出的。” 原来正是这样。浅色卷发的年轻人立即异常急促地承认了这一点。 “您的包裹总是有点用处的，”当大家畅笑一通后（值得注意的是包裹，所有者本人一边望着他们，一边终于也笑了起来，这更使他们快活），小公务员继续说， “虽然前以打赌；这个包裹里没有包着拿破仑金币和用；特烈金币、甚至荷兰市的一包包外国的金币，只要根据蒙在您那外国鞋上的攀罩也可以断定这一点，但是……假如您的包裹之外再添上像叶潘钦将军夫人这么一位所谓的女亲戚，那么这个包裹也就会有另一种意义了，当然，只有在叶潘钦将军夫人真南是您亲戚的情况下才是这样。您不会因为漫不经心而搞错吧……这是人非常容易犯的毛病，哪怕是……由于过分丰富的想象。” “嘿，您又猜对了，”浅色头发的年轻人应着说，“我真的几乎弄错了，也就是说，她几乎不是我的亲戚，我们的关系太远，以致于他们没给我回信，我丝毫也不感到惊讶，真的，我早就料到是这样。” “白白花费了邮资，嗯……至少您是忠厚老实的，这是值得称赞的！嗯……叶潘钦将军我们是知道的，其实是因为他是社会名流；还有在瑞士供养您的已故的帕夫利谢夫先生，我也知道，如果这是指尼古拉·安德列耶维奇·帕夫利谢夫，因为他们是两位堂兄弟，另一位至今还在克里米亚，而尼古拉·安德列耶维奇这位故人就是在广泛的社交界也是位令人敬重的人，那时拥有四千农奴……” “确实，他叫尼古拉·安德列耶维奇·帕夫利谢夫，”回答完了，年轻人专注而文好奇地打量了一番这位无所不知的先生。 在一定的社会阶层，有时候，甚至相当经常地可以遇见这种无所不知的先生，他们什么都知道。他们的智慧和能力，他们那时刻涌动的好奇心都不。可遏制地倾注到一个方面，现代的思想家会说，当然这是因为缺少比较重要的生活情趣和观点的缘故。不过，“什么都知道”这句话所指的范围是有限的。某个人在某处供职，他跟谁认识，他有多少财产，在什么地方当过省长，跟谁结的婚，得到多少陪嫁，谁是他的堂兄弟，谁是表兄弟，等等等等，诸如此类。这些无所不知的先生大部分都穿着肘部磨破的衣服，每个月只拿１７卢布的薪俸。被他们了解全部内情的人们，当然怎么也想象不到；是什么兴趣驱使着他们，与此同时，他们中又有许多人又因为这种几乎无异于整门科学的知识而感到欣慰，因为他们得到了自尊，甚至是高度的精神满足。再说，这门科学也挺诱人的，我看到过不少学者、文学家、诗人和政治活动家在这门科学里寻求和寻得了自己高度的安宁和目的，甚至就凭这一点得到了功名，在整个这场谈话中，黑皮肤的年轻人打着呵欠，漫无目的地望着窗外，急不可耐地等待着旅程结束，他似乎有点心不在焉，甚至非常心不在焉，几乎是焦躁不安，以致变得有点令人奇怪：有时似听非听，似看非看，有时他笑，又不知道和不明白在笑什么。 “请问，您尊姓？……”突然，脸上长粉刺的先生问拿着小包的浅色头发的青年。 “列夫·尼古拉耶维奇·梅什金公爵，”后者完全不加思索地马上回答说。 “梅什金公爵？列夫·尼古拉耶维奇？我不知道，甚至还没有听说过，”小公务员沉思着说，“就是说，我不是指姓名，这个姓名历史上就有、在卡拉姆辛写的历史书里可以也应该能找得到，我是说人，再说，不知怎么的无论在哪儿都遇不到梅什金公爵家族的人，甚至沓无音讯。” “噢，那还用说！”公爵立即回答说，“除我之外，现在根本就没有梅什金公爵家族的人了。我好像是我们家族的最后一个人了。至于说到父辈、祖辈，他们都是独院小地主＊，不过，我的父亲是陆军少尉，他是士官生土身。连我也不知道，叶潘钦将军夫人怎么从梅什金公爵女儿们中间冒出来的。她也是自己那一族的最后一人了……” “嘻－嘻－嘻！自己族的最后一个！嘻－嘻！您怎么倒过来这么说，”小公务员嘻嘻笑着说。 ＊拥有农奴的小地主，通常一院一户。 黑皮肤的年轻人也冷笑了一下。浅色头发的青年则有点惊讶，他竟会说出相当不好的双关语。＊ “您要知道，我完全不加思索就说了，”惊讶之余，他终于解释道。 “可以理解，可以理解，”小公务员快活地连声说。 “公爵，在国外您在教授那里学过什么科学吧？”突然黑皮肤的年轻人问。 “是的……学过……” “可我从来也没有学过什么。” “但我也只是随便学了点，”公爵补充说，差不多是表示道歉，“因为有病，认为我不可能进行系统学习。” “您知道罗戈任家吗？”黑皮肤的很快问着。 “不知道，完全不知道。我在俄罗斯认识的人很少。您就是罗戈任？” “是的，我姓罗戈任，叫帕尔芬。” “帕尔芬？这不就是那一家罗戈任……”小公务员特别傲慢地说。 “是的，是那家，就是那家，”黑皮肤的年轻，人很快地、不讲礼貌地、急迫地打断了他。其实，他根本一次也没有对长粉刺的小公务员说话，从一开始他就只对公爵一个人说话。 “是吗……这是怎么回事？”小公务员惊呆了，几乎瞪出了眼珠。他的整张脸马上就现出一种虔敬和馅媚的，甚至是惶恐的神情。“您就是那位世袭荣誉公民谢苗·帕尔芬诺维奇·罗戈任的公子吗？他不是一个月前故世，留下了两百五十万财产吗？” “您打哪儿知道他留下了两百五十万财产。”黑皮肤的打断他问，就连这次他也没有赏给小公务员上一瞥。“您瞧，”他朝公爵霎了霎眼，意指说的是小公务员， “他们知道这些会得到什么好处，于吗他们马上就像走狗似的一个劲地粘上来？我父亲去世了，这是真的，已经过了一个月，现在我差点连靴子也没有从普斯科夫赶回家，无论是混账哥哥，还是母亲，都不给我寄钱，也不寄消息……什么都不寄，犹如对待一条狗！我在普斯科夫患热病，躺了整整一个月！……” “可现在一下子就必能得到一百多万，这是起码的，天哪！”小公务员双手一拍说。 ＊俄语Ｂ cboem pone还有一种含义：“就某一点来说”。 “您倒说说，这管他什么事！”罗戈任恼怒和愤感地又朝他点了一下头，“此刻你即使在我面前做倒立，我也不会给你一戈比。” “我还是愿意做，愿意做。” “瞧你！可是要知道，你哪怕跳一个星期舞，我也不会给，不会给的！” “也不用给！我就该这样，不用给！我要跳舞，我就是抛下妻子、小孩，还是要在你面前跳舞，让你满意，让你快活！” “去你的！”黑皮肤的啐了一口；“五个星期前我就像您这样，”他对公爵说，“带着一个小包裹逃离父亲去普斯科夫的姑妈家，在那里得了热病，躺倒了，而父亲却在我不在的情况下去世了，是中风而死的。死者千古，而那时他差点没把我打死。您相信吗，公爵，”这是真的！那时我要是不跑，马上就会把我打死的。” “您做了什么事让他发脾气了？”公爵接过话茬说。他怀着一种特别的好奇心打量着穿皮袄的百万富翁，虽然百万富翁身上和得到遗产这件事确有某种值得注意的东西，但是使公爵惊奇和产生兴趣的还有别的因素，再说，罗戈任本人不知为什么特别愿意把公爵看作交谈的对象，尽管他需要交谈，似乎是无意识多于精神的需求，似乎是漫不经心多于心地忠厚，是出于忐忑不安，忧心焦虑，交谈只是为了望着对方，随便胡扯些什么。好像他到现在仍患着热病，至少也是疟疾。至于说那小公务员，他硬是缠住罗戈任，气也不敢喘一口，留神和琢磨着每一句话，就像寻找钻石一般。 “脾气是发了，也许，也是该发的，”罗戈任回答说，“但是我那哥哥害得我最苦，至于老母亲是没什么可说的，她年纪大了，只是看看日课经文月书，与老太太们坐着聊聊天，谢恩卡哥哥决定什么就是什么，而他当时为什么不让我知道呢？我可是明白的！我那时神志昏迷，这是真的，据说，也发来过电报、但是给姑妈的，她在那里寡居３０年了，从早到晚总跟一些装疯卖傻的修士在一起，她修女不是修女，却比修女更有过之无不及，电报把她吓坏了，她拆也不拆，就把它送到警察局去了，至今它还留在那儿。只有科涅夫·瓦西利·瓦西利耶维奇帮了大忙，把一切都告诉了我；夜里哥哥从盖在灵枢上的绵缎上剪下了流苏，那是铸金的，说什么‘据说，它们很值钱！’可是就凭这一点，只要我想干的话，他就可能去西伯利亚，因为这是亵读神圣的。喂，你这个家伙！”他朝小公务员说，“照法律讲，是亵读神圣吗？” “是亵读神圣！亵读神圣！”小公务员立即附和说。 “为此要流放去西伯利亚吗。” “要去西伯利亚，西伯利亚！立即去西伯利亚！” “他们一直以为我还病着，”罗戈任对公爵说，“而我一句话也不说，抱着病体，悄悄地上了火车，就这么走了。谢苗·谢苗内奇哥哥，请开门吧！他对故世的父亲说了我许多坏话，我知道。我确实因为纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜当时惹恼了父亲，这是真的，这是我一个人做的事，我是有过失。” “因为纳斯塔西娅，费利帕夫娜。”小公务员馅媚地说，他似乎在揣度着什么。 “你可是不会知道的！”罗戈任不耐烦地朝他喊了一声。 “我就知道！”小公务员以胜利的口吻回答说。 “瞧你！叫纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜的人还少吗？我说你呀，是个多么厚颜无耻的家伙！嘿，我就知道，就有这样的家伙马上来缠住你！”他继续对公爵说。 “可是，也许，我是知道的呢。”小公务员连忙接着说，“列别杰夫是知道的！您，阁下，可以责备我，但是，要是我能证明，又怎么样呢，是有纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜此人的，为了她，您父亲要用英莲木拐杖来教训您。而纳斯塔拉娅·费利帕夫娜是姓巴拉什科娃，说起来还是个名门闺秀；也是公爵小姐之类的，她跟一个姓托茨基，叫阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇的来往，就只跟他一个人交往，那人是个地主兼资本家，许多公司和社团的股东和要员，因此与叶潘钦将军有很深的交谊……” “晦，原来你还真有两下子。”罗戈任终于真正感到惊讶了，“呸，真见鬼，他倒真的什么都知道！” “全都知道！列别杰夫无所不知！阁下，我还和利哈乔夫·阿列克萨什卡一起周游了两个月，也是在他父亲去世以后。我知道所有的角落和小巷，没有我列别杰夫，他甚至寸步难行。他现在身陷债务监狱，而就在那个时候我有机会认识阿尔曼斯和科拉利娅，帕茨卡娅公爵夫人和纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜，也就有机会知道许多事。” “你认识纳斯塔拉娅·费利帕夫娜？难道她跟利哈乔夫……”罗戈任恶狠狠地瞥了他一眼，连嘴唇也变白了，哆嗦起来。 “没什么！没——什么的！的确没什么！”小公务员有所领悟，便急忙说，“也就是说，利哈乔夫无论用多少钱也未能把她弄到手！不，这可不是那个阿尔曼斯，她只有一一个托茨基，晚。上在大剧院或者法兰西剧院她也只坐在自己的包厢里，那里军官们相互间闲话还少吗，可他们对她却说不出什么名堂来，‘瞧，据说，这就是那个纳斯塔西娅·赞利帕夫娜。’仅此而已，再要说什么就没什么可说了！因此，是没有什么的。” “这事确实这样，”罗戈任皱起眉目，阴郁地肯定说，“扎廖热夫那时也对我这么说过。公爵，我那时穿着父亲那件只穿了三天的腰部打招的大衣过涅瓦大街，而她正从商店出来，坐上马车。当时我一下子犹如浑身着了似的。我常见到扎廖热夫，他跟我可不一样，打扮得像个理发店的伙计。只眼睛上架着眼镜，可我在父亲家里穿的是抹了油的皮靴，喝的是素汤，说这个跟你不相配，还说，这是位公爵小姐，名叫纳斯塔拉娅·费利帕夫娜，姓巴拉什科娃，她跟托茨基同居，而托茨基现在都不知道怎么摆脱她，因为他，这么说吧，完全到了真正的年龄，５５岁，想要跟全彼得堡头号美女结婚。扎廖热夫当下就怂恿我说，今天你可以在大剧院见到纳斯塔西娅·费里帕夫娜，她将坐在第一层厢座自己的包厢里看芭蕾，可在我们家里你倒试试去看芭蕾——准会受到惩罚，父亲会把我们打死！但是，我还是偷偷地去了一小时，又一次看见了纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜。那天一整夜我都没有睡着。第二天早晨父亲给了我两张百分之五利率的证券，每张五千卢布。他说，去卖掉它们，七千五百卢布拿到安德列耶夫事务所，付清了，哪儿也别去，把一万剩下的数拿来交给我，我等你。我卖了证券，拿了钱，但是没有去安德列耶夫事务所，而是哪儿也不张望，径自去了一家英国商店，用全部钱挑了一副耳坠，每个耳坠上都有一颗钻石，几乎就像核桃那么大，还欠了四百卢布，我讲出了姓名，他们相信了。我带了耳坠去找扎廖热夫，如此这般说了一番，‘兄弟，我们去找纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜’，我们就去了。当时我脚下是什么，前面是什么，旁边是什么——概都不知道，也不记得，我们径直走进她的客厅。她亲自出来见我们。我当时没有说出自己来，而由扎廖热夫说‘帕尔芬·罗戈任送给您的，以作昨天邂逅相遇的纪念，请俯允受纳。’她打开盒子，瞥了一眼，冷笑一声说：‘请感谢您的朋友罗戈任先生，感谢他的感情厚意。’她转身便走开了。唉，我于吗当时不马上死掉！如果真的想去死，是因为我想，‘反正回去也活不！’最使我委屈的是，我觉得扎廖热夫这骗子占尽了风流。我个子也小，穿得像个仆人，因为自惭形秽，便一声不吭地站在那里。只是瞪着眼睛看她。可扎廖热夫却非常时髦，头发抹手油亮；还烫成卷发，脸色红润，结着方格领带，一味的奉承，满嘴的恭维，另时她大概把他当作是我了。我们出来后，我就说：‘喂，现在再不许你想我的人，明白吗？”他笑着说，“现在你怎么向谢苗·帕尔芬内奇交帐。”我当时真的想家也不回就去投河，可是又想，‘反正都一样’，于是犹如十恶不赦的罪人似的回家去了。” “哎哟！喔嗬！”小公务员做了个鬼脸，甚至打起颤来，“要知道，已故先人不要说为一万卢布，就是为十个卢布也会把人打发到阴间去。”他朝公点了下头，公爵好奇地端详着罗戈任，好像此刻他的脸更加苍白了。 “打发到阴间！”罗戈任重复说了一遍，“你知道什么？”他对公爵说，“父亲马上全都知道了，再说，扎廖热夫也逢人便吹。父亲把我抓起来，关在楼上，教训我足足一小时，他说，‘我这只是先让你有个准备，到夜里我再跟你告别。’你想怎么着？老头到纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜那儿去了，连连向她叩头，央求着，哭着，她终于拿出了盒子，扔了给她，说，‘喏，给你，胡子，你的耳环，现在它们对我来说价值珍贵十倍，因为它是帕尔芬冒着么大的风险弄来的，向帕尔芬·谢苗诺维奇致意，向他表示感谢！’而我在这个时候得到母亲的赞同，在谢廖什卡·普罗图京那儿弄了２０卢布，就乘车到普斯科夫去了，到那几时我正害着疟疾，在那里一些老妇人没完没了令人心烦地对我念教堂日历，而我坐在那里喝得醉熏熏的，后来我去了好几家酒馆，花光了最后一点钱，一整夜躺在街上不省人事，到了早晨发起了热病，而夜里的时候狗还咬了我，好不容易才醒过来。” “好了，好了，现在纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜会改变态度了！”小公务一边搓着手，一边嘻嘻笑着，“现在，老爷，耳坠算得了什么！现在我们可补偿给她同样的耳坠……” “要是你再说一次有关纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜的一个字，你就给我滚蛋，我就揍死你，尽管你跟随过利哈乔夫！”罗戈任紧紧抓住他的手，嚷道。 “既然你要揍死我，就是说你不会放开我！揍吧！揍了，也就铭记住了……瞧，我们到站了！” 确实，火车驶进了站台，虽然罗戈任说过，他是偷偷地来的，但是已有好几个人在等候他。他们呼喊着，向他挥舞着帽子。 “瞧，扎廖热夫也在！”罗戈任嘟哝着说，一边得意地甚至狞笑着望着他们，突然，他转向公爵说，“公爵，我也不知道，我喜欢上你什么，也许是为这种时刻遇见了你，不过也还遇上了他（他指了指列别杰夫），可我没有喜欢上他、到我家来吧，公爵，我们要脱下你脚上的这副鞋罩，我要给你穿最好的貂皮大衣，给你缝制上等的燕尾服，白色的或者随便什么颜色的背，口袋里钱塞得满满的……再一起到纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜那里去！你来不来呀？” “听从吧，列夫·尼古拉耶维奇公爵！”列别杰夫颇能感化人地郑重其事地附和说，“嗨，可别错过机会！嗨，可别错过机会！” 梅什金公爵站起来，彬彬有礼地向罗戈任递过手去，客气地说： “我将十分乐意去府上拜访，蒙您喜欢我，不胜感激，甚至，如果来得及的话，也许今天我就会来的，因为，我坦率地对您说，我也非常喜欢您本人，特别是您讲到钻石耳坠的时候，甚至在讲耳坠之前就喜欢了，尽管您脸上一副愁眉不展的样手。我也感谢您允诺为我添置衣物和皮大衣，因为我确实很快就需要衣服和皮大衣了，眼前我几乎身无分文。” “钱会有的，到傍晚就有，来吧。” “会有的，会有的，”小公务员应声说，“不到晚霞时分就会有了！” “您，公爵，对女人兴趣大吗？早点告诉我。” “我，不——不！我可是……您大概不知道，我因为先天的毛病，甚至根本不懂女人的事。” “噢，既然这样。”罗戈任大声嚷着，“公爵，你真是一位苦行僧了，像你这样的人，上帝都会喜欢的！” “这样的人上帝会喜欢的！”小公务员应声说。 “那你就跟我走吧，应声虫，”罗戈任对列别杰夫说。他们走出了车厢。 列别杰夫终于达到了自己的目的。熙熙攘攘的人群沿着去沃兹涅先斯基大街的方向远去。公爵本应该拐向利捷伊纳亚街。天气很潮湿，公爵向行人问了路，到他所要去的地方有三俄里左右，他决定雇一辆马车。

Part 1 Chapter 2 General Epanchin lived in his own house near the Litaynaya. Besides this large residence--five-sixths of which was let in flats and lodgings-the general was owner of another enormous house in the Sadovaya bringing in even more rent than the first. Besides these houses he had a delightful little estate just out of town, and some sort of factory in another part of the city. General Epanchin, as everyone knew, had a good deal to do with certain government monopolies; he was also a voice, and an important one, in many rich public companies of various descriptions; in fact, he enjoyed the reputation of being a well- to-do man of busy habits, many ties, and affluent means. He had made himself indispensable in several quarters, amongst others in his department of the government; and yet it was a known fact that Fedor Ivanovitch Epanchin was a man of no education whatever, and had absolutely risen from the ranks. This last fact could, of course, reflect nothing but credit upon the general; and yet, though unquestionably a sagacious man, he had his own little weaknesses-very excusable ones,--one of which was a dislike to any allusion to the above circumstance. He was undoubtedly clever. For instance, he made a point of never asserting himself when he would gain more by keeping in the background; and in consequence many exalted personages valued him principally for his humility and simplicity, and because "he knew his place." And yet if these good people could only have had a peep into the mind of this excellent fellow who "knew his place" so well! The fact is that, in spite of his knowledge of the world and his really remarkable abilities, he always liked to appear to be carrying out other people's ideas rather than his own. And also, his luck seldom failed him, even at cards, for which he had a passion that he did not attempt to conceal. He played for high stakes, and moved, altogether, in very varied society. As to age, General Epanchin was in the very prime of life; that is, about fifty-five years of age,--the flowering time of existence, when real enjoyment of life begins. His healthy appearance, good colour, sound, though discoloured teeth, sturdy figure, preoccupied air during business hours, and jolly good humour during his game at cards in the evening, all bore witness to his success in life, and combined to make existence a bed of roses to his excellency. The general was lord of a flourishing family, consisting of his wife and three grown-up daughters. He had married young, while still a lieutenant, his wife being a girl of about his own age, who possessed neither beauty nor education, and who brought him no more than fifty souls of landed property, which little estate served, however, as a nest-egg for far more important accumulations. The general never regretted his early marriage, or regarded it as a foolish youthful escapade; and he so respected and feared his wife that he was very near loving her. Mrs. Epanchin came of the princely stock of Muishkin, which if not a brilliant, was, at all events, a decidedly ancient family; and she was extremely proud of her descent. With a few exceptions, the worthy couple had lived through their long union very happily. While still young the wife had been able to make important friends among the aristocracy, partly by virtue of her family descent, and partly by her own exertions; while, in after life, thanks to their wealth and to the position of her husband in the service, she took her place among the higher circles as by right. During these last few years all three of the general's daughters- Alexandra, Adelaida, and Aglaya--had grown up and matured. Of course they were only Epanchins, but their mother's family was noble; they might expect considerable fortunes; their father had hopes of attaining to very high rank indeed in his country's service-all of which was satisfactory. All three of the girls were decidedly pretty, even the eldest, Alexandra, who was just twenty-five years old. The middle daughter was now twenty-three, while the youngest, Aglaya, was twenty. This youngest girl was absolutely a beauty, and had begun of late to attract considerable attention in society. But this was not all, for every one of the three was clever, well educated, and accomplished. It was a matter of general knowledge that the three girls were very fond of one another, and supported each other in every way; it was even said that the two elder ones had made certain sacrifices for the sake of the idol of the household, Aglaya. In society they not only disliked asserting themselves, but were actually retiring. Certainly no one could blame them for being too arrogant or haughty, and yet everybody was well aware that they were proud and quite understood their own value. The eldest was musical, while the second was a clever artist, which fact she had concealed until lately. In a word, the world spoke well of the girls; but they were not without their enemies, and occasionally people talked with horror of the number of books they had read. They were in no hurry to marry. They liked good society, but were not too keen about it. All this was the more remarkable, because everyone was well aware of the hopes and aims of their parents. It was about eleven o'clock in the forenoon when the prince rang the bell at General Epanchin's door. The general lived on the first floor or flat of the house, as modest a lodging as his position permitted. A liveried servant opened the door, and the prince was obliged to enter into long explanations with this gentleman, who, from the first glance, looked at him and his bundle with grave suspicion. At last, however, on the repeated positive assurance that he really was Prince Muishkin, and must absolutely see the general on business, the bewildered domestic showed him into a little ante-chamber leading to a waiting-room that adjoined the general's study, there handing him over to another servant, whose duty it was to be in this ante-chamber all the morning, and announce visitors to the general. This second individual wore a dress coat, and was some forty years of age; he was the general's special study servant, and well aware of his own importance. "Wait in the next room, please; and leave your bundle here," said the door-keeper, as he sat down comfortably in his own easy-chair in the ante-chamber. He looked at the prince in severe surprise as the latter settled himself in another chair alongside, with his bundle on his knees. "If you don't mind, I would rather sit here with you," said the prince; "I should prefer it to sitting in there." "Oh, but you can't stay here. You are a visitor--a guest, so to speak. Is it the general himself you wish to see?" The man evidently could not take in the idea of such a shabby- looking visitor, and had decided to ask once more. "Yes--I have business--" began the prince. "I do not ask you what your business may be, all I have to do is to announce you; and unless the secretary comes in here I cannot do that." The man's suspicions seemed to increase more and more. The prince was too unlike the usual run of daily visitors; and although the general certainly did receive, on business, all sorts and conditions of men, yet in spite of this fact the servant felt great doubts on the subject of this particular visitor. The presence of the secretary as an intermediary was, he judged, essential in this case. "Surely you--are from abroad?" he inquired at last, in a confused sort of way. He had begun his sentence intending to say, "Surely you are not Prince Muishkin, are you?" "Yes, straight from the train! Did not you intend to say, 'Surely you are not Prince Muishkin?' just now, but refrained out of politeness ?" "H'm!" grunted the astonished servant. "I assure you I am not deceiving you; you shall not have to answer for me. As to my being dressed like this, and carrying a bundle, there's nothing surprising in that--the fact is, my circumstances are not particularly rosy at this moment." "H'm!--no, I'm not afraid of that, you see; I have to announce you, that's all. The secretary will be out directly-that is, unless you--yes, that's the rub--unless you--come, you must allow me to ask you--you've not come to beg, have you?" "Oh dear no, you can be perfectly easy on that score. I have quite another matter on hand." "You must excuse my asking, you know. Your appearance led me to think--but just wait for the secretary; the general is busy now, but the secretary is sure to come out." "Oh--well, look here, if I have some time to wait, would you mind telling me, is there any place about where I could have a smoke? I have my pipe and tobacco with me." "SMOKE?" said the man, in shocked but disdainful surprise, blinking his eyes at the prince as though he could not believe his senses." No, sir, you cannot smoke here, and I wonder you are not ashamed of the very suggestion. Ha, ha! a cool idea that, I declare!" "Oh, I didn't mean in this room! I know I can't smoke here, of course. I'd adjourn to some other room, wherever you like to show me to. You see, I'm used to smoking a good deal, and now I haven't had a puff for three hours; however, just as you like." "Now how on earth am I to announce a man like that?" muttered the servant. "In the first place, you've no right in here at all; you ought to be in the waiting-room, because you're a sort of visitor--a guest, in fact--and I shall catch it for this. Look here, do you intend to take up you abode with us?" he added, glancing once more at the prince's bundle, which evidently gave him no peace. "No, I don't think so. I don't think I should stay even if they were to invite me. I've simply come to make their acquaintance, and nothing more." "Make their acquaintance?" asked the man, in amazement, and with redoubled suspicion. "Then why did you say you had business with the general?" "Oh well, very little business. There is one little matter--some advice I am going to ask him for; but my principal object is simply to introduce myself, because I am Prince Muishkin, and Madame Epanchin is the last of her branch of the house, and besides herself and me there are no other Muishkins left." "What--you're a relation then, are you?" asked the servant, so bewildered that he began to feel quite alarmed. "Well, hardly so. If you stretch a point, we are relations, of course, but so distant that one cannot really take cognizance of it. I once wrote to your mistress from abroad, but she did not reply. However, I have thought it right to make acquaintance with her on my arrival. I am telling you all this in order to ease your mind, for I see you are still far from comfortable on my account. All you have to do is to announce me as Prince Muishkin, and the object of my visit will be plain enough. If I am received--very good; if not, well, very good again. But they are sure to receive me, I should think; Madame Epanchin will naturally be curious to see the only remaining representative of her family. She values her Muishkin descent very highly, if I am rightly informed." The prince's conversation was artless and confiding to a degree, and the servant could not help feeling that as from visitor to common serving-man this state of things was highly improper. His conclusion was that one of two things must be the explanation-- either that this was a begging impostor, or that the prince, if prince he were, was simply a fool, without the slightest ambition; for a sensible prince with any ambition would certainly not wait about in ante-rooms with servants, and talk of his own private affairs like this. In either case, how was he to announce this singular visitor? "I really think I must request you to step into the next room!" he said, with all the insistence he could muster. "Why? If I had been sitting there now, I should not have had the opportunity of making these personal explanations. I see you are still uneasy about me and keep eyeing my cloak and bundle. Don't you think you might go in yourself now, without waiting for the secretary to come out?" "No, no! I can't announce a visitor like yourself without the secretary. Besides the general said he was not to be disturbed-- he is with the Colonel C--. Gavrila Ardalionovitch goes in without announcing." "Who may that be? a clerk?" "What? Gavrila Ardalionovitch? Oh no; he belongs to one of the companies. Look here, at all events put your bundle down, here." "Yes, I will if I may; and--can I take off my cloak" "Of course; you can't go in THERE with it on, anyhow." The prince rose and took off his mantle, revealing a neat enough morning costume--a little worn, but well made. He wore a steel watch chain and from this chain there hung a silver Geneva watch. Fool the prince might be, still, the general's servant felt that it was not correct for him to continue to converse thus with a visitor, in spite of the fact that the prince pleased him somehow. "And what time of day does the lady receive?" the latter asked, reseating himself in his old place. "Oh, that's not in my province! I believe she receives at any time; it depends upon the visitors. The dressmaker goes in at eleven. Gavrila Ardalionovitch is allowed much earlier than other people, too; he is even admitted to early lunch now and then." "It is much warmer in the rooms here than it is abroad at this season," observed the prince; " but it is much warmer there out of doors. As for the houses--a Russian can't live in them in the winter until he gets accustomed to them." "Don't they heat them at all?" "Well, they do heat them a little; but the houses and stoves are so different to ours." "H'm! were you long away?" "Four years! and I was in the same place nearly all the time,--in one village." "You must have forgotten Russia, hadn't you?" "Yes, indeed I had--a good deal; and, would you believe it, I often wonder at myself for not having forgotten how to speak Russian? Even now, as I talk to you, I keep saying to myself 'how well I am speaking it.' Perhaps that is partly why I am so talkative this morning. I assure you, ever since yesterday evening I have had the strongest desire to go on and on talking Russian." "H'm! yes; did you live in Petersburg in former years?" This good flunkey, in spite of his conscientious scruples, really could not resist continuing such a very genteel and agreeable conversation. "In Petersburg? Oh no! hardly at all, and now they say so much is changed in the place that even those who did know it well are obliged to relearn what they knew. They talk a good deal about the new law courts, and changes there, don't they?" "H'm! yes, that's true enough. Well now, how is the law over there, do they administer it more justly than here?" "Oh, I don't know about that! I've heard much that is good about our legal administration, too. There is no capital punishment here for one thing." "Is there over there?" "Yes--I saw an execution in France--at Lyons. Schneider took me over with him to see it." "What, did they hang the fellow?" "No, they cut off people's heads in France." "What did the fellow do?--yell?" "Oh no--it's the work of an instant. They put a man inside a frame and a sort of broad knife falls by machinery -they call the thing a guillotine-it falls with fearful force and weight-the head springs off so quickly that you can't wink your eye in between. But all the preparations are so dreadful. When they announce the sentence, you know, and prepare the criminal and tie his hands, and cart him off to the scaffold--that's the fearful part of the business. The people all crowd round--even women- though they don't at all approve of women looking on." "No, it's not a thing for women." "Of course not--of course not!--bah! The criminal was a fine intelligent fearless man; Le Gros was his name; and I may tell you--believe it or not, as you like--that when that man stepped upon the scaffold he CRIED, he did indeed,--he was as white as a bit of paper. Isn't it a dreadful idea that he should have cried --cried! Whoever heard of a grown man crying from fear--not a child, but a man who never had cried before--a grown man of forty-five years. Imagine what must have been going on in that man's mind at such a moment; what dreadful convulsions his whole spirit must have endured; it is an outrage on the soul that's what it is. Because it is said 'thou shalt not kill,' is he to be killed because he murdered some one else? No, it is not right, it's an impossible theory. I assure you, I saw the sight a month ago and it's dancing before my eyes to this moment. I dream of it, often." The prince had grown animated as he spoke, and a tinge of colour suffused his pale face, though his way of talking was as quiet as ever. The servant followed his words with sympathetic interest. Clearly he was not at all anxious to bring the conversation to an end. Who knows? Perhaps he too was a man of imagination and with some capacity for thought. "Well, at all events it is a good thing that there's no pain when the poor fellow's head flies off," he remarked. "Do you know, though," cried the prince warmly, "you made that remark now, and everyone says the same thing, and the machine is designed with the purpose of avoiding pain, this guillotine I mean; but a thought came into my head then: what if it be a bad plan after all? You may laugh at my idea, perhaps--but I could not help its occurring to me all the same. Now with the rack and tortures and so on--you suffer terrible pain of course; but then your torture is bodily pain only (although no doubt you have plenty of that) until you die. But HERE I should imagine the most terrible part of the whole punishment is, not the bodily pain at all--but the certain knowledge that in an hour,--then in ten minutes, then in half a minute, then now--this very INSTANT--your soul must quit your body and that you will no longer be a man-- and that this is certain, CERTAIN! That's the point--the certainty of it. Just that instant when you place your head on the block and hear the iron grate over your head--then--that quarter of a second is the most awful of all. "This is not my own fantastical opinion--many people have thought the same; but I feel it so deeply that I'll tell you what I think. I believe that to execute a man for murder is to punish him immeasurably more dreadfully than is equivalent to his crime. A murder by sentence is far more dreadful than a murder committed by a criminal. The man who is attacked by robbers at night, in a dark wood, or anywhere, undoubtedly hopes and hopes that he may yet escape until the very moment of his death. There are plenty of instances of a man running away, or imploring for mercy--at all events hoping on in some degree--even after his throat was cut. But in the case of an execution, that last hope--having which it is so immeasurably less dreadful to die,--is taken away from the wretch and CERTAINTY substituted in its place! There is his sentence, and with it that terrible certainty that he cannot possibly escape death--which, I consider, must be the most dreadful anguish in the world. You may place a soldier before a cannon's mouth in battle, and fire upon him--and he will still hope. But read to that same soldier his death-sentence, and he will either go mad or burst into tears. Who dares to say that any man can suffer this without going mad? No, no! it is an abuse, a shame, it is unnecessary--why should such a thing exist? Doubtless there may be men who have been sentenced, who have suffered this mental anguish for a while and then have been reprieved; perhaps such men may have been able to relate their feelings afterwards. Our Lord Christ spoke of this anguish and dread. No! no! no! No man should be treated so, no man, no man!" The servant, though of course he could not have expressed all this as the prince did, still clearly entered into it and was greatly conciliated, as was evident from the increased amiability of his expression. "If you are really very anxious for a smoke," he remarked, "I think it might possibly be managed, if you are very quick about it. You see they might come out and inquire for you, and you wouldn't be on the spot. You see that door there? Go in there and you'll find a little room on the right; you can smoke there, only open the window, because I ought not to allow it really, and--." But there was no time, after all. A young fellow entered the ante-room at this moment, with a bundle of papers in his hand. The footman hastened to help him take off his overcoat. The new arrival glanced at the prince out of the corners of his eyes. "This gentleman declares, Gavrila Ardalionovitch," began the man, confidentially and almost familiarly, "that he is Prince Muishkin and a relative of Madame Epanchin's. He has just arrived from abroad, with nothing but a bundle by way of luggage--." The prince did not hear the rest, because at this point the servant continued his communication in a whisper. Gavrila Ardalionovitch listened attentively, and gazed at the prince with great curiosity. At last he motioned the man aside and stepped hurriedly towards the prince. "Are you Prince Muishkin?" he asked, with the greatest courtesy and amiability. He was a remarkably handsome young fellow of some twenty-eight summers, fair and of middle height; he wore a small beard, and his face was most intelligent. Yet his smile, in spite of its sweetness, was a little thin, if I may so call it, and showed his teeth too evenly; his gaze though decidedly good-humoured and ingenuous, was a trifle too inquisitive and intent to be altogether agreeable. "Probably when he is alone he looks quite different, and hardly smiles at all!" thought the prince. He explained about himself in a few words, very much the same as he had told the footman and Rogojin beforehand. Gavrila Ardalionovitch meanwhile seemed to be trying to recall something. "Was it not you, then, who sent a letter a year or less ago--from Switzerland, I think it was--to Elizabetha Prokofievna (Mrs. Epanchin)?" "It was." "Oh, then, of course they will remember who you are. You wish to see the general? I'll tell him at once--he will be free in a minute; but you--you had better wait in the ante-chamber,--hadn't you? Why is he here?" he added, severely, to the man. "I tell you, sir, he wished it himself!" At this moment the study door opened, and a military man, with a portfolio under his arm, came out talking loudly, and after bidding good-bye to someone inside, took his departure. "You there, Gania? cried a voice from the study, "come in here, will you?" Gavrila Ardalionovitch nodded to the prince and entered the room hastily. A couple of minutes later the door opened again and the affable voice of Gania cried: "Come in please, prince!" 叶潘钦将军住自己的房子，离利捷伊纳亚街不远、靠近变容救世主教堂。除了这所富丽堂皇的房子外（其中六分之五已经出租），叶潘钦将军在花园街还有一幢大房子，也给他带来异常可观的收入。这两所房子以外，在彼得堡城郊他还有一处盈利颇丰的重要的地产，在彼得堡县也还有什么工厂。众所周知，过去叶潘钦将军还参加过承包买卖，现在在好几家体面的公司里都有股份，并且说话颇有影响。他是有名的大富翁，大忙人，大神通。在有些地方，比如在他供职的部门，他善于使自己成为完全必不可少的人物。同时、大家也知道，伊万·费奥多罗维奇·叶潘钦是一个没有受什么教育的人，出生于士兵家庭，后面这一点无疑只会给他带来荣誉，但是，即使将军是个聪明人，他也不无小小的完全可以原谅的弱点，他还不喜欢别人提及，但他是个聪明玲俐的人这一点是毋容争辩的，比方说，他有一个不抛头露面的原则，必要的时候就退避三舍。许多人看重他也正是这种朴实浑厚，正是他的自知之明，而同时，要是这些评判者知道，深有自知之明的伊万·费奥多罗维奇有时候在想什么，那就好了！虽然他在日常处世方面确实既身体力行又有经验，还有某些非常出色的才能，但是他更喜欢把自己装扮成是个执行别人旨意的人，而较少表现出有自己的主张，他乐意做一个“忠诚不阿”的人，而且时代变化了嘛——甚至还是个真诚的俄罗斯人，后面这一点还使他发生过一些好笑的趣事，但即使发生了最可笑的轶事，将军也从不沮丧，况且他总很走运，甚至打牌也是这样，而他又喜欢下大赌注，他还故意不仅不隐瞒自己嗜赌这一似乎小小的弱点，因为实际。上在许多情况下它给他带来好处而且还炫耀这一点。他的社交很杂；当然都起码是“名流”，但是一切都在前面，时间来得及，时间还来得及实现一切，一切也会随时间的消逝而循序到来。再说，叶潘钦将军的年龄，照通常所说，还正当年富力强，也就是５０岁。一点也不算大，无论如何也还是风华正茂的年龄，真正的生活正是从这个年龄开始的，健康、气色，虽然发黑但仍牢固的牙齿，矮壮结实的身躯，早晨到任时脸上的操心神情，晚上打牌或坐在大人旁边的愉快神态——这一切都有助于他在现在和未来取得成功，并为将军阁下的生活铺满玫瑰。 将军有一一个娇美似花的家庭。确实，这里已不尽都是盛开的玫瑰，可是也有许多地方早已开始引起将军阁下的认真和热切的关注，把主要的希望和目标都集中在那上面，生活中还有什么，还有什么目标比父母的目标更重要、更神圣呢？不把心贴着家庭，还贴着什么呢？将军的家庭由夫人和三位成年的女儿组成。很久以前，还是当中尉的时候，将军就结了婚，妻子年龄几乎跟他一样大，既不漂亮，也没有文化，他娶她只得到５０个农奴的陪嫁，确实，这也就成为他日后福运的基础。但是后来将军川来也不抱怨自己早结婚，从来也不把这看作是不够精明的青春年少时的钟情，他对自己的夫人相当尊敬，有时甚至很怕她，以致爱她。将军夫人是梅什金公爵家族的人，家族虽不显赫，但相当古老，夫人也因自己的出身自视甚高。当时的一个有影响人物、保护人之一（其实，这种保护丝毫无须费心）同意关照一下公爵小姐的婚姻，他为年轻的军官打开了篱笆，朝前推了他一把，而对于年轻的军官来说，即使不推，只要一瞥，就不会徒劳了。除不多几次例外，夫妇俩长期以来一直和谐相处。还在很年轻的时候；由于是公爵小姐出身，而且又是家族中最后一个，也可能是因为个人的品性，将军夫人就善于给自己找一些很高贵的夫人做保护人，后来鉴于自己丈夫的富有和重要的职位，她甚至在这个上层社交圈里也有点得心应手了。 近几年中将军的三个女儿亚历山德拉，阿杰莱达，阿格拉娅长大了，成人了。确实，她们三人都只是叶潘钦家的人，但是母亲是公爵家族出身，陪嫁丰厚，父亲日后大概能谋得很高的地位，还有相当重要的是，三位小姐，容貌姣好，连最年长的亚历山德拉也不例外，她已过２５岁，中间那位是２３岁，最小的阿格拉娅刚满２０岁。这最小的甚至完全是个美人，在上流社会她已开始十分引人注目。但这还不是一切：三位小姐所受的教育、聪慧和才能都很出众。大家都知道，她们彼此特别亲爱，互相支持。曾经有人说，为了全家的宠儿——小妹，似乎两位姐姐甚至作出了某种牺牲。在社交界她们不仅不喜欢招摇，甚至过分温雅持重。谁也不会责备她们高慢和骄矜，可同时人们也知道，她们倔傲，知道自己的身价。大小姐搞音乐，二小姐是出色的画家，但多年来几乎谁也不知道这一点，只是最近才被人发现，还是偶然的。总之关于她们有非常多的溢美之词，但是也有对她们并无好感的人。他们怀着恐惧的口吻说，她们读了多少书”，她们并不急于出嫁，虽然珍视社会名流，但始终不十分追求，尤其引人注意的是，她们都知道父亲的志向、性格、目标和愿望。 公爵按将军府宅门铃的时候，己将近１１点了，将军住在二楼，居所尽可能布置得简朴，但又与他的身份相称。穿仆役制服的仆人为公爵开了门，一开始就以怀疑目光瞥了一眼公爵和他的小包裹，因此公爵必须跟这个仆人作长久的解释，在公爵不止一次、明确地声明他确是梅什金公爵，有要事一定得见将军后，困惑的仆人才终于在旁边陪同他到小小的前厅，它就在接待室前、书房旁边，然后把他交给每天早晨在前厅当班，并向将军报告来访者的另一个人。这个人身穿燕尾服，４０开外的年纪，一副忧心忡忡的脸相，他是将军大人书房的专职仆从和通报者，因而知道自己的身价。 “请在接待室等一下，小包裹请留在这里，”他说着，一边不急不忙和摆出一副架子地坐到扶手椅里，同时严峻而惊奇地望了一眼公爵，他这时就全在他旁边的椅子上，手里拿着自己的小包裹。 “如果允许的话，”公爵说，“最好还是让我跟您在一起就在这里等，而在接待室里我一个人做什么呢？” “您不该呆在前厅，因为您是来访者，换句话说，是客人。您要见将军本人？” 看来仆人对于放这样的来访者进去还不放心，便决定再问他一次。 “是的，我有事……”公爵本已开始说。 “我没有问您是什么事，我的事只是通报您来访，要是没有秘书、我对您说，我不会去报告您来访的。” 这个人的怀疑心仿佛越来越大，因为公爵跟平日来访的客人太不般配了。虽然将军相当经常，几乎每天都在一定时刻接待客人，尤其是有事求见的客人，有时甚至是各种各样很不一样的客人，但是，尽管已很有经验，也有主人的规定，仆人还是十分疑惑，要报告必须通过秘书。 “那么您确是……从国外来的？”他似乎身不由已地问道，可最终又发觉他说走了样，他大概是想问：“那么您确是梅什金公爵？” “是的，刚下火车。我觉得，您是想问：我是否真是梅什金公爵？只是出于礼貌才没有问。” “嗯……”仆人很惊讶，便含混地应着。 “请相信，我没有对您说谎，您不用为我承担责任的。至于说我现在这副样子，还拿着小包，这没什么可奇怪的，目前我的境况不佳。” “噢，我担心的不是这个，您也知道，我的责任是报告，然后秘书会出来见您，除非您……问题就在于此，除非……如果可以的话，我斗胆想知道，您是否因为贫穷来求见将军的？” “哦，不是的，这一点您完全可以放心，我有别的事。” “您请原谅我，我是瞧您这副模样才这样问的，您等一下秘书，将军本人现在正与上校谈话，过后秘书会来的，秘书……是公司里的。” “这么说，既然要等很久，我想请问您：这里什么地方是否可以抽烟？我随身带有烟斗、烟草。” “抽……烟？”仆人以轻蔑和不解的目光朝他瞥了一眼，仿佛依然不相信自己的耳朵似的，“抽烟？不行，这里不能抽烟。再说您有这个念头应该感到羞愧。嘿……真奇怪！” “哦，我可不是要求在这个房间，这我是知道的。我是说，走出这里，到您指定的什么地方去抽，因为我已经习惯了，现在已有３个小时没有抽烟了。不过，随您的便，您知道，俗话说：人乡随俗……” “您这么一位我怎么报告。”仆人几乎是不由自主地咕哝说，“首先，您不应该呆在这里，而应坐在会客室里，因为您本人是来访者，换句话说是客人。我可是要负责的……您，怎么，难道打算住这里？”他又脱了一眼显然使他不放心的公爵的包裹，补问道。 “不，我没有这个想法，甚至即使邀请我，我也不会留下来，我来只不文想认识一下，别无他求。” “怎么？认识一下？”仆人带着十分的怀疑惊讶地问，“那您起先怎么讲你有事情？” “噢，几乎不是为了事情！也就是说，如果您愿意的话，也是有一桩事情只是想来请教，但我主要地是来自我介绍，因为我是梅什金公爵，而叶潘钦将军夫人也是梅什金家族的最后一位公爵小姐。除了我和她，梅什金家族别无他人了。” “这么说，您还是亲戚喏？”几乎已经完全吓慌的仆人哆嗦了一下。 “这几乎不算什么亲戚，不过，如果要硬拉，当然也是亲戚，但是关系非常远，以致现在已无法理清了。我在国外有一次曾经写信给将军夫人，但是没有给我回信，我仍然认为回国后有必要建立起关系。我现在对您做这一解释，是为了使您不再怀疑，因为我看到，您始终还是不放心。您去报告是梅什金公爵，报告本身就看得出我拜访的原因，接见——很好，不接见——也许也很好，只不过似乎不可能不接见：将军夫人当然想见，自己家族长辈的唯一代表，她很看重自己的家族出身，我确切地听人家这样议论她。” 公爵的话似乎是最简单不过的了，可是他越简单，在此种场合下便变得越加不可思议，颇有经验的仆人不能不感觉到某种言谈举止，它对一般人来说完全是合乎礼节的，而在客人与仆人间就完全是不合乎常规了，因为仆人比他们的主人一般所想象的要聪明得多，于是仆人便想到，这里不外是两件事：要么公爵是个不屑一顾的疯子，一定是来告穷求援的；要么公爵是个傻瓜，没有自尊心，因为聪明、自尊的公爵是不会坐在前厅并跟仆人谈自己的事的。这么说来，不论是这种还是那种情况，是否得由他担责任呢？ “您还是请去会客室吧，”他尽量坚决地说。 “要是坐那里的活，就不会向您解释这一切了，”公爵快活地笑了起来，“这么说，您瞧着我的风衣和包裹，还是不放心。也许，现在您已没什么必要等秘书了，还是自己去报告吧。” “像您这样的来访者，没有秘书我是不能通报的。何况刚才大人还亲自吩咐，上校在的时候，无论谁来都不要骚扰他们，而加夫里拉·阿尔达利维奇无须禀报就可进去。” “是官员吗？” “加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁诺维奇吗？不是，他在公司里供职，您哪怕把包裹放在这里也好。” “我早就想到了，只要您允许。还有，我可以把风衣也脱掉吗？” “当然，不能穿着风衣进去见他呀！” 公爵站起身，急忙脱下风衣，只剩下已经穿旧但相当体面、缝制精巧的上衣，背心上挂着一条钢链，钢链上是一只日内瓦的银表。 仆人已经认定，公爵是个傻瓜，但将军的仆人仍然觉得，毕竟继续与访者交谈是不合礼节的，尽管不知为什么他喜欢公爵，当然、仅就某一点来讲是这样，但是，从另一种观点来看，公爵又激起了他的断然的和不该有的愤感。 “那么，将军夫人什么时候接见客人？”公爵又坐到原来的地方问。 “这已经不是我的事了。接见没有规定，要看是什么人，女裁缝１１点钟也准许进去，加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁维奇也比别人早允准进去，甚至还允准进去吃早餐。” “你们这里冬天房间里要比国外暖和，”公爵说，“但是那里街上比我那儿暖和，而冬天屋子里……俄罗斯人因为不习惯是无法生活的。” “不生火吗？” “是的，房子结构也不一样，也就是炉子和窗户不一样。” “噢！您去了很久吗？” “有四年，不过，我几乎老在一个地方呆着，在农村。” “不习惯我们的生活了，是吗？” “这倒是真的，相信不，我对自己也感到奇怪，没有忘记怎么说俄语，现在跟您在说话，而自己却在想：‘我可说得挺好。”也许，因此我才说这么多话。真的，从昨天起就老是想说俄语。” “嗯！嘿！从前在彼得堡住过吗？”（不论仆人怎么克制自己，却不可能不维系这样彬彬有礼的客气的谈话）。 “彼得堡？几乎根本没有住过，只是路过，过去一点也不了解这儿的情；现在听说了许多新鲜事，据说，即使是原来了解彼得堡的人，也得重新了解，现在这里谈审理案件谈得很多。” “嗯！……审案子，审案倒确是审案。那里怎么样，是否更公正些？” “我不知道。关于我们的审案，我倒是听到许多好话，比如，我们现在又没有死刑了。” “那边判死刑吗？” “是的，我在法国看见过，是在里昂，是施奈德把我带到那儿去的。” “把人绞死？” “不，在法国一直是砍头。” “那么犯人叫喊吗？” “哪里会喊？一霎那的时间。那是用一种叫斩首机的机器来执行死刑的，把人往里一放，一把大刀就落下来了，又重又有力量……眼睛也来不及眨一下，头颅就掉下来了。准备工作是很沉重的。宣布判决，给犯人收拾停当，捆绑好，送上断头台，这才可怕呢！人们跑拢来，甚至还有妇女，虽然那里不喜欢妇女来看杀人。” “这不是她们的事。” “当然，当然！这是多么痛苦的事情！……有个罪犯人很聪明，胆子大，也强悍，有些年纪了，姓列格罗。我讲给您听，信不信由您。他一边走上断头台，一边哭着，脸色白得像张纸。难道能这样？难道不可怕吗？谁会因恐惧而哭泣？我甚至没有想到，一个不是孩子的人，而且从来也不哭的４５岁的汉子，竟会因恐惧而哭泣，此刻他的心里会发生什么情况，会使它发生怎样的痉挛？这只是对心灵的凌辱，而不是别的。《圣经》上说：‘不要杀人，’那么因为他杀了人，就要将他杀死吗？不，不能这样。我是一个月前看见这事的，可至今此景象尚浮现在眼前，梦见过五回。” 公爵讲这些的时候，甚至激奋起来，淡淡的红晕漾起在他那苍白的脸上，尽管他说话仍像原来那样平和。仆人怀着同情和兴趣注视着他，似乎他不想离开他，也许，他也是一一个富于想象和试图思考的人。 “好在掉脑袋那一会没有受很多痛苦，”他说。 “您不知道吗，”公爵热烈地应声说，“您注意到这一点了，人家跟您一样，注意到的也正是这点，机器也是为此而想出来的：斩首机。我那时头脑里还冒出一个想法：也许这更不好，您会觉得这念头很怪，可是只要有点想象力，即便这样的念头也会冒出来的。您想想，比如，用刑，那就有皮肉痛苦，遍体鳞伤，这是肉体的折磨，因而也就能摆脱精神的痛苦，因为光这些伤痛就够折磨人的了，直至死去，而最主要的，最剧烈的痛苦，也许不是伤痛，而正是明明知道再过一小时，然后再过十分钟，然后再过半分钟，然后现在，马上——灵魂就会从躯体出窍，你便再也不是人了，这是确定无疑的，主要的正是确定无疑。而把头伸到屠刀底下）听见它将在头上面发出咋嚷一声，这四分之一秒是最可怕的。您知道，这不是我的瞎想，许多人都这样说过，我相信这点，因此我要直率地对您讲讲我的意见。因为杀人而处死人是比罪行本身重得多的惩罚，判处死刑比强盗杀人更要可怕得多。强盗害死的那个人，夜里在树林里被杀或者什么别的方式被害，直至最后那瞬间，一定还抱着有救的希望。有过一些例子，有的人喉咙已被割断了，还寄希望于或逃走或求饶。而被判死刑的人，所有这最后的一点希望（怀着希望死去要轻松十倍）也被确定无疑要死剥夺了，这是判决，全部可怕的痛苦也就在确定无疑、不可避免的这死亡上，世上没有比这更强烈的痛苦了。战斗中把一个士兵带来，让他对着大炮口，朝他开炮，他还一直怀着希望，但是对这个士兵宣读确定无疑的死刑判决，他则会发疯或者哭泣的，谁说人的天性能忍受这种折磨而不会发疯？为什么要有这种岂有此理、毫不需要、徒劳无益的侮辱呢？也可能有这样的人，对他宣读了死刑判决，让他受一番折磨，然后对他说：‘走吧，饶恕你了。’这个人也许能说说所受的折磨、基督也曾讲过这种折磨和这种恐惧。不，对人是不能这样的！” 仆人虽然不能像公爵那样表达这一切，也未能明白这一切，但是他理解了主要的内容，这甚至从他那流露出怜悯神情的脸上就可以看得出了。“既然您这么想抽烟，”他低声说，“那么，好吧，可以抽，只不过要快点，因为将军要是突然问起来，您却不在就不好了。喏，就在楼梯下面，您看见了吧，有一扇门，走进门，右边是个小房间，那里可以抽烟，只不过请把通风小窗打开，因为这不合我们的规矩……” 但公爵没有来得及去抽烟，一个年轻人手里拿着文件突然走进了前厅。仆人为他脱下了皮大衣，年轻人脱了一眼公爵。 “加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁内奇，”仆人神秘而又几乎是亲昵地说，“这位据称是梅什金公爵，是夫人的亲戚，他坐火车从国外来，手上拿着包裹，一只……” 接下去的话公爵没有听清楚，因为仆人开始低语着。加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁诺维奇注意地听着，以极大的好奇心打量着公爵，最后不再听仆人说话，急匆匆走向公爵。 “您是梅什金公爵？”他异常殷勤和客气地间。这是个很漂亮的年轻人，也是２８岁左右，身材匀称，头发淡黄、中等个子，拿破仑式的小胡子，有一张聪慧的，十分漂亮的脸蛋，只不过他的微笑尽管十分亲切，却显得过分乖巧，而目光呢，尽管非常快活和显见的坦诚，却又过分专注和探究。 “他一个人的时候，想必不会这样看人，也许，永远也不会笑的，”公爵不知怎么的有这样的感觉。 公爵很快地说明了他所能说明的一切，几乎也就是原先已经向仆人还有罗戈任说明过的那些话，加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁诺维奇当时似乎想起了什么。 “是否是您，”他问，“一年前或者还要近些时间寄来过一封信，好像是从瑞士寄来给叶莉扎维塔·普罗科菲耶夫娜的。” “正是。” “那么这里是知道您并且肯定记得您的。您要见大人？我马上报告……他一会儿就空了；只不过您……暂时您先在客厅稍候……为什么让客人待在这里？”他严厉地对仆人说。 “我说过了，他自己不想去……” 这时书房门突然开了，一个军人手中拿着公文包，一边大声说着话，鞠着躬，一边从那里走出来。 “你在这里吗，加尼亚？”有个声音从书房里喊着，“到这儿来一下！” 加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁诺维奇朝公爵点了一下头，匆匆走进了书房。 过了两分钟，门又开了，响起了加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁诺维奇清脆的亲切的声音： “公爵，请进！”

Part 1 Chapter 3 General Ivan Fedorovitch Epanchin was standing In the middle of the room, and gazed with great curiosity at the prince as he entered. He even advanced a couple of steps to meet him. The prince came forward and introduced himself. "Quite so," replied the general, "and what can I do for you?" "Oh, I have no special business; my principal object was to make your acquaintance. I should not like to disturb you. I do not know your times and arrangements here, you see, but I have only just arrived. I came straight from the station. I am come direct from Switzerland." The general very nearly smiled, but thought better of it and kept his smile back. Then he reflected, blinked his eyes, stared at his guest once more from head to foot; then abruptly motioned him to a chair, sat down himself, and waited with some impatience for the prince to speak. Gania stood at his table in the far corner of the room, turning over papers. "I have not much time for making acquaintances, as a rule," said the general, "but as, of course, you have your object in coming, I--" "I felt sure you would think I had some object in view when I resolved to pay you this visit," the prince interrupted; "but I give you my word, beyond the pleasure of making your acquaintance I had no personal object whatever." "The pleasure is, of course, mutual; but life is not all pleasure, as you are aware. There is such a thing as business, and I really do not see what possible reason there can be, or what we have in common to--" "Oh, there is no reason, of course, and I suppose there is nothing in common between us, or very little; for if I am Prince Muishkin, and your wife happens to be a member of my house, that can hardly be called a 'reason.' I quite understand that. And yet that was my whole motive for coming. You see I have not been in Russia for four years, and knew very little about anything when I left. I had been very ill for a long time, and I feel now the need of a few good friends. In fact, I have a certain question upon which I much need advice, and do not know whom to go to for it. I thought of your family when I was passing through Berlin. 'They are almost relations,' I said to myself,' so I'll begin with them; perhaps we may get on with each other, I with them and they with me, if they are kind people;' and I have heard that you are very kind people!" "Oh, thank you, thank you, I'm sure," replied the general, considerably taken aback. "May I ask where you have taken up your quarters?" "Nowhere, as yet." "What, straight from the station to my house? And how about your luggage?" "I only had a small bundle, containing linen, with me, nothing more. I can carry it in my hand, easily. There will be plenty of time to take a room in some hotel by the evening." "Oh, then you DO intend to take a room?" "Of course." "To judge from your words, you came straight to my house with the intention of staying there." "That could only have been on your invitation. I confess, however, that I should not have stayed here even if you had invited me, not for any particular reason, but because it is-- well, contrary to my practice and nature, somehow." "Oh, indeed! Then it is perhaps as well that I neither DID invite you, nor DO invite you now. Excuse me, prince, but we had better make this matter clear, once for all. We have just agreed that with regard to our relationship there is not much to be said, though, of course, it would have been very delightful to us to feel that such relationship did actually exist; therefore, perhaps--" "Therefore, perhaps I had better get up and go away?" said the prince, laughing merrily as he rose from his place; just as merrily as though the circumstances were by no means strained or difficult. "And I give you my word, general, that though I know nothing whatever of manners and customs of society, and how people live and all that, yet I felt quite sure that this visit of mine would end exactly as it has ended now. Oh, well, I suppose it's all right; especially as my letter was not answered. Well, good-bye, and forgive me for having disturbed you!" The prince's expression was so good-natured at this moment, and so entirely free from even a suspicion of unpleasant feeling was the smile with which he looked at the general as he spoke, that the latter suddenly paused, and appeared to gaze at his guest from quite a new point of view, all in an instant. "Do you know, prince," he said, in quite a different tone, "I do not know you at all, yet, and after all, Elizabetha Prokofievna would very likely be pleased to have a peep at a man of her own name. Wait a little, if you don't mind, and if you have time to spare?" "Oh, I assure you I've lots of time, my time is entirely my own!" And the prince immediately replaced his soft, round hat on the table. "I confess, I thought Elizabetha Prokofievna would very likely remember that I had written her a letter. Just now your servant--outside there--was dreadfully suspicious that I had come to beg of you. I noticed that! Probably he has very strict instructions on that score; but I assure you I did not come to beg. I came to make some friends. But I am rather bothered at having disturbed you; that's all I care about.--" "Look here, prince," said the general, with a cordial smile, "if you really are the sort of man you appear to be, it may be a source of great pleasure to us to make your better acquaintance; but, you see, I am a very busy man, and have to be perpetually sitting here and signing papers, or off to see his excellency, or to my department, or somewhere; so that though I should be glad to see more of people, nice people--you see, I--however, I am sure you are so well brought up that you will see at once, and-- but how old are you, prince?" "Twenty-six." "No? I thought you very much younger." "Yes, they say I have a 'young' face. As to disturbing you I shall soon learn to avoid doing that, for I hate disturbing people. Besides, you and I are so differently constituted, I should think, that there must be very little in common between us. Not that I will ever believe there is NOTHING in common between any two people, as some declare is the case. I am sure people make a great mistake in sorting each other into groups, by appearances; but I am boring you, I see, you--" "Just two words: have you any means at all? Or perhaps you may be intending to undertake some sort of employment? Excuse my questioning you, but--" "Oh, my dear sir, I esteem and understand your kindness in putting the question. No; at present I have no means whatever, and no employment either, but I hope to find some. I was living on other people abroad. Schneider, the professor who treated me and taught me, too, in Switzerland, gave me just enough money for my journey, so that now I have but a few copecks left. There certainly is one question upon which I am anxious to have advice, but--" "Tell me, how do you intend to live now, and what are your plans?" interrupted the general. "I wish to work, somehow or other." "Oh yes, but then, you see, you are a philosopher. Have you any talents, or ability in any direction--that is, any that would bring in money and bread? Excuse me again--" "Oh, don't apologize. No, I don't think I have either talents or special abilities of any kind; on the contrary. I have always been an invalid and unable to learn much. As for bread, I should think--" The general interrupted once more with questions; while the prince again replied with the narrative we have heard before. It appeared that the general had known Pavlicheff; but why the latter had taken an interest in the prince, that young gentleman could not explain; probably by virtue of the old friendship with his father, he thought. The prince had been left an orphan when quite a little child, and Pavlicheff had entrusted him to an old lady, a relative of his own, living in the country, the child needing the fresh air and exercise of country life. He was educated, first by a governess, and afterwards by a tutor, but could not remember much about this time of his life. His fits were so frequent then, that they made almost an idiot of him (the prince used the expression "idiot" himself). Pavlicheff had met Professor Schneider in Berlin, and the latter had persuaded him to send the boy to Switzerland, to Schneider's establishment there, for the cure of his epilepsy, and, five years before this time, the prince was sent off. But Pavlicheff had died two or three years since, and Schneider had himself supported the young fellow, from that day to this, at his own expense. Although he had not quite cured him, he had greatly improved his condition; and now, at last, at the prince's own desire, and because of a certain matter which came to the ears of the latter, Schneider had despatched the young man to Russia. The general was much astonished. "Then you have no one, absolutely NO one in Russia?" he asked. "No one, at present; but I hope to make friends; and then I have a letter from--" "At all events," put in the general, not listening to the news about the letter, "at all events, you must have learned SOMETHING, and your malady would not prevent your undertaking some easy work, in one of the departments, for instance? "Oh dear no, oh no! As for a situation, I should much like to find one for I am anxious to discover what I really am fit for. I have learned a good deal in the last four years, and, besides, I read a great many Russian books." "Russian books, indeed ? Then, of course, you can read and write quite correctly?" "Oh dear, yes!" "Capital! And your handwriting?" "Ah, there I am REALLY talented! I may say l am a real caligraphist. Let me write you something, just to show you," said the prince, with some excitement. "With pleasure! In fact, it is very necessary. I like your readiness, prince; in fact, I must say--I-I-like you very well, altogether," said the general. "What delightful writing materials you have here, such a lot of pencils and things, and what beautiful paper! It's a charming room altogether. I know that picture, it's a Swiss view. I'm sure the artist painted it from nature, and that I have seen the very place--" "Quite likely, though I bought it here. Gania, give the prince some paper. Here are pens and paper; now then, take this table. What's this?" the general continued to Gania, who had that moment taken a large photograph out of his portfolio, and shown it to his senior. "Halloa! Nastasia Philipovna! Did she send it you herself? Herself?" he inquired, with much curiosity and great animation. "She gave it me just now, when I called in to congratulate her. I asked her for it long ago. I don't know whether she meant it for a hint that I had come empty-handed, without a present for her birthday, or what," added Gania, with an unpleasant smile. "Oh, nonsense, nonsense," said the general, with decision. " What extraordinary ideas you have, Gania! As if she would hint; that's not her way at all. Besides, what could you give her, without having thousands at your disposal? You might have given her your portrait, however. Has she ever asked you for it?" "No, not yet. Very likely she never will. I suppose you haven't forgotten about tonight, have you, Ivan Fedorovitch? You were one of those specially invited, you know." "Oh no, I remember all right, and I shall go, of course. I should think so! She's twenty-five years old today! And, you know, Gania, you must be ready for great things; she has promised both myself and Afanasy Ivanovitch that she will give a decided answer tonight, yes or no. So be prepared!" Gania suddenly became so ill at ease that his face grew paler than ever. "Are you sure she said that?" he asked, and his voice seemed to quiver as he spoke. "Yes, she promised. We both worried her so that she gave in; but she wished us to tell you nothing about it until the day. " The general watched Gania's confusion intently, and clearly did not like it. "Remember, Ivan Fedorovitch," said Gania, in great agitation, "that I was to be free too, until her decision; and that even then I was to have my 'yes or no' free." "Why, don't you, aren't you--" began the general, in alarm. "Oh, don't misunderstand--" "But, my dear fellow, what are you doing, what do you mean?" "Oh, I'm not rejecting her. I may have expressed myself badly, but I didn't mean that." "Reject her! I should think not!" said the general with annoyance, and apparently not in the least anxious to conceal it. "Why, my dear fellow, it's not a question of your rejecting her, it is whether you are prepared to receive her consent joyfully, and with proper satisfaction. How are things going on at home?" "At home? Oh, I can do as I like there, of course; only my father will make a fool of himself, as usual. He is rapidly becoming a general nuisance. I don't ever talk to him now, but I hold him in cheek, safe enough. I swear if it had not been for my mother, I should have shown him the way out, long ago. My mother is always crying, of course, and my sister sulks. I had to tell them at last that I intended to be master of my own destiny, and that I expect to be obeyed at home. At least, I gave my sister to understand as much, and my mother was present." "Well, I must say, I cannot understand it!" said the general, shrugging his shoulders and dropping his hands. "You remember your mother, Nina Alexandrovna, that day she came and sat here and groaned-and when I asked her what was the matter, she says, 'Oh, it's such a DISHONOUR to us!' dishonour! Stuff and nonsense! I should like to know who can reproach Nastasia Philipovna, or who can say a word of any kind against her. Did she mean because Nastasia had been living with Totski? What nonsense it is! You would not let her come near your daughters, says Nina Alexandrovna. What next, I wonder? I don't see how she can fail to--to understand--" "Her own position?" prompted Gania. "She does understand. Don't be annoyed with her. I have warned her not to meddle in other people's affairs. However, although there's comparative peace at home at present, the storm will break if anything is finally settled tonight." The prince heard the whole of the foregoing conversation, as he sat at the table, writing. He finished at last, and brought the result of his labour to the general's desk. "So this is Nastasia Philipovna," he said, looking attentively and curiously at the portrait. "How wonderfully beautiful!" he immediately added, with warmth. The picture was certainly that of an unusually lovely woman. She was photographed in a black silk dress of simple design, her hair was evidently dark and plainly arranged, her eyes were deep and thoughtful, the expression of her face passionate, but proud. She was rather thin, perhaps, and a little pale. Both Gania and the general gazed at the prince in amazement. "How do you know it's Nastasia Philipovna?" asked the general; "you surely don't know her already, do you? " "Yes, I do! I have only been one day in Russia, but I have heard of the great beauty!" And the prince proceeded to narrate his meeting with Rogojin in the train and the whole of the latter's story. "There's news!" said the general in some excitement, after listening to the story with engrossed attention. "Oh, of course it's nothing but humbug!" cried Gania, a little disturbed, however. "It's all humbug; the young merchant was pleased to indulge in a little innocent recreation! I have heard something of Rogojin!" "Yes, so have I!" replied the general. "Nastasia Philipovna told us all about the earrings that very day. But now it is quite a different matter. You see the fellow really has a million of roubles, and he is passionately in love. The whole story smells of passion, and we all know what this class of gentry is capable of when infatuated. I am much afraid of some disagreeable scandal, I am indeed!" "You are afraid of the million, I suppose," said Gania, grinning and showing his teeth. "And you are NOT, I presume, eh?" "How did he strike you, prince?" asked Gania, suddenly. "Did he seem to be a serious sort of a man, or just a common rowdy fellow? What was your own opinion about the matter?" While Gania put this question, a new idea suddenly flashed into his brain, and blazed out, impatiently, in his eyes. The general, who was really agitated and disturbed, looked at the prince too, but did not seem to expect much from his reply. "I really don't quite know how to tell you," replied the prince, "but it certainly did seem to me that the man was full of passion, and not, perhaps, quite healthy passion. He seemed to be still far from well. Very likely he will be in bed again in a day or two, especially if he lives fast." "No! do you think so?" said the general, catching at the idea. "Yes, I do think so!" "Yes, but the sort of scandal I referred to may happen at any moment. It may be this very evening," remarked Gania to the general, with a smile. "Of course; quite so. In that case it all depends upon what is going on in her brain at this moment." "You know the kind of person she is at times." "How? What kind of person is she?" cried the general, arrived at the limits of his patience. Look here, Gania, don't you go annoying her tonight What you are to do is to be as agreeable towards her as ever you can. Well, what are you smiling at? You must understand, Gania, that I have no interest whatever in speaking like this. Whichever way the question is settled, it will be to my advantage. Nothing will move Totski from his resolution, so I run no risk. If there is anything I desire, you must know that it is your benefit only. Can't you trust me? You are a sensible fellow, and I have been counting on you; for, in this matter, that, that--" "Yes, that's the chief thing," said Gania, helping the general out of his difficulties again, and curling his lips in an envenomed smile, which he did not attempt to conceal. He gazed with his fevered eyes straight into those of the general, as though he were anxious that the latter might read his thoughts. The general grew purple with anger. "Yes, of course it is the chief thing!" he cried, looking sharply at Gania. "What a very curious man you are, Gania! You actually seem to be GLAD to hear of this millionaire fellow's arrival- just as though you wished for an excuse to get out of the whole thing. This is an affair in which you ought to act honestly with both sides, and give due warning, to avoid compromising others. But, even now, there is still time. Do you understand me? I wish to know whether you desire this arrangement or whether you do not? If not, say so,--and-and welcome! No one is trying to force you into the snare, Gavrila Ardalionovitch, if you see a snare in the matter, at least." "I do desire it," murmured Gania, softly but firmly, lowering his eyes; and he relapsed into gloomy silence. The general was satisfied. He had excited himself, and was evidently now regretting that he had gone so far. He turned to the prince, and suddenly the disagreeable thought of the latter's presence struck him, and the certainty that he must have heard every word of the conversation. But he felt at ease in another moment; it only needed one glance at the prince to see that in that quarter there was nothing to fear. "Oh!" cried the general, catching sight of the prince's specimen of caligraphy, which the latter had now handed him for inspection. "Why, this is simply beautiful; look at that, Gania, there's real talent there!" On a sheet of thick writing-paper the prince had written in medieval characters the legend: "The gentle Abbot Pafnute signed this." "There," explained the prince, with great delight and animation, "there, that's the abbot's real signature--from a manuscript of the fourteenth century. All these old abbots and bishops used to write most beautifully, with such taste and so much care and diligence. Have you no copy of Pogodin, general? If you had one I could show you another type. Stop a bit--here you have the large round writing common in France during the eighteenth century. Some of the letters are shaped quite differently from those now in use. It was the writing current then, and employed by public writers generally. I copied this from one of them, and you can see how good it is. Look at the well-rounded a and d. I have tried to translate the French character into the Russian letters- -a difficult thing to do, but I think I have succeeded fairly. Here is a fine sentence, written in a good, original hand--'Zeal triumphs over all.' That is the script of the Russian War Office. That is how official documents addressed to important personages should be written. The letters are round, the type black, and the style somewhat remarkable. A stylist would not allow these ornaments, or attempts at flourishes--just look at these unfinished tails!--but it has distinction and really depicts the soul of the writer. He would like to give play to his imagination, and follow the inspiration of his genius, but a soldier is only at ease in the guard-room, and the pen stops half-way, a slave to discipline. How delightful! The first time I met an example of this handwriting, I was positively astonished, and where do you think I chanced to find it? In Switzerland, of all places! Now that is an ordinary English hand. It can hardly be improved, it is so refined and exquisite--almost perfection. This is an example of another kind, a mixture of styles. The copy was given me by a French commercial traveller. It is founded on the English, but the downstrokes are a little blacker, and more marked. Notice that the oval has some slight modification--it is more rounded. This writing allows for flourishes; now a flourish is a dangerous thing! Its use requires such taste, but, if successful, what a distinction it gives to the whole! It results in an incomparable type--one to fall in love with!" "Dear me! How you have gone into all the refinements and details of the question! Why, my dear fellow, you are not a caligraphist, you are an artist! Eh, Gania ?" "Wonderful!" said Gania. "And he knows it too," he added, with a sarcastic smile. "You may smile,--but there's a career in this," said the general. "You don't know what a great personage I shall show this to, prince. Why, you can command a situation at thirty-five roubles per month to start with. However, it's half-past twelve," he concluded, looking at his watch; "so to business, prince, for I must be setting to work and shall not see you again today. Sit down a minute. I have told you that I cannot receive you myself very often, but I should like to be of some assistance to you, some small assistance, of a kind that would give you satisfaction. I shall find you a place in one of the State departments, an easy place--but you will require to be accurate. Now, as to your plans--in the house, or rather in the family of Gania here--my young friend, whom I hope you will know better--his mother and sister have prepared two or three rooms for lodgers, and let them to highly recommended young fellows, with board and attendance. I am sure Nina Alexandrovna will take you in on my recommendation. There you will be comfortable and well taken care of; for I do not think, prince, that you are the sort of man to be left to the mercy of Fate in a town like Petersburg. Nina Alexandrovna, Gania's mother, and Varvara Alexandrovna, are ladies for whom I have the highest possible esteem and respect. Nina Alexandrovna is the wife of General Ardalion Alexandrovitch, my old brother in arms, with whom, I regret to say, on account of certain circumstances, I am no longer acquainted. I give you all this information, prince, in order to make it clear to you that I am personally recommending you to this family, and that in so doing, I am more or less taking upon myself to answer for you. The terms are most reasonable, and I trust that your salary will very shortly prove amply sufficient for your expenditure. Of course pocket-money is a necessity, if only a little; do not be angry, prince, if I strongly recommend you to avoid carrying money in your pocket. But as your purse is quite empty at the present moment, you must allow me to press these twenty-five roubles upon your acceptance, as something to begin with. Of course we will settle this little matter another time, and if you are the upright, honest man you look, I anticipate very little trouble between us on that score. Taking so much interest in you as you may perceive I do, I am not without my object, and you shall know it in good time. You see, I am perfectly candid with you. I hope, Gania, you have nothing to say against the prince's taking up his abode in your house?" "Oh, on the contrary! my mother will be very glad," said Gania, courteously and kindly. "I think only one of your rooms is engaged as yet, is it not? That fellow Ferd-Ferd--" "Ferdishenko." "Yes--I don't like that Ferdishenko. I can't understand why Nastasia Philipovna encourages him so. Is he really her cousin, as he says?" "Oh dear no, it's all a joke. No more cousin than I am." "Well, what do you think of the arrangement, prince?" "Thank you, general; you have behaved very kindly to me; all the more so since I did not ask you to help me. I don't say that out of pride. I certainly did not know where to lay my head tonight. Rogojin asked me to come to his house, of course, but--" "Rogojin? No, no, my good fellow. I should strongly recommend you, paternally,--or, if you prefer it, as a friend,--to forget all about Rogojin, and, in fact, to stick to the family into which you are about to enter." "Thank you," began the prince; "and since you are so very kind there is just one matter which I--" "You must really excuse me," interrupted the general, "but I positively haven't another moment now. I shall just tell Elizabetha Prokofievna about you, and if she wishes to receive you at once--as I shall advise her--I strongly recommend you to ingratiate yourself with her at the first opportunity, for my wife may be of the greatest service to you in many ways. If she cannot receive you now, you must be content to wait till another time. Meanwhile you, Gania, just look over these accounts, will you? We mustn't forget to finish off that matter--" The general left the room, and the prince never succeeded in broaching the business which he had on hand, though he had endeavoured to do so four times. Gania lit a cigarette and offered one to the prince. The latter accepted the offer, but did not talk, being unwilling to disturb Gania's work. He commenced to examine the study and its contents. But Gania hardly so much as glanced at the papers lying before him; he was absent and thoughtful, and his smile and general appearance struck the prince still more disagreeably now that the two were left alone together. Suddenly Gania approached our hero who was at the moment standing over Nastasia Philipovna's portrait, gazing at it. "Do you admire that sort of woman, prince?" he asked, looking intently at him. He seemed to have some special object in the question. "It's a wonderful face," said the prince, "and I feel sure that her destiny is not by any means an ordinary, uneventful one. Her face is smiling enough, but she must have suffered terribly-- hasn't she? Her eyes show it--those two bones there, the little points under her eyes, just where the cheek begins. It's a proud face too, terribly proud! And I--I can't say whether she is good and kind, or not. Oh, if she be but good! That would make all well!" "And would you marry a woman like that, now?" continued Gania, never taking his excited eyes off the prince's face. "I cannot marry at all," said the latter. "I am an invalid." "Would Rogojin marry her, do you think?" "Why not? Certainly he would, I should think. He would marry her tomorrow!--marry her tomorrow and murder her in a week!" Hardly had the prince uttered the last word when Gania gave such a fearful shudder that the prince almost cried out. "What's the matter?" said he, seizing Gania's hand. "Your highness! His excellency begs your presence in her excellency's apartments!" announced the footman, appearing at the door. The prince immediately followed the man out of the room. 伊万·费奥多罗维奇·叶潘钦将军站在书房的中央，异常好奇地望着走进来的公爵，甚至还朝他迈了两步。公爵走近前去，作了自我介绍。 “是这样，”将军回答说，“我能效什么劳吗？” “我没有任何要紧的事，我来的目的只是跟您认识一下，我不想打扰，因为既不知道您会客的日子，也不知道您的安排……但是我刚下火车……从瑞士来……” 将军刚要发出一声冷笑，但想了一想便克制了自己，接着又想了一下，微微眯缝起眼睛又从头到脚打量了一下自己的客人，然后很快地指给他一把椅子，自己则稍稍斜偏着坐了下来，显出不耐烦等待的样子，转向公爵，加尼西站在书房角落一张老式写字台旁，整理着文件。 “一般来说我很少有时间与人结识，”将军说，“但是，因为您，当然是有目的的，所以……” “我料到正是这样，”公爵打断他说，“您一定会认为我的来访有什么特别的目的，但是，真的，除了有幸认识一下，我没有任何个人的目的。” “对我来说，当然，也非常荣幸，但是毕竟不能光是快活，有时候，您知道，常有正经事……再说，到目前为止我无论如何也看不出，我们之间有什么共同之处……这样说吧，有什么缘由……” “无疑；没有什么缘由。共同之处，当然也很少，因为，既然我是梅什金公爵，您夫人也是我们家族的人，那么，这自然就不成其为缘由，我很明白这一点。但是，我的全部理由恰恰又仅在于此。我有四年不在俄罗斯了，有四年多，我是怎么出国的，几乎连自己也不清楚！当时什么都不知道，而现在更是渺然。我需要结识一些好人，我甚至还有一件事，却不知道该去哪里找什么人，还是在柏林的时候，我就想：‘我和他们差不多是亲戚，就从他们开始吧；也许，我们互相…他们对我，我对他们——都会有好处。如果他们是好人的话，而我听说，你们是好人。” “十分感激，”将军惊奇的说，“请问，您在什么地方下榻。” “我还没有在哪儿落脚。” “这么说，是一下火车就径直上我这儿来了？而且……还带着行李。” “我随身带的行李总共就一小包内衣，没有别的东西了，通常我都拿在手里的。晚上也还来得及要个旅馆房间的。” “这么说，您还是打算去住旅馆的罗？” “是的，当然是这样。” “照您的话来推测，我本来以为，您就这么直接到我这儿来住下了。” “这也可能，但只能是受你们的邀请。坦率地说，即使你们邀请了，我也不会住下，倒不是有什么原因，只不过是……性格关系。” “好吧，那么恰恰我也没有邀请过您，现在也不提出邀请。还有，公爵，请允许我一下子就都弄清楚：因为就在刚才我们已经讲过了，说到亲戚关系，我们之间无话可谈，不然的话，当然，我会十分引以为荣，那么，就是说……” “那么，就是说，该起身告辞罗？”公爵站了起来，尽管他的处境显然十分困窘，他却不知怎么地还大笑了起来。“原来这样，将军，说真的，虽然我对这里的习俗、对这里的人们怎样生活实际上毫无所知，但是我还是料到了我们的见面一定会是这样的结果，现在果然如此。那也没关系，也许，就该是这样的……再说当时也没有给我回信……好了，告辞了，请原谅打扰了。” 此刻公爵的目光是那么温存，而他的微笑是那样纯真，没有丝毫哪怕是某种隐含的恶感，致使将军突然站住了，不知怎么地突然以另一种方式看了一下自己的客人，整个看法的改变就在这一霎那间完成了。 “您知道，公爵，”他几乎用完全不同的声音说，“我毕竟还不了解您，比说叶莉扎维塔·普罗科菲耶夫娜也许想见见她的本家……，请稍候，如果你愿意的话，假若您时间允许的话。” “噢，我有时间，我的时间完全属于我的，”公爵立即把他的圆沿软呢帽放在桌上了。老实说，我本就指望着，也许，叶莉扎维塔·普罗科菲耶夫娜会记得起我曾给她写过信。刚才我在那里等待的时候，你们的仆人怀疑过，等到您这儿来是来求救穷的，我注意到这点了，而您这儿，大概对此有严格的训戒，但我确实不是为此来的，确实仅仅是为了结识一下你们。只是现在才想到，我打扰您了，这很使我不安。” “原来是这样，”将军愉快地微笑说，“公爵，如果您真的如给人感觉的那样，那么，我大概会很高兴与您相识。只不过您要知道，我是个忙人，马上就又得坐下来批阅、签署什么文件，接着要去见公爵大人，然后去办公，因此，虽然我也很高兴结识人……好人，也就是……但是……其实，我确实才信，您有很好的教养……公爵，您有多少年纪了？” “２６。” “啃，我还以为要小得多呢。” “是啊，人家说我的脸相长得很年轻，至于不妨碍您这一点，我会学会的，很快就会懂得的，因为我自己也很不喜欢打扰别人……还有，我觉得，从外表来看，在许多方面我们是相当不同的人，因此，我们大概不可能有许多共同点，但是，您要知道，我自己也不相信，后面这种想法，因为往往只是觉得这样，似乎没有共同点，而实际上却有许多……这是由于人的情性才达成的，因而人们彼此间看一眼便分起等级来，于是便找不到丝毫共通的地方……不过，我大概开始使您感到厌烦了吧？您好像……” “我有两个问题：您总有些财产吧？还有，您大概打算从事什么职业吧？请原谅我如此……” “哪里哪里，我很理解和尊重您的问题。目前我没有任何财产，暂时也没有任何职业，但是应该有。现在我的钱是别人的，是施奈德给我的。他是我的教授，在瑞士我就在他那儿治病和学习，他给我的路费刚好够用，因此，不妨说，我现在总共只剩了几个戈比。事情嘛，我倒确实有一桩的，我需要忠告和主意，事是……” “请告诉我，目前您打算靠什么生活，您有什么打算吗？”将军打断他说。 “想随便于点什么。” “噢，您真是个哲学家。不过……您知道自己有什么禀赋和才能吗？哪怕是能糊口的本事也好。请原谅又……” “哦，不用道歉。不，我想，我既没有禀赋，又没有才能。甚至还相反，因为我是个病人，没有正规学习过。至于说到糊口，那么我觉得……” 将军又打断了他，又开始盘问，公爵重又讲述了已经讲过的一切。原来将军听说过已故的帕夫利谢夫，甚至还认识他本人。为什么帕夫利谢夫关心他的教育，公爵自己也解释不了，也许，不过是因为跟他已故的父亲有旧谊罢了，父母去世后公爵还是个小孩，一直在农村生活和成长，因为他的健康需要农村的空气，帕夫利谢夫把他托付给几个年老的女地主，是他的亲戚，开始为他雇了家庭女教师，后来是男教师。不过公爵说明，虽然他全都记得，但是很少能令人满意地做出解释，因为许多事情他都不清楚。他的毛病经常发作，几乎完全把他变成了白痴（公爵正是说“白痴”这两个字）。最后他说有一次帕夫利谢夫在柏林会见了施奈德教授。这位瑞士人专治这类疾病，在瑞士瓦利斯州有医疗机关。他以自己的方式用冷水和体操进行治疗。既治疗痴呆，也治疯癫，与此同时，他还对病人进行教育，注意他们一般的精神上的发展，大约五年前帕夫利谢夫就打发公爵去瑞士找他，而自己则在两年前去世了。他死得很突然，没有做出安排，施奈德留住公爵，又医治了两年。虽然他没有治愈公爵，但帮了许多忙，最后，因公爵自己的愿望，加上又遇到了一个情况，便打发他现在到俄罗斯来。 将军非常惊讶。 “您在俄罗斯没有任何人，完全没有吗？”他问。 “现在没有任何人，但我希望……再说，我收到了一封信……” “至少，”将军没有听清关于信的事便打断说，“您学过什么吧？您的病不妨碍做什么吧？比方说，在某个机关于点不难的事？” “噢，大概不碍事，说到谋职，我甚至非常愿意有事做，因为我自己也想看看，我能干什么，全部四年时间我倒一直在学习，虽然不完全正规，而是根据教授的一套特别体系进行的，与此同时读了许多俄文书。” “俄文书？这么说，您识字，那么能正确书写吗？” “嗯，完全能行。” “好极了，字体怎么样？” “字体很漂亮，在这方面，看来我有才能，简直就是书法家。请给我张纸，我马上给您写点什么试试，”公爵热心地说。 “请吧，这甚至是必要的……我喜欢您这种乐意的态度，公爵，真的，您很可爱。” “您这儿有这么好的书写用具，这么多的铅笔，这么多的鹅毛笔，多么好的厚纸……您还有多么好的书房！这张风景画我知道，是瑞士的风光。我相信，画家是写生画的，我还深信，我看见过这个地方，这是在乌里州……” “非常可能，虽然这是在这里买的。加尼亚，给公爵一张纸。这是鹅毛笔和纸，清到这张小桌边来。这是什么？”将军问加尼亚，当时他从公文包里拿出一张大尺寸的相片并递给将军，“啊，纳斯塔拉娅·费利波夫娜！这是她亲自，亲自寄给你的吗，是亲自吗？”他兴致勃勃，十分好奇地问加尼亚。 “刚才我去祝贺时给的，我早就请求她了。我不知道，这是不是她这方面的一种暗示，因为我自己是空手去的，在这样的日子竟没有礼物，”加尼亚补充说着，一边勉强笑着。 “哦，不，”将军很有把握地打断说，“真的，你的想法多怪！她怎么会暗示……而且她根本不是贪图财物的人。再说，你送她什么东西呢？这可得花上几千卢布！难道也送相片吗？怎么，顺便问一下，她还没有向你要相片吗？” “没有，她还没有要，也许，永远也不会要的。伊万·费奥多罗维奇，您当然记住了今天有晚会吧？您可是在特别邀请者之列的。” “记得，当然记得，我一定去。这还用说吗，是她的生日，２５岁！嗯……你知道，加尼亚，好吧，我就坦率对你说，你做好准备吧，她曾答应我和阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇，今天晚上她要说出最后的决定，同意或者不同意！瞧着吧，就会知道的。” 加尼亚突然非常窘急，甚至脸色都有点发白了。 “她确是这么说的吗？”他问着，嗓音似乎颤了一下。 “她是在两天前说这话的，我们俩盯住她，逼她说出来的，只是请求事前不告诉你。” 将军凝神打量着加尼亚，但显然不喜欢他的窘困样。 “伊万·费奥多罗维奇，您还想得起来吧，”加尼亚忐忑不安地说，“在她做出决定前，她给我充分自由做抉择，即使她作了决定，我还有我的发言权……” “难道你……难道你……”将军突然惊惧地说。 “我没打算做什么。” “得了吧，你想拿我们怎么办？” “我可并没有拒绝。也许，我没有表达清楚……” “你不要拒绝！”将军烦恼地说。他甚至不想克制这种烦恼。“兄弟，这里的问题已经不是你不拒绝，而是乐意、满意、高兴地接受她的决定……你家里怎么样了？” “家里又怎么啦？家里全由我做主，只有父亲照例是于蠢事，但要知道他已完全变成了不成体统的人，我跟他几乎不说话，但是严格地管住他，说真的，要不是母亲，我就赶他走。母亲当然老是哭哭啼啼，妹妹则总是发脾气，最后我直截了当对她们说，我是自己命运的主宰，我希望在家里她们也听我的……至少我把这一层意思都对妹妹讲清楚了，当着母亲的面讲的。” “可是，兄弟，我仍然不理解，”将军稍稍耸起肩，徽微摊开双手，若有所恩他说，“尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜不久前什么时候来过，记得吗？唉声叹气的。‘您怎么啦？’我问。原来，他们似乎觉得这是有损名誉的。请问，这里哪有什么玷污名誉的？谁会责备纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜有什么不好或者指责她什么？莫非是指她曾经跟托茨基在一起？但这可已经是无稽之谈了，尤其是在一定的场合下更是如此！她说，‘您不是不准她到您女儿那儿去的吗？’唉！瞧您，尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜呀！您怎么会不懂这点，怎么会不懂这点的呢……” “自己的地位？”加尼亚为一时难以措辞的将军提示说，“她明白的。您别生她的气，不过当时我就责骂了她，让她别管人家的事，可是至今我们家里一切仍只是这样，最后的决定还没有说出来，雷雨却将降临。如果今天要说出最后的决定，那么，一切都将说出来的。” 公爵坐在角落里写自己的书法样品，听到了全部谈话，他写完了，走近桌子，递上自己写好的纸。 “那么这是纳斯塔拉娅·费利帕夫娜罗？”他专注而好奇地瞥一眼照片后，低声说， “惊人的漂亮啊！”他立即热烈地补了一句。照片上的女人确实异常美丽，她穿着黑色丝绸裙子，样子非常朴实，但很雅致，她的头发看起来是深褐色的，梳理得也很朴素，照平常的式样，眼睛乌黑深透，额头露出一副若有所恩的样子；脸上的表情是热情的，又似乎含着傲慢，她时脸有点消瘦，也许，还苍白……加尼亚和将军大为惊讶地望了一下公爵…… “是纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜，怎么啦？难道您已经知道她了？”将军问。 “是的，在俄罗斯总共才一昼夜，可已经知道这样的大美人了。”公爵回答着，一边立即讲述起跟罗戈任的相遇，并转述了他的故事。 “这又是新闻！”将军非常注意地听完了叙述，探究地瞥了一眼加尼亚，又担起忧来。 “大概，仅仅是胡闹而已，”也有点不知所措的加尼亚低语说，“商人的儿子取乐罢了，我已经听说一些他的事了。” “兄弟，我也听说了，”将军附和说，“那时，在耳坠子事情以后，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜讲了这件轶事，可现在却是另一回事。眼下，可能真的有百万财富等着，还有热情，就算是胡闹的热情，但终究散发着热情，可是大家都知道，这些先生喝醉的时候能干出什么来！……嗯！……那就不是什么轶事了！”将军若有所恩地结束道。 “您担心百万财富。”加尼亚咧嘴笑着说，” “你当然不罗？” “您觉得怎么样，公爵。”突然加尼亚向他问，“这是个认真的人还是不过是个胡闹的人？您自己的意思是什么？” 加尼亚提这个问题的时候，他身上发生着某种特别的变化，宛如某种特别的新念头燃烧起来并迫不及待地在他的眼睛中闪亮起来。真诚由衷地感到不安的将军也看了一下公爵，但似乎对他的回答并不抱很大期望。 “我不知道，该怎么对您说，”公爵回答说，“只不过我觉得，他身上有许多热情，甚至是某种病态的热情。而且他自己还似乎完全是个病人，很可能队到彼得堡最初几天起他就又病倒了，尤其要是他纵酒作乐的话。” 人是这样吗？您觉得是这样？”将军不放过这一想法。 “是的，我这样觉得。” “但是，这类轶事可能不是在几天之中发生，而在晚上以前，今天，也许，就会发生什么事。”加尼亚朝将军冷笑了一下。 “嗯！……当然……大概是，到时候一切都取决于她脑袋里闪过什么念头，”将军说。 “您不是知道她有时是怎样的人吗？” “是怎样的呢？”将军心绪极为不佳，又气冲冲地责问说。“听着，加尼亚，今天请你别多跟她过不去，尽量这个，要知道，要做到……一句话、要称她心…… 嗯！……你于吗要歪着嘴巴？听着，加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁内奇，正好，甚至正正好现在要说：我们究竟为什么操心于你明白，有关这件事中我自己的利益，我早就有保障了，我不是这样便是那样，总会解决得对自己存好处，托茨基毫不动摇地作出了决定，因此我也完全有把握，如果我现在还有什么愿望的话，唯一的便是你的利益。你自己想想，你不相信我，还是怎么的？况且你这个人……这个人……一句话，是个聪明人，我寄希望于你……而目前的情况下，这是……这是……” “这是主要的，”加尼亚说，他又帮一时难以措辞的将军说了出来，一边歪着嘴唇，露出他已不想掩饰的刻毒笑容，他用激狂的目光直逼着将军的眼睛，仿佛希望将军在他的目光中看出他的全部思想。将军脸涨得通红，勃然大怒。 “是的，明智是主要的！”他锐利地望着加尼亚，接过话茬附和说，“你也是个可笑的人，加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁内奇！我发觉，你可是确实因这个商人而高兴，把他看作是解救自己的出路。在这件事上正应该一开始就用明智来领悟，正应该双方都诚实和坦率地……理解和行动，不然……就该事先通知对方、免得损害别人的名誉，尤其是曾经有相当充裕的时间来做这件事，即使是现在也还有足够的时间（将军意味深长地扬起了双眉），尽管剩下总共只有几小时了……你明白了吗？明白了吗？你究竟愿意还是不愿意？如果不愿意，你就说，我们洗耳恭听，谁也没有制止您，加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁内奇，谁也没有强迫您上圈套，如果您认为这件事里面有圈套的话。” “我愿意’，”加尼亚声音很低但很坚决地说。他垂下双眼，阴郁地不吭声了。 将军满意了，他发了一下火，但看得出后悔了，这样做过分了点，他突然转向公爵，脸上似乎突然掠过一种不安的神情，因为他想到公爵在这里，终究会听到这场谈话。但他霎那问又放心了，因为看一眼公爵就可以完全不必担心了。 “喔嗬。”将军看着公爵呈上的书写样品，大声喊了起来，“这可简直就是范体！真是不可多得的好字体！瞧呀，加尼亚，真是个天才！” 在一张厚道林纸上公爵用中世纪的俄语范体字写一个句子： “卑修道院长帕夫努季敬呈”。 “这几个字，”公爵非常满意和兴奋地解释说，“是修道院长帕夫努季以亲笔签字，是从十四世纪拓本上仿写的，所有这些老修道院院长和都主教，他们都签得一手好字，有时是独具一格，功夫湛深！将军，难道您连波戈金殷版本也没有吗，后来我又在这里写了些另外的字体，这是上世纪法国的自大的字体，有些字母写起来甚至完全不同，这是普通体，这是照样本（我有一本）写下来的公用文书体。您自己也会同意，这种字体不无优点，您看看这些圆圆的ａ、Ｑ，我把法国书法的特征用到写俄文字母上，这很难，结果却获成功。这儿还有很漂亮和独特的字体，瞧这个句子：‘勤奋无难事，这是俄国文书的字体，如果您愿意的话，也可算是军中文书的字体，向要人禀报的公文就得这样写，也是圆体，非常可爱的黑体，写得黑黑的，但具卓绝的品位。卡法家是不会容许写这种花体的，或者，最好是说，不容许这些签字的尝试，不赞许这些中途收笔、没写足的花体字尾的。您注意，总的来说，你瞧，它可是有个性的，真的，这里飘游着军中文书的一颗灵魂：既想洒脱自如，又想一展才能，而军装领子风纪守口又扣得很紧，结果严格的军纪在字体上都反映出来了，真妙！不久前有这么一本样本使我大为惊叹，是偶然觅得的，还是在什么地方？瑞士！嗯，这是普通、平常、纯粹的英国字体，不可能写得更优美了，这里真是妙笔生花，精巧玲珑，字字珠矾，可谓笔法高超，而这是变体，又是法国的，我是从一个法国流动推销员那里摹写下来的：还是一种英国字体，但黑线少许浓些，粗些，深些，匀称性被破坏了，您也会发觉，椭圆形也变了，稍稍变圆些，加上采用花体，而花体是最危险的东西！花体要求有不同一般的品味，但只要写得好，只要写得匀称，那么就无与伦比了，甚至还能惹人喜爱。” “嗬，您谈得多么细腻精微！”将军笑着说，“老兄，您不光是书法家，还是个行家呢！加尼亚，是吧？” “的确惊人，”加尼亚说，“甚至还有任职意识，”他嘲笑着补了一句。 “笑吧，笑吧，这里可确有前程，”将军说，“您知道呜，公爵，我们现在要您给谁写公文吗？一下子就可以给您定下一个月３５卢布的酬金，这是开始。但是已经１２点半了，”他瞥了一眼表，结束说，“我有事，公爵，因此我得赶快走，今天也许我跟您见不着！您坐一会，我已经对您解释过了，我不能经常接待您，但是我真诚地愿意帮您一点儿忙，当然，只是一点儿，也就是最必须的，而以后随您自己便。我可以为您在机关里谋一个差使，不吃力的，但却要求仔细认真。现在再说下面一件事：在加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁内奇·伊沃尔金的房子里，也就是我这位年轻朋友的家里，我现在介绍您跟他认识，他的妈妈和妹妹打扫干净了两三个带家具的房间，将它们租给有可靠介绍的房客，兼管伙食和服务，我的介绍，我相信，尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜是会接受的。对于您来说，公爵，这甚至比找到埋着宝藏的地方更好，第一，因为您不再是一个人，这么说吧，将处身于家庭之中，依我看来，您不能一开始就一个人置身于彼得堡这样的首都。尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜是加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁内奇的妈妈，瓦尔瓦拉·阿尔达利翁诺夫娜是妹妹，她们都是我非常尊敬的女士，尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜是阿尔达利翁”·亚历山德罗维奇的夫人。他是位退役的将军，是我最初任职时的同僚。但是，由于某些情况，我跟他中止了交往，不过并不妨碍我在某一方面尊敬他。我对您讲明这一切，公爵，是为了使您理解，这么说吧，我亲自介绍您，因而也就仿佛为您做了担保。收费是最公道的了，我希望，不久您的薪俸用以支付这点开销是完全足够的，确实，一个人也必得有些零用钱，哪怕是有一点也好，但是，公爵，请您别生气，因为我要对您说，您最好不要有零用钱，甚至口袋里根本不要带钱。我是凭对您的印象才这么说。但因为现在您的钱袋空空如也，那么，作为开端，请允许我向您提供这２５卢布，当然，我们以后可以算清帐的，如果您如口头上说的那样是个真挚诚恳的人，那么我们之间就是在这种事上也不会有麻烦事的。既然我对您这么关心，那么我对您甚至也有某个目的，往后您会知道的。您看见了，我跟您完全是很随便的。加尼亚，我希望，您不反对，对公爵住到您家去吧？” “哦，恰恰相反！母亲也将会很高兴的……”加尼亚客气而有礼貌地肯定说。 “好像你们那里还只有…个房间有人住下了，这个人叫什么来着：费尔，德……费尔……” “费尔德先科。… “对了，我不喜欢你们这个费尔德先科：像个油腔滑调的小丑似的。我不明白，为什么纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜这么赞赏他？难道他果真是她的亲戚？” “不，这全是开玩笑？没有一点亲戚的迹象。” “嘿，见他的鬼去！那么，公爵，您到底满意不满意呢？” “谢谢您，将军，您这么对待我，真是一个非常善良的人，何况我还没有请求呢。我不是出于高傲才这么说，我确实不知道何处可以安身。说真的，刚才罗戈任叫我到他家去住。” “罗戈任？哦，不，我要像父亲那样，或者，如果您更喜欢的话，像朋友那样，劝您忘了罗戈任先生。而且总的来说建议您领先即将住进去的家庭。” “既然您这么好心，那么我还有一件事。我收到一个通知……”公爵刚刚开始说。 “哦，对不起，”将军打断他说，“现在我一分钟都没有了。我马上去对叶莉扎维塔·普罗科菲耶夫娜说您的事，如果她现在就愿意接待您（我尽量这样介绍您），那么，我建议您抓住机会并使她喜欢您，因为叶莉扎维塔·普罗科菲耶夫娜对您来说可能是非常有用的人。您跟她可是同姓，如果她不愿见您，那么请勿见怪，别的什么时候再见面。而你，加尼亚，暂时看一下这些帐单、我刚才跟费多谢耶夫费了好大神，别忘了把这几笔加进去……” 将军走了出去，公爵结果就没来得及讲差不多已提及四次的那件事。加尼亚抽起了烟卷，又向公爵敬了一枝。公爵接了烟，但没有说话，他不想妨碍加尼亚，便开始打量起书房来。但加尼亚只是稍稍看了一下将军指定他看的那张写满了数字的纸，但显得很心不在焉，在公爵看来，当只剩下他们两人时，他的微笑、目光、沉思都变得更为沉重。突然他走近公爵，而公爵此时又站在纳斯塔西娅已费利怕夫娜的肖像前，端详着它。 “公爵，您真喜欢这样的女人吗？”他目光犀利地望着公爵，突然问，似乎他有某种不同寻常的打算。 “这张脸令人惊讶。”公爵回答说，“我相信她的命运非同一般，脸上表情是快活的，可是又极为痛苦，对吗？这双眼睛说明了这点，还有这两根细骨，脸颊上端眼睛下面的两个小点，这是张倔做的脸，十分倔做，我不知道，她是否善良？啊，如果善良就好了，一切便都有救了！” “您愿意跟这样的女人结婚吗？”加尼亚继续问道，他那灼热的目光不离公爵。 “我跟任何人都不能结婚，我身体不好，”公爵说。 “那么罗戈任会跟她结婚吗？您怎么想？” “那还用说，我看，明天就可能结婚，他会娶她的，可是过了一星期，大概就会害死她。” 公爵刚说出这句话，加尼亚突然颤粟了一下，以致公爵差点要叫唤起来。 “您怎么啦？”他抓住加尼亚的手说。 “公爵阁下！将军大人请您去见夫人，”仆人在门口报告说。公爵便跟着仆人去了。

Part 1 Chapter 4 ALL three of the Miss Epanchins were fine, healthy girls, well- grown, with good shoulders and busts, and strong--almost masculine--hands; and, of course, with all the above attributes, they enjoyed capital appetites, of which they were not in the least ashamed. Elizabetha Prokofievna sometimes informed the girls that they were a little too candid in this matter, but in spite of their outward deference to their mother these three young women, in solemn conclave, had long agreed to modify the unquestioning obedience which they had been in the habit of according to her; and Mrs. General Epanchin had judged it better to say nothing about it, though, of course, she was well aware of the fact. It is true that her nature sometimes rebelled against these dictates of reason, and that she grew yearly more capricious and impatient; but having a respectful and well-disciplined husband under her thumb at all times, she found it possible, as a rule, to empty any little accumulations of spleen upon his head, and therefore the harmony of the family was kept duly balanced, and things went as smoothly as family matters can. Mrs. Epanchin had a fair appetite herself, and generally took her share of the capital mid-day lunch which was always served for the girls, and which was nearly as good as a dinner. The young ladies used to have a cup of coffee each before this meal, at ten o'clock, while still in bed. This was a favourite and unalterable arrangement with them. At half-past twelve, the table was laid in the small dining-room, and occasionally the general himself appeared at the family gathering, if he had time. Besides tea and coffee, cheese, honey, butter, pan-cakes of various kinds (the lady of the house loved these best), cutlets, and so on, there was generally strong beef soup, and other substantial delicacies. On the particular morning on which our story has opened, the family had assembled in the dining-room, and were waiting the general's appearance, the latter having promised to come this day. If he had been one moment late, he would have been sent for at once; but he turned up punctually. As he came forward to wish his wife good-morning and kiss her hands, as his custom was, he observed something in her look which boded ill. He thought he knew the reason, and had expected it, but still, he was not altogether comfortable. His daughters advanced to kiss him, too, and though they did not look exactly angry, there was something strange in their expression as well. The general was, owing to certain circumstances, a little inclined to be too suspicious at home, and needlessly nervous; but, as an experienced father and husband, he judged it better to take measures at once to protect himself from any dangers there might be in the air. However, I hope I shall not interfere with the proper sequence of my narrative too much, if I diverge for a moment at this point, in order to explain the mutual relations between General Epanchin's family and others acting a part in this history, at the time when we take up the thread of their destiny. I have already stated that the general, though he was a man of lowly origin, and of poor education, was, for all that, an experienced and talented husband and father. Among other things, he considered it undesirable to hurry his daughters to the matrimonial altar and to worry them too much with assurances of his paternal wishes for their happiness, as is the custom among parents of many grown-up daughters. He even succeeded in ranging his wife on his side on this question, though he found the feat very difficult to accomplish, because unnatural; but the general's arguments were conclusive, and founded upon obvious facts. The general considered that the girls' taste and good sense should be allowed to develop and mature deliberately, and that the parents' duty should merely be to keep watch, in order that no strange or undesirable choice be made; but that the selection once effected, both father and mother were bound from that moment to enter heart and soul into the cause, and to see that the matter progressed without hindrance until the altar should be happily reached. Besides this, it was clear that the Epanchins' position gained each year, with geometrical accuracy, both as to financial solidity and social weight; and, therefore, the longer the girls waited, the better was their chance of making a brilliant match. But again, amidst the incontrovertible facts just recorded, one more, equally significant, rose up to confront the family; and this was, that the eldest daughter, Alexandra, had imperceptibly arrived at her twenty-fifth birthday. Almost at the same moment, Afanasy Ivanovitch Totski, a man of immense wealth, high connections, and good standing, announced his intention of marrying. Afanasy Ivanovitch was a gentleman of fifty-five years of age, artistically gifted, and of most refined tastes. He wished to marry well, and, moreover, he was a keen admirer and judge of beauty. Now, since Totski had, of late, been upon terms of great cordiality with Epanchin, which excellent relations were intensified by the fact that they were, so to speak, partners in several financial enterprises, it so happened that the former now put in a friendly request to the general for counsel with regard to the important step he meditated. Might he suggest, for instance, such a thing as a marriage between himself and one of the general's daughters? Evidently the quiet, pleasant current of the family life of the Epanchins was about to undergo a change. The undoubted beauty of the family, par excellence, was the youngest, Aglaya, as aforesaid. But Totski himself, though an egotist of the extremest type, realized that he had no chance there; Aglaya was clearly not for such as he. Perhaps the sisterly love and friendship of the three girls had more or less exaggerated Aglaya's chances of happiness. In their opinion, the latter's destiny was not merely to be very happy; she was to live in a heaven on earth. Aglaya's husband was to be a compendium of all the virtues, and of all success, not to speak of fabulous wealth. The two elder sisters had agreed that all was to be sacrificed by them, if need be, for Aglaya's sake; her dowry was to be colossal and unprecedented. The general and his wife were aware of this agreement, and, therefore, when Totski suggested himself for one of the sisters, the parents made no doubt that one of the two elder girls would probably accept the offer, since Totski would certainly make no difficulty as to dowry. The general valued the proposal very highly. He knew life, and realized what such an offer was worth. The answer of the sisters to the communication was, if not conclusive, at least consoling and hopeful. It made known that the eldest, Alexandra, would very likely be disposed to listen to a proposal. Alexandra was a good-natured girl, though she had a will of her own. She was intelligent and kind-hearted, and, if she were to marry Totski, she would make him a good wife. She did not care for a brilliant marriage; she was eminently a woman calculated to soothe and sweeten the life of any man; decidedly pretty, if not absolutely handsome. What better could Totski wish? So the matter crept slowly forward. The general and Totski had agreed to avoid any hasty and irrevocable step. Alexandra's parents had not even begun to talk to their daughters freely upon the subject, when suddenly, as it were, a dissonant chord was struck amid the harmony of the proceedings. Mrs. Epanchin began to show signs of discontent, and that was a serious matter. A certain circumstance had crept in, a disagreeable and troublesome factor, which threatened to overturn the whole business. This circumstance had come into existence eighteen years before. Close to an estate of Totski's, in one of the central provinces of Russia, there lived, at that time, a poor gentleman whose estate was of the wretchedest description. This gentleman was noted in the district for his persistent ill-fortune; his name was Barashkoff, and, as regards family and descent, he was vastly superior to Totski, but his estate was mortgaged to the last acre. One day, when he had ridden over to the town to see a creditor, the chief peasant of his village followed him shortly after, with the news that his house had been burnt down, and that his wife had perished with it, but his children were safe. Even Barashkoff, inured to the storms of evil fortune as he was, could not stand this last stroke. He went mad and died shortly after in the town hospital. His estate was sold for the creditors; and the little girls--two of them, of seven and eight years of age respectively,--were adopted by Totski, who undertook their maintenance and education in the kindness of his heart. They were brought up together with the children of his German bailiff. Very soon, however, there was only one of them left- Nastasia Philipovna--for the other little one died of whooping- cough. Totski, who was living abroad at this time, very soon forgot all about the child; but five years after, returning to Russia, it struck him that he would like to look over his estate and see how matters were going there, and, arrived at his bailiff's house, he was not long in discovering that among the children of the latter there now dwelt a most lovely little girl of twelve, sweet and intelligent, and bright, and promising to develop beauty of most unusual quality-as to which last Totski was an undoubted authority. He only stayed at his country scat a few days on this occasion, but he had time to make his arrangements. Great changes took place in the child's education; a good governess was engaged, a Swiss lady of experience and culture. For four years this lady resided in the house with little Nastia, and then the education was considered complete. The governess took her departure, and another lady came down to fetch Nastia, by Totski's instructions. The child was now transported to another of Totski's estates in a distant part of the country. Here she found a delightful little house, just built, and prepared for her reception with great care and taste; and here she took up her abode together with the lady who had accompanied her from her old home. In the house there were two experienced maids, musical instruments of all sorts, a charming "young lady's library," pictures, paint-boxes, a lap- dog, and everything to make life agreeable. Within a fortnight Totski himself arrived, and from that time he appeared to have taken a great fancy to this part of the world and came down each summer, staying two and three months at a time. So passed four years peacefully and happily, in charming surroundings. At the end of that time, and about four months after Totski's last visit (he had stayed but a fortnight on this occasion), a report reached Nastasia Philipovna that he was about to be married in St. Petersburg, to a rich, eminent, and lovely woman. The report was only partially true, the marriage project being only in an embryo condition; but a great change now came over Nastasia Philipovna. She suddenly displayed unusual decision of character; and without wasting time in thought, she left her country home and came up to St. Petersburg, straight to Totski's house, all alone. The latter, amazed at her conduct, began to express his displeasure; but he very soon became aware that he must change his voice, style, and everything else, with this young lady; the good old times were gone. An entirely new and different woman sat before him, between whom and the girl he had left in the country last July there seemed nothing in common. In the first place, this new woman understood a good deal more than was usual for young people of her age; so much indeed, that Totski could not help wondering where she had picked up her knowledge. Surely not from her "young lady's library"? It even embraced legal matters, and the "world" in general, to a considerable extent. Her character was absolutely changed. No more of the girlish alternations of timidity and petulance, the adorable naivete, the reveries, the tears, the playfulness... It was an entirely new and hitherto unknown being who now sat and laughed at him, and informed him to his face that she had never had the faintest feeling for him of any kind, except loathing and contempt-- contempt which had followed closely upon her sensations of surprise and bewilderment after her first acquaintance with him. This new woman gave him further to understand that though it was absolutely the same to her whom he married, yet she had decided to prevent this marriage--for no particular reason, but that she chose to do so, and because she wished to amuse herself at his expense for that it was "quite her turn to laugh a little now!" Such were her words--very likely she did not give her real reason for this eccentric conduct; but, at all events, that was all the explanation she deigned to offer. Meanwhile, Totski thought the matter over as well as his scattered ideas would permit. His meditations lasted a fortnight, however, and at the end of that time his resolution was taken. The fact was, Totski was at that time a man of fifty years of age; his position was solid and respectable; his place in society had long been firmly fixed upon safe foundations; he loved himself, his personal comforts, and his position better than all the world, as every respectable gentleman should! At the same time his grasp of things in general soon showed Totski that he now had to deal with a being who was outside the pale of the ordinary rules of traditional behaviour, and who would not only threaten mischief but would undoubtedly carry it out, and stop for no one. There was evidently, he concluded, something at work here; some storm of the mind, some paroxysm of romantic anger, goodness knows against whom or what, some insatiable contempt--in a word, something altogether absurd and impossible, but at the same time most dangerous to be met with by any respectable person with a position in society to keep up. For a man of Totski's wealth and standing, it would, of course, have been the simplest possible matter to take steps which would rid him at once from all annoyance; while it was obviously impossible for Nastasia Philipovna to harm him in any way, either legally or by stirring up a scandal, for, in case of the latter danger, he could so easily remove her to a sphere of safety. However, these arguments would only hold good in case of Nastasia acting as others might in such an emergency. She was much more likely to overstep the bounds of reasonable conduct by some extraordinary eccentricity. Here the sound judgment of Totski stood him in good stead. He realized that Nastasia Philipovna must be well aware that she could do nothing by legal means to injure him, and that her flashing eyes betrayed some entirely different intention. Nastasia Philipovna was quite capable of ruining herself, and even of perpetrating something which would send her to Siberia, for the mere pleasure of injuring a man for whom she had developed so inhuman a sense of loathing and contempt. He had sufficient insight to understand that she valued nothing in the world--herself least of all--and he made no attempt to conceal the fact that he was a coward in some respects. For instance, if he had been told that he would be stabbed at the altar, or publicly insulted, he would undoubtedly have been frightened; but not so much at the idea of being murdered, or wounded, or insulted, as at the thought that if such things were to happen he would be made to look ridiculous in the eyes of society. He knew well that Nastasia thoroughly understood him and where to wound him and how, and therefore, as the marriage was still only in embryo, Totski decided to conciliate her by giving it up. His decision was strengthened by the fact that Nastasia Philipovna had curiously altered of late. It would be difficult to conceive how different she was physically, at the present time, to the girl of a few years ago. She was pretty then . . . but now! . . . Totski laughed angrily when he thought how short-sighted he had been. In days gone by he remembered how he had looked at her beautiful eyes, how even then he had marvelled at their dark mysterious depths, and at their wondering gaze which seemed to seek an answer to some unknown riddle. Her complexion also had altered. She was now exceedingly pale, but, curiously, this change only made her more beautiful. Like most men of the world, Totski had rather despised such a cheaply-bought conquest, but of late years he had begun to think differently about it. It had struck him as long ago as last spring that he ought to be finding a good match for Nastasia; for instance, some respectable and reasonable young fellow serving in a government office in another part of the country. How maliciously Nastasia laughed at the idea of such a thing, now! However, it appeared to Totski that he might make use of her in another way; and he determined to establish her in St. Petersburg, surrounding her with all the comforts and luxuries that his wealth could command. In this way he might gain glory in certain circles. Five years of this Petersburg life went by, and, of course, during that time a great deal happened. Totski's position was very uncomfortable; having "funked" once, he could not totally regain his ease. He was afraid, he did not know why, but he was simply afraid of Nastasia Philipovna. For the first two years or so he had suspected that she wished to marry him herself, and that only her vanity prevented her telling him so. He thought that she wanted him to approach her with a humble proposal from his own side, But to his great, and not entirely pleasurable amazement, he discovered that this was by no means the case, and that were he to offer himself he would be refused. He could not understand such a state of things, and was obliged to conclude that it was pride, the pride of an injured and imaginative woman, which had gone to such lengths that it preferred to sit and nurse its contempt and hatred in solitude rather than mount to heights of hitherto unattainable splendour. To make matters worse, she was quite impervious to mercenary considerations, and could not be bribed in any way. Finally, Totski took cunning means to try to break his chains and be free. He tried to tempt her in various ways to lose her heart; he invited princes, hussars, secretaries of embassies, poets, novelists, even Socialists, to see her; but not one of them all made the faintest impression upon Nastasia. It was as though she had a pebble in place of a heart, as though her feelings and affections were dried up and withered for ever. She lived almost entirely alone; she read, she studied, she loved music. Her principal acquaintances were poor women of various grades, a couple of actresses, and the family of a poor schoolteacher. Among these people she was much beloved. She received four or five friends sometimes, of an evening. Totski often came. Lately, too, General Epanchin had been enabled with great difficulty to introduce himself into her circle. Gania made her acquaintance also, and others were Ferdishenko, an ill- bred, and would-be witty, young clerk, and Ptitsin, a money- lender of modest and polished manners, who had risen from poverty. In fact, Nastasia Philipovna's beauty became a thing known to all the town; but not a single man could boast of anything more than his own admiration for her; and this reputation of hers, and her wit and culture and grace, all confirmed Totski in the plan he had now prepared. And it was at this moment that General Epanchin began to play so large and important a part in the story. When Totski had approached the general with his request for friendly counsel as to a marriage with one of his daughters, he had made a full and candid confession. He had said that he intended to stop at no means to obtain his freedom; even if Nastasia were to promise to leave him entirely alone in future, he would not (he said) believe and trust her; words were not enough for him; he must have solid guarantees of some sort. So he and the general determined to try what an attempt to appeal to her heart would effect. Having arrived at Nastasia's house one day, with Epanchin, Totski immediately began to speak of the intolerable torment of his position. He admitted that he was to blame for all, but candidly confessed that he could not bring himself to feel any remorse for his original guilt towards herself, because he was a man of sensual passions which were inborn and ineradicable, and that he had no power over himself in this respect; but that he wished, seriously, to marry at last, and that the whole fate of the most desirable social union which he contemplated, was in her hands; in a word, he confided his all to her generosity of heart. General Epanchin took up his part and spoke in the character of father of a family; he spoke sensibly, and without wasting words over any attempt at sentimentality, he merely recorded his full admission of her right to be the arbiter of Totski's destiny at this moment. He then pointed out that the fate of his daughter, and very likely of both his other daughters, now hung upon her reply. To Nastasia's question as to what they wished her to do, Totski confessed that he had been so frightened by her, five years ago, that he could never now be entirely comfortable until she herself married. He immediately added that such a suggestion from him would, of course, be absurd, unless accompanied by remarks of a more pointed nature. He very well knew, he said, that a certain young gentleman of good family, namely, Gavrila Ardalionovitch Ivolgin, with whom she was acquainted, and whom she received at her house, had long loved her passionately, and would give his life for some response from her. The young fellow had confessed this love of his to him (Totski) and had also admitted it in the hearing of his benefactor, General Epanchin. Lastly, he could not help being of opinion that Nastasia must be aware of Gania's love for her, and if he (Totski) mistook not, she had looked with some favour upon it, being often lonely, and rather tired of her present life. Having remarked how difficult it was for him, of all people, to speak to her of these matters, Totski concluded by saying that he trusted Nastasia Philipovna would not look with contempt upon him if he now expressed his sincere desire to guarantee her future by a gift of seventy-five thousand roubles. He added that the sum would have been left her all the same in his will, and that therefore she must not consider the gift as in any way an indemnification to her for anything, but that there was no reason, after all, why a man should not be allowed to entertain a natural desire to lighten his conscience, etc., etc.; in fact, all that would naturally be said under the circumstances. Totski was very eloquent all through, and, in conclusion, just touched on the fact that not a soul in the world, not even General Epanchin, had ever heard a word about the above seventy-five thousand roubles, and that this was the first time he had ever given expression to his intentions in respect to them. Nastasia Philipovna's reply to this long rigmarole astonished both the friends considerably. Not only was there no trace of her former irony, of her old hatred and enmity, and of that dreadful laughter, the very recollection of which sent a cold chill down Totski's back to this very day; but she seemed charmed and really glad to have the opportunity of talking seriously with him for once in a way. She confessed that she had long wished to have a frank and free conversation and to ask for friendly advice, but that pride had hitherto prevented her; now, however, that the ice was broken, nothing could be more welcome to her than this opportunity. First, with a sad smile, and then with a twinkle of merriment in her eyes, she admitted that such a storm as that of five years ago was now quite out of the question. She said that she had long since changed her views of things, and recognized that facts must be taken into consideration in spite of the feelings of the heart. What was done was done and ended, and she could not understand why Totski should still feel alarmed. She next turned to General Epanchin and observed, most courteously, that she had long since known of his daughters, and that she had heard none but good report; that she had learned to think of them with deep and sincere respect. The idea alone that she could in any way serve them, would be to her both a pride and a source of real happiness. It was true that she was lonely in her present life; Totski had judged her thoughts aright. She longed to rise, if not to love, at least to family life and new hopes and objects, but as to Gavrila Ardalionovitch, she could not as yet say much. She thought it must be the case that he loved her; she felt that she too might learn to love him, if she could be sure of the firmness of his attachment to herself; but he was very young, and it was a difficult question to decide. What she specially liked about him was that he worked, and supported his family by his toil. She had heard that he was proud and ambitious; she had heard much that was interesting of his mother and sister, she had heard of them from Mr. Ptitsin, and would much like to make their acquaintance, but--another question!--would they like to receive her into their house? At all events, though she did not reject the idea of this marriage, she desired not to be hurried. As for the seventy-five thousand roubles, Mr. Totski need not have found any difficulty or awkwardness about the matter; she quite understood the value of money, and would, of course, accept the gift. She thanked him for his delicacy, however, but saw no reason why Gavrila Ardalionovitch should not know about it. She would not marry the latter, she said, until she felt persuaded that neither on his part nor on the part of his family did there exist any sort of concealed suspicions as to herself. She did not intend to ask forgiveness for anything in the past, which fact she desired to be known. She did not consider herself to blame for anything that had happened in former years, and she thought that Gavrila Ardalionovitch should be informed as to the relations which had existed between herself and Totski during the last five years. If she accepted this money it was not to be considered as indemnification for her misfortune as a young girl, which had not been in any degree her own fault, but merely as compensation for her ruined life. She became so excited and agitated during all these explanations and confessions that General Epanchin was highly gratified, and considered the matter satisfactorily arranged once for all. But the once bitten Totski was twice shy, and looked for hidden snakes among the flowers. However, the special point to which the two friends particularly trusted to bring about their object (namely, Gania's attractiveness for Nastasia Philipovna), stood out more and more prominently; the pourparlers had commenced, and gradually even Totski began to believe in the possibility of success. Before long Nastasia and Gania had talked the matter over. Very little was said--her modesty seemed to suffer under the infliction of discussing such a question. But she recognized his love, on the understanding that she bound herself to nothing whatever, and that she reserved the right to say "no" up to the very hour of the marriage ceremony. Gania was to have the same right of refusal at the last moment. It soon became clear to Gania, after scenes of wrath and quarrellings at the domestic hearth, that his family were seriously opposed to the match, and that Nastasia was aware of this fact was equally evident. She said nothing about it, though he daily expected her to do so. There were several rumours afloat, before long, which upset Totski's equanimity a good deal, but we will not now stop to describe them; merely mentioning an instance or two. One was that Nastasia had entered into close and secret relations with the Epanchin girls--a most unlikely rumour; another was that Nastasia had long satisfied herself of the fact that Gania was merely marrying her for money, and that his nature was gloomy and greedy, impatient and selfish, to an extraordinary degree; and that although he had been keen enough in his desire to achieve a conquest before, yet since the two friends had agreed to exploit his passion for their own purposes, it was clear enough that he had begun to consider the whole thing a nuisance and a nightmare. In his heart passion and hate seemed to hold divided sway, and although he had at last given his consent to marry the woman (as he said), under the stress of circumstances, yet he promised himself that he would "take it out of her," after marriage. Nastasia seemed to Totski to have divined all this, and to be preparing something on her own account, which frightened him to such an extent that he did not dare communicate his views even to the general. But at times he would pluck up his courage and be full of hope and good spirits again, acting, in fact, as weak men do act in such circumstances. However, both the friends felt that the thing looked rosy indeed when one day Nastasia informed them that she would give her final answer on the evening of her birthday, which anniversary was due in a very short time. A strange rumour began to circulate, meanwhile; no less than that the respectable and highly respected General Epanchin was himself so fascinated by Nastasia Philipovna that his feeling for her amounted almost to passion. What he thought to gain by Gania's marriage to the girl it was difficult to imagine. Possibly he counted on Gania's complaisance; for Totski had long suspected that there existed some secret understanding between the general and his secretary. At all events the fact was known that he had prepared a magnificent present of pearls for Nastasia's birthday, and that he was looking forward to the occasion when he should present his gift with the greatest excitement and impatience. The day before her birthday he was in a fever of agitation. Mrs. Epanchin, long accustomed to her husband's infidelities, had heard of the pearls, and the rumour excited her liveliest curiosity and interest. The general remarked her suspicions, and felt that a grand explanation must shortly take place--which fact alarmed him much. This is the reason why he was so unwilling to take lunch (on the morning upon which we took up this narrative) with the rest of his family. Before the prince's arrival he had made up his mind to plead business, and "cut" the meal; which simply meant running away. He was particularly anxious that this one day should be passed-- especially the evening--without unpleasantness between himself and his family; and just at the right moment the prince turned up--"as though Heaven had sent him on purpose," said the general to himself, as he left the study to seek out the wife of his bosom. 所有叶潘钦家的三个少女都是健康、娇艳、个子高挑的小姐，有着惊人宽阔的肩膀，丰满的胸部，几乎像男人一样的有力的双手。当然由于这种体格和力量，有时爱好好吃上一顿，而且根本不打算掩饰这种欲望。她们的妈妈，叶莉扎维塔·普罗科菲耶夫娜将军夫人有时也不赞赏她们这种赤裸裸的食欲，但是因为她的有些意见实际上早已在她们中间失去了原先无可争辩的权威（尽管出于表面上的恭敬，女儿们也接受这些意见），甚至到了三位姑娘形成的协调一致的行动常常占上风的地步，所以，为维护自己的尊严，将军夫人认为还是不争执而退让为宜，确实，性格常常不听从、不服从理智的决定，叶莉扎维塔·普罗科菲耶夫娜年复一年变得越来越任性和急躁，甚至成了个古怪的人，但是因为在她的手掌中还有个驯服温顺的丈夫，所以蓄积的过多的怨气通常便发泄至他的头上，在这以后重又恢复了家庭的和谐，一切便进行得再好也没有了。 其实，将军夫人自己也没有失去食欲，通常在１２点半和女儿们一起共进几乎像聚餐一样的丰盛的早餐。再早些，１０点正的时候，小姐们刚醒来，在被窝里要喝上一杯咖啡。她们喜欢这样，便形成了不可更改的规矩。１２点半在靠近妈妈房间的小餐厅里开饭。如果时间许可的话，将军本人有时也会来参加。这一亲密的家庭早餐除了茶、咖啡、乳酪、蜂蜜、黄油，将军夫人自己爱吃的一种特别的油炸饼、肉丸和其它食物以外，甚至还端上了浓浓的热荤汤。在我们的故事开始的那个早晨，全家正聚集在餐厅，等待答应在１２点半前来的将军，要是他迟到那怕１分钟，便会立即派人去请，但是将军准时来到了。他走到跟前问候了夫人，吻了一下她的手，发现今天夫人的脸上有某种非常特别的神色。虽然还在昨天晚上他就预感到，因为一桩“轶事”（这是他自己的习惯表达），今天一定会是这样，因此昨天睡觉时就惶惶不安，但现在仍然很畏怯。女儿们走到眼前吻了他，虽然不是对他生气，可终究也似乎有什么特别的神态。确实，由于某些情况，将军过分疑虑了，但因为他是有经验的和精明的父亲和丈夫，所以马上就采取自己的手段。 如果我们在这里停一下，惜助于某些说明来直截了当和准确无误地确定我们故事开端时叶潘钦将军一家所处的关系和情况，大概不会有损于弄清楚我们的故事。我们刚才已经说过了，将军本人虽然没有受过很多教育，相反，正如他自己说自己那样，是个“自学出来的人”，但却是个有经验的丈夫和精明的父亲。顺便说，他采取不急于把女儿嫁出去的原则，也就是“不使她们厌烦”，也不以过分操心她们幸福的父母之爱使她们不安，甚至在有好几个成年女儿的最明智的家庭里也常常发生这种由不得自己，听其自然的情况。他甚至做到了使叶莉扎维塔·普罗科菲耶夫娜也接受了自己的原则，虽然这种事总的来说是很困难的，之所以困难，是因为它不自然，可是将军的论据建立在显而易见的事实上，非常有力。再说，未婚的姑娘们被容许享有自己的意志和自己的决定后，自然地，最终将不得不自己去拿主意，那时事情就会红火起来，因为她们愿意去做，就会把任性和过分的挑剔搁在一旁，剩下来父母该做的便只是十分留神和尽量不被觉察地观察，以免做出什么奇怪的选择或者不自然的偏差，然后抓住适当的时机，一下子全力相助，并施加全部影响使事情顺利发展，最后，比如说，光是他们的财产和社会地位每年成几何级数增长这一点，就表明，时光越是流逝，女儿们也就越有利，即使作为未婚妻也是这样。但是在所有这些毋庸反驳的事实中也还有一个事实：大女儿亚历山德拉突然间、几乎完全出人意料地（常常总会有这样的事）过了２５岁。几乎就在这个时候阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇·托茨基这位有着高层关系，财富惊人的上流社会名人又流露出自己想要结婚的夙愿，此人５５岁，有着优美的性格，异常高雅的情趣。他想结一门好亲，是个不寻常的美的鉴赏家，因为从某个时候起他与叶潘钦将军已有了非同一般的情谊，特别是彼此加入了一些金融企业更加强了这种交情，所以他告诉将军，这么说吧，请求得到友好的忠告和指教：他有意与将军的一位女儿结婚，这种打算是否有可能实现？于是在叶潘钦将军宁静美满，优游舒缓的家庭生活中发生了明显的急剧转折。 家里无可争议的美人，上面已经说过，是最小的阿格拉娅。但是，连托茨基自己，这个异常自私的人，也明白，他不应该找这一个，阿格拉娅不是为他而生的，也许，出于多少有些盲目的钟爱和过分热烈的情谊，姐姐们把妹妹的婚嫁看得过高了。但他们之间的最真诚的态度事先已经确定了阿格拉娅的命运，这不是一般的命运，而是尽可能要成为人世间天堂的理想。阿格拉娅未来的丈夫应该是个完美无暇、万事亨通的人，财富就不用说了。两个姐姐还似乎没有特别多费口舌就决定；为了阿格拉娅的利益，如果必要的话，她们可以作出牺牲，并且准备给阿格拉娅一笔数目巨大、非同小可的陪嫁。父母知道两个姐姐的这一协定，因此，当托茨基请求商量这件事的时候，他们之间几乎没有丝毫怀疑，两个姐姐中的一个大概不会拒绝满足他们的愿望，况且阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇对于陪嫁是不会为难的，将军本人以其独有的精于世故立即就对托茨基的提议予以极高的评价。因为托茨基本人由于某些特殊的情况暂时对自己的步骤还采取十分谨慎的态度，还只是试探这事的可能与否，因此父母也就只是表面上建议女儿们考虑这－－还很遥远的设想。从女儿那里得到的回答，虽然也不很明确，但至少是令人慰藉的。大女儿亚历山德拉大概是不会拒绝的。这姑娘虽然性格坚强，但很善良，理智，十分随和。她甚至会乐意嫁给托茨基，而且，如果她同意婚事，就会诚实地去履行，她不喜欢炫耀，不仅没有带来过麻烦和急剧转折的危险，而且还能妥善安排好生活。使日子过得安逸宁静。她长得很好，虽然不很动人，但对托茨基来说还会有更好的吗？ 然而，事情的进展依然是试探性的，在托茨基和将军之间彼此友好地商定，时机成熟以前避免采取一切正式的，无可挽回的步骤，甚至父母也还没有完全开诚布公地跟女儿们谈这件事。于是家里似乎就蒙上了不和谐的气氛：家里的母亲叶潘钦将军夫人不知为什么变得不顺心起来，而这一点很重要。这里存在一个妨碍一切的情况，有一件难办和麻烦的事情，整个局面便因此而无可挽回地受到了破坏。 这一难办和麻烦的“事情”（托茨基自己这么称）还是在很久以前，大约１８年前开始的。阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇在俄罗斯的一个中部省份有好几处最富饶的田产，在其中一处旁边则有个穷困的小地主过着清苦贫寒的生活，此人因屡屡遭逢可笑的倒霉事而惹人关注。他是个退役军官，有着很好的贵族姓氏，在这一点上甚至比托茨基还高贵些，此人叫费利普·亚历山德罗维奇·巴拉什科夫，他一身债务，典当光家产，在一番几乎跟农夫一样的苦役般的劳作后，终于好歹安置了一份勉强能过日子的小小家业，这一微小的成功便使他异常振奋。他满怀希望，精神星烁，容光焕发，离开了村庄去县城几天，想见见一位主要的债主，可能的话，跟他彻底谈妥，他来到城里第三天，他的村长带着烧伤的脸，烧焦的胡子骑马赶来向他报告，“领地烧掉了，”昨天中午，“夫人也烧死了，而女孩还活着。”即使是已经习惯于被“命运揍得青一块紫一块”的巴拉什科夫也难以承受这样的意外变故，他疯了，过一个月便死于热病。焚毁的庄园连同沦为乞丐的农民都变卖抵偿债务，巴拉什科夫的孩子，两个小女孩，６岁和７岁，阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇·托茨基出于慷慨而收着并给以教育，她们开始跟阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇的管家的孩子们一起受教育。管家是个退职的官吏，家口颇多，还是个德国人，不久便只剩下一个小女孩纳斯佳，小的那个死于百日咳。而托茨基住在国外，很快便把她们俩忘得一干二净。过了５年，有一次阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇路过那里，忽然想起要看看自己的庄园，不料在自己的乡间房子里，在自己的德国人家里，却发现有一个非常好看的孩子，这个１２岁左右的小女孩，活泼、可爱、聪颖，定会出落成非凡的美人。在这方面阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇是个准确无误的行家；这次他在庄园只住了几天，但是却做出了安排，于是女孩的教育便发生了重要的变化，请了一位令人敬重的上了年纪的家庭女教师，她是瑞士人，有学问，除了法语还教过各种学科，在对少女进行高等教育方面很有经验。她住到了乡间屋子里，于是小纳斯塔西娅的教育便有了非同一般的改观。过了整整四年这种教育结束了，女教师走了，一位太太来接纳斯佳，她也是一个女地主，也是托茨基先生庄园的邻居，但是在另一个遥远的省份。根据阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇的指示和全权委托，她带走了纳斯佳，在这个不大的庄园里也有一座虽然不大，但是刚盖好的木屋，它拾缀得特别雅致，而这个小村庄仿佛故意似的叫做快乐村。女地主把纳斯佳直接带到这座幽静的小屋里，固为她自己，一个没有孩子的漏妇，就住在总共才几俄里远的地方，因此也搬来与纳斯佳同住。纳斯佳身边还有一个管家老太婆和年轻有经验的家庭女教师。屋子里也有各种乐器，姑娘读的精美图书，画、版画、铅笔、画笔、颜料，一条令人惊叹的小狗，两个星期后阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇本人也光临了……从那时起他似乎特别眷恋这座僻静的草原上的小村子，每年夏天都要来，作客两个甚至三个月，就这样过了相当长的时间，约四年左右，安逸和幸福，有情趣的风雅。 有一次发生了一件事，仿佛是在冬初，是在阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇夏临之后四个月。这一次他只住了两个星期，却传出了风声，或者，最好是说，不知怎么地流言蜚语传到了纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜这里，说阿法纳西·伊凡诺维奇在彼得堡将跟一位名门闺秀、富家小姐结婚，总之，是在攀一门声名显赫，璀璨光耀的婚事，后来表明这一传闻在细节上并不全都准确。这门婚事当时还只是在拟议之中，一切还很暧昧，但从这时起在纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜的命运中终究发生了异常大的转折。她突然表现出不同寻常的决心，显示出最出乎意料的性格，她未多加考虑，就抛弃了自己的乡村小屋，突然只身来到彼得堡，径直去找托茨基。后者大为惊讶，刚开始说话，却几乎从讲第一句话时起就忽然发觉，应该完全改变迄今为止运用得非常成功的表达技巧、嗓子声调、令人愉快和颇具雅兴的过去的话题，还有逻辑——一切的一切！他面前坐着的完全是一个女人，丝毫也不像他至今所了解的、七月间在快乐村才与他分手的那个女人。 这个以新面目出现的女人，原来，第一，知道和懂得的东西非常之多，多得足以让人深感诧异，她从哪儿获得这些知识，形成这样确切的概念。莫非是从少女的藏书中得来的？此外，她甚至在法律方面也懂得非常之多，纵然对整个世界还没有真正了解，但至少对世上某些事情的来肮去脉知道得一清二楚；第二，她已经完全不是过去那种性格的人，也就是不再羞怯，不再像贵族女子学校里的学生那样捉摸不定，有时是独具风韵的天真活泼，有时郁郁寡欢和想人非非，有时大惊小怪和疑意重重、有时位涕涟涟和心烦意乱－－不，此刻在他面前哈哈大笑并用刻薄恶毒的冷嘲热讽来挖苦他的是个非同一般、出入不意的人物。她直截了当向他申明，在她心里除了对他的深深蔑视，从来也没有别的感情，而且在发生第一次令她惊愕的事后立即就产生的，这种蔑视达到了让人恶心的地步。这个新生的女人宣称，无论他跟谁，即使是马上结婚，她也完全无所谓，但是，她来这里就是不许他结这门亲，是出于愤恨而不允许，唯一的原因便是她想这样做，因而也就该这样，——“嘿，那怕只是为了我能畅快地嘲笑你一通，因为现在我终于也想笑了。” 至少她是这样说的，她头脑里想到的一切，大概，她没有全说出来。但是在这个新的纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜哈哈大笑的时候，阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇暗自斟酌着这件事，尽可能要把自己多少有点散乱的思绪理出个眉目来。这种思量持续了不少时间，他深谋远虑几乎两个星期要最后做出决定，而过了两个星期他做出了决定。关键在于阿法纳西· 伊万诺维奇那时已经将近５０岁了，是个有着高贵的声望和稳固的身价的人。他在上流社会和社会上的地位很久很久前就在牢固的基础上确立起来了。正像一个上流社会的高等人理该那样，在世上他最喜欢和珍重的是自己：自己的安宁和舒适。他一生确定和形成的这般美好的生活形式是不容许有丝毫的破坏、些微的动摇的。从另一方面来说，对于事物的经验和深邃的洞察力又很快地、非常准确地告诉他，现在与之打交道的完全是个不同凡响的人物，这正是那种不仅仅是要挟，而且也一定说到做到的人，主要的是，无论在哪个面前她都决不善罢甘休，况且对世间任何东西都全然不加珍重，因此甚至不可能诱惑她。这里显然另有什么名堂，反映出某种精神上的内心的浑饨慌乱，——某种充满浪漫色彩的天知道对谁和为了什么的愤懑，某种完全超出了分寸的不满足的蔑视感，——总之，是极其可笑和为上流社会所不容的，对于任何上流社会的人来说、遇上这种情况真正是碰上魔障了。当然，凭着托茨基的财富和关系可以立即做出某种小小的、完全是无可非议的恶行，以避免发生不愉快。另一方面，很显然，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜自己是几乎无能为力来做任何有害的事情的，比如说，哪怕是从法律方面来损害他、甚至她也不会做出什么不得了的无理取闹的事来，因为她总是很容易被约制住的。但是这一切只能适用于这种情况，即如果纳斯塔拉娅·费利帕夫娜决定像一般人在类似情境中一般采取的行动那样来行动，而不过分荒唐地越出常轨。但是此刻托茨基的准确眼光于他很有用处，这使他能猜透，纳斯塔西娅· 费利帕夫娜自己也清楚地懂得，在法律上她是难以损害他的，但是她头脑中想的完全是另外的计谋……这在她那双熠熠发亮的眼睛里也看得出。她对什么都不珍重，尤其是对自己（需要十分精明睿智和敏锐的洞察力才能在这时悟到，她早就已经不再珍重自己，而他这个上流社会上无耻之辈和怀疑主义者应该相信这种感情的严肃性），她能以无法挽回和不成体统的方式来毁掉自己，哪怕是去西伯利亚和服苦役，只要能玷辱她恨不得食肉寝皮的那个人，阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇从来也不隐瞒，他是个有点胆小怕事的人，或者，最好说是个极为保守的人。如果他知道，比方说，在教堂举行婚礼时有人要杀他或者发生被社会认为是不体面的，可笑的和不愉快的这类事件，他当然是会惊恐害怕的，但这种情况下，与其说他害怕的是被杀死、受伤流血或者脸上当众被人吐口沫等等，不如说是怕用反常和难堪的方式叫他受辱。而纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜虽然对此还缄默不言，可是她恰恰预示着要这样做。他知道，她对他了如指掌，因而她也知道，该如何来击中他的要害。因为婚事确实还只是在图谋之中，所以阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇也就容忍了纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜，并且做了让步。 还有一个情况也帮助他做出了决定：很难想象这个新的纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜跟过去的她不同到什么地步。过去她仅仅是个很好的小姑娘，而现在……托茨基久久不能原谅自己，他看了她四年，却没有看透她。确实，双方在内心突然发生急剧的变化。这一点也很有关系。他想起了，其实，过去也有过许多瞬间曾经闪出过一些奇怪的念头，例如，有时看着她的那双眼睛，似乎预感到某种深幽莫测的阴郁。这种目光望着你，犹如给你出谜语。近两年中他常常惊异于纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜脸色的变化，她变得非常苍白，奇怪的是，却因此反而变得更好看了。托茨基正如所有那些一生纵情玩乐的绅士一样，开始时轻贱地认为，他把这个未经调教的姑娘弄到手多么便宜，近来他则怀疑起自己的看法来。不论怎样，还是在去年春天他就已经决定，在不久的将来要让纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜带着丰厚的陪嫁好好嫁给一个在另一个省份的明理和正派的先生（嗬，现在纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜可是非常恶劣、非常刻薄地嘲笑这件事！）但是现在阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇却为新的念头所动，甚至想到，他可以重新利用这个女人。他决定让纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜迁居彼得堡，将她安置在豪华舒适的环境之中。可谓失此得彼，可以利用纳斯塔拉娅·费利帕夫娜来炫耀自己，甚至在一定的社交圈内可以出一番风头，阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇在这方面可是很珍重自己的名声的。 已经过了五年彼得堡的生活，当然，在这期间许多事情都确定了。阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇的情况却不能令人慰藉。最糟糕的是，他的胆怯，就再也不能放下心来。他害怕，甚至自己也不知道怕什么，就是怕纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜。头两年，他一度曾经怀疑，纳斯塔拉娅·费利帕夫娜自己想跟他结婚，但出于极度的虚荣心而缄口不言，执拗地等待他的求婚。若有这种奢望是令人奇怪的。阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇愁眉不展，苦思冥想着。因为一个偶然的情况，他忽然确信，即使他提出求婚，她也不会接受他的。很长时间他都未能理解这一点。他觉得只可能有一个解释，即“受了侮辱而又想人非非的女人”的骄矜已经到了发狂的地步：宁愿用拒绝来发泄对他的蔑视，以图一时的痛快，而放弃可以永远确定自己地位和得到不可企望的显荣的机会。最糟糕的是，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜在许多方面大占上风。她也不为利益而动心，甚至是很大的好处也不能打动她，虽然她接受了提供给她的舒适，但她生活得很朴素，在这五年中几乎什么也没积蓄，阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇为了砸断自己的锁链，曾经冒险采用狡侩的手段：他藉助于圆滑练达，用各种最理想的诱惑者，不被察觉地巧妙地引诱她，但是这些理想的化身：公爵，骠骑兵，使馆秘书，诗人，小说家，甚至社会主义者一—无论谁都未能给纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜留下任何印象，仿佛她长的不是心而是石头，而感情也己枯竭，永远绝迹了。她多半过的是离群索居的生活，看看书，甚至还进行学习，喜欢音乐。她也很少跟人家结交，认识的尽是些穷困可笑的小官吏的妻子，两个女演员，还有些老大婆，她很喜欢一位受人尊敬的教师的人口众多的家庭，而这个家庭也很爱她，并乐意接待她。每到晚上常常有五、六个熟人到她这儿来，不会更多。托茨基经常来，而且很准时。最近，叶潘钦将军好不容易才认识了纳斯塔拉娅·费利帕夫娜，而在同时，一个姓费尔迪先科的年轻官员却不费吹灰之力，很容易就认识了她。这个费尔迪先科是个厚颜无耻，有伤大雅的小丑，嗜好吃喝玩乐。还有一个奇怪的年轻人也认识了她，他姓普季岑，为人谦和、举止端庄、打扮讲究、出身穷困，如今却成了高利贷者。终于，加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁诺维奇也与她结识了……结果是，有关纳斯塔拉娅·费利怕夫娜形成了一种奇怪的名声：大家都知道了她的美貌，但仅此而已，谁也不能炫耀什么，谁也不能胡说什么。这样的名声、她的教养，典雅的风度、机敏的谈吐——这一切最终使阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇确信可以实施一个计划，也就在这时，叶潘钦将军本人开始以十分积极的异常关切的态度参预了这件事。 当托茨墓非常殷切友好地与将军商讨有关他的上位女儿的婚事时，就立即以最高尚的方式做了最充分和坦率的表白。他开诚布公说，他已经决心不惜任何手段来获取自己的自由；即使纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜自己对他申明，今后完全不会去打扰他，他也不会放心；对于他来说光有话还不够，他需要最充分的保障。他们商量好，决定共同行动。最初应该尝试用最温和的手段来触动所谓“高尚的心弦”。他们俩到纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜那儿去，托茨基开门见山对她说，对于自己的状态他已到了无法忍受的可怕地步；他把一切归咎于自己；他坦率地说，他并不后悔最初与她发生的行为，因为他是个积习难改的好色之徒，难以自制，但现在他想结婚，而这桩极为体面的上流社会的婚事的全部命运都掌握在她的手中；一句话，他期待着她那高尚心灵赐予的一切。接着是叶潘钦将军说，作为父亲，他讲得通情达理，避免感情用事，他只提到，他完全承认纳斯塔拉娅·费利帕夫娜有权决定阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇的命运。将军乖巧地显示了自己的谦恭态度；表面上给人这样一种印象；他的一个女儿，也许还包括另两个女儿的命运现在就取决于她的决定。对于纳斯塔拉娅·费利帕夫娜的问题：“他们到底想要她做什么。”，托茨基仍以原先那种赤棵裸的直言不讳对她说，还是在五年以前他就对她的生活态度非常惊骇，甚至直到现在，只要纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜不嫁人，他就不能完全放心。他又立即补充说，这一请求从他这方面来说，如果没有有关她的若干理由，当然是很荒谬的。他很好地注意到并且明确地了解到有一位年轻人，他有很好的姓氏，生活在非常值得尊敬的家庭里，这就是加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁诺维奇·伊沃尔金，她认识他并接待他。这位年轻人早就已经一往情深，热烈地爱上了她，当然，只要有一丝希望得到她的青睐，他会奉献出一半生命。这是加夫里拉，阿尔达利翁诺维奇还在很久前出于交情和年轻纯洁的心灵亲口对他阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇做这番表露的，关于这一点有恩于年轻人的伊凡·费奥多罗维奇也早已知道的。最后，如果他阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇没有弄错的话，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜本人也是早就明了年轻人的爱情的。他甚至觉得，她是宽容大度地看待这一爱情的。当然，他比所有的人更难开口谈这件事。但是，如果纳斯塔拉娅·费利帕夫娜愿意承认，在他托茨基身上除了自私和想安排自己的命运外也还有那么一点要为她做好事的愿望，那么她就会理解，看到她的孤独、他早就感到很奇怪，甚至心头很沉重，因为她只把生活看得渺茫黯淡，完全不相信可以过一种新的生活，而在爱情中，在家庭中她是能够使美好的生活获得新生的，从而也就会有新的人生目的；还因为她这样是毁灭才能，也许是卓越的才能，对自己的忧郁寂寞孤芳自赏，总之，甚至还有点浪漫蒂克，这是与纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜健全的理智、高尚的心灵不相配的，阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇又重复说，他比别人更难以启日。他结束说，他不会放弃希望：如果他真诚地表示自己愿意保障她未来的命运并且提供给她七万五千卢布，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜将不会以蔑视相报。他还补充说明，在他的遗嘱里反正已经确认这一笔卢布是属于她的，总之，这根本不是什么补偿……说到底，为什么不允许和不宽恕他的作人的愿望，哪怕是以此能减轻他良心的重负，等等，等等，一切在类似场合下这个话题的话都说了。阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇说了很长时间，说得娓娓动听，而且仿佛是顺便说到一个非同寻常的情况：关于这七万五千卢布的事他现在是第一次提到，甚至连此刻坐在这儿的伊万·费奥多罗维奇本人以前也不知道这一点，总之；没有一个人知道。 纳斯塔拉娅·费利帕夫娜的回答使这两位朋友大力吃惊。 在她身上不仅觉察不到哪怕是一丝原先的嘲笑，原先的敌意和仇恨、原先的纵声大笑（只要一想起这笑声，至今托茨基都会感到阵阵寒意，砭人肌骨），相反，她仿佛很高兴她终于能跟人坦诚和友好地谈一谈。她表白说，她自己早就想请教得到友好的忠告，只是孤做妨碍她这样做，但现在坚冰已被打碎，这就再好也没有了。开始她是忧郁地微笑，后来则是快活而调皮地大笑了一通。她又说，无论如何已不存在过去的风暴，她早已多多少少改变了自己对事物的看法，虽然在内心她并没有改变自己，但毕竟不得不容忍许许多多既成的事实；已经做了的就是做了，已经过去的就是过去了，因此阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇还依然这么大惊小怪，她甚至感到诧异，这时她又转向伊万·费奥多罗维奇，用一副深为敬重的样子对他说，她早就听说了许多关于他的女儿们的事，井早已习惯于深深地、真挚地尊敬她们。要是她能为她们效劳，仅仅这一念头对她来说好像就是幸福和骄傲。她现在苦恼、寂寞，很寂寞，这是真的；阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇猜到了她的愿望；她认识到新的生活目的后，纵然不是在爱情上，就建立家庭而言，她也愿意使生活获得新生；至于说到加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁诺维奇，她几乎不好说什么。确实，他似乎是爱她的；她感到，如果她能相信她对她的眷恋是矢志不移的，那么她自己也会爱上他的；但是，即使他一片真心，毕竟大年轻；马上要做决定是困艰的。其实，她最喜欢的是，他在工作，劳动，一人肩负起全家的生活。她听说，他是个有魄力的、高傲的人，想要功名，想要博取地位。她也听说，加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁诺维奇的母亲尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜·伊沃尔金娜是个非常好的、非常令人尊敬的妇女；他的妹妹瓦尔瓦拉·阿尔达利翁诺夫娜是个非常出众的、坚毅刚强的姑娘；她是从普季岑那里听了许多关于她的情况。她听说，她们勇敢地承受着自己的不幸；．她很愿意认识她们，但她们是否在意在家里接待她，这还是个问题。总的来说，她没有说任何反对这桩婚姻可能性的话，但是对这件事还应该好好想想；她希望不要催促她。关于七万五千卢布，阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇难以启齿是完全不必要的，她自己也明白这些钱的价值，当然，她会收下的。她感谢阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇考虑缜密，感谢他不仅对加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁诺维奇，甚至对将军也没有提及此事，但是，为什么不让加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁诺维奇早点知道这件事呢？她接受这笔钱，走进他们的家庭，是没什么可以感到羞耻的。不管怎么样，她无意于为任何事向任何人去请求原谅，她希望他们知道这一点，在没有确信加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁诺维奇和他的家庭对她没有暗存芥蒂之前，她是不会嫁给他的。无论怎样，她认为自己是没有丝毫过错的，因此最好是让加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁诺维奇知道，这整整五年在彼得堡她是靠什么度过的，与阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇是什么关系，是否积攒了许多财产。最后，如果她现在接受了一笔钱，那也根本不是作为对她处女的耻辱的酬报（这方面她是无辜的），那只是对她那被摧残扭曲的命运的补偿。 在说到末了的时候，她甚至颇为激昂和愤然（其实，这也很自然），以致叶潘钦将军倒很满意，认为事情有了彻底了结；但一度感到惊骇的托茨基到现在也不完全相信，而且长久地害怕，在花丛下面是否藏有毒蛇。但是还是开始了谈判；两位朋友整个策略立足的基点，也就是使纳斯塔西娅·费利帕多娜钟情于加尼亚这种可能性，逐渐变得明朗、确实，因而连托茨基有时也开始相信事情有可能取得成功。同时，纳斯塔拉娅·费利帕夫娜对加尼亚作了说明：她话说得很少，仿佛讲话使她的贞洁蒙受了损害。但是，她同意和允许他爱她，可又坚决声明，她不想受到任何束缚；直至婚礼前（如果举行婚礼的话）她仍保留说“不”的权利，哪怕是在最后那一刻；她也给加尼亚完全同等的权利。不久加尼亚通过热心帮忙的人明确地了解到，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜已经纤悉无遗地知道了他全家对这桩婚事以及对她本人的反感，因此而发生家庭口角；虽然他每天都等待着，她自己对他却只字不提这件事。其实，有关这次说媒及谈判显露出来的种种故事和情况，本来还可以说上更多，但就这样我们已经说远了，加上有些情况还只是十分模棱两可的传闻。比方说，托茨基似乎不知从哪儿了解到，纳斯塔西娜·费利帕夫娜与叶潘钦小姐们建立起某种暧昧的、对大家都保密的关系一这完全是难以置信的。因而他不由地要相信另一种传闻，并且怕得做恶梦一样：他听了当真的，说什么纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜似乎非常清楚地知道，加尼亚只是跟钱结婚，加尼亚有一颗卑鄙肮脏，贪得无厌、急不可耐、嫉妒眼馋和无与伦比地自尊的灵魂；虽然过去加尼亚确实热烈地要征服纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜，但当两位朋友决定利用双方刚开始产生的热情来为自己的利益服务，把纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜卖给他当合法妻子，以此收买加尼亚，这时他则如梦魔一样憎恶起她来，在他的心里仿佛奇怪地融合了激情和憎恨两种感情，尽管他在经过了苦恼的犹豫滂惶之后同意了跟这个“下流的女人”结婚，但是他自己在心里发誓要为此向她进行令她痛苦的报复，如他自己所说的，今后叫她“瞧厉害的”。所有这一切纳斯塔拉娅·费利帕夫娜似乎都知道，并且暗底里也做着什么准备。托茨基已经胆怯心虚得连对叶潘钦也不再诉说自己的惶恐不安。

Part 1 Chapter 5 Mrs. General Epanchin was a proud woman by nature. What must her feelings have been when she heard that Prince Muishkin, the last of his and her line, had arrived in beggar's guise, a wretched idiot, a recipient of charity--all of which details the general gave out for greater effect! He was anxious to steal her interest at the first swoop, so as to distract her thoughts from other matters nearer home. Mrs. Epanchin was in the habit of holding herself very straight, and staring before her, without speaking, in moments of excitement. She was a fine woman of the same age as her husband, with a slightly hooked nose, a high, narrow forehead, thick hair turning a little grey, and a sallow complexion. Her eyes were grey and wore a very curious expression at times. She believed them to be most effective--a belief that nothing could alter. "What, receive him! Now, at once?" asked Mrs. Epanchin, gazing vaguely at her husband as he stood fidgeting before her. "Oh, dear me, I assure you there is no need to stand on ceremony with him," the general explained hastily. "He is quite a child, not to say a pathetic-looking creature. He has fits of some sort, and has just arrived from Switzerland, straight from the station, dressed like a German and without a farthing in his pocket. I gave him twenty-five roubles to go on with, and am going to find him some easy place in one of the government offices. I should like you to ply him well with the victuals, my dears, for I should think he must be very hungry." "You astonish me," said the lady, gazing as before. "Fits, and hungry too! What sort of fits?" "Oh, they don't come on frequently, besides, he's a regular child, though he seems to be fairly educated. I should like you, if possible, my dears," the general added, making slowly for the door, "to put him through his paces a bit, and see what he is good for. I think you should be kind to him; it is a good deed, you know--however, just as you like, of course--but he is a sort of relation, remember, and I thought it might interest you to see the young fellow, seeing that this is so." "Oh, of course, mamma, if we needn't stand on ceremony with him, we must give the poor fellow something to eat after his journey; especially as he has not the least idea where to go to," said Alexandra, the eldest of the girls. "Besides, he's quite a child; we can entertain him with a little hide-and-seek, in case of need," said Adelaida. "Hide-and-seek? What do you mean?" inquired Mrs. Epanchin. "Oh, do stop pretending, mamma," cried Aglaya, in vexation. "Send him up, father; mother allows." The general rang the bell and gave orders that the prince should be shown in. "Only on condition that he has a napkin under his chin at lunch, then," said Mrs. Epanchin, "and let Fedor, or Mavra, stand behind him while he eats. Is he quiet when he has these fits? He doesn't show violence, does he?" "On the contrary, he seems to be very well brought up. His manners are excellent--but here he is himself. Here you are, prince--let me introduce you, the last of the Muishkins, a relative of your own, my dear, or at least of the same name. Receive him kindly, please. They'll bring in lunch directly, prince; you must stop and have some, but you must excuse me. I'm in a hurry, I must be off--" "We all know where YOU must be off to!" said Mrs. Epanchin, in a meaning voice. "Yes, yes--I must hurry away, I'm late! Look here, dears, let him write you something in your albums; you've no idea what a wonderful caligraphist he is, wonderful talent! He has just written out 'Abbot Pafnute signed this' for me. Well, au revoir!" "Stop a minute; where are you off to? Who is this abbot?" cried Mrs. Epanchin to her retreating husband in a tone of excited annoyance. "Yes, my dear, it was an old abbot of that name-I must be off to see the count, he's waiting for me, I'm late--Good-bye! Au revoir, prince!"--and the general bolted at full speed. "Oh, yes--I know what count you're going to see!" remarked his wife in a cutting manner, as she turned her angry eyes on the prince. "Now then, what's all this about?--What abbot--Who's Pafnute?" she added, brusquely. "Mamma!" said Alexandra, shocked at her rudeness. Aglaya stamped her foot. "Nonsense! Let me alone!" said the angry mother. "Now then, prince, sit down here, no, nearer, come nearer the light! I want to have a good look at you. So, now then, who is this abbot?" "Abbot Pafnute," said our friend, seriously and with deference. "Pafnute, yes. And who was he?" Mrs. Epanchin put these questions hastily and brusquely, and when the prince answered she nodded her head sagely at each word he said. "The Abbot Pafnute lived in the fourteenth century," began the prince; "he was in charge of one of the monasteries on the Volga, about where our present Kostroma government lies. He went to Oreol and helped in the great matters then going on in the religious world; he signed an edict there, and I have seen a print of his signature; it struck me, so I copied it. When the general asked me, in his study, to write something for him, to show my handwriting, I wrote 'The Abbot Pafnute signed this,' in the exact handwriting of the abbot. The general liked it very much, and that's why he recalled it just now. " "Aglaya, make a note of 'Pafnute,' or we shall forget him. H'm! and where is this signature?" "I think it was left on the general's table." "Let it be sent for at once!" "Oh, I'll write you a new one in half a minute," said the prince, "if you like!" "Of course, mamma!" said Alexandra. "But let's have lunch now, we are all hungry!" "Yes; come along, prince," said the mother, "are you very hungry?" "Yes; I must say that I am pretty hungry, thanks very much." "H'm! I like to see that you know your manners; and you are by no means such a person as the general thought fit to describe you. Come along; you sit here, opposite to me," she continued, "I wish to be able to see your face. Alexandra, Adelaida, look after the prince! He doesn't seem so very ill, does he? I don't think he requires a napkin under his chin, after all; are you accustomed to having one on, prince?" "Formerly, when I was seven years old or so. I believe I wore one; but now I usually hold my napkin on my knee when I eat." "Of course, of course! And about your fits?" "Fits?" asked the prince, slightly surprised. "I very seldom have fits nowadays. I don't know how it may be here, though; they say the climate may be bad for me. " "He talks very well, you know!" said Mrs. Epanchin, who still continued to nod at each word the prince spoke. "I really did not expect it at all; in fact, I suppose it was all stuff and nonsense on the general's part, as usual. Eat away, prince, and tell me where you were born, and where you were brought up. I wish to know all about you, you interest me very much!" The prince expressed his thanks once more, and eating heartily the while, recommenced the narrative of his life in Switzerland, all of which we have heard before. Mrs. Epanchin became more and more pleased with her guest; the girls, too, listened with considerable attention. In talking over the question of relationship it turned out that the prince was very well up in the matter and knew his pedigree off by heart. It was found that scarcely any connection existed between himself and Mrs. Epanchin, but the talk, and the opportunity of conversing about her family tree, gratified the latter exceedingly, and she rose from the table in great good humour. "Let's all go to my boudoir," she said, "and they shall bring some coffee in there. That's the room where we all assemble and busy ourselves as we like best," she explained. "Alexandra, my eldest, here, plays the piano, or reads or sews; Adelaida paints landscapes and portraits (but never finishes any); and Aglaya sits and does nothing. I don't work too much, either. Here we are, now; sit down, prince, near the fire and talk to us. I want to hear you relate something. I wish to make sure of you first and then tell my old friend, Princess Bielokonski, about you. I wish you to know all the good people and to interest them. Now then, begin!" "Mamma, it's rather a strange order, that!" said Adelaida, who was fussing among her paints and paint-brushes at the easel. Aglaya and Alexandra had settled themselves with folded hands on a sofa, evidently meaning to be listeners. The prince felt that the general attention was concentrated upon himself. "I should refuse to say a word if I were ordered to tell a story like that!" observed Aglaya. "Why? what's there strange about it? He has a tongue. Why shouldn't he tell us something? I want to judge whether he is a good story-teller; anything you like, prince-how you liked Switzerland, what was your first impression, anything. You'll see, he'll begin directly and tell us all about it beautifully." "The impression was forcible--" the prince began. "There, you see, girls," said the impatient lady, "he has begun, you see." "Well, then, LET him talk, mamma," said Alexandra. "This prince is a great humbug and by no means an idiot," she whispered to Aglaya. "Oh, I saw that at once," replied the latter. "I don't think it at all nice of him to play a part. What does he wish to gain by it, I wonder?" "My first impression was a very strong one," repeated the prince. "When they took me away from Russia, I remember I passed through many German towns and looked out of the windows, but did not trouble so much as to ask questions about them. This was after a long series of fits. I always used to fall into a sort of torpid condition after such a series, and lost my memory almost entirely; and though I was not altogether without reason at such times, yet I had no logical power of thought. This would continue for three or four days, and then I would recover myself again. I remember my melancholy was intolerable; I felt inclined to cry; I sat and wondered and wondered uncomfortably; the consciousness that everything was strange weighed terribly upon me; I could understand that it was all foreign and strange. I recollect I awoke from this state for the first time at Basle, one evening; the bray of a donkey aroused me, a donkey in the town market. I saw the donkey and was extremely pleased with it, and from that moment my head seemed to clear." "A donkey? How strange! Yet it is not strange. Anyone of us might fall in love with a donkey! It happened in mythological times," said Madame Epanchin, looking wrathfully at her daughters, who had begun to laugh. "Go on, prince." "Since that evening I have been specially fond of donkeys. I began to ask questions about them, for I had never seen one before; and I at once came to the conclusion that this must be one of the most useful of animals--strong, willing, patient, cheap; and, thanks to this donkey, I began to like the whole country I was travelling through; and my melancholy passed away." "All this is very strange and interesting," said Mrs. Epanchin. "Now let's leave the donkey and go on to other matters. What are you laughing at, Aglaya? and you too, Adelaida? The prince told us his experiences very cleverly; he saw the donkey himself, and what have you ever seen? YOU have never been abroad." "I have seen a donkey though, mamma!" said Aglaya. "And I've heard one!" said Adelaida. All three of the girls laughed out loud, and the prince laughed with them. "Well, it's too bad of you," said mamma. "You must forgive them, prince; they are good girls. I am very fond of them, though I often have to be scolding them; they are all as silly and mad as march hares." "Oh, why shouldn't they laugh?" said the prince. " I shouldn't have let the chance go by in their place, I know. But I stick up for the donkey, all the same; he's a patient, good-natured fellow." "Are you a patient man, prince? I ask out of curiosity," said Mrs. Epanchin. All laughed again. "Oh, that wretched donkey again, I see!" cried the lady. "I assure you, prince, I was not guilty of the least--" "Insinuation? Oh! I assure you, I take your word for it." And the prince continued laughing merrily. "I must say it's very nice of you to laugh. I see you really are a kind-hearted fellow," said Mrs. Epanchin. "I'm not always kind, though." "I am kind myself, and ALWAYS kind too, if you please!" she retorted, unexpectedly; "and that is my chief fault, for one ought not to be always kind. I am often angry with these girls and their father; but the worst of it is, I am always kindest when I am cross. I was very angry just before you came, and Aglaya there read me a lesson--thanks, Aglaya, dear--come and kiss me--there--that's enough" she added, as Aglaya came forward and kissed her lips and then her hand. "Now then, go on, prince. Perhaps you can think of something more exciting than about the donkey, eh?" "I must say, again, I can't understand how you can expect anyone to tell you stories straight away, so," said Adelaida. "I know I never could!" "Yes, but the prince can, because he is clever--cleverer than you are by ten or twenty times, if you like. There, that's so, prince; and seriously, let's drop the donkey now--what else did you see abroad, besides the donkey?" "Yes, but the prince told us about the donkey very cleverly, all the same," said Alexandra. "I have always been most interested to hear how people go mad and get well again, and that sort of thing. Especially when it happens suddenly." "Quite so, quite so!" cried Mrs. Epanchin, delighted. "I see you CAN be sensible now and then, Alexandra. You were speaking of Switzerland, prince?" "Yes. We came to Lucerne, and I was taken out in a boat. I felt how lovely it was, but the loveliness weighed upon me somehow or other, and made me feel melancholy." "Why?" asked Alexandra. "I don't know; I always feel like that when I look at the beauties of nature for the first time; but then, I was ill at that time, of course!" "Oh, but I should like to see it!" said Adelaida; "and I don't know WHEN we shall ever go abroad. I've been two years looking out for a good subject for a picture. I've done all I know. 'The North and South I know by heart,' as our poet observes. Do help me to a subject, prince." "Oh, but I know nothing about painting. It seems to me one only has to look, and paint what one sees." "But I don't know HOW to see!" "Nonsense, what rubbish you talk!" the mother struck in. "Not know how to see! Open your eyes and look! If you can't see here, you won't see abroad either. Tell us what you saw yourself, prince!" "Yes, that's better," said Adelaida; "the prince learned to see abroad." "Oh, I hardly know! You see, I only went to restore my health. I don't know whether I learned to see, exactly. I was very happy, however, nearly all the time." "Happy! you can be happy?" cried Aglaya. "Then how can you say you did not learn to see? I should think you could teach us to see!" "Oh! DO teach us," laughed Adelaida. "Oh! I can't do that," said the prince, laughing too. "I lived almost all the while in one little Swiss village; what can I teach you? At first I was only just not absolutely dull; then my health began to improve--then every day became dearer and more precious to me, and the longer I stayed, the dearer became the time to me; so much so that I could not help observing it; but why this was so, it would be difficult to say." "So that you didn't care to go away anywhere else?" "Well, at first I did; I was restless; I didn't know however I should manage to support life--you know there are such moments, especially in solitude. There was a waterfall near us, such a lovely thin streak of water, like a thread but white and moving. It fell from a great height, but it looked quite low, and it was half a mile away, though it did not seem fifty paces. I loved to listen to it at night, but it was then that I became so restless. Sometimes I went and climbed the mountain and stood there in the midst of the tall pines, all alone in the terrible silence, with our little village in the distance, and the sky so blue, and the sun so bright, and an old ruined castle on the mountain-side, far away. I used to watch the line where earth and sky met, and longed to go and seek there the key of all mysteries, thinking that I might find there a new life, perhaps some great city where life should be grander and richer--and then it struck me that life may be grand enough even in a prison." "I read that last most praiseworthy thought in my manual, when I was twelve years old," said Aglaya. "All this is pure philosophy," said Adelaida. "You are a philosopher, prince, and have come here to instruct us in your views." "Perhaps you are right," said the prince, smiling. "I think I am a philosopher, perhaps, and who knows, perhaps I do wish to teach my views of things to those I meet with?" "Your philosophy is rather like that of an old woman we know, who is rich and yet does nothing but try how little she can spend. She talks of nothing but money all day. Your great philosophical idea of a grand life in a prison and your four happy years in that Swiss village are like this, rather," said Aglaya. "As to life in a prison, of course there may be two opinions," said the prince. "I once heard the story of a man who lived twelve years in a prison--I heard it from the man himself. He was one of the persons under treatment with my professor; he had fits, and attacks of melancholy, then he would weep, and once he tried to commit suicide. HIS life in prison was sad enough; his only acquaintances were spiders and a tree that grew outside his grating-but I think I had better tell you of another man I met last year. There was a very strange feature in this case, strange because of its extremely rare occurrence. This man had once been brought to the scaffold in company with several others, and had had the sentence of death by shooting passed upon him for some political crime. Twenty minutes later he had been reprieved and some other punishment substituted; but the interval between the two sentences, twenty minutes, or at least a quarter of an hour, had been passed in the certainty that within a few minutes he must die. I was very anxious to hear him speak of his impressions during that dreadful time, and I several times inquired of him as to what he thought and felt. He remembered everything with the most accurate and extraordinary distinctness, and declared that he would never forget a single iota of the experience. "About twenty paces from the scaffold, where he had stood to hear the sentence, were three posts, fixed in the ground, to which to fasten the criminals (of whom there were several). The first three criminals were taken to the posts, dressed in long white tunics, with white caps drawn over their faces, so that they could not see the rifles pointed at them. Then a group of soldiers took their stand opposite to each post. My friend was the eighth on the list, and therefore he would have been among the third lot to go up. A priest went about among them with a cross: and there was about five minutes of time left for him to live. "He said that those five minutes seemed to him to be a most interminable period, an enormous wealth of time; he seemed to be living, in these minutes, so many lives that there was no need as yet to think of that last moment, so that he made several arrangements, dividing up the time into portions--one for saying farewell to his companions, two minutes for that; then a couple more for thinking over his own life and career and all about himself; and another minute for a last look around. He remembered having divided his time like this quite well. While saying good- bye to his friends he recollected asking one of them some very usual everyday question, and being much interested in the answer. Then having bade farewell, he embarked upon those two minutes which he had allotted to looking into himself; he knew beforehand what he was going to think about. He wished to put it to himself as quickly and clearly as possible, that here was he, a living, thinking man, and that in three minutes he would be nobody; or if somebody or something, then what and where? He thought he would decide this question once for all in these last three minutes. A little way off there stood a church, and its gilded spire glittered in the sun. He remembered staring stubbornly at this spire, and at the rays of light sparkling from it. He could not tear his eyes from these rays of light; he got the idea that these rays were his new nature, and that in three minutes he would become one of them, amalgamated somehow with them. "The repugnance to what must ensue almost immediately, and the uncertainty, were dreadful, he said; but worst of all was the idea, 'What should I do if I were not to die now? What if I were to return to life again? What an eternity of days, and all mine! How I should grudge and count up every minute of it, so as to waste not a single instant!' He said that this thought weighed so upon him and became such a terrible burden upon his brain that he could not bear it, and wished they would shoot him quickly and have done with it." The prince paused and all waited, expecting him to go on again and finish the story. "Is that all?" asked Aglaya. "All? Yes," said the prince, emerging from a momentary reverie. "And why did you tell us this?" "Oh, I happened to recall it, that's all! It fitted into the conversation--" "You probably wish to deduce, prince," said Alexandra, "that moments of time cannot be reckoned by money value, and that sometimes five minutes are worth priceless treasures. All this is very praiseworthy; but may I ask about this friend of yours, who told you the terrible experience of his life? He was reprieved, you say; in other words, they did restore to him that 'eternity of days.' What did he do with these riches of time? Did he keep careful account of his minutes?" "Oh no, he didn't! I asked him myself. He said that he had not lived a bit as he had intended, and had wasted many, and many a minute." "Very well, then there's an experiment, and the thing is proved; one cannot live and count each moment; say what you like, but one CANNOT." "That is true," said the prince, "I have thought so myself. And yet, why shouldn't one do it?" "You think, then, that you could live more wisely than other people?" said Aglaya. "I have had that idea." "And you have it still?" "Yes--I have it still," the prince replied. He had contemplated Aglaya until now, with a pleasant though rather timid smile, but as the last words fell from his lips he began to laugh, and looked at her merrily. "You are not very modest!" said she. "But how brave you are!" said he. "You are laughing, and I-- that man's tale impressed me so much, that I dreamt of it afterwards; yes, I dreamt of those five minutes . . ." He looked at his listeners again with that same serious, searching expression. "You are not angry with me?" he asked suddenly, and with a kind of nervous hurry, although he looked them straight in the face. "Why should we be angry?" they cried. "Only because I seem to be giving you a lecture, all the time!" At this they laughed heartily. "Please don't be angry with me," continued the prince. "I know very well that I have seen less of life than other people, and have less knowledge of it. I must appear to speak strangely sometimes . . ." He said the last words nervously. "You say you have been happy, and that proves you have lived, not less, but more than other people. Why make all these excuses?" interrupted Aglaya in a mocking tone of voice. "Besides, you need not mind about lecturing us; you have nothing to boast of. With your quietism, one could live happily for a hundred years at least. One might show you the execution of a felon, or show you one's little finger. You could draw a moral from either, and be quite satisfied. That sort of existence is easy enough." "I can't understand why you always fly into a temper," said Mrs. Epanchin, who had been listening to the conversation and examining the faces of the speakers in turn. "I do not understand what you mean. What has your little finger to do with it? The prince talks well, though he is not amusing. He began all right, but now he seems sad." "Never mind, mamma! Prince, I wish you had seen an execution," said Aglaya. "I should like to ask you a question about that, if you had." "I have seen an execution," said the prince. "You have!" cried Aglaya. "I might have guessed it. That's a fitting crown to the rest of the story. If you have seen an execution, how can you say you lived happily all the while?" "But is there capital punishment where you were?" asked Adelaida. "I saw it at Lyons. Schneider took us there, and as soon as we arrived we came in for that." "Well, and did you like it very much? Was it very edifying and instructive?" asked Aglaya. "No, I didn't like it at all, and was ill after seeing it; but I confess I stared as though my eyes were fixed to the sight. I could not tear them away." "I, too, should have been unable to tear my eyes away," said Aglaya. "They do not at all approve of women going to see an execution there. The women who do go are condemned for it afterwards in the newspapers." "That is, by contending that it is not a sight for women they admit that it is a sight for men. I congratulate them on the deduction. I suppose you quite agree with them, prince?" "Tell us about the execution," put in Adelaida. "I would much rather not, just now," said the prince, a little disturbed and frowning slightly; " You don't seem to want to tell us," said Aglaya, with a mocking air. " No,--the thing is, I was telling all about the execution a little while ago, and--" "Whom did you tell about it?" "The man-servant, while I was waiting to see the general." "Our man-servant?" exclaimed several voices at once. "Yes, the one who waits in the entrance hall, a greyish, red- faced man--" "The prince is clearly a democrat," remarked Aglaya. "Well, if you could tell Aleksey about it, surely you can tell us too." "I do so want to hear about it," repeated Adelaida. "Just now, I confess," began the prince, with more animation, "when you asked me for a subject for a picture, I confess I had serious thoughts of giving you one. I thought of asking you to draw the face of a criminal, one minute before the fall of the guillotine, while the wretched man is still standing on the scaffold, preparatory to placing his neck on the block." "What, his face? only his face?" asked Adelaida. "That would be a strange subject indeed. And what sort of a picture would that make?" "Oh, why not?" the prince insisted, with some warmth. "When I was in Basle I saw a picture very much in that style--I should like to tell you about it; I will some time or other; it struck me very forcibly." "Oh, you shall tell us about the Basle picture another time; now we must have all about the execution," said Adelaida. "Tell us about that face as; it appeared to your imagination-how should it be drawn?--just the face alone, do you mean?" "It was just a minute before the execution," began the prince, readily, carried away by the recollection and evidently forgetting everything else in a moment; "just at the instant when he stepped off the ladder on to the scaffold. He happened to look in my direction: I saw his eyes and understood all, at once--but how am I to describe it? I do so wish you or somebody else could draw it, you, if possible. I thought at the time what a picture it would make. You must imagine all that went before, of course, all--all. He had lived in the prison for some time and had not expected that the execution would take place for at least a week yet--he had counted on all the formalities and so on taking time; but it so happened that his papers had been got ready quickly. At five o'clock in the morning he was asleep--it was October, and at five in the morning it was cold and dark. The governor of the prison comes in on tip-toe and touches the sleeping man's shoulder gently. He starts up. 'What is it?' he says. 'The execution is fixed for ten o'clock.' He was only just awake, and would not believe at first, but began to argue that his papers would not be out for a week, and so on. When he was wide awake and realized the truth, he became very silent and argued no more--so they say; but after a bit he said: 'It comes very hard on one so suddenly' and then he was silent again and said nothing. "The three or four hours went by, of course, in necessary preparations--the priest, breakfast, (coffee, meat, and some wine they gave him; doesn't it seem ridiculous?) And yet I believe these people give them a good breakfast out of pure kindness of heart, and believe that they are doing a good action. Then he is dressed, and then begins the procession through the town to the scaffold. I think he, too, must feel that he has an age to live still while they cart him along. Probably he thought, on the way, 'Oh, I have a long, long time yet. Three streets of life yet! When we've passed this street there'll be that other one; and then that one where the baker's shop is on the right; and when shall we get there? It's ages, ages!' Around him are crowds shouting, yelling--ten thousand faces, twenty thousand eyes. All this has to be endured, and especially the thought: 'Here are ten thousand men, and not one of them is going to be executed, and yet I am to die.' Well, all that is preparatory. "At the scaffold there is a ladder, and just there he burst into tears--and this was a strong man, and a terribly wicked one, they say! There was a priest with him the whole time, talking; even in the cart as they drove along, he talked and talked. Probably the other heard nothing; he would begin to listen now and then, and at the third word or so he had forgotten all about it. "At last he began to mount the steps; his legs were tied, so that he had to take very small steps. The priest, who seemed to be a wise man, had stopped talking now, and only held the cross for the wretched fellow to kiss. At the foot of the ladder he had been pale enough; but when he set foot on the scaffold at the top, his face suddenly became the colour of paper, positively like white notepaper. His legs must have become suddenly feeble and helpless, and he felt a choking in his throat--you know the sudden feeling one has in moments of terrible fear, when one does not lose one's wits, but is absolutely powerless to move? If some dreadful thing were suddenly to happen; if a house were just about to fall on one;--don't you know how one would long to sit down and shut one's eyes and wait, and wait? Well, when this terrible feeling came over him, the priest quickly pressed the cross to his lips, without a word--a little silver cross it was- and he kept on pressing it to the man's lips every second. And whenever the cross touched his lips, the eyes would open for a moment, and the legs moved once, and he kissed the cross greedily, hurriedly--just as though he were anxious to catch hold of something in case of its being useful to him afterwards, though he could hardly have had any connected religious thoughts at the time. And so up to the very block. "How strange that criminals seldom swoon at such a moment! On the contrary, the brain is especially active, and works incessantly-- probably hard, hard, hard--like an engine at full pressure. I imagine that various thoughts must beat loud and fast through his head--all unfinished ones, and strange, funny thoughts, very likely!--like this, for instance: 'That man is looking at me, and he has a wart on his forehead! and the executioner has burst one of his buttons, and the lowest one is all rusty!' And meanwhile he notices and remembers everything. There is one point that cannot be forgotten, round which everything else dances and turns about; and because of this point he cannot faint, and this lasts until the very final quarter of a second, when the wretched neck is on the block and the victim listens and waits and KNOWS-- that's the point, he KNOWS that he is just NOW about to die, and listens for the rasp of the iron over his head. If I lay there, I should certainly listen for that grating sound, and hear it, too! There would probably be but the tenth part of an instant left to hear it in, but one would certainly hear it. And imagine, some people declare that when the head flies off it is CONSCIOUS of having flown off! Just imagine what a thing to realize! Fancy if consciousness were to last for even five seconds! "Draw the scaffold so that only the top step of the ladder comes in clearly. The criminal must be just stepping on to it, his face as white as note-paper. The priest is holding the cross to his blue lips, and the criminal kisses it, and knows and sees and understands everything. The cross and the head--there's your picture; the priest and the executioner, with his two assistants, and a few heads and eyes below. Those might come in as subordinate accessories--a sort of mist. There's a picture for you." The prince paused, and looked around. "Certainly that isn't much like quietism," murmured Alexandra, half to herself. "Now tell us about your love affairs," said Adelaida, after a moment's pause. The prince gazed at her in amazement. "You know," Adelaida continued, "you owe us a description of the Basle picture; but first I wish to hear how you fell in love. Don't deny the fact, for you did, of course. Besides, you stop philosophizing when you are telling about anything." "Why are you ashamed of your stories the moment after you have told them?" asked Aglaya, suddenly. "How silly you are!" said Mrs. Epanchin, looking indignantly towards the last speaker. "Yes, that wasn't a clever remark," said Alexandra. "Don't listen to her, prince," said Mrs. Epanchin; "she says that sort of thing out of mischief. Don't think anything of their nonsense, it means nothing. They love to chaff, but they like you. I can see it in their faces--I know their faces." "I know their faces, too," said the prince, with a peculiar stress on the words. "How so?" asked Adelaida, with curiosity. "What do YOU know about our faces?" exclaimed the other two, in chorus. But the prince was silent and serious. All awaited his reply. "I'll tell you afterwards," he said quietly. "Ah, you want to arouse our curiosity!" said Aglaya. "And how terribly solemn you are about it!" "Very well," interrupted Adelaida, "then if you can read faces so well, you must have been in love. Come now; I've guessed--let's have the secret!" "I have not been in love," said the prince, as quietly and seriously as before. "I have been happy in another way." "How, how?" "Well, I'll tell you," said the prince, apparently in a deep reverie. 将军夫人对自己的出身颇为自傲。过去她已经听说过有关族中最后一位梅什金公爵的事，而此刻在毫无思想准备的情况下直接听说了这位公爵只不过是个可怜的白痴并且几乎是个乞丐，穷得接受施舍，她的心情怎么样，也不难想象了。将军恰恰是想造成这样一种效果，可以使夫人一下子产生兴趣，神不知鬼不觉地把她的全部注意力转移到另一个方向去。 在极端情况下将军夫人身体稍稍往后仰，往往把眼睛瞪得非常之大，毫无表情地望着面前的人，一句话也不说。这是个身材高大的女人，与自己丈夫一般年岁，有一头夹着缕缕银丝但还浓密的深色头发，她的鼻子有点呈鹰钩状，人很消瘦，凹陷的发黄的脸颊，薄薄瘪瘪的双唇。她的额头很高，但很窄；一双相当大的灰眼睛有时会流露出最意料不到的表情。当年她曾好相信自己的目光具有非凡的滋力；这种信念不可磨灭地留在她的身上。 “接待，您说接待他，就现在，此刻？”将军夫人朝在她面前显得忙乱的伊万·费奥多罗维奇竭力瞪大眼睛说。 “哦，对这一点可以无须任何礼节，只要你，我的朋友，愿意见他，”将军急忙解释说，“他完全是个孩子，甚至很让人爱怜；他有一种什么毛病会发作；现在从瑞士来，刚下火车，穿得很怪，似乎像德国人的装束，此外身无分文，确是这样；差点就要哭出来了，我送给他２５个卢布，还想替他在我们机关里谋个文书的职位，而你们，ｍｃｒｓｄａｍｅｓ，＊请招待他吃一顿，因为他好像饿着肚子……” “您真让我吃惊，”将军夫人仍用原先的口气说，“饿着肚子和有病会发作！发什么病？” “哦，毛病不常发作，再说他几乎就像个孩子，不过，他是受过教育的。ｍｅｓｄａｍｓ；＊他又对女儿们说，“我倒请你们考考他，总得好好了解一下，他能做些什么。” “考－考－他？”将军夫人拖长了声调说着，以深为惊诧的神情又瞪起了眼睛，目光从女儿身上移到丈夫身上，又回过去。 “啊，我的朋友，别想到那层意思上去……其实，随你便；我的意思只是亲切地对待他，让他到我们这儿来，因为这差不多是做件好事。” “让他到我们这儿来？从瑞士搬来？！” “瑞士是没有什么干系的，其实，我再说一遍，随你，我不过是因为，第一，他与你是同姓，也许，还是亲戚，第二，他不知道何处安身。我甚至还以为，你多少会有兴趣的，因为毕竟出自同姓嘛。” “妈妈，既然对他可以不必拘礼，就不用说了；何况他从旅途上来，想要吃东西了，既然他不知道去哪儿落脚，为什么不让他好好吃一顿呢？”大女儿亚历山德拉说。 “再说他还完全是个孩子，还可以跟他玩捉迷藏。” “玩捉迷藏？” “哎哟，妈妈，请别装糊涂了，”阿格拉娅气恼地打断说。 中间的女儿阿杰莱达是个爱笑的姑娘，这时忍不住哈哈大笑起来。 “爸爸，叫他进来吧，妈妈同意了，”阿格拉娅做了决定说。将军摇了摇铃，吩咐叫公爵来。 “但是得注意，等他坐到桌边时，一定要给他脖子上系上餐巾，”将军夫 ＊此为法语，意为小姐们。 人决定说，“叫费奥多尔，或者就让玛夫拉……在他用餐的时候站在他后面，照看着他。至少在发病的时候他还安分吧？不会手舞足蹈吧？” “相反，甚至有着非常好的教养和优雅的风度。有时有点太单纯……瞧，这就是他本人！好吧，我来介绍，这是族中最后一位梅什金公爵，同姓，也许，甚至是亲戚，好好接待他，款待他吧。公爵，她们马上要去用早餐，就请赏光吧……而我，对不起，已经迟到了，要赶紧去……” “大家都知道，您急着要去哪里。”将军夫人傲慢地说。 “我要赶紧，要赶紧，我的朋友，我迟到了！ ｍｅｓｄａｍｅｓ，把你们的纪念册给他，让他在上面给你们写点什么，他是个多么出色的书法家呀，真是难得的！是天才；在我书房里他用古体签了：‘修道院院长帕夫努季敬呈’，……好，再见。” “帕夫努季？修道院院长？等一下，等一下，您去哪里，帕夫努季又是什么人？”将军夫人带着烦恼以及几乎是惶恐的心理执拗地向正欲逃走的丈夫喊叫着。 “是的，是的，我的朋友，古时候有过这么一个修道院院长……而我是去伯爵那里，他早就在等了，主要是，他亲自约定的……公爵，再见！” 将军快步离去。 “我知道，他到哪个伯爵那儿去！”叶莉扎维塔·普罗科菲耶夫娜尖刻地说，并气恼地把目光移到公爵身上。“刚才说什么了！”她一边不屑和懊丧地回忆着，一边开始说，“嗯，说什么来着！啊，对了，略，是个什么修道院院长？” “妈妈，”亚历山德拉刚开始说，阿格拉娅甚至跺了一下脚。 “亚历山德拉·伊万诺夫娜，别打岔，”将军夫人一字一句地对她说，“我也想知道。公爵，请您就坐这儿，就这把扶手椅，对面，不，到这里来，朝太阳，朝亮处移近点，让我能看见您。好，说吧，那是个什么修道院院长。” “帕夫努季修道院院长，”公爵专心认真地回答。 “帕夫努季？这很有意思；那么，他是个什么人呢。” 将军夫人性急地，说得又快又尖地问着一个个问题，目不转睛地盯着对方，当公爵回答时，她则随着他的每一句话点一下头。 “帕夫努季修道院长是十四世纪的人，”公爵开始说，“他主持着伏尔加河畔的一座修道院，就在今天我们的科斯特罗马省内，他以圣德般的修行而著称、曾去过金帐汗国，帮助处理过当时的一些事务，在一件公文上签过字，我看见过有这一签字的照片。我很喜欢他的字体，便临摹起来。刚才将军想看我字写得怎么样，以便为我找个差使，我就用各种不同的字体写了几个句子，顺便就用帕夫努季修道院长本人的字体写了‘帕夫努季修道院长敬呈’。将军很喜欢，于是现在又提起了这件事。” “阿格拉娅”，”将军夫人说，“记住：帕夫努季，或者最好还是写下来，不然我总忘掉。不过，我想，还有更有趣的。那么这签名在什么地方？” “好像留在将军书房里，在桌上。” “马上叫人去取来。” “最好还是给您再写一次吧，如果您愿意的话。” “当然喏，妈妈，”亚历山德拉说，“可现在最好是用早餐，我们想吃了。” “倒也是的，”将军夫人决定说，“走吧，公爵，您很想吃点东西了吧？” “是的，现在很想吃，十分感激您。” “您彬彬有礼，这很好，我还发觉，您根本不是所谓……人家介绍的那种怪人，走吧，请就坐在这里，在我对面，”当他们走进餐室后，她张罗着让公爵坐下，“我想看着您。亚历山德拉、阿杰莱达，你们来招待公爵。他根本不是什么病人，对不对？也许，也不必用餐巾……公爵，过去用餐时要给您系餐巾吗？” “过去，也就是７岁的时候，好像是系过的，现在吃饭时一般是在自己膝上放一条餐巾。” “应该这样。那么发病呢？” “发病？”公爵有些惊奇，“现在我很少发病，不过，我不知道，据说，这里的气候对我会有害。” “他说得真好，”将军夫人向女儿们说，一边继续随公爵的每一句话而频频点头，“我甚至没有料到。看来，全是无稽之谈，跟平常人一样。公爵，吃吧，再讲讲，您在哪里出生的，在哪里受教育的？我全都想知道，您使我异常感兴趣。” 公爵表示了感谢，一边胃口很好地吃着，一边重又复述了这个早晨他已不止一次讲过的一切。将军夫人越来越感到满意：姑娘们也相当用心地听着。他们算起族亲来。原来，公爵对自己的家谱知道得很清楚；但不论怎么讲，在他和将军夫人之间几乎没有任何亲族关系。在爷爷奶奶辈可能还算得上是远亲。这个没有结果的话题却使将军夫人特别高兴，因为尽管她很想讲讲自己的家谱，却始终没有机会，因此，她从餐桌旁站起身时，精神很是振奋。 “我们大家到聚会室去，”她说，“叫他们把咖啡也端到那里去，我们有这么一个公用的房间，”她一边给公爵引路，一边对他说，“不客气他说，是我的小客厅，当只有我们在家的时候，我们便聚在这里，各做各的事：亚历山德拉，就是这一个，是我的大女儿，弹钢琴，或看书，或缝衣；阿杰莱达画风景和肖像画（可没有一张是画完的），而阿格拉娅则干坐着什么也不做。我也是做起事来不顺手，一事无成。好了，我们到了；请往这儿坐，公爵，靠近壁炉些，再讲些什么。我很想知道，您叙述某件事情表达得怎么样。我想使自己完全确认了，以后见到别洛孔斯卡娅公爵夫人的时候，那是个老太太，我要把有关您的一切全都告诉她。我想让您使她们大家也产生兴趣。好，说吧。” “妈妈，这样子讲可是太怪诞不经了，”阿杰莱达指出，她那时已调整好画架，拿起画笔、调色板，着手临摹早已开始画的一张版画上的风景。亚历山德拉和阿格拉娅一起坐在一张小沙发上，双手交叉在胸前，准备好听聊天。公爵发现，大家都对他集中了特别的注意力。 “如果吩咐我要这样讲，我就会什么也讲不出来。”阿格拉娅说。 “为什么？这又有什么好怪的？为什么他会讲不出来？有舌头的嘛，我想知道他讲话的本领。好吧，随便讲点什么。可以讲讲，您怎么个喜欢瑞士，对它的最初印象）你们瞧吧，他马上就将开始讲，而且会很精彩地开始的。” “印象是很强烈的……”公爵刚开始说。 “瞧，瞧，”叶莉扎维塔·普罗科菲耶夫娜朝女儿们迫不及待地说，“他已经开始了。” “妈妈，至少您要让他说话，”亚历山德拉制止了母亲，然后又对阿格拉娅低语说，“说不定，这个公爵是个大骗子，而根本不是白痴。” “也许是这样，我早就看出这一点了，”阿格拉娅回答说，“他这样演戏是很卑鄙的。他这样做想赢得什么好处不成？” “最初的印象是很强烈的，”公爵重又说了一遍，“当初带我离开俄罗斯，经过各个德国城市，我只是默默地看着，我现在还记得，当时甚至什么也没有问，这是在连续发了好多次毛病以后，发作得很厉害，很痛苦，而要是病发得厉害并连续几次不断反复发作，那么我总是陷于完全愚钝的状态，全然失去了记忆，尽管头脑还在工作，但是思维的逻辑流程仿佛中断了。我不能把两三个以上的思想串联起来，我觉得是这样的。等毛病缓解平息，我又变得健康强壮，就像现在这样。我记得，当时我的忧郁是难以忍受的；我甚至想哭。我老是感到惊愕和惶恐不安；所有这一切都是陌生的，这使我感到非常痛苦，这一点我是明白的。什么都生疏深深地折磨着我。我从这种愚昧昏蒙的状态中完全清醒过来，我记得，是在傍晚，在巴塞尔；进入瑞士的时候，城里集市上的一头驴的叫声惊醒了我。驴子使我大大吃了一惊，而且不知怎么的我异常喜欢它，与此同时我的头脑仿佛一下子豁然省悟了。” “驴子？这可真怪，”将军夫人指出，“不过，也丝毫没有什么奇怪的；我们中有人还会爱上驴子呢，”她忿忿地看了一眼正笑着的姑娘们，说，“还是在神话里就有这种事。公爵，请继续讲吧。” “从那时起我爱驴子爱得不得了。这甚至成为我的宠物。我开始打听关于驴子的事，因为过去没有见过这种动物，很快我自己就确信了，这是非常有用的牲畜，会干活，力气大，能忍受，价格低，有耐力；就通过这头驴子我突然喜欢上了整个瑞士，因为过去的忧郁完全消失了。” “这一切非常奇怪，但是关于驴子的事可以放过去；现在换一个别的话题吧。阿格拉娅，你于吗老是在笑？还有你；阿杰莱达？关于驴子的事公爵讲得很精彩。他亲自看见过，而你看见什么了？你没有去过国外？” “我看见过驴子，妈妈，”阿杰莱达说。 “我还听见过驴子的叫声呢，”阿格拉娅附和说。三个人又都笑了起来，公爵也与她们一起笑了。 “你们这样非常不好，”将军夫人指出，“公爵，请您原谅她们，她们并无恶意。我总跟她们拌嘴，但我是爱她们的。她们轻率、肤浅、疯疯傻傻的。” “怎么会呢。”公爵笑着说，“我要是处在她们的地位也不会放过机会嘲笑的。但我还是维护驴子：它是善良和有用的人。” “那您善良吗，公爵？我是出于好奇才问的。”将军夫人问。 大家又笑了起来。 “又缠到这该诅咒的驴子上去了；对它我可想也没想过！”将军夫人喊了起来，“请相信我，公爵，我没有任何……” “暗示？噢，我相信，毫不怀疑！” 公爵不住地笑着。 “您笑了，这很好。我看得出，您是个善良的年轻人，”将军夫人说。 “有时候并不善良，”公爵回答说。 “而我是善良的，”将军夫人出人意料地插嘴说，“如果您愿听的话，我一向是善良的，这是我唯一的缺点，因为不应该一贯善良。我常常发火，冲着她们，特别是冲着伊万·费奥多罗维奇，但糟糕的是，我发火的时候心却最善。刚才，就在您来之前，我还在大发雷霆并装作什么也不明白和无法明白的样子。我往往会这样，就像个小孩一样。是阿格拉娅教我的；谢谢你，阿格拉娅。不过，这全都是无稽之谈。我看起来像蠢，女儿们也想把我说成那样，可我还没有笨到那个地步。我有性格，而且不太害羞。不过，我说这些并无恶意。到这儿来，阿格拉娅，吻吻我，好了……撤娇够了，”当阿格拉娅深情地吻了她的双唇和手之后，她说，“公爵，请继续讲下去。也许，您能想起什么比驴子更有趣的事来。” “我又不明白了，怎么可以这样一下子就能讲出来呢，”阿杰莱达又指出，“我可是怎么也找不出话立即来应付的。” “公爵就能找到，因为公爵聪明过人，至少比你聪明十倍，也许是十二倍。我希望过后你能感觉到这点。公爵，向她们证明这一点吧；请继续讲。驴子确实可以干脆不讲。好吧，除了驴子，在国外您还见到过什么？” “但是关于驴子的这番话是很有道理的，”亚历山德拉指出，“公爵非常有趣他讲了自己病中遇到的事情以及怎么通过一种外来的动力他喜欢上了一切。我对于人怎么失去理智以及后来又怎么恢复的，始终很感兴趣。特别是，如果这一切是突然发生的，就更有兴趣。” “不正是这样吗？不正是这样吗？”将军夫人气琳琳地责问着，“我看得出，你有时也挺聪明；好了，笑够了！您，公爵，好像停在讲瑞士风景的地方，讲吧！” “我们来到了卢塞恩，带我去游湖。我觉得湖的景色很美，但与此同时心情却沉重得不得了，”公爵说。 “为什么？”亚历山德拉问。 “我不明白。第一次望着这样的自然风光，我总是心里很沉重、很不安；又觉得很好，又觉得惶惑；其实，这一切还是病的缘故。” “可是，我们很想看看，”阿杰莱达说，“我不明白，我们打算什么时候到国外去。我两年都无法找到画画的素材了：东方和南方早就写遍了……公爵，为我找个画画的素材吧！” “这方面我是一窍不通。我觉得：看上一眼就可以画画了。” “我不会看一眼就画。” “你们在说什么谜语吗？我一点也不明白！”将军夫人打断他们说，“怎么不会看一眼就画？有眼睛就看呗。在这里你不会看，到了国外也学不会。公爵，最好还是讲讲，您自己是怎么看的。” “这就比较好，”阿杰莱达补充说，“公爵可正是在国外学会看的。” “我不知道，我在那里只是恢复了健康；我不知道，我是否学会了看东西。不过，我几乎一直很幸福。……” “幸福！您会成为幸福的人？”阿格拉娅喊了起来，“那您怎么说没有学会看东西？还得教教我们呢。” “请教会我们吧，”阿杰莱达笑着说。 “我什么都不会教，”公爵也笑着说，“我在国外几乎所有的时间都是在这个瑞士乡村里度过的；难得到不太远的地方去；我能教你们什么呢？开始我只是没有感到寂寞罢了；我很快就康复起来；后来对我来说每天都变得很宝贵，时间越长就越觉得宝贵，于是我便开始注意这一点。我躺下睡觉时心满意足，早晨起床时更觉得幸福。至于这一切是怎么回事，很难讲得清楚。” “所以您就哪儿也不想去，哪儿也未能吸引您去？”亚历山德拉问。 “起先，一开始，当然是有吸引力的，我也曾陷入非常心神不定的状态。老是想，我将如何生活；我想尝试自己的命运，特别是有时候往往心烦意乱得很。你们知道，是有这种时候的，尤其是单独一人的情况不会这样。我们那里有瀑布，它不大，从山上高高地飞泻而下，像一根细细的线，几乎是垂直的，--白花花的、水声喧嚣、飞沫飘溅；它从高处落下来，可使人觉得相当低，它有半俄里远，可好像离它只有的步。每到夜间我喜欢听它的喧嚣声；也正是这种时刻有时会产生极大的忐忑不安。有时候中午时，你走进山里什么地方，孤身处于群山之中，周围是松脂淋漓的古老巨松；悬崖上是古老的中世纪城堡，断墙残垣；我们的小村庄在下面很远的地方，勉强可见；阳光明嵋，天空碧蓝，寂然无声。就在这种时候，常常有一种东西始终在召唤着我到什么地方去，我总觉得，如果老是笔直走，走很久很久，走到这条线的外面，也就是天地相接的那条线外面，那么在那里就有全部谜底，马上就能看见新的生活，这生活比我们的生活要热烈、喧哗得上千倍；我一直幻想着像那不勒斯这样的大城市，那里有宫殿、喧闹，轰响，生活……是啊，幻想得不少吗！而后来我甚至觉得，在监狱里也可队找到丰富的生活。” “最后一个值得称赞的思想，在我１２岁的时候，就在我的《文选》课本里读到过，”阿格拉娅说。 “这全都是哲学，”阿杰莱达指出，“您是个哲学家，您是来开导我们的吧。” “也许，您是对的，”公爵莞尔一笑说，“也许，我真的是个哲学家，谁知道呢、也可能，实际上我是有开导的想法，这是可能的，真的，可能的。” “而您的哲学跟叶夫兰皮娅·尼古拉耶夫娜的恰恰一个样”，阿格拉娅随着就说起来，“这么一个官太大孀妇，到我家来，就如一个食客，她生活的全部宗旨就是要便宜；只想日子过得便宜些，讲起话来也尽是几个戈比的事，请注意，她可是有钱的，她是个女滑头。所以。您那监狱里的丰富生活，也许，还有您在乡村的四年幸福，也完全是这样，为了这种幸福出卖了您的那不勒斯城，好像还赚了钱，尽管只不过是几个戈比。” “关于监狱里的生活还可以不表同意,”公爵说，“我听说过一个坐了１２年牢的人的故事；这是我教授的一个病人，后来治愈了。他也曾经常发病，有时也是很不安分，哭哭啼啼的，有一次甚至企图自杀。他在监狱里的生活很抑郁，但是，请你们相信，当然并不是不值一提。他所熟悉的就只是一只蜘蛛和长在窗下的一棵小树……但是，我最好还是对你们讲讲去年我见到的另一个人。这里有一个情况很奇怪，其实，怪就怪在很少会有这样的事。这个人有一次曾跟别人一起被带上断头台，因犯有政治罪，对他宣读了熗决的死刑判决。过了几分钟又宣读了特赦令和制定另一种级别的刑罚；但是，在两次判决之间有２０分钟，或者至少是一刻钟，他是在确信无疑自己过几分钟就将突然死去的状态中度过的。当他有时候回想起当时的感受时，我非常想听他讲，我还好几次向他重新探问详情，他对一切记得异常清楚，并且说，永远也不会忘却这些分钟里的任何事情。离死刑台２０步光景，埋着三根柱子，因为有几个犯人，而在死刑台旁边则站着老百姓和士兵。头三个人被带近柱子，捆绑好，给他们穿上死衣（白色长褂），白帽子拉到他们眼睛上，免得看见熗；然后，几个人组成的一队士兵对着每根柱子站成一列，我的熟人排在第八个，也就是说，他该是第三批走到柱子跟前，神父拿着十字架挨个走到所有人面前。看来，只剩下５分钟可以活了，不会更长了，他说，这５分钟于他是个无穷的期限，巨大的财富；他觉得，这５分钟里他将度过好几生，以至眼前还没什么好去想最后那一瞬间的，因此他还做了各种支配：他估算了与同伴们告别的时间，这要用去两分钟，然后还有两分钟要用来最后一次想想自己，再后面的时间则要最后一次看看周围。他很好地记得，他做的正是这三种支配，也正是这样计算的。他２７岁，身强力壮，却就要死去；在跟同伴们告别时，他记得，还对其中一个提了个很不相干的问题，甚至还对回答非常感兴趣。然后，也就是跟同伴们告别后，则开始了他留出用来思考自己的两分钟；他早就知道，他将想些什么：他一直想尽快和尽可能明晰地想象，怎么会是这样的：他现在还存在，不活着，而过３分钟就已经什么都不是了，是什么人还是什么东西--到底是什么？在什么地方呢？所有这一切他想在这两分钟里得到解决：不远处是座教堂，它那金色的圆顶在明媚的阳光下闪烁着。他记得，他曾非常顽执地看着这金顶和它闪耀出来的光线，他不能摆脱那光线：他觉得，这些光线是他的新生，再过３分钟他将不论以什么方式与它们融为一体……来世未卜和要与这即将降临的新生离开使他感到非常可怕；但是他说，在这段时间里没有什么比一个不断萦绕的念头更使人感到心头沉重了，这个念头便是：‘如果不死就好了！如果还我生命就好了，那将是多么无穷尽呀，！而且所有这一切都将属于我！那时我就会把每分钟都当作整个世纪来用，不失去丝毫时光，每分钟都精打细算，分秒也不白白浪费！’他说，他的这种想法最后竟蜕变成一种怨恨，以至他想宁可快点把他毙了。” 公爵突然静默下来，大家都等着他继续下去和做出结论。 “您结束了吗？”阿格拉娅问。 “什么？我讲完了，”公爵从短暂的沉恩中醒悟过来，说。 “您为什么要讲这个？” “就这么……突然想起了……我就讲了……” “您很会卖关子，”亚历山德拉说，“您，公爵，想必要得出这样的结论：无论哪一瞬间都不能用戈比来衡量，有时候５分钟比一座宝藏还更珍贵。这一切是值得称赞的。但是，话说说，对您讲了这样可怕的遭遇的这位朋友怎么啦……不是对他改了刑罚，也就是赐予他‘无穷尽的生命’了吗？那么，后来他怎么处理这笔财富的呢？每分钟都‘精打细算’过的吗？” “喔，不，我已经问及他这一点，他自己对我说的，根本不是这样过的，浪费了许多许多时间。” “噢，这么说，给您的是一种经验，也就是说，真正要‘精打细算’，是无法生活的。不知为什么就是无法生活。” “是啊，不知为什么就是无法生活，”公爵重复着说，“我自己也这样觉得……可终究不知怎么的不太相信……”

Part 1 Chapter 6 "Here you all are," began the prince, "settling yourselves down to listen to me with so much curiosity, that if I do not satisfy you you will probably be angry with me. No, no! I'm only joking!" he added, hastily, with a smile. "Well, then--they were all children there, and I was always among children and only with children. They were the children of the village in which I lived, and they went to the school there--all of them. I did not teach them, oh no; there was a master for that, one Jules Thibaut. I may have taught them some things, but I was among them just as an outsider, and I passed all four years of my life there among them. I wished for nothing better; I used to tell them everything and hid nothing from them. Their fathers and relations were very angry with me, because the children could do nothing without me at last, and used to throng after me at all times. The schoolmaster was my greatest enemy in the end! I had many enemies, and all because of the children. Even Schneider reproached me. What were they afraid of? One can tell a child everything, anything. I have often been struck by the fact that parents know their children so little. They should not conceal so much from them. How well even little children understand that their parents conceal things from them, because they consider them too young to understand! Children are capable of giving advice in the most important matters. How can one deceive these dear little birds, when they look at one so sweetly and confidingly? I call them birds because there is nothing in the world better than birds! "However, most of the people were angry with me about one and the same thing; but Thibaut simply was jealous of me. At first he had wagged his head and wondered how it was that the children understood what I told them so well, and could not learn from him; and he laughed like anything when I replied that neither he nor I could teach them very much, but that THEY might teach us a good deal. "How he could hate me and tell scandalous stories about me, living among children as he did, is what I cannot understand. Children soothe and heal the wounded heart. I remember there was one poor fellow at our professor's who was being treated for madness, and you have no idea what those children did for him, eventually. I don't think he was mad, but only terribly unhappy. But I'll tell you all about him another day. Now I must get on with this story. "The children did not love me at first; I was such a sickly, awkward kind of a fellow then--and I know I am ugly. Besides, I was a foreigner. The children used to laugh at me, at first; and they even went so far as to throw stones at me, when they saw me kiss Marie. I only kissed her once in my life--no, no, don't laugh!" The prince hastened to suppress the smiles of his audience at this point. "It was not a matter of LOVE at all! If only you knew what a miserable creature she was, you would have pitied her, just as I did. She belonged to our village. Her mother was an old, old woman, and they used to sell string and thread, and soap and tobacco, out of the window of their little house, and lived on the pittance they gained by this trade. The old woman was ill and very old, and could hardly move. Marie was her daughter, a girl of twenty, weak and thin and consumptive; but still she did heavy work at the houses around, day by day. Well, one fine day a commercial traveller betrayed her and carried her off; and a week later he deserted her. She came home dirty, draggled, and shoeless; she had walked for a whole week without shoes; she had slept in the fields, and caught a terrible cold; her feet were swollen and sore, and her hands torn and scratched all over. She never had been pretty even before; but her eyes were quiet, innocent, kind eyes. "She was very quiet always--and I remember once, when she had suddenly begun singing at her work, everyone said, 'Marie tried to sing today!' and she got so chaffed that she was silent for ever after. She had been treated kindly in the place before; but when she came back now--ill and shunned and miserable--not one of them all had the slightest sympathy for her. Cruel people! Oh, what hazy understandings they have on such matters! Her mother was the first to show the way. She received her wrathfully, unkindly, and with contempt. 'You have disgraced me,' she said. She was the first to cast her into ignominy; but when they all heard that Marie had returned to the village, they ran out to see her and crowded into the little cottage--old men, children, women, girls--such a hurrying, stamping, greedy crowd. Marie was lying on the floor at the old woman's feet, hungry, torn, draggled, crying, miserable. "When everyone crowded into the room she hid her face in her dishevelled hair and lay cowering on the floor. Everyone looked at her as though she were a piece of dirt off the road. The old men scolded and condemned, and the young ones laughed at her. The women condemned her too, and looked at her contemptuously, just as though she were some loathsome insect. "Her mother allowed all this to go on, and nodded her head and encouraged them. The old woman was very ill at that time, and knew she was dying (she really did die a couple of months later), and though she felt the end approaching she never thought of forgiving her daughter, to the very day of her death. She would not even speak to her. She made her sleep on straw in a shed, and hardly gave her food enough to support life. "Marie was very gentle to her mother, and nursed her, and did everything for her; but the old woman accepted all her services without a word and never showed her the slightest kindness. Marie bore all this; and I could see when I got to know her that she thought it quite right and fitting, considering herself the lowest and meanest of creatures. "When the old woman took to her bed finally, the other old women in the village sat with her by turns, as the custom is there; and then Marie was quite driven out of the house. They gave her no food at all, and she could not get any work in the village; none would employ her. The men seemed to consider her no longer a woman, they said such dreadful things to her. Sometimes on Sundays, if they were drunk enough, they used to throw her a penny or two, into the mud, and Marie would silently pick up the money. She had began to spit blood at that time. "At last her rags became so tattered and torn that she was ashamed of appearing in the village any longer. The children used to pelt her with mud; so she begged to be taken on as assistant cowherd, but the cowherd would not have her. Then she took to helping him without leave; and he saw how valuable her assistance was to him, and did not drive her away again; on the contrary, he occasionally gave her the remnants of his dinner, bread and cheese. He considered that he was being very kind. When the mother died, the village parson was not ashamed to hold Marie up to public derision and shame. Marie was standing at the coffin's head, in all her rags, crying. "A crowd of people had collected to see how she would cry. The parson, a young fellow ambitious of becoming a great preacher, began his sermon and pointed to Marie. 'There,' he said, 'there is the cause of the death of this venerable woman'--(which was a lie, because she had been ill for at least two years)--'there she stands before you, and dares not lift her eyes from the ground, because she knows that the finger of God is upon her. Look at her tatters and rags--the badge of those who lose their virtue. Who is she? her daughter!' and so on to the end. "And just fancy, this infamy pleased them, all of them, nearly. Only the children had altered--for then they were all on my side and had learned to love Marie. "This is how it was: I had wished to do something for Marie; I longed to give her some money, but I never had a farthing while I was there. But I had a little diamond pin, and this I sold to a travelling pedlar; he gave me eight francs for it--it was worth at least forty. "I long sought to meet Marie alone; and at last I did meet her, on the hillside beyond the village. I gave her the eight francs and asked her to take care of the money because I could get no more; and then I kissed her and said that she was not to suppose I kissed her with any evil motives or because I was in love with her, for that I did so solely out of pity for her, and because from the first I had not accounted her as guilty so much as unfortunate. I longed to console and encourage her somehow, and to assure her that she was not the low, base thing which she and others strove to make out; but I don't think she understood me. She stood before me, dreadfully ashamed of herself, and with downcast eyes; and when I had finished she kissed my hand. I would have kissed hers, but she drew it away. Just at this moment the whole troop of children saw us. (I found out afterwards that they had long kept a watch upon me.) They all began whistling and clapping their hands, and laughing at us. Marie ran away at once; and when I tried to talk to them, they threw stones at me. All the village heard of it the same day, and Marie's position became worse than ever. The children would not let her pass now in the streets, but annoyed her and threw dirt at her more than before. They used to run after her--she racing away with her poor feeble lungs panting and gasping, and they pelting her and shouting abuse at her. "Once I had to interfere by force; and after that I took to speaking to them every day and whenever I could. Occasionally they stopped and listened; but they teased Marie all the same. "I told them how unhappy Marie was, and after a while they stopped their abuse of her, and let her go by silently. Little by little we got into the way of conversing together, the children and I. I concealed nothing from them, I told them all. They listened very attentively and soon began to be sorry for Marie. At last some of them took to saying 'Good-morning' to her, kindly, when they met her. It is the custom there to salute anyone you meet with 'Good-morning' whether acquainted or not. I can imagine how astonished Marie was at these first greetings from the children. "Once two little girls got hold of some food and took it to her, and came back and told me. They said she had burst into tears, and that they loved her very much now. Very soon after that they all became fond of Marie, and at the same time they began to develop the greatest affection for myself. They often came to me and begged me to tell them stories. I think I must have told stories well, for they did so love to hear them. At last I took to reading up interesting things on purpose to pass them on to the little ones, and this went on for all the rest of my time there, three years. Later, when everyone--even Schneider--was angry with me for hiding nothing from the children, I pointed out how foolish it was, for they always knew things, only they learnt them in a way that soiled their minds but not so from me. One has only to remember one's own childhood to admit the truth of this. But nobody was convinced. . . It was two weeks before her mother died that I had kissed Marie; and when the clergyman preached that sermon the children were all on my side. "When I told them what a shame it was of the parson to talk as he had done, and explained my reason, they were so angry that some of them went and broke his windows with stones. Of course I stopped them, for that was not right, but all the village heard of it, and how I caught it for spoiling the children! Everyone discovered now that the little ones had taken to being fond of Marie, and their parents were terribly alarmed; but Marie was so happy. The children were forbidden to meet her; but they used to run out of the village to the herd and take her food and things; and sometimes just ran off there and kissed her, and said, 'Je vous aime, Marie!' and then trotted back again. They imagined that I was in love with Marie, and this was the only point on which I did not undeceive them, for they got such enjoyment out of it. And what delicacy and tenderness they showed! "In the evening I used to walk to the waterfall. There was a spot there which was quite closed in and hidden from view by large trees; and to this spot the children used to come to me. They could not bear that their dear Leon should love a poor girl without shoes to her feet and dressed all in rags and tatters. So, would you believe it, they actually clubbed together, somehow, and bought her shoes and stockings, and some linen, and even a dress! I can't understand how they managed it, but they did it, all together. When I asked them about it they only laughed and shouted, and the little girls clapped their hands and kissed me. I sometimes went to see Marie secretly, too. She had become very ill, and could hardly walk. She still went with the herd, but could not help the herdsman any longer. She used to sit on a stone near, and wait there almost motionless all day, till the herd went home. Her consumption was so advanced, and she was so weak, that she used to sit with closed eyes, breathing heavily. Her face was as thin as a skeleton's, and sweat used to stand on her white brow in large drops. I always found her sitting just like that. I used to come up quietly to look at her; but Marie would hear me, open her eyes, and tremble violently as she kissed my hands. I did not take my hand away because it made her happy to have it, and so she would sit and cry quietly. Sometimes she tried to speak; but it was very difficult to understand her. She was almost like a madwoman, with excitement and ecstasy, whenever I came. Occasionally the children came with me; when they did so, they would stand some way off and keep guard over us, so as to tell me if anybody came near. This was a great pleasure to them. "When we left her, Marie used to relapse at once into her old condition, and sit with closed eyes and motionless limbs. One day she could not go out at all, and remained at home all alone in the empty hut; but the children very soon became aware of the fact, and nearly all of them visited her that day as she lay alone and helpless in her miserable bed. "For two days the children looked after her, and then, when the village people got to know that Marie was really dying, some of the old women came and took it in turns to sit by her and look after her a bit. I think they began to be a little sorry for her in the village at last; at all events they did not interfere with the children any more, on her account. "Marie lay in a state of uncomfortable delirium the whole while; she coughed dreadfully. The old women would not let the children stay in the room; but they all collected outside the window each morning, if only for a moment, and shouted 'Bon jour, notre bonne Marie!' and Marie no sooner caught sight of, or heard them, and she became quite animated at once, and, in spite of the old women, would try to sit up and nod her head and smile at them, and thank them. The little ones used to bring her nice things and sweets to eat, but she could hardly touch anything. Thanks to them, I assure you, the girl died almost perfectly happy. She almost forgot her misery, and seemed to accept their love as a sort of symbol of pardon for her offence, though she never ceased to consider herself a dreadful sinner. They used to flutter at her window just like little birds, calling out: 'Nous t'aimons, Marie!' "She died very soon; I had thought she would live much longer. The day before her death I went to see her for the last time, just before sunset. I think she recognized me, for she pressed my hand. "Next morning they came and told me that Marie was dead. The children could not be restrained now; they went and covered her coffin with flowers, and put a wreath of lovely blossoms on her head. The pastor did not throw any more shameful words at the poor dead woman; but there were very few people at the funeral. However, when it came to carrying the coffin, all the children rushed up, to carry it themselves. Of course they could not do it alone, but they insisted on helping, and walked alongside and behind, crying. "They have planted roses all round her grave, and every year they look alter the flowers and make Marie's resting-place as beautiful as they can. I was in ill odour after all this with the parents of the children, and especially with the parson and schoolmaster. Schneider was obliged to promise that I should not meet them and talk to them; but we conversed from a distance by signs, and they used to write me sweet little notes. Afterwards I came closer than ever to those little souls, but even then it was very dear to me, to have them so fond of me. "Schneider said that I did the children great harm by my pernicious 'system'; what nonsense that was! And what did he mean by my system? He said afterwards that he believed I was a child myself--just before I came away. 'You have the form and face of an adult' he said, 'but as regards soul, and character, and perhaps even intelligence, you are a child in the completest sense of the word, and always will be, if you live to be sixty.' I laughed very much, for of course that is nonsense. But it is a fact that I do not care to be among grown-up people and much prefer the society of children. However kind people may be to me, I never feel quite at home with them, and am always glad to get back to my little companions. Now my companions have always been children, not because I was a child myself once, but because young things attract me. On one of the first days of my stay in Switzerland, I was strolling about alone and miserable, when I came upon the children rushing noisily out of school, with their slates and bags, and books, their games, their laughter and shouts--and my soul went out to them. I stopped and laughed happily as I watched their little feet moving so quickly. Girls and boys, laughing and crying; for as they went home many of them found time to fight and make peace, to weep and play. I forgot my troubles in looking at them. And then, all those three years, I tried to understand why men should be for ever tormenting themselves. I lived the life of a child there, and thought I should never leave the little village; indeed, I was far from thinking that I should ever return to Russia. But at last I recognized the fact that Schneider could not keep me any longer. And then something so important happened, that Schneider himself urged me to depart. I am going to see now if can get good advice about it. Perhaps my lot in life will be changed; but that is not the principal thing. The principal thing is the entire change that has already come over me. I left many things behind me--too many. They have gone. On the journey I said to myself, 'I am going into the world of men. I don't know much, perhaps, but a new life has begun for me.' I made up my mind to be honest, and steadfast in accomplishing my task. Perhaps I shall meet with troubles and many disappointments, but I have made up my mind to be polite and sincere to everyone; more cannot be asked of me. People may consider me a child if they like. I am often called an idiot, and at one time I certainly was so ill that I was nearly as bad as an idiot; but I am not an idiot now. How can I possibly be so when I know myself that I am considered one? "When I received a letter from those dear little souls, while passing through Berlin, I only then realized how much I loved them. It was very, very painful, getting that first little letter. How melancholy they had been when they saw me off! For a month before, they had been talking of my departure and sorrowing over it; and at the waterfall, of an evening, when we parted for the night, they would hug me so tight and kiss me so warmly, far more so than before. And every now and then they would turn up one by one when I was alone, just to give me a kiss and a hug, to show their love for me. The whole flock went with me to the station, which was about a mile from the village, and every now and then one of them would stop to throw his arms round me, and all the little girls had tears in their voices, though they tried hard not to cry. As the train steamed out of the station, I saw them all standing on the platform waving to me and crying 'Hurrah!' till they were lost in the distance. "I assure you, when I came in here just now and saw your kind faces (I can read faces well) my heart felt light for the first time since that moment of parting. I think I must be one of those who are born to be in luck, for one does not often meet with people whom one feels he can love from the first sight of their faces; and yet, no sooner do I step out of the railway carriage than I happen upon you! "I know it is more or less a shamefaced thing to speak of one's feelings before others; and yet here am I talking like this to you, and am not a bit ashamed or shy. I am an unsociable sort of fellow and shall very likely not come to see you again for some time; but don't think the worse of me for that. It is not that I do not value your society; and you must never suppose that I have taken offence at anything. "You asked me about your faces, and what I could read in them; I will tell you with the greatest pleasure. You, Adelaida Ivanovna, have a very happy face; it is the most sympathetic of the three. Not to speak of your natural beauty, one can look at your face and say to one's self, 'She has the face of a kind sister.' You are simple and merry, but you can see into another's heart very quickly. That's what I read in your face. "You too, Alexandra Ivanovna, have a very lovely face; but I think you may have some secret sorrow. Your heart is undoubtedly a kind, good one, but you are not merry. There is a certain suspicion of 'shadow' in your face, like in that of Holbein's Madonna in Dresden. So much for your face. Have I guessed right? "As for your face, Lizabetha Prokofievna, I not only think, but am perfectly SURE, that you are an absolute child--in all, in all, mind, both good and bad-and in spite of your years. Don't be angry with me for saying so; you know what my feelings for children are. And do not suppose that I am so candid out of pure simplicity of soul. Oh dear no, it is by no means the case! Perhaps I have my own very profound object in view." “瞧你们大家，”公爵开始说，“现在这样好奇地望着我，要是我不来满足这种好奇心，看来你们会对我生气的。不，我是说的玩笑话，”他赶快脸带微笑补充说， “在那里……那里都是孩子，我在那里一直跟孩子们在一起，只跟孩子们在一起。这些孩子是那个村里的，有一大群，都在学校上学。我不是教他们的；哦，不，那里有一位学校的老师，叫儒勒·蒂博；我嘛，大概也算教过他们吧，但大多数情况我就这么跟他们在一起，我整整四年就是这样度过的，别的我什么都不需要。我对他们什么都讲，丝毫也不隐瞒他们。他们的父亲和亲属一直很生我的气，因为孩子们简直不能没有我，老是围聚在我身边，而学校的老师甚至干脆把我当作头号敌人。我在那里树敌颇多，全是为了孩子们，甚至施奈德也奚落我。他们干吗这么害怕？对孩子一切都可以讲--一切；有一种想法总使我震惊：大人们对孩子多么不了解啊，甚至父母对自己的孩子也是如此。对孩子什么都不该隐瞒，不要借口什么他们还小，对他们来说知道这些事情还为时过早，这种想法多么可悲和不幸！孩子们自己倒看得很清楚，父亲认为他们大小和什么都不懂，可是他们却什么都懂。大人们不知道，即使是最棘手的事孩子也能提供非常重要的建议。噢，上帝啊！当这只可爱的小鸟信任而又幸福地望着你们的时候，你们是会愧于欺骗它的！我之所以把他们唤作小鸟，是因为世上没有什么比小鸟更可爱的了。其实，村里人对我生气主要是因为一件事……而蒂博简直是嫉妒我；开始他老是摇头并感到奇怪，这些孩子在我这里怎么全部明白，而在他那里却几乎什么也不明白；后来他则嘲笑我，因为我对他说，我们俩什么也教不会他们，倒是他们会教给我们什么，他自己跟孩子们生活在一起，他怎么能嫉妒我，诬蔑我呢！因为跟孩子在一起心灵的创伤也能得到医治……在施奈德的医务机构里有一个病人，他是一个很不幸的人。他的不幸非常之大，未必还会有类似的情况，他被送来治精神病；据我看，他并不疯，他不过是十分痛苦，--这就是他的全部症结。要是你们知道，我们的孩子对他来说最终成了什么，那就好了……但最好还是以后讲给你们听这个病人的事；我现在要讲的是这一切是怎么开始的。孩子们开始并不喜欢我。 我年龄这么大，我又总这么笨拙；我知道，我也长得不好看……最后，我还是个外国人。孩子们起先嘲笑我，后来，他们看见我吻了玛丽，甚至还朝我掷石块。可我就吻了她一次……不，你们别笑，”公爵急忙制止自己听客的讪笑，“这里根本没有爱情。如果你们知道，这是个多么不幸的人，那么你们自己也会像我一样十分怜悯她的。她是我们村子的人。她母亲是个年纪很大的老太婆。在她们那完全破旧的有两扇窗户的小房子里，隔出了一扇窗户，是得到村当局允许的，他们允许她从这个窗口卖细绳子，线，烟草，肥皂，全是些卖几文钱的小东西，她也就是以此为生。她有病，两条腿是浮肿的，因此老是坐在一个地方。玛丽是她的女儿，２０岁左右，消瘦孱弱；她早就有了肺病，但她仍然受雇于许多人家，每天都去他们那里干繁重的生活--擦地板，洗衣服，扫院子，照料牲口。一个路过的法国商务代办引诱了她并把她带走，可是过了一星期就将她孤零零一人抛在路上，悄悄离开了。她一路乞讨，上下邋塌，全身褴楼，穿着破鞋，回到了家里；她步行了整整一星期，睡在田野上，得了重伤风；脚上全是伤痛，双手浮肿、皲裂。不过，她本来就不漂亮，只有眼睛是安详、善良的、天真无邪的。她寡言少语至极。有一次，还是先前的事，她在干活的时候忽然唱起歌来，我记得，大家都感到惊讶并笑开了：‘玛丽唱歌了！怎么回事？玛丽唱歌了！’--她非常窘，后来就永远保持沉默了。 那时人家还怜爱她，可是在她受尽苦难拖着有病的身子回来以后，无论谁也对她不表丝毫同情。他们在这件事上是多么残酷呀！他们在这件事上有着多么迟钝的概念呀！母亲第一个凶狠而轻蔑地对待她：‘现在你败坏了我的名声。’她第一个让她当众受辱：当村里人听说玛丽回来了，大家便跑来看她，差不多全村人都愧拢到老大婆的茅屋里来：老人，孩子，妇女）姑娘，所有的人都争先恐后急于赶来贪看个热闹，玛丽躺在地板上，就在老太婆脚跟前，饥肠槽糟，破衣烂衫的，哭泣着。当大家都跑来时，她那蓬乱的头发完全盖住了脸，就这样伏在地板上。周围大家就像看一个坏女人那样看着她；老人们斥责她咒骂她，年轻人甚至嘲笑她，女人们辱骂她，谴责她，犹如望着一只蜘蛛似的蔑视地望着她。母亲自己却容忍了这一切，她坐在那里，点着头，赞许着。母亲在当时就已病得很重，几乎就要死去了；过了两个月也确实死了；她知道自己要死，但直至临死也仍然不想跟女儿和解，甚至连一句话也不跟她说，把她赶到草棚里睡觉，甚至几乎不给她吃东西。老太婆需要经常在温水里浸泡病腿；玛丽每天给她洗脚，服侍她；她不吭一声地接受玛丽的照料侍侯，却对她没有说一句抚爱的话。玛丽承受着这一切，我认识她以后也发现了这一点，她自己也认可了这一切、认为自己是最卑贱的淫荡女人。当老太婆完全病倒时，村里的老妇们都轮流来照料她，那里是这样的规矩。于是就根本不给玛丽吃东西；而村里还老是赶她走，甚至谁也不愿像以前那样给她活干。 大家都唾弃她，男人们甚至不把她当女人，尽对她说些下流话。有时候，那是很难得的，星期天醉汉们喝够了寻开心，便仍给她一些小钱，就这么扔在地上；玛丽默默地个个捡起来。她那时已经开始咯血了。后来，她身上的破衣服已完全成了破布片，穿着它都羞于在村里露面；依然是回来后就打的光脚。就在这种情形下，特别是孩子们，成群结帮的--有４０多个小学生--开始作弄她，甚至向她投泥巴。她请求牧人让她看守母牛，但牧人赶开了她。于是她自己离开家整天地跟牛群在一起。因为她给牧人带来许多好处，牧人也觉察到了这一点，所以就不再赶她，甚至有时还把自己午餐吃剩的奶酪和面包给她，他认为这是很大的慈悲。当母亲死去时，教堂里的牧师当众羞辱玛丽而不以为耻。玛丽站在灵枢旁，仍跟原来那样，穿着破衣衫，哭泣着。许多人集拢来看，她怎么哭，怎么跟在灵枢后面走；于是牧师--他还是个年轻人，他的全部抱负是做一个大传教士--朝向大家，指着玛丽说，‘这就是这位可敬的妇女死去的原因’（这是不对的，因为老太婆已经病了两年了），‘瞧她站在你们面前，不敢朝你们看一眼，因为上帝的手指戳着她；瞧她赤着脚，穿着破衣服，这对那些失去美德的人是个例子！她是谁呢？这是她的女儿！’以及诸如此类的话。你们倒想想，几乎所有的人竟都爱听这种卑鄙的话语，但是……这时却出了一件特别的事：孩子们当时出来袒护她，因为那时他们已经都站在我这一边并喜欢上玛丽了。这是怎么回事呢？我很想为玛丽做点什么事；很有必要给她一些钱，但是在那里我从来都是身无分文的。我有一只钻石别针，于是把它卖给了一个贩子；他来往于各个村庄，贩卖旧衣服。他给了我８个法郎，实际上要值足足４０法郎。我竭力想单独遇见玛丽一个人；等了很久，终于在村外篱笆旁通往山里的一条小径上，在一棵树后面遇上了。就在那里我把８个法郎给了她并对她说，让她爱惜着用，因为我再也没有钱了，然后吻了她一下，并说，要她别以为我怀有什么不良的居心，我吻她并不是爱上了她，而是因为我很怜悯勉，还说，我一开始就认为她丝毫也没有过错，而只是个不幸的人。我很想马上就能使她得到慰藉并相信，她不应该在众人面前认为自己如此低贱，但她好象不理解。我立即就发觉了这一点，虽然她一直沉默不语站在我面前，低垂着双眼，十分羞涩。我说完时，她吻了我的手，我也当即拿起她的手想吻，但她很快挣脱了。突然这时孩子们在窥视着我们，他们有一大群；后来我知道，他们早就在暗中注意了我：他们开始打唿哨，拍巴掌，发笑声，玛丽便急忙逃跑了。我本想说话，但他们朝我扔石块。那一天全村都知道了这件事；大家又狠狠地责难玛丽，更加不喜欢她。我甚至听说，人们想判处她刑罚，但是，上帝保佑，事情总算就这么过去了；然而孩子们却老是不放过她，比过去更恶劣地作弄她，向她扔泥巴，追赶她，她则逃避他们，因为肺部有病，逃得上气不接下气，孩子们在她后面喊啊，骂啊。有一次，我甚至冲上前去跟他们打架：后来我开始跟他们谈，只要我有可能，天天都谈。他们有时候停下来听，尽管仍然还要骂人。我对他们说，‘玛丽多么不幸’；很快他们便不再骂她，并默默地走开了，渐渐地我们开始交谈起来，我对他们什么都不隐瞒，我全部对他们讲了，他们非常好奇地听着，很快便开始怜悯起玛丽来。有些孩子在遇到她时还亲切地跟她打招呼；那里的习俗是，不论认识还是不认识，彼此相遇时要鞠躬并说：‘您好’，我可以想象，玛丽一定会非常惊讶。有一次两个女孩搞到一点食物，带去找她，给了她，她们也来告诉了我。她们说，玛丽放声大哭了，还说她们现在很爱她。很快大家都开始爱她，同时也突然喜欢上我了。 他们开始常常到我这儿来，老是请求我给他们讲故事；我觉得，我讲得不错，因为他们非常喜欢听我讲。以后我学习和看书全都只是为了给他们讲故事，后来就给他们讲了整整三年。结果大家都责怪我，连施奈德也这样，指责我为什么对孩子们跟对大人一样讲话，为什么对他们什么都不隐瞒，我回答他们说，对他们撒谎我感到羞耻，不论怎么瞒他们，他们反正还是会全都知道的，大概，只知道那些肮脏的事，而从我这儿知道的则不是这些。任何人只要回想一下，他自己是孩子时是怎样的。他们不同意……我吻玛丽还是在她母亲去世前两个晕期；当牧师布道时，所有的孩子都已经站在我一边了。我立即对他们讲了并使他们明白牧师的行为；大家都很生他的气，有些孩子甚至气得用石块砸碎他的窗玻璃。我制止了他们，因为这可是粗野的行为，可马上村子里全都知道了，这下便开始指责我把孩子们带坏了。后来大家又知道，孩子们喜欢玛丽，更是万分惊慌；但玛丽已经是幸福的了。大人们甚至还禁止孩子们与玛丽见面，但他们悄悄地跑到牛群那里去找她，那是在离村半俄里的很远的地方；他们给她带去糖果，有的孩子跑去就只是为了拥抱她，吻她，对她说：‘Ｊｅ ｖｏｕｓ ａｉｍｅ， Ｍａｒｉｅ！＊”然后就赶快跑回去。玛丽因为这突如其来的幸福而差点发狂；她连做梦也想不到会这样，她觉得又羞愧又高兴，更主要的是，孩子们，特别是女孩子们想跑去转告她，我爱她并对他们讲了许多关于她的事。他们对她说，是我把一切都告诉了他们，所以现在他们也爱她，同情她，他们将永远这样对待她。后来他们跑到我这儿来，一张张小脸既兴奋又热心，他们转告我说，他们刚刚见到过玛丽，她向我致意。每天傍晚我都走到瀑布那儿去。那里有一个地方从村子方向看过来完全是隐蔽的，周围长满了白杨树；孩子们每到傍晚也跑到那里去找我，有些人还是偷偷跑去的。我觉得，我对玛丽的爱对他们来说是一种极大的满足，我在那里的全部生活中，就这一件事上欺骗了他们。我没有去说服他们，让他们相信我根本不受玛丽，也就是说我没有爱上她，我不过是很可怜她；根据一切情况来判断，我看到，他们更希望如他们自己想象的和他们彼此间认定的那样，因此我也就没有吭声并装出样子，似乎他们猜对了。 这些幼小的心灵温柔入微到什么地步呀：他们觉得，他们的莱昂＊＊就这么爱玛丽，玛丽就穿得这么糟，光着脚丫，那是不成的。请想想，他们给她搞来了鞋子，袜子，内衣，甚至还有一条裙子；他们是怎么想出办法弄到的，我不知道；全体孩子们都出了力。当我盘问他们时，他们只是快活地笑着，而女孩们拍着手掌，吻着我。有时候我也悄悄去见玛丽。她已经病得很重了，只能勉强行走；后来，完全不再帮牧人干活了，但每天早晨还是跟着牛群出去。她坐在一旁；那里一座几乎是陡直的峭壁有一块突出的地方；她就坐在那个角上的一块石头上，大家都看不到，几乎一动不动趴。从早晨坐到吝群回来的时分。她生肺病已经非常虚弱，坐在那里越来越经常地把头靠在岩石上，闭着眼睛，打着脑，呼吸很吃力；她的脸瘦得已像一个骨架，额头和双鬓则冒出虚汗。我见到她总是这样，我只去一会儿，因为我也不想让别人看见我。我一出现，玛丽立即打起颤来，睁开眼睛，扑过来吻我的手。我已经不再移开手了，因为对她来说这是幸福；我坐在那里的时候，她始终战栗着，哭泣着；确实，有几次她已开口说话，但是很难听懂她在讲什么。她常常像个失去理智的人，异常激动和欣喜。有时孩子们和我一起去。这种时候他们一般总是站在不远的地方，开始为我们警戒，免得发生什么事或被谁看到，这对他们来说是非常乐意干的事。当我们离开时，又剩下玛丽一个人，她又像原来那样一动不动，闭上眼睛，头靠在岩石上；也可能，她梦见了什么。有一天早晨她已经不能到畜群那儿去了，留在空洞洞的自家屋子里。孩子们马上就知道了，几乎所有的人这一天里都到她那里去看望她，她一个人孤零零地躺在被窝里。有两天就这些孩子们轮流跑来照料她，但是后来，村里人听说玛丽已经真的要死了，村里一些老太婆便到她这儿来守着，值班。村里好像开始可怜起玛丽来，至少已经不再像过去那样阻拦和责骂孩子们了。玛丽一直处于半睡的状态中，她睡得不安稳：咳嗽很厉害。老太婆们赶开孩子们，但他们跑到窗口下，有时只是一会儿，就为了说一句： ‘Ｂｏｎｊｏｕｒ，ｎｏｔｒｅ ｂｏｎｎｅ Ｍａｒｉｅ＊。”而她仅仅是远远地看到他们或者听到他们的声音，便全身都振奋起来，并且不听老太婆们的劝阻，用力撑坐起来，朝他们点头，表示感谢。他们像过去那样给她带来糖果，但她几乎什么也不吃。我请你们相信，因为有了他们，她几乎是幸福地死去的。因为有了他们，她才忘记了自己的苦难和不幸，她似乎从他们那里得到了宽恕，因为直至最后她都认为自己是个罪孽深重的人。他们像小鸟一样在她的窗口扑打着翅膀，每天早晨对她喊着：‘Ｎｏｕｓｔ’ ａｉｍｏｎｓ， Ｍａｒｉｅ’＊＊她很快就死了。我以为，她能活得长得多，在她去世的前夕，夕阳西下前，我顺便到那儿去；好像他认出了我，我最后一次握了她的手；她的手多干瘪呀！突然第二天早晨有人来说，玛丽死了。 这下可无法阻拦孩子们：他们用鲜花把她的整个灵枢装饰了起来，给她头上戴了花冠：教堂里的牧师已经不再玷辱死者，葬礼上去的人很少，有些人只是出于好奇才去；但当要抬灵枢时，孩子们一下子都奔过去，他们又亲自抬它。因为他们抬不动，于是便帮助抬，一直跟在灵枢后面跑着，哭着。从那时起玛丽的坟墓经常有孩子们去照料：每年他们都用鲜花装饰它，在四周像上玫瑰。但是从这次丧事后全村人因为孩子的事而开始排挤我。主谋便是牧师和学校的教师。村里甚至禁止孩子们跟我见面，而施奈德甚至担负起监察这件事的责任。但我们还是能见到，老远用手势来表达意思，他们常给我像来小纸条。后来这一切太平了，但那时我与孩子们的关系非常好。因为这种排挤，我跟孩子们反而更亲近了。最后一年我甚至跟蒂博和牧师也几乎和解了。而施奈德跟我说了和争论了许多有关对孩子们进行教育的我那种有害的‘方法’。我哪有什么方法！最后，施奈德对我说出了一个非常奇怪的想法，一那已经是在我动身离开之前了，--他对。我说，他完全确信我自己还完全是个孩子，也就是说十足是个孩子，我不过是身高和脸容像成人，至于说发育，心灵，性格，甚至可能智力，我则不是成人。而且即使我活到６０岁，今后也仍是这样。我听了哈哈大笑：他当然说得不对，因为我怎么是小孩呢。但有一点是对的，我真的不喜欢跟成年人、跟人们、跟大人们耽在一起，我早就发觉这一点了。我不喜欢，是因为我不会与他们相处。无论他们对我说什么；无论他们对我有多好，跟他们在一起，不知为什么我仍然总是感到很难受，当可以快点离开他们去找同伴时，我就非常高兴，而我的同伴总是些孩子，但这并不是因为我自己是孩子，而不过是因为孩子们对我有吸引力。还是在我开始住在村子里的时候，我一个人常去山里独自倡郁忧愁、当我子然一身徘徊时，有时，特别是中午放学时，我会遇到这一大群孩子，吵吵嚷嚷，省着书包，石板跑跑跳跳，伴随着喊叫、嘻笑、玩耍，这时我的整个心会突发出一股记望到他们那里去的欲望。我不知道为什么，但是每逢见到他们时，我便开始感受到某种十分强烈的幸福感。我停下来，看着他们闪过的永远在奔的小腿，看着一起跑着的男孩和女孩，看着他们笑和流泪（因为从学校到家里，许多人已经打过架，哭过，又和好如初，又一起玩耍），我便会愿到幸福而笑起来，那时也就会忘却我的全部忧愁。 后来，所有这三年中，我都不能理解，人们为什么要忧愁和怎么优愁？我的全部命运都维系在他们身上，我从来也没有打算过离开乡村，我头脑里也没有想到过，什么时候我会到俄罗斯这里来。我觉得，我始终将永远在那里，但我终于看到，施奈德不能总养着我，这时又突然碰上一件好像是很重要的事，以至施奈德亲自催促我动身并为我给这儿回了信。我这就要看看，这是怎么回事，并要找什么人商量商量。也许，我的命运将来会根本改变，但这毕竟不是最主要的。主要的是，我的整个生活已经改变了。我有许多东西留在那里了，留下太多了。一切都消逝了。我坐在车厢里就在想：‘现在我是到人们中间去；我可能什么都不知道，但是新生活降临了。’我决心要正直和坚定地去做自己的事。也许，跟人们相处我会感到无聊和难受。作为开端我决心跟所有的人都彬彬有礼，以诚相见；谁也不会对我有更多的奢求。也许，这里的人也把我看作是孩子，--让他们这样吧！不知为什么大家也认为我是白痴，我真的一度病得很厉害，那时倒是像白痴；但现在，当我自己也明白人家把我当白痴，我还算什么白痴呢？我每次上人家家去就想：‘这下又要把我当白痴了，可我反正是有理智的，他们是猜不到的……’我常有这个想法。我在柏林就收到了从那里寄来的几封小小的信件，他们已赶上给我写信了，只是这时我才明白，我是多么热爱他们。收到第一封信时心里非常难受！他们送我时，又是多么忧伤！还是一个月前他们就开始为我送别：‘Ｌｅｏｎ　ｓｅｎ　ｖａ，Ｌｅｏｎ　ｖａ　ｐｏｕｒ　ｔｏｕｊｏｕｒｓ’＊我们每天晚上仍像以前那样聚集在瀑布旁，老是谈论着我们即将分离的事。 有时也仍像从前那么快活；只有在分手回去睡觉时，他们开始紧紧地热烈地拥抱我，这是过去所没有的。有的孩子背着大伙儿一个个跑到我这儿来，只是为了不当着大家的面单独拥抱和吻我。当我已要动身上路的时候，大家一窝蜂地全来送我上车站，铁路车站离我们村大约有１俄里。他们竭力忍着不哭出来，但许多人忍不住，饮位吞声着，特别是女孩子。为免得迟到，我们急着要上路，但是人群中突然有个人从路中间直向我扑来，用自己的小手拥抱我，吻我，就为此使大家停了下来；而我们虽然急着要走，但大家都停下来等他做完告别。当我坐进车厢，火车启动时，他们一齐向我呼喊‘乌拉！’，久久地站在那里，直至火车完全离去。我也望着……请听着，刚才我走进这里，看了一下你们可爱的脸蛋（我现在很注意端详人们的脸），听到你们最初说的话语，从那时起我是第一次感到心里轻松，我刚刚就在想，也许，我确实是个有福之人：因为我知道，一下子就喜爱的人，是不会马上就邀见的，而我刚下火车就遇见了你们。我很清楚地知道，对大家讲自己的感情是挺不好意思的，可我却对你们讲了，跟你们在一起我并不觉得难为情。我是个孤僻的人，也许，我会很久不上你们这儿来。只是请别把这理会成有什么不好的想法：我这样说并不是不尊重你们，也请别认为，什么地方得罪了我。你们问我你们的脸相以及我从脸相上看出了什么，我很乐意告诉你们这一点。您，阿杰莱达·伊万诺夫娜，有一张福相的脸，在你们三张脸中是最讨人喜爱的。此外您长得很好看，人家望着您就会说：‘她这张脸就是一个心地善良的姐姐的脸。’您待人接物纯真开朗，但是也善于很快地了解别人的心。您的脸相我觉得就是这样的。而您，亚历山德拉·伊万诺夫娜，也有一张姣美可爱的脸，但是，可能您有某种隐秘的忧愁；您的心无疑是最善良的，但您不快活。您脸上流露出某种特别的神色，就如在德累斯顿的霍尔拜因的圣丹像。好，您的脸相就说这些；我这个相面人好不好？是你们自己把我当相面人的。现在说您的脸相，叶莉扎维塔·普罗科菲耶夫娜，”他突然对将军夫人说，‘关于您的脸相，我不光是觉得，而简直是确信；尽管您已有这么大年岁。可是在一切方面、在所有的事情上，好的方面也罢，坏的方面也罢，您完全是个孩子。我这么说，您可不会生我气吧？因为您知道，我把孩子看作什么人？请别以为，我是呆傻才这样开门见山地当面把有关你们脸相的一切话都对你们说了；哦，不，根本不是！也许，这里有我自己的思想。” ＊法语：“我爱您，玛丽！” ＊＊即指梅什金公爵。

Part 1 Chapter 7 When the prince ceased speaking all were gazing merrily at him-- even Aglaya; but Lizabetha Prokofievna looked the jolliest of all. "Well!" she cried, "we HAVE 'put him through his paces,' with a vengeance! My dears, you imagined, I believe, that you were about to patronize this young gentleman, like some poor protege picked up somewhere, and taken under your magnificent protection. What fools we were, and what a specially big fool is your father! Well done, prince! I assure you the general actually asked me to put you through your paces, and examine you. As to what you said about my face, you are absolutely correct in your judgment. I am a child, and know it. I knew it long before you said so; you have expressed my own thoughts. I think your nature and mine must be extremely alike, and I am very glad of it. We are like two drops of water, only you are a man and I a woman, and I've not been to Switzerland, and that is all the difference between us." "Don't be in a hurry, mother; the prince says that he has some motive behind his simplicity," cried Aglaya. "Yes, yes, so he does," laughed the others. "Oh, don't you begin bantering him," said mamma. "He is probably a good deal cleverer than all three of you girls put together. We shall see. Only you haven't told us anything about Aglaya yet, prince; and Aglaya and I are both waiting to hear." "I cannot say anything at present. I'll tell you afterwards." "Why? Her face is clear enough, isn't it?" "Oh yes, of course. You are very beautiful, Aglaya Ivanovna, so beautiful that one is afraid to look at you." "Is that all? What about her character?" persisted Mrs. Epanchin. "It is difficult to judge when such beauty is concerned. I have not prepared my judgment. Beauty is a riddle." "That means that you have set Aglaya a riddle!" said Adelaida. "Guess it, Aglaya! But she's pretty, prince, isn't she?" "Most wonderfully so," said the latter, warmly, gazing at Aglaya with admiration. "Almost as lovely as Nastasia Philipovna, but quite a different type." All present exchanged looks of surprise. "As lovely as WHO?" said Mrs. Epanchin. "As NASTASIA PHILIPOVNA? Where have you seen Nastasia Philipovna? What Nastasia Philipovna?" "Gavrila Ardalionovitch showed the general her portrait just now." "How so? Did he bring the portrait for my husband?" "Only to show it. Nastasia Philipovna gave it to Gavrila Ardalionovitch today, and the latter brought it here to show to the general." "I must see it!" cried Mrs. Epanchin. "Where is the portrait? If she gave it to him, he must have it; and he is still in the study. He never leaves before four o'clock on Wednesdays. Send for Gavrila Ardalionovitch at once. No, I don't long to see HIM so much. Look here, dear prince, BE so kind, will you? Just step to the study and fetch this portrait! Say we want to look at it. Please do this for me, will you?" "He is a nice fellow, but a little too simple," said Adelaida, as the prince left the room. "He is, indeed," said Alexandra; "almost laughably so at times." Neither one nor the other seemed to give expression to her full thoughts. "He got out of it very neatly about our faces, though," said Aglaya. He flattered us all round, even mamma." "Nonsense" cried the latter. "He did not flatter me. It was I who found his appreciation flattering. I think you are a great deal more foolish than he is. He is simple, of course, but also very knowing. Just like myself." "How stupid of me to speak of the portrait," thought the prince as he entered the study, with a feeling of guilt at his heart, "and yet, perhaps I was right after all." He had an idea, unformed as yet, but a strange idea. Gavrila Ardalionovitch was still sitting in the study, buried in a mass of papers. He looked as though he did not take his salary from the public company, whose servant he was, for a sinecure. He grew very wroth and confused when the prince asked for the portrait, and explained how it came about that he had spoken of it. "Oh, curse it all," he said; "what on earth must you go blabbing for? You know nothing about the thing, and yet--idiot!" he added, muttering the last word to himself in irrepressible rage. "I am very sorry; I was not thinking at the time. I merely said that Aglaya was almost as beautiful as Nastasia Philipovna." Gania asked for further details; and the prince once more repeated the conversation. Gania looked at him with ironical contempt the while. "Nastasia Philipovna," he began, and there paused; he was clearly much agitated and annoyed. The prince reminded him of the portrait. "Listen, prince," said Gania, as though an idea had just struck him, "I wish to ask you a great favour, and yet I really don't know--" He paused again, he was trying to make up his mind to something, and was turning the matter over. The prince waited quietly. Once more Gania fixed him with intent and questioning eyes. "Prince," he began again, "they are rather angry with me, in there, owing to a circumstance which I need not explain, so that I do not care to go in at present without an invitation. I particularly wish to speak to Aglaya, but I have written a few words in case I shall not have the chance of seeing her" (here the prince observed a small note in his hand), "and I do not know how to get my communication to her. Don't you think you could undertake to give it to her at once, but only to her, mind, and so that no one else should see you give it? It isn't much of a secret, but still--Well, will you do it?" "I don't quite like it," replied the prince. "Oh, but it is absolutely necessary for me," Gania entreated. "Believe me, if it were not so, I would not ask you; how else am I to get it to her? It is most important, dreadfully important!" Gania was evidently much alarmed at the idea that the prince would not consent to take his note, and he looked at him now with an expression of absolute entreaty. "Well, I will take it then." "But mind, nobody is to see!" cried the delighted Gania "And of course I may rely on your word of honour, eh?" "I won't show it to anyone," said the prince. "The letter is not sealed--" continued Gania, and paused in confusion. "Oh, I won't read it," said the prince, quite simply. He took up the portrait, and went out of the room. Gania, left alone, clutched his head with his hands. "One word from her," he said, "one word from her, and I may yet be free." He could not settle himself to his papers again, for agitation and excitement, but began walking up and down the room from corner to corner. The prince walked along, musing. He did not like his commission, and disliked the idea of Gania sending a note to Aglaya at all; but when he was two rooms distant from the drawing-room, where they all were, he stopped a though recalling something; went to the window, nearer the light, and began to examine the portrait in his hand. He longed to solve the mystery of something in the face Nastasia Philipovna, something which had struck him as he looked at the portrait for the first time; the impression had not left him. It was partly the fact of her marvellous beauty that struck him, and partly something else. There was a suggestion of immense pride and disdain in the face almost of hatred, and at the same time something confiding and very full of simplicity. The contrast aroused a deep sympathy in his heart as he looked at the lovely face. The blinding loveliness of it was almost intolerable, this pale thin face with its flaming eyes; it was a strange beauty. The prince gazed at it for a minute or two, then glanced around him, and hurriedly raised the portrait to his lips. When, a minute after, he reached the drawing-room door, his face was quite composed. But just as he reached the door he met Aglaya coming out alone. "Gavrila Ardalionovitch begged me to give you this," he said, handing her the note. Aglaya stopped, took the letter, and gazed strangely into the prince's eyes. There was no confusion in her face; a little surprise, perhaps, but that was all. By her look she seemed merely to challenge the prince to an explanation as to how he and Gania happened to be connected in this matter. But her expression was perfectly cool and quiet, and even condescending. So they stood for a moment or two, confronting one another. At length a faint smile passed over her face, and she passed by him without a word. Mrs. Epanchin examined the portrait of Nastasia Philipovna for some little while, holding it critically at arm's length. "Yes, she is pretty," she said at last, "even very pretty. I have seen her twice, but only at a distance. So you admire this kind of beauty, do you?" she asked the prince, suddenly. "Yes, I do--this kind." "Do you mean especially this kind?" "Yes, especially this kind." "Why?" "There is much suffering in this face," murmured the prince, more as though talking to himself than answering the question. "I think you are wandering a little, prince," Mrs. Epanchin decided, after a lengthened survey of his face; and she tossed the portrait on to the table, haughtily. Alexandra took it, and Adelaida came up, and both the girls examined the photograph. Just then Aglaya entered the room. "What a power!" cried Adelaida suddenly, as she earnestly examined the portrait over her sister's shoulder. "Whom? What power?" asked her mother, crossly. "Such beauty is real power," said Adelaida. "With such beauty as that one might overthrow the world." She returned to her easel thoughtfully. Aglaya merely glanced at the portrait--frowned, and put out her underlip; then went and sat down on the sofa with folded hands. Mrs. Epanchin rang the bell. "Ask Gavrila Ardalionovitch to step this way," said she to the man who answered. "Mamma!" cried Alexandra, significantly. "I shall just say two words to him, that's all," said her mother, silencing all objection by her manner; she was evidently seriously put out. "You see, prince, it is all secrets with us, just now--all secrets. It seems to be the etiquette of the house, for some reason or, other. Stupid nonsense, and in a matter which ought to be approached with all candour and open- heartedness. There is a marriage being talked of, and I don't like this marriage--" "Mamma, what are you saying?" said Alexandra again, hurriedly. "Well, what, my dear girl? As if you can possibly like it yourself? The heart is the great thing, and the rest is all rubbish--though one must have sense as well. Perhaps sense is really the great thing. Don't smile like that, Aglaya. I don't contradict myself. A fool with a heart and no brains is just as unhappy as a fool with brains and no heart. I am one and you are the other, and therefore both of us suffer, both of us are unhappy." "Why are you so unhappy, mother?" asked Adelaida, who alone of all the company seemed to have preserved her good temper and spirits up to now. "In the first place, because of my carefully brought-up daughters," said Mrs. Epanchin, cuttingly; "and as that is the best reason I can give you we need not bother about any other at present. Enough of words, now! We shall see how both of you (I don't count Aglaya) will manage your business, and whether you, most revered Alexandra Ivanovna, will be happy with your fine mate." "Ah!" she added, as Gania suddenly entered the room, "here's another marrying subject. How do you do?" she continued, in response to Gania's bow; but she did not invite him to sit down. "You are going to be married?" "Married? how--what marriage?" murmured Gania, overwhelmed with confusion. "Are you about to take a wife? I ask,--if you prefer that expression." "No, no I-I--no!" said Gania, bringing out his lie with a tell- tale blush of shame. He glanced keenly at Aglaya, who was sitting some way off, and dropped his eyes immediately. Aglaya gazed coldly, intently, and composedly at him, without taking her eyes off his face, and watched his confusion. "No? You say no, do you?" continued the pitiless Mrs. General. "Very well, I shall remember that you told me this Wednesday morning, in answer to my question, that you are not going to be married. What day is it, Wednesday, isn't it?" "Yes, I think so!" said Adelaida. "You never know the day of the week; what's the day of the month?" "Twenty-seventh!" said Gania. "Twenty-seventh; very well. Good-bye now; you have a good deal to do, I'm sure, and I must dress and go out. Take your portrait. Give my respects to your unfortunate mother, Nina Alexandrovna. Au revoir, dear prince, come in and see us often, do; and I shall tell old Princess Bielokonski about you. I shall go and see her on purpose. And listen, my dear boy, I feel sure that God has sent you to Petersburg from Switzerland on purpose for me. Maybe you will have other things to do, besides, but you are sent chiefly for my sake, I feel sure of it. God sent you to me! Au revoir! Alexandra, come with me, my dear." Mrs. Epanchin left the room. Gania--confused, annoyed, furious--took up his portrait, and turned to the prince with a nasty smile on his face. "Prince," he said, "I am just going home. If you have not changed your mind as to living with us, perhaps you would like to come with me. You don't know the address, I believe?" "Wait a minute, prince," said Aglaya, suddenly rising from her seat, "do write something in my album first, will you? Father says you are a most talented caligraphist; I'll bring you my book in a minute." She left the room. "Well, au revoir, prince," said Adelaida, "I must be going too." She pressed the prince's hand warmly, and gave him a friendly smile as she left the room. She did not so much as look at Gania. "This is your doing, prince," said Gania, turning on the latter so soon as the others were all out of the room. "This is your doing, sir! YOU have been telling them that I am going to be married!" He said this in a hurried whisper, his eyes flashing with rage and his face ablaze. "You shameless tattler!" "I assure you, you are under a delusion," said the prince, calmly and politely. "I did not even know that you were to be married." "You heard me talking about it, the general and me. You heard me say that everything was to be settled today at Nastasia Philipovna's, and you went and blurted it out here. You lie if you deny it. Who else could have told them Devil take it, sir, who could have told them except yourself? Didn't the old woman as good as hint as much to me?" "If she hinted to you who told her you must know best, of course; but I never said a word about it." "Did you give my note? Is there an answer?" interrupted Gania, impatiently. But at this moment Aglaya came back, and the prince had no time to reply. "There, prince," said she, "there's my album. Now choose a page and write me something, will you? There's a pen, a new one; do you mind a steel one? I have heard that you caligraphists don't like steel pens." Conversing with the prince, Aglaya did not even seem to notice that Gania was in the room. But while the prince was getting his pen ready, finding a page, and making his preparations to write, Gania came up to the fireplace where Aglaya was standing, to the right of the prince, and in trembling, broken accents said, almost in her ear: "One word, just one word from you, and I'm saved." The prince turned sharply round and looked at both of them. Gania's face was full of real despair; he seemed to have said the words almost unconsciously and on the impulse of the moment. Aglaya gazed at him for some seconds with precisely the same composure and calm astonishment as she had shown a little while before, when the prince handed her the note, and it appeared that this calm surprise and seemingly absolute incomprehension of what was said to her, were more terribly overwhelming to Gania than even the most plainly expressed disdain would have been. "What shall I write?" asked the prince. "I'll dictate to you," said Aglaya, coming up to the table. "Now then, are you ready? Write, 'I never condescend to bargain!' Now put your name and the date. Let me see it." The prince handed her the album. "Capital! How beautifully you have written it! Thanks so much. Au revoir, prince. Wait a minute,"; she added, "I want to give you something for a keepsake. Come with me this way, will you?" The prince followed her. Arrived at the dining-room, she stopped. "Read this," she said, handing him Gania's note. The prince took it from her hand, but gazed at her in bewilderment. "Oh! I KNOW you haven't read it, and that you could never be that man's accomplice. Read it, I wish you to read it." The letter had evidently been written in a hurry: "My fate is to be decided today" (it ran), "you know how. This day I must give my word irrevocably. I have no right to ask your help, and I dare not allow myself to indulge in any hopes; but once you said just one word, and that word lighted up the night of my life, and became the beacon of my days. Say one more such word, and save me from utter ruin. Only tell me, 'break off the whole thing!' and I will do so this very day. Oh! what can it cost you to say just this one word? In doing so you will but be giving me a sign of your sympathy for me, and of your pity; only this, only this; nothing more, NOTHING. I dare not indulge in any hope, because I am unworthy of it. But if you say but this word, I will take up my cross again with joy, and return once more to my battle with poverty. I shall meet the storm and be glad of it; I shall rise up with renewed strength. "Send me back then this one word of sympathy, only sympathy, I swear to you; and oh! do not be angry with the audacity of despair, with the drowning man who has dared to make this last effort to save himself from perishing beneath the waters. "G.L." "This man assures me," said Aglaya, scornfully, when the prince had finished reading the letter, "that the words 'break off everything' do not commit me to anything whatever; and himself gives me a written guarantee to that effect, in this letter. Observe how ingenuously he underlines certain words, and how crudely he glosses over his hidden thoughts. He must know that if he 'broke off everything,' FIRST, by himself, and without telling me a word about it or having the slightest hope on my account, that in that case I should perhaps be able to change my opinion of him, and even accept his--friendship. He must know that, but his soul is such a wretched thing. He knows it and cannot make up his mind; he knows it and yet asks for guarantees. He cannot bring himself to TRUST, he wants me to give him hopes of myself before he lets go of his hundred thousand roubles. As to the 'former word' which he declares 'lighted up the night of his life,' he is simply an impudent liar; I merely pitied him once. But he is audacious and shameless. He immediately began to hope, at that very moment. I saw it. He has tried to catch me ever since; he is still fishing for me. Well, enough of this. Take the letter and give it back to him, as soon as you have left our house; not before, of course." "And what shall I tell him by way of answer?" "Nothing--of course! That's the best answer. Is it the case that you are going to live in his house?" "Yes, your father kindly recommended me to him." "Then look out for him, I warn you! He won't forgive you easily, for taking back the letter." Aglaya pressed the prince's hand and left the room. Her face was serious and frowning; she did not even smile as she nodded good- bye to him at the door. "I'll just get my parcel and we'll go," said the prince to Gania, as he re-entered the drawing-room. Gania stamped his foot with impatience. His face looked dark and gloomy with rage. At last they left the house behind them, the prince carrying his bundle. "The answer--quick--the answer!" said Gania, the instant they were outside. "What did she say? Did you give the letter?" The prince silently held out the note. Gania was struck motionless with amazement. "How, what? my letter?" he cried. "He never delivered it! I might have guessed it, oh! curse him! Of course she did not understand what I meant, naturally! Why-why-WHY didn't you give her the note, you--" "Excuse me; I was able to deliver it almost immediately after receiving your commission, and I gave it, too, just as you asked me to. It has come into my hands now because Aglaya Ivanovna has just returned it to me." "How? When?" "As soon as I finished writing in her album for her, and when she asked me to come out of the room with her (you heard?), we went into the dining-room, and she gave me your letter to read, and then told me to return it." "To READ?" cried Gania, almost at the top of his voice; "to READ, and you read it?" And again he stood like a log in the middle of the pavement; so amazed that his mouth remained open after the last word had left it. "Yes, I have just read it." "And she gave it you to read herself--HERSELF?" "Yes, herself; and you may believe me when I tell you that I would not have read it for anything without her permission." Gania was silent for a minute or two, as though thinking out some problem. Suddenly he cried: "It's impossible, she cannot have given it to you to read! You are lying. You read it yourself!" "I am telling you the truth," said the prince in his former composed tone of voice; "and believe me, I am extremely sorry that the circumstance should have made such an unpleasant impression upon you!" "But, you wretched man, at least she must have said something? There must be SOME answer from her!" "Yes, of course, she did say something!" "Out with it then, damn it! Out with it at once!" and Gania stamped his foot twice on the pavement. "As soon as I had finished reading it, she told me that you were fishing for her; that you wished to compromise her so far as to receive some hopes from her, trusting to which hopes you might break with the prospect of receiving a hundred thousand roubles. She said that if you had done this without bargaining with her, if you had broken with the money prospects without trying to force a guarantee out of her first, she might have been your friend. That's all, I think. Oh no, when I asked her what I was to say, as I took the letter, she replied that 'no answer is the best answer.' I think that was it. Forgive me if I do not use her exact expressions. I tell you the sense as I understood it myself." Ungovernable rage and madness took entire possession of Gania, and his fury burst out without the least attempt at restraint. "Oh! that's it, is it!" he yelled. "She throws my letters out of the window, does she! Oh! and she does not condescend to bargain, while I DO, eh? We shall see, we shall see! I shall pay her out for this." He twisted himself about with rage, and grew paler and paler; he shook his fist. So the pair walked along a few steps. Gania did not stand on ceremony with the prince; he behaved just as though he were alone in his room. He clearly counted the latter as a nonentity. But suddenly he seemed to have an idea, and recollected himself. "But how was it?" he asked, "how was it that you (idiot that you are)," he added to himself, "were so very confidential a couple of hours after your first meeting with these people? How was that, eh?" Up to this moment jealousy had not been one of his torments; now it suddenly gnawed at his heart. "That is a thing I cannot undertake to explain," replied the prince. Gania looked at him with angry contempt. "Oh! I suppose the present she wished to make to you, when she took you into the dining-room, was her confidence, eh?" "I suppose that was it; I cannot explain it otherwise?" "But why, WHY? Devil take it, what did you do in there? Why did they fancy you? Look here, can't you remember exactly what you said to them, from the very beginning? Can't you remember?" "Oh, we talked of a great many things. When first I went in we began to speak of Switzerland." "Oh, the devil take Switzerland!" "Then about executions." "Executions?" "Yes--at least about one. Then I told the whole three years' story of my life, and the history of a poor peasant girl--" "Oh, damn the peasant girl! go on, go on!" said Gania, impatiently. "Then how Schneider told me about my childish nature, and--" "Oh, CURSE Schneider and his dirty opinions! Go on." "Then I began to talk about faces, at least about the EXPRESSIONS of faces, and said that Aglaya Ivanovna was nearly as lovely as Nastasia Philipovna. It was then I blurted out about the portrait--" "But you didn't repeat what you heard in the study? You didn't repeat that--eh?" "No, I tell you I did NOT." "Then how did they--look here! Did Aglaya show my letter to the old lady?" "Oh, there I can give you my fullest assurance that she did NOT. I was there all the while--she had no time to do it!" "But perhaps you may not have observed it, oh, you damned idiot, you!" he shouted, quite beside himself with fury. "You can't even describe what went on." Gania having once descended to abuse, and receiving no check, very soon knew no bounds or limit to his licence, as is often the way in such cases. His rage so blinded him that he had not even been able to detect that this "idiot," whom he was abusing to such an extent, was very far from being slow of comprehension, and had a way of taking in an impression, and afterwards giving it out again, which was very un-idiotic indeed. But something a little unforeseen now occurred. "I think I ought to tell you, Gavrila Ardalionovitch," said the prince, suddenly, "that though I once was so ill that I really was little better than an idiot, yet now I am almost recovered, and that, therefore, it is not altogether pleasant to be called an idiot to my face. Of course your anger is excusable, considering the treatment you have just experienced; but I must remind you that you have twice abused me rather rudely. I do not like this sort of thing, and especially so at the first time of meeting a man, and, therefore, as we happen to be at this moment standing at a crossroad, don't you think we had better part, you to the left, homewards, and I to the right, here? I have twenty- five roubles, and I shall easily find a lodging." Gania was much confused, and blushed for shame "Do forgive me, prince!" he cried, suddenly changing his abusive tone for one of great courtesy. "For Heaven's sake, forgive me! You see what a miserable plight I am in, but you hardly know anything of the facts of the case as yet. If you did, I am sure you would forgive me, at least partially. Of course it was inexcusable of me, I know, but--" "Oh, dear me, I really do not require such profuse apologies," replied the prince, hastily. "I quite understand how unpleasant your position is, and that is what made you abuse me. So come along to your house, after all. I shall be delighted--" "I am not going to let him go like this," thought Gania, glancing angrily at the prince as they walked along. " The fellow has sucked everything out of me, and now he takes off his mask-- there's something more than appears, here we shall see. It shall all be as clear as water by tonight, everything!" But by this time they had reached Gania's house. 当公爵不再说话时，大家都高兴地望着他，甚至连阿格拉娅也是这样，而叶莉扎维塔·晋罗科菲耶夫娜则特别高兴。 “这下通过考试了！”她高声说道，“慈悲的小姐们，你们曾经想要把他当穷人一样加以袒护照顾，可是他自己却赏光才勉强选择你们，而且还附带条件，只能偶而才来。瞧我们都当了傻瓜，我还很高兴；最傻的是伊万·费奥多罗维奇：妙极了！公爵，刚刚还吩咐要考考您呢。至于您说的有关我脸相的话，全都非常对：我是个孩子，我知道这一点。还在您说这话以前我就知道这一点了；您正好一语道破了我的思想。我认为您的性格与我十分相似，简直一模一样，我非常高兴。只不过您是男人，而我是女人，也没有去过瑞本；这就是全部差别。” 妈妈，您别急嘛，”阿格拉娅嚷着，“公爵说，在他的全部自白中有着特别的思想，不是无缘无故说的。” “是啊，是啊，”另外两位小姐笑着说、 “亲爱的，别逗了，也许，他比你们三个人合起来还有心计呢。你们会看到这一点的。只不过公爵您为什么对阿格拉娜只字未提？阿格拉娅等着，我也等着呢。” “现在我什么也说不出来；我以后再说。” “为什么？好像，她是很出众的吧？” “啊，是的，很出众；您非常美貌，阿格拉娅·伊万诺夫娜，您这么美丽，使人都不敢朝您看。” “仅此而已？那么品性呢？”将军夫人坚持问道。 “美是很难判断的；我还没有准备好。美是个谜。” “这就是说，您给阿格拉娅出了个谜，”阿杰莱达说，“阿格拉娅，猜猜吧。那么她漂亮吗，公爵，漂亮吗？” “漂亮非凡！”公爵倾慕地瞥了一眼阿格拉娅，热忱地回答说，“几乎跟纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜一样，虽然脸长得完全不一样！……” 大家都惊讶地彼此交换了一下眼色。 “跟谁一样？”将军夫人拉长了声音问，“跟纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜一样吗？您在什么地方见过纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜？哪一个纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜？” “刚才加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁诺维奇给伊万·费奥多罗维奇看过一张照片。” “怎么，他给伊万·费奥多罗维奇带照片来了？” “是带来给他看的。纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜今天送给加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁诺维奇一张自己的照片。他就带来给伊万·费奥多罗维奇看。” “我想看！”将军夫人气冲冲地说，“这张照片在哪里？如果她是送给他的，那么它应该在他那里，而他当然还在书房里。他每逢星期三总是来工作的，并且从来也不会早于４点钟离开的。马上去叫加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁诺维奇来！不，我并不是想见她而急得要死。公爵，请劳驾，亲爱的，去一趟书房，向他拿照片，然后带到这里来。您就说拿来看一下。请去吧。” “是个好人，就是太单纯了，”公爵走出去后，阿杰莱达说。 “是啊，是有点太单纯了，”亚历山德拉认同说，“所以甚至有点可笑。” 这一个和那一个似乎都没有把自己的全部想法讲出来。 “不过，对我们的脸相他倒是说得挺乖巧，”阿格拉娅说，“奉承了大家，甚至连妈妈也恭维到了。” “请别说俏皮话了。”将军夫人大声说，“不是他恭维我。而是我感到憎恶。” “你认为，他乖巧？”阿杰莱达问。 “我觉得，他不是这么单纯。” “哼，又胡扯了！”将军夫人气乎乎地说，“照我看来，你们比他还可笑。他单纯，可自个儿很有主见，当然，这是从最高尚的意义上来说的。完全像我。” “我说出了照片的事，当然，这很糟糕，”公爵走向书房时，一边暗自思忖，一边感到有些不安，“但是……也许，我讲出来了，倒是做了件好事……”他头脑里开始闪过一个奇怪的念头，不过这念头还不完全明晰。 加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁诺维奇还坐在书房里，忙着处理公文。看来，他确实不是白拿股份公司的薪俸的。当公爵向他要照片并告诉他将军夫人那里怎么会知道照片的事时，他惶恐得不得了。 “唉--！您于吗要多嘴！”他又气又恼地嚷起来，“您什么也不知道！白痴！”他暗自嘀咕着。 “是我的过错，我完全没有多加考虑；顺口就说出来了。我说，阿格拉娅几乎跟纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜一样美。” 加尼亚请他说得详细些；公爵说了。加尼亚重又嘲讽地望了他一眼。 “您倒很注意纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜……”他低声说，但是没有说完沉思起来。 他显然非常惴惴不安。公爵又向他提及要照片的事。 “请听着，公爵，”仿佛突然冒出一个始料未及的想法，加尼亚忽然说，“我对您有一个很大的请求……但是，真的，我不知道……” “他很窘，话没有说完；他正在下决心要来取什么行动，似乎还在跟自傲斗争，”公爵默默地等待着。加尼亚又一次用探究、专注的目光打量着他。 “公爵，”他又开始说，“那边现在对我……由于一种十分奇怪的情况，也相当令人可笑……但这并非是我的过错……算了吧，总之，这是多余的，你好像对我有点生气，所以我想在一段时间里不召见就不到那里去。现在非常需要跟阿格拉娅·伊万诺夫娜谈一谈。我写好几句话（他手里有一张好的小纸片）以候万一出现的机会，可是我不知道，怎么转交给她，公爵，是否可以拿去转交给阿格拉娅·伊万诺夫娜，就现在，只不过要给她一个人，也就是不让任何人看见，您明白吗？这不是什么天大的秘密，没有什么大不了的……但是……您肯做吗？” “我不太乐意干这件事，”公爵回答说。 “啊，公爵，我极为需要！“加尼亚开始恳求，“她也许会答复的……请相信，我只是在极为极为迫切的情况才求助于您……我还能让谁送去呢了……这很重要……对我来说重要得不得了……” 加尼亚非常胆怯，生怕公爵不答应，带着怯生生请求的目光探视着他的眼睛。 “好吧，我去转交。” “只是别让任何人发现，”高兴起来的加尼亚央求说，“还有，公爵，我可是寄希望于您的诚实话的，行吗？” “我谁也不给看见，”公爵说。 “字条没有封，但是……”过于慌乱的加尼亚刚说，又不好意思停住了。 “噢，我不会看的，”公爵非常简单地回答说，拿了照片便走出了书房。 加尼亚一个人留在那里，他抓着自己的头。 “只要她一句话，我……我，真的，也许就断绝关系！……” 由于激动和等待他已经无法重新坐下来处理公文了，便在书房里从一个角落走到另一个角落踱着。 公爵一边走，一边思考着；这个委托使他吃惊和不快，想到加尼亚给阿格拉娅的字条也使他惊愕和不乐。但是在没有走过两个房间到客厅前，他突然停住了，仿佛想起了什么，环顾了一下周围，然后走近窗口亮处，开始端详起纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜的照片来。 他似乎想猜测隐藏在这张脸上的和刚才使他感到惊诧的东西。刚才的感受几乎没有离开他，现在他似乎急于要检验什么。这张美丽的非凡的，还有什么不同寻常的脸，现在更加强烈地使他惊异。在这张脸上仿佛有一种无上的骄矜和蔑视，几乎是仇恨，同时又有某种信任人的，某种天真无邪得惊人的神情；看一眼这张脸，这两种对立的东西甚至仿佛激发起某种同情。这种光艳照人的美丽甚至令人难以忍受，苍白的脸色，几乎是凹陷的双颊和炽热的眼睛，这一切都美；真是一种奇异的美！公爵望了一会，然后突然醒悟过来，看了一下周围，急促地把照片贴近嘴唇吻了吻。过了一会他走进客厅时，他的脸完全是平静的。 但是他刚走进餐室（到客厅还要经过一个房间），正好走出来的阿格拉娅和他在门口几乎憧了个满怀。她是一个人。 “加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁诺维奇请我转交给您，”公爵说着，把字条递给了她。 阿格拉娅停了下来、拿了字条，不知为什么奇怪地看了公爵一眼。在她的目光中没有丝毫窘意，只流露出一丝惊讶，这好像也只是与公爵一人相关。阿格拉娅的目光就像要求他解释：他是怎么跟加尼亚一起参与进这件事里来的？她要求解释，显得很平静和傲慢。他们面对面站了有眨两三下眼的工夫；最后，在她脸上稍稍流露出某种嘲讽的神色；她微微一笑，走了过去。 将军夫人默默地，带着一丝轻蔑的神情细细打量了纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜的照片好一会。她伸长了手，非同寻常和颇有风度地把照片拿得离眼睛远远的。 “是的，是漂亮，”她终于说，“甚至很漂亮，我见过她两次，只不过都在远处。您推崇这样的美貌吗。”她突然朝公爵问。 “是的……我赞赏……”公爵有点紧张地答道。 “也就是说正是这种美？” “正是这种。” “为什么？” “在这张脸上……流露出许多痛苦……”公爵仿佛是不由自主地，又似乎自言自语地说着，而不是回答问题。 “不过，您也许是在说胡话，”将军夫人说完，用一个傲慢的动作把照片扔到桌上。 亚历山德拉拿起照片，阿杰莱达走过来，两人开始细细看起来，这时阿格拉娅又回到客厅里来了。 “多大的魅力呀！”阿杰莱达从姐姐肩后贪婪地盯着看照片，突然大声嚷了起来。 “在什么地方？什么样的魅力？”叶莉扎维塔·普罗科菲耶夫娜生硬地问。 “这种美就是魅力，”阿杰莱达热情地说，“有这样的美可以颠倒乾坤！” 她若有所思地走到自己的画架眼前。阿格拉娅对照片只是匆匆一瞥，便眯起眼，咬着下唇，走开坐到旁边去，双手交叉着。 将军夫人打了下铃。 “把加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁诺维奇叫来，他在书房里，”她对进来的仆人吩咐说。 “妈妈！”亚历山德拉意味深长地喊了起来。 “我想对他说两句话，这就够了！”将军夫人不容反对，很快地斩钉截铁说。看来她很恼火。“我们这里，公爵，您看到了吧，现在一切都是秘密，全都是秘密！说是要求这样，是什么礼节的需要，真是胡扯。而这还是在最需要坦诚，明朗，诚实的事情上。几桩婚事却在开始进行，我不喜欢这些婚事……” “妈妈，您这是干什么呀？”亚历山德拉又急忙阻止她。 “你怎么啦，亲爱的女儿？难道你自己喜欢吗？公爵听见了又有何妨，我们是朋友嘛，至少我跟他是。上帝找人，当然是找好人，他不需要坏人和反复无常的人；特别是不要反复无常的人，他们今天决定这样，明天又说那样。亚历山德拉·伊万诺夫娜，您明白吗？公爵，她们常说我是个怪人，可是我却会识别人。因为心灵是主要胁，其余的全是胡说八道。头脑当然也是需要的……也许，头脑是最主要的。别讥笑，阿格拉娅，我并没有自相矛盾：有心灵而没有头脑的傻瓜，跟有头脑而没有心灵的傻瓜，是一样不幸的。这是古老的真理。我就是有心灵而没有头脑的傻瓜，而你则是有头脑而没有心灵的傻瓜；我们俩都不幸，我们俩也很痛苦。” “妈妈，什么地方您竟这么不幸了？”阿杰莱达忍不住问，就像她们之中就她上人没有丧失快活的心情。 “第一，是由于有你们这儿个有学问的女儿，”将军夫人断然说，“因为光这一点就够了，所以其它的也就没什么好多说了。废话够多的了，我们要看看，你们俩（我没有把阿格拉娅算进去）靠自己的才智和多言怎么个摆脱困境，还有您，十分尊敬的亚历山德拉·伊万诺夫娜，跟您那可敬的先生是否会幸福？……啊！……” 她看见进来的加尼亚，发出一声感叹说，“瞧，又一门婚事在进行。您好！”她回答着加尼亚的鞠躬，却没有请他坐下。“您在准备结婚吧？” “结婚？……怎么回事？……结什么婚？……”大为震惊的加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁诺维奇嘟哝着说，他显得十分慌乱。 “我是问，您要娶媳妇了吗？如果您只喜欢这样的表达。” “没有……我……没有，”加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁诺维奇撤了谎，羞愧得满脸飞上了红晕。他向坐在一旁的阿格拉娅匆匆扫了一眼，很快就移开了眼光。阿格拉娅冷漠、专注、平静地望着他，注目定睛地观察他的窘相。 “没有？您说：没有？”坚定不移的叶莉扎维塔·普罗科菲耶夫娜执拗地盘问着，“够了，我将记住，今天，星期三早晨，您回答我的问题说‘没有’，今天什么日子？是星期三吗？” “好像是星期三，妈妈，”阿杰莱这回答说。 “她们总是不知道日子。今天几号？” “２７号，”加尼亚回答说。 “２７号？根据某种说法这日子很好。再见，您好像还有许多事，而我也该更衣外出了；把您的照片拿去吧。向不幸的尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜转致我的问候。再见，公爵，亲爱的！常来走走，我要特地上别洛孔斯卡娅老太婆那儿去讲讲您的事。请听着，亲爱的：我相信，上帝正是为了我才把您从瑞士带到彼得堡来。也许，您还有别的事，但是主要是为了我。上帝正是这样考虑的。再见，各位亲爱的。亚历山德拉，到我这儿来一下，我的朋友。” 将军夫人走出去了。加尼亚一付沮丧颓唐、悯然若失的样子，恶狠狠地从桌上拿起照片，带着尴尬的微笑对公爵说： “公爵，我现在回家去，如果您不改变住我家的打算的话，那么我带您去，不然您连地址也不知道。” “等一下，公爵，”阿格拉娅突然从自己奇子上站起身，说“您还要给我在纪念册上写几个字呢。爸爸说，您是个书法家。我马上给您去拿来……” 她走出去了。 “再见，公爵，我也要走了，”阿杰莱达说。她紧蛋地握了握公爵的手，亲切而温柔的对他芜尔一笑，走了出去。她没有朝加尼亚看一眼。 “这都是您，”所有的人刚走出去，加尼亚便突然冲着公爵咬牙切齿地说，“都是您多嘴说我要结婚了！”他很快地低声哺咕着，怒容满脸，眼睛有恶狠狠地闪着光。“您是个恬不知耻的饶舌鬼！ “我请您相信，您弄错了，”公爵平静而有礼地回答说，“我根本就不知道您要结婚的事。” “您刚才听见伊万·费奥多罗维奇说了，今天晚上在纳斯塔西娅。费利帕夫娜家里将决定一切，您就告诉她们了！您在撒谎！她们怎么会知道？除了您，真见鬼，谁会对他们说，难道老太婆没有向我暗示吗？” “如果您只是觉得她们向您暗示了，那么最好还是先了解清楚，是谁告诉的，我对于这事可是只字未提。” “字条转交了吗？答复呢？”加尼亚火急火燎、急不可耐地打断他，但就在这个时候阿格拉娅回来了，因此公爵什么也没来得回答。 “瞧，公爵，”阿格拉娅把自己的纪念册放到小桌上，说，“您就选一页，给我写点什么。这是笔，还是新的。是钢的笔尖，不碍事吧？我听说，书法家们是不用钢的笔尖写字的。” 在跟公爵说话的时候，她仿佛没有注意到加尼亚就在这里。但是，在公爵摆弄着笔尖，寻找写字的纸页，准备写字的那会儿，加尼亚走近了壁炉，此刻在公爵右边的阿格拉娅站在附近。他用颤抖、断续的声音几乎是对着她耳朵说： “一句话，只要您的一句话，我就得救了。” 公爵很快转过身来，朝他们两人瞥了一眼。加尼亚的脸上现出一种真正绝望的神情，看来他似乎不加思考、孤注一掷说出这些话来的。阿格拉娅完全还是以刚才望公爵那种平静和惊讶的神情望了他几秒钟，好像，她的这种平静惊讶，这种困惑不解，全是因为不明白他对她说的话，这对于此刻的加尼亚来说比最强烈的轻蔑还更可怕。 “我写什么呢？”公爵问。 “我现在向您口述，”阿格拉娅转向他，说，“准备好了吗？您就写：‘我不做交易。’现在写上周期、月份。请给我看看。” 公爵把纪念册递给她。 “好极了！您写得令人惊倒；您的字体奇妙无比！谢谢您。再见，公爵……等一下，”她仿佛突然想起了什么，补充说，“我们一起走吧，我想送您点东西作纪念。” 公爵跟在她后面走着，但是，一走进餐室，阿格拉娅就停住了。“请看看这个，”她把加尼亚的字条递给他，说。 公爵拿过了字条，困惑不解地望了阿格拉娅一眼。 “我可是知道，您没有看过它，也不会相信这个人。看吧，我希望您看看。” 字条显然写得仓促： “今天将决定我的命运，您知道将以什么方式来决定。今天我非要说出自己的话不可。我没有任何权利要求得到您的同情，也不敢抱有任何希望；但是您曾经说过一句话，只是一句话，而这句话却照亮我那犹如一片黑夜的生活，成为我的灯塔。现在请再说一次同样的那句话，您就能把我从毁灭中拯救出来，请只要对我说：挣脱一切，我今天就扯断一切，啊，说这句话对您来说又算得了什么！我只请求在这句话里表示您对我的同情的怜悯，--仅此而已，仅此而已！别无它求，别无它求！我不敢想入非非，抱什么奢望，因为我不配。但是有了您这句话，我将重新忍受我的贫穷，我将乐于承受我的绝境。我将迎接斗争，我还乐于去斗争，我要以新的力量投入斗争并获得新生！ 请带给我这一句表示怜悯的活（就只要怜悯，我向您发誓）。请别对一个绝望者的恣意妄为生气，别对一个溺水者生气，因为他敢于作最后的拼命挣扎只是为了使自己免遭灭顶之灾。 “这个人担保，”当公爵看完字条时，阿格拉娅尖刻地说，“‘挣脱一切’这句话不会损坏我的名誉，也不用承担任何责任，他自己，您看见了，用这张字条给了我这方面的书面保证。请注意，但是多么天真地急于强调某些句子的含义，又多么笨拙地透露出他那隐藏的思想。其实，他知道，如果他挣脱一切，但是是他自己一个人去挣脱，并不期待我的话，甚至也不告诉我这一点，对我不寄任何希望，那么到时候我会改变对他的感情，也许，会成为他的朋友。他无疑是知道这一点的！但是他有一颗肮脏的灵魂：他知道，却下不了决心；他知道，却依然要求得到保证。他不能下决心为信念作斗争。他想要我给他答应他终身的希望，以取代１０万卢布。至于说他在字条里提到的并且似乎是我以前说过的照亮了他生活的话，那他是厚颜无耻地撤谎。有一回我不过是对他表示怜悯而已。但他是个恣意狂妄和恬不知耻的人：他当时立即就闪出了可能如愿的希望；我马上就看透了这一点。从那时起他就开始抓住我，现在也还在抓。但是够了；请把字条拿去，带给他，您一走出我家就立即给他，当然，不要在这以前给。” “有什么话要答复他吗？” “当然没有。这是最好的回答。那么，您看来是想住到他家去喏？” “刚才伊万·费奥多罗维奇亲自介绍的，”公爵说。 “那么我提醒您，要提防着他；您把字条还给他，现在他是不会饶恕您的。” 阿格拉娅稍稍握了一下公爵的手便走出去了。她的脸色阴郁、严峻，当她向公爵点头告别时，甚至都没有一丝微笑。 “我马上来，就拿一下我的小包，”公爵对加尼亚说，“我们就走。” 加尼亚不耐烦而跺了一下脚。他怒气冲冲甚至脸都变黑了。最后，两人走到了街上，公爵手里拿着自己的小包。 “答复呢？答复呢？”加尼亚气乎乎地冲着公爵问，“她对您说什么了？你把信转交了吗？” 公爵默默地把他的字条递给了他，加尼亚呆若木鸡。 “怎么回事？我的字条！”他嚷了起来，“您没有转交给她！啊，我早该知道的！嘿，该死的……这就明白了，她刚才什么都不清楚！怎么会，怎么会您怎么会没有转交的呢，唉，该死的……” “请原谅，相反，在您把字条给我的那会儿，并且正像您要求的那样，我马上就顺利地转交了。它又在我这里出现，是因为阿格拉娅·伊万诺夫娜刚刚将它交还给我。” “什么时候？什么时候？” “我刚写好纪念册上的字，她邀请我跟她走的时候。（您听到了吗？）我们走进餐室，她把字条递给我，吩咐我读一下并交还给您。” “读--一下！”加尼亚差点没放开嗓子叫喊起来，“读一下，您读过了。” 他又呆若木鸡似地站在人行道中间，但是惊愕失色到甚至张口结舌的。 “是的，我读过了，就刚才那会。” “是她本人，亲自给您读的？本人吗？” “是她本人，请相信，没有她的邀请我是下会读它的。” 加尼亚沉默了片刻，殚思竭虑地揣摩着什么，突然嚷了起来： “不可能！她不可能吩咐您读字条的。您在撒谎！是您自己读了它。” “我说的是实话，”公爵仍然用原先完全没有气愤的语气说，“请相信：此事让您产生这么不快的感受，我感到很遗憾。” “但是，倒霉鬼，至少她向您说了什么关于这字条的话？她回答什么了吗？” “当然说了。” “那快说，快说，嗬，活见鬼！……” 加尼亚在人行道上两次跺了跺穿着套鞋的右脚。 “我刚看完，她就对我说，您不放过她；您想要从她那里得到希望，从而损害她的名誉，为的是，依靠这种希望来毁掉可以得到十万卢布的另一个希望而不受损失，如果您不跟她做交易而去做这件事，如果您不先向她请求保证就自己去挣脱一切，那么，她可能会成为您的朋友，好像就说了这些。对了，还有：当我已经拿了字条，问有什么答复时，她说，没有答复就是最好的答复，--好像是这样说的；如果我忘了她的原话，请原谅，我是照我自己的理解转告的。” 无比的恼恨驾驭着加尼亚，他的怒气不受任何遏制地爆发了出来。 “啊，原来是这样！”他咬牙切齿地说，“怪不得把我的字条往窗外扔！啊！她不做交易，那么我来做！我们走着瞧！我还有得让她瞧的……我们走着瞧！……我要给她看厉害的！……” 他歪着嘴脸，气得脸色发白，唾沫飞溅；他用拳头威吓着。他们就这样走了几步。他丝毫也不顾忌公爵在场，就像只有他一人在自己房间里似的，因为他根本就认为公爵是个无足轻重的人，但是，他突然想到了什么，恍然大悟过来。 “对了，究竟怎么，”突然他对公爵说，“您究竟怎么（他暗自补了一声：‘白痴！’），在初识二小时后就获得了这种信赖？怎么会这样？” 在他的万般痛苦中尚没有嫉妒。现在它却突然螫痛了他的心。 “这一点我可不会向您解释，”公爵回答说。 加尼亚恶狠狠地看了他一眼。 “她叫您到餐室去，这不是把自己的信赖送给您吗？她不是打算送什么东西给您的吗？” “除了这样，我没有别的理解。” “那么究竟为了什么呢，真见鬼！您在那里做了什么？凭什么您叫人喜欢？听着，”他心烦意乱到极点（此刻他身上的一切仿佛都乱套了，翻腾得紊乱不堪，因此他也无法集中思想），“听着，您是否能哪怕是多少想起一点，有条理地想一想，在那里您究竟说了些什么，从头到尾究竟说了些什么？您没有记住什么，没有记牢吗。” “噢，我完全能想起来，”公爵回答说，“最初，我进去并认识以后，我们便开始讲有关瑞士的情况。” “算了，让瑞士见鬼去吧！” “后来讲到了死刑……” “讲到死刑？” “是的；因为有一个情况……后来我对她们讲到，在那里的三年是怎么过的，就讲到了一个穷苦的乡村女的故事……” “算了，穷苦的乡村女去它的吧！往下讲！”加尼亚不耐烦地急着问。 “后来，谈到施奈德对我说出了有关我性格的意见并强迫我……” “让施奈德滚开，管他的意见呢！往下讲！” “后来，由于某个情况，我讲到了脸相，也就是脸的表情，于是就说到，阿格拉娅·伊万诺夫娜几乎就跟纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜一样漂亮。就在这种情况下我讲出了照片的事……” “但是您没有搬弄，您可是没有搬弄刚才在书房里听到的话吧？没有？没有？” “我再向您重复一次，没有。” “那么从哪里，真见鬼……啊！阿格拉娅有没有把字条拿给老太婆看？” “这一点我完全可以让您放心，她没有给将军夫人看。我始终在那里；再说她也没有时间。” “是啊，也许，您自己没有记住什么……哦！该死的白痴，”他已经完全不自禁地感叹说，“什么都讲不清楚！” 加尼亚既然骂开了头，又没有遇到反对，渐渐地就失去了任何克制，有些人总是这样的。他怒不可遏，再过一会，他可能就要啐唾沫了。但是正因为这种狂怒他就丧失了理智；否则他早就会注意到，这个他非常鄙视的“白痴”有时却能非常迅速和敏锐地理解一切，会十分令人满意地转述一切，但是突然发生了意想不到的情况。 “我应该向您指出，加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁诺维奇，”公爵突然说，“我过去确实有病，真的几乎是白痴；但现在我早就已经痊愈了。因此，当有人当面叫我白痴时，我是有点不快的。虽然考虑到您遭遇的挫折也可以原谅您，但是您在恼火中甚至两次辱骂了我。我非常不愿意这样，尤其是像您这样第一次见就这么突然开口骂人；我们现在正站在十字路口，我们是不是最好分手：您向右回自己家，而我向左走。我有２５个卢布，大概我能找到带家具的旅馆房间的。” 加尼亚窘得不得了，甚至难为情得脸都红了。 “请原谅，公爵，”他突然把骂人的腔调改换成十分彬彬有礼的口气，热情地嚷了起来，“看在上帝份上，千万请原谅！您看见了，我是多么不幸！您还几乎什么都不知道，但是，如果您知道了一切，那么一定会多少原谅我的；虽然，不用说，我是不可原谅的……” “哦，我也不需要如此殷殷的道歉，”公爵急忙回答说，“我倒是能理解，您心境很不好，所以您就骂人。好了，到您家去吧。我很高兴……” “不，现在可不能就这么放过他，”加尼亚一路上不时恶狠狠地看一眼公爵，暗自想，“这个骗子从我这里把一切都打探清楚了，以后突然又撕下假面具……这可是非同小可的事。我们走着瞧吧！一切就要得到解决了，一切，一切！就今天。” 他们已经站在那幢房子的前面了。

Part 1 Chapter 8 The flat occupied by Gania and his family was on the third floor of the house. It was reached by a clean light staircase, and consisted of seven rooms, a nice enough lodging, and one would have thought a little too good for a clerk on two thousand roubles a year. But it was designed to accommodate a few lodgers on board terms, and had beer) taken a few months since, much to the disgust of Gania, at the urgent request of his mother and his sister, Varvara Ardalionovna, who longed to do something to increase the family income a little, and fixed their hopes upon letting lodgings. Gania frowned upon the idea. He thought it infra dig, and did not quite like appearing in society afterwards--that society in which he had been accustomed to pose up to now as a young man of rather brilliant prospects. All these concessions and rebuffs of fortune, of late, had wounded his spirit severely, and his temper had become extremely irritable, his wrath being generally quite out of proportion to the cause. But if he had made up his mind to put up with this sort of life for a while, it was only on the plain understanding with his inner self that he would very soon change it all, and have things as he chose again. Yet the very means by which he hoped to make this change threatened to involve him in even greater difficulties than he had had before. The flat was divided by a passage which led straight out of the entrance-hall. Along one side of this corridor lay the three rooms which were designed for the accommodation of the "highly recommended" lodgers. Besides these three rooms there was another small one at the end of the passage, close to the kitchen, which was allotted to General Ivolgin, the nominal master of the house, who slept on a wide sofa, and was obliged to pass into and out of his room through the kitchen, and up or down the back stairs. Colia, Gania's young brother, a school-boy of thirteen, shared this room with his father. He, too, had to sleep on an old sofa, a narrow, uncomfortable thing with a torn rug over it; his chief duty being to look after his father, who needed to be watched more and more every day. The prince was given the middle room of the three, the first being occupied by one Ferdishenko, while the third was empty. But Gania first conducted the prince to the family apartments. These consisted of a "salon," which became the dining-room when required; a drawing-room, which was only a drawing-room in the morning, and became Gania's study in the evening, and his bedroom at night; and lastly Nina Alexandrovna's and Varvara's bedroom, a small, close chamber which they shared together. In a word, the whole place was confined, and a "tight fit" for the party. Gania used to grind his teeth with rage over the state of affairs; though he was anxious to be dutiful and polite to his mother. However, it was very soon apparent to anyone coming into the house, that Gania was the tyrant of the family. Nina Alexandrovna and her daughter were both seated in the drawing-room, engaged in knitting, and talking to a visitor, Ivan Petrovitch Ptitsin. The lady of the house appeared to be a woman of about fifty years of age, thin-faced, and with black lines under the eves. She looked ill and rather sad; but her face was a pleasant one for all that; and from the first word that fell from her lips, any stranger would at once conclude that she was of a serious and particularly sincere nature. In spite of her sorrowful expression, she gave the idea of possessing considerable firmness and decision. Her dress was modest and simple to a degree, dark and elderly in style; but both her face and appearance gave evidence that she had seen better days. Varvara was a girl of some twenty-three summers, of middle height, thin, but possessing a face which, without being actually beautiful, had the rare quality of charm, and might fascinate even to the extent of passionate regard. She was very like her mother: she even dressed like her, which proved that she had no taste for smart clothes. The expression of her grey eyes was merry and gentle, when it was not, as lately, too full of thought and anxiety. The same decision and firmness was to be observed in her face as in her mother's, but her strength seemed to be more vigorous than that of Nina Alexandrovna. She was subject to outbursts of temper, of which even her brother was a little afraid. The present visitor, Ptitsin, was also afraid of her. This was a young fellow of something under thirty, dressed plainly, but neatly. His manners were good, but rather ponderously so. His dark beard bore evidence to the fact that he was not in any government employ. He could speak well, but preferred silence. On the whole he made a decidedly agreeable impression. He was clearly attracted by Varvara, and made no secret of his feelings. She trusted him in a friendly way, but had not shown him any decided encouragement as yet, which fact did not quell his ardour in the least. Nina Alexandrovna was very fond of him, and had grown quite confidential with him of late. Ptitsin, as was well known, was engaged in the business of lending out money on good security, and at a good rate of interest. He was a great friend of Gania's. After a formal introduction by Gania (who greeted his mother very shortly, took no notice of his sister, and immediately marched Ptitsin out of the room), Nina Alexandrovna addressed a few kind words to the prince and forthwith requested Colia, who had just appeared at the door, to show him to the " middle room." Colia was a nice-looking boy. His expression was simple and confiding, and his manners were very polite and engaging. "Where's your luggage?" he asked, as he led the prince away to his room. "I had a bundle; it's in the entrance hall." "I'll bring it you directly. We only have a cook and one maid, so I have to help as much as I can. Varia looks after things, generally, and loses her temper over it. Gania says you have only just arrived from Switzerland? " "Yes." "Is it jolly there?" "Very." "Mountains?" "Yes." "I'll go and get your bundle." Here Varvara joined them. "The maid shall bring your bed-linen directly. Have you a portmanteau?" "No; a bundle--your brother has just gone to the hall for it." "There's nothing there except this," said Colia, returning at this moment. "Where did you put it?" "Oh! but that's all I have," said the prince, taking it. "Ah! I thought perhaps Ferdishenko had taken it." "Don't talk nonsense," said Varia, severely. She seemed put out, and was only just polite with the prince. "Oho!" laughed the boy, "you can be nicer than that to ME, you know--I'm not Ptitsin!" "You ought to be whipped, Colia, you silly boy. If you want anything" (to the prince) "please apply to the servant. We dine at half-past four. You can take your dinner with us, or have it in your room, just as you please. Come along, Colia, don't disturb the prince." At the door they met Gania coming in. "Is father in?" he asked. Colia whispered something in his ear and went out. "Just a couple of words, prince, if you'll excuse me. Don't blab over THERE about what you may see here, or in this house as to all that about Aglaya and me, you know. Things are not altogether pleasant in this establishment--devil take it all! You'll see. At all events keep your tongue to yourself for TODAY." "I assure you I 'blabbed' a great deal less than you seem to suppose," said the prince, with some annoyance. Clearly the relations between Gania and himself were by no means improving. "Oh I well; I caught it quite hot enough today, thanks to you. However, I forgive you." "I think you might fairly remember that I was not in any way bound, I had no reason to be silent about that portrait. You never asked me not to mention it." "Pfu! what a wretched room this is--dark, and the window looking into the yard. Your coming to our house is, in no respect, opportune. However, it's not MY affair. I don't keep the lodgings." Ptitsin here looked in and beckoned to Gania, who hastily left the room, in spite of the fact that he had evidently wished to say something more and had only made the remark about the room to gain time. The prince had hardly had time to wash and tidy himself a little when the door opened once more, and another figure appeared. This was a gentleman of about thirty, tall, broadshouldered, and red-haired; his face was red, too, and he possessed a pair of thick lips, a wide nose, small eyes, rather bloodshot, and with an ironical expression in them; as though he were perpetually winking at someone. His whole appearance gave one the idea of impudence; his dress was shabby. He opened the door just enough to let his head in. His head remained so placed for a few seconds while he quietly scrutinized the room; the door then opened enough to admit his body; but still he did not enter. He stood on the threshold and examined the prince carefully. At last he gave the door a final shove, entered, approached the prince, took his hand and seated himself and the owner of the room on two chairs side by side. "Ferdishenko," he said, gazing intently and inquiringly into the prince's eyes. "Very well, what next?" said the latter, almost laughing in his face. "A lodger here," continued the other, staring as before. "Do you wish to make acquaintance?" asked the prince. "Ah!" said the visitor, passing his fingers through his hair and sighing. He then looked over to the other side of the room and around it. "Got any money?" he asked, suddenly. "Not much." "How much?" "Twenty-five roubles." "Let's see it." The prince took his banknote out and showed it to Ferdishenko. The latter unfolded it and looked at it; then he turned it round and examined the other side; then he held it up to the light. "How strange that it should have browned so," he said, reflectively. "These twenty-five rouble notes brown in a most extraordinary way, while other notes often grow paler. Take it." The prince took his note. Ferdishenko rose. "I came here to warn you," he said. "In the first place, don't lend me any money, for I shall certainly ask you to." "Very well." "Shall you pay here?" "Yes, I intend to." "Oh! I DON'T intend to. Thanks. I live here, next door to you; you noticed a room, did you? Don't come to me very often; I shall see you here quite often enough. Have you seen the general?" "No." "Nor heard him?" "No; of course not." "Well, you'll both hear and see him soon; he even tries to borrow money from me. Avis au lecteur. Good-bye; do you think a man can possibly live with a name like Ferdishenko?" "Why not?" "Good-bye." And so he departed. The prince found out afterwards that this gentleman made it his business to amaze people with his originality and wit, but that it did not as a rule "come off." He even produced a bad impression on some people, which grieved him sorely; but he did not change his ways for all that. As he went out of the prince's room, he collided with yet another visitor coming in. Ferdishenko took the opportunity of making several warning gestures to the prince from behind the new arrival's back, and left the room in conscious pride. This next arrival was a tall red-faced man of about fifty-five, with greyish hair and whiskers, and large eyes which stood out of their sockets. His appearance would have been distinguished had it not been that he gave the idea of being rather dirty. He was dressed in an old coat, and he smelled of vodka when he came near. His walk was effective, and he clearly did his best to appear dignified, and to impress people by his manner. This gentleman now approached the prince slowly, and with a most courteous smile; silently took his hand and held it in his own, as he examined the prince's features as though searching for familiar traits therein. "'Tis he, 'tis he!" he said at last, quietly, but with much solemnity. "As though he were alive once more. I heard the familiar name-the dear familiar name--and, oh. I how it reminded me of the irrevocable past--Prince Muishkin, I believe ?" "Exactly so." "General Ivolgin--retired and unfortunate. May I ask your Christian and generic names?" "Lef Nicolaievitch." "So, so--the son of my old, I may say my childhood's friend, Nicolai Petrovitch." "My father's name was Nicolai Lvovitch." "Lvovitch," repeated the general without the slightest haste, and with perfect confidence, just as though he had not committed himself the least in the world, but merely made a little slip of the tongue. He sat down, and taking the prince's hand, drew him to a seat next to himself. "I carried you in my arms as a baby," he observed. "Really?" asked the prince. "Why, it's twenty years since my father died." "Yes, yes--twenty years and three months. We were educated together; I went straight into the army, and he--" "My father went into the army, too. He was a sub-lieutenant in the Vasiliefsky regiment." "No, sir--in the Bielomirsky; he changed into the latter shortly before his death. I was at his bedside when he died, and gave him my blessing for eternity. Your mother--" The general paused, as though overcome with emotion. "She died a few months later, from a cold," said the prince. "Oh, not cold--believe an old man--not from a cold, but from grief for her prince. Oh--your mother, your mother! heigh-ho! Youth--youth! Your father and I--old friends as we were--nearly murdered each other for her sake." The prince began to be a little incredulous. "I was passionately in love with her when she was engaged-- engaged to my friend. The prince noticed the fact and was furious. He came and woke me at seven o'clock one morning. I rise and dress in amazement; silence on both sides. I understand it all. He takes a couple of pistols out of his pocket--across a handkerchief--without witnesses. Why invite witnesses when both of us would be walking in eternity in a couple of minutes? The pistols are loaded; we stretch the handkerchief and stand opposite one another. We aim the pistols at each other's hearts. Suddenly tears start to our eyes, our hands shake; we weep, we embrace--the battle is one of self-sacrifice now! The prince shouts, 'She is yours;' I cry, 'She is yours--' in a word, in a word--You've come to live with us, hey?" "Yes--yes--for a while, I think," stammered the prince. "Prince, mother begs you to come to her," said Colia, appearing at the door. The prince rose to go, but the general once more laid his hand in a friendly manner on his shoulder, and dragged him down on to the sofa. "As the true friend of your father, I wish to say a few words to you," he began. "I have suffered--there was a catastrophe. I suffered without a trial; I had no trial. Nina Alexandrovna my wife, is an excellent woman, so is my daughter Varvara. We have to let lodgings because we are poor--a dreadful, unheard-of come- down for us--for me, who should have been a governor-general; but we are very glad to have YOU, at all events. Meanwhile there is a tragedy in the house." The prince looked inquiringly at the other. "Yes, a marriage is being arranged--a marriage between a questionable woman and a young fellow who might be a flunkey. They wish to bring this woman into the house where my wife and daughter reside, but while I live and breathe she shall never enter my doors. I shall lie at the threshold, and she shall trample me underfoot if she does. I hardly talk to Gania now, and avoid him as much as I can. I warn you of this beforehand, but you cannot fail to observe it. But you are the son of my old friend, and I hope--" "Prince, be so kind as to come to me for a moment in the drawing- room," said Nina Alexandrovna herself, appearing at the door. "Imagine, my dear," cried the general, "it turns out that I have nursed the prince on my knee in the old days." His wife looked searchingly at him, and glanced at the prince, but said nothing. The prince rose and followed her; but hardly had they reached the drawing-room, and Nina Alexandrovna had begun to talk hurriedly, when in came the general. She immediately relapsed into silence. The master of the house may have observed this, but at all events he did not take any notice of it; he was in high good humour. "A son of my old friend, dear," he cried; "surely you must remember Prince Nicolai Lvovitch? You saw him at--at Tver." "I don't remember any Nicolai Lvovitch, Was that your father?" she inquired of the prince. "Yes, but he died at Elizabethgrad, not at Tver," said the prince, rather timidly. "So Pavlicheff told me." "No, Tver," insisted the general; "he removed just before his death. You were very small and cannot remember; and Pavlicheff, though an excellent fellow, may have made a mistake." "You knew Pavlicheff then?" "Oh, yes--a wonderful fellow; but I was present myself. I gave him my blessing." "My father was just about to be tried when he died," said the prince, "although I never knew of what he was accused. He died in hospital." "Oh! it was the Kolpakoff business, and of course he would have been acquitted." "Yes? Do you know that for a fact?" asked the prince, whose curiosity was aroused by the general's words. "I should think so indeed!" cried the latter. "The court-martial came to no decision. It was a mysterious, an impossible business, one might say! Captain Larionoff, commander of the company, had died; his command was handed over to the prince for the moment. Very well. This soldier, Kolpakoff, stole some leather from one of his comrades, intending to sell it, and spent the money on drink. Well! The prince--you understand that what follows took place in the presence of the sergeant-major, and a corporal--the prince rated Kolpakoff soundly, and threatened to have him flogged. Well, Kolpakoff went back to the barracks, lay down on a camp bedstead, and in a quarter of an hour was dead: you quite understand? It was, as I said, a strange, almost impossible, affair. In due course Kolpakoff was buried; the prince wrote his report, the deceased's name was removed from the roll. All as it should be, is it not? But exactly three months later at the inspection of the brigade, the man Kolpakoff was found in the third company of the second battalion of infantry, Novozemlianski division, just as if nothing had happened!" "What?" said the prince, much astonished. "It did not occur--it's a mistake!" said Nina Alexandrovna quickly, looking, at the prince rather anxiously. "Mon mari se trompe," she added, speaking in French. "My dear, 'se trompe' is easily said. Do you remember any case at all like it? Everybody was at their wits' end. I should be the first to say 'qu'on se trompe,' but unfortunately I was an eye- witness, and was also on the commission of inquiry. Everything proved that it was really he, the very same soldier Kolpakoff who had been given the usual military funeral to the sound of the drum. It is of course a most curious case--nearly an impossible one. I recognize that ... but--" "Father, your dinner is ready," said Varvara at this point, putting her head in at the door. "Very glad, I'm particularly hungry. Yes, yes, a strange coincidence--almost a psychological--" "Your soup'll be cold; do come." "Coming, coming " said the general. "Son of my old friend--" he was heard muttering as he went down the passage. "You will have to excuse very much in my husband, if you stay with us," said Nina Alexandrovna; "but he will not disturb you often. He dines alone. Everyone has his little peculiarities, you know, and some people perhaps have more than those who are most pointed at and laughed at. One thing I must beg of you-if my husband applies to you for payment for board and lodging, tell him that you have already paid me. Of course anything paid by you to the general would be as fully settled as if paid to me, so far as you are concerned; but I wish it to be so, if you please, for convenience' sake. What is it, Varia?" Varia had quietly entered the room, and was holding out the portrait of Nastasia Philipovna to her mother. Nina Alexandrovna started, and examined the photograph intently, gazing at it long and sadly. At last she looked up inquiringly at Varia. "It's a present from herself to him," said Varia; "the question is to be finally decided this evening." "This evening!" repeated her mother in a tone of despair, but softly, as though to herself. "Then it's all settled, of course, and there's no hope left to us. She has anticipated her answer by the present of her portrait. Did he show it you himself?" she added, in some surprise. "You know we have hardly spoken to each other for a whole month. Ptitsin told me all about it; and the photo was lying under the table, and I picked it up." "Prince," asked Nina Alexandrovna, "I wanted to inquire whether you have known my son long? I think he said that you had only arrived today from somewhere." The prince gave a short narrative of what we have heard before, leaving out the greater part. The two ladies listened intently. "I did not ask about Gania out of curiosity," said the elder, at last. "I wish to know how much you know about him, because he said just now that we need not stand on ceremony with you. What, exactly, does that mean?" At this moment Gania and Ptitsin entered the room together, and Nina Alexandrovna immediately became silent again. The prince remained seated next to her, but Varia moved to the other end of the room; the portrait of Nastasia Philipovna remained lying as before on the work-table. Gania observed it there, and with a frown of annoyance snatched it up and threw it across to his writing-table, which stood at the other end of the room. "Is it today, Gania?" asked Nina Alexandrovna, at last. "Is what today?" cried the former. Then suddenly recollecting himself, he turned sharply on the prince. "Oh," he growled, "I see, you are here, that explains it! Is it a disease, or what, that you can't hold your tongue? Look here, understand once for all, prince--" "I am to blame in this, Gania--no one else," said Ptitsin. Gania glanced inquiringly at the speaker. "It's better so, you know, Gania--especially as, from one point of view, the matter may be considered as settled," said Ptitsin; and sitting down a little way from the table he began to study a paper covered with pencil writing. Gania stood and frowned, he expected a family scene. He never thought of apologizing to the prince, however. "If it's all settled, Gania, then of course Mr. Ptitsin is right," said Nina Alexandrovna. "Don't frown. You need not worry yourself, Gania; I shall ask you no questions. You need not tell me anything you don't like. I assure you I have quite submitted to your will." She said all this, knitting away the while as though perfectly calm and composed. Gania was surprised, but cautiously kept silence and looked at his mother, hoping that she would express herself more clearly. Nina Alexandrovna observed his cautiousness and added, with a bitter smile: "You are still suspicious, I see, and do not believe me; but you may be quite at your ease. There shall be no more tears, nor questions--not from my side, at all events. All I wish is that you may be happy, you know that. I have submitted to my fate; but my heart will always be with you, whether we remain united, or whether we part. Of course I only answer for myself--you can hardly expect your sister--" "My sister again," cried Gania, looking at her with contempt and almost hate. "Look here, mother, I have already given you my word that I shall always respect you fully and absolutely, and so shall everyone else in this house, be it who it may, who shall cross this threshold." Gania was so much relieved that he gazed at his mother almost affectionately. "I was not at all afraid for myself, Gania, as you know well. It was not for my own sake that I have been so anxious and worried all this time! They say it is all to be settled to-day. What is to be settled?" "She has promised to tell me tonight at her own house whether she consents or not," replied Gania. "We have been silent on this subject for three weeks," said his mother, "and it was better so; and now I will only ask you one question. How can she give her consent and make you a present of her portrait when you do not love her? How can such a--such a--" "Practised hand--eh?" "I was not going to express myself so. But how could you so blind her?" Nina Alexandrovna's question betrayed intense annoyance. Gania waited a moment and then said, without taking the trouble to conceal the irony of his tone: "There you are, mother, you are always like that. You begin by promising that there are to be no reproaches or insinuations or questions, and here you are beginning them at once. We had better drop the subject--we had, really. I shall never leave you, mother; any other man would cut and run from such a sister as this. See how she is looking at me at this moment! Besides, how do you know that I am blinding Nastasia Philipovna? As for Varia, I don't care--she can do just as she pleases. There, that's quite enough!" Gania's irritation increased with every word he uttered, as he walked up and down the room. These conversations always touched the family sores before long. "I have said already that the moment she comes in I go out, and I shall keep my word," remarked Varia. "Out of obstinacy" shouted Gania. "You haven't married, either, thanks to your obstinacy. Oh, you needn't frown at me, Varvara! You can go at once for all I care; I am sick enough of your company. What, you are going to leave us are you, too?" he cried, turning to the prince, who was rising from his chair. Gania's voice was full of the most uncontrolled and uncontrollable irritation. The prince turned at the door to say something, but perceiving in Gania's expression that there was but that one drop wanting to make the cup overflow, he changed his mind and left the room without a word. A few minutes later he was aware from the noisy voices in the drawing room, that the conversation had become more quarrelsome than ever after his departure. He crossed the salon and the entrance-hall, so as to pass down the corridor into his own room. As he came near the front door he heard someone outside vainly endeavouring to ring the bell, which was evidently broken, and only shook a little, without emitting any sound. The prince took down the chain and opened the door. He started back in amazement--for there stood Nastasia Philipovna. He knew her at once from her photograph. Her eyes blazed with anger as she looked at him. She quickly pushed by him into the hall, shouldering him out of her way, and said, furiously, as she threw off her fur cloak: "If you are too lazy to mend your bell, you should at least wait in the hall to let people in when they rattle the bell handle. There, now, you've dropped my fur cloak--dummy!" Sure enough the cloak was lying on the ground. Nastasia had thrown it off her towards the prince, expecting him to catch it, but the prince had missed it. "Now then--announce me, quick!" The prince wanted to say something, but was so confused and astonished that he could not. However, he moved off towards the drawing-room with the cloak over his arm. "Now then, where are you taking my cloak to? Ha, ha, ha! Are you mad?" The prince turned and came back, more confused than ever. When she burst out laughing, he smiled, but his tongue could not form a word as yet. At first, when he had opened the door and saw her standing before him, he had become as pale as death; but now the red blood had rushed back to his cheeks in a torrent. "Why, what an idiot it is!" cried Nastasia, stamping her foot with irritation. "Go on, do! Whom are you going to announce?" "Nastasia Philipovna," murmured the prince. "And how do you know that?" she asked him, sharply. "I have never seen you before!" "Go on, announce me--what's that noise?" "They are quarrelling," said the prince, and entered the drawing- room, just as matters in there had almost reached a crisis. Nina Alexandrovna had forgotten that she had "submitted to everything!" She was defending Varia. Ptitsin was taking her part, too. Not that Varia was afraid of standing up for herself. She was by no means that sort of a girl; but her brother was becoming ruder and more intolerable every moment. Her usual practice in such cases as the present was to say nothing, but stare at him, without taking her eyes off his face for an instant. This manoeuvre, as she well knew, could drive Gania distracted. Just at this moment the door opened and the prince entered, announcing: "Nastasia Philipovna!" 加尼亚的家在三楼，沿着相当清洁、明亮和宽敞的楼梯上去。这是由大小六七个房间组成的一套住宅。其实这些房间是最普通不过的了，但是对于一个即使有二千卢布薪俸的有家庭的小官员来说，无论如何也是不大能住得起的。它是供兼包伙食和杂设的房客用的，不到二个月前加尼亚和他的家庭租下了这套住宅，对此加尼亚本人很不乐意，但是尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜和瓦尔瓦拉·阿尔达利翁诺夫娜坚持和请求，她们想尽一份力，哪怕是多吵，也要贴补些家庭的收入。加尼亚皱着眉头，称招房客是不成体统；仿佛招了房客以后他在社交界就羞于见人了，因为他在那里惯于以颇有才华和前程的年轻人出现的。所有这些对命运的让步和这种令人着恼的贫困--所有这一切皆是烙在他身上的深深的精神创伤。从某个时候起他就变得会为任何小事没有分寸和不恰当地恼火，如果他还同意作暂时的让步和忍耐，那只是因为他已经决心在最短时间里改变和改造这一切。而同时，他决意要实现这种改变所采取的办法本身，又构成了一道不小的难题，以往为解决这道难题又造成了比过去更为麻烦和痛苦的局面。 直接从过道开始的走廊把住宅分隔开来，走廊的一边有三个房间是打算出租给“经特别介绍”的房客；此外，还是在走廊这一侧的顶端，厨房旁边是比其它房间小的第四个小房间，里面住着退职将军伊沃尔金本人，一家之父，他就睡在一张宽沙发上，而进出住宅都得经过厨房和后梯。这个小房间里还住着加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁诺维奇１３岁的弟弟，中学生科利亚；他也被安排在这里挤着，做功课，睡在另一张相当旧的、又窄又短的沙发上，铺的是破旧的被褥，主要则是照料和看管父亲，老人已越来越少不了这种照看了。公爵被安排在三个房间的中间一个；右边第一个房间住着费尔迪先科，左边是第三个房间，尚空着，但加尼亚首先把公爵带到家里住的那半边。家用的这半边由客厅、会客室和一个房间组成。客厅需要时就变成餐室：会客室其实只是早晨才会客用，晚上就变成了加尼亚的书房和卧室；第三个房间很小，总是关着门，这是尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜和瓦尔瓦拉·阿尔达利翁诺夫娜的卧室。总之，这住宅里一切都很拥挤和窒塞；加尼亚只是暗自把牙咬得格格响；他虽然曾经是，也想做一个孝敬母亲的人，但是在他们那里一开始就可以发现，这是一家之霸。 尼娜·亚历山槽罗夫娜不是一个人在会客室里，瓦尔瓦拉·阿尔达利翁诺夫娜与她一起坐着；她们俩都一边织着东西一边与客人伊万·彼得罗维奇·普季岑交谈着。尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜像是５０岁左右，脸面消瘦，双颊下隐，眼睛下面有很浓的黑晕。她的外表样子是病态的，还有点忧伤，但她的脸和目光却相当令人愉快；一开口就表现出严肃庄重、充分意识到真正尊严的性格。尽管外表上看起来有一丝哀伤，可是能够感觉到她身上的坚强，甚至刚毅。她穿得非常朴素，是深色的衣裙，完全是老妇人的打扮，但是她的待人接物，谈吐，整个举止风度却显露出是个经历过上流社会的妇女。 瓦尔瓦拉·阿尔达利翁诺夫娜是个２３岁左右的少女，中等身材，相当瘦削，容貌并不很美，但是蕴含着一种神秘的不美也能惹人喜爱并且还能强烈地吸引人的魅力，她很像母亲，因为完全不喜欢打扮，甚至衣着也几乎像母亲那样。她那灰色的眼睛射出的目光，如果不总是那么严肃和沉静（有时甚至过分了，尤其是最近），那么偶而也会是很快活和温柔的。她的脸上也能看得到坚强和刚毅，但是可以感觉到，她的这种坚毅比起她母亲来甚至更为坚韧不拔和精明强干。瓦尔瓦拉·阿尔达利翁诺夫娜是个脾气相当暴燥的人，她的小兄弟有时甚至怕她的这种火爆性子。现在坐在她们那里的客人伊万·彼得罗维奇·普季岑也怕她三分。这是个还相当年轻的人，将近３０岁，穿着朴素，但很雅致，举止风度很令人好感，但是似乎过分讲究派头。深褐色的络腮胡子表明他不是干公务的人。他善于言谈，聪明而有趣，但是常常保持沉默。总的来说，他甚至给人愉快的印象。看来他对瓦尔瓦拉；阿尔达利翁诺夫娜并不是无动于衷，而且也不掩饰自己的感情。瓦尔瓦拉·阿尔达利翁诺夫娜对他很友好，但是对他的有些问题她还迟迟不做回答，甚至不喜欢这些问题；不过，普季岑远非是那种容易丧失信心的人。尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜对他很亲切，近来甚至很信赖他。不过，大家都知道，他是专门靠花钱收买比较可靠的抵押品而很快盈利积攒起钱财的。他是加尼亚十分要好的朋友。 加尼亚十分淡漠地向母亲问了好，根本不跟妹妹打招呼，立即便把普季岑带出了房间。尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜在加尼亚断断续续做了详尽的介绍后，对公爵说了几句亲切的话，便吩咐朝门里张望的科利亚带他去中间那个房间。科利亚是个长着活泼和相当可爱的脸蛋的男孩，一副可以信赖、纯真朴实的样子。 “您的行李在哪里呀？”他带公爵进房问。 “我有一个小包裹；我把它留在前厅了。” “我马上替您去拿来。我们家全部佣人就是厨娘和玛特廖娜，所以我也帮着做些事。瓦里娅什么都管，好生气。加尼亚说，您今天刚从瑞士来？” “是的。” “瑞士好吗？” “非常好。” “有山吗？” “是的。” “我马上去把您的包裹搬来。” 瓦尔瓦拉、阿尔达利翁诺夫娜走了进来。 “玛特日娜马上来给您铺好被褥。您有箱子吗？” “没有，只有个小包。您弟弟去拿了；是在前厅。” “除了这个小包裹，那里没有别的包裹；您把它放哪里？”科利亚又回到房间里，问道。 “除了这个是没有别的了，”公爵接过包裹说明着。 “噢！可我还以为，别是费尔迪先科搬走了。” “别胡扯废话，”瓦尔瓦拉·阿尔达利翁诺夫娜严格地说。她跟公爵讲话也十分冷淡，刚才大概还算是客气的。 “Ｃｔｌｅｒｅ Ｂａｂｅｉｔｅ，＊对我可以温柔些吗，我又不是普季岑。” “还可以揍你，科利亚，你蠢到哪里了。您要什么，可以找玛特廖娜办；午餐是在４点半。您可以与我们一起用午餐，也可以在自己房间里，随您便。科利亚，我们走，别妨碍他。” “走吧，真是果敢的性格！” 他们出去时，碰到了加尼亚。 “父亲在家吗？”加尼亚问科利亚，得到肯定的回答后他在耳边对他低语了什么。 科利亚点了下头，跟着瓦尔瓦拉·阿尔达利翁诺夫娜走了出去。 ＊法语：亲爱的巴别特。巴别特是瓦尔瓦拉这个名的法语呢称。 “有两句话，公爵，因为这些……事情竟忘了对您说。有一个请求：劳驾您，如果这对您来说不大费劲的话，既不要在这里乱说刚才我跟阿格拉娅的事，也不要在那边嚼舌您在这里将看到的事；因为这里也是十分不成体统的。不过，见鬼去吧……哪怕至少是今天要忍住。” “请您相信，我说的比您所想象的要少得多，”公爵说，他对加尼亚的指责有点恼火。他们之间的关系看来越来越槽了。 “算了，因为您今天我可够受的。总之，我求您了。” “还有要请您说说清楚，加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁诺维维奇，刚才我受到什么约束了，因此都不可以提及照片的事？您可是并没有请求我。” “唉呀，这房间多糟糕！”加尼亚轻蔑地打量着房间，说，“光线很暗，窗房又朝院子。从各个方面来看您到我们这儿来真不是时候……算了，这不是我的事；不是我出租住房。” 普季岑探了一眼，喊了一声加尼亚；加尼亚便匆匆撇下公爵，走了出去，尽管他还想说什么，但看来犹豫不决，像是羞于启齿；加上骂一通房间不好，似乎也感到不好意思。 公爵刚刚漱洗好，才稍稍整理好自己的盥洗间，门又被打开了，一个生人望了一下。 这位先生３０岁左右，个头不小，肩膀很宽，有一个满头红褐色卷发的大脑袋。他的脸胖墩墩，红朴朴，嘴唇厚厚的，鼻子又。大又扁，一双小眼睛胖成一条缝，仿佛不停地一眨一眨似的，流露出嘲讽的神情。总之，这一切给人的印象是挺粗俗无礼的。他穿得也很脏。 他起先只把门开得可以伸进头来这么大。伸进来的脑袋打量房间５秒钟，然后门就慢慢地开大了，他的整个躯体出现在门口，但是客人还是不走进来，而是眯着眼，从门口继续打量着公爵。终于他在身后关上了门，走近前来，坐到椅子上，紧紧地挽着公爵的手，让他坐到自己斜对面的沙发上。 “费尔迪先科，”他自我介绍说，一边专注和疑问地端详着公爵的脸。 “有何贵干？”公爵几乎要大笑起来回答着。 “房客，”费尔迪先科仍像原来那样观察着，说。 “您想来认识一下？” “唉！”客人叹了口气，把头发弄得乱蓬蓬的，开始望着对面的角落，“您有钱吗？”他转向公爵，突然问。 “不多。” “到底多少？” “２５个卢布。” “拿出来看看。” 公爵从背心口袋里换出一张２５卢布的钞票，递给费尔迪先科。费尔迪先科把钞票打开来看了看，然后又翻转到另一面，接着又对着亮光看起来。 “真够奇怪的，”他似乎若有所思地说，“它们怎么变成褐色的？这些２５卢布的钞票有时变褐色变得很厉害，而另外一些钞票却相反，完全褪色了。请拿着。” 公爵拿回了自己的钞票。费尔迪先科从椅子上站了起来。 “我是来提醒您：第一，别借钱给我，因为我一定会来请求的。” “好的。” “您在这里打算付钱吗？” “打算付的。” “而我不打算付；谢谢。我在这儿是您右边第一个门，看见过吗？请尽量别常光临我那儿；我会到您这儿来，请放心，见到将军了吗？” “没有。” “也没有听说？” “当然也没有。” “好吧，那么您会看见也会听说的；何况他连我这儿也要借钱！ Ａｖｉｓ ａｕｌｅｃｔｅｕｒ。＊告辞了。带着费尔迪先科这个姓，难道也可以生活？啊？” “为什么不能？” “告辞了。” 他走向门口。公爵后来了解到，这位先生仿佛尽义务似的承担起一个任务，要用自己奇特古怪和使人开心的行为让大家吃惊，但是不知怎么的他从来也没有成功过。他使某些人甚至还产生了不快的印象，因此他真正感到沮丧，但是他仍然没有丢下自己这个任务。在门口他似乎得以恢复了常态，却撞上了进来的一位先生；他把这位公爵不认识的新客人放进了房间，从后面向公爵几次眨眼警告注意他，这才不无自信地总算走开了。 新进来的先生身材高大，５５岁光景，也许更大些，相当臃肿，红得发紫的胖脸皮，肉松弛，长着一因浓密的连鬓胡子，还留着小胡子，有一双爆得出的大眼睛。如果不是这么不修边幅，衣衫槛楼，甚至肮脏邋遢，这副体相倒还挺神气的。他穿的是一件很旧的常礼服，肘部几乎要磨破了；内衣也油腻兮兮的，--这是家里的穿着。在他身旁有一股伏特加的气味；但是他的风度颇具魅力，有点装模作样，显然竭力想用这种尊严的姿态来惊倒别人。先生不急不忙地走近公爵，脸带亲切的微笑，默默地握着他的手，不从自己的手里放开，细细地端详了一会他的脸，似乎在辨认某些熟悉的特征。 ＊注语：预先通知。 “是他！是他！”他轻轻地，但郑重其事地说，“活脱活像！我听到，人家常说起一个熟悉和亲爱的姓氏，也就想起了一去不复返的过去……是梅什金公爵吗？” “正是卑人。” “伊沃尔金，一个退职和倒霉的将军。斗胆请问您的名字和父称？” “列夫·尼古拉耶维奇。” “对，对！是我朋友，可以说，是童年伙伴尼古拉·彼得罗维奇的儿子。” “我父亲名叫尼古拉·利沃维奇。” “利沃维奇，”将军改正说，但他不慌不忙，怀着一种充分的自信，仿佛他一点也没有忘记，仅仅是无意间说错而已。他坐了下来，也拉着公爵的手，让他坐在自己身边。“我还抱过您呢。” “真的吗？”公爵问。“我父亲过世已有２０年了。” “是啊，２０年了；２０年又３个月。我们一起学习过；我直接进了军界。” “父亲也在军界呆过，是瓦西利科夫斯基团的少尉。” “在别洛米尔斯基团。调到别洛米尔斯基团几乎就在他去世前夕，我站在这里并祈求他安息。您母亲……” 将军的手是因为忧伤的回忆而稍作停顿。 “半年过后她也因受了风寒而故世了，”公爵说。 “不是因为风寒。不是因为风寒，请相信我老头子。我当时在，是我给她安葬的。是因为思念自己的公爵痛苦所致，而不是因为受了风寒。是啊，公爵夫人也是令我永志不忘的！青春嘛！因为她、我和公爵，童年时代的朋友差点成为互相残杀的凶手。” 公爵有点疑惑地开始听他讲。 “我热烈地爱上了您的母亲，那时她还是未婚妻，我朋友的未婚妻。公爵发现了，也惊呆了。早晨６点多就来找我，把我唤醒了。我惊讶万分地穿着衣服，双方都默默无语；我全部明白了。他从口袋里掏出两杆手熗，相隔着手绢，没有证人，再过５分钟就互相把对方打发去永恒世界，何必要有证人呢？子弹上了蹬，拉直了手绢；站好了，互相把手熗对着心口，彼此看着对方的脸。突然两人眼中泪如雨下，手都颤抖着。两人，两人同时这样分了，这时自然地就是拥抱和彼此争着慷慨相让。公爵喊着：她是你的！我喊着：她是你的：总之……总之……您是住到……我们这儿来？” “是的，也许要住一段时间，、公爵说着，似乎有点迟疑。 “公爵，妈妈请您去她那儿，”科利亚朝门里探头喊道。公爵本已站起来要走，但将军把右手掌放到他的肩膀上，友好地又把他按到沙发上。 “作为您父亲的真正的朋友，我想提醒您，”将军说，“我，您自己也看见了，我遭难了，因为一件惨祸；但是没有受审！没有受审！尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜是个难能可贵的妇女。瓦尔瓦拉·阿尔达利翁诺夫娜，我的女儿，也是个难能可贵的女儿！因为家境的关系我们出租住房，实在是前所未有的败落！我原来是要当总督的！……但我们始终很高兴您来。然而，我家里正有不幸！” 公爵疑虑而又十分好奇地望着他。 “正在准备缔结一门婚姻，这是少见的婚姻。是一个轻薄女子和一个本可以成为宫廷士官的年轻人的婚姻。这个女人将被带进家来，而这里却有我的妻子和我的女儿！但只要我还有口气，她就别想进来！我要躺在门口，让她从我身上跨过去！……跟加尼亚我现在几乎不说话，甚至避免遇见他。我特地先告诉您；既然您将住在我们这里，反正不讲也会看到的，但您是我朋友的儿子，我有权希望……” “公爵，劳驾，请到会客室我这里来，”尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜本人已经站在门口叫唤了。 “信不信，我的朋友，”将军大声嚷道，“原来，我还抱过公爵呢！” 尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜含着责备瞥了将军一眼，又以探询的目光看了一下公爵，但是什么话都没有说。公爵跟在她后面走着；但他们刚到会客室坐下，尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜刚开始很急促地低声告诉公爵什么的时候，将军本人却突然驾临会客室。尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜立即闭口不言，带着明显的懊丧低头做起她的编织活来。将军可能注意到了这种懊丧，但依然保持着良好的情绪。 “我朋友的儿子！”他对尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜喊道，“而且这么出乎意料！我早就已经不再讲了，但是，我的朋友，难道你不记得已故的尼古拉·利沃维奇吗？你还尼见过他的……在特维尔？” “我不记得尼古拉·利沃维奇了。这是您父亲吗？”她问公爵。 “是父亲，但是，好像他不是在特维尔去世的，而是在叶利萨韦特格勒，”公爵不好意思地向将军指出，“我是听帕夫利谢夫说的……” “是在特维里，将军肯定说，“在临死前他被调到了特维里，甚至还是在病情发展之前。您当时还太小，不可能记住调动和旅行的事；帕夫利谢夫则可能弄错了，尽管他是个极好的人。” “您也认识帕夫利谢夫？” “这是个难得的人，但我是亲身见到的。在他弥留之际我曾为他祝福……” “我父亲可是受审判的情况下去世的，”公爵又指出，“虽然我从来也未能了解到，究竟因为什么才受审，他是死在医院里的。” “唉，这是有关列兵科尔帕科夫的案件，毫无疑问，公爵本可以宣告无罪的。” “是这样吗？您确实知道？”公爵怀着特别的好奇问。 “这还用说！”将军高声嚷了起来，“法庭没有做出什么裁决就解散了。案子是不可能成立的！这案子甚至可以说是神秘莫测的。连长拉里翁诺夫上尉要死了；公爵被任命临时代理连长的职务；好。列兵科尔帕科夫犯了偷窈，偷了同伴的靴料，换酒喝了，好。公爵申斥了科尔帕科夫并威吓说要用树条揍他，请注意，这是有上士和军士在场的。很好，科尔帕科夫回到营房，躺到铺板上，过一刻钟就死了。非常好，但事情来得突然，几乎是不可能的。不论怎么样，把科尔帕科夫葬了；公爵报告了上面，接着就把科尔帕科夫除了名。’似乎再好也没有了吧？但是整整过了半年、在一次旅的阅兵式上，列兵科尔帕科夫仿佛什么也没有发生过似的出现在诺沃泽姆良斯基步兵团第二营第三连中，还是那个旅和那个师！” “怎么回事？”公爵不由地惊呼起来。 “不是这么回事，这是一个错误。”尼娜·山德罗未娜突然对他说，几乎是忧郁地望着他。“Ｍｏｎ ｍａｒｉ ｓｅ ｔｒｄｍｐｅ。”＊ “但是，我的朋友，说ｓｅ ｔｒｏｍｐｅ是容易的，可是你自己倒来解释解释这种事情！大家都束手无策。我本来会第一个出来说ｑｕ　ｏｎ ｓｅ ｔｒｏｍｐｅ，＊但倒霉的是，我是见证人，还亲自参加了调查组。所有当面的对质都证明，这正是那个人，就是半年前照通常的规矩列队击鼓安葬的那个列兵科尔帕科夫，不折不扣，这真是罕见的奇事，几乎是不可能的，我同意，但是……” ＊法语：我的丈夫弄错了。 “爸爸，给您开饭了，”瓦尔瓦拉·阿尔达利翁诺夫娜走进房间通知说。 “啊，这太好了、好极了！我的确饿了……但是这件事，可以说，甚至是心理学的……” “汤又要凉了，”瓦里娅急不可耐地说。 “马上，马上，”将军走出房间嘟哝着说，“尽管做了许多查询，”在走廊里还听到他的声音。 “如果您要住在我们这里，您必须得多多原谅阿尔达利翁·亚历山德罗维奇，”尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜对公爵说，“不过，他不会太来打扰您的：他吃饭也是单独的。您自己也会同意，任何人都有自己的缺点和自己的……特别的地方，有些人可能比他们惯于指手划脚批评的人有更多的缺点。有一点我要十分请求您：如果我丈夫什么时候向您索要房租，您就对他说已经交给我了。换句话说，就是交给阿尔达利翁·亚历山德罗维奇，对您来说反正仍算交过了，但我仅仅是为了准确无误而请求您……瓦里娅，这是什么？” 瓦里娅回到房间里来，把纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜的照片默默递给母亲。尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜打了个颤，开始仿佛受了惊吓似的，接着怀着一种令人压抑的痛苦心情细细端详了一会照片。最后，疑问地看了一眼瓦里娅。 “今天她本人给他的礼物，”瓦里娅说，“晚上他们就要决定一切。” “今天晚上！”尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜仿佛绝望地低低重复着，“还有什么好说的？再已没有任何怀疑了，希望也不复存在：她用照片说明了一切……是他自己给你看的吗？”她惊奇地补充说。 “您知道，我们已经整整一个月几乎没有说过一句话。普季岑什么都对我说了，而照片是在那里桌旁的地板上；我捡起了它。” “公爵，”突然尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜对他说，“我想问您（其实，正是为此我才请您到这里来的），您早就认识我儿子了吗？他好像对我说，您今天刚从什么地方来？” 公爵简短地解释了自己的情况，略去了一大半内容。尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜和瓦里娅听他讲完。 ＊法语：是别人弄错了。 “我询问您，并不是要探听什么有关加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁诺维奇的事，”尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜指出，“在这点上您不应弄错。如果有什么事他自己不能向我坦述，我本人也不想背着他打听那些事。刚才加尼亚在您在场时以及在您走后回答我询问您的情况时说：‘他全部知道，没什么要拘礼避嫌的！’说实在的，我请您来就是想知道，他这话是什么意思？也就是说，我想知道，到什么程度……” 突然加尼亚和普季岑走了进来；尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜马上不说话了。公爵仍坐在她身旁的椅子上，而瓦里娅则走到边上去了；纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜的照片就在尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜小工作台上最显眼的地方，正对着她面前，加尼亚看见了照片，皱起了眉头，烦恼地从桌上拿起照片，将它丢到放在房间另一头的自己的书桌上。 “是今天吗，加尼亚？”尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜突然问。 “今天怎么啦？”加尼亚猝然一惊，突然冲着公爵责骂起来，“啊，我明白了，原来您在这儿！……您究竟怎么啦，这是什么毛病还是怎么的？您就不能忍着点吗？您终究也该明白呀，我的大人……” “这是我的过错，加尼亚，不是别人，”普季岑打断他说。 加尼亚疑问地瞥了他一眼。 “这可是更好，加尼亚，何况，”从一方面来说，事情就了结了，”普季岑喃喃着，走到一旁去，坐到桌边，从口袋里换出一张写满了铅笔字的纸，开始专心地细读起来。加尼亚阴沉地站着，不安地等待着将会发生的家庭口角。他甚至都没有想到在公爵面前赔礼道歉。 “如果一切都了结了，那么，伊万·彼得罗维奇说的当然是对的，”尼娜·亚历山槽罗夫娜说，“请别皱眉蹙额，也别生气恼火，加尼亚，你自己不做说的事，我什么都不会问，我要你相信，我已完全屈服了，请可以放心。” 她说这些话时，没有停下手中的活，好像真的处之泰然。加尼亚很惊奇，但是小心翼翼地保持沉默和望着母亲，等她把话说得明确些。家庭的口角对他来说已付出太高昂的代价，尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜觉察到儿子的谨慎，便带着苦笑补充说： “你仍然在怀疑和不相信我；放心吧，不会像过去那样，既不会哭泣流泪，也不会苦苦哀求，至少我是这样。我的全部愿望是为了使你幸福，你也是知道这一点的；我是认命了，但我的心将永远和你在一起，无论我们将在一起还是分开。当然，我只对我自己的行为负责，你不能要求妹妹也这样……” “啊，又是她！”加尼亚喊了起来，嘲讽和仇恨地望着妹妹，“妈妈，我再次向您发誓，我过去已经许下的诺言：只要我在这里，只要我活着，无论是谁。无论什么时候，我都不许不尊重您。不管是什么人，不管是谁跨进我家的门，我都坚持要求对您绝对尊敬……” 加尼亚非常高兴，以致几乎用和解、温情的日光望着母亲。 “我对自己丝毫也不担心，加尼亚，你是知道的；所有这些日子我不是为自己操心和痛苦。据说，今天你们就一切了结了？究竟了结什么？” “今天晚上，在自己家里，她答应要宣布：同意或否，”加尼亚回答说。 “我们几乎有三个星期回避谈论这件事了，这样更好。现在，当一切已经要了结的时候，我只有一点敢于间你：．既然你并不爱她，她又怎么会给你同意的答复，甚至还送自己的照片？莫非你爱她这么一个……这么一个……” “这么说吧，饱经世故的女人，是吗？” “我不。想用这样的字眼。难道你能蒙混她到这种地步？” 在这个问题中突然可以感觉到有一种异乎寻常的激债。加尼亚站了一会，考虑了一下，也不掩饰自己的讥讽，说： “妈妈，您太冲动了，又忍不住了，我们往往就是这样开的头并激烈起来的。您说，不再盘间，也不再责备，可是又已经开始了！最好还是不要再说了，真的，不要再说了；至少您曾经有意……无论什么时候、无论怎么样我都不会丢弃您；换一个人有这样一个妹妹至少也得逃跑，瞧她现在是怎么看我的！我们就说到这儿吧！我本来是这么高兴……您怎么知道我欺骗了纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜？至于说瓦里娅，就随她的便，--这就够了。嘿，现在真是完全受够了！” 加尼亚越说凶激动，毫无目的地在房间里踱来踱去。这样的谈话马上就转到家里所有成员的痛处上。 “我说过了，如果她进这个家，我就从这儿出去，我也说话算数，”瓦里娅说。 “那是因为顽固！”加尼亚喊道，“因为顽固你才不嫁人！于吗对我嗤之以鼻？我才不在乎呢，瓦尔瓦拉·阿尔达利翁诺夫娜；您愿意的话，哪怕现在就实行您的意愿也行。您已使我感到非常烦嫌。怎么啦！公爵，您终于决定离开我们了，”他看见公爵站起来，便嚷了起来。 加尼亚的声音中可以听得出他已经恼怒到什么程度，那种情况下人自己几乎也为这种光火感到痛快，于是便不受任何约束地，几乎怀着一种越来越大的满足，放纵着自己，任其发展。公爵在门口本已转过身，想要回答什么。但是，他从得罪他的人脸上那种病态的表情中看到，此刻已到了一触即发的地步，犹如一杯水只差一滴就会满溢而出，于是便转过身，一语不发地走出去。过了几分钟他从会客室里传来的余音听到，因为他不在场谈话变得更粗声大气、直言不讳。 他穿过客厅到了前厅要去走廊，‘然后到自己房间里去。当他经过大门走近搂梯时，他听见并发现，门外有人在用足力气打铃，但是门铃大概坏了：只是微微颤动，却没有声音。公爵取下插销，打开门，惊讶得往后退，全身甚至打了个顽：站在他面前的是纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜。他根据照片马上就认出了她。当她看见他时，她的眼睛里迸发出恼怒的火光；她很快地走进前厅，用肩膀把他从路上推开，一边从自己身上脱着皮大衣，一边怒冲冲地说： “如果懒得修门铃，那么至少也该在有人敲门时坐前厅。嘿，瞧现在报皮大衣掉地上了，傻子！” 皮大衣真的在地上；纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜没有等到公爵脱下它，看也不看便自己把皮大衣往他手上扔去，但公爵没能接住。 “真该把你赶走。走，报告去。” 公爵本想说什么，但是却茫然不知所措，什么话也说不出来，就拿着从地上捡起来的皮大衣向会客室走去。 “嘿，瞧你现在拿了皮大衣走了！干嘛要拿皮大衣呀？哈一哈一哈！你是神经病还是怎么的？” 公爵回转来，呆若木鸡似地望着她；当她笑起来的时候，他也苦笑了一下，但还是说不出话来。在他为她开门的最初那一瞬间，他脸色刷白，而现在红晕却突然涌上了脸面。 “这可真是个白痴！”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜朝他跺了下脚，忿忿地喊了一声，“喂，你到哪里去？喂，你去报告是谁来了呀？” “纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜，”公爵喃喃着说。 “你怎么知道我的？”她很快地问他，“我从来没有见过你！去吧，报告去……那里干什么大叫大嚷来着？” “在吵架，”公爵回答道，便向会客室走去。 他进去时正是相当关键的时刻：尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜很快就已经完全忘记了她已“完全屈服了”；而且，她还袒护瓦里娅。已经放下了写满铅笔字的纸片的普季岑站在瓦里娅旁边。瓦里娅自己并不畏怯，而且她也不是那种胆小怕事的少女；但是哥哥越说越变得粗暴无礼和不可容忍。在这种情况下，她通常是不再说话，只是默默地、嘲笑地、直愣愣地盯着哥哥看。她知道；这种姿态会使他失去最后一道防线。就在这个时刻公爵跨进了房间并通报。 “纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜到！”

Part 1 Chapter 9 Silence immediately fell on the room; all looked at the prince as though they neither understood, nor hoped to understand. Gania was motionless with horror. Nastasia's arrival was a most unexpected and overwhelming event to all parties. In the first place, she had never been before. Up to now she had been so haughty that she had never even asked Gania to introduce her to his parents. Of late she had not so much as mentioned them. Gania was partly glad of this; but still he had put it to her debit in the account to be settled after marriage. He would have borne anything from her rather than this visit. But one thing seemed to him quite clear-her visit now, and the present of her portrait on this particular day, pointed out plainly enough which way she intended to make her decision! The incredulous amazement with which all regarded the prince did not last long, for Nastasia herself appeared at the door and passed in, pushing by the prince again. "At last I've stormed the citadel! Why do you tie up your bell?" she said, merrily, as she pressed Gania's hand, the latter having rushed up to her as soon as she made her appearance. "What are you looking so upset about? Introduce me, please!" The bewildered Gania introduced her first to Varia, and both women, before shaking hands, exchanged looks of strange import. Nastasia, however, smiled amiably; but Varia did not try to look amiable, and kept her gloomy expression. She did not even vouchsafe the usual courteous smile of etiquette. Gania darted a terrible glance of wrath at her for this, but Nina Alexandrovna, mended matters a little when Gania introduced her at last. Hardly, however, had the old lady begun about her " highly gratified feelings," and so on, when Nastasia left her, and flounced into a chair by Gania's side in the corner by the window, and cried: "Where's your study? and where are the--the lodgers? You do take in lodgers, don't you?" Gania looked dreadfully put out, and tried to say something in reply, but Nastasia interrupted him: "Why, where are you going to squeeze lodgers in here? Don't you use a study? Does this sort of thing pay?" she added, turning to Nina Alexandrovna. "Well, it is troublesome, rather," said the latter; "but I suppose it will 'pay' pretty well. We have only just begun, however--" Again Nastasia Philipovna did not hear the sentence out. She glanced at Gania, and cried, laughing, "What a face! My goodness, what a face you have on at this moment!" Indeed, Gania did not look in the least like himself. His bewilderment and his alarmed perplexity passed off, however, and his lips now twitched with rage as he continued to stare evilly at his laughing guest, while his countenance became absolutely livid. There was another witness, who, though standing at the door motionless and bewildered himself, still managed to remark Gania's death-like pallor, and the dreadful change that had come over his face. This witness was the prince, who now advanced in alarm and muttered to Gania: "Drink some water, and don't look like that!" It was clear that he came out with these words quite spontaneously, on the spur of the moment. But his speech was productive of much--for it appeared that all. Gania's rage now overflowed upon the prince. He seized him by the shoulder and gazed with an intensity of loathing and revenge at him, but said nothing--as though his feelings were too strong to permit of words. General agitation prevailed. Nina Alexandrovna gave a little cry of anxiety; Ptitsin took a step forward in alarm; Colia and Ferdishenko stood stock still at the door in amazement;--only Varia remained coolly watching the scene from under her eyelashes. She did not sit down, but stood by her mother with folded hands. However, Gania recollected himself almost immediately. He let go of the prince and burst out laughing. "Why, are you a doctor, prince, or what?" he asked, as naturally as possible. "I declare you quite frightened me! Nastasia Philipovna, let me introduce this interesting character to you-- though I have only known him myself since the morning." Nastasia gazed at the prince in bewilderment. "Prince? He a Prince? Why, I took him for the footman, just now, and sent him in to announce me! Ha, ha, ha, isn't that good!" "Not bad that, not bad at all!" put in Ferdishenko, "se non e vero--" "I rather think I pitched into you, too, didn't I? Forgive me--do! Who is he, did you say? What prince? Muishkin?" she added, addressing Gania. "He is a lodger of ours," explained the latter. "An idiot!"--the prince distinctly heard the word half whispered from behind him. This was Ferdishenko's voluntary information for Nastasia's benefit. "Tell me, why didn't you put me right when I made such a dreadful mistake just now?" continued the latter, examining the prince from head to foot without the slightest ceremony. She awaited the answer as though convinced that it would be so foolish that she must inevitably fail to restrain her laughter over it. "I was astonished, seeing you so suddenly--" murmured the prince. "How did you know who I was? Where had you seen me before? And why were you so struck dumb at the sight of me? What was there so overwhelming about me?" "Oho! ho, ho, ho!" cried Ferdishenko. "NOW then, prince! My word, what things I would say if I had such a chance as that! My goodness, prince--go on!" "So should I, in your place, I've no doubt!" laughed the prince to Ferdishenko; then continued, addressing Nastasia: "Your portrait struck me very forcibly this morning; then I was talking about you to the Epanchins; and then, in the train, before I reached Petersburg, Parfen Rogojin told me a good deal about you; and at the very moment that I opened the door to you I happened to be thinking of you, when--there you stood before me!" "And how did you recognize me?" "From the portrait!" "What else?" "I seemed to imagine you exactly as you are--I seemed to have seen you somewhere." "Where--where?" "I seem to have seen your eyes somewhere; but it cannot be! I have not seen you--I never was here before. I may have dreamed of you, I don't know." The prince said all this with manifest effort--in broken sentences, and with many drawings of breath. He was evidently much agitated. Nastasia Philipovna looked at him inquisitively, but did not laugh. "Bravo, prince!" cried Ferdishenko, delighted. At this moment a loud voice from behind the group which hedged in the prince and Nastasia Philipovna, divided the crowd, as it were, and before them stood the head of the family, General Ivolgin. He was dressed in evening clothes; his moustache was dyed. This apparition was too much for Gania. Vain and ambitious almost to morbidness, he had had much to put up with in the last two months, and was seeking feverishly for some means of enabling himself to lead a more presentable kind of existence. At home, he now adopted an attitude of absolute cynicism, but he could not keep this up before Nastasia Philipovna, although he had sworn to make her pay after marriage for all he suffered now. He was experiencing a last humiliation, the bitterest of all, at this moment--the humiliation of blushing for his own kindred in his own house. A question flashed through his mind as to whether the game was really worth the candle. For that had happened at this moment, which for two months had been his nightmare; which had filled his soul with dread and shame--the meeting between his father and Nastasia Philipovna. He had often tried to imagine such an event, but had found the picture too mortifying and exasperating, and had quietly dropped it. Very likely he anticipated far worse things than was at all necessary; it is often so with vain persons. He had long since determined, therefore, to get his father out of the way, anywhere, before his marriage, in order to avoid such a meeting; but when Nastasia entered the room just now, he had been so overwhelmed with astonishment, that he had not thought of his father, and had made no arrangements to keep him out of the way. And now it was too late--there he was, and got up, too, in a dress coat and white tie, and Nastasia in the very humour to heap ridicule on him and his family circle; of this last fact, he felt quite persuaded. What else had she come for? There were his mother and his sister sitting before her, and she seemed to have forgotten their very existence already; and if she behaved like that, he thought, she must have some object in view. Ferdishenko led the general up to Nastasia Philipovna. "Ardalion Alexandrovitch Ivolgin," said the smiling general, with a low bow of great dignity, "an old soldier, unfortunate, and the father of this family; but happy in the hope of including in that family so exquisite--" He did not finish his sentence, for at this moment Ferdishenko pushed a chair up from behind, and the general, not very firm on his legs, at this post-prandial hour, flopped into it backwards. It was always a difficult thing to put this warrior to confusion, and his sudden descent left him as composed as before. He had sat down just opposite to Nastasia, whose fingers he now took, and raised to his lips with great elegance, and much courtesy. The general had once belonged to a very select circle of society, but he had been turned out of it two or three years since on account of certain weaknesses, in which he now indulged with all the less restraint; but his good manners remained with him to this day, in spite of all. Nastasia Philipovna seemed delighted at the appearance of this latest arrival, of whom she had of course heard a good deal by report. "I have heard that my son--" began Ardalion Alexandrovitch. "Your son, indeed! A nice papa you are! YOU might have come to see me anyhow, without compromising anyone. Do you hide yourself, or does your son hide you?" "The children of the nineteenth century, and their parents--" began the general, again. "Nastasia Philipovna, will you excuse the general for a moment? Someone is inquiring for him," said Nina Alexandrovna in a loud voice, interrupting the conversation. "Excuse him? Oh no, I have wished to see him too long for that. Why, what business can he have? He has retired, hasn't he? You won't leave me, general, will you?" "I give you my word that he shall come and see you--but he--he needs rest just now." "General, they say you require rest," said Nastasia Philipovna, with the melancholy face of a child whose toy is taken away. Ardalion Alexandrovitch immediately did his best to make his foolish position a great deal worse. "My dear, my dear!" he said, solemnly and reproachfully, looking at his wife, with one hand on his heart. "Won't you leave the room, mamma?" asked Varia, aloud. "No, Varia, I shall sit it out to the end." Nastasia must have overheard both question and reply, but her vivacity was not in the least damped. On the contrary, it seemed to increase. She immediately overwhelmed the general once more with questions, and within five minutes that gentleman was as happy as a king, and holding forth at the top of his voice, amid the laughter of almost all who heard him. Colia jogged the prince's arm. "Can't YOU get him out of the room, somehow? DO, please," and tears of annoyance stood in the boy's eyes. "Curse that Gania!" he muttered, between his teeth. "Oh yes, I knew General Epanchin well," General Ivolgin was saying at this moment; "he and Prince Nicolai Ivanovitch Muishkin--whose son I have this day embraced after an absence of twenty years--and I, were three inseparables. Alas one is in the grave, torn to pieces by calumnies and bullets; another is now before you, still battling with calumnies and bullets--" "Bullets?" cried Nastasia. "Yes, here in my chest. I received them at the siege of Kars, and I feel them in bad weather now. And as to the third of our trio, Epanchin, of course after that little affair with the poodle in the railway carriage, it was all UP between us." "Poodle? What was that? And in a railway carriage? Dear me," said Nastasia, thoughtfully, as though trying to recall something to mind. "Oh, just a silly, little occurrence, really not worth telling, about Princess Bielokonski's governess, Miss Smith, and--oh, it is really not worth telling!" "No, no, we must have it!" cried Nastasia merrily. "Yes, of course," said Ferdishenko. "C'est du nouveau." "Ardalion," said Nina Alexandrovitch, entreatingly. "Papa, you are wanted!" cried Colia. "Well, it is a silly little story, in a few words," began the delighted general. "A couple of years ago, soon after the new railway was opened, I had to go somewhere or other on business. Well, I took a first-class ticket, sat down, and began to smoke, or rather CONTINUED to smoke, for I had lighted up before. I was alone in the carriage. Smoking is not allowed, but is not prohibited either; it is half allowed--so to speak, winked at. I had the window open." "Suddenly, just before the whistle, in came two ladies with a little poodle, and sat down opposite to me; not bad-looking women; one was in light blue, the other in black silk. The poodle, a beauty with a silver collar, lay on light blue's knee. They looked haughtily about, and talked English together. I took no notice, just went on smoking. I observed that the ladies were getting angry--over my cigar, doubtless. One looked at me through her tortoise-shell eyeglass. "I took no notice, because they never said a word. If they didn't like the cigar, why couldn't they say so? Not a word, not a hint! Suddenly, and without the very slightest suspicion of warning, 'light blue' seizes my cigar from between my fingers, and, wheugh! out of the window with it! Well, on flew the train, and I sat bewildered, and the young woman, tall and fair, and rather red in the face, too red, glared at me with flashing eyes. "I didn't say a word, but with extreme courtesy, I may say with most refined courtesy, I reached my finger and thumb over towards the poodle, took it up delicately by the nape of the neck, and chucked it out of the window, after the cigar. The train went flying on, and the poodle's yells were lost in the distance." "Oh, you naughty man!" cried Nastasia, laughing and clapping her hands like a child. "Bravo!" said Ferdishenko. Ptitsin laughed too, though he had been very sorry to see the general appear. Even Colia laughed and said, "Bravo!" "And I was right, truly right," cried the general, with warmth and solemnity, "for if cigars are forbidden in railway carriages, poodles are much more so." "Well, and what did the lady do?" asked Nastasia, impatiently. " She--ah, that's where all the mischief of it lies!" replied Ivolgin, frowning. "Without a word, as it were, of warning, she slapped me on the cheek! An extraordinary woman!" "And you?" The general dropped his eyes, and elevated his brows; shrugged his shoulders, tightened his lips, spread his hands, and remained silent. At last he blurted out: "I lost my head!" "Did you hit her?" "No, oh no!--there was a great flare-up, but I didn't hit her! I had to struggle a little, purely to defend myself; but the very devil was in the business. It turned out that 'light blue' was an Englishwoman, governess or something, at Princess Bielokonski's, and the other woman was one of the old-maid princesses Bielokonski. Well, everybody knows what great friends the princess and Mrs. Epanchin are, so there was a pretty kettle of fish. All the Bielokonskis went into mourning for the poodle. Six princesses in tears, and the Englishwoman shrieking! "Of course I wrote an apology, and called, but they would not receive either me or my apology, and the Epanchins cut me, too!" "But wait," said Nastasia. "How is it that, five or six days since, I read exactly the same story in the paper, as happening between a Frenchman and an English girl? The cigar was snatched away exactly as you describe, and the poodle was chucked out of the window after it. The slapping came off, too, as in your case; and the girl's dress was light blue!" The general blushed dreadfully; Colia blushed too; and Ptitsin turned hastily away. Ferdishenko was the only one who laughed as gaily as before. As to Gania, I need not say that he was miserable; he stood dumb and wretched and took no notice of anybody. "I assure you," said the general, "that exactly the same thing happened to myself!" "I remembered there was some quarrel between father and Miss Smith, the Bielokonski's governess," said Colia. "How very curious, point for point the same anecdote, and happening at different ends of Europe! Even the light blue dress the same," continued the pitiless Nastasia. "I must really send you the paper." "You must observe," insisted the general, "that my experience was two years earlier." "Ah! that's it, no doubt!" Nastasia Philipovna laughed hysterically. "Father, will you hear a word from me outside!" said Gania, his voice shaking with agitation, as he seized his father by the shoulder. His eyes shone with a blaze of hatred. At this moment there was a terrific bang at the front door, almost enough to break it down. Some most unusual visitor must have arrived. Colia ran to open. 笼罩着一片静默；大家都望着公爵，仿佛不明白他的话，也不愿意明白；加尼亚吓得目瞪口呆。 纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜的到来，特别是在这种时刻，对于所有的人都是最奇怪、最费解的意外。就一种情况就够让人吃惊了：纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜是第一次光临；直至现在她的态度十分傲慢，在与加尼亚的交谈中甚至都没有表示过要认识他的家人的愿望，而在最近这段时间里根本连提都不提他们，仿佛他们不存在在世上似的。加尼亚虽然在某种程度上感到高兴，因为可以避开这种对他来说颇为烦神的谈话，但是心里毕竟还是对她这种傲慢存有芥蒂。不论怎样，从她那里他等着得到的多半是对自己家庭的嘲讽和挖苦，而不是来访；他总算知道，她已经明白对于他的婚姻，他家里发生着什么情况以及他的家人会以怎样的目光来看着她。此刻她的来访，在送了照片以后并在她生日这一天，在她许诺要决定他命运的这一天，这一来访几乎就意味着她的决定本身。 大家困惑不解地望着公爵，这种状况持续并不很久：纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜本人在门口出现了，在她走进房间的时候，又轻轻地推开了一下公爵。 “总算进来了……你们干吗把门铃系起来了？”她把手递给慌忙奔向她的加尼亚，快活地说，“你这是干吗一副沮丧相？请介绍我……” 完全不知所措的加尼亚首先把她介绍给瓦里娅，两个女人在彼此伸出手来以前，交换了奇怪的目光，不过，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜笑着，装得兴冲冲的样子；但瓦里娅不想装假阴沉而专注地看着她；在她脸上甚至没有用露出一般礼貌所要求的起码的笑容。加尼亚愣住了；已经没有什么也没有则问来请求了，于是他向瓦里娅投去威胁性的一瞥，就凭这种目光的威力，足以使她明启，此时此刻对她兄长来说意味着什么。于是，她好像决走对他让步，就朝纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜徽微笑了一下（在家里他们大家彼此还是十分相爱的）。尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜稍稍挽回了局面、加尼亚完全昏了头，在介绍了妹妹以后才方绍母亲，甚至把她带到纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜眼前。但是尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜刚开始表示自己“特别高兴”，纳斯塔西娅·费利伯夫娜不等听完她的话，很快就转向加尼亚，而且还没有受到邀请就坐到窗口角落里的一张小沙发上，大声嚷着： “您的书房在哪里？还有……房客在哪里？你们不是招房客的吗？” 加尼亚脸红耳赤，结结巴巴地正要回答什么，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜立即又说： “这里哪儿还能招房客住呀？您连书房也没有。那么这有利可图吗？”她突然转向尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜问。 “是添了些忙碌，”后者刚开始口答，“当然，应该会有收益的。不过，我们刚刚……” 但是纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜又一次没有听下去：她望着加尼亚，笑着朝他喊了起来： “您这张脸怎么啦？喔，我的上帝，瞧您这个时候这张脸！” 这一笑声持续了好一会几，加尼亚的脸色果然大为变样：他那呆僵木讷、他那滑稽可笑、胆小畏怯的不知所措的神情突然消失了，但是脸色却十分苍白；双唇自为痉挛而歪斜着；他用一种粗野的目光默默地、目不转睛地凝视着继续在笑的女客的脸。 此时在场的还有一个旁观者，他也还没有摆脱见到纳斯塔西娅·费利怕夫娜面惊讶得目瞪口呆的状态；但是虽然他像根“木柱子”似的原封不动地站在会客室门口，他还是注意到了加尼亚苍白的脸色和变化不祥的神情。他几乎处于惊吓之中，突然机械地迈步向前。 “去喝点水，”他对加尼亚低语说，“别这样看人……” 显然，他说这话未经任何思虑，没有任何特别的意图，而只是想到什么说什么；但是他的话却产生了不同寻常的作用。看来，加尼亚的全部怨气突然倾注到公爵身上：他抓住公爵的肩膀，充满仇恨，复仇的心默默望着他，仿佛难以说出话来。这引起了大家的惊慌不安：尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜甚至轻轻喊出了声，普季岑焦急地朝前跨了一步，来到门口的科利亚和费尔迪先科惊愕得停住了，只有瓦里娅一个人依然皱眉蟹额地看着一切，但很注意观察。她没有坐下来，而是双手交叉在胸前站在母亲旁边一侧。 但是加尼亚马上醒悟过来，几乎就在自己作出这一举动的最初那一刻，他就神经质地哈哈大笑起来。他完全冷静下来了。 “您怎么啦，公爵，难道是医生不成？”他尽可能快活和浑朴地大声说，“甚至都吓了我一跳；纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜，可以向您介绍，这是位极为难能可贵的人物，虽然我自己也只是早晨才认识他的。” 纳斯塔西砸·费利帕夫娜疑惑不解地望着公爵。 “公爵？他是公爵？您倒想想，我刚才在前厅把他当作仆人，还打发他来报告！哈一哈一哈！” “不要紧，不要紧！”费尔迪先科应声说，一边急忙走近来，看到大家笑了起来而兴致勃勃，“不要紧： ｓｅ ｎｏｎ ｅ ｖｅｒｏ＊……” “还差点骂了您，公爵。请原谅。费尔迪先科，在这样的时刻，您怎么在这里？我以为，起码不会遇见您。他是什么人？哪个公爵？梅什金？”她重问着加尼亚，而此时他虽已介绍了公爵，却仍然抓着他的肩膀。 “我们的房客，”加尼亚重复说。 显然，公爵被当作某种稀罕的（也是适于使大家摆脱虚伪局面的）东西来介绍的，并差不多是把他硬塞给纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜的；公爵甚至清楚地听到“白痴”这个字眼，好像是费尔迪先科在他背后向纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜解释时低声说的。 “请告诉我，我刚才这么该死……把您弄锗了，您为什么不纠正我？”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜一边用毫不客气的方式从头到脚打量着公爵，一边继续问道。她迫不及待地等着回答，似乎完全确信，回答一定是愚不可及，不会不引人发笑。 “这么突然地看见您，我十分惊讶……”公爵刚开始喃喃着说。 “您怎么知道这是我？您过去在什么地方见过我吗？这是怎么回事，真的，我好像在哪儿见过他？请问，为什么您刚才呆呆地站在那里？我身上有什么能让人发呆的？” “说呀，说呀！”费尔迪先科继续做着鬼脸说，“倒是说呀！噢，上帝啊，对这样的问题，假如是我，可以说出多少名堂来啊！倒是说呀……要不说呀，公爵，您可真是傻瓜了！” ＊意大利语：即使是不对。 “换了是您，我也能说出许多活来，”公爵朝费尔迪先科笑了起来，“刚才您的照片使我大为惊叹，”他对纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜继续说着，“后来我跟叶潘钦家的人也谈起过您……而清晨，还是抵达彼得堡前，在铁路上，帕尔芬·罗戈任对我讲了许多关宁您的事……就在我为您开门的那一刻，我也还在想到您，可突然您就在这里。” “您怎么知道，这就是我？” “根据照片……” “还有呢？” “还因为，我想象中的您正是这样的……我也仿佛在那儿见过您。” “在哪儿？在哪儿？” “我真的像在什么地方看见过您的眼睛……但这是不可能的！我这是这么觉得……我从来也没有来过这里。也许，是在梦中……” “真有您的，公爵！”费尔迪先科叫了起来，“我收回自己的话，ｓｅｎｏｏ；ｖｅｒ０。不过……不过，他说这些可全是因为天真单纯！”他惋惜地补了这么一句。 公爵说这几句话声音很不平静，时断时续，还频频换一口气。一切都显露出他内心异常激动。纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜好奇地望着他，但已经不再笑了。就在此时，从紧紧围住公爵和纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜的人群后面传来了一个新的大大咧咧的声音，可以说，这声音在人群中开出一条道来，将他们分成两半。在纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜面前站着一家之长伊沃尔金将军。他穿着燕尾服和干净的胸衣，小胡子还抹上染须剂…… 这可是加尼亚已经不能容忍的了。 他自尊、爱虚荣到疑神疑鬼的地步，到抑郁寡欢的状态；在这两个月中他一直寻求着可以使他体面地立足和使他显得高贵的一个支点；他感觉到在所选择的道路上他尚是个新手，大概难以坚持下去；绝望的心境中他终于发现在称王称霸的自己家里恣肆骄横，但却不敢在纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜面前来这一套，因为直到目前这一刻她仍使他莫名其妙并毫不留情地对他占着上风；照纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜的说法，他是个“迫不及待的穷光蛋”，这一点已经有人传话给他了；他千赌咒万发誓往后要她抵偿这一切，与此同时，有时他又天真地暗自幻想着能把各方拢到一起，使对立者和解，--而现在，他还得喝下这杯浓烈的苦酒，主要是在这种时刻！对于一个爱虚荣的人来说，有一种未曾料到，但却是最可怕的折磨--在自己家里为自己的亲人感到脸红的痛苦落到了他的身上，在这瞬间加尼亚的头脑中闪过这样的念头：“补偿本身到底是否抵得了这一切！” 就在此刻发生了这两个月中只是夜里做恶梦所梦见的事，吓得他浑身透凉，羞得他满身灼热：终于他父亲跟纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜进行了家庭的会面。有时他招惹和刺激自己，试着去想象婚礼仪式上将军的模样，但是总是不能把这幅令人难受的景象想到底，便赶快抛开它。也许，他过分夸大了这种不快，但是爱虚荣的人却总是这样的。在这两个月中他来得及反复多想和作出决定，他向自己许下诺言，无论如何怎么也得约束住自己父亲，哪怕是一段时间让他别出头露面，如果不可能的话，甚至离开彼得堡，不管母亲同意还是不同意那样做。１０分钟前，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜走进来的时候，他是那么震惊、那么愕然，竟完全忘掉了阿尔达利翁·亚历山德罗维奇有可能在吵嘴时出现，也就没做任何安排。这下将军就出现在这里，在众人面前，而且还郑重其事地做了准备，穿了燕尾服，并且正是在纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜“只想寻找机会对他和他的家人大加奚落嘲笑”的时候。（他对此确信无疑。）再说，实际上她此刻来访若不是这个目的，那又是什么意思呢？她来是跟他母亲和妹妹亲近友好还是要在他家中对他们羞辱一番？但是根据双方形成时局面来看，已经不必怀疑：他的母亲和妹妹如遭人唾弃一般坐在一旁，而纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜甚至好像忘记了，她们跟她是在一个房间里……既然她是这样举止，那么；她当然是有自己的目的！ 费尔迪先科扶住将军，把他带到眼前。 “阿尔达利翁·亚历山德罗维奇·伊沃尔金，”微笑躬身的将军庄重地说，“一个不幸的老兵和一家之长，这个家不胜荣幸的是有望纳入这么一位美妙的。……” 他没有说完，费尔迪先科很快地从后面给他端上一把椅子，将军在午餐后这一刻站着有点腿脚发软，因此扑通一声或者最好是说倒到椅子上；不过这不会使他感到不好意思，他就对着纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜坐好了，用一种可爱的姿态从容而动人地把她的纤指贴近自己嘴边。一般来说要使将军感到困窘是相当困难的。他的外表，除了有点不修边幅，还是相当体面的，这一点他自己也知道得很清楚，过去他也常有机会出入高贵的上流社会，他完全被排除在外总共不过是两三年前的事。从那时起他就不加约束地过分沉溺于自己的某些爱好，但是挥洒自如，令人好感的风度在他身上保留至今，纳斯塔西娜·赞利帕夫娜似乎很高兴阿尔达利翁·亚历山德罗维奇的出现，对于他，当然她过去就有所闻。 “我听说，我的儿子……”阿尔达利翁·亚历山德罗维奇本已开始说。 “是啊，您的儿子！您也挺好呀，可尊敬的爸爸！为什么在我那儿从来也见不到您呀？怎么啦，是您自己躲起来的，还是儿子把您藏起来了？您倒是可以到我这儿来的，不会损害谁的名誉的。” “十九世纪的孩子和他们的父母……”将军又开始说。 “纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜，请放开阿尔达利翁·亚历山德罗维奇一会儿，有人找他，”尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜大声说。 “放开他！哪能呢，我听说过许多许多关于他的事，早就想见到他了！再说他又会有什么事？他不是退伍了吗？您别留下我，将军，您不定开吧？” “我向您保证，他自己会到您那儿去的，但现在他需要休息。” “阿尔达利翁·亚历山德罗维奇，他们说，您需要休息！”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜做着不满和厌恶的鬼脸嚷道，犹如被夺去了玩具的轻桃的傻丫头。将军则偏偏还起劲地把自己的处境弄得更糟糕。 “我的朋友！我的朋友！”他郑重其事地转向妻子，把手放到心口，含着责备说。 “妈妈，”您不从这儿走开吗？”瓦里娅大声问。 “不，瓦里娅，我要坐到底。” 纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜不会没有听到这一同一答，但是她似乎因此而更加快活。她马上又向将军抛出一连串问题，而过了５分钟将军已处于最昂扬的情绪之中，在在场人的一片笑声中夸夸其谈着。 科利亚拽了一下公爵的后襟。 “您怎么也得想个法几把他带走！不成吗？请带开他吧！”可怜的男孩眼睛上甚至闪动着恼愤的热泪。“嘿，这该诅咒的加尼卡！”他暗自补了一句。 “我过去跟伊万·费奥多罗维奇·叶潘钦确实很有交情，”将军对纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜的问题兴致勃勃地回答着，“我，他以及已故的列夫·尼古拉耶维奇·梅什金公爵（２０年离别后我今天拥抱了他的儿子），我们三人可以说是形影不离的骑马闲游的伙伴：阿托斯、波尔托斯和阿拉米斯＊。可是，唉，一个已经进了坟墓，他是被诬蔑和子弹害死的，另一个就在您面前，还在跟诬蔑和子弹作斗争……” ＊此系法国作家大仲马所者《三个人熗手》中的主人公。 “跟子弹！”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜喊了起来。 “它们在这里，在我胸膛里，是在卡尔斯城下得的，天气不好时我就会感觉到它们。所有其它方面，我过着哲学家般的生活，走走，敬散步，像个辞职退隐的布尔乔亚那样在我去的咖啡馆下棋，看《Ｉｎｄｅｐｅｎｄａｎｃｃ》＊。但是，跟我们的波尔托斯，即叶潘钦，自从前年铁路上为了一条哈巴狗的事，我就彻底与他拉倒了。” “为了一条哈巴狗？这是怎么回事？”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜特别好奇地问，“这条狗是怎么回事？让我想想，是在铁路上呀！……”她仿佛在想什么。 “嗬，那是件无聊的事，不值得再提它：是因为别洛孔斯卡娅公爵夫人的家庭女教师施密特夫人，但是……不值得再重提了。” “您可一定要讲！”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜快活地嚷着。 “我也还没有听说过！”费尔迪先科说，“Ｃｅｓｔ ｄｕｎｏｕｖｅａｕ＊＊” “阿尔达利翁·亚历山德罗维奇！”又响起了尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜央求的声音。 “爸爸，在找您呢！”科利亚喊道。 “真是件无聊事，我三言两语讲一下，”将军洋洋得意地开始说，“两年前，对，差不多就在一条新的什么铁路线开辟后不久，我（已经穿着便装大衣）忙着办理对我来说非常重要的移交职务方面的事，买了一等车厢的票，走了进去，坐着抽烟，就是说我继续抽着烟，在此前就已经开始抽了。单间里就我一人。既不禁止抽烟，但也不允许；通常就算是半许可吧；当然还得看是谁。窗子拉开着。就在汽笛鸣响前，突然两位太太带着一只哈巴狗正对着我安顿下来；她们迟到了，一位雍容华贵打扮得非常漂亮，穿的是浅蓝色衣裙；另一位比较朴素，穿着带披肩的黑色绸衣。她们长得都本错，看起人来很傲慢，说的是英国话。我当然不当一回事；抽着烟。也就是说，我曾经想到过，但是，我却继续抽烟，因为窗子开着，就朝着窗外抽。哈巴狗在穿浅蓝色衣裙的小姐的膝盖上静卧着，它很小，就我拳头这么大，黑体白爪，倒是很少见的，项目是银制的，上面还有铭文。我没有理会。只不过我觉察到，女士们好像在生气，自然是因为我抽雪茄。一个戴着单目眼镜盯着我，眼镜框还是玳瑁做的，我依然无动于衷：因为他们什么也没说呀！可她们终究是有人的舌头的呀，如果说了，提醒了，请求了，就另当别论！可是她们却闭口不言……突然。我要告诉你们，没有一点提醒，就是说没有一丝表示、的的确确完全像发疯似的，那个穿浅蓝色衣裙的小姐从我手中夺过雪茄，就扔到窗外去了。列车在奔驰。我像个呆子似的望着她。这女人真粗野、真是个野蛮的女人，的的确确完全处于狂野的状态；不过，这是个粗壮的女人，肥胖而又高大，金色的头发，脸色徘红（甚至大红了），眼睛对台我熠熠闪光。我一句话也不说，非常客气，十二万分有礼，可以说是极为雍容大雅、彬彬有礼地向哈巴狗伸出两个指头，闲雅斯文地抓起它的脖颈，紧接着我的雪茄，把它向窗外一扔！它只发出一声尖叫！火车继续奔驰着……” ＊法语：《独立》。 ＊＊法语：这是新闻。 “您可真是个恶魔！”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜喊道，她像个小姑娘似的哈哈笑着，拍着手掌。 “妙极了，妙极了！”费尔迪先科喊着。将军的出现本来也令普季岑感到不快，现在他也笑了一下，甚至连科利亚也笑起来了，也喊了一声：“妙极了！” “而且我是对的，对的，加倍地对！”洋洋得意的将军热情洋溢地说，“因为，既然车厢里禁止抽烟，那么更不用说带狗了。” “棒极了，爸爸。”科利亚激昂地喊着，“太好了！换了我一定，一定也是这样干的！” “但是小姐怎么样呢？”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜迫不及待地要问个究竟。 “她？嘿，全部不愉快的根源就在她身上，”将军皱起眉头，继续说，“她一句话也不说，也没有一丝提示，就打了我一记耳光！真是个野蛮的女人；完全处于狂野的状态！” “那么您呢。” 将军垂下眼睛，扬起眉毛，耸起肩膀，闭紧双唇，摊开双手，沉默了一会，突然低声说： “我很冲动。” “闹得很厉害吗？很厉害吗？” “真的，不厉害！事情闹出来了，但并不厉害。我只是挥了一下手，仅仅挥了唯一的一次。但是这一下可是自己碰上魔鬼了：穿浅蓝色的那个是英国人，是别洛孔斯卡娅公爵夫人家的家庭教师或者甚至是那一家人的什么朋友，而穿黑裙的则是别洛孔斯基家中最大的公爵小姐，她是个３５岁左右的老姑娘：众所周知，叶潘钦将军夫人与别洛孔斯基家是一种什么关系。所有的公爵小姐都晕倒了，泪水涟涟，为她们的宠物--哈巴狗服丧举哀，六位公爵小姐尖声哭喊，英国女人尖声哭叫--简直就像是到了世界未日。当然罗，我去表示悔过认错，请求原谅，写了信，但是他们既不接待我，也不收下我的信，而跟叶潘钦从此翻了脸，后来就是开除、驱逐！” “但是，请问，这到底是怎么回事？”突然纳斯塔西颀·费利帕夫娜问，“五六天前我在《１ｎｄｅｐｅｎｄａｎｃｅ》上也读到过一个这样的故事，我是经常看《１ｎｄｅｎｐｅｎｄａｎｃｅ》的。而且绝对是一样的故事！这事发生在莱茵河沿岸的铁路线上，在车厢里，牵涉到一个法国男人和一个英国女人：也是这样夺下了一枝雪茄，也是这样千条哈巴狗被抛到了窗外，最后，也是像您讲的那样结束，连衣裙也是浅蓝色的！” 将军满脸啡红，科利亚也脸红了，双手夹紧脑袋；普季岑很快转过身去。只有费尔迪先科一个人仍像原来那样哈哈大笑。至于加尼亚就不用说了：他一直站在那里，强忍着无声的和难以忍受的痛苦。 “请您相信，”将军喃喃说道，“我确实发生过同样的事……” “爸爸确实跟施密德大太，即别洛孔斯基家的家庭教师有过不愉快的事，”科利亚嚷了起来，“我记得。” “怎么！一模一样？在欧洲的两个地方发生同一个故事，在所有的细节上，直至浅蓝色裙子都毫厘不差。”纳斯塔西娅·赞利帕夫娜坚不让步，毫不留情，“我把《１ｎｄｅｎｅｎｄａｎｃｅ Ｂｅ１ｇｅ》派人给您送来！” “噢，但是请注意，”将军仍然坚持着，“我是两年前发生这事的……” “竟可能全是这样！” 纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜如歇斯底里一般哈哈大笑起来。 “爸爸，我请您出去说两句话，”加尼亚机械地抓住父亲的肩膀，用颤抖的痛苦不堪的声音说。在他的目光中充满着无限的仇恨。 就在这一瞬间从外间里传来了非常响的门铃声。这样子拉铃会把门铃都扯下来的。预示着将是不同一般的来访。科利亚跑了去开门。

Part 1 Chapter 10 THE entrance-hall suddenly became full of noise and people. To judge from the sounds which penetrated to the drawing-room, a number of people had already come in, and the stampede continued. Several voices were talking and shouting at once; others were talking and shouting on the stairs outside; it was evidently a most extraordinary visit that was about to take place. Everyone exchanged startled glances. Gania rushed out towards the dining-room, but a number of men had already made their way in, and met him. "Ah! here he is, the Judas!" cried a voice which the prince recognized at once. "How d'ye do, Gania, you old blackguard?" "Yes, that's the man!" said another voice. There was no room for doubt in the prince's mind: one of the voices was Rogojin's, and the other Lebedeff's. Gania stood at the door like a block and looked on in silence, putting no obstacle in the way of their entrance, and ten or a dozen men marched in behind Parfen Rogojin. They were a decidedly mixed-looking collection, and some of them came in in their furs and caps. None of them were quite drunk, but all appeared to De considerably excited. They seemed to need each other's support, morally, before they dared come in; not one of them would have entered alone but with the rest each one was brave enough. Even Rogojin entered rather cautiously at the head of his troop; but he was evidently preoccupied. He appeared to be gloomy and morose, and had clearly come with some end in view. All the rest were merely chorus, brought in to support the chief character. Besides Lebedeff there was the dandy Zalesheff, who came in without his coat and hat, two or three others followed his example; the rest were more uncouth. They included a couple of young merchants, a man in a great-coat, a medical student, a little Pole, a small fat man who laughed continuously, and an enormously tall stout one who apparently put great faith in the strength of his fists. A couple of "ladies" of some sort put their heads in at the front door, but did not dare come any farther. Colia promptly banged the door in their faces and locked it. "Hallo, Gania, you blackguard! You didn't expect Rogojin, eh?" said the latter, entering the drawing-room, and stopping before Gania. But at this moment he saw, seated before him, Nastasia Philipovna. He had not dreamed of meeting her here, evidently, for her appearance produced a marvellous effect upon him. He grew pale, and his lips became actually blue. "I suppose it is true, then!" he muttered to himself, and his face took on an expression of despair. "So that's the end of it! Now you, sir, will you answer me or not?" he went on suddenly, gazing at Gania with ineffable malice. "Now then, you--" He panted, and could hardly speak for agitation. He advanced into the room mechanically; but perceiving Nina Alexandrovna and Varia he became more or less embarrassed, in spite of his excitement. His followers entered after him, and all paused a moment at sight of the ladies. Of course their modesty was not fated to be long- lived, but for a moment they were abashed. Once let them begin to shout, however, and nothing on earth should disconcert them. "What, you here too, prince?" said Rogojin, absently, but a little surprised all the same " Still in your gaiters, eh?" He sighed, and forgot the prince next moment, and his wild eyes wandered over to Nastasia again, as though attracted in that direction by some magnetic force. Nastasia looked at the new arrivals with great curiosity. Gania recollected himself at last. "Excuse me, sirs," he said, loudly, "but what does all this mean?" He glared at the advancing crowd generally, but addressed his remarks especially to their captain, Rogojin. "You are not in a stable, gentlemen, though you may think it--my mother and sister are present." "Yes, I see your mother and sister," muttered Rogojin, through his teeth; and Lebedeff seemed to feel himself called upon to second the statement. "At all events, I must request you to step into the salon," said Gania, his rage rising quite out of proportion to his words, "and then I shall inquire--" "What, he doesn't know me!" said Rogojin, showing his teeth disagreeably. "He doesn't recognize Rogojin!" He did not move an inch, however. "I have met you somewhere, I believe, but--" "Met me somewhere, pfu! Why, it's only three months since I lost two hundred roubles of my father's money to you, at cards. The old fellow died before he found out. Ptitsin knows all about it. Why, I've only to pull out a three-rouble note and show it to you, and you'd crawl on your hands and knees to the other end of the town for it; that's the sort of man you are. Why, I've come now, at this moment, to buy you up! Oh, you needn't think that because I wear these boots I have no money. I have lots of money, my beauty,--enough to buy up you and all yours together. So I shall, if I like to! I'll buy you up! I will!" he yelled, apparently growing more and more intoxicated and excited." Oh, Nastasia Philipovna! don't turn me out! Say one word, do! Are you going to marry this man, or not?" Rogojin asked his question like a lost soul appealing to some divinity, with the reckless daring of one appointed to die, who has nothing to lose. He awaited the reply in deadly anxiety. Nastasia Philipovna gazed at him with a haughty, ironical. expression of face; but when she glanced at Nina Alexandrovna and Varia, and from them to Gania, she changed her tone, all of a sudden. "Certainly not; what are you thinking of? What could have induced you to ask such a question?" she replied, quietly and seriously, and even, apparently, with some astonishment. "No? No?" shouted Rogojin, almost out of his mind with joy. "You are not going to, after all? And they told me--oh, Nastasia Philipovna--they said you had promised to marry him, HIM! As if you COULD do it!--him--pooh! I don't mind saying it to everyone-- I'd buy him off for a hundred roubles, any day pfu! Give him a thousand, or three if he likes, poor devil' and he'd cut and run the day before his wedding, and leave his bride to me! Wouldn't you, Gania, you blackguard? You'd take three thousand, wouldn't you? Here's the money! Look, I've come on purpose to pay you off and get your receipt, formally. I said I'd buy you up, and so I will." "Get out of this, you drunken beast!" cried Gania, who was red and white by turns. Rogojin's troop, who were only waiting for an excuse, set up a howl at this. Lebedeff stepped forward and whispered something in Parfen's ear. "You're right, clerk," said the latter, "you're right, tipsy spirit--you're right!--Nastasia Philipovna," he added, looking at her like some lunatic, harmless generally, but suddenly wound up to a pitch of audacity, "here are eighteen thousand roubles, and--and you shall have more--." Here he threw a packet of bank- notes tied up in white paper, on the table before her, not daring to say all he wished to say. "No-no-no!" muttered Lebedeff, clutching at his arm. He was clearly aghast at the largeness of the sum, and thought a far smaller amount should have been tried first. "No, you fool--you don't know whom you are dealing with--and it appears I am a fool, too!" said Parfen, trembling beneath the flashing glance of Nastasia. "Oh, curse it all! What a fool I was to listen to you!" he added, with profound melancholy. Nastasia Philipovna, observing his woe-begone expression, suddenly burst out laughing. "Eighteen thousand roubles, for me? Why, you declare yourself a fool at once," she said, with impudent familiarity, as she rose from the sofa and prepared to go. Gania watched the whole scene with a sinking of the heart. "Forty thousand, then--forty thousand roubles instead of eighteen! Ptitsin and another have promised to find me forty thousand roubles by seven o'clock tonight. Forty thousand roubles--paid down on the nail!" The scene was growing more and more disgraceful; but Nastasia Philipovna continued to laugh and did not go away. Nina Alexandrovna and Varia had both risen from their places and were waiting, in silent horror, to see what would happen. Varia's eyes were all ablaze with anger; but the scene had a different effect on Nina Alexandrovna. She paled and trembled, and looked more and more like fainting every moment. "Very well then, a HUNDRED thousand! a hundred thousand! paid this very day. Ptitsin! find it for me. A good share shall stick to your fingers--come!" "You are mad!" said Ptitsin, coming up quickly and seizing him by the hand. "You're drunk--the police will be sent for if you don't look out. Think where you are." "Yes, he's boasting like a drunkard," added Nastasia, as though with the sole intention of goading him. "I do NOT boast! You shall have a hundred thousand, this very day. Ptitsin, get the money, you gay usurer! Take what you like for it, but get it by the evening! I'll show that I'm in earnest!" cried Rogojin, working himself up into a frenzy of excitement. "Come, come; what's all this?" cried General Ivolgin, suddenly and angrily, coming close up to Rogojin. The unexpectedness of this sally on the part of the hitherto silent old man caused some laughter among the intruders. "Halloa! what's this now?" laughed Rogojin. "You come along with me, old fellow! You shall have as much to drink as you like." "Oh, it's too horrible!" cried poor Colia, sobbing with shame and annoyance. "Surely there must be someone among all of you here who will turn this shameless creature out of the room?" cried Varia, suddenly. She was shaking and trembling with rage. "That's me, I suppose. I'm the shameless creature!" cried Nastasia Philipovna, with amused indifference. "Dear me, and I came--like a fool, as I am--to invite them over to my house for the evening! Look how your sister treats me, Gavrila Ardalionovitch." For some moments Gania stood as if stunned or struck by lightning, after his sister's speech. But seeing that Nastasia Philipovna was really about to leave the room this time, he sprang at Varia and seized her by the arm like a madman. "What have you done?" he hissed, glaring at her as though he would like to annihilate her on the spot. He was quite beside himself, and could hardly articulate his words for rage. "What have I done? Where are you dragging me to?" "Do you wish me to beg pardon of this creature because she has come here to insult our mother and disgrace the whole household, you low, base wretch?" cried Varia, looking back at her brother with proud defiance. A few moments passed as they stood there face to face, Gania still holding her wrist tightly. Varia struggled once--twice--to get free; then could restrain herself no longer, and spat in his face. "There's a girl for you!" cried Nastasia Philipovna. "Mr. Ptitsin, I congratulate you on your choice." Gania lost his head. Forgetful of everything he aimed a blow at Varia, which would inevitably have laid her low, but suddenly another hand caught his. Between him and Varia stood the prince. "Enough--enough!" said the latter, with insistence, but all of a tremble with excitement. "Are you going to cross my path for ever, damn you!" cried Gania; and, loosening his hold on Varia, he slapped the prince's face with all his force. Exclamations of horror arose on all sides. The prince grew pale as death; he gazed into Gania's eyes with a strange, wild, reproachful look; his lips trembled and vainly endeavoured to form some words; then his mouth twisted into an incongruous smile. "Very well--never mind about me; but I shall not allow you to strike her!" he said, at last, quietly. Then, suddenly, he could bear it no longer, and covering his face with his hands, turned to the wall, and murmured in broken accents: "Oh! how ashamed you will be of this afterwards!" Gania certainly did look dreadfully abashed. Colia rushed up to comfort the prince, and after him crowded Varia, Rogojin and all, even the general. "It's nothing, it's nothing!" said the prince, and again he wore the smile which was so inconsistent with the circumstances. "Yes, he will be ashamed!" cried Rogojin. "You will be properly ashamed of yourself for having injured such a--such a sheep" (he could not find a better word). "Prince, my dear fellow, leave this and come away with me. I'll show you how Rogojin shows his affection for his friends." Nastasia Philipovna was also much impressed, both with Gania's action and with the prince's reply. Her usually thoughtful, pale face, which all this while had been so little in harmony with the jests and laughter which she had seemed to put on for the occasion, was now evidently agitated by new feelings, though she tried to conceal the fact and to look as though she were as ready as ever for jesting and irony. "I really think I must have seen him somewhere!" she murmured seriously enough. "Oh, aren't you ashamed of yourself--aren't you ashamed? Are you really the sort of woman you are trying to represent yourself to be? Is it possible?" The prince was now addressing Nastasia, in a tone of reproach, which evidently came from his very heart. Nastasia Philipovna looked surprised, and smiled, but evidently concealed something beneath her smile and with some confusion and a glance at Gania she left the room. However, she had not reached the outer hall when she turned round, walked quickly up to Nina Alexandrovna, seized her hand and lifted it to her lips. "He guessed quite right. I am not that sort of woman," she whispered hurriedly, flushing red all over. Then she turned again and left the room so quickly that no one could imagine what she had come back for. All they saw was that she said something to Nina Alexandrovna in a hurried whisper, and seemed to kiss her hand. Varia, however, both saw and heard all, and watched Nastasia out of the room with an expression of wonder. Gania recollected himself in time to rush after her in order to show her out, but she had gone. He followed her to the stairs. "Don't come with me," she cried, "Au revoir, till the evening--do you hear? Au revoir!" He returned thoughtful and confused; the riddle lay heavier than ever on his soul. He was troubled about the prince, too, and so bewildered that he did not even observe Rogojin's rowdy band crowd past him and step on his toes, at the door as they went out. They were all talking at once. Rogojin went ahead of the others, talking to Ptitsin, and apparently insisting vehemently upon something very important "You've lost the game, Gania" he cried, as he passed the latter. Gania gazed after him uneasily, but said nothing. 前厅里一下子变得异常暄闹和人声嗜杂；从会客室里可以觉到，从外面走进了好几个人并且还在继续走进来。好几个声音在同时说话和叫喊；楼梯上也有人在说话和叫喊，听起来，从前厅上楼梯的门没有关上。看来是一次异常奇怪的突然来访：大家都互相交换着眼色；加尼亚奔向客厅，但客厅里已经进来了几个人。 “啊，瞧他，这犹大！”公爵熟悉的一个声音喊了一声，“你好啊，加尼卡，下流痞！” “是他，正是他！”另一个声音随声附和着。 公爵不用再怀疑了：一个声音是罗戈任，另一个则是列别杰夫。 加尼亚似乎呆僵了一般站在会客室门口默默望着，没有去阻拦紧跟着帕尔芬·罗戈任一个接一个进入客厅的约摸１０个或１２个人。这一伙人三教九流，不仅仅形形色色，而且不成体统。有几个人进来时就像在街上一样，穿着大衣和皮氅。不过，倒也没有完全喝醉了的人，但是所有的人都带着强烈的醉意，大家好像都需要彼此的支持才走进来；无论哪个人都没有勇气单独进来，而是互相椎椎揉揉着进来。就连群首的罗戈任也是小心翼翼地走着，但是他心怀叵恻，自而显得阴沉、气恼而又优心忡仲。其余的人不过是附和着，或者最好是说，帮腔和助威。除了列别杰夫，这里还有个烫卷发的扎廖热夫，他在外问扔下自己的皮大毫，放肆不羁、神气活现地走了进来，还有两三个像他这样的先生，显然是商人。有一个穿着半似军用的大衣；有一个个子小小的但异常肥胖的人不停地笑着；有一个先生有两俄尺十二俄寸高的魁伟身躯，也非常肥胖，十分阴沉，默不作声，显然，强烈地指望用自己的拳头来解决问题。还有一个医科大学生；一个在人群中转来转去的波兰家伙。还有两位女士从楼梯上向过道里张望，却不敢走进去；科利亚就在她们鼻子跟前砰地关上了，并搭上钩子。 “你好哇，加尼卡，真是个下流痞！怎么，没有料到帕尔芬·罗戈任来吧？”罗戈任走到会客室，停在门口，面对着加尼亚又重说了一遍。但在此刻他突然看清楚了，就在自己对面，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜在会客室里。显然，他头脑里根本没有想到会在这里遇见她，因为突然看见她使他产生了非同一般的印象；他的脸色变得惨白，连嘴唇都发育了。“看来，这是真的！”他轻轻地似乎对自己喃喃着，一副丧魂落魄的神态，“完了！……好吧……你现在就回答我！”他狂怒而又恶狼狠地望着加尼亚，突然咬牙切齿地说，“嘿！……” 他甚至屏住了呼吸，连说话也很吃力。他机械地向会客室移步，但当他正要跨进门的时候，突然看见了尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜和瓦里娅，便停住了，尽管他万分激动，还是感到有点发窘。跟在他后面走来的是列别杰夫，他如影子一般寸步不离他并已经醉得很厉害了，接着是大学生，握着拳头的先生。向左右点头哈腰致意的扎廖热夫，最后挤进来的是矮胖子。女士们在场还多少使他们有些克制并且显然大大妨碍着他们，当然，这也不过维持到开场，维持到出现借口可以哄嚷和闹开场……那时任何女士都不会妨碍他们了。 “怎么？公爵，您也在这里？”对遇见公爵多少感到惊奇的罗戈任漫不经心地说，“还穿着鞋罩，唉。”他叹了口气，即刻就忘记了公爵，又把目光移到纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜身上，像被磁铁吸引住一样，越来越移近、靠拢她。 纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜也怀着一种不安和好奇的心情望着这些不速之客。 加尼亚终于醒悟过来了。 “但是，请问，这究竟是什么意思。”他严厉地扫视着进来的人，主要对着罗戈任大声说着，“你们进来的好像不是马厩，先生们，这里有我的母亲和妹妹……” “我们看见了母亲和妹妹，”罗戈任从牙缝里挤出含糊不清的话。 “这看得出是母亲和妹妹，”列别杰夫为表示礼貌附和说。 握着拳头的先生大概以为时机到了，便开始咕哝着什么。 “可是，竟然是这样！”突然加尼亚似乎过分提高了嗓门，像一声爆炸似的，他说，“第一，请所有的人离开这里去客厅，然后请允许认识……” “瞧吧，他不认识，”罗戈任站在原地不动，凶狠地毗牙咧嘴说，“罗戈任也不认识？” “我就算是在哪儿遇见过您，但是……” “瞧吧，在哪儿遇见过！我把父亲的２００卢布输给你总共才不过３个月，老头子直至去世还不知道这件事；你把我拖了进去，而克尼夫做了手脚。走不出来了？普季岑可是个证人！只要我给你看３个卢布，现在就从口袋里扣出来，你就会四肢着地爬到瓦西利耶夫斯基岛上去拿的，你就是这样的人！你的灵魂就是这样的！我现在来就是要用钱把你整个儿买下来，你别瞧我穿着这样的靴子走进来，兄弟，我有许多钱，我要把你整个儿连同你的所有家当统统买下来……我想把你们所有的人都买下来！全部买！”罗戈任似乎醉得自来越厉害，暴躁地嚷着。“嗨”他喊了一声，“纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜！你别赶我走，您只要说一句话：您是不是就要跟他结婚了？” 罗戈任像是个茫然不知所措的人，又像向某个神明似的提出自己的问题但是又带着已经没有什么可失去的被判死刑的囚犯那种胆大妄为。在死一样的苦恼中他期待着回答。 纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫挪用嘲讽和高傲的目光打量着他，但是也瞥了一眼瓦里娅和尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜，扫了一眼加尼亚，突然改变了口气。 “完全没有的事，您怎么啦？凭什么您忽然想起要问这个？”她平心静与和严肃认真地回答着，似乎还带几分惊讶。 “没有？没有！！”罗戈任几乎高兴得发狂地嚷了起来，“这么说是没有的事喏？！可他们对我说……哎！算了！……纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜！他们说您跟加尼卡已经定亲了！是跟他吗？难道可以这样吗？（我现在就对他们大声讲）我用一百卢布就把他整个儿买下来，我要给他一千，好吧，三千，要么放弃，他在婚礼前夜就会逃走，把整个儿新娘留给我。加尼卡，不就是这样吗，下流痞！你可只要拿三千卢布！瞧这些钱，就在这里！我来就是要向你拿一张这样的收条；我说了：我要买 --要买！” “从这几走开，你醉了！”脸色红一块白一块的加尼亚喊道。 紧跟着他的喊声突然响起了骤然迸发出来的几个嗓门的声音；罗戈任这一整帮人早就等着可以寻衅的第一个机会。列别杰夫极为卖力地在罗戈任多边嘀咕着什么。 “对，当官儿的！”罗戈任回答说，“对，醉鬼！哎，就这样吧。纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜！”他喊了起来，一边如一个发疯的人一般望着她，一边畏缩着，却突然鼓起勇气到放肆的地步。“这是一万八千卢布！”他把用细绳子捆成十字形的一捆包着白纸的钞票扔到她面前的小桌上，“瞧！而且……还会有！” 他没有敢把他想说的话说到底。 “不……不……不！”列别杰夫露出一副惊吓得不得了的样子又对他低语说。可以猜得到，他是被这巨大的数额吓坏了，并建议从小得难以比拟的数字试起。 “不、兄弟，这一点上你是个傻瓜，你不知道，你想到哪儿去了……是啊、看来，我跟你一起成了傻瓜！”罗戈任在纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜炯炯闪亮的目光下一下子恍然大悟并打了个颤。“嗨！我是瞎说，我听你的，”他深感后悔地补了一句。 纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫历凝视了一会罗戈任那颓丧的脸，突然笑了起来。 “一万八千，给我？瞧马上就显出乡巴佬的样子来了！”她突然以放肄无礼的腔调说，并从沙发上站起来，似乎打算离开，加尼亚屏住心跳观察着这一慕。 “那么就四万，四万，而不是一万八千！”罗戈任喊了起来，“万卡·普季岑和比斯库普答应到七点钟提交四万的，四万！全都放桌上。” 这一幕结果变得极不像话，但纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜依然笑着，并不离去，仿佛真的打算让这场戏拖延下去。尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜和瓦里娅也从自己座位上站起来，惊惧、无言地等待着，这件事会有什么结果；瓦里娅的眼睛闪闪发亮，但是所有这一切在尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜身上产生的反应是痛苦的；她颤栗着，好像马上就要昏倒。 “既然这样，那就十万！今天我就送上十万！普季岑，救救急！这可是炙手难得的赚钱机会！” “你疯啦！”普季岑快步走近他，抓住他的手，突然低声说。“你醉了，人家要派人去叫警察了。你现在在什么地方？” “他是喝醉了说胡话，”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜说，仿佛是要挑逗他。 “我可不是胡说，会有这笔钱的！到晚上就有。普季岑，救救急吧，你是放高利贷的，随你想要多少，到晚上弄十万来吧；我要证明，我是不吝惜的！”罗戈任突然精神振奋到狂热的地步。 “但是，这究竟是怎么回事？”气忿忿的阿尔达利翁·亚历山德罗维奇走近罗戈任突然威严地问。在此以前一直保持沉默的老头突然出来说话，给这一幕增添了许多滑稽可笑的因素。周围响起了笑声。 “这又是从哪儿冒出来的？”罗戈任笑了起来，“走吧，老头，去喝个醉吧！” “这太卑鄙了！”科利亚喊道。他因为感到耻辱和恼恨完全哭了起来。 “难道你们中间找不到一个人可以将这个恬不知耻的女人从这儿带走！”瓦里娅气得浑身哆嗦，突然喊了起来。 “这是称我是恬不知耻的女人罗！”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜以轻蔑的说话口气予以还击，“我可真是傻瓜，来这里叫他们去参加我那里的晚会！加夫里拉·阿尔达科翁诺维奇，瞧您的妹子多么鄙视我！” 听到妹妹出言不逊，加尼亚像被闪电震惊似的站在那里好一会儿；但是在看到纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜这次真的要离开时，他怒冲冲地扑向瓦里娅，狂暴地抓住她的手。 “你干了什么？”他逼视着她喊道，似乎想就在这个地方把她化为灰烬。他全然失去控制自己的能力，不加好好思量。 “我干了什么了？你把我拖哪儿去？是不是要求得她的宽恕，就因为她玷辱了你的母亲并且来玷污你的家？你真是个卑贱的小人！”瓦里娅又大声嚷着并且以胜利者的姿态挑战地望着兄长。 他们就这样面对面互相对峙着一会。加尼亚依然把她的手抓在自己手里，瓦里娅挣了一次，两次，用足了全部力气，但未能挣脱，突然；按捺不住气，朝兄长脸上啐了一口。 “好一个姑娘家！”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜喊道，“真棒，普季岑，我祝贺您！” 加尼亚眼前一阵发晕，他完全忘乎所以，使出全身力气朝妹妹扇去。一下本来一定落在她的脸上。但突然有一只手挡住了加尼亚半空中挥过来的手。 在他和妹妹之间站着公爵。 “别闹了，够了！”他口气坚决地说，但是也在浑身发颤，这是因为精神上受到了强烈的震撼。 “怎么，你永远要来挡我的道！”加尼亚甩开瓦里娅的手，吼了起来。一边在极度狂怒的状态下挥起空出来的那只手，狠狠地给了公爵一记耳光。 “啊！”科利亚两手一拍惊呼着，“啊，我的天哪！” 四面八方都发出了惊叹声。公爵脸色刷白。他用奇怪和责备的目光直视着加尼亚的眼睛；他的嘴唇哆嚏着，竭力要说什么；一种怪诞的并且完全不合时宜的微笑使嘴唇都歪扭了。 “好吧，这一下就让我来挨……可是要打她……我无论如何不容许……”他终于轻轻说出话来；但突然克制不住，抛开加尼亚，双手掩面走到角落里，面对墙壁，用断断续续的声音说： “哦，您将为自己的行为感到多么羞耻！” 加尼亚真的像是窘得不知所措地站在那里。科利亚扑过去拥抱和吻着公爵；跟在他后面罗戈任，瓦里姐，普季岑，尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜，所有的人，甚至连阿尔达利翁·亚历山德罗维奇都拥了过来。 “没什么，没什么！”公爵对周围的人喃喃说着，依然带着那不合时宜的微笑。 “他会后悔的！”罗戈任喊着，“你会羞愧的，加尼卡，竟然侮愿了公爵，这么一头绵羊（他找不到别的字眼）！公爵，你是我可爱的人，扔开他们；朝他们啐一口，我们走！你要知道，罗戈任多么爱你！” 纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜既为加尼亚的行为也为公爵的回答感到十分震惊。她那通常是苍白和沉静的脸容与刚才似乎是故意发出来的笑声始终显得极不和谐，现在则因为心头充溢着一种新的感受而显然激动万分；但是，她似乎仍然不想流露出这种心态，仿佛竭力让那种嘲讽的神情留在脸上。 “真的，我在什么地方见过他的脸！”她突然又想起了刚才自己提出的问题，一下子已经用很认真的口吻说了。 “而您就不觉得害臊吗！难道您真是像现在这种样子的人？这是可能的吗？”公爵突然真诚地含着深深的责备大声说道。 纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜感到惊讶，苦笑了一下，但是，在这苦笑中似乎藏着什么，她有点发窘，瞥了加尼亚一眼，就从会客室走下去。但是，还没有走到过道，她突然返回来，很快地走近尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜，拿起她的手，将它贴近自己的嘴唇。 “我倒真的不是这样的人，他猜对了，”她一下子脸上飞起红晕，红着脸，尽快又热烈地低声说，然后转过身走出去，这次走得非常快，谁也都还没有弄清楚，她为什么回来。他们只看见她对尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜说了什么，还好像吻了她的手。但是瓦里娅看见了也听见了一切，惊讶地目送着她出去。 加尼亚醒悟过来，奔去送纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜，但她已经走出去了。他在楼梯上赶上了她。 “不用送！”她对他嚷着，“到晚上，再见！” 他惶恐不安、若有所思地回来；难以解开的疑团压在他心间，比原先更为沉重。恍惚中可见公爵的身影……他忘神到这种地步，几乎没有看清，罗戈任这一大群人怎么从他身边蜂拥而过，甚至还把他挤在门口。坚随着罗戈任匆匆地离开屋子。所有的人都直着嗓门．粗声大气地谈论着什么。罗戈任本人和普季岑一起走着，坚决地反复说着什么要紧的，看来是刻不容缓的事。 “你输了，加尼卡！”在经过他身边时，罗戈任喊了一声。 加尼亚忐忑不安地望着他们的背影。

Part 1 Chapter 11 THE prince now left the room and shut himself up in his own chamber. Colia followed him almost at once, anxious to do what he could to console him. The poor boy seemed to be already so attached to him that he could hardly leave him. "You were quite right to go away!" he said. "The row will rage there worse than ever now; and it's like this every day with us-- and all through that Nastasia Philipovna." "You have so many sources of trouble here, Colia," said the prince. "Yes, indeed, and it is all our own fault. But I have a great friend who is much worse off even than we are. Would you like to know him?" "Yes, very much. Is he one of your school-fellows?" "Well, not exactly. I will tell you all about him some day. . . . What do you think of Nastasia Philipovna? She is beautiful, isn't she? I had never seen her before, though I had a great wish to do so. She fascinated me. I could forgive Gania if he were to marry her for love, but for money! Oh dear! that is horrible!" "Yes, your brother does not attract me much." "I am not surprised at that. After what you ... But I do hate that way of looking at things! Because some fool, or a rogue pretending to be a fool, strikes a man, that man is to be dishonoured for his whole life, unless he wipes out the disgrace with blood, or makes his assailant beg forgiveness on his knees! I think that so very absurd and tyrannical. Lermontoff's Bal Masque is based on that idea--a stupid and unnatural one, in my opinion; but he was hardly more than a child when he wrote it." "I like your sister very much." "Did you see how she spat in Gania's face! Varia is afraid of no one. But you did not follow her example, and yet I am sure it was not through cowardice. Here she comes! Speak of a wolf and you see his tail! I felt sure that she would come. She is very generous, though of course she has her faults." Varia pounced upon her brother. "This is not the place for you," said she. "Go to father. Is he plaguing you, prince?" "Not in the least; on the contrary, he interests me." "Scolding as usual, Varia! It is the worst thing about her. After all, I believe father may have started off with Rogojin. No doubt he is sorry now. Perhaps I had better go and see what he is doing," added Colia, running off. "Thank God, I have got mother away, and put her to bed without another scene! Gania is worried--and ashamed--not without reason! What a spectacle! I have come to thank you once more, prince, and to ask you if you knew Nastasia Philipovna before "No, I have never known her." "Then what did you mean, when you said straight out to her that she was not really 'like that'? You guessed right, I fancy. It is quite possible she was not herself at the moment, though I cannot fathom her meaning. Evidently she meant to hurt and insult us. I have heard curious tales about her before now, but if she came to invite us to her house, why did she behave so to my mother? Ptitsin knows her very well; he says he could not understand her today. With Rogojin, too! No one with a spark of self-respect could have talked like that in the house of her... Mother is extremely vexed on your account, too... "That is nothing!" said the prince, waving his hand. "But how meek she was when you spoke to her!" "Meek! What do you mean?" "You told her it was a shame for her to behave so, and her manner changed at once; she was like another person. You have some influence over her, prince," added Varia, smiling a little. The door opened at this point, and in came Gania most unexpectedly. He was not in the least disconcerted to see Varia there, but he stood a moment at the door, and then approached the prince quietly. "Prince," he said, with feeling, "I was a blackguard. Forgive me!" His face gave evidence of suffering. The prince was considerably amazed, and did not reply at once. "Oh, come, forgive me, forgive me!" Gania insisted, rather impatiently. "If you like, I'll kiss your hand. There!" The prince was touched; he took Gania's hands, and embraced him heartily, while each kissed the other. "I never, never thought you were like that," said Muishkin, drawing a deep breath. "I thought you--you weren't capable of--" "Of what? Apologizing, eh? And where on earth did I get the idea that you were an idiot? You always observe what other people pass by unnoticed; one could talk sense to you, but--" "Here is another to whom you should apologize," said the prince, pointing to Varia. "No, no! they are all enemies! I've tried them often enough, believe me," and Gania turned his back on Varia with these words. "But if I beg you to make it up?" said Varia. "And you'll go to Nastasia Philipovna's this evening--" "If you insist: but, judge for yourself, can I go, ought I to go?" "But she is not that sort of woman, I tell you!" said Gania, angrily. "She was only acting." "I know that--I know that; but what a part to play! And think what she must take YOU for, Gania! I know she kissed mother's hand, and all that, but she laughed at you, all the same. All this is not good enough for seventy-five thousand roubles, my dear boy. You are capable of honourable feelings still, and that's why I am talking to you so. Oh! DO take care what you are doing! Don't you know yourself that it will end badly, Gania?" So saying, and in a state of violent agitation, Varia left the room. "There, they are all like that," said Gania, laughing, "just as if I do not know all about it much better than they do." He sat down with these words, evidently intending to prolong his visit. "If you know it so well," said the prince a little timidly, "why do you choose all this worry for the sake of the seventy-five thousand, which, you confess, does not cover it?" "I didn't mean that," said Gania; "but while we are upon the subject, let me hear your opinion. Is all this worry worth seventy-five thousand or not? "Certainly not." "Of course! And it would be a disgrace to marry so, eh?" "A great disgrace." "Oh, well, then you may know that I shall certainly do it, now. I shall certainly marry her. I was not quite sure of myself before, but now I am. Don't say a word: I know what you want to tell me--" "No. I was only going to say that what surprises me most of all is your extraordinary confidence." "How so? What in?" "That Nastasia Philipovna will accept you, and that the question is as good as settled; and secondly, that even if she did, you would be able to pocket the money. Of course, I know very little about it, but that's my view. When a man marries for money it often happens that the wife keeps the money in her own hands." "Of course, you don't know all; but, I assure you, you needn't be afraid, it won't be like that in our case. There are circumstances," said Gania, rather excitedly. "And as to her answer to me, there's no doubt about that. Why should you suppose she will refuse me?" "Oh, I only judge by what I see. Varvara Ardalionovna said just now--" "Oh she--they don't know anything about it! Nastasia was only chaffing Rogojin. I was alarmed at first, but I have thought better of it now; she was simply laughing at him. She looks on me as a fool because I show that I meant her money, and doesn't realize that there are other men who would deceive her in far worse fashion. I'm not going to pretend anything, and you'll see she'll marry me, all right. If she likes to live quietly, so she shall; but if she gives me any of her nonsense, I shall leave her at once, but I shall keep the money. I'm not going to look a fool; that's the first thing, not to look a fool." "But Nastasia Philipovna seems to me to be such a SENSIBLE woman, and, as such, why should she run blindly into this business? That's what puzzles me so," said the prince. "You don't know all, you see; I tell you there are things--and besides, I'm sure that she is persuaded that I love her to distraction, and I give you my word I have a strong suspicion that she loves me, too--in her own way, of course. She thinks she will be able to make a sort of slave of me all my life; but I shall prepare a little surprise for her. I don't know whether I ought to be confidential with you, prince; but, I assure you, you are the only decent fellow I have come across. I have not spoken so sincerely as I am doing at this moment for years. There are uncommonly few honest people about, prince; there isn't one honester than Ptitsin, he's the best of the lot. Are you laughing? You don't know, perhaps, that blackguards like honest people, and being one myself I like you. WHY am I a blackguard? Tell me honestly, now. They all call me a blackguard because of her, and I have got into the way of thinking myself one. That's what is so bad about the business." "I for one shall never think you a blackguard again," said the prince. "I confess I had a poor opinion of you at first, but I have been so joyfully surprised about you just now; it's a good lesson for me. I shall never judge again without a thorough trial. I see now that you are riot only not a blackguard, but are not even quite spoiled. I see that you are quite an ordinary man, not original in the least degree, but rather weak." Gania laughed sarcastically, but said nothing. The prince, seeing that he did not quite like the last remark, blushed, and was silent too. "Has my father asked you for money?" asked Gania, suddenly. "No." "Don't give it to him if he does. Fancy, he was a decent, respectable man once! He was received in the best society; he was not always the liar he is now. Of course, wine is at the bottom of it all; but he is a good deal worse than an innocent liar now. Do you know that he keeps a mistress? I can't understand how mother is so long-sufferring. Did he tell you the story of the siege of Kars? Or perhaps the one about his grey horse that talked? He loves, to enlarge on these absurd histories." And Gania burst into a fit of laughter. Suddenly he turned to the prince and asked: "Why are you looking at me like that?" "I am surprised to see you laugh in that way, like a child. You came to make friends with me again just now, and you said, 'I will kiss your hand, if you like,' just as a child would have said it. And then, all at once you are talking of this mad project--of these seventy-five thousand roubles! It all seems so absurd and impossible." "Well, what conclusion have you reached?" "That you are rushing madly into the undertaking, and that you would do well to think it over again. It is more than possible that Varvara Ardalionovna is right." "Ah! now you begin to moralize! I know that I am only a child, very well," replied Gania impatiently. "That is proved by my having this conversation with you. It is not for money only, prince, that I am rushing into this affair," he continued, hardly master of his words, so closely had his vanity been touched. "If I reckoned on that I should certainly be deceived, for I am still too weak in mind and character. I am obeying a passion, an impulse perhaps, because I have but one aim, one that overmasters all else. You imagine that once I am in possession of these seventy-five thousand roubles, I shall rush to buy a carriage... No, I shall go on wearing the old overcoat I have worn for three years, and I shall give up my club. I shall follow the example of men who have made their fortunes. When Ptitsin was seventeen he slept in the street, he sold pen-knives, and began with a copeck; now he has sixty thousand roubles, but to get them, what has he not done? Well, I shall be spared such a hard beginning, and shall start with a little capital. In fifteen years people will say, 'Look, that's Ivolgin, the king of the Jews!' You say that I have no originality. Now mark this, prince-- there is nothing so offensive to a man of our time and race than to be told that he is wanting in originality, that he is weak in character, has no particular talent, and is, in short, an ordinary person. You have not even done me the honour of looking upon me as a rogue. Do you know, I could have knocked you down for that just now! You wounded me more cruelly than Epanchin, who thinks me capable of selling him my wife! Observe, it was a perfectly gratuitous idea on his part, seeing there has never been any discussion of it between us! This has exasperated me, and I am determined to make a fortune! I will do it! Once I am rich, I shall be a genius, an extremely original man. One of the vilest and most hateful things connected with money is that it can buy even talent; and will do so as long as the world lasts. You will say that this is childish--or romantic. Well, that will be all the better for me, but the thing shall be done. I will carry it through. He laughs most, who laughs last. Why does Epanchin insult me? Simply because, socially, I am a nobody. However, enough for the present. Colia has put his nose in to tell us dinner is ready, twice. I'm dining out. I shall come and talk to you now and then; you shall be comfortable enough with us. They are sure to make you one of the family. I think you and I will either be great friends or enemies. Look here now, supposing I had kissed your hand just now, as I offered to do in all sincerity, should I have hated you for it afterwards?" "Certainly, but not always. You would not have been able to keep it up, and would have ended by forgiving me," said the prince, after a pause for reflection, and with a pleasant smile. "Oho, how careful one has to be with you, prince! Haven't you put a drop of poison in that remark now, eh? By the way--ha, ha, ha!-- I forgot to ask, was I right in believing that you were a good deal struck yourself with Nastasia Philipovna "Ye-yes." "Are you in love with her?" "N-no." "And yet you flush up as red as a rosebud! Come--it's all right. I'm not going to laugh at you. Do you know she is a very virtuous woman? Believe it or not, as you like. You think she and Totski-- not a bit of it, not a bit of it! Not for ever so long! Au revoir!" Gania left the room in great good humour. The prince stayed behind, and meditated alone for a few minutes. At length, Colia popped his head in once more. "I don't want any dinner, thanks, Colia. I had too good a lunch at General Epanchin's." Colia came into the room and gave the prince a note; it was from the general and was carefully sealed up. It was clear from Colia's face how painful it was to him to deliver the missive. The prince read it, rose, and took his hat. "It's only a couple of yards," said Colia, blushing. "He's sitting there over his bottle--and how they can give him credit, I cannot understand. Don't tell mother I brought you the note, prince; I have sworn not to do it a thousand times, but I'm always so sorry for him. Don't stand on ceremony, give him some trifle, and let that end it." "Come along, Colia, I want to see your father. I have an idea," said the prince. 公爵走出会客室，关上门呆在自己房间里。科利亚马上跑到他这儿来安慰他。可怜的男孩现在似乎已经离不开他了。 “您走开了，这样好，”他说，“那里现在比刚才更乱，我们这儿每天都是这样，全都是因为这个纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜惹出麻烦来的。” “你们这儿郁结和沉积着各种各样的事情，科利亚，”公爵指出道。 “是的，积多了。关于我们甚至没什么好说的。一切都咎由自取。而我还有一位好朋友，这个人还要不幸。您愿意我给您介绍认识吗？” “很愿意。是您同学？” “是的，几乎是同学。我以后再对您讲清楚这一切……那么纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜漂亮吗，您认为怎么样？在此以前我还从没有看见过她，但是非常想见得不得了。她简直美丽惊人。假如加尼卡是出于爱情，我就会全都原谅他的。可他为什么要拿钱，这就糟了！” “是的，我不大喜欢您的兄长。” “嗯，这还用说！在那样的事以后，您当然……要知道，我不能忍受形形色色的世俗偏见。一个疯子或者傻瓜，或者恶棍，在发疯的状态下打了人一记耳光，于是这个人一辈子就被玷污了，除了用血，或者人家跪着向他请求宽恕，他是怎么也不能洗刷自己了。据我看，这是荒谬的，是霸道，菜蒙托衣的剧本《假面舞会》写的正是这个，我认为，这很愚蠢。也就是，我想说，极不自然。可是他几乎还是在童年时代就写了该剧的。” “我很喜欢您的姐姐。” “她突然朝加尼卡那张鬼脸啤了一口。真是个勇敢的瓦里卡！可您却没有那样唾他，我深信，并不是因为没有勇气。瞧，说到她，她自己就来了，我知道她要来的：她是个高尚的人，虽然也有缺点。” “这儿没你的事，”瓦里娅首先冲着他说，“到父亲那儿陆。公爵，他没让你讨嫌吧？” “完全不是，恰恰相反。” “瞧，姐姐，又开始了：她就是这点不好。恰好我也在想，父亲也许会跟罗戈任走的。现在想必在后悔了。去看看，他到底怎么样，”科利亚出去时补了一句。 “谢天谢地，我把妈妈带开了，让她躺下了。没有再发生什么。加尼亚非常窘困，深深陷于沉恩。也确实有些事情该好好想想。多大的教训哟！……我来是再次感谢您，并且想问，公爵，在此以前您不认识纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜吧？” “是的，不认识。” “那么您凭什么当面对她说，她‘不是这样的’，好像您还猜对了。看来，也许她真的不是这样的人。不过，我弄不懂她！当然，她是怀着侮辱人的目的来的，这是明摆着的。我在过去就听说过有关她的许多奇闻轶事。但是，既然她来是邀我们，那么开始又是怎么对待妈妈的呢？普季岑对她很了解，可是他说，他也猜不透她刚才的行为。而对罗戈任的态度呢？如果自重的话，是不能这样说话的，又是在她的……妈妈也很不放心您。” “没什么！”公爵说着，挥了一下手。 “她怎么会听您的……” “听什么？” “您对她说，她应该害臊，她就一下子全变了。您对她有影响，公爵，”瓦里娅微微一笑，补充着说。 门开了，完全出乎意料，进来的是加尼亚。 看见瓦里娅时，他甚至也没有动摇；他在门口站了一会，突然毅然走近公爵。 “公爵，我的行为很卑鄙，请原谅我，亲爱的，”他突然怀着强烈的感情说着，脸上流露出剧烈的痛苦。公爵惊愕地望着他，没有马上回答。“好吧，原谅我，好吧，原谅我吧！”加尼亚迫不及待地坚持着，“好吧，您愿意的话，我马上吻您的手！” 公爵十分惊讶，默默地用双手拥抱加尼亚。两人真挚地亲吻着。 “我无论如何，无论如何也想不到，您是这样的人，”公爵吃力地换一口气，终于说道，“我以为，您……是做不到的。” “做不到认错？……不久前我怎么会认为您是白痴呢！您能发觉别人从来也不会发觉的东西。跟您是可以谈谈的，但是……最好还是别说。” “您还得向一个人认错，”公爵指着瓦里娅说。 “不，这可仍是我的敌人。，您请相信，公爵，曾经做过许多尝试；这里的人是不会真诚地原谅人的！”加尼亚急躁地脱口而出，他背朝瓦里娅，向一边转过身去。 “不，我会原谅的！“”突然瓦里娅说。 “那你晚上将去纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜那里吗？” “如果你要我去，我就去，只不过最好你还是自己想一想：我现在是否还有那么一点可能性去她那里？” “她可不是这样的人，你也看见了，她总是出一些谜让人去猜！这是耍花招！”加尼亚忿忿地笑了起来。 “我自己也知道、她不是这样的人，是在耍花招，可耍的是什么花招呢；还有，加尼亚，留点神，她自己把你看作什么人？就算她吻了妈妈的手。这算这是什么花招，但她毕竟是嘲笑了你！这可不值七万五千卢布，真的，哥哥！你还能有高尚的感情，因此我才对你说这些。咳，你自己也别去了，咳，当心点！这不会有好下场！” 瓦里娅说完这些话，非常激动，很快地走出了房间…… “瞧他们全都这样！”加尼亚苦笑着说，“难道他们以为，我自己不知道这一点？我可比他们知道多得多。” 说完这话，加尼亚坐到沙发上，看来是想继续这次拜访。 “既然您自己知道，”公爵相当羞怯地问，“明明知道，实际上不值得为了七万五千卢布而去承受痛苦，又为什么要选择这种痛苦呢？” “我说的不是这个，”加尼亚喃喃说，“正好，请告诉我，我正想知道您的意见，这个痛苦是否值七万五千卢布，您认为如何？” “据我看，是不值的。” “嗨，我早知道您会这么说。这样结婚是可耻的？” “非常可耻。” “好吧，那么您要知道，我要结婚了，现在已经是非结婚不可了。刚才我还在犹豫，可现在已经不动摇了！您别说了！我知道您想说的话……” “我要说的不是您所想的。您这种非同寻常的信心使我感到惊讶……” “对什么有信心？什么信心？” “相信纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜一定会嫁给您，相信这一切已经了结，其次，就算她嫁给您，您相信七万五千卢布就这样直接到您口袋里。不过，我当然不知道其中的许多事情。” 加尼亚猛的向公爵这边移近来。 “当然，您不全知道，”他说，“再说凭什么我要承受这全部重负呢？” “我觉得，到处都会发生这样的事：为了钱而结婚，而钱则在妻子那里。” “不，我们不会这样……这里……这里有一些情况……”加尼亚惊惶不安和若有所思地低语说，“至于说她的回答，那已不必怀疑，”他很快补充说，“您根据什么得出结论，她会拒绝我？” “除了我所看见的，我什么也不知道；刚才瓦尔瓦拉·阿尔达利翁诺夫娜已经说了……” “哎！他们就是这样，不知道该说什么。而纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜嘲笑的是罗戈任，请相信，这点我看得很清楚。这是看得出来的。我刚才还害怕，而现在我看清楚了。也许，您是指她对母亲、父亲以及瓦里娅的态度。” “还有对您的态度。” “也许是；但这是女人报复的老一套手段，没有别的名堂。这是个非常爱发脾气、疑神疑鬼和自尊心强的女人，就像没有提升晋级的官僚一样！她是想显示一下自己，想表现出自己对他们的轻蔑……当然，也包括对我；这是真的，我不否认……但她反正会嫁给我的。您甚至都想不到，人的自尊心能驱使去耍任何花招：她认为我是卑鄙小人，因为我竟公然为了她的钱而娶她这个别人的情妇，可是她却不知道，换了另一个人会更卑鄙地欺骗她，先是纠缠她，开始向她散布自由主义的进步思想，还会搬出各种妇女问题，这样她就舍像一根线似的整个儿穿进了他那个针眼了。他会使这个自尊心强的傻女人相信（这是非常容易的！），他仅仅是为了‘她那高尚的心灵和不幸’，才娶她的，而自己则仍然是为了钱而娶她的。这里的人不喜欢我，因为我不想耍滑头；可是却应该这样。而她自己在干什么？还不就是那么一回事，既然这样，她又为什么瞧不起我，还要玩这一套？就因为我自己不想屈服，并且要表现出我的高傲。好了，我们瞧吧！” “莫非在这以前您爱过她？” “开始我爱过。嘿，还相当爱……有一种女人是只适合做情妇’的，别的没有什么用处。我不是说，她曾经做过我的情妇。如果她想太太平平过日子，我也就安安稳稳生活；如果她要生事造反，我马上就甩掉她，但是钱可要抓在自己手里。我不想成为笑柄；首先就是不想成为笑柄。 “我始终觉得，”公爵小心谨慎地指出，“纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜是个聪明人，她预感到这种痛苦，又为何要往圈套里钻呢？她可是能够嫁给别人的。这就是令我感到惊奇的。” “这里就有她的用意！您不了解这里面的全部情况，公爵……这里面……此外，她确信我爱她爱得发狂，我向您发誓，知道吗，我坚定地料想，她是爱我的，不过是用她那种方式，您知道有句俗话说：‘打是爱来骂是俏。’她一辈子都会把我看作一张无足轻重的方块Ａ（也许，这正是她所需要的）并且还要按她那方式来爱我；她就准备这样于，她就是这样的性格呗。我要告诉您，她是个非同寻常的俄罗斯妇女；不过，我也为她准备了意想不到的礼物。刚才跟瓦里娅之间的斗嘴是出乎意料的，但是对我是有利的：她现在看见了并且确信我对她是忠诚的，也看到了，为了她我断绝了一切关系。这就是说，我们也不是傻瓜，请相信。顺便说，您是否认为我是个多嘴的人？亲爱的公爵，也许，我把活都告诉您，这样做真的不好。但是正因为您是我碰到的第一个高尚的人，我才冲着您来，说确切些，您别把‘冲’字当作双关语。您对刚才的事可是不生气了，是吧？在整整两年中，。我也许还是第一次说心里话。这里正直的人大少了；没有比普季岑更正直的人。怎么，您好像在笑，是不是？卑鄙小人喜欢正直的人，--您不知道这一点吧？可我倒是……不过，请凭良心对我说，哪一点上我卑鄙了？为什么他们全都跟着她称我是卑鄙小人？要知道，跟着他们，跟着她，我自己也要称自己是卑鄙小人了！反正什么是卑鄙的就是卑鄙的！” “我现在已经再也不认为您是卑鄙小人了，”公爵说，“刚才我已经完全把您看作是恶棍，可突然您使我感到很高兴，这也是一次教训：没有经验就别作判断。现在我明白，不仅不能认为您是恶棍，也不能把您看作是十分堕落的人。据我看，您是所能见到的最平常不过的人，除了很瘦弱，没有丝毫特别的地方。” 加尼亚暗自苦笑了一下，仍然沉默着。公爵看到，他的意见并不受欢迎，因此有些尴尬，也就闭口不言了。 “父亲向您要钱了吗？”加尼亚突然问。 “没有。” “他会要的，请您别给；他过去倒还是个很体面的人，我还记得。一些有身份的人家都让他进去的。可他们．所有这些体面的老人多么快就销声匿迹了！只要情势稍有变化，昔日的一切就荡然无存，犹如烟消云散一般。他过去是不撒谎的，我请您相信；过去他只是个过于激动热情的人，结果就落得这般地步！当然，酒是罪魁祸首。您知道他养情妇吗？他现在已经不只是个无辜的撒谎者了。我不能理解母亲怎么会长期容忍他。他对您讲过进攻卡尔斯的事吗？或者讲他那匹拉边套伪灰马怎么讲起话来的？他甚至已经到这种地步了。” 加尼亚突然纵声大笑起来。 “您干嘛这样看着我。”他问公爵。 “您这样由衷地发笑，我很惊奇。真的，您还保留着孩童般的笑声。刚才您进来讲和并说：‘愿意吗，我吻您的手，’这就像孩子讲话一个样。这么说，您还能说这样的话和做这样的行为。而且您突然开始滔滔不绝他讲起这件见不得人的事和七万五千卢布来，真的，这一切似乎是荒谬的，不可能的。” “您想从中得出什么结论呢？” “结论是，您这样做是否太轻率？您是否应该首先审慎地斟酌一下？瓦尔瓦拉·阿尔达利翁诺夫娜也许说的是对的。” “哦，道德说教，至于我不是个毛头小伙子，这我自己也知道，”加尼亚急切地打断地说，“就因为这一点，我才跟您进行这样的谈话。公爵，我去干这见不得人的事并非出于精明的盘算，”他宛如一个自尊心受到伤害的年轻人，不停地说，“在精明运算方面我大概是会犯错误的，因为我的头脑和性格都还不坚定。我是出于激情、出于倾慕才这么干的，因为我有一个主要的目标。您会以为，我得到七万五千卢布，马上就买一辆马车。不，我将把前年就穿的旧外套穿到不能再穿，要跟所有那些俱乐部里的熟人不再来往。我们虽然都是高利革者，但其中很少有能经受考验的人，可我想经受住。这里主要的是要把事情进行到底--这便是全部任务！普季岑１７岁时睡在马路上，卖过铅笔刀，从一个戈比起的家；现在他有６万，当然这只是在吃了许多苦头后才达到这一步的！可现在我将一步跳过这些苦头，直接就可从有资本做起；再过１５年人家就会说‘瞧伊沃尔金，犹太人之王。，“您对我说，我这个人没有什么特别的地方。请您注意，亲爱的公爵，没有什么会使我们这个时代和我们这种出身的人更感到屈辱了。这就是对他说，他没有什么独特的地方，性格软弱，没有特别的才能，是个平庸的人。您甚至没有赏脸把我看作是个出色的卑鄙小人，知道吗，我刚才真想为此把您吃了！您比叶潘钦侮辱我更甚，他认为我是个能把妻子出卖给他的人（无须商谈，不用诱惑，就凭我天生少心眼，请注意这点））老兄，这点早就把我气疯了，可是我要钱。等我积够了钱，我就会是个与众大大不同的人。金钱最卑鄙最可恨的地方，就在于它甚至能赋予才干。并且这将直至世界未日。您会说，这一切像是孩子说的话，或者也许是非非之想，那也罢，我却会因此而觉得更快活，事业反正一定要办成。我要进行到底并且坚持下去。Ｒｌｒａ ｂｌｅｎ ｑｕｉ ｎｉｎａ ｌｅ ｄｅｒｎｉｅｒ！＊叶潘钦为什么这样侮辱我？是因为仇恨吗？从来也没有过。不过是因为我是个微不足道、无足轻重的人。嘿，到那时……不过，话说够了，该走了。科利亚已经两次探鼻子进来了：他这是来叫您去用午餐。我则要出去。有时候我会顺便来看看您，在我们家您会觉得不错的；现在简直就把您当自己人了。小心，别出卖我。我觉得，我与您或者是朋友，或者成敌人。公爵，假如我刚才吻了您的手（我是多么真诚地自愿表示这样做），以后我会因此成为您的敌人吗，您怎么想？” “一定会的，只不过不会永久是敌人，以后会忍不住和原谅的，”公爵想了一下，笑了起来，决然说。 “嗨！对您真应该多加小心。鬼知道，您在这里也灌进了毒液。谁又知道，也许，您就是我的敌人？这是随便说说的，哈一哈！我忘了问：您似乎过分喜欢纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜了，我的感觉对不对，啊？” “是的……喜欢。” “爱上了？” “不。” “可却满脸通红，一副苦相。算了，没关系，没关系，我不会笑话的；再见。不过您要知道，她可是个道德高尚的女人，您能相信这点吗？您以为，她现在跟那个人，跟托茨基同居？决没有。而且已经是很久前的事了。您注意到没有，她本人是个非常怕难为情的人，刚才有一会还挺尴尬？真的。就是这种人偏喜欢摆布别人，好了，告辞了！” 加涅奇卡比进来时要放松得多，心情挺好地走了出去，有１０分钟光景公爵一动不动地呆着并想着什么。 科利亚又把头伸进门来。 ＊法语：谁笑得最晚，准则笑得最好。 “我不想用午餐，科利亚；我刚才在叶潘钦家早餐吃得很饱。” 科利亚完全走进门来，递给公爵一张便条。它是将军写来的，折叠着并加了封。从科利亚的脸色可以看出，传递便条令他非常苦恼。公爵看完便条，站起身并拿了帽子。 “就两步路，”科利亚不好意思说，“他现在坐在那里喝酒。我真弄不但，他凭什么使自己在那里可以赊帐？公爵、亲爱的，请以后别对我们家的人说，我给您递条子！我曾经发誓上千次，再也不递这些条子；可是不忍心；还有，请别跟他客气：给一点零钱，事情就了结了。” “我，科利亚，我自己本来就有个想法；我应该见见您爸爸……有一件事……我们走吧……”

Part 1 Chapter 12 Colia took the prince to a public-house in the Litaynaya, not far off. In one of the side rooms there sat at a table--looking like one of the regular guests of the establishment--Ardalion Alexandrovitch, with a bottle before him, and a newspaper on his knee. He was waiting for the prince, and no sooner did the latter appear than he began a long harangue about something or other; but so far gone was he that the prince could hardly understand a word. "I have not got a ten-rouble note," said the prince; "but here is a twenty-five. Change it and give me back the fifteen, or I shall be left without a farthing myself." "Oh, of course, of course; and you quite understand that I--" "Yes; and I have another request to make, general. Have you ever been at Nastasia Philipovna's?" "I? I? Do you mean me? Often, my friend, often! I only pretended I had not in order to avoid a painful subject. You saw today, you were a witness, that I did all that a kind, an indulgent father could do. Now a father of altogether another type shall step into the scene. You shall see; the old soldier shall lay bare this intrigue, or a shameless woman will force her way into a respectable and noble family." "Yes, quite so. I wished to ask you whether you could show me the way to Nastasia Philipovna's tonight. I must go; I have business with her; I was not invited but I was introduced. Anyhow I am ready to trespass the laws of propriety if only I can get in somehow or other." "My dear young friend, you have hit on my very idea. It was not for this rubbish I asked you to come over here" (he pocketed the money, however, at this point), "it was to invite your alliance in the campaign against Nastasia Philipovna tonight. How well it sounds, 'General Ivolgin and Prince Muishkin.' That'll fetch her, I think, eh? Capital! We'll go at nine; there's time yet." "Where does she live?" "Oh, a long way off, near the Great Theatre, just in the square there--It won't be a large party." The general sat on and on. He had ordered a fresh bottle when the prince arrived; this took him an hour to drink, and then he had another, and another, during the consumption of which he told pretty nearly the whole story of his life. The prince was in despair. He felt that though he had but applied to this miserable old drunkard because he saw no other way of getting to Nastasia Philipovna's, yet he had been very wrong to put the slightest confidence in such a man. At last he rose and declared that he would wait no longer. The general rose too, drank the last drops that he could squeeze out of the bottle, and staggered into the street. Muishkin began to despair. He could not imagine how he had been so foolish as to trust this man. He only wanted one thing, and that was to get to Nastasia Philipovna's, even at the cost of a certain amount of impropriety. But now the scandal threatened to be more than he had bargained for. By this time Ardalion Alexandrovitch was quite intoxicated, and he kept his companion listening while he discoursed eloquently and pathetically on subjects of all kinds, interspersed with torrents of recrimination against the members of his family. He insisted that all his troubles were caused by their bad conduct, and time alone would put an end to them. At last they reached the Litaynaya. The thaw increased steadily, a warm, unhealthy wind blew through the streets, vehicles splashed through the mud, and the iron shoes of horses and mules rang on the paving stones. Crowds of melancholy people plodded wearily along the footpaths, with here and there a drunken man among them. "Do you see those brightly-lighted windows?" said the general. "Many of my old comrades-in-arms live about here, and I, who served longer, and suffered more than any of them, am walking on foot to the house of a woman of rather questionable reputation! A man, look you, who has thirteen bullets on his breast! ... You don't believe it? Well, I can assure you it was entirely on my account that Pirogoff telegraphed to Paris, and left Sebastopol at the greatest risk during the siege. Nelaton, the Tuileries surgeon, demanded a safe conduct, in the name of science, into the besieged city in order to attend my wounds. The government knows all about it. 'That's the Ivolgin with thirteen bullets in him!' That's how they speak of me.... Do you see that house, prince? One of my old friends lives on the first floor, with his large family. In this and five other houses, three overlooking Nevsky, two in the Morskaya, are all that remain of my personal friends. Nina Alexandrovna gave them up long ago, but I keep in touch with them still... I may say I find refreshment in this little coterie, in thus meeting my old acquaintances and subordinates, who worship me still, in spite of all. General Sokolovitch (by the way, I have not called on him lately, or seen Anna Fedorovna)... You know, my dear prince, when a person does not receive company himself, he gives up going to other people's houses involuntarily. And yet ... well ... you look as if you didn't believe me.... Well now, why should I not present the son of my old friend and companion to this delightful family--General Ivolgin and Prince Muishkin? You will see a lovely girl--what am I saying--a lovely girl? No, indeed, two, three! Ornaments of this city and of society: beauty, education, culture--the woman question--poetry--everything! Added to which is the fact that each one will have a dot of at least eighty thousand roubles. No bad thing, eh? ... In a word I absolutely must introduce you to them: it is a duty, an obligation. General Ivolgin and Prince Muishkin. Tableau!" "At once? Now? You must have forgotten ... " began the prince. "No, I have forgotten nothing. Come! This is the house--up this magnificent staircase. I am surprised not to see the porter, but .... it is a holiday ... and the man has gone off ... Drunken fool! Why have they not got rid of him? Sokolovitch owes all the happiness he has had in the service and in his private life to me, and me alone, but ... here we are." The prince followed quietly, making no further objection for fear of irritating the old man. At the same time he fervently hoped that General Sokolovitch and his family would fade away like a mirage in the desert, so that the visitors could escape, by merely returning downstairs. But to his horror he saw that General Ivolgin was quite familiar with the house, and really seemed to have friends there. At every step he named some topographical or biographical detail that left nothing to be desired on the score of accuracy. When they arrived at last, on the first floor, and the general turned to ring the bell to the right, the prince decided to run away, but a curious incident stopped him momentarily. "You have made a mistake, general," said he. " The name on the door is Koulakoff, and you were going to see General Sokolovitch." "Koulakoff ... Koulakoff means nothing. This is Sokolovitch's flat, and I am ringing at his door.... What do I care for Koulakoff? ... Here comes someone to open." In fact, the door opened directly, and the footman in formed the visitors that the family were all away. "What a pity! What a pity! It's just my luck!" repeated Ardalion Alexandrovitch over and over again, in regretful tones. " When your master and mistress return, my man, tell them that General Ivolgin and Prince Muishkin desired to present themselves, and that they were extremely sorry, excessively grieved ..." Just then another person belonging to the household was seen at the back of the hall. It was a woman of some forty years, dressed in sombre colours, probably a housekeeper or a governess. Hearing the names she came forward with a look of suspicion on her face. "Marie Alexandrovna is not at home," said she, staring hard at the general. "She has gone to her mother's, with Alexandra Michailovna." "Alexandra Michailovna out, too! How disappointing! Would you believe it, I am always so unfortunate! May I most respectfully ask you to present my compliments to Alexandra Michailovna, and remind her ... tell her, that with my whole heart I wish for her what she wished for herself on Thursday evening, while she was listening to Chopin's Ballade. She will remember. I wish it with all sincerity. General Ivolgin and Prince Muishkin!" The woman's face changed; she lost her suspicious expression. "I will not fail to deliver your message," she replied, and bowed them out. As they went downstairs the general regretted repeatedly that he had failed to introduce the prince to his friends. "You know I am a bit of a poet," said he. "Have you noticed it? The poetic soul, you know." Then he added suddenly--"But after all ... after all I believe we made a mistake this time! I remember that the Sokolovitch's live in another house, and what is more, they are just now in Moscow. Yes, I certainly was at fault. However, it is of no consequence." "Just tell me," said the prince in reply, "may I count still on your assistance? Or shall I go on alone to see Nastasia Philipovna?" "Count on my assistance? Go alone? How can you ask me that question, when it is a matter on which the fate of my family so largely depends? You don't know Ivolgin, my friend. To trust Ivolgin is to trust a rock; that's how the first squadron I commanded spoke of me. 'Depend upon Ivolgin,' said they all, 'he is as steady as a rock.' But, excuse me, I must just call at a house on our way, a house where I have found consolation and help in all my trials for years." "You are going home?" "No ... I wish ... to visit Madame Terentieff, the widow of Captain Terentieff, my old subordinate and friend. She helps me to keep up my courage, and to bear the trials of my domestic life, and as I have an extra burden on my mind today ..." "It seems to me," interrupted the prince, "that I was foolish to trouble you just now. However, at present you ... Good-bye!" "Indeed, you must not go away like that, young man, you must not!" cried the general. "My friend here is a widow, the mother of a family; her words come straight from her heart, and find an echo in mine. A visit to her is merely an affair of a few minutes; I am quite at home in her house. I will have a wash, and dress, and then we can drive to the Grand Theatre. Make up your mind to spend the evening with me.... We are just there--that's the house... Why, Colia! you here! Well, is Marfa Borisovna at home or have you only just come?" "Oh no! I have been here a long while," replied Colia, who was at the front door when the general met him. "I am keeping Hippolyte company. He is worse, and has been in bed all day. I came down to buy some cards. Marfa Borisovna expects you. But what a state you are in, father!" added the boy, noticing his father's unsteady gait. "Well, let us go in." On meeting Colia the prince determined to accompany the general, though he made up his mind to stay as short a time as possible. He wanted Colia, but firmly resolved to leave the general behind. He could not forgive himself for being so simple as to imagine that Ivolgin would be of any use. The three climbed up the long staircase until they reached the fourth floor where Madame Terentieff lived. "You intend to introduce the prince?" asked Colia, as they went up. "Yes, my boy. I wish to present him: General Ivolgin and Prince Muishkin! But what's the matter? ... what? ... How is Marfa Borisovna?" "You know, father, you would have done much better not to come at all! She is ready to eat you up! You have not shown yourself since the day before yesterday and she is expecting the money. Why did you promise her any? You are always the same! Well, now you will have to get out of it as best you can." They stopped before a somewhat low doorway on the fourth floor. Ardalion Alexandrovitch, evidently much out of countenance, pushed Muishkin in front. "I will wait here," he stammered. "I should like to surprise her. ...." Colia entered first, and as the door stood open, the mistress of the house peeped out. The surprise of the general's imagination fell very flat, for she at once began to address him in terms of reproach. Marfa Borisovna was about forty years of age. She wore a dressing-jacket, her feet were in slippers, her face painted, and her hair was in dozens of small plaits. No sooner did she catch sight of Ardalion Alexandrovitch than she screamed: "There he is, that wicked, mean wretch! I knew it was he! My heart misgave me!" The old man tried to put a good face on the affair. "Come, let us go in--it's all right," he whispered in the prince's ear. But it was more serious than he wished to think. As soon as the visitors had crossed the low dark hall, and entered the narrow reception-room, furnished with half a dozen cane chairs, and two small card-tables, Madame Terentieff, in the shrill tones habitual to her, continued her stream of invectives. "Are you not ashamed? Are you not ashamed? You barbarian! You tyrant! You have robbed me of all I possessed--you have sucked my bones to the marrow. How long shall I be your victim? Shameless, dishonourable man!" "Marfa Borisovna! Marfa Borisovna! Here is ... the Prince Muishkin! General Ivolgin and Prince Muishkin," stammered the disconcerted old man. "Would you believe," said the mistress of the house, suddenly addressing the prince, "would you believe that that man has not even spared my orphan children? He has stolen everything I possessed, sold everything, pawned everything; he has left me nothing--nothing! What am I to do with your IOU's, you cunning, unscrupulous rogue? Answer, devourer I answer, heart of stone! How shall I feed my orphans? with what shall I nourish them? And now he has come, he is drunk! He can scarcely stand. How, oh how, have I offended the Almighty, that He should bring this curse upon me! Answer, you worthless villain, answer!" But this was too much for the general. "Here are twenty-five roubles, Marfa Borisovna ... it is all that I can give ... and I owe even these to the prince's generosity--my noble friend. I have been cruelly deceived. Such is ... life ... Now ... Excuse me, I am very weak," he continued, standing in the centre of the room, and bowing to all sides. "I am faint; excuse me! Lenotchka ... a cushion ... my dear!" Lenotchka, a little girl of eight, ran to fetch the cushion at once, and placed it on the rickety old sofa. The general meant to have said much more, but as soon as he had stretched himself out, he turned his face to the wall, and slept the sleep of the just. With a grave and ceremonious air, Marfa Borisovna motioned the prince to a chair at one of the card-tables. She seated herself opposite, leaned her right cheek on her hand, and sat in silence, her eyes fixed on Muishkin, now and again sighing deeply. The three children, two little girls and a boy, Lenotchka being the eldest, came and leant on the table and also stared steadily at him. Presently Colia appeared from the adjoining room. "I am very glad indeed to have met you here, Colia," said the prince. "Can you do something for me? I must see Nastasia Philipovna, and I asked Ardalion Alexandrovitch just now to take me to her house, but he has gone to sleep, as you see. Will you show me the way, for I do not know the street? I have the address, though; it is close to the Grand Theatre." "Nastasia Philipovna? She does not live there, and to tell you the truth my father has never been to her house! It is strange that you should have depended on him! She lives near Wladimir Street, at the Five Corners, and it is quite close by. Will you go directly? It is just half-past nine. I will show you the way with pleasure." Colia and the prince went off together. Alas! the latter had no money to pay for a cab, so they were obliged to walk. "I should have liked to have taken you to see Hippolyte," said Colia. "He is the eldest son of the lady you met just now, and was in the next room. He is ill, and has been in bed all day. But he is rather strange, and extremely sensitive, and I thought he might be upset considering the circumstances in which you came ... Somehow it touches me less, as it concerns my father, while it is HIS mother. That, of course, makes a great difference. What is a terrible disgrace to a woman, does not disgrace a man, at least not in the same way. Perhaps public opinion is wrong in condemning one sex, and excusing the other. Hippolyte is an extremely clever boy, but so prejudiced. He is really a slave to his opinions." "Do you say he is consumptive?" "Yes. It really would be happier for him to die young. If I were in his place I should certainly long for death. He is unhappy about his brother and sisters, the children you saw. If it were possible, if we only had a little money, we should leave our respective families, and live together in a little apartment of our own. It is our dream. But, do you know, when I was talking over your affair with him, he was angry, and said that anyone who did not call out a man who had given him a blow was a coward. He is very irritable to-day, and I left off arguing the matter with him. So Nastasia Philipovna has invited you to go and see her?" "To tell the truth, she has not." "Then how do you come to be going there?" cried Colia, so much astonished that he stopped short in the middle of the pavement. "And ... and are you going to her At Home in that costume?" "I don't know, really, whether I shall be allowed in at all. If she will receive me, so much the better. If not, the matter is ended. As to my clothes--what can I do?" "Are you going there for some particular reason, or only as a way of getting into her society, and that of her friends?" "No, I have really an object in going ... That is, I am going on business it is difficult to explain, but..." "Well, whether you go on business or not is your affair, I do not want to know. The only important thing, in my eyes, is that you should not be going there simply for the pleasure of spending your evening in such company--cocottes, generals, usurers! If that were the case I should despise and laugh at you. There are terribly few honest people here, and hardly any whom one can respect, although people put on airs--Varia especially! Have you noticed, prince, how many adventurers there are nowadays? Especially here, in our dear Russia. How it has happened I never can understand. There used to be a certain amount of solidity in all things, but now what happens? Everything is exposed to the public gaze, veils are thrown back, every wound is probed by careless fingers. We are for ever present at an orgy of scandalous revelations. Parents blush when they remember their old-fashioned morality. At Moscow lately a father was heard urging his son to stop at nothing--at nothing, mind you!--to get money! The press seized upon the story, of course, and now it is public property. Look at my father, the general! See what he is, and yet, I assure you, he is an honest man! Only ... he drinks too much, and his morals are not all we could desire. Yes, that's true! I pity him, to tell the truth, but I dare not say so, because everybody would laugh at me--but I do pity him! And who are the really clever men, after all? Money- grubbers, every one of them, from the first to the last. Hippolyte finds excuses for money-lending, and says it is a necessity. He talks about the economic movement, and the ebb and flow of capital; the devil knows what he means. It makes me angry to hear him talk so, but he is soured by his troubles. Just imagine-the general keeps his mother-but she lends him money! She lends it for a week or ten days at very high interest! Isn't it disgusting? And then, you would hardly believe it, but my mother-- Nina Alexandrovna--helps Hippolyte in all sorts of ways, sends him money and clothes. She even goes as far as helping the children, through Hippolyte, because their mother cares nothing about them, and Varia does the same." "Well, just now you said there were no honest nor good people about, that there were only money-grubbers--and here they are quite close at hand, these honest and good people, your mother and Varia! I think there is a good deal of moral strength in helping people in suchcircum stances." "Varia does it from pride, and likes showing off, and giving herself airs. As to my mother, I really do admire her--yes, and honour her. Hippolyte, hardened as he is, feels it. He laughed at first, and thought it vulgar of her--but now, he is sometimes quite touched and overcome by her kindness. H'm! You call that being strong and good? I will remember that! Gania knows nothing about it. He would say that it was encouraging vice." "Ah, Gania knows nothing about it? It seems there are many things that Gania does not know," exclaimed the prince, as he considered Colia's last words. "Do you know, I like you very much indeed, prince? I shall never forget about this afternoon." "I like you too, Colia." "Listen to me! You are going to live here, are you not?" said Colia. "I mean to get something to do directly, and earn money. Then shall we three live together? You, and I, and Hippolyte? We will hire a flat, and let the general come and visit us. What do you say?" "It would be very pleasant," returned the prince. "But we must see. I am really rather worried just now. What! are we there already? Is that the house? What a long flight of steps! And there's a porter! Well, Colia I don't know what will come of it all." The prince seemed quite distracted for the moment. "You must tell me all about it tomorrow! Don't be afraid. I wish you success; we agree so entirely I that can do so, although I do not understand why you are here. Good-bye!" cried Colia excitedly. "Now I will rush back and tell Hippolyte all about our plans and proposals! But as to your getting in--don't be in the least afraid. You will see her. She is so original about everything. It's the first floor. The porter will show you." 科利亚带领公爵走得不远，就到利捷伊纳亚街一座台球房兼咖啡屋，它在房子底层，从街上就可以进去。咖啡屋内右边角落有一个单间，阿尔达利翁·亚历山德罗维奇作为一个老主顾这时正坐在这里，面前小桌上摆着一瓶酒，手上真的拿着一份《比利时独立报》。他在等候公爵，一看见他，就立即放下报纸，开始热切和嗜苏地解释起来，不过公爵几乎一点也没有听明白，因为将军差不多已经喝醉了。 “１０卢布的票子我没有，”公爵打断他说，“这是２５卢布，您去换开它，找我１５卢布，因为我自己也分文不剩了。” “哦，没有疑问；请相信，我马上……” “此外，我对您有一个请求，将军；您从来没有去过纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜家吗？” “我？我没有去过？您这是在对我说吗？我去过好多次，我亲爱的，好多次！”将军大为洋洋得意和沾沾自喜，不无讥讽地嚷了起来，“但是，最后我自己中止了，因为我不想鼓励这种不光彩的联姻。您自己也看到了，今天早晨您是见证人：我做了父亲所能做的一切，但是这是个温顺和姑息的父亲；现在登场的将是另一种样子的父亲，到时候您会看见的，瞧着吧：究竟是战功卓著的老兵战胜阴谋，还是一个恬不知耻的风流女人走进一个极为高尚的家庭。” “我正想请求您，您作为一个熟人，今晚是否能带我去纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜那里？我今天一定得去；我有事情；但是我根本不知道，怎么才能进去。虽然我刚才被介绍了，但毕竟没有受到邀请：今晚那里是一个应邀出席的晚会。不过，我准备跳过某些礼节，甚至让人家嘲笑我，只要设法能进去。” “您完全完全与我的想法不谋而台，我年轻的朋友，”将军激动地喊着说，“我叫您来不是为了这种小事！”他继续说着，不过，还是顺手抓起钱，把它放到口袋里，“我叫您来正是要邀您作伴向纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜家进军，或者最好是说，讨伐纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜！伊沃尔金将军和梅什金公爵。！这会给她一个什么印象！我呢，装作是恭贺生日，最后要宣布自己的心愿，是间接地，不直截了当宣布，但是一切又像单刀直入一样。到那时加尼亚自己会看到，他该怎么办：是要功勋卓著的……父亲呢，还是……所谓的……其他等等，不是……但是要发生的事总是要发生的！您的想法好极了。９点钟我们动身，我们还有时间。” “她住在什么地方？” “离这儿很远：在大剧院附近梅托夫佐娃家的房子里，几乎就在广场那里，她住在二楼……尽管是庆贺生日，她那里不会有大的聚会，散得也早……” 早就已经是晚上了；公爵仍然坐着，听着，等待着将军，而他却开始讲起难以数计的许多趣闻铁事来，只是没一个是讲到底的。因为公爵的来到，他又要了一瓶酒，直到过了一个小时才把它喝完，接着又要了一瓶，也把它喝光了。应该认为，在这段时间里将军来得及把他几乎一生的经历都讲出来；最后，公爵站起身并说，他不能再等了。将军把瓶底的酒喝干净，站起来，走出了房间，走起路来很不稳健。公爵感到很是失望：他不能明白，他怎么能这么愚蠢地就相信人。实际上他从来也不曾相信过；他指望将军，只是为了设法到纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜家去，甚至准备做出一点越轨的事；可是却并不打算闹出过分荒唐的丑闻来。可现在将军完全醉了，夸夸其谈，滔滔不绝，十分动情，暗自泪下。他不停地说着，讲到由于他家医的全体成员的不良行为一切都被毁了，还说，这种情况终究是该结束了。他们终于来到了利捷依纳亚街。雪仍然继续融化着；萧瑟的暖风带着一股腐烂味挑过街道，马车在泥泞中吧塔吧嘈行进，走马和鸳马的蹄铁碰击着路面，发出响亮的声音。一群湿漉漉的无精打采的行人在人行道上踯躅。还能碰上一些喝醉的人。 “您看见这些灯光照亮时二楼房间吗？”将军说，“我的同僚全住在这里，而我是他们中服役时间最长、吃的苦头最多的，现在却蹒跚着去大剧院那里一个不清不白的女人家里！一个胸膛里有１３颗子弹的人……您不相信吗？当时皮罗戈夫只好为我向巴黎发电报并一度抛下被围的塞瓦斯托波尔，而巴黎的大医涅拉东以科学的名义设法弄到了自由通行证、来被围的塞瓦斯托波尔为我做检查。这事最高当局也知道：‘噢，这就是那个身上有１３颗子弹的伊沃尔金！……’他们就是这么谈论我的！公爵，您看见这槽房子了吗？在这一楼住着我的老伙伴索科洛维奇将军及其门庭高贵、成员众多的家庭。这一家还有涅瓦大街上的三家和莫尔斯卡亚街上的两家，是我现在结交的全部范围，也就是说，是我个人结交的囵子。尼娜·“亚历山德罗夫娜早就已经屈服于环境了。我则依然回忆着……这么说吧，我不继续在我过去的同僚和部下－－那个有教养的园子中间休息，他们至今还崇拜我。这个索科洛维奇将军（不过，我有根久很久没去他那儿了，也没见着安娜·费奥多罗夫娜）……您知道，亲爱的公爵，当你自己不接待客人时，不知怎么地也就不自觉地不再上人家门了。然而……嗯……您好像不相信……不过，我为什么不带我好朋友和童年时代伙伴的儿子上这个可爱的家去呢？伊沃尔金将军和梅什金公爵！您将会见到美貌惊人的姑娘，还不是一个，是两个，甚至三个，她们是首都和上流社会的骄傲：美丽，教养好，有志向……。妇女问题，诗歌，所有这一切合在一起，聚成了一个幸福美满的丰富多彩的混合体，这还不算每人至少有八万卢布现金的陪嫁，而不论是有妇女问题还是有社会问题，这笔钱是永远也不会有什么影响的……总之，我一定，一定要，也有义务带您去。伊沃尔金将军和梅什金公爵！” “马上？现在？但是，您忘了，”公爵刚开始说。 “没有，我一点也没有忘，走！往这里，上这座富丽堂皇的楼梯。我很惊奇，怎么没有看门人，哦……是节日，所以看门人不在。他们还没有把这个酒鬼赶走。这个索科洛维奇生活和公务上的全部好福气都多亏我，全靠我一个人，而不是别的任何人，哦……我们到了。” 公爵已经不反对这次拜访，顺从地跟在将军后面，免得惹他生气；他怀着一种坚定的希望：索科洛维奇将军和他全家如海市蜃楼一样渐渐地消失，这样他们就可以心安理得地回转下楼。但是，令他大为惊惶的是，他开始失去这种希望：将军带他上楼梯，忏如一个在这里真的有熟人的人似的，还一刻不停地插讲着一些生平和地形的细节，而且说得像数学般的精确，他们已经登上二楼，终于在一套富丽阔绰的住所门前右边停了下来，将军握住了门铃把手，公爵这时才下定决心要彻底逃走；但是一个奇怪的情况又把他暂时留住了。 “您弄错了，将军，”他说，“门上写的是库拉科夫，而您打铃要叫的是索科洛维奇。” “库拉科夫……库拉科夫这名字也说明不了什么问题。这是索科洛维奇的住宅，所以我打铃叫索科络维奇；才不管他库拉科夫呢……瞧马上就开门了。” 门真的打开了。仆人朝外一望便通知说：“主人不在家。” “多遗憾，多遗憾，仿佛故意似的，”阿尔达利翁·亚历山德罗维奇深深惋惜地重复说了好几次，“请报告，我亲爱的，说伊沃尔金将军和橱什金公爵曾经来过，想表达一下他们的敬意，可是非常、非常遗憾……” 就在开门这一会儿从房间里还探出一张脸来，看起来像是女管家，甚至可能是家庭教师，一个４０岁左右、穿着深色衣裙的女士。她听到伊沃尔将军和梅什金公爵的名字后，好奇而又疑惑地走近前来。 “玛里娅·亚历山德罗夫娜不在家，”她特别端详着将军，说，“带着亚山德拉·米哈伊洛夫娜出去了，上老太太家。” “亚历山德拉·米哈伊洛夫娜也跟他们去了，天哪，多倒霉呀！夫人，想想，我总是这么倒霉！恳请您转达我的问候，而对亚历山德拉·米哈伊夫娜说，让她想起……总之，请向他们转达我的衷心祝愿，祝他们星期四晚上听肖邦叙事曲时所许的愿能实现；他们记得的……我衷心地祝愿！伊沃金将军和梅什金公爵！” “我不会忘的，”女士鞠躬不礼，她已经比较信任他们了。 下楼梯的时候，将军仍然热情未减地继续为他们拜访未果和公爵失去这么好的结识机会而感到惋惜不已。 “知道吗，亲爱的，我有几分诗人的气质，您发觉没有？不过……不过我们走这里来好像不大对，”他忽然完全出人意料地做出这个结论，“索科洛维奇家，我现在想起来了，是住在另一幢房子里，甚至现在似乎是在莫斯科。是啊，我有点弄错了，但是这……没什么。” “我只想知道一点，”公爵颓丧地说，“我是否应该根本不再指望您并让我一个人去？” “不再？指望？一个人？但是这又从何说起？对我来说这可是件非常的事情，它在许多方面决定着我全家的命运。但是，我年轻的朋友，您还了解伊沃尔金。谁说到 ‘墙’，就是说的‘伊沃尔金’。正如我开始服役的时连里说的，‘依靠伊沃尔金犹如靠在涵上一样可靠。’我这就顺路到一家人家去一会儿，我的心灵在那里得到休息的，这已经有好几年了，在经历了忧虑不安和种种磨难以后……” “您想顺便回家去？” “不！我想……去大尉夫人捷连季那娃那里，是捷连季耶夫大尉的邀请。大尉原是我部下……甚至还是朋友……在大尉夫人这里，我精神上得到复活：我把生活中和家庭中的痛苦带到这里来，因为今天我恰恰带着很大的精神负担，所以我……” “我觉得，刚才去惊扰您，我就于了一件十分愚蠢的傻事，”公爵喃喃说，“况且您现在……告辞了。” “但是我不能，不能放您离开我，我年轻的朋友！”将军抬高声音说， “一位寡妇，一位家庭的母亲，用自己的心弹拨着那些弦，发出的响声在我身上产生着共鸣。去拜访她，只要五分钟，在这个家里我是不用客气的，我几乎就像住在这里一样；我要洗一洗，做些最起码的修饰，然后我们就坐马车去大剧院。您请相信，这整个晚上我都需要您……瞧；就在这幢房子里，我们已经到了……啊，科利亚，您已经在这里了？怎么，玛尔法·鲍里索夫娜在家，还是你自己刚来到？” “哦，不，”恰巧在屋子大门口碰到他们的科利亚回答说，“我早就在这里了，跟伊波利特在一起，他的情况更不好，今天早晨躺倒了。我现在去小店买纸牌。玛尔法，鲍里索夫娜在等您，只不过，爸爸，瞧您怎么这副样子！……”科利亚定睛细细打量将军的步态和站立的姿势便明白了，“算了我们走吧！” 与科利亚相遇促使公爵陪同将军去玛尔法·鲍里索夫娜那里，但只能呆一会儿。公爵需要科利亚；他已下决心无论如何要抛开将军，他不能原谅自己刚才还想到把希望寄托在他身上。他们从后梯上四楼，走了很久。 “您想介绍公爵认识一下？”科利亚边走边问。 “是的，我的朋友，介绍一下：伊沃尔金将军和梅什金公爵，但是……玛尔法·鲍里索夫娜……怎么样……” “要知道，爸爸，您最好别去！她会吃了您！您三天不露面了，可她等钱用。您为什么答应给她弄钱来？您老是这样！现在您自己去对付吧。” 在四楼他们在一扇低矮的门前停了下来。将军显然有些畏怯，便把公爵往前推。 “我就留在这里，”他嘟哝说，“我想来个出其不意……” 科利亚第一个走了进去。一个４０岁左右、浓装艳抹的女人，穿着便鞋和短祆，头发编成辫子，从门里向外张望了一下，这“出其不意”便始料不及地破产了。她一见将军，立即就大叫起来： “这正是他，这个卑贱和恶毒的人，我的心预料的正是这样！” “进去吧，这没什么，”将军对公爵嘟哝说，一边依然像无辜似的讪笑着。 但并非是没什么，经过幽暗低矮的前室，他们刚一走进摆着六张腾椅和两张小牌桌的厅屋，女主人马上就用做作的哭腔和平常的声调继续责骂着： “你真不要脸，真不要脸，你是我家的野蛮人和霸主，野蛮人和暴徒：你把我所有的全都抢劫光，吸干了汁水，这还不满足！我要忍受你到什么时候，你这个不要脸和无耻的人！” “玛尔法·鲍里索夫娜，玛尔法·鲍里索夫娜！这位是……梅什金公爵。伊沃尔金将军和梅什金公爵，”战占兢兢和不知所措的将军喃喃说。 “您相信不，”大尉夫人突然朝公爵说，“您相信不，这个不要脸的人连我这些孤苦伶仃的孩子也不饶过！全都要抢，全都要偷，全都要卖，全都要当，什么都不留下。叫我拿你这些借据怎么办呀，你这个狡猾的没良心的人？你回答，老滑头，你回答我，你这颗贪得无厌的心：拿什么，我拿什么来养活我这些孤苦无依的孩子？瞧你喝得醉醺醺，站也站不稳……什么地方我得罪了上帝，你这个可恶而荒唐的滑头，回答呀？” 但是将军却顾不上这些。 “玛尔法·鲍里索夫娜，２５卢布……这是我能给你的全部数额了，是一位无比高尚的朋友提供的帮助。公爵！我真是大大地错了！生活。……就是这样……现在……对不起，我很虚，”将军站在房间中央，朝四面八方连连鞠躬，继续说，“我没有力气，对不起！列诺奇卡！拿枕头来……亲爱的！” 列诺诺卡，一个８岁的小姑娘，马上跑去取枕头了，并将它放在漆布面的又硬又破的沙发上。将军坐到它上面，本还打算说许多话，但一碰到沙发，马上就歪向一侧，朝向墙壁，酣然入睡，做他的君子梦了。玛尔法·鲍里索夫娜客气而又凄苦地给公爵指了指在小牌桌旁的一张椅子，自己则在对面坐下，一只手撑着右脸颊，一边望着公爵，一边开始默默地叹息。三个小孩（两女一男，其中列诺奇卡最大）走近桌子，三人全都把手放到桌子上，并且都凝神打量着公爵。科利亚从另一个房间里出来了。 “我很高兴在这里遇见您，科利亚，”公爵对他说，“您是否能帮我个忙？我一定得去纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜那里。我刚才请求阿尔达利翁·亚历山德罗维奇，但他现在睡着了。您送我去吧，因为我既不知道街道，也不知道路名。不过有一个地址：大剧院附近，梅托夫佐娃的楼房里。” “纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜？她可从来也不住在大剧院附近，如果您想知道的话，父亲也从来没有到过她家里；真奇怪，你居然还期望从他那里得到什么帮助。纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜住在弗拉基米尔街附近，靠近五角地，这儿去近得多。您现在就去吗？现在９点半。好吧，我送您到那里。” 公爵和科利亚马上就走了出来。唉！公爵没有钱雇马车，只得步行了去。“我本想介绍您跟伊波利特认识，”科利亚说，“他是穿短袄的上尉夫人的大儿子，在另一个房间；他身体不好，今天整天都躺着。但他是个很怪的人；他容易受委屈得不得了，我觉得，他会不好意思见您的，因为您在这样的时刻来到他家来，我毕竟不像他那么感到害羞，因为我这边是父亲，而他那里是母亲，这里到底是不一样的，因为这种情况对男人来说不是什么耻辱。不过，这也许是性方面男尊女卑的成见。伊波利特是个好小伙，但他是某些偏见的奴隶。” “您说，他有肺病？” “是的，似乎还是快点死去的好，我要是处在他的地位，就一走愿意死去。他则舍不得兄弟姐妹，就是那几个小的。如果可能的话，只要有钱，我就和他租一套单独的住宅，离开我们的家庭。这是我们的理想。知道吗，刚才我对他讲了您的遭遇，他竟十分生气，说，谁挨了耳光而不提出决斗，这人便是窝囊废。不过，他气得不得了，我就不再跟他争论了。那么，这么说，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜怎么马上就邀请您去她那里的？” “问题就在于没有邀请。” “那您怎么还去？”科利亚喊了起来，甚至在人行道上停住了。“而且……穿这么一身衣服，那里是应邀参加的晚会吗？” “真的，我实在不知道，怎么才能进去。能接待，那很好，不接待，事情就错过去了。至于说衣服，这时还有什么办法？” “您有事吗？还是只不过要‘在上流社会’ｐｏｕｒ ｐａｓｓｅｒ ｌｅ ｔｅｍｐｓ＊？” “不，我其实……也就是我有事……我很难表达这一点，但是……” “算了，究竟是什么事，这就随您的便吧，对我来说主要的是，您在那里不是无缘无故地硬要参加晚会，死乞白赖地要挤进风流女人、将军、高利贷者组成的令人迷醉和社交界去。如果是这样，对不起，公爵，我则会嘲笑您，并且会蔑视您。这里正直的人大少了，甚至根本就没有人值得尊敬；你不由得会瞧于起他们，可他们都要求别人尊敬；瓦里娅是第一个瞧不起他们的人。公爵，您发现没有，我们这个时代所有的人都是冒险家！而且恰恰是在我们俄罗斯，在我们可爱的祖国。怎么会弄成这样的，我不明白。好像曾经是很坚固的，可现在怎样呢？大家都在说，到处都在写。是揭露。我们大家都在揭露。父母首先改变了态度，他们自己为过去的道德感到羞耻。在莫斯科，有个父亲劝说儿子，为了弄到钱，不论碰到什么都不后退；这是报刊上登了知道的。您再瞧瞧我的将军。嘿，他落得什么下场了？不过，您知道吗，我觉得，我的将军是个正直的人，真的，是这样的！这不过全是潦倒和酗酒所至。真的，是这样！甚至很可怜；我只是怕说，因为大家会笑我的；可是，的确很可怜。而那些聪明人，他们身上又有什么呢？全都是放高利贷的，无一例外！伊波利特为放高利革辩解，说需要这样，什么经济动荡，什么涨啊落啊，鬼才明白这些。他的这番话使我十分烦恼，可是他充满了怨恨。您设想一下，他的母亲，就是那个大尉夫人，从将军那儿得到钱，又马上放高利贷给他；这多么恬不知耻！您要知道，妈妈，也就是我的妈妈，尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜，将军夫人，经常给钱、裙子、衣服和别的东西帮助伊波利特，甚至通过伊波利特多少还接济一下那几个孩子，因为他们的母亲对他们不加问津。瓦里娅也这样做。” “您瞧，您说没有正直和刚强的人，全部只是一些放高利贷的人；您母亲和瓦里娅，这不就是刚强的人吗。这种地方，这样的境况下帮助别人，难道不是精神力量的标志吗？” “瓦里卡是出于自尊心，出于爱夸口才这么做的，为的是不落后于母亲；而妈妈倒确实……我敬重她，是的，我敬佩她、承认她这点。甚至伊波利特也受了感动，而他本来几乎是个冷漠无情的人。起先他还嘲笑，称妈妈这样做是卑劣的行径；但现在开始有时候他动感情了。嗯！您把这称作力量？我会注意这点的，加尼亚不知道，不然他会说这是纵容姑息。” “加尼亚不知道？似乎加尼亚还有许多事情并不知道，”公爵若有所思地脱口而出说。 “您知道吗，公爵，我很喜欢您。刚才您遭遇的事一直索绕在我的脑海里。” “我也很喜欢您，科利亚。” “听着，您打算在这里怎么生活？很快我要给自．已找些活干，多少挣点钱，让我们--我。您和伊波利特--三个人一起生活，我们租一处住房；我们要不让将军到我们这儿来。” “我非常乐意。不过，我们以后再看吧。我现在心里很乱，很乱。怎么？已经到了？在这幢房里……大门多有气派！还有看门人。咳，科利亚，我不知道，这事会有什么结果。” 公爵不知所措地站在那里。 “明天说吧、别太胆怯。让上帝傈佑您成功，因为我自己在所有的方面都跟您的见解一样！再见。我不回那里去告诉伊波利特。至于说是否接待您，这不用怀疑；别担心！她是个非常独特的人。从一楼这座楼梯上去，看门人会指给您看的！”

Part 1 Chapter 13 THE prince was very nervous as he reached the outer door; but he did his best to encourage himself with the reflection that the worst thing that could happen to him would be that he would not be received, or, perhaps, received, then laughed at for coming. But there was another question, which terrified him considerably, and that was: what was he going to do when he DID get in? And to this question he could fashion no satisfactory reply. If only he could find an opportunity of coming close up to Nastasia Philipovna and saying to her: "Don't ruin yourself by marrying this man. He does not love you, he only loves your money. He told me so himself, and so did Aglaya Ivanovna, and I have come on purpose to warn you"--but even that did not seem quite a legitimate or practicable thing to do. Then, again, there was another delicate question, to which he could not find an answer; dared not, in fact, think of it; but at the very idea of which he trembled and blushed. However, in spite of all his fears and heart-quakings he went in, and asked for Nastasia Philipovna. Nastasia occupied a medium-sized, but distinctly tasteful, flat, beautifully furnished and arranged. At one period of these five years of Petersburg life, Totski had certainly not spared his expenditure upon her. He had calculated upon her eventual love, and tried to tempt her with a lavish outlay upon comforts and luxuries, knowing too well how easily the heart accustoms itself to comforts, and how difficult it is to tear one's self away from luxuries which have become habitual and, little by little, indispensable. Nastasia did not reject all this, she even loved her comforts and luxuries, but, strangely enough, never became, in the least degree, dependent upon them, and always gave the impression that she could do just as well without them. In fact, she went so far as to inform Totski on several occasions that such was the case, which the latter gentleman considered a very unpleasant communication indeed. But, of late, Totski had observed many strange and original features and characteristics in Nastasia, which he had neither known nor reckoned upon in former times, and some of these fascinated him, even now, in spite of the fact that all his old calculations with regard to her were long ago cast to the winds. A maid opened the door for the prince (Nastasia's servants were all females) and, to his surprise, received his request to announce him to her mistress without any astonishment. Neither his dirty boots, nor his wide-brimmed hat, nor his sleeveless cloak, nor his evident confusion of manner, produced the least impression upon her. She helped him off with his cloak, and begged him to wait a moment in the ante-room while she announced him. The company assembled at Nastasia Philipovna's consisted of none but her most intimate friends, and formed a very small party in comparison with her usual gatherings on this anniversary. In the first place there were present Totski, and General Epanchin. They were both highly amiable, but both appeared to be labouring under a half-hidden feeling of anxiety as to the result of Nastasia's deliberations with regard to Gania, which result was to be made public this evening. Then, of course, there was Gania who was by no means so amiable as his elders, but stood apart, gloomy, and miserable, and silent. He had determined not to bring Varia with him; but Nastasia had not even asked after her, though no sooner had he arrived than she had reminded him of the episode between himself and the prince. The general, who had heard nothing of it before, began to listen with some interest, while Gania, drily, but with perfect candour, went through the whole history, including the fact of his apology to the prince. He finished by declaring that the prince was a most extraordinary man, and goodness knows why he had been considered an idiot hitherto, for he was very far from being one. Nastasia listened to all this with great interest; but the conversation soon turned to Rogojin and his visit, and this theme proved of the greatest attraction to both Totski and the general. Ptitsin was able to afford some particulars as to Rogojin's conduct since the afternoon. He declared that he had been busy finding money for the latter ever since, and up to nine o'clock, Rogojin having declared that he must absolutely have a hundred thousand roubles by the evening. He added that Rogojin was drunk, of course; but that he thought the money would be forthcoming, for the excited and intoxicated rapture of the fellow impelled him to give any interest or premium that was asked of him, and there were several others engaged in beating up the money, also. All this news was received by the company with somewhat gloomy interest. Nastasia was silent, and would not say what she thought about it. Gania was equally uncommunicative. The general seemed the most anxious of all, and decidedly uneasy. The present of pearls which he had prepared with so much joy in the morning had been accepted but coldly, and Nastasia had smiled rather disagreeably as she took it from him. Ferdishenko was the only person present in good spirits. Totski himself, who had the reputation of being a capital talker, and was usually the life and soul of these entertainments, was as silent as any on this occasion, and sat in a state of, for him, most uncommon perturbation. The rest of the guests (an old tutor or schoolmaster, goodness knows why invited; a young man, very timid, and shy and silent; a rather loud woman of about forty, apparently an actress; and a very pretty, well-dressed German lady who hardly said a word all the evening) not only had no gift for enlivening the proceedings, but hardly knew what to say for themselves when addressed. Under these circumstances the arrival of the prince came almost as a godsend. The announcement of his name gave rise to some surprise and to some smiles, especially when it became evident, from Nastasia's astonished look, that she had not thought of inviting him. But her astonishment once over, Nastasia showed such satisfaction that all prepared to greet the prince with cordial smiles of welcome. "Of course," remarked General Epanchin, "he does this out of pure innocence. It's a little dangerous, perhaps, to encourage this sort of freedom; but it is rather a good thing that he has arrived just at this moment. He may enliven us a little with his originalities." "Especially as he asked himself," said Ferdishenko. "What's that got to do with it?" asked the general, who loathed Ferdishenko. "Why, he must pay toll for his entrance," explained the latter. "H'm! Prince Muishkin is not Ferdishenko," said the general, impatiently. This worthy gentleman could never quite reconcile himself to the idea of meeting Ferdishenko in society, and on an equal footing. "Oh general, spare Ferdishenko!" replied the other, smiling. "I have special privileges." "What do you mean by special privileges?" "Once before I had the honour of stating them to the company. I will repeat the explanation to-day for your excellency's benefit. You see, excellency, all the world is witty and clever except myself. I am neither. As a kind of compensation I am allowed to tell the truth, for it is a well-known fact that only stupid people tell 'the truth. Added to this, I am a spiteful man, just because I am not clever. If I am offended or injured I bear it quite patiently until the man injuring me meets with some misfortune. Then I remember, and take my revenge. I return the injury sevenfold, as Ivan Petrovitch Ptitsin says. (Of course he never does so himself.) Excellency, no doubt you recollect Kryloff's fable, 'The Lion and the Ass'? Well now, that's you and I. That fable was written precisely for us." "You seem to be talking nonsense again, Ferdishenko," growled the general. "What is the matter, excellency? I know how to keep my place. When I said just now that we, you and I, were the lion and the ass of Kryloff's fable, of course it is understood that I take the role of the ass. Your excellency is the lion of which the fable remarks: 'A mighty lion, terror of the woods, Was shorn of his great prowess by old age.' And I, your excellency, am the ass." "I am of your opinion on that last point," said Ivan Fedorovitch, with ill-concealed irritation. All this was no doubt extremely coarse, and moreover it was premeditated, but after all Ferdishenko had persuaded everyone to accept him as a buffoon. "If I am admitted and tolerated here," he had said one day, "it is simply because I talk in this way. How can anyone possibly receive such a man as I am? I quite understand. Now, could I, a Ferdishenko, be allowed to sit shoulder to shoulder with a clever man like Afanasy Ivanovitch? There is one explanation, only one. I am given the position because it is so entirely inconceivable!" But these vulgarities seemed to please Nastasia Philipovna, although too often they were both rude and offensive. Those who wished to go to her house were forced to put up with Ferdishenko. Possibly the latter was not mistaken in imagining that he was received simply in order to annoy Totski, who disliked him extremely. Gania also was often made the butt of the jester's sarcasms, who used this method of keeping in Nastasia Philipovna's good graces. "The prince will begin by singing us a fashionable ditty," remarked Ferdishenko, and looked at the mistress of the house, to see what she would say. "I don't think so, Ferdishenko; please be quiet," answered Nastasia Philipovna dryly. "A-ah! if he is to be under special patronage, I withdraw my claws." But Nastasia Philipovna had now risen and advanced to meet the prince. "I was so sorry to have forgotten to ask you to come, when I saw you," she said, "and I am delighted to be able to thank you personally now, and to express my pleasure at your resolution." So saying she gazed into his eyes, longing to see whether she could make any guess as to the explanation of his motive in coming to her house. The prince would very likely have made some reply to her kind words, but he was so dazzled by her appearance that he could not speak. Nastasia noticed this with satisfaction. She was in full dress this evening; and her appearance was certainly calculated to impress all beholders. She took his hand and led him towards her other guests. But just before they reached the drawing-room door, the prince stopped her, and hurriedly and in great agitation whispered to her: "You are altogether perfection; even your pallor and thinness are perfect; one could not wish you otherwise. I did so wish to come and see you. I--forgive me, please--" "Don't apologize," said Nastasia, laughing; "you spoil the whole originality of the thing. I think what they say about you must be true, that you are so original.--So you think me perfection, do you?" "Yes." "H'm! Well, you may be a good reader of riddles but you are wrong THERE, at all events. I'll remind you of this, tonight." Nastasia introduced the prince to her guests, to most of whom he was already known. Totski immediately made some amiable remark. Al seemed to brighten up at once, and the conversation became general. Nastasia made the prince sit down next to herself. "Dear me, there's nothing so very curious about the prince dropping in, after all," remarked Ferdishenko. "It's quite a clear case," said the hitherto silent Gania. I have watched the prince almost all day, ever since the moment when he first saw Nastasia Philipovna's portrait, at General Epanchin's. I remember thinking at the time what I am now pretty sure of; and what, I may say in passing, the prince confessed to myself." Gania said all this perfectly seriously, and without the slightest appearance of joking; indeed, he seemed strangely gloomy. "I did not confess anything to you," said the prince, blushing. "I only answered your question." "Bravo! That's frank, at any rate!" shouted Ferdishenko, and there was general laughter. "Oh prince, prince! I never should have thought it of you;" said General Epanchin. "And I imagined you a philosopher! Oh, you silent fellows!" "Judging from the fact that the prince blushed at this innocent joke, like a young girl, I should think that he must, as an honourable man, harbour the noblest intentions," said the old toothless schoolmaster, most unexpectedly; he had not so much as opened his mouth before. This remark provoked general mirth, and the old fellow himself laughed loudest of the lot, but ended with a stupendous fit of coughing. Nastasia Philipovna, who loved originality and drollery of all kinds, was apparently very fond of this old man, and rang the bell for more tea to stop his coughing. It was now half-past ten o'clock. "Gentlemen, wouldn't you like a little champagne now?" she asked. "I have it all ready; it will cheer us up--do now--no ceremony!" This invitation to drink, couched, as it was, in such informal terms, came very strangely from Nastasia Philipovna. Her usual entertainments were not quite like this; there was more style about them. However, the wine was not refused; each guest took a glass excepting Gania, who drank nothing. It was extremely difficult to account for Nastasia's strange condition of mind, which became more evident each moment, and which none could avoid noticing. She took her glass, and vowed she would empty it three times that evening. She was hysterical, and laughed aloud every other minute with no apparent reason--the next moment relapsing into gloom and thoughtfulness. Some of her guests suspected that she must be ill; but concluded at last that she was expecting something, for she continued to look at her watch impatiently and unceasingly; she was most absent and strange. "You seem to be a little feverish tonight," said the actress. "Yes; I feel quite ill. I have been obliged to put on this shawl --I feel so cold," replied Nastasia. She certainly had grown very pale, and every now and then she tried to suppress a trembling in her limbs. "Had we not better allow our hostess to retire?" asked Totski of the general. "Not at all, gentlemen, not at all! Your presence is absolutely necessary to me tonight," said Nastasia, significantly. As most of those present were aware that this evening a certain very important decision was to be taken, these words of Nastasia Philipovna's appeared to be fraught with much hidden interest. The general and Totski exchanged looks; Gania fidgeted convulsively in his chair. "Let's play at some game!" suggested the actress. "I know a new and most delightful game, added Ferdishenko. "What is it?" asked the actress. "Well, when we tried it we were a party of people, like this, for instance; and somebody proposed that each of us, without leaving his place at the table, should relate something about himself. It had to be something that he really and honestly considered the very worst action he had ever committed in his life. But he was to be honest--that was the chief point! He wasn't to be allowed to lie." "What an extraordinary idea!" said the general. "That's the beauty of it, general!" "It's a funny notion," said Totski, "and yet quite natural--it's only a new way of boasting." "Perhaps that is just what was so fascinating about it." "Why, it would be a game to cry over--not to laugh at!" said the actress. "Did it succeed?" asked Nastasia Philipovna. "Come, let's try it, let's try it; we really are not quite so jolly as we might be-- let's try it! We may like it; it's original, at all events!" "Yes," said Ferdishenko; "it's a good idea--come along--the men begin. Of course no one need tell a story if he prefers to be disobliging. We must draw lots! Throw your slips of paper, gentlemen, into this hat, and the prince shall draw for turns. It's a very simple game; all you have to do is to tell the story of the worst action of your life. It's as simple as anything. I'll prompt anyone who forgets the rules!" No one liked the idea much. Some smiled, some frowned some objected, but faintly, not wishing to oppose Nastasia's wishes; for this new idea seemed to be rather well received by her. She was still in an excited, hysterical state, laughing convulsively at nothing and everything. Her eyes were blazing, and her cheeks showed two bright red spots against the white. The melancholy appearance of some of her guests seemed to add to her sarcastic humour, and perhaps the very cynicism and cruelty of the game proposed by Ferdishenko pleased her. At all events she was attracted by the idea, and gradually her guests came round to her side; the thing was original, at least, and might turn out to be amusing. "And supposing it's something that one--one can't speak about before ladies?" asked the timid and silent young man. "Why, then of course, you won't say anything about it. As if there are not plenty of sins to your score without the need of those!" said Ferdishenko. "But I really don't know which of my actions is the worst," said the lively actress. "Ladies are exempted if they like." "And how are you to know that one isn't lying? And if one lies the whole point of the game is lost," said Gania. "Oh, but think how delightful to hear how one's friends lie! Besides you needn't be afraid, Gania; everybody knows what your worst action is without the need of any lying on your part. Only think, gentlemen,"--and Ferdishenko here grew quite enthusiastic, "only think with what eyes we shall observe one another tomorrow, after our tales have been told!" "But surely this is a joke, Nastasia Philipovna?" asked Totski. "You don't really mean us to play this game." "Whoever is afraid of wolves had better not go into the wood," said Nastasia, smiling. "But, pardon me, Mr. Ferdishenko, is it possible to make a game out of this kind of thing?" persisted Totski, growing more and more uneasy. "I assure you it can't be a success." "And why not? Why, the last time I simply told straight off about how I stole three roubles." "Perhaps so; but it is hardly possible that you told it so that it seemed like truth, or so that you were believed. And, as Gavrila Ardalionovitch has said, the least suggestion of a falsehood takes all point out of the game. It seems to me that sincerity, on the other hand, is only possible if combined with a kind of bad taste that would be utterly out of place here." "How subtle you are, Afanasy Ivanovitch! You astonish me," cried Ferdishenko. "You will remark, gentleman, that in saying that I could not recount the story of my theft so as to be believed, Afanasy Ivanovitch has very ingeniously implied that I am not capable of thieving--(it would have been bad taste to say so openly); and all the time he is probably firmly convinced, in his own mind, that I am very well capable of it! But now, gentlemen, to business! Put in your slips, ladies and gentlemen--is yours in, Mr. Totski? So--then we are all ready; now prince, draw, please." The prince silently put his hand into the hat, and drew the names. Ferdishenko was first, then Ptitsin, then the general, Totski next, his own fifth, then Gania, and so on; the ladies did not draw. "Oh, dear! oh, dear!" cried Ferdishenko. "I did so hope the prince would come out first, and then the general. Well, gentlemen, I suppose I must set a good example! What vexes me much is that I am such an insignificant creature that it matters nothing to anybody whether I have done bad actions or not! Besides, which am I to choose? It's an embarras de richesse. Shall I tell how I became a thief on one occasion only, to convince Afanasy Ivanovitch that it is possible to steal without being a thief?" "Do go on, Ferdishenko, and don't make unnecessary preface, or you'll never finish," said Nastasia Philipovna. All observed how irritable and cross she had become since her last burst of laughter; but none the less obstinately did she stick to her absurd whim about this new game. Totski sat looking miserable enough. The general lingered over his champagne, and seemed to be thinking of some story for the time when his turn should come. 公爵登楼的时候，心里惴惴不安，竭力给自己鼓起勇气。“最大不了的，”他想，“就是不见并且对我有什么不好的想法，或者，也许会见，但是当面嘲笑我…… 唉，没关系！”确实，这还不算很可怕，但是有一个问题：“他到那里去做什么，为什么去？”--一对这个问题他则根本找不到可以慰藉的回答，即使可以通过某种方式抓住机会对纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜说：“别嫁给这个人，别毁了自己，他不爱您，而爱您的钱，他亲口对我这么说的，阿格拉娅·叶潘钦娜也对我这么说过，我来就是转告您这一点，”这样做从各方面来看也未必恰当。还有一个没有解决的问题，而且这么重大，公爵甚至怕去想它，甚至不能也不敢容许自己去想它，不知道该如何表达，一想到这个问题，便脸红耳赤，浑身打颤。但是，尽管惶恐不安、疑虑重重，结果他还是走了进去，并求见纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜。 纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜占据一套不很大的公寓，但装修得确实富丽堂皇。在彼得堡生活的这五年中，有过一段时间、那是在开始的时候，阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇为她特别不惜钱财；那时他还指望得到她的爱情，想诱惑她。主要是通过舒适的奢侈的享受，因为他知道，奢侈的习惯是很容易养成的，可是当奢侈渐渐地变成必不可少的习性时，要想摆脱它就非常困难了，在这方面托茨基仍然忠于很管用的老传统，他不做丝毫的改变，万分尊重感性影响那不可战胜的威力。纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜并不拒绝奢侈，甚至还喜欢它，但是，似乎非常奇怪的是，她决不沉缅其中，仿佛随时都可以没有它；甚至有好几次竭力声明这了点，令托茨基感到不快和震惊。其实，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜身上有许多东西使托茨基感到不快（后来甚至是蔑视）和惊讶、有时让那种粗俗的人亲近她；看来，她也喜欢接近他们，这已经不用说了。她身上不流露出一些完全是很奇怪的习性：两种迥异的情趣极不和谐地合在一起，似乎上流社会，修养高雅的人所不容许存在的一些东西和方式，都能够习惯并感到满足。实际上，假如纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜，比方说，依然表现出某种令人好感的、可爱的无知，例如，不知道农妇不可能穿她的细麻纱内衣，那么阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇大概会对此感到非常满意的。托茨基在这方面是很在行的人，按照他的计划，对纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜的教养从一开始就追求达到这样的结果；可是，哎！结果却是令人奇怪的。尽管那样，然而纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜身上依然保留着某种气质，有时那非同寻常和招人喜爱的、别出心裁、独具的魅力甚至使阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇自己也感到惊异，即使现在，在原先对纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜的全部打算已经落空的情况下，有时也仍使他迷醉。 迎接公爵的是一位姑娘（纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜所雇的仆人经常是女的），使他惊奇的是，听完他请求通报的话时，她没有丝毫的疑惑。无论是他那肮脏的靴子，还是宽檐的帽子，无论是无袖的风衣，还是困窘的神色都没有引起她的丝毫踌躇。她帮他脱下风衣，请他在接待室稍候，便马上去通报他的来访。 在纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜那里聚会的是她平时经常来的最熟识的人，跟以往这种日子每年的聚会相比甚至显得人太少了。来宾中首要的和为主是阿法纳西·托茨基和伊万·费奥多维寄·叶潘钦；两人都殷切可亲，但是由于难以掩饰等待宣布事先许诺的有关加尼亚的决定，他们又都有一丝的不安。除了他们，当然还有加尼亚，他也很忧心忡忡，思虑重重，甚至似乎完全“不殷切可亲”，大部分时间站在稍远些的一旁，默不作声。他不敢引瓦里娅带来，但是纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜也没有提起她；然而，刚跟加利亚打过招呼，她就想起了刚才他和公爵的龃龉。将军还没有听说过这件事，他开始感兴趣地问。于是加尼亚便用单板克制的口气，但却十分坦率地叙述了刚才发生的一切以及他怎么已经去请求公爵原谅的事，与此同时，他热烈地说出自己的意见，认为把公爵称作“白痴”是相当奇怪的，而且不知道是什么原因，而他认为完全相反，而且这个人显然是很有心计的。纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜以极大的注意听着这种评论，好奇地注视着加尼亚，但是话题马上又转到了早晨发生的事件的主要参加者罗戈任身上，阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇和伊万·费奥多罗维奇也怀着极大的好奇津津有味地听起来。原来，普季岑能告诉有关罗戈任的特别情况；为了他的事情普季岑跟他一起想方设法，到处奔走，几乎忙到晚上９点。罗戈任竭力坚持要在今天弄到１０万卢布。“真的，他喝醉了，”普季岑讲到这里时指出，“但是１０万卢布，无论搞到它有多么困难，看来他是会弄到手的，只不过我不知道，今天是否能异到，又是否全部能弄到；而现在许多人都在奔走：金杰尔，特别帕洛夫，比斯库普，随便多少利息他都给，这当然全是喝醉了一时高兴……”普季岑结束说。所有这些消息引起了大家的关注，但心里又有些阴沉；纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜沉默着，显然不愿意说什么；加尼亚也是。叶潘钦将军几乎比所有的人更为暗自忧虑，因为还是上午送来的珍珠虽然是客客气气地收下了，可是这种客气已显得过分冷淡，甚至还带着某种特别的淡然一笑。所有的客人中只有费尔迪先科有着乐滋滋、喜冲冲的情绪，有时还莫明其妙地哈哈大笑起来，这全是因为他自己硬要扮演一个小丑的角色。阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇自己原被公认为是讲故事含蓄精雅的好手，过去在这种晚会上通常都是他驾驭着谈话，现在却显然情绪不佳，甚至还带着一种非他所有的慌乱。别的客人其实并不多（一个当教师的可怜巴巴的小老头，天知道为什么邀请他）；一个不认识的很年轻的人，异常羞怯，始终默默无语；一个４０岁左右，颇为活络的女士是个演员；一个非常美貌，穿得十分漂亮阔绰的年轻女士则是少有的不爱说话），他们不仅不能使谈话活跃起来，甚至有时不知道说什么好。 这种情况下，公爵的来到恰恰正是时候，他的来访一通报，便引起了困惑和一些奇怪的微笑，特别是从纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜那惊诧的神色来看。客人们知道，她根本就没有想过要邀请他。但是在惊讶之后，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜却突然流露出那样的高兴，于是大多数人随即就准备好用欢声笑语和快活的气氛来迎接这位不速之客。 “就算是出于他天真才这样，”伊万·费奥多罗维奇·叶潘钦做着结论说，“鼓励这样的习气无论如何也是相当危险的，但是，说真的，尽管采取这样别出心裁的方式，他忽然想出光临此地，在这种时候倒也不坏。他大概是想让我们快乐，至少我可以对他做这样的推想。” “何况他是自己硬上门的！”费尔迪先科马上插进来说。 “那又怎么样？”对费尔迪先科恨之人骨的将军生硬单板地问。 “那就得付入场费，”后者解释道。 “嘿，梅什金公爵毕竟不是费尔迪先科，”将军忍不住说。直到现在，一想到与费尔迪先科同处一起，平起平坐，他就无法容忍。 “嘿，将军，请饶了费尔迪先科吧，”他讪笑着说，“我可是有特殊权利的。” “您有什么样的特殊权利？” “上一次我有幸向诸位作了详细说明；现在我为阁下再讲一次。请看，阁下，大家都有说俏皮话的本领，而我却没有。作为补偿我求得了允许我说真话，因为大家都知道，只有不会说俏皮话的人才说真话。何况我是个报复心很强的人，这也是因为缺少说俏皮话本领的缘故。任何委屈我都将逆来顺受，但是只忍受到欺负人的人首次失利；他一失利，我立即就会记起前嫌，马上就会以某种方式进行报复，正像伊万·彼得罗维奇·普季岑形容我那样，我会喘上几脚，他自己嘛，当然是从来也不踢人的噶。您知道克雷洛夫的寓言《狮子和驴子》吗，阁下？嘿，您和我两人就是，写的就是我们。” “您好像又在信口雌黄了，费尔迪先科，”将军大力生气地说。 “您怎么啦，阁下？”费尔迪先科接过话茬说。他原来就这样指望着什么时候可以接过话茬，更多地胡扯一通。“您别担心，阁下，我知道自己的地位：既然我说了，您和我是克雷洛夫寓言中的狮子和驴子，那么驴子的角色当然是我担当了，而阁下则是狮子，正如克雷洛夫寓言中说的： 强悍的狮子，森林之猛兽， 年老又体衰，威力丧失尽。 而我，阁下，是驴子。” “后面一点我同意，”将军不经心地脱口说道。 这一切当然是无礼的，故意这样的，但是让费尔迪先科扮演小丑的角色也就这样被认可了。 “这里放我进来并留住我，”费尔迪先科有一次高声说，“仅仅是为了要我就用这种方式说话，不然，真能接待像我这样的人吗？我可是明白这一层的。呶，能让我这么一个费尔迪先科跟阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇这样高雅的绅士坐到一起吗？剩下的不得不只有一个解释：让我坐就是为了这样做是不可思议的。” 尽管说得很粗鲁无礼，但终究常含着讥刺挖苦，有时甚至颇为辛辣，这一点好像也正是纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜所喜欢的。一定想要做她座上客的人，就落得个横下心来忍爱费尔迪先科的遭遇。他大概也猜透了全部底细。他推测，从第一次起他的在场就使托茨基难以忍受、正是因为这个缘故他才开始得到接待的。而加尼亚方面也吃了他无穷的苦头，所以在这一点上费尔迪先科也是经常善于为纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜效劳的。 “我猜想，公爵将以唱一曲流行的浪漫曲为开始，”费尔迪先科一边做动判断，一边则看纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜会怎么说。 “我不这么认为，费尔迪先科，请别急躁，，她淡淡地说。 “噢--噢！既然他受到特别的庇护，那么我也要宽厚温和待他了……” 但是纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜没有听他的话，站起身，亲自去迎接公爵。 “我很抱歉，”她突然出现在公爵面前，说，“刚才仓猝之中我忘了邀请您到我这儿来，现在您自己给我机会来感谢和赞赏的决心，我感到非常高兴。” 说这些话的时候，她专注地凝视着公爵，竭力想多少能对他的举动做出一些解释。 公爵本来大概想对她这些客气话回答几句的，但是他震惊得如痴如醉，竟说不出一句话来。纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜高兴地觉察到这一点。今天晚上她全副盛装，给人以非凡的印象。她挽着他的手，带他到客人那里去。就在要走进客厅的那一会公爵突然停住了，异常激动地匆匆对她低语说： “您身上一切都是完美的……甚至连清瘦和苍白也是这样……令人不愿把您想象成另一种模样……我是这么想到您这里来……我……请原谅……” “不用请求原谅，”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜笑了起来，说，“这会破坏整个奇特怪诞和独具一格的情趣的。人家说您是个怪人，看来，这是真的。这么说，您认为我是完美的，是吗。” “是的。” “您虽然是猜谜的能手，但是还是错了。今天我就会让您注意到这一点。” 她把他介绍给客人们，其中一大半人已经认识他了，托茨基马上说了些客气的话。大家似乎有点活跃起来，一下子有说有笑了。纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜把公爵安顿在自己旁边。 “不过，公爵光临有什么好惊奇的呢？”费尔迪先科比大家都响地嚷了起来，“事情明摆着，事情本身就说明了！” “事情是太明了了，并且太说明问题了，”沉默不语的加尼亚忽然接过话茬说，“从上午公爵在伊万·费奥多罗维奇的桌子上第一次看见纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜的相片那一刻起，今天我几乎一直不停地在观察他。我很清楚地记得，还在当时我就想到过，而现在则完全确信，顺便说，公爵自己也向我承认过。” 加尼亚这番话说得非常认真，没有丝毫玩笑的意味，甚至还很忧郁，以致让人觉得有些奇怪。 “我没有对您承认过，”公爵红着脸回答，“我不过是回答了您的问题。” “妙，妙！一费尔迪先科嚷了起来，“至少这是真诚的，又狡猾又真诚！” 所有的人都哗然大笑起来。 “费尔迪先科，您别喊嘛，”普季岑厌恶地轻声向他指出。 “公爵，我可没有料到您有这样的壮举，”伊万·费奥多罗维奇低声说。“您知道吗，这适合于什么人？我则认为您是个哲学家！而且是个安分的人！” “因为这个纯洁无邪的玩笑公爵竟羞得像个天真无邪的少女，从这点上看，我可以断定，作为一个高尚的青年，他心中怀有最值得赞赏的意图，”突然教师老头完全出其不意地说，或者，最好是说，因为役有牙齿而唔哩唔哩地说。大家笑得更厉害了。老头大概以为大家笑的是他的话说得俏皮，便望着大家，开始更加纵声大笑，同时还剧烈咳嗽起来，致使纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜马上来安抚他，吻他，并吩咐再给他送茶。她不知为什么非常喜欢所有这样有些古怪的老头老太、甚至疯疯傻傻的修士，他向进来的女仆要了一件披肩裹在身上，又吩咐往壁炉里添些柴，然后问几点钟了，女仆回答说，已经１０点半了。 “诸位，要不要喝点香槟？”突然纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜邀请说，“我这儿准备了。也许，你们会觉得更快活。请吧，不要客气。” 由纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜提议喝酒，特别是用这么天真的口吻来表达这是非常奇怪的，大家都知道，在她过去举行的晚会上是非常正经庄重的。总之，今天的晚会显得比较活泼，但是不同寻常。然而大家并不拒绝喝酒，先是将军本人，活络的太太、老头、费尔迪先科其次，随后所有的人都不反对。托茨基也拿起酒杯，他指望协调一下正出现的新气氛，使其尽可能带有亲近的戏谑的性质。只有加尼亚一个人什么也不喝。纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜过拿起了酒并声称，今天晚上她要喝三杯。她那很有点奇怪的、有时很急躁、迅疾的举止，她那歇斯底里、无缘无故的笑声以及突然间隔着的沉默甚至悒郁的沉思，很难使人明白是怎么回事。有些人怀疑她有寒热病；后来人们开始发觉，她自己仿佛在等待什么，不时看一眼钟，而且变得急不可耐、心不在焉。 “您好像有点发冷？”活络的太大问。 “不是有点，而是很冷，因此我才裹上了披肩，”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜回答说。她真的显得很苍白，似乎不时地克制着强烈的寒颤。 大家都开始不安并动弹起来。 “我们是否让女主人休息？”托茨基看了一眼伊万·费奥多罗维奇，说。 “绝对用不着，诸位！我请你们就坐着。今天我特别需要你们在场，”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜突然坚决而郑重地声称。因为几乎所有的客人都已知道，今天晚上预定要宣布一个非常重要的决定，所以这几句话就显得非常有分量。将军和托次基又交换了一次眼色，加尼亚则痉挛似的动了一下身子。 “来玩玩哪一种沙龙游戏倒不错，”活络的太太说。 “我知道一种非常奇妙的新式沙龙游戏，”费尔迪先科接过话茬说，“至少是这样的，它在世上仅仅有过一次，而且没有成功。” “是什么游戏？”活络的太太问。 “有一天我们几个伙伴聚在一起，确实，也喝了点酒。突然有人提议，我们每个人不用站起来，讲一件自己的事，但是要凭真正的良心，讲自己认为是一生中全部丑行中的最丑的一件事；但是必须得是真的，主要的是要讲真话，不许撒谎。” “奇怪的主意，”将军说。 “是啊，还有什么更奇怪的呢，阁下，但是妙也就妙在这里。” “可笑的主意，”托茨基说，“不过，也很明白：这是一种特别的吹牛。” “也许，就需要那样，阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇。” “来这样的沙龙游戏，可是叫你哭，而不是笑，”活络的太太指出。 “这名堂完全不能来，太荒唐了，”普季岑批评说。 “成功了吗？”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜问。 “就是没有成功，结果很糟糕，每个人真的都讲了什么事，许多人讲的是真话，你们设想一下，有些人甚至讲得津津乐道，可后来所有的人都感到很羞耻，不能容忍！不过，总的来说还是非常快活的，也就从某一点上来说是这样。” “真的，这倒也挺好！”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜说。大家一下子活跃起来。 “真的，不妨试试，诸位！确实，我们好像不那么开心。如果我们每个人都同意讲点什么……也是这一类事……当然，要同意这样，这里完全自愿，怎么样？也许，我们能经受得住？至少这是非常有独创性的……。” “真是英明的主意！”费尔迪先科接过话茬说，“不过，女士们例外，男客们开始讲吧；就像那时一样，我们来抓阄儿进行！一定这样，一定这样！谁实在不想讲，当然，就不用讲了，不过也就太不讨趣了。诸位，把你们的阄儿放到我这儿来，放帽子里，公爵来抓。题目很简单，讲自己一生中最丑的事，这是容易得不得了的，诸位！你们会看到的！如果谁忘了，我马上会提醒的。” 谁也不喜欢这个主意。一些人皱起了眉头，另一些人狡黠地窃笑着。一些人表示反对，但不太坚决，例如，伊万·费奥多罗维奇发觉纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜很为这个怪诞的念头所吸引，便不想违拗她。而纳斯塔西征·费利帕夫娜只要说出了自己的愿望，便总是遏制不住和毫无顾忌地要去实现它的，哪怕这些愿望是最任性的，甚至对她来说是最没有意思的，现在她就象歇斯底里发作一样走来走去，神经质地阵发性地笑着，特别是对惴惴不安的托茨基的异议发出这种笑声。她那深色的眼睛闪闪发亮，苍白的脸颊上浮到起两块红晕。有些客人脸上流露出的沮丧和轻蔑的神情，也许更加燃起她愚弄人的愿望；也许，这一主意的厚颜无耻和不顾情面正是她所喜欢的。有些人相信，她这样做有某种特别的意图。不过，大家也都同意了：不论怎样这是很令人好奇的，对于许多人来说还挺有诱惑力。费尔迪先科比所有的人都要忙碌。 “要是有什么事情……当着女士们面不能说的、怎么办？”一位默默不语的年轻人羞怯地问。 “那么您就不要讲这事，难道除此而外恶劣的行为还少吗？”费尔迪先科回答说，“唉，您呀，真是个年轻人！” “我就是不知道，我的行为中哪一桩算最不好，”活络的大太插进来说。 “女士们可以免去不讲，”费尔迪先科重复说，“但仅仅是免去；自告奋勇者还是允许的。男士们如果有实在不想讲的，也免讲。” “可这里怎么证明我有没有撒谎？”加尼亚问，“如果我撤谎，那么整个游戏就失去其意义了。再说谁又不会撤谎呢？每个人都一定会撒谎的。” “一个人在这种情况下怎么撒谎，单就这一点已经是很诱感人的了。你嘛，加涅奇卡，不用特别担心要撒谎的事，因为不撒谎大家也知道你最恶劣的丑行。好，诸位，你们只要想想，”费尔迪先科忽然来了灵感嚷道，“只要想一想，在讲了故事以后，比方说明天，我们将会用什么样的目光来彼此看待对方！” “难道可以这样做吗？纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜，难道这当真？”托茨基尊严地问。 “怕狼就别进树林！”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜冷笑着说。 “但是请问，费尔迪先科先生，难道这样能玩起沙龙游戏来？”托茨基起来越加惶恐不安，继续问道。“请您相信，这样的玩意永远也不会成功的；您自己不也说了，已经有过一次不成功了。” “怎么不成功！我上一次讲的是怎么偷了三个卢布，真的拿了，而且也讲了！” “就算是这样，但是，像您这样讲得像是真事并且使大家相信您，这是不可能的。而加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁诺维奇指出的完全正确：稍微听出一点假的东西，整个游戏便失去意义了。这里只有很偶然的情况下才可能讲真话，那就是有特别的兴致来讲那些十分粗俗的事，而在这里这是不可思议的，并且完全是不体面的。” “嗬，您是多么高雅的人啊，阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇！甚至都让我感到惊讶。”费尔迪先科喊了起来，“诸位，请想想，阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇认为，我不能把自己偷东西的事说得像真的，他以这种巧妙的方式暗示，我实际上是不会偷的（因为这讲出声来是不体面的），虽然他本人暗自也许完全深信费尔迪先科很可能是偷东西的！不过，诸位，还是言归正传，讲正事吧，阄儿已经收齐，还有您，阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇，把自己的也放进去，这么说，没有一个人拒绝。公爵，抓阄吧！” 公爵默默地把手伸进帽子，取出第一个阄，是费尔迪先科，第二个是普季岑，第三个是将军，第四是阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇，第五是公爵自己，第六是加尼亚，等等，女士们没有放阄进去。 “啊，天哪，多倒霉呀！”费尔迪先科喊了起来，“我倒还想，公爵会轮到第一个，将军则将是第二个。不过，上帝保佑，至少伊万·彼得罗维奇在我后面，我还有所补偿。好吧，诸位，我当然应该做出好榜样，但此刻我最感遗憾的是，我是那么微不足道，毫不出众；甚至我的头衔也是最小的，嘿，费尔迪先科干了恶劣的事其实有什么有趣的呢？再说，哪件事是我干的最坏的事呢？这真ｅｍｂｒｒａ８ ｄｅ ｒｉｃｈｅｓｓｅ＊。难道再来讲那次偷窃，好让阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇相信，不当小偷也可以行窈。” “费尔迪先科先生，您现在使我相信，讲自己那些淫猥的丑行，确实可以感到快乐甚至享受，尽管并没有打听这些事……不过……对不起，费尔迪先科先生。” “开始吧，费尔迪先科，您废话唠叨得大多了，而且永远没个完！”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜生气地不耐烦地吩咐说。 大家发觉，在刚才阵发性的笑声以后，她突然变得忧郁、不满和易怒；虽然这样她还是执拗和专横地坚持她那令人难堪的任性要求。阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇痛苦地非凡。伊万·费奥多罗维奇也叫他十分恼火：他仿佛没事儿似的正坐着喝香槟，也许，甚至还在酝酿轮到自己时讲什么呢。

Part 1 Chapter 14 "I have no wit, Nastasia Philipovna," began Ferdishenko, "and therefore I talk too much, perhaps. Were I as witty, now, as Mr. Totski or the general, I should probably have sat silent all the evening, as they have. Now, prince, what do you think?--are there not far more thieves than honest men in this world? Don't you think we may say there does not exist a single person so honest that he has never stolen anything whatever in his life?" "What a silly idea," said the actress. "Of course it is not the case. I have never stolen anything, for one." "H'm! very well, Daria Alexeyevna; you have not stolen anything-- agreed. But how about the prince, now--look how he is blushing!" "I think you are partially right, but you exaggerate," said the prince, who had certainly blushed up, of a sudden, for some reason or other. "Ferdishenko--either tell us your story, or be quiet, and mind your own business. You exhaust all patience," cuttingly and irritably remarked Nastasia Philipovna. "Immediately, immediately! As for my story, gentlemen, it is too stupid and absurd to tell you. "I assure you I am not a thief, and yet I have stolen; I cannot explain why. It was at Semeon Ivanovitch Ishenka's country house, one Sunday. He had a dinner party. After dinner the men stayed at the table over their wine. It struck me to ask the daughter of the house to play something on the piano; so I passed through the corner room to join the ladies. In that room, on Maria Ivanovna's writing-table, I observed a three-rouble note. She must have taken it out for some purpose, and left it lying there. There was no one about. I took up the note and put it in my pocket; why, I can't say. I don't know what possessed me to do it, but it was done, and I went quickly back to the dining-room and reseated myself at the dinner-table. I sat and waited there in a great state of excitement. I talked hard, and told lots of stories, and laughed like mad; then I joined the ladies. "In half an hour or so the loss was discovered, and the servants were being put under examination. Daria, the housemaid was suspected. I exhibited the greatest interest and sympathy, and I remember that poor Daria quite lost her head, and that I began assuring her, before everyone, that I would guarantee her forgiveness on the part of her mistress, if she would confess her guilt. They all stared at the girl, and I remember a wonderful attraction in the reflection that here was I sermonizing away, with the money in my own pocket all the while. I went and spent the three roubles that very evening at a restaurant. I went in and asked for a bottle of Lafite, and drank it up; I wanted to be rid of the money. "I did not feel much remorse either then or afterwards; but I would not repeat the performance--believe it or not as you please. There--that's all." "Only, of course that's not nearly your worst action," said the actress, with evident dislike in her face. "That was a psychological phenomenon, not an action," remarked Totski. "And what about the maid?" asked Nastasia Philipovna, with undisguised contempt. "Oh, she was turned out next day, of course. It's a very strict household, there!" "And you allowed it?" "I should think so, rather! I was not going to return and confess next day," laughed Ferdishenko, who seemed a little surprised at the disagreeable impression which his story had made on all parties. "How mean you were!" said Nastasia. "Bah! you wish to hear a man tell of his worst actions, and you expect the story to come out goody-goody! One's worst actions always are mean. We shall see what the general has to say for himself now. All is not gold that glitters, you know; and because a man keeps his carriage he need not be specially virtuous, I assure you, all sorts of people keep carriages. And by what means?" In a word, Ferdishenko was very angry and rapidly forgetting himself; his whole face was drawn with passion. Strange as it may appear, he had expected much better success for his story. These little errors of taste on Ferdishenko's part occurred very frequently. Nastasia trembled with rage, and looked fixedly at him, whereupon he relapsed into alarmed silence. He realized that he had gone a little too far. "Had we not better end this game?" asked Totski. "It's my turn, but I plead exemption," said Ptitsin. "You don't care to oblige us?" asked Nastasia. "I cannot, I assure you. I confess I do not understand how anyone can play this game." "Then, general, it's your turn," continued Nastasia Philipovna, "and if you refuse, the whole game will fall through, which will disappoint me very much, for I was looking forward to relating a certain 'page of my own life.' I am only waiting for you and Afanasy Ivanovitch to have your turns, for I require the support of your example," she added, smiling. "Oh, if you put it in that way " cried the general, excitedly, "I'm ready to tell the whole story of my life, but I must confess that I prepared a little story in anticipation of my turn." Nastasia smiled amiably at him; but evidently her depression and irritability were increasing with every moment. Totski was dreadfully alarmed to hear her promise a revelation out of her own life. "I, like everyone else," began the general, "have committed certain not altogether graceful actions, so to speak, during the course of my life. But the strangest thing of all in my case is, that I should consider the little anecdote which I am now about to give you as a confession of the worst of my 'bad actions.' It is thirty-five years since it all happened, and yet I cannot to this very day recall the circumstances without, as it were, a sudden pang at the heart. "It was a silly affair--I was an ensign at the time. You know ensigns--their blood is boiling water, their circumstances generally penurious. Well, I had a servant Nikifor who used to do everything for me in my quarters, economized and managed for me, and even laid hands on anything he could find (belonging to other people), in order to augment our household goods; but a faithful, honest fellow all the same. "I was strict, but just by nature. At that time we were stationed in a small town. I was quartered at an old widow's house, a lieutenant's widow of eighty years of age. She lived in a wretched little wooden house, and had not even a servant, so poor was she. "Her relations had all died off--her husband was dead and buried forty years since; and a niece, who had lived with her and bullied her up to three years ago, was dead too; so that she was quite alone. "Well, I was precious dull with her, especially as she was so childish that there was nothing to be got out of her. Eventually, she stole a fowl of mine; the business is a mystery to this day; but it could have been no one but herself. I requested to be quartered somewhere else, and was shifted to the other end of the town, to the house of a merchant with a large family, and a long beard, as I remember him. Nikifor and I were delighted to go; but the old lady was not pleased at our departure. "Well, a day or two afterwards, when I returned from drill, Nikifor says to me: 'We oughtn't to have left our tureen with the old lady, I've nothing to serve the soup in.' "I asked how it came about that the tureen had been left. Nikifor explained that the old lady refused to give it up, because, she said, we had broken her bowl, and she must have our tureen in place of it; she had declared that I had so arranged the matter with herself. "This baseness on her part of course aroused my young blood to fever heat; I jumped up, and away I flew. "I arrived at the old woman's house beside myself. She was sitting in a corner all alone, leaning her face on her hand. I fell on her like a clap of thunder. 'You old wretch!' I yelled and all that sort of thing, in real Russian style. Well, when I began cursing at her, a strange thing happened. I looked at her, and she stared back with her eyes starting out of her head, but she did not say a word. She seemed to sway about as she sat, and looked and looked at me in the strangest way. Well, I soon stopped swearing and looked closer at her, asked her questions, but not a word could I get out of her. The flies were buzzing about the room and only this sound broke the silence; the sun was setting outside; I didn't know what to make of it, so I went away. "Before I reached home I was met and summoned to the major's, so that it was some while before I actually got there. When I came in, Nikifor met me. 'Have you heard, sir, that our old lady is dead?' 'DEAD, when?' 'Oh, an hour and a half ago.' That meant nothing more nor less than that she was dying at the moment when I pounced on her and began abusing her. "This produced a great effect upon me. I used to dream of the poor old woman at nights. I really am not superstitious, but two days after, I went to her funeral, and as time went on I thought more and more about her. I said to myself, 'This woman, this human being, lived to a great age. She had children, a husband and family, friends and relations; her household was busy and cheerful; she was surrounded by smiling faces; and then suddenly they are gone, and she is left alone like a solitary fly ... like a fly, cursed with the burden of her age. At last, God calls her to Himself. At sunset, on a lovely summer's evening, my little old woman passes away--a thought, you will notice, which offers much food for reflection--and behold! instead of tears and prayers to start her on her last journey, she has insults and jeers from a young ensign, who stands before her with his hands in his pockets, making a terrible row about a soup tureen!' Of course I was to blame, and even now that I have time to look back at it calmly, I pity the poor old thing no less. I repeat that I wonder at myself, for after all I was not really responsible. Why did she take it into her head to die at that moment? But the more I thought of it, the more I felt the weight of it upon my mind; and I never got quite rid of the impression until I put a couple of old women into an almshouse and kept them there at my own expense. There, that's all. I repeat I dare say I have committed many a grievous sin in my day; but I cannot help always looking back upon this as the worst action I have ever perpetrated." "H'm! and instead of a bad action, your excellency has detailed one of your noblest deeds," said Ferdishenko. "Ferdishenko is 'done.'" "Dear me, general," said Nastasia Philipovna, absently, "I really never imagined you had such a good heart." The general laughed with great satisfaction, and applied himself once more to the champagne. It was now Totski's turn, and his story was awaited with great curiosity--while all eyes turned on Nastasia Philipovna, as though anticipating that his revelation must be connected somehow with her. Nastasia, during the whole of his story, pulled at the lace trimming of her sleeve, and never once glanced at the speaker. Totski was a handsome man, rather stout, with a very polite and dignified manner. He was always well dressed, and his linen was exquisite. He had plump white hands, and wore a magnificent diamond ring on one finger. "What simplifies the duty before me considerably, in my opinion," he began, "is that I am bound to recall and relate the very worst action of my life. In such circumstances there can, of course, be no doubt. One's conscience very soon informs one what is the proper narrative to tell. I admit, that among the many silly and thoughtless actions of my life, the memory of one comes prominently forward and reminds me that it lay long like a stone on my heart. Some twenty years since, I paid a visit to Platon Ordintzeff at his country-house. He had just been elected marshal of the nobility, and had come there with his young wife for the winter holidays. Anfisa Alexeyevna's birthday came off just then, too, and there were two balls arranged. At that time Dumas-fils' beautiful work, La Dame aux Camelias--a novel which I consider imperishable--had just come into fashion. In the provinces all the ladies were in raptures over it, those who had read it, at least. Camellias were all the fashion. Everyone inquired for them, everybody wanted them; and a grand lot of camellias are to be got in a country town--as you all know--and two balls to provide for! "Poor Peter Volhofskoi was desperately in love with Anfisa Alexeyevna. I don't know whether there was anything--I mean I don't know whether he could possibly have indulged in any hope. The poor fellow was beside himself to get her a bouquet of camellias. Countess Sotski and Sophia Bespalova, as everyone knew, were coming with white camellia bouquets. Anfisa wished for red ones, for effect. Well, her husband Platon was driven desperate to find some. And the day before the ball, Anfisa's rival snapped up the only red camellias to be had in the place, from under Platon's nose, and Platon--wretched man--was done for. Now if Peter had only been able to step in at this moment with a red bouquet, his little hopes might have made gigantic strides. A woman's gratitude under such circumstances would have been boundless--but it was practically an impossibility. "The night before the ball I met Peter, looking radiant. 'What is it?' I ask. 'I've found them, Eureka!" 'No! where, where?' 'At Ekshaisk (a little town fifteen miles off) there's a rich old merchant, who keeps a lot of canaries, has no children, and he and his wife are devoted to flowers. He's got some camellias.' 'And what if he won't let you have them?' 'I'll go on my knees and implore till I get them. I won't go away.' 'When shall you start?' 'Tomorrow morning at five o'clock.' 'Go on,' I said, 'and good luck to you.' "I was glad for the poor fellow, and went home. But an idea got hold of me somehow. I don't know how. It was nearly two in the morning. I rang the bell and ordered the coachman to be waked up and sent to me. He came. I gave him a tip of fifteen roubles, and told him to get the carriage ready at once. In half an hour it was at the door. I got in and off we went. "By five I drew up at the Ekshaisky inn. I waited there till dawn, and soon after six I was off, and at the old merchant Trepalaf's. "'Camellias!' I said, 'father, save me, save me, let me have some camellias!' He was a tall, grey old man--a terrible-looking old gentleman. 'Not a bit of it,' he says. 'I won't.' Down I went on my knees. 'Don't say so, don't--think what you're doing!' I cried; 'it's a matter of life and death!' 'If that's the case, take them,' says he. So up I get, and cut such a bouquet of red camellias! He had a whole greenhouse full of them--lovely ones. The old fellow sighs. I pull out a hundred roubles. 'No, no!' says he, 'don't insult me that way.' 'Oh, if that's the case, give it to the village hospital,' I say. 'Ah,' he says, 'that's quite a different matter; that's good of you and generous. I'll pay it in there for you with pleasure.' I liked that old fellow, Russian to the core, de la vraie souche. I went home in raptures, but took another road in order to avoid Peter. Immediately on arriving I sent up the bouquet for Anfisa to see when she awoke. "You may imagine her ecstasy, her gratitude. The wretched Platon, who had almost died since yesterday of the reproaches showered upon him, wept on my shoulder. Of course poor Peter had no chance after this. "I thought he would cut my throat at first, and went about armed ready to meet him. But he took it differently; he fainted, and had brain fever and convulsions. A month after, when he had hardly recovered, he went off to the Crimea, and there he was shot. "I assure you this business left me no peace for many a long year. Why did I do it? I was not in love with her myself; I'm afraid it was simply mischief--pure 'cussedness' on my part. "If I hadn't seized that bouquet from under his nose he might have been alive now, and a happy man. He might have been successful in life, and never have gone to fight the Turks." Totski ended his tale with the same dignity that had characterized its commencement. Nastasia Philipovna's eyes were flashing in a most unmistakable way, now; and her lips were all a-quiver by the time Totski finished his story. All present watched both of them with curiosity. "You were right, Totski," said Nastasia, "it is a dull game and a stupid one. I'll just tell my story, as I promised, and then we'll play cards." "Yes, but let's have the story first!" cried the general. "Prince," said Nastasia Philipovna, unexpectedly turning to Muishkin, "here are my old friends, Totski and General Epanchin, who wish to marry me off. Tell me what you think. Shall I marry or not? As you decide, so shall it be." Totski grew white as a sheet. The general was struck dumb. All present started and listened intently. Gania sat rooted to his chair. "Marry whom?" asked the prince, faintly. "Gavrila Ardalionovitch Ivolgin," said Nastasia, firmly and evenly. There were a few seconds of dead silence. The prince tried to speak, but could not form his words; a great weight seemed to lie upon his breast and suffocate him. "N-no! don't marry him!" he whispered at last, drawing his breath with an effort. "So be it, then. Gavrila Ardalionovitch," she spoke solemnly and forcibly, "you hear the prince's decision? Take it as my decision; and let that be the end of the matter for good and all." "Nastasia Philipovna!" cried Totski, in a quaking voice. "Nastasia Philipovna!" said the general, in persuasive but agitated tones. Everyone in the room fidgeted in their places, and waited to see what was coming next. "Well, gentlemen!" she continued, gazing around in apparent astonishment; "what do you all look so alarmed about? Why are you so upset?" "But--recollect, Nastasia Philipovna." stammered Totski, "you gave a promise, quite a free one, and--and you might have spared us this. I am confused and bewildered, I know; but, in a word, at such a moment, and before company, and all so-so-irregular, finishing off a game with a serious matter like this, a matter of honour, and of heart, and--" "I don't follow you, Afanasy Ivanovitch; you are losing your head. In the first place, what do you mean by 'before company'? Isn't the company good enough for you? And what's all that about 'a game'? I wished to tell my little story, and I told it! Don't you like it? You heard what I said to the prince? 'As you decide, so it shall be!' If he had said 'yes,' I should have given my consent! But he said 'no,' so I refused. Here was my whole life hanging on his one word! Surely I was serious enough?" "The prince! What on earth has the prince got to do with it? Who the deuce is the prince?" cried the general, who could conceal his wrath no longer. "The prince has this to do with it--that I see in him. for the first time in all my life, a man endowed with real truthfulness of spirit, and I trust him. He trusted me at first sight, and I trust him!" "It only remains for me, then, to thank Nastasia Philipovna for the great delicacy with which she has treated me," said Gania, as pale as death, and with quivering lips. "That is my plain duty, of course; but the prince--what has he to do in the matter?" "I see what you are driving at," said Nastasia Philipovna. "You imply that the prince is after the seventy-five thousand roubles --I quite understand you. Mr. Totski, I forgot to say, 'Take your seventy-five thousand roubles'--I don't want them. I let you go free for nothing take your freedom! You must need it. Nine years and three months' captivity is enough for anybody. Tomorrow I shall start afresh--today I am a free agent for the first time in my life. "General, you must take your pearls back, too--give them to your wife--here they are! Tomorrow I shall leave this flat altogether, and then there'll be no more of these pleasant little social gatherings, ladies and gentlemen." So saying, she scornfully rose from her seat as though to depart. "Nastasia Philipovna! Nastasia Philipovna!" The words burst involuntarily from every mouth. All present started up in bewildered excitement; all surrounded her; all had listened uneasily to her wild, disconnected sentences. All felt that something had happened, something had gone very far wrong indeed, but no one could make head or tail of the matter. At this moment there was a furious ring at the bell, and a great knock at the door--exactly similar to the one which had startled the company at Gania's house in the afternoon. "Ah, ah! here's the climax at last, at half-past twelve!" cried Nastasia Philipovna. "Sit down, gentlemen, I beg you. Something is about to happen." So saying, she reseated herself; a strange smile played on her lips. She sat quite still, but watched the door in a fever of impatience. "Rogojin and his hundred thousand roubles, no doubt of it," muttered Ptitsin to himself. “不会说俏皮话，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜，所以才唠叨废话。”费尔迪先科嚷着，开始了讲自己的故事，“要是我也有像阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇或者伊万·彼得罗维奇那样的机智，我今天也就会像阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇和伊万·彼得罗维奇那样老是坐着不吭一声。公爵，请问您，我老是觉得，世上的小偷比不做小偷的要多得多，甚至没有一生中一次也不偷窃的老实人，您怎么想？这是我的想法，不过我不想由此得出结论，所有的人全都是贼，尽管；真的，有时候非常想下这个结论。您是怎么想的？” “唉呀，瞧您说得多蠢，”达里娅·阿列克谢耶夫娜摩应声说，“而且真是胡说八道，所有的人都偷过什么东西，这是不可能的；我就从来也没有偷过东西。” “您从来也没有偷过任何东西，达里娅·阿列克谢耶夫娜，那么突然满脸通红的公爵会说什么呢？” “我觉得，您说的是对的，只是非常夸大，”真的不知为什么脸红耳赤的公爵说。 “那么公爵您自己没有偷过东西吗？” ＊法语，难以挑选。 “嘿！这多可笑！清醒点，费尔迪先科先生，”将军插话说。 “只不过是，”真要言归正传了，就变得不好意思讲了，于是就想把公爵跟自己连在一起，因为他不会反抗的，”达里娅·阿列克谢耶夫娜一字一句地说得很清楚。 “费尔迪先科，要么讲，要么就别作声，管好自己，无论什么样的耐心都给您消磨掉了，”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜尖刻而又烦恼地说。 “马上就讲，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜；但是既然公爵承认了，因为我是坚持认为公爵反正是承认了，那么，假如说另一个人（没有讲是谁）什么时候想说真话了，他还能说什么呢？至于说到我，诸位，接下去根本就没什么好讲的了：很简单，很愚蠢，很恶劣。但是我请你们相信，我不是贼；是偷了，却不知道怎么偷的。这是前年的事，在谢苗·伊万诺维奇伊先科的别墅里，是一个星期天。客人们在他那里午餐。午餐后男人们留下来喝酒。我忽然想起请他的女儿玛里娅·谢苗诺夫娜小姐弹钢琴。我穿过角落里的一个房间，在玛里娅·伊万诺夫娜的小工作台上放着三个卢布，是一张绿色的钞票：女主人拿出来是给什么家用开支的。房间里一个人也没有。我拿了钞票就放进了口袋，为什么要这样做，我不知道。我碰上什么了－－我不明白，只不过我很快就回来了，坐到桌旁。我一直坐着，等着，心里相当激动，嘴上知唠叨个不停，又是讲笑话，又是打哈哈；后来我坐到女士们身边。大概过了半个小时，有人发现钱不见而寻找起来，并开始盘问起女仆。一个叫达里哑的女仆受到了怀疑。我表现出异常好奇和兴趣，我甚至还记得，当达里娅完全不知所措的时候，我还劝她，让她认错，并用脑袋担保玛里娅。伊万诺夫娜一定会发善心，这是当着大家面公开讲的。所有的人都看着，我则感到非常快乐，恰恰是因为钞票在我口袋里，而我却在开导别人。这三个卢布当天晚上我就在饭店里买酒喝掉了。我走进去，要了一瓶拉菲特酒；这以前我从来也没有这样光要一瓶酒，别的什么也不要；只想尽快花掉这些钱。无论当时还是后来，我没有感觉到特别的良心责备。但是一定不会再干第二次了，信不信这点，随你们，我是不感兴趣的。好了，讲完了。” “只不过，当然罗，这不是您最坏的行为，”达里娅·阿列克谢耶夫娜厌恶地说。 “这是一种心理现象，而不是行为，”阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇指出。 “那么女仆怎样呢？”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜并不掩饰极其厌恶的态度问道。 “当然，第二天女仆就被逐出家门。这是规矩很严的人家。” “您就随它去了？” “说得真妙！难道我该去说出自己来？”费尔迪先科嘻嘻笑了起来，不过他讲的故事使大家产生了十分不愉快的印象，这在某种程度上使他感到惊讶。 “这是多么肮脏呀！”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜高声喊道。 “嘿！您又想从人家那里听到他最丑恶的行为，与此同时又要求冠冕堂皇！最丑恶的行为总是很肮脏的，我们马上将从伊万·彼得罗维奇那里听到这一点；外表富丽堂皇，想要显示其高尚品德的人还少吗，因为他们有自己的马车。有自备马车的人还少吗……而且都是用什么手段……” 总之，费尔迪先科完全克制不住自己，突然怒不可遏，甚至到了忘形的地步，越过了分寸；整个脸都变了样。无论多么奇怪，但非常可能的是，他期待自己讲的故事会得到完全不同的成功。正如托茨基所说的，这种品位低劣和“特种牛皮的失误”，费尔迪先科是经常发生的，也完全符合他的性格。 纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜气得甚至打了个颤，凝神逼视着费尔迪先科；后者一下子就畏怯了，不吭声了，几乎吓得浑身发凉：他走得是太远了。 “是不是该彻底结束了？”阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇狡侩地问。 “轮到我了，但我享有优待，就不讲了，”普季岑坚决地说。 “您不想讲？” “我不能讲，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜；而且我根本就认为这样的沙龙游戏是令人难受的。” “将军，好像下面轮到您了，”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜转向他说，“如果您也拒绝，那么跟在您后面我们的一切就全都吹了，我会感到很遗憾，因此我打算在最后讲‘我自己生活中’的一个行为，但只是想在您和阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇之后讲，因为你们一定能鼓起我勇气，”她大笑着说完了话。 “噢，既然连您也答应讲，”将军热烈地嚷道，“那么，哪怕是一辈子的事我也准备讲给您听；但是，老实说，在等着轮到的时候，我已经准备好了一则轶事……” “光凭阁下的样子就已可以得出结论，他是带着一种特别的文学乐趣来披露自己的轶事的，”仍然有几分困窘的费尔迪先科好笑着，斗胆说。 纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜向将军扫了一眼，也暗自窃笑。但是看得出，在她身上苦恼和焦躁越来越强烈。阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇听到她答应讲故事，加倍惊惶不安。 “诸位，跟任何一个人一样，在我的生活中也做过一些不完全高雅的行为，”将军开始说，“但最奇怪的是，现在要讲的短故事，我认为是我一生里最恶劣的事。事情过去了差不多已有３５年；但是一想起来，我总是摆脱不了某种所谓耿耿于怀的印象。其实，事情是非常愚蠢的：当时我还刚刚是个准尉，在军队里干苦差使。唉，大家知道，准尉是怎么回事：热血沸腾，雄心勃勃，可是经济上却穷酸得很；那时我有个勤务兵叫尼基福尔，对我的衬衫十分操心，积攒钱财，缝缝补补，打扫洗涤，样样都干，甚至到处去偷他所能偷的一切，就为了使家里增加财富，真是个最最忠实，最最诚心诚意的人我当然是很严格的，但也是公正的，有一段时间我们智驻守在一座小城里。为我指定的住所是在城郊，是一个退伍少尉妻子的房子，她是个寡妇，８０岁，至少也是将近这个年龄的老太婆。她的小木房破旧不堪，糟糕透了，老大婆甚至穷得女仆都没有。但是，主要的有一个情况很突出：过去她有过成员众多的家庭和亲属；但是，随着岁月的流逝一些人已经死去，另一些人各奔异乡还有些人则忘了老太婆，而在４５年前她就安葬了自己的丈夫，几年前还有个侄女跟她一起过，那是个驼背，据说凶得像女妖，有一次甚至把老太婆的手指头都咬了一口，但是她也死去了，这样老太婆一个人孤苦伶汀勉强度月又是３年。住在她那里我感到很寂寞无聊，她又是个毫无意思的人，从她那里不可能得到什么乐趣。后来她偷了我一只公鸡。这件事到现在还弄不清楚，除了她没有别的人。为公鸡的事我们吵架了，吵得很厉害，这时正好碰到一个情况：根据我最初的请求，将我换到另一家住所，在另一头城郊，一个大胡子商人人口众多的家庭，我和尼基福尔高高兴兴搬了家，忿忿地留下了老太婆。过了三天，我操练回来，尼基福尔报告说，“长官，我们有一只盘儿白白留在过去的女主人那里了，现在没东西好盛汤了。”我当然很惊奇：“怎么回事，我们的盆怎么会留在女房东那里呢？”尼基福尔也感到很奇怪，他继续报告说，我们搬走时，房东不肯把汤盆交给他，原因是我曾打破了她的一只瓦罐，她就留下我们的汤盆抵她的瓦罐，还说似乎是我自己这么向她提议的。她的这种卑鄙行径当然使我忍无可忍；我身上的血在沸腾，跳起来就飞奔而去。来到老太婆那里时，这么说吧，我已经不能自制；我看见她一个人孤零零坐在穿堂角落里，就像是躲避阳光似的，一只手撑着脸颊；知道吗，我上前对她大发雷霆，骂她怎么样，怎么样！你们知道，俄国话是怎么骂人的，但是我瞧着瞧着，觉得有点奇怪：她坐着，脸朝着我，瞪着眼睛，却一句话都不回答，而且很奇怪很奇怪地望着你，似乎身子在摇晃。后来，我就平息下来，细细打量着她，问她，还是不答一句话。我犹豫着站了一会；苍蝇在周围嗡嗡叫，太阳正在下山，笼罩着一片寂静。在非常尴尬的情况下，最后我只得离去。还没有到家，就要我去见少校，后来又去了连队，这样回到家时已经是晚上了。尼基福尔开口第一句话就是：‘长官先生，您知道吗？我们的女房东已经死了。’‘什么时候？’‘就今天傍晚，一个半小时以前。’这就是说，我骂她的时候她正在离开人世。这简直使我惊愕了。我要对你们说，好不容易我才醒悟过来。知道吗，甚至脑海中常浮现出她的样子，连夜里也会梦见她。我自然是不信迷信的，但是第三天还是去了教堂参加了送殡。总之，时间过得越久，就越常索绕在脑海里，并不是信什么，有时候就会这么想到她，于是心里就不好过。这里主要的是我究竟得出什么结论呢？第一个女人，这么说吧，我们时代称之为赋予生命之躯的富有人道的人，她生活，活了很久，最后活得大久了。她曾经有过孩子、丈夫、家庭、亲人，她周围的这一切真所谓热闹欢腾，所有这些人真所谓充满欢声笑语，突然，全都派司了，全都烟消云散了，只剩下她一人，犹如……一只生来就遭诅咒的苍蝇。终于，上帝来引渡她去终点了，伴随着西丁的夕阳，在夏日幽静的黄昏，我的房东老太婆也正飘然而逝，当然，此刻她不无劝谕的念头；可就在这一瞬间，代替所谓诀别的泪水的是，一个无所顾忌的年轻准尉两手叉腰，为了失去一一只汤盆竟用最刻毒的俄语破口大骂送她离开尘世！毫无疑问，我是有罪的，虽然由于年代的久远和性情的改变我早已像看待别人的行为那样来看待自己的行为，但是一直总有一种懊悔的心情。所以，我要再说一次，我甚至感到很奇怪。尤其是，即使我有罪过，那也不全部归咎于我：她为什么偏偏要在这个时候死呢？当然，这里有一点辩解的理由：我的行为在某种程度上是一种心理反应，但我依然难以心安理得，直到１５年前我用自己的钱把两个长年生病的老太婆送到养老院供养，目的是为她们提供比较好的生活条件，使她们在尘世的最后一段日子过得轻松些。我想遗赠一笔钱用作永久性的慈善款项。好了，就讲这些，完了。再说一遍，也许，一一生中我有许多罪孽，但是，凭良心说，这一行为我认为是我一生中最最恶劣的行为。” “同时阁下讲了一生中的一件好事取代了最恶劣的行为；把费尔迪先科给骗了！”费尔迪先科作出结论说。 “真的，将军，我也没有想到，您到底还有一颗善良的心，我甚至感到很遗憾，”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜不客气地说。 “遗憾？为什么？”将军带着殷勤的笑声问，不无得意地呷了一口香槟。 但是接着轮到阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇了，他也已准备好。大家猜测，他不会像伊万·彼得罗维奇那样表示拒绝，而且，出于某种原因，大家还怀着特别的好奇心等着他讲故事，同时又不时打量一下纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜。阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇摆出一副与其魁伟的外表十分相配的庄重神气的样子，用平和可亲的声音开始叙述一个“好听的故事”。（顺便说一下：他是个仪表堂堂、威风凛漂的人，身材高大，长得相当肥胖，有点秃顶，还间有丝丝白发，松软红润的脸颊稍稍下垂，口中镶有假牙。他穿的衣服比较宽松，但很讲究，所穿的内衣非常精美。他那双丰满白皙的手真令人不由得多看上几眼。右手的食指上戴着一枚贵重的钻石戒指。）在他讲故事的时候纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜专心致志地细看着自己衣袖上皱起的花边，用左手的两个指头将它扯平，因此一次也没有去看讲故事的人。 “什么最能使我轻松地完成任务，”阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇开始说，“这就是一定得讲自己一生中最坏的行为，而不是别的。这种情况下，当然，是不会有什么犹豫的：良心和心的记忆马上就会提示你，正应该讲什么。我痛心地意识到，在我一生中数不胜举的、也许是冒失的和……轻浮的行为中有一件事，在我的记忆中烙下了深刻的印象，心里甚至是非常沉重的。事情大约发生在２０年前，我当时去乡间普拉东·奥尔登采夫那里。他刚被选为首席贵族，带了年轻的妻子来度冬假。那时安菲莎·阿列克谢耶夫娜的生日刚好临近了，便举办了两次舞会。当时小仲马那本美妙的小说《Ｌａ ｄａｍｅ ａｕｘｃａｍｅｌｌｌａｓ》＊在上流社会刚刚打响，风靡一时，茶花女的诗意，据我看，注定是永垂不朽，永葆青春的。在外省，所有的女士们，至少是那些读过这本书的女士们都赞叹备至，欣喜若狂：吸引人的故事，别具匠心的安排主人公的命运，分析细腻的这个诱人的世界，最后还有分布在全书的令人着迷的细节（例如，有关轮换使用白茶花和红茶花花束的情境），总之，所有这些美妙的细节，所有这一切加起来，几乎产生震撼人心的效果。茶花成为不可一世的时髦货。大家都要茶花，大家都觅茶花。请问：在一个小县城里，虽然舞会并不多，可是为了参加舞会大家都要找茶花，能搞到那么多吗？彼加·沃尔霍夫斯科伊这个可怜虫当时为了安菲莎·阿列克谢耶夫娜正苦苦受着剪熬。说真的，我也不知道，他们是否有什么名堂，换句话，我是想说，彼加·沃尔霍夫斯科伊是否会有某种认真的希望？可怜的他为了在傍晚前弄到茶花供安菲莎·阿列克谢耶夫娜舞会用，急得发狂一般。从彼得堡来的省长夫人的客人索茨卡妞伯爵夫人，以及索菲亚·别斯帕洛娃，据悉，肯定是带白色花束前来。安菲莎·阿列克谢耶夫娜为了得到某种特殊的效果，想用红色的茶花，可怜的普拉东几乎彼搞得疲于奔命；自然，他是丈夫嘛；他担保一定搞到花束的，可是结果呢？早一天卡捷琳娜·亚历山德罗夫娜·梅季谢娃就把花都截走了，在一切方面她都是安菲莎·阿列克谢耶夫娜的冤家对头，两人结下了仇。这一来，后者自然便会歇斯底里大发作，甚而昏厥过去。普拉东这下完了。很明白，如果彼加在这个有意思的时刻能在什么地方弄到花束，那么他的事可能会有大大的进展。这种情况下女人的感激是无限的。他到处拚命奔走，但是毫无希望，这已经没什么好说的了。突然，在生日舞会的前夕，已是夜里１１点了，我在奥尔登采夫的女邻居玛里娅·彼得罗夫娜那里，遇见了他。他容光焕发，颇为高兴。‘您怎么啦？’‘找到了！埃夫里卡！’‘嗨，兄弟，你可真让我惊奇！在哪儿找到的？怎么发现的？’‘在叶克沙伊斯克（那里有这么一个小城，离这儿总共才２０里，不是我们县），那里有个叫特列帕洛夫的商人，是个大胡子，富翁，跟老伴一起过，没有孩子，尽养些金丝雀。两人酷爱养花，他家有茶花。’‘得了吧，这未必可靠，喂，要是不肯给，怎么办。”‘我就跪下来，在他脚边苦苦哀求，直到他给为止，否则我就不走！’‘你什么时候去呢？’‘明天天一亮，５点钟。”‘好吧，上帝保佑你！’就这样，要知道，我为他感到高兴，回到奥尔登采夫那里；后来，已经１点多了，我脑海里却老是浮现出这件事。已经想躺下睡觉了，忽然冒出了一个别出心裁的念头！我立即到厨房里，叫醒了马车夫萨维利，给了他１５卢布，‘半小时内把马备好！’当然，过了半小时门口已停好一辆马车式雪撬；有人告诉我，安菲莎·阿列克谢耶夫娜正犯偏头痛，发烧，说胡话，--我坐上雪撬就走了。５点钟时我已经在叶克沙伊斯克了，在客店里等到天亮，也只等天亮；７点钟我就在特列帕洛夫那里了。如此这般说明了来意，就问：‘有茶花吗？大爷，亲爹，帮帮忙，救救我，我给您磕头！’老头个子很高，头发斑白，神情严峻，是个厉害的老头。‘不，不，无论怎样我也不答应！’我啪的一声跪在他脚下！跪着跪着最后就躺了下来！‘您怎么啦，老兄，您怎么啦，我的爷？’ 他甚至吓坏了。‘这可是人命攸关的事！’我朝他喊道。‘既然这样，那就拿吧，去吧。，我马上就剪了一些红茶花！他整整一小间暖房全是茶花，长得好极了，非常美！老头子连声叹息。我掏出了一百卢布。‘不，老兄，请别用这样的方式使我感到难堪。，‘既然这样，我说，尊敬的大爷，就请您把这一百卢布捐给当地的医院以做改善伙食之用。’‘这就是另一回事了，老兄，他说，是好事，高尚的事，善事；为了您的健康，我会捐赠的。’知道吗，我开始喜欢这个俄罗斯老头了，可以说，是个地道的典型的俄罗斯人， ｄｅ ｌａｖｒａｉｅ ｓｏｕｃｈｅ。”我因为取得了成功而欣喜若狂，立即动身返回；我们是绕道回去的，以免碰上彼加。我一到，立即派人把花束赶在安菲沙·阿列克谢耶夫娜醒来前送去；你们可以想象到狂喜、感谢、感激的泪水那种情景！普拉东昨天还是垂头丧气，死气沉沉的，竟伏在我胸前号陶大哭。哎，自从缔造……合法婚姻以来所有的丈夫都是这样的！我不敢添油加醋说什么，不过可怜的彼加因为这段插曲而彻底垮了。开始我以为，他一旦获悉此事，将会杀了我，我甚至做好准备见他，但发生了我都难以相信的事：他昏厥了，傍晚时说胡话，到早晨则发热病，像孩子似的号陶大哭，浑身抽搐着，过了一个月，他刚刚痊愈，便去了高加索，真是一件风流韵事。最后，他在克里米亚阵亡。那时他还有个兄弟叫斯捷潘·沃尔霍夫斯科伊，指挥一个团，立过功，但据说，后来甚至有许多年我都受着良心责备的折磨：为了什么又何必要使他受到这样的致命一击？当时若是我自己钟情于安菲莎·阿列克谢耶夫娜，倒也还情有可原。但是那不过是作弄人的儿戏，只是出于一般的献殷勤，别无所求，假如我不入他那里截走这花束，谁知道；也许他就活到现在，会很幸福，会有成就，但怎么也想不到会去跟士耳其人打仗。” 阿法纳西。伊万诺维奇还是带着神气庄重的神态静默下来，就跟开始时一样。大家都注意到，当阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇结束的时候，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜的眼中似乎闪射出一种特别的光芒，嘴唇甚至也哆嗦了一下，大家都好奇地望着他们俩。 “您骗了费尔迪先科！骗得可真像！不，这可是骗得太像了！”费尔迪先科用哭声哭腔嚷着。他明白，现在可以而且应该插话。 “谁叫您不明事理呢？那就向聪明人学学吧！”几乎是得意洋洋的达里娅·阿列克谢耶夫娜（她是托茨基忠实的老朋友，老搭挡）断然抢白道。 “您说得对，阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇，沙龙游戏是很无聊，该快点结束它，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜漫不经心地说，“我自己要把答应的事说说，然后大家就玩牌。” “但先要讲答应讲的故事！”将军热烈地表示赞同。 “公爵，”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜突然出其不意地猛然转向他说，“这里都是我的老朋友，将军和阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇老是想让我嫁人。请告诉我您怎么想的？我究竟是嫁人还是不嫁？您怎么说，我就怎么做。” 阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇脸色刷地变白了，将军呆若木鸡；大家都瞪着眼伸着头。加尼亚站在原地发愣。 “嫁……嫁给谁。”公爵低声轻气地问。 “嫁给加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁诺维奇·伊沃尔金，”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫挪仍然像原先那样生硬，坚决和清晰地说。 沉默了几秒钟；公爵仿佛竭力想说却又说不出来，就像可怕的重负压着他的胸口。 “不……别嫁！”他终于轻声说了出来，还用力换了一口气。 “那就这样！加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁诺维奇！”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫问，威严地，似乎是得意地对他说，“您听见了，公爵是怎么决断的吗？好了，这也正是我的答复；让这件事就此永远了结！” “纳斯塔西娅，·费利帕夫娜！”阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇用颤抖的声音说。 “纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜！”将军用劝说但又含着惊谎的口吻说。 所有的人都惶惶不安，骚动起来。 “你们怎么啦，诸位，”她似乎惊讶地看着客人们，继续说，“你们干吗这么惊谎？瞧你们大家的脸色！” “可是……您回想一下，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜，”托茨基嗫嚅着说。“您许下的允诺……完全是自愿的，您本可以多少保留一些您的承诺……我感到很为难…… 当然也很尴尬，但是……总之，现在，在这种时刻，当着……当着众人的面，所有这一切就这样……就用这种沙龙游戏来结束一桩严肃的事，一桩有关名誉和良心的事……这事可是决定着……” “我不明白您的意思，阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇；您真的完全糊涂了。第一，什么叫‘当着众人的面’？难道我们不是在非常要好的知已圈内吗？为什么是‘沙龙游戏，呢？我真的很想讲讲自己的故事，贻，这不讲了吗，难道不好吗？为什么您说。不认真，？难道这不认真吗？您听见了，我对公爵说：‘怎么说，就怎么做；如果他说‘行，我就立即会表示同意，但他说了‘不’，所以我回绝了。我整个一生部维系在这千钧一发之中；还有比这更认真的吗？” “但是公爵，这事为什么要有公爵呢？再说，公爵算什么呢？”将军喃喃着说，他几乎已经不能克制自己，对于公爵拥有这样令人委屈的权威感到很是愤屈。 “对于我来说，公爵是我一生中第一个信得过的真正忠实的人。一见我，他就信任我，我也相信他。” “我只能感谢纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜用非常委婉客气的态度……来对待我，”可怜的加尼亚歪着嘴唇，终于用发颤的嗓音说，“当然，本来就会是这样的……但是……公爵……在这件事上公爵……” “现在可得七万五千卢布，是吗？”突然纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜打断他说，“您是想说这话吗？别矢口抵赖，您肯定是想说这话的！阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇，我忘了补充一点：请您把这七万五千卢布拿回去，而且也请您知道，我无条件让您自由。够了！您也该松口气了！九年三个月！明天将重新开始，而今天是我过生日，而且自己按自己的意愿过，这是一生中的第一次！将军，请您也把您的珍珠拿回去，送给夫人，给；而明天起我将完全搬出这套寓所。再也不会举办晚会了，诸位！” 说完这些，她突然站起身，仿佛想要离席。 “纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜！纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜！”四座响起了喊声。大家都激动起来，大家都离座起身；把她团团围住；大家都怀着不安的心情听她讲这些冲动、激昂、狂热的话；大家都感到纷乱无绪，谁也弄不清楚，谁也弄不明白。就在这瞬间突然传来了响亮有力的门铃声，就跟刚才加尼亚家响起的铃声一模一样。 “啊--啊！我要收场了！终于来了！ １１点半！”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜高声说，“你们请坐，诸位，这是戏的结局。” 说完，她自己坐了下来。她的唇间颤动着一丝怪异的笑容。她默默地坐着，焦躁地等待着，注视着门口。 “毫无疑问，是罗戈任和１０万卢布，”普季岑自言自语嘟哝着。

Part 1 Chapter 15 Katia, the maid-servant, made her appearance, terribly frightened. "Goodness knows what it means, ma'am," she said. "There is a whole collection of men come--all tipsy--and want to see you. They say that 'it's Rogojin, and she knows all about it.'" "It's all right, Katia, let them all in at once." "Surely not ALL, ma'am? They seem so disorderly--it's dreadful to see them." "Yes ALL, Katia, all--every one of them. Let them in, or they'll come in whether you like or no. Listen! what a noise they are making! Perhaps you are offended, gentlemen, that I should receive such guests in your presence? I am very sorry, and ask your forgiveness, but it cannot be helped--and I should be very grateful if you could all stay and witness this climax. However, just as you please, of course." The guests exchanged glances; they were annoyed and bewildered by the episode; but it was clear enough that all this had been pre- arranged and expected by Nastasia Philipovna, and that there was no use in trying to stop her now--for she was little short of insane. Besides, they were naturally inquisitive to see what was to happen. There was nobody who would be likely to feel much alarm. There were but two ladies present; one of whom was the lively actress, who was not easily frightened, and the other the silent German beauty who, it turned out, did not understand a word of Russian, and seemed to be as stupid as she was lovely. Her acquaintances invited her to their "At Homes" because she was so decorative. She was exhibited to their guests like a valuable picture, or vase, or statue, or firescreen. As for the men, Ptitsin was one of Rogojin's friends; Ferdishenko was as much at home as a fish in the sea, Gania, not yet recovered from his amazement, appeared to be chained to a pillory. The old professor did not in the least understand what was happening; but when he noticed how extremely agitated the mistress of the house, and her friends, seemed, he nearly wept, and trembled with fright: but he would rather have died than leave Nastasia Philipovna at such a crisis, for he loved her as if she were his own granddaughter. Afanasy Ivanovitch greatly disliked having anything to do with the affair, but he was too much interested to leave, in spite of the mad turn things had taken; and a few words that had dropped from the lips of Nastasia puzzled him so much, that he felt he could not go without an explanation. He resolved therefore, to see it out, and to adopt the attitude of silent spectator, as most suited to his dignity. Genera Epanchin alone determined to depart. He was annoyed at the manner in which his gift had been returned, an though he had condescended, under the influence of passion, to place himself on a level with Ptitsin and Ferdishenko, his self-respect and sense of duty now returned together with a consciousness of what was due to his social rank and official importance. In short, he plainly showed his conviction that a man in his position could have nothing to do with Rogojin and his companions. But Nastasia interrupted him at his first words. "Ah, general!" she cried, "I was forgetting! If I had only foreseen this unpleasantness! I won't insist on keeping you against your will, although I should have liked you to be beside me now. In any case, I am most grateful to you for your visit, and flattering attention . . . but if you are afraid . . ." "Excuse me, Nastasia Philipovna," interrupted the general, with chivalric generosity. "To whom are you speaking? I have remained until now simply because of my devotion to you, and as for danger, I am only afraid that the carpets may be ruined, and the furniture smashed! . . . You should shut the door on the lot, in my opinion. But I confess that I am extremely curious to see how it ends." "Rogojin!" announced Ferdishenko. "What do you think about it?" said the general in a low voice to Totski. "Is she mad? I mean mad in the medical sense of the word .. . . eh?" "I've always said she was predisposed to it," whispered Afanasy Ivanovitch slyly. "Perhaps it is a fever!" Since their visit to Gania's home, Rogojin's followers had been increased by two new recruits--a dissolute old man, the hero of some ancient scandal, and a retired sub-lieutenant. A laughable story was told of the former. He possessed, it was said, a set of false teeth, and one day when he wanted money for a drinking orgy, he pawned them, and was never able to reclaim them! The officer appeared to be a rival of the gentleman who was so proud of his fists. He was known to none of Rogojin's followers, but as they passed by the Nevsky, where he stood begging, he had joined their ranks. His claim for the charity he desired seemed based on the fact that in the days of his prosperity he had given away as much as fifteen roubles at a time. The rivals seemed more than a little jealous of one another. The athlete appeared injured at the admission of the "beggar" into the company. By nature taciturn, he now merely growled occasionally like a bear, and glared contemptuously upon the "beggar," who, being somewhat of a man of the world, and a diplomatist, tried to insinuate himself into the bear's good graces. He was a much smaller man than the athlete, and doubtless was conscious that he must tread warily. Gently and without argument he alluded to the advantages of the English style in boxing, and showed himself a firm believer in Western institutions. The athlete's lips curled disdainfully, and without honouring his adversary with a formal denial, he exhibited, as if by accident, that peculiarly Russian object--an enormous fist, clenched, muscular, and covered with red hairs! The sight of this pre-eminently national attribute was enough to convince anybody, without words, that it was a serious matter for those who should happen to come into contact with it. None of the band were very drunk, for the leader had kept his intended visit to Nastasia in view all day, and had done his best to prevent his followers from drinking too much. He was sober himself, but the excitement of this chaotic day--the strangest day of his life--had affected him so that he was in a dazed, wild condition, which almost resembled drunkenness. He had kept but one idea before him all day, and for that he had worked in an agony of anxiety and a fever of suspense. His lieutenants had worked so hard from five o'clock until eleven, that they actually had collected a hundred thousand roubles for him, but at such terrific expense, that the rate of interest was only mentioned among them in whispers and with bated breath. As before, Rogojin walked in advance of his troop, who followed him with mingled self-assertion and timidity. They were specially frightened of Nastasia Philipovna herself, for some reason. Many of them expected to be thrown downstairs at once, without further ceremony, the elegant arid irresistible Zaleshoff among them. But the party led by the athlete, without openly showing their hostile intentions, silently nursed contempt and even hatred for Nastasia Philipovna, and marched into her house as they would have marched into an enemy's fortress. Arrived there, the luxury of the rooms seemed to inspire them with a kind of respect, not unmixed with alarm. So many things were entirely new to their experience--the choice furniture, the pictures, the great statue of Venus. They followed their chief into the salon, however, with a kind of impudent curiosity. There, the sight of General Epanchin among the guests, caused many of them to beat a hasty retreat into the adjoining room, the "boxer" and "beggar" being among the first to go. A few only, of whom Lebedeff made one, stood their ground; he had contrived to walk side by side with Rogojin, for he quite understood the importance of a man who had a fortune of a million odd roubles, and who at this moment carried a hundred thousand in his hand. It may be added that the whole company, not excepting Lebedeff, had the vaguest idea of the extent of their powers, and of how far they could safely go. At some moments Lebedeff was sure that right was on their side; at others he tried uneasily to remember various cheering and reassuring articles of the Civil Code. Rogojin, when he stepped into the room, and his eyes fell upon Nastasia, stopped short, grew white as a sheet, and stood staring; it was clear that his heart was beating painfully. So he stood, gazing intently, but timidly, for a few seconds. Suddenly, as though bereft of his senses, he moved forward, staggering helplessly, towards the table. On his way he collided against Ptitsin's chair, and put his dirty foot on the lace skirt of the silent lady's dress; but he neither apologized for this, nor even noticed it. On reaching the table, he placed upon it a strange-looking object, which he had carried with him into the drawing-room. This was a paper packet, some six or seven inches thick, and eight or nine in length, wrapped in an old newspaper, and tied round three or four times with string. Having placed this before her, he stood with drooped arms and head, as though awaiting his sentence. His costume was the same as it had been in the morning, except for a new silk handkerchief round his neck, bright green and red, fastened with a huge diamond pin, and an enormous diamond ring on his dirty forefinger. Lebedeff stood two or three paces behind his chief; and the rest of the band waited about near the door. The two maid-servants were both peeping in, frightened and amazed at this unusual and disorderly scene. "What is that?" asked Nastasia Philipovna, gazing intently at Rogojin, and indicating the paper packet. "A hundred thousand," replied the latter, almost in a whisper. "Oh! so he kept his word--there's a man for you! Well, sit down, please--take that chair. I shall have something to say to you presently. Who are all these with you? The same party? Let them come in and sit down. There's room on that sofa, there are some chairs and there's another sofa! Well, why don't they sit down?" Sure enough, some of the brave fellows entirely lost their heads at this point, and retreated into the next room. Others, however, took the hint and sat down, as far as they could from the table, however; feeling braver in proportion to their distance from Nastasia. Rogojin took the chair offered him, but he did not sit long; he soon stood up again, and did not reseat himself. Little by little he began to look around him and discern the other guests. Seeing Gania, he smiled venomously and muttered to himself, "Look at that!" He gazed at Totski and the general with no apparent confusion, and with very little curiosity. But when he observed that the prince was seated beside Nastasia Philipovna, he could not take his eyes off him for a long while, and was clearly amazed. He could not account for the prince's presence there. It was not in the least surprising that Rogojin should be, at this time, in a more or less delirious condition; for not to speak of the excitements of the day, he had spent the night before in the train, and had not slept more than a wink for forty-eight hours. "This, gentlemen, is a hundred thousand roubles," said Nastasia Philipovna, addressing the company in general, "here, in this dirty parcel. This afternoon Rogojin yelled, like a madman, that he would bring me a hundred thousand in the evening, and I have been waiting for him all the while. He was bargaining for me, you know; first he offered me eighteen thousand; then he rose to forty, and then to a hundred thousand. And he has kept his word, see! My goodness, how white he is! All this happened this afternoon, at Gania's. I had gone to pay his mother a visit--my future family, you know! And his sister said to my very face, surely somebody will turn this shameless creature out. After which she spat in her brother Gania's face--a girl of character, that!" "Nastasia Philipovna!" began the general, reproachfully. He was beginning to put his own interpretation on the affair. "Well, what, general? Not quite good form, eh? Oh, nonsense! Here have I been sitting in my box at the French theatre for the last five years like a statue of inaccessible virtue, and kept out of the way of all admirers, like a silly little idiot! Now, there's this man, who comes and pays down his hundred thousand on the table, before you all, in spite of my five years of innocence and proud virtue, and I dare be sworn he has his sledge outside waiting to carry me off. He values me at a hundred thousand! I see you are still angry with me, Gania! Why, surely you never really wished to take ME into your family? ME, Rogojin's mistress! What did the prince say just now?" "I never said you were Rogojin's mistress--you are NOT!" said the prince, in trembling accents. "Nastasia Philipovna, dear soul!" cried the actress, impatiently, "do be calm, dear! If it annoys you so--all this--do go away and rest! Of course you would never go with this wretched fellow, in spite of his hundred thousand roubles! Take his money and kick him out of the house; that's the way to treat him and the likes of him! Upon my word, if it were my business, I'd soon clear them all out!" The actress was a kind-hearted woman, and highly impressionable. She was very angry now. "Don't be cross, Daria Alexeyevna!" laughed Nastasia. "I was not angry when I spoke; I wasn't reproaching Gania. I don't know how it was that I ever could have indulged the whim of entering an honest family like his. I saw his mother--and kissed her hand, too. I came and stirred up all that fuss, Gania, this afternoon, on purpose to see how much you could swallow--you surprised me, my friend--you did, indeed. Surely you could not marry a woman who accepts pearls like those you knew the general was going to give me, on the very eve of her marriage? And Rogojin! Why, in your own house and before your own brother and sister, he bargained with me! Yet you could come here and expect to be betrothed to me before you left the house! You almost brought your sister, too. Surely what Rogojin said about you is not really true: that you would crawl all the way to the other end of the town, on hands and knees, for three roubles?" "Yes, he would!" said Rogojin, quietly, but with an air of absolute conviction. "H'm! and he receives a good salary, I'm told. Well, what should you get but disgrace and misery if you took a wife you hated into your family (for I know very well that you do hate me)? No, no! I believe now that a man like you would murder anyone for money-- sharpen a razor and come up behind his best friend and cut his throat like a sheep--I've read of such people. Everyone seems money-mad nowadays. No, no! I may be shameless, but you are far worse. I don't say a word about that other--" "Nastasia Philipovna, is this really you? You, once so refined and delicate of speech. Oh, what a tongue! What dreadful things you are saying," cried the general, wringing his hands in real grief. "I am intoxicated, general. I am having a day out, you know--it's my birthday! I have long looked forward to this happy occasion. Daria Alexeyevna, you see that nosegay-man, that Monsieur aux Camelias, sitting there laughing at us?" "I am not laughing, Nastasia Philipovna; I am only listening with all my attention," said Totski, with dignity. "Well, why have I worried him, for five years, and never let him go free? Is he worth it? He is only just what he ought to be-- nothing particular. He thinks I am to blame, too. He gave me my education, kept me like a countess. Money--my word! What a lot of money he spent over me! And he tried to find me an honest husband first, and then this Gania, here. And what do you think? All these five years I did not live with him, and yet I took his money, and considered I was quite justified. "You say, take the hundred thousand and kick that man out. It is true, it is an abominable business, as you say. I might have married long ago, not Gania--Oh, no!--but that would have been abominable too. "Would you believe it, I had some thoughts of marrying Totski, four years ago! I meant mischief, I confess--but I could have had him, I give you my word; he asked me himself. But I thought, no! it's not worthwhile to take such advantage of him. No! I had better go on to the streets, or accept Rogojin, or become a washerwoman or something--for I have nothing of my own, you know. I shall go away and leave everything behind, to the last rag--he shall have it all back. And who would take me without anything? Ask Gania, there, whether he would. Why, even Ferdishenko wouldn't have me!" "No, Ferdishenko would not; he is a candid fellow, Nastasia Philipovna," said that worthy. "But the prince would. You sit here making complaints, but just look at the prince. I've been observing him for a long while." Nastasia Philipovna looked keenly round at the prince. "Is that true?" she asked. "Quite true," whispered the prince. "You'll take me as I am, with nothing?" "I will, Nastasia Philipovna." "Here's a pretty business!" cried the general. "However, it might have been expected of him." The prince continued to regard Nastasia with a sorrowful, but intent and piercing, gaze. "Here's another alternative for me," said Nastasia, turning once more to the actress; "and he does it out of pure kindness of heart. I know him. I've found a benefactor. Perhaps, though, what they say about him may be true--that he's an--we know what. And what shall you live on, if you are really so madly in love with Rogojin's mistress, that you are ready to marry her --eh?" "I take you as a good, honest woman, Nastasia Philipovna--not as Rogojin's mistress." "Who? I?--good and honest?" "Yes, you." "Oh, you get those ideas out of novels, you know. Times are changed now, dear prince; the world sees things as they really are. That's all nonsense. Besides, how can you marry? You need a nurse, not a wife." The prince rose and began to speak in a trembling, timid tone, but with the air of a man absolutely sure of the truth of his words. "I know nothing, Nastasia Philipovna. I have seen nothing. You are right so far; but I consider that you would be honouring me, and not I you. I am a nobody. You have suffered, you have passed through hell and emerged pure, and that is very much. Why do you shame yourself by desiring to go with Rogojin? You are delirious. You have returned to Mr. Totski his seventy-five thousand roubles, and declared that you will leave this house and all that is in it, which is a line of conduct that not one person here would imitate. Nastasia Philipovna, I love you! I would die for you. I shall never let any man say one word against you, Nastasia Philipovna! and if we are poor, I can work for both." As the prince spoke these last words a titter was heard from Ferdishenko; Lebedeff laughed too. The general grunted with irritation; Ptitsin and Totski barely restrained their smiles. The rest all sat listening, open-mouthed with wonder. "But perhaps we shall not be poor; we may be very rich, Nastasia Philipovna." continued the prince, in the same timid, quivering tones. "I don't know for certain, and I'm sorry to say I haven't had an opportunity of finding out all day; but I received a letter from Moscow, while I was in Switzerland, from a Mr. Salaskin, and he acquaints me with the fact that I am entitled to a very large inheritance. This letter--" The prince pulled a letter out of his pocket. "Is he raving?" said the general. "Are we really in a mad-house?" There was silence for a moment. Then Ptitsin spoke. "I think you said, prince, that your letter was from Salaskin? Salaskin is a very eminent man, indeed, in his own world; he is a wonderfully clever solicitor, and if he really tells you this, I think you may be pretty sure that he is right. It so happens, luckily, that I know his handwriting, for I have lately had business with him. If you would allow me to see it, I should perhaps be able to tell you." The prince held out the letter silently, but with a shaking hand. "What, what?" said the general, much agitated. "What's all this? Is he really heir to anything?" All present concentrated their attention upon Ptitsin, reading the prince's letter. The general curiosity had received a new fillip. Ferdishenko could not sit still. Rogojin fixed his eyes first on the prince, and then on Ptitsin, and then back again; he was extremely agitated. Lebedeff could not stand it. He crept up and read over Ptitsin's shoulder, with the air of a naughty boy who expects a box on the ear every moment for his indiscretion. 女仆卡佳非常惊慌地走了进来。 “那里天知道是怎么回事，纳斯塔西娜·费利帕夫娜，闯进来十人样子，全都醉醺醺的，要到这儿来，说是罗戈任，还说您本人认识他的。”“确实，卡佳，马上就放他们大家进来。” “难道……放所有的人，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜？全是些不成体统的人。很不像样！” “把所有的人都放进来，所有的人都放，卡佳，别害怕，把所有的人一个不剩地放进来，否则他们不管你也还是会进来的。瞧他们闹嚷嚷的，就像刚才一样。诸位，你们也许在见怪了，”她转向客人们说，“当着你们的面，我竟接待这么一伙人。我很遗憾、请你们原谅，但又必须这样，而我又非常非常希望你们在这场戏结局的时候同意当我的见证人，不过，这得由你们。” 客人们继续惊讶不已，交头接耳，相互使着眼色，但是已经完全明白，这一切是事先打算和安排好的，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜当然是完全失去了理智，可是现在也无法让她回心转意。大家都为好奇心苦苦折蘑着。同时也没有人特别害怕。在座的只有两位女宾：达里娅·阿列克谢耶夫娜，这是个活络的、见过各种世面、很难使她困窘的女士，还有一位很漂亮但沉默寡语的陌生女士，但是，默不作声的陌生女士也未必能理解什么，因为她是外来的德国人，一点也不使俄语，此外，好像她有多美就有多蠢。她初来乍到，可是邀请她参加某些晚会已经成了惯例，她则穿上最华丽的服装，头发梳得像阵列一样，然后把她当一幅美丽的画似的安置在席间以点缀晚会，就像有些人为了在自己家里举办晚会而向熟人借一幅画，一只花瓶，一尊雕像或一座屏风用一次一样。至于说到男人，那么，比方说普季岑，他是罗戈任的好朋友；费尔迪先科则是如鱼得水；加涅奇卡仍还没有恢复常态，虽然他神志恍惚，可是却不可遏制地感到有一种炽烈的需要，要在自己的耻辱柱旁站到底；教师老头弄不清楚事情的原委，对纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜犹如对自己孙女一般宠爱，当他发觉周围以及她身上表现出的非同寻常的惊惶不安时，真的吓得打起颤来，差点要哭出来；但是这种时刻要他丢下她，莫如要他去死。至于说阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇，当然，在这类奇遇中他是不能让自己的名誉受到损害的，但是尽管这件事来了这么一个令人发狂的转变，与他实在是戚戚相关的；再说纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜口中掉出的两三句话就是有关他的，因此不彻底搞清楚事情，无论如何是不能离开的。他决定奉陪到底，而且绝对保持沉默，只作旁观者，当然，这是他的尊严要求这样做的。只有叶潘钦将军一人，在此之前刚刚因为纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜用不客气和可笑的方式还给他礼物而感到莫大的难堪，现在当然为这种不同寻常的咄咄怪事，或者，比方说，为罗戈任的出现而更加生气。况且像他这样的人肯与亚季岑、费尔迪先科坐在一起，已经够屈尊俯就了；但是强烈的情感力量所能做到的，最终则可能被责任感、被义务、官衔、地位的意识，总的来说，被自尊心所战胜。因此，将军阁下在场的情况下，无论如何是不能放罗戈任一伙进来的。 他刚刚向纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜申明这一点，她马上就打断他说，“啊，将军，我竟忘了！但请您相信，我早就料到您会这样，虽然我很希望正是现在能在自己身边看见您，但既然您这么见怪，我也就不坚持，不留您了。不论怎么样，我很感激您与我结交，感激您对我的抬举和关注，但是既然您怕……” “请问，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜，”将军在骑士慷慨大度精神的冲动下高声说道，“您这是对谁说话？光凭对您的忠诚，我现在也要留在您身边，比如，要是有什么危险……况且，坦白地说，我也十分好奇，我刚才只是想提醒，他们会弄坏地毯，也许，还会砸碎什么东西……所以，照我看，根本就不必放他们进来，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜！” “罗戈任本人到！”费尔迪先科宣布说。 “阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇，您怎么想，”将军勿匆对他低语说，“她是不是发疯了？也就是说，这不是讽喻，而是照真正医学的说法、啊？” “我以对您说过，她常常喜欢这样，”阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇狡黠地低声回答说。 “而且还很激狂……” 罗戈任一伙几乎还是早晨那一班人马：只增加了一个不务正业的老家伙，当初他曾经是一张揭露隐私的淫猥小报的编辑，有一件轶事曾经讲到过他，说他把所镶的金牙拿去当了，买了酒喝；还有一名退伍少尉，就其职业和使命来说肯定是早晨那个拳头先生的对手和竞争者，他根本不认识罗戈任一伙中的任何人，而是在涅瓦大街向阳这边街上搭上来的，他在那里拦截行人，用马尔林斯基的词语请求救济，还有一个狡猾的借口，说什么他自己“当年给乞讨者一次就是１５卢布”。两个竞争者立即互相采取敌视态度。在接自“乞对者”入伙后，原来那个拳头先生甚至认为自己受到了侮辱，他生性寡言少语。有时只会像熊一样发威吼叫，并以深深的蔑视看待“乞讨者”对他自己结奉承和讨好献媚，而少尉原来还是个善于待人接物的上流社会的人。从外表看，他更希望以机智灵巧而不是靠用强力来取胜，况且他的个子也比拳头先生要低一截。他很温和，从不参与公开争论，但是拼命自我吹嘘，已有好几次提到英国式拳击的优越性，总之是个纯粹的西方派。拳头先生在回到“拳击”这个字眼时只是轻蔑和气恼地冷笑着，从他这方面来说，也不屑与对手公开辩论，有时则默默地，仿佛无意似地出示，或者最好是说，伸出一个硕大的拳头-- 地道的民族玩意，那上面青筋累累，骨节粗大，长满一层红棕色的茸毛，于是大家便明白了，如果这个十足民族性的玩意命中目标的话，那么真的只有变成肉酱了。 他们这伙人，就像下午那样，没有那一个是完全“醉了”的，这是罗戈任亲自努力的结果，因为这一整天他考虑的就是拜访纳斯塔西娅·费利帕多娜的事，他自己倒几乎已经完全清醒了，但是这乱哄哄的，与他一生度过的日子丝毫不相像的一天里所经受的印象，又几乎要把他搞糊涂了。只有一个事每一分钟，每一瞬间他都念念不忘，记在脑海里，留在心坎间。为了这个事他花去了从下午５点直至１１点的全部时间，怀着无穷的烦恼和焦虑，跟金杰尔和比斯库普之流周旋，弄得他们也发了狂似的，为满足他的需要而拼看奔波。但是，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜用嘲笑的口吻完全不明确地顺口提至的１０万卢布终究凑齐了，要付利息，这一点甚至比斯库普本人也因为不好意思大声说，而只是跟金杰尔悄声细语。 像下午那样，罗戈任走在众人前面，其余的人跟在他后面，虽然他们意识到自己的优势，但仍然有些畏怯。天知道是为什么，他们主要是怕纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜。他们中有些人甚至以为，马上就会把他们所有人“从楼梯上推下去”。顺便说，这么想的人中也有穿着讲究的风流情郎扎廖热夫。但其他的人，特别是拳头先生，虽然没有讲出声，可是在心里却是以极为轻蔑甚至敌视的态度对待纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜的，他们到她这儿来就像来围攻城池一般。但是他们经过的头两个房间陈设的富丽堂皇、他们示曾听说、未曾见过的东西、罕见的家具、图画、巨大的维纳斯塑像，所有这一切都给他们产生令人倾倒和肃然起敬的印象，甚至还有几分恐惧。当然，这并不妨碍他们大家渐渐地不顾恐惧心理而以一种厚颜无耻的好奇跟在罗戈任后面挤进客厅；但是当拳头先生，“乞讨者”和另外几个人发现在宾客中有叶潘钦将军时，霎那间便慌得不知所措，甚至开始稍稍后缩，退向另一个房间。只有列别杰夫一个人算是最有精神、最有自信的人，他几乎与罗戈任并排大模大样地朝前走，因为他明白，１４０万家财以及此刻捧在手中的１０万卢布实际上意味着什么。不过，应该指出，所有他们这些人，连行家列别杰夫也不例外，在认识自己威力的极限方面都有点迷糊，他们现在真的什么都能干，还是不行？有时候列别杰夫准备发誓说什么都能干，但有时却提心吊胆地感到需要暗自借助法典中的某些条款，特别是那些能鼓舞人和安慰人的条款，以防万一。 纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜的客厅给罗戈任本人产生的印象与他所有的同伴截然不同。门帘刚卷起，他就看见了纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜，其余的一切对他来说便不复存在，就像早晨那样，这种感觉甚至比早晨更强烈。他的脸色一下子变白了，刹时间停下来；可以猜得到，他的心扑通扑通跳得厉害。他目不转睛，胆怯而茫然地盯着纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜。突然，他仿佛失去了全部理智，几乎是摇摇晃晃地走近桌子；半路上绊了一下普季岑坐着的椅子，肮脏的靴子还踩上了默默无语的德国美人华丽的浅蓝色裙子的花边；他没有道歉，也没有发觉。当他走到桌子跟前时，便把走进客厅时用双手捧在自己面前的一包奇怪的东西放到桌上，这是一个大纸包，高三俄寸，长四俄寸、用一张《交易所公报》包得严严实实，用绳子从四面扎得紧紧的，还交叉捆了两道，就像捆扎园锥形的大糖块一样。然后，一言不发地垂下双手站在那里，仿佛等候自己的判决似的。他穿的还是刚才那身衣服，除了脖子上围了一条翠绿与红色相间的全新的丝围巾，还佩戴一枚形如甲虫的钻石大别针，右手肮脏的手指上戴着一只硕大的钻石戒。列别杰夫走到离桌子三步远的地方；其余的人，如前面说的，渐渐地聚到了客厅里。纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜的仆人卡佳和帕莎怀着极度的惊讶和恐惧跑来从卷起的门帘那里张望着。 “这是什么？”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜好奇地凝神打量着罗戈任并用目光指着那包东西问。 “１０万卢布！”对方几乎喃喃着说。 “啊，你倒是说话算数的，好样的！请坐，就这里，就这张椅子；等会我还有活要对您说。跟您一起来的还有谁？刚才的原班人马吗？好吧，让他们进来坐吧；那边沙发上可以坐，还有沙发。那里有两把扶手椅……他们怎么啦，不想坐还是怎么的？” 确实，有些人真正是局促不安，退了出去，在另一个房间里坐下等着，但有些人留了下来，按主人所请各自坐了下来，但只是离桌子稍远些，大多坐在角落里；一些人仍然想稍稍收敛一下，另一些人则越来越亢奋，而且快活得似乎有点不自然。罗戈任也坐到指给他的椅子上，但坐的时间不长，很快就站了起来，已经再也不坐下去了。渐渐地，他开始辨认和打量起客人们来。看见了加尼亚，他恶狠狠地阴笑了一下，自言自语地咕哝着：“瞧这德性！”对于将军和阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇，他毫不困窘、甚至也不特别好奇地瞥了一眼。但是，当他发现纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜身旁的公爵时，则长久地没把目光从他身上移开，感到万分惊讶，似乎对在这里见到他难以理解。可以怀疑，他有时候神智不清。除了这一天受到的一切震惊，昨天整夜他是在火车上度过的，几乎已有两昼夜没睡了。 “诸位，这是１０万卢布，”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜用一种狂热的迫不及待的挑战口吻对大家说，“就在这个肮脏的纸包里，刚才就是他像疯子一般嚷着晚上要给我送来１０万卢布，我一直在等着他，他这里要买找：开始是１万８千，后来突然一下子跳到４万，再后来就是这１０万。他倒是说话算数的！嘿，他的脸色有多苍白！……这一切全是刚才在加尼亚家发生的：我去拜访他妈妈、拜访我未来的家庭，而在那里他妹妹当面对我喊道：‘难道没有人把这个不知羞耻的女人从这里赶走！’，并对她兄长加涅奇卡的脸上还呻了一口。真是个有性格的姑娘！” “纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜！”将军责备地叫了一声。 他按照自己的理解，开始有点明白是怎么回事。 “怎么啦，将军？不体面，是吗？算了，装腔作势够了！我像个高不可攀、端庄贞洁的闺阁千金坐在法国剧院的包厢里，这算什么！还有，五年来我如野人似的躲避所有追逐我的人，像一个纯洁无暇的高傲公主去看待他们，这种愚蠢一直折磨着我！现在，就在你们面前，来了个人并且把１０万卢布放到桌子上，那是在我洁身无暇五年之后，他们大概已经有三驾马车在等我了。原来他认为我值１０万！加涅奇卡，我看得出来，您到现在还在生我气，是吗？难道你想把我带进你的家吗？把我，罗戈任的女人带去？公爵刚才说什么来着？” “我没有那样说，没有说您是罗戈任的女人，您不是罗戈任的人。”公爵用发颤的声音说。 “纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜，够了，我的姑奶奶，够了，亲爱的，”突然达里娅·阿列克谢耶夫娜忍不住说，“既然您因为他们而感到这么难受，那么还睬他干什么！尽管他出１０万，难道你真想跟这样的人走！确实，１０万--可真够意思的！你就收这１０万卢布，然后把他赶走，就该对他这样；唉，我要是处在你的地位就把他们统统……就是这么回事！” “达里娅·阿列克谢耶夫娜甚至怒气冲冲。这是个善良和相当易动感情的女人。 “别生气，达里娅·阿列克谢耶夫娜，”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜朝她苦笑一下说，“我可不是生气才这么说的。难道我责备他了吗？连我也真的不明白，我怎么这么犯傻，竟想进入正派人家。我见到了他的母亲，吻了她的手。而且刚才我干吗在你家要嘲弄你家要嘲弄你们呢，加涅奇卡，因为我故意想最后一次看看：你本人究竟会走到哪一步？嘿，你真使我惊讶，真的。我期待过许多，却没有料到这一点！当你知道，在你结婚前夕他送了我这样的珍珠，而我也收下了，难道你还会要我？那么罗戈任呢？他可是在你的家里，当着你母亲和妹妹的面出价钱买我的，而在这以后你竟还来求婚，甚至还差点把妹妹带来？罗戈任曾经说你为了３卢布会爬到瓦西利耶夫斯基岛去，难道果真这样？” “会爬的，”罗戈任突然轻轻说，但是显出极大的自信的样子。 “你若是饿得要死倒也罢了，可你，据说薪俸收入不错！这一切之外，除了耻辱，还要把可憎恨的妻子带进家！（因为你是憎恨我的，我知道这一点！）不，现在我相信，这样的人为了钱会杀人的！现在这样的贪婪可是会使所有的人都利令智昏的，使他们都迷上了金钱，以致人都仿佛变傻了，自己还是个孩子，可已经拼命想当放高利贷的！要不就像我不久前读到的那样，用一块绸包在剃刀上，扎牢，然后悄悄地从后面把好朋友像羊一般宰了。嘿，你真是个不知羞耻的人！我是不知羞耻，可你更坏。至于那个送鲜花的人我就不说了……” “这是您吗，是您吗？纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜！”将军真正觉得伤心，双手一拍说，“您本是多么温婉，思想多么细腻的人，瞧现在！用的是什么样的语言！什么样的字眼！” “将军，我现在醉了。”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜突然笑了起来，“我想玩玩！今天是我的生日，我的假日，我的闰日，我早就期待着这一天了。达利娅·阿列克谢耶夫娜，你看见眼前这个送花人，这个Ｍｏｎａｉｅｕｒ ａｕｘ Ｃａｍｅｌｉａｓ＊吗，瞧他坐着还嘲笑我们呢……” “我不在笑，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜，我只是非常用心在听，”托茨基一本正经地回了一句。 “好吧，就说说他吧，为了什么我要折磨他整整五年，不把他放走？他值得那样！他就是这样的人，也应该是这样的人……他还认为我是对不起他的，因为他给了我教育，像伯爵夫人那样养着我，钱嘛，钱嘛花了不知多少，在那里替我找了个正派的丈夫，而在这里则找了加涅奇卡；不论你怎么想：我跟他这五年没有同居，但钱是拿他的，而且我认为是拿得对的！我可真把自已搞糊涂了！你刚才说，既然那么令人厌恶，就把］０万卢布收下，然后赶他走。说令人厌恶，这是真的……我本来早就可以嫁人了，但也不是嫁给加涅奇卡，可是也是让人厌恶的。为了什么我让五年光阴流失在这种愤恨之中！你信不信，四年前，我有时候想过，是不是索性嫁给阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇算了？当时我是怀着一种怨愤这么想的；我那时头脑里想过的念头还少吗；真的，我能逼得他这样做的！他自己曾经死乞白赖地要求过，信不信？确实，他是撒谎，可是他也很好色，他会顶不住的。后来，感谢上帝，我想道：他是只配愤恨的！这一来当时我突然对他感到很厌恶，如果他自己来求婚，我也不会嫁给他，整整五年我就这样装样子的！不，最好还是到马路上去，那里才是我该呆的地方，或者就跟罗戈任去纵情作乐，或者明天就去当洗衣工！因为我身上没有一样自己的东西；我要走的话，就把一切都扔还给他，连最后一件衣服都留下，而一无所有了，谁还会要我，你倒问问加尼亚，他还要不要？连费尔迪先科也不会要我！……” “费尔迪先生大概是不会要的，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜，我是个开诚布公的人，”费尔迪先科打断说，“可是公爵会要的！您就只是坐着抱怨，您倒看看公爵！我已经观察很久了……” 纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜好奇地转向公爵。 “真的吗？”她问。 “真的，”公爵轻轻说。 ＊法语：茶花男。 “那就要吧，光身一个，一无所有！” “我要，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜……” “这可是件新的奇闻！”将军喃喃着说，“可以料到的。” 公爵用悲郁、严峻和动人的目光望着继续在打量他的纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜的脸。 “这还真找到了！”她又转向达里娅·阿列克谢耶夫娜，突然说，“他倒真的是出于好心，我了解他。我找到了一个善心人！不过，也许人家说得对，说他是……那个。既然你这么钟情，要一个罗戈任的女人，你靠什么来养活自己，养活一个公爵吗？……” “我娶您是娶一个正派女人，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜，而不是娶罗戈任的女人，”公爵说。 “你是说我是正派女人？” “是您。” “嗬，这从小说那里看来的……！公爵，亲爱的，这已经是过了时的妄言了，如今世界变聪明了，这一切也就成了无稽之谈了！再说，你怎么结婚，你自己还需要有个保姆呢！” “我什么都不知道，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜，我什么世面也没见过，您说得对，但是我……我认为，是您将使我而不是我将使您获得名誉。我是个无足轻重的人，而您受过许多痛苦，并从这样的地狱里走出来却纯洁无暇，这是很不简单的。您何必感到羞愧，还想跟罗戈任走？这是狂热……您把７万卢布还给了托茨基先生，并且说这里所有的一切，您全要抛弃，这里是谁也做不到这一点的。我……爱……您，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕大娜。我要为您而死，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜，我不许任何人讲您的一句坏话，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜……如果我们穷，我会去工作的，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜……” 在公爵讲最后几句话时，可以听到费尔迪先科、列别杰夫发出的嘻嘻窃笑，连将军也不知怎么很不满意地暗自咳了一声。普季岑和托茨基无法不笑，但克制住了。其余的人简直惊讶得张大了嘴。 “……但是，我们也许不会贫穷，而会很富有，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜，”公爵依然用胆怯的声音继续说，“不过，我还不能肯定，遗憾的是，一整天了，到目前为止我还什么都没能打听到，但我在瑞士收到了一位萨拉兹金先生从莫斯科寄来的信，他通知我，似乎我能得到很大一笔遗产。就是这封信。” 公爵真的从口袋里掏出了信。 “他不是在说胡话吧？”将军咕哝着说，“简直就是一所真正的疯人院！” 接下来有一瞬间是沉默。 “您，公爵，好像说，是萨拉兹金给您写的信？”普季岑问，“这在他那个圈子里是很有名的人，这是个很有名的事务代理人，如果确实是他。通知您、那您完全可以相信的。所幸我认得他的签字，因为不久前我跟他打过交道……如果您给我看一下，也许，我能告诉您什么。” 公爵颤动着双手，默默地递给他信件。 “是怎么回事？怎么回事？”将军豁然大悟，像个疯子似的望着大家，“难道真有遗产吗？” 大家都把目光盯着正在看信的普季岑身上。大家的好奇心增添了新的强大的推动力：费尔迪先科坐不住了；罗戈任困惑不解地望着，很不放心地把目光一会儿投向公爵，一会又移到普季岑身上。达里娅·阿列克谢耶夫娜如坐针毡般地等待着。连列别杰夫也忍不住了，从他坐着的角落里走出来，把身子弯得低低的，从普季岑肩后探看着信件，他那副样子就像担心人家为此而给他一拳似的。

Part 1 Chapter 16 "It's good business," said Ptitsin, at last, folding the letter and handing it back to the prince. "You will receive, without the slightest trouble, by the last will and testament of your aunt, a very large sum of money indeed." "Impossible!" cried the general, starting up as if he had been shot. Ptitsin explained, for the benefit of the company, that the prince's aunt had died five months since. He had never known her, but she was his mother's own sister, the daughter of a Moscow merchant, one Paparchin, who had died a bankrupt. But the elder brother of this same Paparchin, had been an eminent and very rich merchant. A year since it had so happened that his only two sons had both died within the same month. This sad event had so affected the old man that he, too, had died very shortly after. He was a widower, and had no relations left, excepting the prince's aunt, a poor woman living on charity, who was herself at the point of death from dropsy; but who had time, before she died, to set Salaskin to work to find her nephew, and to make her will bequeathing her newly-acquired fortune to him. It appeared that neither the prince, nor the doctor with whom he lived in Switzerland, had thought of waiting for further communications; but the prince had started straight away with Salaskin's letter in his pocket. "One thing I may tell you, for certain," concluded Ptitsin, addressing the prince, "that there is no question about the authenticity of this matter. Anything that Salaskin writes you as regards your unquestionable right to this inheritance, you may look upon as so much money in your pocket. I congratulate you, prince; you may receive a million and a half of roubles, perhaps more; I don't know. All I DO know is that Paparchin was a very rich merchant indeed." "Hurrah!" cried Lebedeff, in a drunken voice. "Hurrah for the last of the Muishkins!" "My goodness me! and I gave him twenty-five roubles this morning as though he were a beggar," blurted out the general, half senseless with amazement. "Well, I congratulate you, I congratulate you!" And the general rose from his seat and solemnly embraced the prince. All came forward with congratulations; even those of Rogojin's party who had retreated into the next room, now crept softly back to look on. For the moment even Nastasia Philipovna was forgotten. But gradually the consciousness crept back into the minds of each one present that the prince had just made her an offer of marriage. The situation had, therefore, become three times as fantastic as before. Totski sat and shrugged his shoulders, bewildered. He was the only guest left sitting at this time; the others had thronged round the table in disorder, and were all talking at once. It was generally agreed, afterwards, in recalling that evening, that from this moment Nastasia Philipovna seemed entirely to lose her senses. She continued to sit still in her place, looking around at her guests with a strange, bewildered expression, as though she were trying to collect her thoughts, and could not. Then she suddenly turned to the prince, and glared at him with frowning brows; but this only lasted one moment. Perhaps it suddenly struck her that all this was a jest, but his face seemed to reassure her. She reflected, and smiled again, vaguely. "So I am really a princess," she whispered to herself, ironically, and glancing accidentally at Daria Alexeyevna's face, she burst out laughing. "Ha, ha, ha!" she cried, "this is an unexpected climax, after all. I didn't expect this. What are you all standing up for, gentlemen? Sit down; congratulate me and the prince! Ferdishenko, just step out and order some more champagne, will you? Katia, Pasha," she added suddenly, seeing the servants at the door, "come here! I'm going to be married, did you hear? To the prince. He has a million and a half of roubles; he is Prince Muishkin, and has asked me to marry him. Here, prince, come and sit by me; and here comes the wine. Now then, ladies and gentlemen, where are your congratulations?" "Hurrah!" cried a number of voices. A rush was made for the wine by Rogojin's followers, though, even among them, there seemed some sort of realization that the situation had changed. Rogojin stood and looked on, with an incredulous smile, screwing up one side of his mouth. "Prince, my dear fellow, do remember what you are about," said the general, approaching Muishkin, and pulling him by the coat sleeve. Nastasia Philipovna overheard the remark, and burst out laughing. "No, no, general!" she cried. "You had better look out! I am the princess now, you know. The prince won't let you insult me. Afanasy Ivanovitch, why don't you congratulate me? I shall be able to sit at table with your new wife, now. Aha! you see what I gain by marrying a prince! A million and a half, and a prince, and an idiot into the bargain, they say. What better could I wish for? Life is only just about to commence for me in earnest. Rogojin, you are a little too late. Away with your paper parcel! I'm going to marry the prince; I'm richer than you are now." But Rogojin understood how things were tending, at last. An inexpressibly painful expression came over his face. He wrung his hands; a groan made its way up from the depths of his soul. "Surrender her, for God's sake!" he said to the prince. All around burst out laughing. "What? Surrender her to YOU?" cried Daria Alexeyevna. "To a fellow who comes and bargains for a wife like a moujik! The prince wishes to marry her, and you--" "So do I, so do I! This moment, if I could! I'd give every farthing I have to do it." "You drunken moujik," said Daria Alexeyevna, once more. "You ought to be kicked out of the place." The laughter became louder than ever. "Do you hear, prince?" said Nastasia Philipovna. "Do you hear how this moujik of a fellow goes on bargaining for your bride?" "He is drunk," said the prince, quietly, "and he loves you very much." "Won't you be ashamed, afterwards, to reflect that your wife very nearly ran away with Rogojin?" "Oh, you were raving, you were in a fever; you are still half delirious." "And won't you be ashamed when they tell you, afterwards, that your wife lived at Totski's expense so many years?" "No; I shall not be ashamed of that. You did not so live by your own will." "And you'll never reproach me with it?" "Never." "Take care, don't commit yourself for a whole lifetime." "Nastasia Philipovna." said the prince, quietly, and with deep emotion, "I said before that I shall esteem your consent to be my wife as a great honour to myself, and shall consider that it is you who will honour me, not I you, by our marriage. You laughed at these words, and others around us laughed as well; I heard them. Very likely I expressed myself funnily, and I may have looked funny, but, for all that, I believe I understand where honour lies, and what I said was but the literal truth. You were about to ruin yourself just now, irrevocably; you would never have forgiven yourself for so doing afterwards; and yet, you are absolutely blameless. It is impossible that your life should be altogether ruined at your age. What matter that Rogojin came bargaining here, and that Gavrila Ardalionovitch would have deceived you if he could? Why do you continually remind us of these facts? I assure you once more that very few could find it in them to act as you have acted this day. As for your wish to go with Rogojin, that was simply the idea of a delirious and suffering brain. You are still quite feverish; you ought to be in bed, not here. You know quite well that if you had gone with Rogojin, you would have become a washer-woman next day, rather than stay with him. You are proud, Nastasia Philipovna, and perhaps you have really suffered so much that you imagine yourself to be a desperately guilty woman. You require a great deal of petting and looking after, Nastasia Philipovna, and I will do this. I saw your portrait this morning, and it seemed quite a familiar face to me; it seemed to me that the portrait- face was calling to me for help. I-I shall respect you all my life, Nastasia Philipovna," concluded the prince, as though suddenly recollecting himself, and blushing to think of the sort of company before whom he had said all this. Ptitsin bowed his head and looked at the ground, overcome by a mixture of feelings. Totski muttered to himself: "He may be an idiot, but he knows that flattery is the best road to success here." The prince observed Gania's eyes flashing at him, as though they would gladly annihilate him then and there. "That's a kind-hearted man, if you like," said Daria Alexeyevna, whose wrath was quickly evaporating. "A refined man, but--lost," murmured the general. Totski took his hat and rose to go. He and the general exchanged glances, making a private arrangement, thereby, to leave the house together. "Thank you, prince; no one has ever spoken to me like that before," began Nastasia Philipovna. "Men have always bargained for me, before this; and not a single respectable man has ever proposed to marry me. Do you hear, Afanasy Ivanovitch? What do YOU think of what the prince has just been saying? It was almost immodest, wasn't it? You, Rogojin, wait a moment, don't go yet! I see you don't intend to move however. Perhaps I may go with you yet. Where did you mean to take me to?" "To Ekaterinhof," replied Lebedeff. Rogojin simply stood staring, with trembling lips, not daring to believe his ears. He was stunned, as though from a blow on the head. "What are you thinking of, my dear Nastasia?" said Daria Alexeyevna in alarm. "What are you saying?" "You are not going mad, are you?" Nastasia Philipovna burst out laughing and jumped up from the sofa. "You thought I should accept this good child's invitation to ruin him, did you?" she cried. "That's Totski's way, not mine. He's fond of children. Come along, Rogojin, get your money ready! We won't talk about marrying just at this moment, but let's see the money at all events. Come! I may not marry you, either. I don't know. I suppose you thought you'd keep the money, if I did! Ha, ha, ha! nonsense! I have no sense of shame left. I tell you I have been Totski's concubine. Prince, you must marry Aglaya Ivanovna, not Nastasia Philipovna, or this fellow Ferdishenko will always be pointing the finger of scorn at you. You aren't afraid, I know; but I should always be afraid that I had ruined you, and that you would reproach me for it. As for what you say about my doing you honour by marrying you-well, Totski can tell you all about that. You had your eye on Aglaya, Gania, you know you had; and you might have married her if you had not come bargaining. You are all like this. You should choose, once for all, between disreputable women, and respectable ones, or you are sure to get mixed. Look at the general, how he's staring at me!" "This is too horrible," said the general, starting to his feet. All were standing up now. Nastasia was absolutely beside herself. "I am very proud, in spite of what I am," she continued. "You called me 'perfection' just now, prince. A nice sort of perfection to throw up a prince and a million and a half of roubles in order to be able to boast of the fact afterwards! What sort of a wife should I make for you, after all I have said? Afanasy Ivanovitch, do you observe I have really and truly thrown away a million of roubles? And you thought that I should consider your wretched seventy-five thousand, with Gania thrown in for a husband, a paradise of bliss! Take your seventy-five thousand back, sir; you did not reach the hundred thousand. Rogojin cut a better dash than you did. I'll console Gania myself; I have an idea about that. But now I must be off! I've been in prison for ten years. I'm free at last! Well, Rogojin, what are you waiting for? Let's get ready and go." "Come along!" shouted Rogojin, beside himself with joy. "Hey! all of you fellows! Wine! Round with it! Fill the glasses!" "Get away!" he shouted frantically, observing that Daria Alexeyevna was approaching to protest against Nastasia's conduct. "Get away, she's mine, everything's mine! She's a queen, get away!" He was panting with ecstasy. He walked round and round Nastasia Philipovna and told everybody to "keep their distance." All the Rogojin company were now collected in the drawing-room; some were drinking, some laughed and talked: all were in the highest and wildest spirits. Ferdishenko was doing his best to unite himself to them; the general and Totski again made an attempt to go. Gania, too stood hat in hand ready to go; but seemed to be unable to tear his eyes away from the scene before him "Get out, keep your distance!" shouted Rogojin. "What are you shouting about there!" cried Nastasia "I'm not yours yet. I may kick you out for all you know I haven't taken your money yet; there it all is on the table Here, give me over that packet! Is there a hundred thousand roubles in that one packet? Pfu! what abominable stuff it looks! Oh! nonsense, Daria Alexeyevna; you surely did not expect me to ruin HIM?" (indicating the prince). "Fancy him nursing me! Why, he needs a nurse himself! The general, there, will be his nurse now, you'll see. Here, prince, look here! Your bride is accepting money. What a disreputable woman she must be! And you wished to marry her! What are you crying about? Is it a bitter dose? Never mind, you shall laugh yet. Trust to time." (In spite of these words there were two large tears rolling down Nastasia's own cheeks.) "It's far better to think twice of it now than afterwards. Oh! you mustn't cry like that! There's Katia crying, too. What is it, Katia, dear? I shall leave you and Pasha a lot of things, I've laid them out for you already; but good-bye, now. I made an honest girl like you serve a low woman like myself. It's better so, prince, it is indeed. You'd begin to despise me afterwards-- we should never be happy. Oh! you needn't swear, prince, I shan't believe you, you know. How foolish it would be, too! No, no; we'd better say good-bye and part friends. I am a bit of a dreamer myself, and I used to dream of you once. Very often during those five years down at his estate I used to dream and think, and I always imagined just such a good, honest, foolish fellow as you, one who should come and say to me: 'You are an innocent woman, Nastasia Philipovna, and I adore you.' I dreamt of you often. I used to think so much down there that I nearly went mad; and then this fellow here would come down. He would stay a couple of months out of the twelve, and disgrace and insult and deprave me, and then go; so that I longed to drown myself in the pond a thousand times over; but I did not dare do it. I hadn't the heart, and now--well, are you ready, Rogojin?" "Ready--keep your distance, all of you!" "We're all ready," said several of his friends. "The troikas [Sledges drawn by three horses abreast.] are at the door, bells and all." Nastasia Philipovna seized the packet of bank-notes. "Gania, I have an idea. I wish to recompense you--why should you lose all? Rogojin, would he crawl for three roubles as far as the Vassiliostrof? "Oh, wouldn't he just!" "Well, look here, Gania. I wish to look into your heart once more, for the last time. You've worried me for the last three months--now it's my turn. Do you see this packet? It contains a hundred thousand roubles. Now, I'm going to throw it into the fire, here--before all these witnesses. As soon as the fire catches hold of it, you put your hands into the fire and pick it out--without gloves, you know. You must have bare hands, and you must turn your sleeves up. Pull it out, I say, and it's all yours. You may burn your fingers a little, of course; but then it's a hundred thousand roubles, remember--it won't take you long to lay hold of it and snatch it out. I shall so much admire you if you put your hands into the fire for my money. All here present may be witnesses that the whole packet of money is yours if you get it out. If you don't get it out, it shall burn. I will let no one else come; away--get away, all of you--it's my money! Rogojin has bought me with it. Is it my money, Rogojin?" "Yes, my queen; it's your own money, my joy." "Get away then, all of you. I shall do as I like with my own-- don't meddle! Ferdishenko, make up the fire, quick!" "Nastasia Philipovna, I can't; my hands won't obey me," said Ferdishenko, astounded and helpless with bewilderment. "Nonsense," cried Nastasia Philipovna, seizing the poker and raking a couple of logs together. No sooner did a tongue of flame burst out than she threw the packet of notes upon it. Everyone gasped; some even crossed themselves. "She's mad--she's mad!" was the cry. "Oughtn't-oughtn't we to secure her?" asked the general of Ptitsin, in a whisper; "or shall we send for the authorities? Why, she's mad, isn't she--isn't she, eh?" "N-no, I hardly think she is actually mad," whispered Ptitsin, who was as white as his handkerchief, and trembling like a leaf. He could not take his eyes off the smouldering packet. "She's mad surely, isn't she?" the general appealed to Totski. "I told you she wasn't an ordinary woman," replied the latter, who was as pale as anyone. "Oh, but, positively, you know--a hundred thousand roubles!" "Goodness gracious! good heavens!" came from all quarters of the room. All now crowded round the fire and thronged to see what was going on; everyone lamented and gave vent to exclamations of horror and woe. Some jumped up on chairs in order to get a better view. Daria Alexeyevna ran into the next room and whispered excitedly to Katia and Pasha. The beautiful German disappeared altogether. "My lady! my sovereign!" lamented Lebedeff, falling on his knees before Nastasia Philipovna, and stretching out his hands towards the fire; "it's a hundred thousand roubles, it is indeed, I packed it up myself, I saw the money! My queen, let me get into the fire after it--say the word-I'll put my whole grey head into the fire for it! I have a poor lame wife and thirteen children. My father died of starvation last week. Nastasia Philipovna, Nastasia Philipovna!" The wretched little man wept, and groaned, and crawled towards the fire. "Away, out of the way!" cried Nastasia. "Make room, all of you! Gania, what are you standing there for? Don't stand on ceremony. Put in your hand! There's your whole happiness smouldering away, look! Quick!" But Gania had borne too much that day, and especially this evening, and he was not prepared for this last, quite unexpected trial. The crowd parted on each side of him and he was left face to face with Nastasia Philipovna, three paces from her. She stood by the fire and waited, with her intent gaze fixed upon him. Gania stood before her, in his evening clothes, holding his white gloves and hat in his hand, speechless and motionless, with arms folded and eyes fixed on the fire. A silly, meaningless smile played on his white, death-like lips. He could not take his eyes off the smouldering packet; but it appeared that something new had come to birth in his soul--as though he were vowing to himself that he would bear this trial. He did not move from his place. In a few seconds it became evident to all that he did not intend to rescue the money. "Hey! look at it, it'll burn in another minute or two!" cried Nastasia Philipovna. "You'll hang yourself afterwards, you know, if it does! I'm not joking." The fire, choked between a couple of smouldering pieces of wood, had died down for the first few moments after the packet was thrown upon it. But a little tongue of fire now began to lick the paper from below, and soon, gathering courage, mounted the sides of the parcel, and crept around it. In another moment, the whole of it burst into flames, and the exclamations of woe and horror were redoubled. "Nastasia Philipovna!" lamented Lebedeff again, straining towards the fireplace; but Rogojin dragged him away, and pushed him to the rear once more. The whole of Regojin's being was concentrated in one rapturous gaze of ecstasy. He could not take his eyes off Nastasia. He stood drinking her in, as it were. He was in the seventh heaven of delight. "Oh, what a queen she is!" he ejaculated, every other minute, throwing out the remark for anyone who liked to catch it. "That's the sort of woman for me! Which of you would think of doing a thing like that, you blackguards, eh?" he yelled. He was hopelessly and wildly beside himself with ecstasy. The prince watched the whole scene, silent and dejected. "I'll pull it out with my teeth for one thousand," said Ferdishenko. "So would I," said another, from behind, "with pleasure. Devil take the thing!" he added, in a tempest of despair, "it will all be burnt up in a minute--It's burning, it's burning!" "It's burning, it's burning!" cried all, thronging nearer and nearer to the fire in their excitement. "Gania, don't be a fool! I tell you for the last time." "Get on, quick!" shrieked Ferdishenko, rushing wildly up to Gania, and trying to drag him to the fire by the sleeve of his coat. "Get it, you dummy, it's burning away fast! Oh--DAMN the thing!" Gania hurled Ferdishenko from him; then he turned sharp round and made for the door. But he had not gone a couple of steps when he tottered and fell to the ground. "He's fainted!" the cry went round. "And the money's burning still," Lebedeff lamented. "Burning for nothing," shouted others. "Katia-Pasha! Bring him some water!" cried Nastasia Philipovna. Then she took the tongs and fished out the packet. Nearly the whole of the outer covering was burned away, but it was soon evident that the contents were hardly touched. The packet had been wrapped in a threefold covering of newspaper, and the, notes were safe. All breathed more freely. "Some dirty little thousand or so may be touched," said Lebedeff, immensely relieved, "but there's very little harm done, after all." "It's all his--the whole packet is for him, do you hear--all of you?" cried Nastasia Philipovna, placing the packet by the side of Gania. "He restrained himself, and didn't go after it; so his self-respect is greater than his thirst for money. All right-- he'll come to directly--he must have the packet or he'll cut his throat afterwards. There! He's coming to himself. General, Totski, all of you, did you hear me? The money is all Gania's. I give it to him, fully conscious of my action, as recompense for-- well, for anything he thinks best. Tell him so. Let it lie here beside him. Off we go, Rogojin! Goodbye, prince. I have seen a man for the first time in my life. Goodbye, Afanasy Ivanovitch-- and thanks!" The Rogojin gang followed their leader and Nastasia Philipovna to the entrance-hall, laughing and shouting and whistling. In the hall the servants were waiting, and handed her her fur cloak. Martha, the cook, ran in from the kitchen. Nastasia kissed them all round. "Are you really throwing us all over, little mother? Where, where are you going to? And on your birthday, too!" cried the four girls, crying over her and kissing her hands. "I am going out into the world, Katia; perhaps I shall be a laundress. I don't know. No more of Afanasy Ivanovitch, anyhow. Give him my respects. Don't think badly of me, girls." The prince hurried down to the front gate where the party were settling into the troikas, all the bells tinkling a merry accompaniment the while. The general caught him up on the stairs: "Prince, prince!" he cried, seizing hold of his arm, "recollect yourself! Drop her, prince! You see what sort of a woman she is. I am speaking to you like a father." The prince glanced at him, but said nothing. He shook himself free, and rushed on downstairs. The general was just in time to see the prince take the first sledge he could get, and, giving the order to Ekaterinhof, start off in pursuit of the troikas. Then the general's fine grey horse dragged that worthy home, with some new thoughts, and some new hopes and calculations developing in his brain, and with the pearls in his pocket, for he had not forgotten to bring them along with him, being a man of business. Amid his new thoughts and ideas there came, once or twice, the image of Nastasia Philipovna. The general sighed. "I'm sorry, really sorry," he muttered. "She's a ruined woman. Mad! mad! However, the prince is not for Nastasia Philipovna now,--perhaps it's as well." Two more of Nastasia's guests, who walked a short distance together, indulged in high moral sentiments of a similar nature. "Do you know, Totski, this is all very like what they say goes on among the Japanese?" said Ptitsin. "The offended party there, they say, marches off to his insulter and says to him, 'You insulted me, so I have come to rip myself open before your eyes;' and with these words he does actually rip his stomach open before his enemy, and considers, doubtless, that he is having all possible and necessary satisfaction and revenge. There are strange characters in the world, sir!" "H'm! and you think there was something of this sort here, do you? Dear me--a very remarkable comparison, you know! But you must have observed, my dear Ptitsin, that I did all I possibly could. I could do no more than I did. And you must admit that there are some rare qualities in this woman. I felt I could not speak in that Bedlam, or I should have been tempted to cry out, when she reproached me, that she herself was my best justification. Such a woman could make anyone forget all reason-- everything! Even that moujik, Rogojin, you saw, brought her a hundred thousand roubles! Of course, all that happened tonight was ephemeral, fantastic, unseemly--yet it lacked neither colour nor originality. My God! What might not have been made of such a character combined with such beauty! Yet in spite of all efforts --in spite of all education, even--all those gifts are wasted! She is an uncut diamond.... I have often said so." And Afanasy Ivanovitch heaved a deep sigh. “这事是可信的，”普季岑终于宣布说，一边把信折起来，交给公爵，“根据您姨妈立下的无可争议的财产处理遗嘱，您可以不用任何操心地得到一笔异常庞大的资产。” “不可能！”将军喊了一声，犹如开了一熗似的。 大家又张口结舌。 普季岑主要是对伊万·费奥多罗维奇解释说，五个月前公爵的姨妈故世了。公爵本人从来也不认识她，这是他母亲的胞姐，是贫困破产中死去的莫斯科三等商人帕普申的女儿。但是这个帕普申的亲哥哥不久前也离世了，他却是个有名的富商。差不多一年前，几乎是在同一个月，他唯一的两个儿子相继死去。这给了他致命一击，因此过了不多久老头自己也病倒而亡。他是个鳏夫，根本就没有继承人，只有老头的亲侄女，即公爵的姨妈，她则是个很穷的女人，过着寄人篱下的生活，在得到遗产的时候这位姨妈因为水肿病几乎已快要死了，但她立即开始寻找公爵，并把此事委托给了萨拉兹金，还赶紧立下了遗瞩。看来，无论是公爵还是在瑞士他寄居的那位医生都不想等正式的通知或者做一下查询，于是公爵就带了萨拉兹金的信决定亲自回国。 “我只能对您说一点，”普季岑转向公爵，最后说，“这一切是不容争议和千真万确的。萨拉兹金写信告诉您这件事情的确凿性和合法性，您可以当作口袋里的现钱一样来看待，祝贺您，公爵！也许，您也将得到１５０万，也许甚至更多。帕普申是个非常富有的商人。” “好一个家族里最后一个梅什金公爵！”费尔迪先科喊了起来。 “乌拉。！”列别杰夫酒喝得沙哑了的嗓子呼叫着。 “可我刚才还借给他这个可怜虫二十五个卢布，哈一哈一哈！真是变幻莫测呀，就是这么回事！”将军惊讶得几乎发呆，说，“来，恭喜恭喜！”他从座位上站起来，走到公爵跟前拥抱他。在他之后其余的人也站了起来，向公爵这边走拢来。连那些躲在门帘后面的人也出现在客厅里。响起了、片乱哄哄的谈话声和惊叹声，也传来了要求开香槟酒的喊声；所有的人椎椎揉揉，忙乱起来。有一会儿几乎忘了纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜，忘了她毕竟是晚会的女主人这一点。但是慢慢地，大家几乎又一下子想起了，公爵刚才向她求了婚。这样，事情比起原先来就有三倍的疯狂和异常。深为惊诧的托茨基耸了耸肩，几乎只有他一人还坐着，其余的人群都杂乱地挤在桌子周围。后来大家都断定，正是从这一刻起，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜精神失常的。她依然坐着，用一种奇怪的惊讶的目光打量了大家一段时间，仿佛不明白是怎么回事而又竭力想弄清楚。后来她突然转向公爵，横眉冷对，凝神仔细端详着他，但这只是一霎那；也许，他突然觉得，所有这一切只是个玩笑，嘲弄人而已；但是公爵的神志又马上使她放弃了这个念头。她沉思起来，后来又笑了一下，却似乎并没有明确意识到为什么而笑。 “这么说，我真的是公爵夫人了！”她似乎嘲讽地喃喃自语说，无意间瞥见达里娅·阿列克谢耶夫娜后，又笑了起来。“真是出人意料的结局……我……期待的可不是这样……你们干嘛都站着，诸位，请吧，请坐下，祝贺我和公爵吧！好像曾有人要喝香槟；费尔迪先科，请走一趟，吩咐一下。卡佳；帕莎，”她突然看见了在门口的女仆，“到这里来，我要嫁人了，听见了吗？嫁给公爵，他有１５０万，他是梅什金公爵，要娶我！” “那就让上帝保佑吧，我的姑奶奶，是时候了！没什么好放过的了！”达里娅·阿列克谢耶夫娜咸道，她为眼前发生的事深感震惊。 “公爵，就坐到我身旁来，”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜继续说，“就这样，马上就会送酒来，诸位，祝贺吧！” “鸟拉！”众多的嗓子呼喊着。许多人挤过去拿酒，所有罗戈任的人几乎都在其中，但是尽管他们喊了或者曾经准备喊叫，也不论情境和事态多么怪诞不经，他们中许多人还是感到了情势在变化，另一些人则困惑不解，不相信地等待着。不少人彼此窃窃私语，认为这是最平常不过的事，公爵们跟哪个女人结婚这种事屡见不鲜，娶流浪的茨冈女人的都有。罗戈任本人站在那里看着，扭曲的脸现出呆僵木然、莫名其妙的傻笑。 “公爵，亲爱的，你醒醒！”将军从旁边走近去，扯着公爵的衣袖，惊恐地低声唤了一声。 纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜发觉了，哈哈大笑起来。 “不，将军！现在我自己就是公爵夫人了，您听见了，公爵是不会让我受欺负的！阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇，您倒是祝贺我呀；我现在无论在什么地方都将与您妻子并肩而坐；有这么一个丈夫很有好处，您怎么认为？１５０万，还是公爵，外加，据说还是个白痴，还有什么更好的？只有现在才将开始真正的生活！罗戈任，你迟来了！收起自己的纸包，我要嫁给公爵，而且我自己比你更富有！” 但是罗戈任已经弄清楚是怎么回事。他的脸上流露出一种难以形容的痛苦。他双手一拍，从胸中发出一声呻吟。 “让开！”他对公爵喊道。 周围发出一阵哄笑。 “这是为你让路吗。”达里娅·阿列克谢耶夫娜得意洋洋地接过话茬说，“瞧你，把钱往桌上一扔，真是个老粗！公爵要娶她为妻。而你却来胡闹。” “我也要娶她！马上就娶，就此刻！什么都拿出来……” “瞧你，小馆子里出来的醉汉，该把你赶出去！”达里娅·阿列克谢耶夫娜忿忿地重复说。 笑声更加厉害了。 “听着，公爵，”纳斯塔西娅·赞利帕夫娜转向他说，“这汉子是怎么出价欲买你的未婚妻。” “他醉了，”公爵说，“他是很爱您。” “往后你会不会觉得羞耻，因为你的未婚妻差点跟罗戈任跑了？” “这是您情绪激亢所致，您现在也仍如发热病说胡话。” “以后人家对你说，你的妻子曾经是托茨基的姘妇，你不觉耻辱吗？” “不，不会觉得羞耻的……您在托茨基那里并非出于自愿。” “也永不责难？” “不会责难。” “嗬，可得留神，别担保一辈子。” “纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜，”公爵似乎怀着同情和怜悯轻轻地说，“我刚才对您说过了，我把您的同意看作是一种荣誉，是您给我荣誉而不是我。您对这些话付之一笑，我听到周围的人也笑了。也许，我表达得很可笑，而且我自己也很可笑，但是我总觉得，我……是理解什么是荣誉的，也深信我说得是对的。您现在想毁掉自己，不可挽回地毁掉自己，因为您今后永远不会原谅自己这件事、可是您是丝毫没有过错的。您的生活已经完全毁了，这是不可能的。罗戈任来找您，加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁诺维奇想欺骗您，这又算得了什么？您何必不断地要提这些？您所做的是很少人能做到的，这一点我现在再对您重讲一次。至于说您想跟罗戈任走，这是您在痛苦的冲动中做出的决定，您现在也仍然在冲动中，最好还是去躺下。明天您宁可去当洗衣妇，也别留下来跟罗戈任在一起。您很高傲，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜，但是，也许您已经不幸到了真的以为自己有过错的地步。需要对您多加照料，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜。我会照顾您的。我刚才看见了您的照片，就像看到一张熟悉的脸。我立即就觉得，您仿佛已经在召唤我了……我……我将终身都尊敬您，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜，”公爵突然结束自己的话，似乎突然醒悟过来，意识到是在哪些人面前讲这番话的而脸红了起来。 普季岑出于纯真和不好意思甚至低下了头盯着地面：托茨基则暗自想：“虽是个白痴，可是却知道，阿谀献媚比什公都管用；真是秉性难移！”公爵也发觉了加尼亚从角落里放射出来的的的目光，仿佛想用它来把公爵烧成灰烬。 “这真是个善良的人！”深受感动的达里娅·阿列克谢耶夫娜赞叹说。 “人是有教养的，但不可救药！”将军轻声低语说。 托茨基拿起了帽子，准备站起身偷偷溜走。他和将军互使眼色，以便一起出去。 “谢谢，公爵，至今没有人跟我这样谈过，”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜说，“所有的人都是出价钱买卖我，却没有一个正派人要娶我为妻的。听见了吗，阿法纳西·伊万内奇？公爵所说的一切，您觉得怎样？那可几乎是不体面的……罗戈任！你等一等走。我看，你也不会走。也许，我还是跟你走，你想把我带到哪里去？” “叶卡捷琳戈夫，”列别杰夫从角落里应答着，而罗戈任只是颤粟了一下，睁大眼睛望着似乎不相信自己。他全然变呆了，犹如头上狠狠地挨了一击。“你怎么啦，你怎么啦！我的姑奶奶！真正是发病了：疯了还是怎么的？”达里娅·阿列克谢耶夫娜惊恐不安地跳起来说。 “难道你真的这样想？”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜哈哈笑着，从沙发上跳了起来，“去毁掉这么一个涉世不深的人？这对于阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇来说正是时机：他是喜欢不诸世事的年轻人的！我们走，罗戈任！准备好你那一包钱！你想结婚，这没什么，可钱嘛还是要给的。也许，我还不想嫁给你。你以为，既然是自己想结婚，钱也就将留在你那里？胡扯！我自己就是个不知羞耻的人！我曾经做过托茨基的姘妇……公爵！对你来说现在应该娶阿格拉娅·叶潘钦娜，而不是纳斯塔西娅· 费利帕夫娜，不然连费尔迪先科也会用指头点点戳戳的！你不害怕，可我会害怕，怕把你毁了和以后你会责怪我！至于你刚才声明说，是我给你荣誉，那么托茨基是知道这一点的，而你，加涅奇卡，把阿格拉哑·叶潘钦娜错过了；你知道这一点吗？如果你不跟她做交易，她一定会嫁给你的！你们大家就是这么回事：要么与不正经的女人，要么与正经女人交往，只有一种选择！否则一定会弄糊涂的，瞧，将军张大嘴，看着呢……” “这真是乱了套了，乱了套了！”将军耸着肩膀，连声说，他也从沙发上站起身，所有的人又都站着了。纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜仿佛发了狂似的。 “真的吗？”公爵捏着手，痛楚地呻吟说。 “你认为不是吗？我也许就是自己高傲，其实不需要，反正我是没有廉耻的女人！你刚才称我是完美的人；光是为了夸口，把百万家财产公爵的名分踩得稀烂，而去住贫民窟，好一个完美呀！好吧，这以后我怎么做你妻子呢？阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇，我可是真的把百万家财往窗外扔！您怎么会认为，我会嫁给加涅奇卡，我会为了您的七万五千卢布而出嫁，并将此看作是幸福？七万五千你拿去吧，阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇（还不到十万，罗戈任可胜过你！）；对加涅奇卡，我会亲自安慰他的，我还有了主意。而现在我想玩乐，我本来就是个马路天使嘛！我有十年蹲的是监狱，现在则是我的幸福！你怎么啦，罗戈任？去准备吧，我们就走！” “我们开路！”罗戈任欣喜若狂，拼命地喊了起来，“你们……所有的人……给她酒呀！嗨！……” “备些酒，我要喝的。音乐有没有？” “会有的，会有的！别走近来。”罗戈任看见达里娅·阿列克谢耶夫娜正向纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜走近来，发狂地吼起来，“她是我的！全是我的！是我的女王！事情了结了！” 他兴奋得喘不过气来；他绕着纳斯塔西娅·、费利帕夫娜走来走去，对所有的人嚷着：“别走近来！”他那伙人已经全都挤在客厅里。一些人喝着酒，另一些人喊叫着、哈哈笑着，所有的人都极为激奋，放肆不羁；费尔迪先科开始试着与他们凑在一起；将军和托茨基又做出要尽快躲闪的动作，加利亚也把帽子拿在手中，但他默默地站着，似乎仍然不能摆脱在他面前演变的这一场景。 “别走近来。”罗戈任喊着。 “你喊什么呀！”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜冲着他哈哈笑着说，“我在自己这儿还是女主人；只要我想，还可以把你赶出去。哦，还没有拿你的钱呢，它们在桌子上；把它们拿过来，一整包！这一包里是１０万？嗬、多么肮脏呀！你怎么啦，达里娅·阿列克谢耶夫娜？难道我得坑害他？（她指了一下公爵）他哪儿能结婚，他自己还需要有保姆；这下将军就会是他的保姆了，瞧，他正缠着他呢！公爵，你看着，你的未婚妻收下了钱，因为她是个放荡女人，而你却想娶她！你哭什么呀？你痛苦，是吗？依我看你还是笑吧，”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜继续说，她自己的脸颊上挂着两滴晶莹的大泪珠。“相信时间吧，一切都会过去的！现在改变主意比以后变卦为好……你们干吗全都哭呀，连卡加也哭了！你怎么啦，卡加，亲爱的？我要给你和帕莎留下许多东西，我已经做了安排、而现在告别了！我让你一个正派姑娘来照料我这么一个放荡女人……这样为好，公爵，真的更好，否则以后你会鄙视我、我们就不会有幸福！别发誓，我不相信！而且这又多么愚蠢！……不，最好还是好分好散，不然是不会有好处的，用为我自己本来就是个好幻想的人。难道我良已没有幻想过嫁给你吗？这点你说对了，我早就幻想过，还是在他的村庄里，我孤零零一个人度过了五年。我想啊，想啊，常常这样，幻想啊，幻想啊，就老是想象着像你这样的人，善良，正派，心好，也是这么傻乎乎的，突然来到我面前，说：您是没有过错的，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜，我敬爱您！常常这样想入非非，简直要发疯……而那时来的却是这个人，一年中住上两个月，使我蒙受耻愿，受尽委屈，激起情欲，导致堕落，然后就走了。我曾经上千次想投入池塘，但我又个卑贱的人，缺少勇气；好了，现在，罗戈任，准备好了吗？” “一切就绪！别靠近！” “准备好了！”响起了好几个声音。 “三驾马车等着，带铃挡的。” 纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜把那一包钞票一下抓在手里。 “加尼亚，我冒出了一个主意：我想补偿你，因为……何必让你失去一切呢？罗戈任，为了３个卢布他会爬到瓦西利耶夫斯基马上去吗？” “会爬到的！” “好吧，那么听着，加尼亚，我想最后一次看一看你的灵魂；你自己折磨了我整整三个月；现在轮到我了。你看见这个纸包了，里面是１０万卢布！我现在就把它丢进壁炉里，扔进火里，就当着大家的面，大家都是见证人！一旦火烧着了整个纸包，你就到壁炉里去拿吧，只是不许戴手套，要光着手，还要卷起袖子，把纸包从火中取出来！你取出来，就归你了。整整１０万就是你的了！你只不过稍稍烫一下手指头，可是有１０万呐，你倒想想！又不用很长时间！而我则要欣赏一下你的灵魂，看你怎么伸手到火中去取我的钱的。大家都是证人，这包钱将是你南！要是你不去取，那就让它烧光：谁都不许去取。走开！大家都走开！这是我的钱。作为我在罗戈任那儿一夜的代价而得到的。是我的钱吗，罗戈任？” “是你的，亲爱的！是你的，我的女王！” “好吧，那么请大家让开，我怎么想，就怎么干了！别妨碍我！费尔迪先科。把火弄弄旺！” “纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜，我下不了手呀。”大为震惊的费尔迪先科回答说。 “哎--。”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜发出一声叹息，抓起火钳，扒开两块微燃的劈柴，等火焰刚窜起来，就把纸包投进火中。 四周发出了喊声；许多人甚至划着十字。 “她疯啦，她疯啦！”四周叫喊着。 “是不是……我们是不是……把她绑起来？”将军对普季岑低语说，“或者是否派人……她可是疯了，她不是疯了吗？不是疯了吗？” “不，也许，这根本不是发疯，”脸色苍白得像手绢一般的普季岑颤抖着呐呐说，他无力使自己的眼睛离开那刚燃着的纸包。 “疯了吗？不是疯了吗？”将军又缠住托茨基问。 “我对您说过，这是个很有个性的女人，”脸色也有点苍白的阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇低声含糊地说。 “可是，要知道是１０万呐！……” “上帝啊，上帝！”周围一片惊叹声。所有的人部挤在壁炉周围，大家都争相观看；大家都感叹不绝……有些人甚至跳到椅子上，好隔着别人的脑袋观看这一景象。达里娅·阿列克谢耶夫娜奔了出去到另一个房间，惊恐万状地对卡加和帕莎低语着什么。德国美人则已逃之夭夭。 “我的姑奶奶！我的女王！万能的女神？”列别杰夫跪着爬到纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜面前，双手伸向壁炉，号叫着、“１０万！ １０万！我亲眼看见的，是当着我面包起来的！我的姑奶奶！开开恩吧！只要吩咐我钻进壁炉去，我就整个儿爬进去，我就把自己斑白的脑袋瓜一古脑几伸进火中去！我有一个卧床不起的有病的妻子，１３个全是孤苦伶订的孩子，上星期则刚埋葬了父亲，他是饿死的，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜！！”他大声诉说完，便向壁炉爬去。 “滚开！”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜推开他，喊道，“你们大家都让开！加尼亚，你还站着于什么？别害臊！去取吧、这是你的幸福！” 但是加尼亚在这个白天，和这个晚上所经受的已经大多了，对于这出其不意的最后一个考验没有准备。人群在他面前分成两半，他就和纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜面对面站着，相距只有三步路。她站在壁炉旁等着，专注的目光不离他身。加尼亚穿着燕尾服，手中拿着帽子和手套，无言以答地默默站在她面前，交叉着双手，望着火焰。疯子般的傻笑在他那白如绢帕的脸上回荡。确实，他无法使眼睛移开它，那个已经燃着的纸包；但是，好像有某种新的东西在他心中萌生；仿佛在发誓要经受住这一考验；他在原地一动也不动；过了一会儿大家便明白，他是不会去取纸包的，他不想。 “哎，要烧光了，人家会讥笑你的，”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜向他喊着，“过后你可是会上吊的，我不是开玩笑。” 火原先在两块快烧完的木头之间燃烧，纸包掉进去压着它时，开始一度熄灭。但是小小的蓝色火苗还是从下面攀住了下面那块木头的角。终于，细长的火舌舔着了纸包、火附着后又从纸的四角向上蔓延开来，突然整个纸包在壁炉皇勃然燃烧、明亮的火焰向上直窜。大家都发出了惊叹声。 “我的姑奶奶！”还是列别杰夫在号叫。他又朝前冲去，但罗戈任又把他拖回来，推开。 罗戈任自己整个儿变成了一道一动不动的目光。他无法把目光从纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜身上移开。他完全陶醉了，飘飘然如在七重天。 “这就是女王的气派！”不管碰上谁，他朝周围见到的人不断重复说，“这才是我们的气派！”他忘乎所以，高声嚷嚷着，“嘿，你们这些骗子手，哪个能干出这样的花样来，啊？” 公爵忧郁而默默地观察着。 “只要给我干，我就用牙齿去叨出来！”费尔迪先科提议说。 “用牙齿叨，我也会干！”拳头先生毅然不顾死活，咬牙切齿冲动地说，“真见鬼，烧着了，会要烧光了！”他看见火焰后高呼起来。 “烧着了，烧着了！”众人异口同声地喊起来，几乎全都向壁炉这边拥去。 “加尼亚，别扭扭捏捏。我说最后一次！” “快去！”费尔迪先科全然如痴若狂一般奔向加尼亚，扯着他的衣袖，吼着，“去呀，你这不知好歹的人！要烧光了！哦，真一该一死！” 加尼亚用力推开费尔迪先科，转过身，向门口走去；但是，没有走两步，摇晃了一下，便扑通一声倒在地上。 “昏倒了！”四周喊了起来。 “姑奶奶，要烧光了！”列别杰夫号叫着。 “要白白烧光了！”四面八方吼着。 “卡加，帕莎，给他喝点水、酒！”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜喊了一声，抓起火钳，夹出了纸包。 外面整张纸几乎已烧光，仍阴燃着，但是立刻就可看到，里面没有烧着。纸包包着三层报纸，因此钱还完好无羔。大家都轻快地松了口气。 “顶多损坏千把个卢布，剩下的都好好的。”列别杰夫激动地说。 “全都是他的！整包钞票都是他的！听见了吧，诸位！”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜宣布说，并把纸包放到加尼亚身边，“他到底没有去拿，坚持住了！这么说，自尊心还是比对钱的贪婪心要多一点。没关系，会苏醒过来的！不然的话，也许还会杀人……瞧他已经在恢复知觉了。将军，伊万·彼得罗维奇，达里娅·阿列克谢耶夫娜，卡加，帕莎，罗戈任，你们都听到了吗？钱包是他的，是加尼亚的。我把它给他，归他所有，作为补偿……好了，不管它了！请告诉他！就让纸包放在他身边……罗戈任，开路！告辞了，公爵，我第一次看到了人！别人，阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇，Ｍｅｒｃｉ＊！” 罗戈任一伙人跟在罗戈任和纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜后面，吵吵嚷嚷：哇里哇啦；靴声橐橐地穿过房向，向大门口走去。在厅屋里侍女把皮大衣递给她；玛尔法从厨房里跑出来。纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜与他们一一吻别。 “小姐，难道您完全离开我们了？您要去哪里呀？而且还是生日，在这样的日子走！”侍女吻着她的手，恸哭着问。 “到马路上去，卡佳，你听见了，那里才是我该去的地方，要不就去当洗衣妇！跟阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇在一起受够了！代我向他致意，而我有什么对不住的地方；请原谅……” 在大门口众人已经分坐在四辆带铃当的三驾马车上。公爵拚命朝那里奔去，可是还在楼梯上将军就已经赶上了他。 “得了，公爵，清醒一下！”他抓住他的手，说，抛弃这念头吧！你也看见了，她是个什么样的女人，我是像父亲那样对你说……”公爵向他瞥了一眼，但是什么活也没说，便挣脱开，朝下跑去。 三驾马车刚刚驶离大门口。将军看见，公爵抓住他遇上的第一个马车夫，对他喊了一声，要他跟上前面的三驾马车，去叶卡捷琳戈夫。紧接着将军的大灰马把车拉过来，把将军载回家，同时也载着新的希望和打算，还载着将军毕竟没有忘记拿回去的不久前送给纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜的珍珠。在他做着新的打算之际，曾经有两次闪现出她那迷人的芳影；将军发出一声叹息： “真可惜！真正可惜！不可救药的女人！疯狂的女人！……这样嘛，现在公爵就不会要纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜了……” 说这类有点劝谕性的临别赠言似的话的还有纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜的另两位客人，他们决定步行一程，便一路交谈着。 “知道吗，阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇，据说，日本人也常有这类事，”伊万·彼得罗维奇·普季岑说，“那里受了侮辱的人好像要去找侮辱他的人，并对他说：‘你侮辱了我、为此我来要当着你的面剖腹。’说完这些话便真的当着侮辱者的。面剖开自己的肚子，大概还感到非常满足，就像真的报复了一样。世上常有各种奇怪的性格，阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇！” ＊法语：谢谢。 “您认为，这里的事也是这种情况罗，”阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇微笑着回答，“嗯！不过您很敏锐……打了个很好的比喻。但是您看见了，还是亲自看见了，亲爱的伊万·彼得罗维奇，我做了我所能做的一切；我无法做到超过我所能的事，您同意吗？然而，您也会同意下面这一点：这个女人具有一些非凡的品格……卓越的品格。如果在乱成一团的情况下我允许自己做的话，刚才我甚至会朝她大声喊出来，她自己就是我对她提出的所有非难的最好辩解。唉，谁会不迷恋这个女人，有时甚至迷得忘却了理智……和一切？瞧这个大老粗罗戈任竟然为她弄来了十万！假如说，刚刚在那里所发生的一切是昙花一现，罗曼蒂克，不大体面的，但是，精彩生动。别出心裁，您自己也会同意这点的。上帝啊，这样的性格加上这样的美貌本来能出落成什么样的人呵，可是，尽管做了一切努力，甚至还给她受了教育；全都枉费心机了！这是一颗未经琢屠的金钢钻，这话我已经说过几次了……” 阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇发出一声深深的叹息。

Part 2 Chapter 1 Two days after the strange conclusion to Nastasia Philipovna's birthday party, with the record of which we concluded the first part of this story, Prince Muishkin hurriedly left St. Petersburg for Moscow, in order to see after some business connected with the receipt of his unexpected fortune. It was said that there were other reasons for his hurried departure; but as to this, and as to his movements in Moscow, and as to his prolonged absence from St. Petersburg, we are able to give very little information. The prince was away for six months, and even those who were most interested in his destiny were able to pick up very little news about him all that while. True, certain rumours did reach his friends, but these were both strange and rare, and each one contradicted the last. Of course the Epanchin family was much interested in his movements, though he had not had time to bid them farewell before his departure. The general, however, had had an opportunity of seeing him once or twice since the eventful evening, and had spoken very seriously with him; but though he had seen the prince, as I say, he told his family nothing about the circumstance. In fact, for a month or so after his departure it was considered not the thing to mention the prince's name in the Epanchin household. Only Mrs. Epanchin, at the commencement of this period, had announced that she had been "cruelly mistaken in the prince!" and a day or two after, she had added, evidently alluding to him, but not mentioning his name, that it was an unalterable characteristic of hers to be mistaken in people. Then once more, ten days later, after some passage of arms with one of her daughters, she had remarked sententiously. "We have had enough of mistakes. I shall be more careful in future!" However, it was impossible to avoid remarking that there was some sense of oppression in the household--something unspoken, but felt; something strained. All the members of the family wore frowning looks. The general was unusually busy; his family hardly ever saw him. As to the girls, nothing was said openly, at all events; and probably very little in private. They were proud damsels, and were not always perfectly confidential even among themselves. But they understood each other thoroughly at the first word on all occasions; very often at the first glance, so that there was no need of much talking as a rule. One fact, at least, would have been perfectly plain to an outsider, had any such person been on the spot; and that was, that the prince had made a very considerable impression upon the family, in spite of the fact that he had but once been inside the house, and then only for a short time. Of course, if analyzed, this impression might have proved to be nothing more than a feeling of curiosity; but be it what it might, there it undoubtedly was. Little by little, the rumours spread about town became lost in a maze of uncertainty. It was said that some foolish young prince, name unknown, had suddenly come into possession of a gigantic fortune, and had married a French ballet dancer. This was contradicted, and the rumour circulated that it was a young merchant who had come into the enormous fortune and married the great ballet dancer, and that at the wedding the drunken young fool had burned seventy thousand roubles at a candle out of pure bravado. However, all these rumours soon died down, to which circumstance certain facts largely contributed. For instance, the whole of the Rogojin troop had departed, with him at their head, for Moscow. This was exactly a week after a dreadful orgy at the Ekaterinhof gardens, where Nastasia Philipovna had been present. It became known that after this orgy Nastasia Philipovna had entirely disappeared, and that she had since been traced to Moscow; so that the exodus of the Rogojin band was found consistent with this report. There were rumours current as to Gania, too; but circumstances soon contradicted these. He had fallen seriously ill, and his illness precluded his appearance in society, and even at business, for over a month. As soon as he had recovered, however, he threw up his situation in the public company under General Epanchin's direction, for some unknown reason, and the post was given to another. He never went near the Epanchins' house at all, and was exceedingly irritable and depressed. Varvara Ardalionovna married Ptitsin this winter, and it was said that the fact of Gania's retirement from business was the ultimate cause of the marriage, since Gania was now not only unable to support his family, but even required help himself. We may mention that Gania was no longer mentioned in the Epanchin household any more than the prince was; but that a certain circumstance in connection with the fatal evening at Nastasia's house became known to the general, and, in fact, to all the family the very next day. This fact was that Gania had come home that night, but had refused to go to bed. He had awaited the prince's return from Ekaterinhof with feverish impatience. On the latter's arrival, at six in the morning, Gania had gone to him in his room, bringing with him the singed packet of money, which he had insisted that the prince should return to Nastasia Philipovna without delay. It was said that when Gania entered the prince's room, he came with anything but friendly feelings, and in a condition of despair and misery; but that after a short conversation, he had stayed on for a couple of hours with him, sobbing continuously and bitterly the whole time. They had parted upon terms of cordial friendship. The Epanchins heard about this, as well as about the episode at Nastasia Philipovna's. It was strange, perhaps, that the facts should become so quickly, and fairly accurately, known. As far as Gania was concerned, it might have been supposed that the news had come through Varvara Ardalionovna, who had suddenly become a frequent visitor of the Epanchin girls, greatly to their mother's surprise. But though Varvara had seen fit, for some reason, to make friends with them, it was not likely that she would have talked to them about her brother. She had plenty of pride, in spite of the fact that in thus acting she was seeking intimacy with people who had practically shown her brother the door. She and the Epanchin girls had been acquainted in childhood, although of late they had met but rarely. Even now Varvara hardly ever appeared in the drawing-room, but would slip in by a back way. Lizabetha Prokofievna, who disliked Varvara, although she had a great respect for her mother, was much annoyed by this sudden intimacy, and put it down to the general "contrariness" of her daughters, who were "always on the lookout for some new way of opposing her." Nevertheless, Varvara continued her visits. A month after Muishkin's departure, Mrs. Epanchin received a letter from her old friend Princess Bielokonski (who had lately left for Moscow), which letter put her into the greatest good humour. She did not divulge its contents either to her daughters or the general, but her conduct towards the former became affectionate in the extreme. She even made some sort of confession to them, but they were unable to understand what it was about. She actually relaxed towards the general a little--he had been long disgraced--and though she managed to quarrel with them all the next day, yet she soon came round, and from her general behaviour it was to be concluded that she had bad good news of some sort, which she would like, but could not make up her mind, to disclose. However, a week later she received another letter from the same source, and at last resolved to speak. She solemnly announced that she had heard from old Princess Bielokonski, who had given her most comforting news about "that queer young prince." Her friend had hunted him up, and found that all was going well with him. He had since called in person upon her, making an extremely favourable impression, for the princess had received him each day since, and had introduced him into several good houses. The girls could see that their mother concealed a great deal from them, and left out large pieces of the letter in reading it to them. However, the ice was broken, and it suddenly became possible to mention the prince's name again. And again it became evident how very strong was the impression the young man had made in the household by his one visit there. Mrs. Epanchin was surprised at the effect which the news from Moscow had upon the girls, and they were no less surprised that after solemnly remarking that her most striking characteristic was "being mistaken in people" she should have troubled to obtain for the prince the favour and protection of so powerful an old lady as the Princess Bielokonski. As soon as the ice was thus broken, the general lost no time in showing that he, too, took the greatest interest in the subject. He admitted that he was interested, but said that it was merely in the business side of the question. It appeared that, in the interests of the prince, he had made arrangements in Moscow for a careful watch to be kept upon the prince's business affairs, and especially upon Salaskin. All that had been said as to the prince being an undoubted heir to a fortune turned out to be perfectly true; but the fortune proved to be much smaller than was at first reported. The estate was considerably encumbered with debts; creditors turned up on all sides, and the prince, in spite of all advice and entreaty, insisted upon managing all matters of claim himself--which, of course, meant satisfying everybody all round, although half the claims were absolutely fraudulent. Mrs. Epanchin confirmed all this. She said the princess had written to much the same effect, and added that there was no curing a fool. But it was plain, from her expression of face, how strongly she approved of this particular young fool's doings. In conclusion, the general observed that his wife took as great an interest in the prince as though he were her own son; and that she had commenced to be especially affectionate towards Aglaya was a self-evident fact. All this caused the general to look grave and important. But, alas! this agreeable state of affairs very soon changed once more. A couple of weeks went by, and suddenly the general and his wife were once more gloomy and silent, and the ice was as firm as ever. The fact was, the general, who had heard first, how Nastasia Philipovna had fled to Moscow and had been discovered there by Rogojin; that she had then disappeared once more, and been found again by Rogojin, and how after that she had almost promised to marry him, now received news that she had once more disappeared, almost on the very day fixed for her wedding, flying somewhere into the interior of Russia this time, and that Prince Muishkin had left all his affairs in the hands of Salaskin and disappeared also--but whether he was with Nastasia, or had only set off in search of her, was unknown. Lizabetha Prokofievna received confirmatory news from the princess--and alas, two months after the prince's first departure from St. Petersburg, darkness and mystery once more enveloped his whereabouts and actions, and in the Epanchin family the ice of silence once more formed over the subject. Varia, however, informed the girls of what had happened, she having received the news from Ptitsin, who generally knew more than most people. To make an end, we may say that there were many changes in the Epanchin household in the spring, so that it was not difficult to forget the prince, who sent no news of himself. The Epanchin family had at last made up their minds to spend the summer abroad, all except the general, who could not waste time in "travelling for enjoyment," of course. This arrangement was brought about by the persistence of the girls, who insisted that they were never allowed to go abroad because their parents were too anxious to marry them off. Perhaps their parents had at last come to the conclusion that husbands might be found abroad, and that a summer's travel might bear fruit. The marriage between Alexandra and Totski had been broken off. Since the prince's departure from St. Petersburg no more had been said about it; the subject had been dropped without ceremony, much to the joy of Mrs. General, who, announced that she was "ready to cross herself with both hands" in gratitude for the escape. The general, however, regretted Totski for a long while. "Such a fortune!" he sighed, "and such a good, easy-going fellow!" After a time it became known that Totski had married a French marquise, and was to be carried off by her to Paris, and then to Brittany. "Oh, well," thought the general, "he's lost to us for good, now." So the Epanchins prepared to depart for the summer. But now another circumstance occurred, which changed all the plans once more, and again the intended journey was put off, much to the delight of the general and his spouse. A certain Prince S-- arrived in St. Petersburg from Moscow, an eminent and honourable young man. He was one of those active persons who always find some good work with which to employ themselves. Without forcing himself upon the public notice, modest and unobtrusive, this young prince was concerned with much that happened in the world in general. He had served, at first, in one of the civil departments, had then attended to matters connected with the local government of provincial towns, and had of late been a corresponding member of several important scientific societies. He was a man of excellent family and solid means, about thirty-five years of age. Prince S-- made the acquaintance of the general's family, and Adelaida, the second girl, made a great impression upon him. Towards the spring he proposed to her, and she accepted him. The general and his wife were delighted. The journey abroad was put off, and the wedding was fixed for a day not very distant. The trip abroad might have been enjoyed later on by Mrs. Epanchin and her two remaining daughters, but for another circumstance. It so happened that Prince S-- introduced a distant relation of his own into the Epanchin family--one Evgenie Pavlovitch, a young officer of about twenty-eight years of age, whose conquests among the ladies in Moscow had been proverbial. This young gentleman no sooner set eyes on Aglaya than he became a frequent visitor at the house. He was witty, well-educated, and extremely wealthy, as the general very soon discovered. His past reputation was the only thing against him. Nothing was said; there were not even any hints dropped; but still, it seemed better to the parents to say nothing more about going abroad this season, at all events. Aglaya herself perhaps was of a different opinion. All this happened just before the second appearance of our hero upon the scene. By this time, to judge from appearances, poor Prince Muishkin had been quite forgotten in St. Petersburg. If he had appeared suddenly among his acquaintances, he would have been received as one from the skies; but we must just glance at one more fact before we conclude this preface. Colia Ivolgin, for some time after the prince's departure, continued his old life. That is, he went to school, looked after his father, helped Varia in the house, and ran her errands, and went frequently to see his friend, Hippolyte. The lodgers had disappeared very quickly--Ferdishenko soon after the events at Nastasia Philipovna's, while the prince went to Moscow, as we know. Gania and his mother went to live with Varia and Ptitsin immediately after the latter's wedding, while the general was housed in a debtor's prison by reason of certain IOU's given to the captain's widow under the impression that they would never be formally used against him. This unkind action much surprised poor Ardalion Alexandrovitch, the victim, as he called himself, of an "unbounded trust in the nobility of the human heart." When he signed those notes of hand,he never dreamt that they would be a source of future trouble. The event showed that he was mistaken. "Trust in anyone after this! Have the least confidence in man or woman!" he cried in bitter tones, as he sat with his new friends in prison, and recounted to them his favourite stories of the siege of Kars, and the resuscitated soldier. On the whole, he accommodated himself very well to his new position. Ptitsin and Varia declared that he was in the right place, and Gania was of the same opinion. The only person who deplored his fate was poor Nina Alexandrovna, who wept bitter tears over him, to the great surprise of her household, and, though always in feeble health, made a point of going to see him as often as possible. Since the general's "mishap," as Colia called it, and the marriage of his sister, the boy had quietly possessed himself of far more freedom. His relations saw little of him, for he rarely slept at home. He made many new friends; and was moreover, a frequent visitor at the debtor's prison, to which he invariably accompanied his mother. Varia, who used to be always correcting him, never spoke to him now on the subject of his frequent absences, and the whole household was surprised to see Gania, in spite of his depression, on quite friendly terms with his brother. This was something new, for Gania had been wont to look upon Colia as a kind of errand-boy, treating him with contempt, threatening to "pull his ears," and in general driving him almost wild with irritation. It seemed now that Gania really needed his brother, and the latter, for his part, felt as if he could forgive Gania much since he had returned the hundred thousand roubles offered to him by Nastasia Philipovna. Three months after the departure of the prince, the Ivolgin family discovered that Colia had made acquaintance with the Epanchins, and was on very friendly terms with the daughters. Varia heard of it first, though Colia had not asked her to introduce him. Little by little the family grew quite fond of him. Madame Epanchin at first looked on him with disdain, and received him coldly, but in a short time he grew to please her, because, as she said, he "was candid and no flatterer" -- a very true description. From the first he put himself on an equality with his new friends, and though he sometimes read newspapers and books to the mistress of the house, it was simply because he liked to be useful. One day, however, he and Lizabetha Prokofievna quarrelled seriously about the "woman question," in the course of a lively discussion on that burning subject. He told her that she was a tyrant, and that he would never set foot in her house again. It may seem incredible, but a day or two after, Madame Epanchin sent a servant with a note begging him to return, and Colia, without standing on his dignity, did so at once. Aglaya was the only one of the family whose good graces he could not gain, and who always spoke to him haughtily, but it so happened that the boy one day succeeded in giving the proud maiden a surprise. It was about Easter, when, taking advantage of a momentary tete- a-tete Colia handed Aglaya a letter, remarking that he "had orders to deliver it to her privately." She stared at him in amazement, but he did not wait to hear what she had to say, and went out. Aglaya broke the seal, and read as follows: "Once you did me the honour of giving me your confidence. Perhaps you have quite forgotten me now! How is it that I am writing to you? I do not know; but I am conscious of an irresistible desire to remind you of my existence, especially you. How many times I have needed all three of you; but only you have dwelt always in my mind's eye. I need you--I need you very much. I will not write about myself. I have nothing to tell you. But I long for you to be happy. ARE you happy? That is all I wished to say to you--Your brother, "PR. L. MUISHKIN." On reading this short and disconnected note, Aglaya suddenly blushed all over, and became very thoughtful. It would be difficult to describe her thoughts at that moment. One of them was, "Shall I show it to anyone?" But she was ashamed to show it. So she ended by hiding it in her table drawer, with a very strange, ironical smile upon her lips. Next day, she took it out, and put it into a large book, as she usually did with papers which she wanted to be able to find easily. She laughed when, about a week later, she happened to notice the name of the book, and saw that it was Don Quixote, but it would be difficult to say exactly why. I cannot say, either, whether she showed the letter to her sisters. But when she had read it herself once more, it suddenly struck her that surely that conceited boy, Colia, had not been the one chosen correspondent of the prince all this while. She determined to ask him, and did so with an exaggerated show of carelessness. He informed her haughtily that though he had given the prince his permanent address when the latter left town, and had offered his services, the prince had never before given him any commission to perform, nor had he written until the following lines arrived, with Aglaya's letter. Aglaya took the note, and read it. "DEAR COLIA,--Please be so kind as to give the enclosed sealed letter to Aglaya Ivanovna. Keep well--Ever your loving, "PR. L. MUISHKIN." "It seems absurd to trust a little pepper-box like you," said Aglaya, as she returned the note, and walked past the "pepper- box" with an expression of great contempt. This was more than Colia could bear. He had actually borrowed Gania's new green tie for the occasion, without saying why he wanted it, in order to impress her. He was very deeply mortified. 我们用以结束故事第一部的是纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜晚会上的奇遇。此后两天，梅什金公爵便急匆匆赶往莫斯科，去办理接受那意想不到的遗产事宜。那时人家说，他这么仓促离开可能还有其他原因，但是关于这一点，就像关于公爵在莫斯科以及他离开彼得堡期间的经历一样，我们能奉告的消息相当少。公爵离开彼得堡整整六个月，连那些有某种原因而对他的命运感兴趣的人，在这段时间里所能获悉的他的情况也太少了；确实，虽然很难得，可还是会有些传闻传到有些人那里，但大部分也是很怪诞的，而且几乎总是互相矛盾的。比所有的人都更关心公爵的，当然是叶潘钦家，他走的时候甚至都来不及与他们告别一声。不过，将军那时曾经见过他，甚至还见了两三次，他们认真地谈论过什么事情。但是，如果叶潘钦自己见过他，那么他是不告诉自己家里这种事的。再说，最初，也就是公爵离开后差不多整整一个月内，叶潘钦家根本就没有谈到他，只有将军夫人叶莉扎维塔·普罗科菲耶夫娜一个人在一开始说过，“她对公爵是大大看错了。”后来，过了两三天她又做了补充，这次已经不指名是公爵了，而是笼统地说，“她一生中最主要的特点便是不断地看错人。”最后，已经过了十天。”她不知为什么事情对女儿生气，便以富有教训意味的话总结说：“错够了！今后再也不犯了。”与此同时不能不指出，在他们家中相当长时间笼罩着一种不愉快的情绪。有某种沉重的，不自然的，有话憋在心里的，不和睦的气氛，大家都皱眉蹩额的。将军白天黑夜地忙着，为事务奔波，很少有人看见他比现在更忙碌更多活动，尤其是公务方面的事情。家里人也好不容易才能见到他。至于说到叶潘钦的三位小姐，她们当然什么也没说出口。也许，光就她们姐妹问也很少说话，这儿位小姐自尊心很强，也很高傲，即使她们之间有时也不好意思，不过，她们只要听上一句，甚至看上一眼，就能互相了解，因此有时候也就不必再说上许多话了。 旁观者－－如果有这样的人的话--只可以得出一个结论：从上述虽然不多的所有情况来看，公爵到底还是在叶潘钦家留下了特别的印象，尽管他在那里只出现了一次，而且还是昙花一现。也许，这是公爵那有点奇特的际遇所引起的纯粹的好奇心所造成的印象。不论怎么说，反正是留下了印象。 渐渐地，本来已在城里传开的流言蒙上了一层真相不明的色彩，确实，一种说法是，某个公爵和傻瓜（谁也讲不出他的确切姓名）突然得到了一笔巨大的遗产，跟一个外来的法国女人、巴黎《沙托一杰一弗列尔》＊跳康康舞＊＊的著名舞星结了婚。另一些人说，得到遗产的是某个将军，而跟外来的法国女人、著名的康康舞星结婚的是一个俄国商人、有数不清财产的巨富，在自己婚礼上他喝醉了，仅仅为了夸口，便在蜡烛上把整整７０万最近一期有奖公债券烧掉了，但是所有这些传闻很快就平息了，这是因为某些情况在很大程度上促成了这一点。比如，罗戈任一伙人中有许多人是能讲点什么的，当初他们在叶卡捷琳戈夫车站纵酒狂饮大闹一通，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜那时也在场，但过了整整一星期后，他们这一大群人在罗戈任亲自率领下全部出动去了莫斯科。极少数有兴趣的人根据某些传闻知道，在叶卡捷琳戈夫闹了一通之后第二天，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜便跑了，消失得无影无踪，后来又似乎探出了去向，她去了莫斯科；因此罗戈任去莫斯科与这一传闻有些吻合。 也有些传闻是关于加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁诺维奇·伊沃尔京，他在自己那个圈子里也是相当有名的人物。但是他也遇到了一个情况，后来很快地就使所有关于他的不好的说法冷了下来，最后完全绝迹。原来他病得不轻，不仅在社交界哪儿也不露面，甚至也未到职。病了一个月左右他痊愈了，但是不知为什么全然拒绝了在股份公司的职务，于是他的位置就由另一人取代了。叶潘钦将军家他一次也不去，因此另一个官员开始常去将军家。加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁诺维奇的敌人可能会认为，由于所发生的一切他已经无脸见人，以致不好意思上街，但实际上他是害了什么病：抑郁寡欢，沉思冥想，好生气动怒。瓦尔瓦拉·阿尔达利翁诺夫娜在那年冬天嫁给了普季岑；所有了解他们的人都认为这一婚姻是由这种情况造成的：加尼亚不想回到原来的职务上去，不仅不再能维持家庭，甚至连自己也需要帮助，并且也几乎是处于人家的照顾之中。 ＊法语俄译音，意为《花之宫》，巴黎一家游乐场。 ＊＊法国游艺场中一种大腿踢得很高的舞。 附带要指出，关于加夫里拉：阿尔达利翁诺维奇·叶潘钦家里甚至从来也没有提到他，仿佛不仅仅他们家，而且在世上也没有这个人似的。同时，那里大家又都知道有关他的（甚至相当快就知道了）一个非常值得注意的情况，在纳斯塔西娅、费利帕夫娜那儿的不愉快遭遇以后，就是那个对他来说是决定命运的夜里，加尼亚回到家，没有躺下睡觉，而是以迫不及待的焦躁憎绪等待公爵归来；去叶卡捷琳戈夫的公爵从那里回来已是早晨５点多。于是加尼亚走进他的房间，把他昏厥时纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜给她的烧过的那一包线放在公爵面前的桌子上，他坚决请求公爵一有可能便把这件礼物归还给纳斯塔西娅·费里帕夫娜。在加尼亚走近公爵的时候，他怀着一种敌视和几乎是不顾一切的情绪；但是，在他和公爵之间似乎说了一些什么话，这以后在公爵那里坐了两个小时，一直十分伤心地痛哭着。两人在很友好的关系中分了手。 传到叶潘钦全家的这个消息，后来证实，完全是确实的。当然，这样的消息能这么快就传到这儿被他们知道，这是令人奇怪的；比方说，在纳斯洛西娅·费利帕夫娜那里发生的一切几乎在第二天叶潘钦家里便已知悉，而且相当确切详尽。就有关加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁诺维奇的消息来说可以料想，它们是由瓦尔瓦拉·阿尔达利翁诺夫娜带到叶潘钦家的，不知怎么的她突然出现在叶潘钦小姐们那里，甚至很快就与她们槁得十分亲热，这使叶莉扎维塔·普罗科菲耶夫娜大力惊讶。但是，即使瓦尔瓦拉·阿尔达利翁诺夫娜不知为什么认为有必要与叶潘钦家的小姐亲近相处，她也一定不会跟他们谈论自己的兄长。这也是个自尊心相当强的女人，只不过在某一点上是这样；因为她就不管现在结交的正是差点没把她兄长赶出来的人家。在此以前虽然她也认识叶潘钦家的小姐，但她们很少见面。不过，就是现在她也几乎不到客厅去，而是从后面台阶出进，简直就是来去匆匆。叶莉扎维塔·普罗科菲耶夫娜无论过去还是现在一直不大赏识她，尽管她很尊重尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜，即瓦尔瓦拉·阿尔达利翁诺夫娜的母亲。他惊讶，生气，把跟瓦里娅的结交看作是女儿们的任性和好自作主张，说她“已经不知道想出什么来与她作对”，而瓦尔瓦拉·阿尔达利翁诺夫娜在结婚前和后始终继续上她们那儿去。但是公爵离开后过了一个月光景，叶潘钦将军夫人收到了别洛扎斯卡娅老公爵夫人的来信，两星期前她去莫斯科已出嫁的大女儿那里了。这封信显然对将军夫人产生了影响。尽管她既没有对女儿，也没有对伊万·费奥多罗维奇说什么，但是从许多迹象来看家里人都发觉，她似乎特别兴奋，甚至异常激动。她回女儿们的谈话不知怎么的特别奇怪，而且老是讲那些异乎寻常的话题；她显然很惧说出来，可又不知为什么克制着自己。在收到信的那一天，她对大家都很温顺，甚至还吻了一下阿格拉娅和阿杰莱达，说她自己有件事情要向她们认错，但究竟是什么事情，她们却不明白。甚至对伊万·费奥多罗维奇也忽然宽容起来，而原来已有整整一个月对他颇为冷淡。当然，第二天她又对自己昨天的好动感情而大力恼火，午餐前就跟所有的人都吵过来了，但到傍晚又雨过天晴了。总之整个星期她保持着相当开朗的心境、这已是很久未曾有过的了。 但是又过了一星期又得到一封别洛孔斯卡娅的信，这一次将军夫人已经决定讲出来了：她郑重其事地宣布：“‘别洛孔斯卡妩老太婆’。（背地里讲刁她时从不称她公爵夫人）告诉她相当令人宽慰的消息，是关于这个……怪人，喏，就是那个公爵！”老太婆在莫斯科到处寻觅，打听他，终于获悉了很好的情况；公爵后来亲自去她那儿，给她留下了几乎是异常好的印象，“这从这一点看得出来：她邀请公爵每天上午一点到两点去她那里，于是公爵每天都到她那儿去，至今没有让她感到讨厌。”她补充说）“通过‘老太婆’已有两户体面人家开始接待公爵。”将军夫人接着作了结论，“他没像呆瓜那样老呆在家里和感到害羞，这很好。”被告知了这一切的小姐们马上就觉察到，母亲对她们还隐瞒了信件的许多内容。也许，她们是通过瓦尔瓦拉·阿尔达利诺夫娜了解到这一点的，因为她能知道，当然，也是知道普季岑所知道的有关公爵及他在莫斯科的一切情况的。而普季岑能够获悉的情况甚至比其他所有的人更多。但他在事务方面是个过分保持缄默的人，不过他自然会告诉瓦里娅的。为此将军夫人立即更加不喜欢瓦尔瓦拉·阿尔达利翁诺夫娅。 但不论怎么样，坚冰已经被打破，忽然已经可以出声谈论公爵了。此外又一次明显地表现出公爵在叶潘钦家留下的不同寻常的印象和他所激起的已经超过分寸的巨大兴趣。将军夫人对莫斯科来的消息给她的女儿们造成的印象甚至感到惊奇。而女儿们也对自己母亲感到奇怪，因为她一方面郑重地向她们宣称，“她一生中最主要的特征是不断地看错人，”而与此同时却又委托在莫斯科的 “神通广大的”别洛孔斯卡娅老太婆对公爵多加关照，而且，得她关照，当然得再三苦苦恳求。”因为在有些情况下“老太婆”是不太爽快答应办事的。 但是坚冰刚被打破，新风刚一拂起，将军也急于说出自己的想法。原来他也有异常的兴趣。不过，他告知的只是“对方的事务方面“。情况是这样的：为了公爵的利益，他委托在莫斯科的两位非常可靠、又在某方面颇具影响的先生注意公爵，特别是注意他的谋划者萨拉兹金。所有说到遗产的事，“所谓是否有遗产的事实”是确实的，但是，弄到最后，遗产本身根本不像开始传说的那么可观。财产的一半是笔糊涂账；突然冒出了债务，冒出了一些声称有权得到一份遗产的人，加上公爵不管人家替他谋划的主意，自己的做法又极不精明。“当然，愿上帝保佑他；”现在，“沉默的坚冰”已经打破，将军很高兴“真心诚意地”声明这一点，因为“小伙子虽然有点那个”，但毕竟是值得多加关注的。事实上他在这件事上还是干了不少蠢事：比方说，冒出了一些已故商人的债主，他们就凭一些颇有争议的不足为凭的文件来索债，而另有些人则摸透了公爵的底细，根本就没有文件，也跑来了，怎么办呢？尽管‘朋友们提醒说这些人和债主根本没有权利，公爵还是几乎满足了所有人的要求；他满尽他们，仅仅因为确实是他们中间有些人真的曾经吃过亏。 将军夫人对此回答说，别洛孔斯卡给她写的信上也这么说，她还尖刻地补了一句说，“这是愚蠢的，很愚蠢；不可救药的傻瓜，”但从她的脸上可以看出，她对这个 “傻瓜”的行为感到高兴。最后将军发觉，他的夫人关心公爵宛如关心自己的亲生儿子，而且不知怎么的开始对阿格拉娅钟爱异常；看到这种情景，伊万·费奥多罗维奇一度做出相当认真的姿态。 但是所有这种愉快的情绪又没能存在很久。总共就过了两个星期，不知怎么的忽然又起了变化，将军夫人皱眉层额，而将军则耸了好几次肩膀，又服从于“沉默的坚冰”了。事情是这样的：两星期前他佃然得到一个消息；虽然简短，因此也不完全清楚，但是是可靠的。消息说，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜最初在莫斯科销声匿迹，后来被罗戈任在莫斯科找到，后来她又不知去向，又被罗戈任找到，最后她几乎信誓旦旦答应嫁给他，才不过两个星期，突然将军阁下又得到消息说，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜第三次逃跑，几乎就要在教堂举行婚礼之际跑掉的，这一次不知躲到外省的什么地方去了，而与此同时梅什金公爵也在莫斯科消失了，把自己的全部事务撂给萨拉兹金去处理，“是跟她一起走了，还是不过是去追她了，这不得而知，但是这里总有点名堂，”将军结束说。叶莉扎维塔·普罗科菲耶夫娜从自己方面也得到了一些不尽愉快的消息。最终，在公爵离开二个月后几乎关于他的所有传闻在彼得堡完全沉寂了，而叶潘钦家中“沉默的坚冰”已经不再打破了。不过，瓦尔瓦拉·阿尔达利翁诺夫娜依然常来探访小姐们。 为了结束所有这些传闻和消息，还要补充一点：春天即将来临时，叶潘钦家发生了许多大变化。因而很难让他们不忘记公爵，而公爵自己也不留音讯、地址，他也不想让人家知道他的下落。在冬天期间叶潘钦家渐渐地终于决定去国外度夏，也就是叶莉扎维塔·普罗科菲耶夫娜与女儿们去；将军嘛，自然不能把时间花费在“无聊的消遣上”。决定是在小姐们异常执拗的坚持下才通过的，她们完全确信，父母不想带她们到国外去是因为她们老是操心着为她们找夫婿和把她们嫁出去；也许，父母后来深信，在国外也能遇上夫婿；去做一个夏天的旅行不仅不会碍什么事，也许反而“能促成此事”。这里顺便得提一下，原来拟议中的阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇·托茨基和叶潘钦家大小姐的婚事完全告吹了，托茨基也没正式求婚。这事似乎是自然而然发生的，没有多费口舌，双方之间一切突然停了下来。这一情况也正是许潘钦家当时情绪低沉的原因之一，虽然将军夫人那时也说，她现在乐于划十字“。将军虽然遭冷落并感到自己有过错，但还是生了很长时间闷气，因为他很舍不得阿法纳西．伊万诺维奇。“这么大的财产和这么精明的一个人！”过了不久将军获悉，阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇被一个来自法国上流社会的保皇派女侯爵迷往了，即将举行婚礼，而且阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇也将被带到巴黎去，然后再去布列塔尼的什么地方。“嘿，跟一个法国女人搞在一起，必将完蛋！”将军这么认定着。 而叶潘钦小姐们准备着夏季外出旅行。忽然发生了一个情况，又使一切重新变个样，旅行又被搁置起来，这使将军和将军夫人大为高兴。一位公爵－－ω公爵，从莫斯科光临波得堡，这是一位名人，从相当相当好的观点来看的名人。他属于那样一种人，或者，甚至可以说，是属于当代的活动家这一类人，他们正直、谦虚、真诚和自觉地愿意做好事，始终在工作并具有一种难能可贵的品质，即总是拢得到工作做。山公爵不炫耀自己、避开党派之争的冷酷无情和夸夸其谈，也不认为自己是第一流的角儿，但是他明白，近来所做的许多事是相当坚实可靠的。他先前曾任公职，后来参加了地方自治活动，此外，他还与好几个俄罗斯学会保持有益的通讯关系。他与一个熟识的技术员一起，通过调查考察和搜集到的资料，促成了一条设计中的重要铁路选取更为正确的走向，他３５岁，是个“最最上流社会”的人，除此以外，还有着“很好的，不可小看的，无可争议的”家财，这是将军做出的反应。有一次因为一件相当重要的事情他去自己的上司怕爵那里，便结识了公爵，而公爵出于某种特别的好奇，从来也不放过结交俄国的“实业界人士”。结果，公爵就结识了将军一家。三个女儿中的中间一个。阿杰莱达·伊万诺夫娜使他产生相当深刻的印象。临近春天时公爵表白了爱情。阿杰菜达很喜欢他，叶莉扎维塔·普罗科菲耶夫娜也喜欢他。将军非常高兴。自然，旅行就推迟了。婚礼定于春天举行。 其实，本来也可以在仲夏或夏未去旅行，哪怕只是叶莉扎维塔·普罗科菲耶夫娜带着留在她身边的两个女儿去做一个月或两个月的散心也好，以驱散阿杰莱达留下她们而产生的忧伤，但是又发生了某个新的情况：已经是在春末了（阿杰莱达的婚礼稍稍延缓，推迟到仲夏）ω公爵带了他很熟悉的一个远亲来到叶潘钦家里。这是叶夫盖尼·帕夫洛维奇，还是个年轻人，２８岁左右，侍从武官，如画一般的美男子，“出身名门”，为人机智，出类拔萃，“非常新派”，受过异常好的教育”，还有闻所未闻的巨大财富。关于这最后一点将军总是非常谨慎的，他做了打听：“确实，是有这么一回事。”不过还得再核实一下。”这个“前程远大”的年轻侍从武官因为别洛孔斯卡娅老太婆从莫斯科反映来的情况而被大大抬高了身价。只是他有一种名声倒是需要稍加慎重对待：据人家担保，他有若干暧昧关系，曾征服过”好几颗可怜的心。在见到阿格拉娅后，他便在叶潘钦家不同寻常地久坐不走。确实，什么都还没有说，甚至也没有作任何暗示，父母亲还是认为，今夏没有必要去考虑出国旅行的事了。而阿格拉娅本人也许是另一种意见。 这事几乎就发生在这个故事的主人公再次登场之前。从表面上看，到这个时候彼得堡的人，已经完全忘记了可怜的梅什金公爵。如果他现在忽然出现在他的熟人之间，那就仿佛是从天上掉下来一般。但是，我们还是得告知一件事实，以此结束本书第二部的引言。 科利亚·伊沃尔京在公爵离去之后，继续过着原先那样的生活，也就是上学，去看自己的好朋友伊波利特，照料将军和帮助瓦里娅做家务，也就是在她那儿跑跑腿。但是房客很快都消失了：费尔迪先科在纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜家的奇遇后三天不知搬到哪儿了去，很快就沓无音讯，因此有关他的各种传闻也就停息了；据说在什么地方喝酒，但不能肯定，公爵去了莫斯科；房客的事也就此了结。后来，瓦里娅已经出嫁，尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜和加尼亚限她一起报到普季岑家去了，在伊兹马伊洛夫斯基团＊那里；至于说到伊沃尔京将军，那么几乎就在那个时候发生了完全意料不到的一个情况，他蹲了债务监狱。他是被自己的相好、大尉夫人凭各种时候他开始她的总值二千卢布的借条打发到那里去的。这一切对他来说发生得完全出乎意外，可怜将军“总的来说全然成了过分相信人心高尚的牺牲品”！他已习惯于心安理得地在借钱的信件和字据上签字，从来也不曾料想过有朝一日会起作用，始终认为仅签字而已。结果却并非仅此而已。“这以后再去相信人吧，再去表示高尚的信任吧！”他跟新结交的朋友坐在塔拉索夫大楼＊＊里喝酒时痛苦地发出感慨、同时还对他们讲着围困卡尔斯和一个士兵死而复生的故事。其实，他在那里过得还挺好。普季岑和瓦里娅说，这才是他真正该呆的地方，加尼亚也完全肯定了这一点。只有尼娜·亚历山德罗夫娜一人痛苦地偷偷哭泣（这件事使家里人感到惊奇），而且不断害着病，还尽可能经常地去伊兹马伊洛夫斯基团探视丈夫。 但是，照科利亚的说法，从“将军出事”起，或者一般来说是从姐姐出嫁起，科利亚就几乎完全不再听他们的话，而且发展到很少在家过夜。据传，他结交了许多新朋友，此外，在债务监狱也非常出名。尼娜、亚历山德罗夫娜去那里少了他不成：家里现在甚至也不再用好奇的问题去干预他。过去曾经非常严厉地对待他的瓦里娅，现在也丝毫不问他在哪儿游荡；而令家人大为惊讶的是，加尼亚尽管自己抑郁寡欢，可是有时与科利亚在一起和说起话来十分友好，这是从来也没有过的事，因为过去２７岁的加尼亚自然对自己１５岁的兄弟丝毫没有友善的关切，对待他是很粗暴，还要求全体家人光用严厉的态度对待他，经常威吓要“揪他的耳朵”，使科利亚失去“人的最后一点忍耐心”。可以想得到，现在对加尼亚来说，科利亚有时甚至是必不可少的人。加尼亚当时把钱归还给纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜。此举使科利亚非常惊诧，为此他在许多事情上可以原谅兄长。 公爵离开后过了三个月，伊沃尔京家里听说，科利亚忽然结识了叶潘钦家的小姐，并受到了他们很好的接待。瓦里娅很快就获悉了这一情况；不过，科利亚并不是通过瓦里娅结识她们的，而是“自己代表自己”，慢慢地，叶潘钦家的人喜欢上了他。将军夫人起先对他很不满，但很快就“因为他的坦诚和不巴结奉承”而钟爱起他来。说到科利亚不巴结奉承，这是十分公正的；虽然他有时为将军夫人念念书报，但他在她们那里善于保持一种平等和独立的姿态，不过他经常总是热心帮忙的。但是他曾有两次与叶莉扎维塔·普罗琴菲耶夫娜吵得很厉害，向她声称，她是个专制女王，他再也不跨进她家的门。第一次争吵是由“妇女问题”引起的，第二次则是由哪个季节逮金翅雀最大这个问题引起的。无论多么不可思议，将军夫人述是在争吵后的第三天派人给他捎去了字条，请他一定光临；科利亚没有使性子摆架子，立即就去了。唯独阿格拉娅一个人不知为什么经常对他举止傲慢，没有好感。可是偏偏是他多多少少让她吃惊。有一次，那是在复活节后一周内，科利亚找到只有他和阿格拉娅单独在场的那一刻，递给她一封信，只说了一句，吩咐只交给她一个人。阿格拉娅威严地打量了一下“自命不凡的小子”，但科利亚不等她说什么就走了出去。她展开便笺读了： ＊彼得堡一地名。 ＊＊债务监狱就在那里。 我曾经荣幸地得到您的信任。也许，您现在已经完全把我忘了。我怎么会给您写信的呢？我不知道，但我有一种遏制不住的愿望，想使您，而且正是使您想起我。有多少次我是多么需要你们三姐妹，但是想象中我见到的三姐妹中唯有您一人。我需要您，非常需要您。关于我自己，我没什么可以写的，也没什么可以奉告。我也不想那样做；我万分祝愿您幸福。您幸福吗？只有这点是我想对您说的。 您的兄弟 列·梅什金公爵 读完这封简短而摸不着头脑的便笺，阿格拉娅忽然满脸徘红，陷于深思。我们很难表达她的思维流程。顺便说一句，她曾问自己：“要不要给谁看？”她似乎感到不好意思。不过，最后她还是脸带嘲弄和奇怪的微笑把信扔进自己的小桌了事。第二天她又拿出来，将它夹到一本书脊装订得很坚固的厚书里（她总是这样处理她的文书，以便需要的时候尽快就能找到）。只是过了一星期她才看清楚，这是一本什么书，原来是《拉曼恰的堂·吉诃德》，阿格拉娅发狂地大笑一阵，不知道为什么。 同样不知道，她有没有把自己收到的便笺给哪个姐姐看过。 但是，当她再次看信时，她忽然想到：难道这个“自命不凡的小子”和牛皮被公爵选作通讯员，而且，也许，恐怕还是他在这里的唯一通讯员？尽管她摆出一副异常轻蔑的样子，但她还是叫来了科利亚进行盘问。而一向很易见怪别人的“小子”这次却对她的轻蔑丝毫不作计较，还相当简短、相当冷淡地对她解释，虽然在公爵临离开彼得堡时他把自己的永久性地址给了公爵并表示愿为他效劳，但这还是他接受的第一次委托、第一封便笺。为了证明自己的话，他出示了他本人收到的信。阿格拉娅并没感到不好意思就拿过来看了，给科利亚的信中写道： 亲爱的科利亚，劳驾，请把附在这里、封了口的便笺转交给阿格拉娅·伊万诺夫娜。祝您健康。 爱您的 列·梅什金公爵 “信赖这样的娃娃终究是可笑的，”阿格拉娅把便笺给科利亚时抱怨说，一边轻蔑地从他身边走了过去。 这一下科利亚可再也不能忍受了，为了这次机会他也没向加尼亚说明原因，特地从他那儿央求来一条绿色的新围巾围在脖子上。现在他可是大大见怪了。

Part 2 Chapter 2 IT was the beginning of June, and for a whole week the weather in St. Petersburg had been magnificent. The Epanchins had a luxurious country-house at Pavlofsk, [One of the fashionable summer resorts near St. Petersburg.] and to this spot Mrs. Epanchin determined to proceed without further delay. In a couple of days all was ready, and the family had left town. A day or two after this removal to Pavlofsk, Prince Muishkin arrived in St. Petersburg by the morning train from Moscow. No one met him; but, as he stepped out of the carriage, he suddenly became aware of two strangely glowing eyes fixed upon him from among the crowd that met the train. On endeavouring to re-discover the eyes, and see to whom they belonged, he could find nothing to guide him. It must have been a hallucination. But the disagreeable impression remained, and without this, the prince was sad and thoughtful already, and seemed to be much preoccupied. His cab took him to a small and bad hotel near the Litaynaya. Here he engaged a couple of rooms, dark and badly furnished. He washed and changed, and hurriedly left the hotel again, as though anxious to waste no time. Anyone who now saw him for the first time since he left Petersburg would judge that he had improved vastly so far as his exterior was concerned. His clothes certainly were very different; they were more fashionable, perhaps even too much so, and anyone inclined to mockery might have found something to smile at in his appearance. But what is there that people will not smile at? The prince took a cab and drove to a street near the Nativity, where he soon discovered the house he was seeking. It was a small wooden villa, and he was struck by its attractive and clean appearance; it stood in a pleasant little garden, full of flowers. The windows looking on the street were open, and the sound of a voice, reading aloud or making a speech, came through them. It rose at times to a shout, and was interrupted occasionally by bursts of laughter. Prince Muishkin entered the court-yard, and ascended the steps. A cook with her sleeves turned up to the elbows opened the door. The visitor asked if Mr. Lebedeff were at home. "He is in there," said she, pointing to the salon. The room had a blue wall-paper, and was well, almost pretentiously, furnished, with its round table, its divan, and its bronze clock under a glass shade. There was a narrow pier- glass against the wall, and a chandelier adorned with lustres hung by a bronze chain from the ceiling. When the prince entered, Lebedeff was standing in the middle of the room, his back to the door. He was in his shirt-sleeves, on account of the extreme heat, and he seemed to have just reached the peroration of his speech, and was impressively beating his breast. His audience consisted of a youth of about fifteen years of age with a clever face, who had a book in his hand, though he was not reading; a young lady of twenty, in deep mourning, stood near him with an infant in her arms; another girl of thirteen, also in black, was laughing loudly, her mouth wide open; and on the sofa lay a handsome young man, with black hair and eyes, and a suspicion of beard and whiskers. He frequently interrupted the speaker and argued with him, to the great delight of the others. "Lukian Timofeyovitch! Lukian Timofeyovitch! Here's someone to see you! Look here! . . . a gentleman to speak to you! . . . Well, it's not my fault!" and the cook turned and went away red with anger. Lebedeff started, and at sight of the prince stood like a statue for a moment. Then he moved up to him with an ingratiating smile, but stopped short again. "Prince! ex-ex-excellency!" he stammered. Then suddenly he ran towards the girl with the infant, a movement so unexpected by her that she staggered and fell back, but next moment he was threatening the other child, who was standing, still laughing, in the doorway. She screamed, and ran towards the kitchen. Lebedeff stamped his foot angrily; then, seeing the prince regarding him with amazement, he murmured apologetically--"Pardon to show respect! . . . he-he!" " You are quite wrong . . ." began the prince. "At once . . . at once . . . in one moment!" He rushed like a whirlwind from the room, and Muishkin looked inquiringly at the others. They were all laughing, and the guest joined in the chorus. "He has gone to get his coat," said the boy. "How annoying!" exclaimed the prince. "I thought . . . Tell me, is he . . ." "You think he is drunk?" cried the young man on the sofa. " Not in the least. He's only had three or four small glasses, perhaps five; but what is that? The usual thing!" As the prince opened his mouth to answer, he was interrupted by the girl, whose sweet face wore an expression of absolute frankness. "He never drinks much in the morning; if you have come to talk business with him, do it now. It is the best time. He sometimes comes back drunk in the evening; but just now he passes the greater part of the evening in tears, and reads passages of Holy Scripture aloud, because our mother died five weeks ago." "No doubt he ran off because he did not know what to say to you," said the youth on the divan. "I bet he is trying to cheat you, and is thinking how best to do it." Just then Lebedeff returned, having put on his coat. "Five weeks!" said he, wiping his eyes. "Only five weeks! Poor orphans!" "But why wear a coat in holes," asked the girl, "when your new one is hanging behind the door? Did you not see it?" "Hold your tongue, dragon-fly!" he scolded. "What a plague you are!" He stamped his foot irritably, but she only laughed, and answered: "Are you trying to frighten me? I am not Tania, you know, and I don't intend to run away. Look, you are waking Lubotchka, and she will have convulsions again. Why do you shout like that?" "Well, well! I won't again," said the master of the house his anxiety getting the better of his temper. He went up to his daughter, and looked at the child in her arms, anxiously making the sign of the cross over her three times. "God bless her! God bless her!" he cried with emotion. "This little creature is my daughter Luboff," addressing the prince. "My wife, Helena, died-- at her birth; and this is my big daughter Vera, in mourning, as you see; and this, this, oh, this pointing to the young man on the divan . . . "Well, go on! never mind me!" mocked the other. "Don't be afraid!" "Excellency! Have you read that account of the murder of the Zemarin family, in the newspaper?" cried Lebedeff, all of a sudden. "Yes," said Muishkin, with some surprise. "Well, that is the murderer! It is he--in fact--" "What do you mean?" asked the visitor. "I am speaking allegorically, of course; but he will be the murderer of a Zemarin family in the future. He is getting ready . .. ." They all laughed, and the thought crossed the prince's mind that perhaps Lebedeff was really trifling in this way because he foresaw inconvenient questions, and wanted to gain time. "He is a traitor! a conspirator!" shouted Lebedeff, who seemed to have lost all control over himself. " A monster! a slanderer! Ought I to treat him as a nephew, the son of my sister Anisia?" "Oh! do be quiet! You must be drunk! He has taken it into his head to play the lawyer, prince, and he practices speechifying, and is always repeating his eloquent pleadings to his children. And who do you think was his last client? An old woman who had been robbed of five hundred roubles, her all, by some rogue of a usurer, besought him to take up her case, instead of which he defended the usurer himself, a Jew named Zeidler, because this Jew promised to give him fifty roubles. . . ." "It was to be fifty if I won the case, only five if I lost," interrupted Lebedeff, speaking in a low tone, a great contrast to his earlier manner. "Well! naturally he came to grief: the law is not administered as it used to be, and he only got laughed at for his pains. But he was much pleased with himself in spite of that. 'Most learned judge!' said he, 'picture this unhappy man, crippled by age and infirmities, who gains his living by honourable toil--picture him, I repeat, robbed of his all, of his last mouthful; remember, I entreat you, the words of that learned legislator, "Let mercy and justice alike rule the courts of law."' Now, would you believe it, excellency, every morning he recites this speech to us from beginning to end, exactly as he spoke it before the magistrate. To-day we have heard it for the fifth time. He was just starting again when you arrived, so much does he admire it. He is now preparing to undertake another case. I think, by the way, that you are Prince Muishkin? Colia tells me you are the cleverest man he has ever known. . . ." "The cleverest in the world," interrupted his uncle hastily. "I do not pay much attention to that opinion," continued the young man calmly. "Colia is very fond of you, but he," pointing to Lebedeff, "is flattering you. I can assure you I have no intention of flattering you, or anyone else, but at least you have some common-sense. Well, will you judge between us? Shall we ask the prince to act as arbitrator?" he went on, addressing his uncle. "I am so glad you chanced to come here, prince." "I agree," said Lebedeff, firmly, looking round involuntarily at his daughter, who had come nearer, and was listening attentively to the conversation. "What is it all about?" asked the prince, frowning. His head ached, and he felt sure that Lebedeff was trying to cheat him in some way, and only talking to put off the explanation that he had come for. "I will tell you all the story. I am his nephew; he did speak the truth there, although he is generally telling lies. I am at the University, and have not yet finished my course. I mean to do so, and I shall, for I have a determined character. I must, however, find something to do for the present, and therefore I have got employment on the railway at twenty-four roubles a month. I admit that my uncle has helped me once or twice before. Well, I had twenty roubles in my pocket, and I gambled them away. Can you believe that I should be so low, so base, as to lose money in that way?" "And the man who won it is a rogue, a rogue whom you ought not to have paid!" cried Lebedeff. "Yes, he is a rogue, but I was obliged to pay him," said the young man. "As to his being a rogue, he is assuredly that, and I am not saying it because he beat you. He is an ex-lieutenant, prince, dismissed from the service, a teacher of boxing, and one of Rogojin's followers. They are all lounging about the pavements now that Rogojin has turned them off. Of course, the worst of it is that, knowing he was a rascal, and a card-sharper, I none the less played palki with him, and risked my last rouble. To tell the truth, I thought to myself, 'If I lose, I will go to my uncle, and I am sure he will not refuse to help me.' Now that was base-cowardly and base!" "That is so," observed Lebedeff quietly; "cowardly and base." "Well, wait a bit, before you begin to triumph," said the nephew viciously; for the words seemed to irritate him. "He is delighted! I came to him here and told him everything: I acted honourably, for I did not excuse myself. I spoke most severely of my conduct, as everyone here can witness. But I must smarten myself up before I take up my new post, for I am really like a tramp. Just look at my boots! I cannot possibly appear like this, and if I am not at the bureau at the time appointed, the job will be given to someone else; and I shall have to try for another. Now I only beg for fifteen roubles, and I give my word that I will never ask him for anything again. I am also ready to promise to repay my debt in three months' time, and I will keep my word, even if I have to live on bread and water. My salary will amount to seventy-five roubles in three months. The sum I now ask, added to what I have borrowed already, will make a total of about thirty-five roubles, so you see I shall have enough to pay him and confound him! if he wants interest, he shall have that, too! Haven't I always paid back the money he lent me before? Why should he be so mean now? He grudges my having paid that lieutenant; there can be no other reason! That's the kind he is-- a dog in the manger!" "And he won't go away!" cried Lebedeff. "He has installed himself here, and here he remains!" "I have told you already, that I will not go away until I have got what I ask. Why are you smiling, prince? You look as if you disapproved of me." "I am not smiling, but I really think you are in the wrong, somewhat," replied Muishkin, reluctantly. "Don't shuffle! Say plainly that you think that I am quite wrong, without any 'somewhat'! Why 'somewhat'?" "I will say you are quite wrong, if you wish." "If I wish! That's good, I must say! Do you think I am deceived as to the flagrant impropriety of my conduct? I am quite aware that his money is his own, and that my action -As much like an attempt at extortion. But you-you don't know what life is! If people don't learn by experience, they never understand. They must be taught. My intentions are perfectly honest; on my conscience he will lose nothing, and I will pay back the money with interest. Added to which he has had the moral satisfaction of seeing me disgraced. What does he want more? and what is he good for if he never helps anyone? Look what he does himself! just ask him about his dealings with others, how he deceives people! How did he manage to buy this house? You may cut off my head if he has not let you in for something-and if he is not trying to cheat you again. You are smiling. You don't believe me?" "It seems to me that all this has nothing to do with your affairs," remarked the prince. "I have lain here now for three days," cried the young man without noticing, "and I have seen a lot! Fancy! he suspects his daughter, that angel, that orphan, my cousin--he suspects her, and every evening he searches her room, to see if she has a lover hidden in it! He comes here too on tiptoe, creeping softly--oh, so softly--and looks under the sofa--my bed, you know. He is mad with suspicion, and sees a thief in every corner. He runs about all night long; he was up at least seven times last night, to satisfy himself that the windows and doors were barred, and to peep into the oven. That man who appears in court for scoundrels, rushes in here in the night and prays, lying prostrate, banging his head on the ground by the half-hour--and for whom do you think he prays? Who are the sinners figuring in his drunken petitions? I have heard him with my own ears praying for the repose of the soul of the Countess du Barry! Colia heard it too. He is as mad as a March hare!" "You hear how he slanders me, prince," said Lebedeff, almost beside himself with rage. "I may be a drunkard, an evil-doer, a thief, but at least I can say one thing for myself. He does not know--how should he, mocker that he is?--that when he came into the world it was I who washed him, and dressed him in his swathing-bands, for my sister Anisia had lost her husband, and was in great poverty. I was very little better off than she, but I sat up night after night with her, and nursed both mother and child; I used to go downstairs and steal wood for them from the house-porter. How often did I sing him to sleep when I was half dead with hunger! In short, I was more than a father to him, and now--now he jeers at me! Even if I did cross myself, and pray for the repose of the soul of the Comtesse du Barry, what does it matter? Three days ago, for the first time in my life, I read her biography in an historical dictionary. Do you know who she was? You there!" addressing his nephew. "Speak! do you know?" "Of course no one knows anything about her but you," muttered the young man in a would-be jeering tone. "She was a Countess who rose from shame to reign like a Queen. An Empress wrote to her, with her own hand, as 'Ma chere cousine.' At a lever-du-roi one morning (do you know what a lever-du-roi was?)--a Cardinal, a Papal legate, offered to put on her stockings; a high and holy person like that looked on it as an honour! Did you know this? I see by your expression that you did not! Well, how did she die? Answer!" "Oh! do stop--you are too absurd!" "This is how she died. After all this honour and glory, after having been almost a Queen, she was guillotined by that butcher, Samson. She was quite innocent, but it had to be done, for the satisfaction of the fishwives of Paris. She was so terrified, that she did not understand what was happening. But when Samson seized her head, and pushed her under the knife with his foot, she cried out: 'Wait a moment! wait a moment, monsieur!' Well, because of that moment of bitter suffering, perhaps the Saviour will pardon her other faults, for one cannot imagine a greater agony. As I read the story my heart bled for her. And what does it matter to you, little worm, if I implored the Divine mercy for her, great sinner as she was, as I said my evening prayer? I might have done it because I doubted if anyone had ever crossed himself for her sake before. It may be that in the other world she will rejoice to think that a sinner like herself has cried to heaven for the salvation of her soul. Why are you laughing? You believe nothing, atheist! And your story was not even correct! If you had listened to what I was saying, you would have heard that I did not only pray for the Comtesse du Barry. I said, 'Oh Lord! give rest to the soul of that great sinner, the Comtesse du Barry, and to all unhappy ones like her.' You see that is quite a different thing, for how many sinners there are, how many women, who have passed through the trials of this life, are now suffering and groaning in purgatory! I prayed for you, too, in spite of your insolence and impudence, also for your fellows, as it seems that you claim to know how I pray. . ." "Oh! that's enough in all conscience! Pray for whom you choose, and the devil take them and you! We have a scholar here; you did not know that, prince?" he continued, with a sneer. "He reads all sorts of books and memoirs now." "At any rate, your uncle has a kind heart," remarked the prince, who really had to force himself to speak to the nephew, so much did he dislike him. "Oh, now you are going to praise him! He will be set up! He puts his hand on his heart, and he is delighted! I never said he was a man without heart, but he is a rascal--that's the pity of it. And then, he is addicted to drink, and his mind is unhinged, like that of most people who have taken more than is good for them for years. He loves his children--oh, I know that well enough! He respected my aunt, his late wife ... and he even has a sort of affection for me. He has remembered me in his will." "I shall leave you nothing!" exclaimed his uncle angrily. "Listen to me, Lebedeff," said the prince in a decided voice, turning his back on the young man. "I know by experience that when you choose, you can be business-like. . I . I have very little time to spare, and if you ... By the way--excuse me--what is your Christian name? I have forgotten it." "Ti-Ti-Timofey." "And?" "Lukianovitch." Everyone in the room began to laugh. "He is telling lies!" cried the nephew. "Even now he cannot speak the truth. He is not called Timofey Lukianovitch, prince, but Lukian Timofeyovitch. Now do tell us why you must needs lie about it? Lukian or Timofey, it is all the same to you, and what difference can it make to the prince? He tells lies without the least necessity, simply by force of habit, I assure you." "Is that true?" said the prince impatiently. "My name really is Lukian Timofeyovitch," acknowledged Lebedeff, lowering his eyes, and putting his hand on his heart. "Well, for God's sake, what made you say the other?" "To humble myself," murmured Lebedeff. "What on earth do you mean? Oh I if only I knew where Colia was at this moment!" cried the prince, standing up, as if to go. "I can tell you all about Colia," said the young man "Oh! no, no!" said Lebedeff, hurriedly. "Colia spent the night here, and this morning went after his father, whom you let out of prison by paying his debts--Heaven only knows why! Yesterday the general promised to come and lodge here, but he did not appear. Most probably he slept at the hotel close by. No doubt Colia is there, unless he has gone to Pavlofsk to see the Epanchins. He had a little money, and was intending to go there yesterday. He must be either at the hotel or at Pavlofsk." "At Pavlofsk! He is at Pavlofsk, undoubtedly!" interrupted Lebedeff. . . . "But come--let us go into the garden--we will have coffee there. . . ." And Lebedeff seized the prince's arm, and led him from the room. They went across the yard, and found themselves in a delightful little garden with the trees already in their summer dress of green, thanks to the unusually fine weather. Lebedeff invited his guest to sit down on a green seat before a table of the same colour fixed in the earth, and took a seat facing him. In a few minutes the coffee appeared, and the prince did not refuse it. The host kept his eyes fixed on Muishkin, with an expression of passionate servility. "I knew nothing about your home before," said the prince absently, as if he were thinking of something else. "Poor orphans," began Lebedeff, his face assuming a mournful air, but he stopped short, for the other looked at him inattentively, as if he had already forgotten his own remark. They waited a few minutes in silence, while Lebedeff sat with his eyes fixed mournfully on the young man's face. "Well!" said the latter, at last rousing himself. "Ah! yes! You know why I came, Lebedeff. Your letter brought me. Speak! Tell me all about it." The clerk, rather confused, tried to say something, hesitated, began to speak, and again stopped. The prince looked at him gravely. "I think I understand, Lukian Timofeyovitch: you were not sure that I should come. You did not think I should start at the first word from you, and you merely wrote to relieve your conscience. However, you see now that I have come, and I have had enough of trickery. Give up serving, or trying to serve, two masters. Rogojin has been here these three weeks. Have you managed to sell her to him as you did before? Tell me the truth." "He discovered everything, the monster ... himself ......" "Don't abuse him; though I dare say you have something to complain of. . . ." "He beat me, he thrashed me unmercifully!" replied Lebedeff vehemently. "He set a dog on me in Moscow, a bloodhound, a terrible beast that chased me all down the street." "You seem to take me for a child, Lebedeff. Tell me, is it a fact that she left him while they were in Moscow?" "Yes, it is a fact, and this time, let me tell you, on the very eve of their marriage! It was a question of minutes when she slipped off to Petersburg. She came to me directly she arrived-- 'Save me, Lukian! find me some refuge, and say nothing to the prince!' She is afraid of you, even more than she is of him, and in that she shows her wisdom!" And Lebedeff slily put his finger to his brow as he said the last words. "And now it is you who have brought them together again?" "Excellency, how could I, how could I prevent it?" "That will do. I can find out for myself. Only tell me, where is she now? At his house? With him?" "Oh no! Certainly not! 'I am free,' she says; you know how she insists on that point. 'I am entirely free.' She repeats it over and over again. She is living in Petersburgskaia, with my sister- in-law, as I told you in my letter." "She is there at this moment?" "Yes, unless she has gone to Pavlofsk: the fine weather may have tempted her, perhaps, into the country, with Daria Alexeyevna. 'I am quite free,' she says. Only yesterday she boasted of her freedom to Nicolai Ardalionovitch--a bad sign," added Lebedeff, smiling. "Colia goes to see her often, does he not?" "He is a strange boy, thoughtless, and inclined to be indiscreet." "Is it long since you saw her?" "I go to see her every day, every day." "Then you were there yesterday?" "N-no: I have not been these three last days." "It is a pity you have taken too much wine, Lebedeff I want to ask you something ... but. . ." "All right! all right! I am not drunk," replied the clerk, preparing to listen. "Tell me, how was she when you left her?" "She is a woman who is seeking. .. " "Seeking?" "She seems always to be searching about, as if she had lost something. The mere idea of her coming marriage disgusts her; she looks on it as an insult. She cares as much for HIM as for a piece of orange-peel--not more. Yet I am much mistaken if she does not look on him with fear and trembling. She forbids his name to be mentioned before her, and they only meet when unavoidable. He understands, well enough! But it must be gone through She is restless, mocking, deceitful, violent...." "Deceitful and violent?" "Yes, violent. I can give you a proof of it. A few days ago she tried to pull my hair because I said something that annoyed her. I tried to soothe her by reading the Apocalypse aloud." "What?" exclaimed the prince, thinking he had not heard aright. "By reading the Apocalypse. The lady has a restless imagination, he-he! She has a liking for conversation on serious subjects, of any kind; in fact they please her so much, that it flatters her to discuss them. Now for fifteen years at least I have studied the Apocalypse, and she agrees with me in thinking that the present is the epoch represented by the third horse, the black one whose rider holds a measure in his hand. It seems to me that everything is ruled by measure in our century; all men are clamouring for their rights; 'a measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny.' But, added to this, men desire freedom of mind and body, a pure heart, a healthy life, and all God's good gifts. Now by pleading their rights alone, they will never attain all this, so the white horse, with his rider Death, comes next, and is followed by Hell. We talked about this matter when we met, and it impressed her very much." "Do you believe all this?" asked Muishkin, looking curiously at his companion. "I both believe it and explain it. I am but a poor creature, a beggar, an atom in the scale of humanity. Who has the least respect for Lebedeff? He is a target for all the world, the butt of any fool who chooses to kick him. But in interpreting revelation I am the equal of anyone, great as he may be! Such is the power of the mind and the spirit. I have made a lordly personage tremble, as he sat in his armchair . . . only by talking to him of things concerning the spirit. Two years ago, on Easter Eve, His Excellency Nil Alexeyovitch, whose subordinate I was then, wished to hear what I had to say, and sent a message by Peter Zakkaritch to ask me to go to his private room. 'They tell me you expound the prophecies relating to Antichrist,' said he, when we were alone. 'Is that so?' ' Yes,' I answered unhesitatingly, and I began to give some comments on the Apostle's allegorical vision. At first he smiled, but when we reached the numerical computations and correspondences, he trembled, and turned pale. Then he begged me to close the book, and sent me away, promising to put my name on the reward list. That took place as I said on the eve of Easter, and eight days later his soul returned to God." "What?" "It is the truth. One evening after dinner he stumbled as he stepped out of his carriage. He fell, and struck his head on the curb, and died immediately. He was seventy-three years of age, and had a red face, and white hair; he deluged himself with scent, and was always smiling like a child. Peter Zakkaritch recalled my interview with him, and said, 'YOU FORETOLD HIS DEATH.'" The prince rose from his seat, and Lebedeff, surprised to see his guest preparing to go so soon, remarked: "You are not interested?" in a respectful tone. "I am not very well, and my head aches. Doubtless the effect of the journey," replied the prince, frowning. "You should go into the country," said Lebedeff timidly. The prince seemed to be considering the suggestion. "You see, I am going into the country myself in three days, with my children and belongings. The little one is delicate; she needs change of air; and during our absence this house will be done up. I am going to Pavlofsk." "You are going to Pavlofsk too?" asked the prince sharply. "Everybody seems to be going there. Have you a house in that neighbourhood?" "I don't know of many people going to Pavlofsk, and as for the house, Ivan Ptitsin has let me one of his villas rather cheaply. It is a pleasant place, lying on a hill surrounded by trees, and one can live there for a mere song. There is good music to be heard, so no wonder it is popular. I shall stay in the lodge. As to the villa itself. . " "Have you let it?" "N-no--not exactly." "Let it to me," said the prince. Now this was precisely what Lebedeff had made up his mind to do in the last three minutes. Not that he bad any difficulty in finding a tenant; in fact the house was occupied at present by a chance visitor, who had told Lebedeff that he would perhaps take it for the summer months. The clerk knew very well that this "PERHAPS" meant "CERTAINLY," but as he thought he could make more out of a tenant like the prince, he felt justified in speaking vaguely about the present inhabitant's intentions. "This is quite a coincidence," thought he, and when the subject of price was mentioned, he made a gesture with his hand, as if to waive away a question of so little importance. "Oh well, as you like!" said Muishkin. "I will think it over. You shall lose nothing!" They were walking slowly across the garden. "But if you ... I could . . ." stammered Lebedeff, "if...if you please, prince, tell you something on the subject which would interest you, I am sure." He spoke in wheedling tones, and wriggled as he walked along. Muishkin stopped short. "Daria Alexeyevna also has a villa at Pavlofsk." "Well?" "A certain person is very friendly with her, and intends to visit her pretty often." Well?" "Aglaya Ivanovna..." "Oh stop, Lebedeff!" interposed Muishkin, feeling as if he had been touched on an open wound. "That ... that has nothing to do with me. I should like to know when you are going to start. The sooner the better as far as I am concerned, for I am at an hotel." They had left the garden now, and were crossing the yard on their way to the gate. "Well, leave your hotel at once and come here; then we can all go together to Pavlofsk the day after tomorrow." "I will think about it," said the prince dreamily, and went off. The clerk stood looking after his guest, struck by his sudden absent-mindedness. He had not even remembered to say goodbye, and Lebedeff was the more surprised at the omission, as he knew by experience how courteous the prince usually was. ６月最初几天，彼得堡难得己有整整一星期好天气了。叶潘钦家在帕夫洛夫斯克有一处富丽的私人别墅。叶莉扎维塔·普罗科菲耶夫娜忽然心血来潮，说走就走，忙了不到两天，就动身前往了。 叶潘钦家走后第二或第三天，列夫·尼古拉耶维奇·梅什金公爵坐早车从莫斯科抵达彼得堡。车站上没有人迎接他，但在走出车厢的时候忽然觉得就在围住这趟车来客的人群中，有什么人的两只眼睛射出奇怪而炽烈的目光。他又注意看看，却再也没有辨认出什么。当然，仅仅是幻觉而已，但是留下的印象却是不愉快的。况且公爵本来就已很抑郁，若有所思，似乎为什么事而忧心忡忡。 马车把他载到一家离利捷伊纳亚街不过的旅馆。这家旅馆条件很差，公爵要了两个小房间，光线幽暗，陈设也差，他盥洗更衣完毕，什么话也没问便匆匆外出，仿佛怕过了时间或者怕遇不上人家在家里。 如果半年前在他第一次来彼得堡时认识他的人中有谁现在朝他看上一眼的话，那么，大概会得出结论说，他的外表变得比过去好得多；但是实际上未必如此。只有衣服全都换过了：全部服装都是在莫斯科由好裁缝制作的，但是衣服还是有缺点：缝制得太时髦了（做工很到家、但是不大有才干的裁缝往往如此），此外穿在彼此丝毫不感兴趣的人身上，那么，一个十分爱嘲笑的人只要仔细地看一眼公爵，大概就会发现有什么值得一笑了。但是世上可笑的事情难道还少吗？ 公爵雇了马车出彼斯基。在罗日杰斯特文斯基街区的一条街上他很快找到了一座不大的小木屋，使他颇为惊讶的是，这座小木屋看起来还挺漂亮，干干净净，井井有条，还有一个种着花的庭前花圃。朝街的窗户敞开着，里面传出接连不断的激烈的话声，甚至是叫喊声，好像谁在这里高声朗读，甚至在作演讲；这声音有时被几个清脆的噪音发出的笑声所打断。公爵走进院子，登上台阶，求见列别杰夫先生。 “这就是他们，”袖子捋到肘部的厨娘开了门，用指头朝“客厅”戳了一下，回答说。 在这间糊着深蓝色壁纸的客厅里收拾得很是洁净，还颇有些讲究：一张园桌和沙发，带玻璃罩的一座青铜台钟，窗间壁上挂着一面狭长的镜子，天花板上用铜链悬挂着一盏有许多玻璃坠子的枝形吊灯。房间中央站着列别杰夫本人，他背朝进来的公爵，穿着背心，没穿上装，像是厥的衣着。他正拍打着自己的胸脯，正就某个题目痛心疾首地演说着。听众是一个１５岁的男孩，有着一张快活和聪颖的脸蛋，手中拿着一本书；２０岁左右的一个年轻姑娘，全身丧服，手上还抱着一个婴信；一个１３岁的女孩也穿着丧服，她笑得很厉害，而且还把嘴巴张得大大的；最后是一个异常奇怪的听众，小伙子２０岁左右，躺在沙发上，长得相当漂亮，微黑的皮肤，浓密的长发，黑黑的大眼睛，鬓角和下巴上露出些许胡子，似乎就是这个听客经常打断滔滔不绝的列别杰夫，并与他争论，其余的听众大概正是笑的这一点。 “鲁基扬·季莫菲伊奇，暖，鲁基扬·季莫菲伊奇！瞧瞧嘛！往这边瞧！嘿，你们可真该死！” 厨娘挥了一下双手，气得满脸通红，走开了。 列别杰夫回头一看，看见了公爵，仿佛被雷打似的怔怔地站了片刻，接着就堆起馅媚的微笑朝他奔去，但在途中又仿佛愣住了，不过还是叫出了： “公爵阁--下！” 但是，突然他似乎仍未能做到自在洒脱，转过身去，无缘无故地先是斥责手上抱着婴儿的穿丧服的姑娘，以致她因为出其不意而急忙闪开，但列另杰夫立即就撇开她，冲着站在进另一个房间门口的１３岁女孩喊骂，而她刚才的笑兴未尽，脸上还带着微笑，现在则受不了喊骂，急忙逃到厨房去了，列别杰夫甚至还朝她背后跺了几脚，为的是进一步吓唬吓唬她，但是，当他遇到公爵局促不安的目光后，便解释说： “这是为了……恭敬，嘻……嘻！” “您用不着这样的……”公爵刚开始说。 “马上，马上，马上……就像一阵风！” 列别杰夫很快就从房间里消失了。公爵惊讶地看了一眼姑娘，男孩和躺在沙发上的小伙子。他们全都在笑，于是公爵也笑了起来。 “他去穿燕尾服了，”男孩说。 “这一切可真遗憾，”公爵开始说，“我本来以为……请告诉我，他……” “您以为他醉了？”沙发上喊出了声音，“一点也没醉！不过喝了三四杯，嘿，就算五杯吧，这算得了什么，老规矩！” 公爵本要朝向沙发上的小伙子，但是姑娘说起话来，她那可爱的脸上现出最坦诚的神情。 “他早晨从不多喝酒，如果您找他有什么事，那么就请现在谈，正是时候。只是傍晚回来时，他就喝得醉醺醺的；而且现在临睡前常常要哭，给我们念《圣经》，因为我们的妈妈五星期前去世了。” “他跑开是因为他确实难以应付您，”沙发上的年轻人笑了起来说，“我敢打赌，他马上就要哄骗您，正是这会儿在动脑筋呢。” “才五个星期！才五个星期！”列别杰夫已经穿了燕尾服回来，接过话茬说，他一边眨着眼睛，一边从口袋里掏出手绢擦眼泪。“剩下了一堆孤儿。” “您于吗穿着补窟窿的衣服出来？”姑娘说，“这儿门背后不是放着一件崭新的外套吗，您没看见？” “闭嘴！多事的丫头！”列别杰夫朝她喊道，“哼，你呀！”他本想对她跺脚，可这一次她只是放声大笑。 “您干吗要吓唬，我可不是塔尼娅，我不会逃开。而柳芭奇卡看来要被您吵醒了，还会得个急惊风……您嚷嚷什么呀！” “不许说，不许说！叫你烂舌头，烂舌头……”列别杰夫忽然吓坏了，奔向姑娘手上抱着的睡着的孩子，带着惊恐的神情几次给他划十字。“上帝保佑，上帝大大保佑！这是我的襁褓婴儿，女儿柳波芙，”他对公爵说，“是合法婚姻所生，我那刚死去的妻子叫叶列娜，是分娩时死的。而这个丑丫头，穿丧服的，是我的女儿维拉……而这个，这个，哦，这一个是……” “怎么停住了？”年轻人喊了起来，“你接着说呀，别不好意思。” “阁下！”突然列别杰夫冲动地嚷了起来，“您注意到报上关于热马林一家被害的消息没有？” “我看过，”公爵有几分惊讶地说。 “喏，这就是杀害热马林一家的真正凶手，就是他！” “你这是说什么呀？”公爵说。 “也就是一种隐喻说法，未来第二个热马林家的未来第二个凶手，如果会有这样的事的话。他正准备走这样的路……” 大家都笑了起来。公爵想起了，列别杰夫大概真的在踌躇斟酌和装腔作势，就因为他预感到公爵要向他提问题，而他不知道怎么回答、因此就设法同得时间来考虑。 “他要造反！他在策划阴谋。”列别杰夫似乎已经不能克制自己，高声嚷着。“哼，这么一个造谣中伤的人，可以说是个浪子和恶棍，难道我能，嘿，难道我有权可以把他看作是自己的亲外甥，看作是已故姐姐阿尼西娅的独生子吗？” “住口吧，你这个喝醉的人！您相信吗，公爵，现在他想出来当律师，去担任法律诉讼的代理人；于是就开始练起口才来，在家里老是跟孩子们高谈阔论。五天前他在民事法官们面前做过一次讲话。可是他为谁辩护？不是为老太婆，她曾经央告他，请求他，有一个放高利贷的无赖向她勒索了５００卢布，这是她的全部财产，可那无赖把它占为己有。他却为这个放高利贷的犹太人扎伊德列尔辩护，就因为这家伙答应给他５０卢布……” “如果我赢了才给５０，如果输了只给５个卢布，”列别杰夫忽然用跟刚才完全不同的声调解释说，仿佛他从来也没有叫喊过。 “嘿，他就胡扯一通，当然，现在可不是老套的制度，在那里他只受到人家的嘲笑。但他却满意得很；他说，铁面无私的法官先生们，请你们想想，一个境遇凄凉的老头，经常卧床不起，靠诚实的劳动为生，正要失去最后一块面包。谓你们想想立法者申千句明哲话：‘让仁慈主宰法庭。’你相信不，每天早晨在这里他就向我们反来复去讲这儿句话，就像在那边说的一模一样；今天是第五次了，就在您光临之前还在说，他是那样喜欢这段话，孤芳自赏得不得了，还打算为什么人辩护呢。您好像是梅什金公爵吧？科利亚向我谈起过您，说至今世上还没有遇到过比您更聪明的人……” ＊１８６８年３月商人热马林一一家六口被１８岁的中学生维托尔德·戈尔斯基所杀，作者认为凶手是受“虚无主义”思想的影响。 “是的，是的！世上没有更聪明的了！”列别杰夫随即附和说。 “嘿，这一个是撒谎。科利亚是爱您，而他是巴结您。我则根本不打算奉承您，您会知道这点的。您可不是没有理智的人：您倒评判评判我和他；喂，想不想让公爵给我们评怦理？”他转向舅舅问。“我甚至很高兴，公爵，您来得正好。” “想！”列别杰夫毅然喊了一声，又不由自主地回头看了一下重又开始慢慢挪近前来的听众。 “你们在这里干什么？”公爵皱了下眉说。 他真的在头痛，而且他越来越确信，列别杰夫是在蒙骗他并为能延缓谈正事而乐滋滋的。 “我来说一下事情。虽然他满口谎言，我是他的外甥这一点，他没有撒谎。我没有结束学业，但是想念完它并且将坚持实现自己的意愿，因为我有性格。为了实现这一愿望，暂时我找到了铁路上月薪２５卢布的一个位置。此外，我承认，他已经帮助过我两三回。我曾经有２０卢布，但却给赌输了。哎，您相信吗，公爵，我有多无赖，多卑贱，竟把这些钱赌输了。” “输给了恶棍，恶棍！就不应该把钱付给他！”列别杰夫喊道。 “是的，是输给了一个恶棍，但是应该付钱给他，”年轻人继续说，“关于说他是个恶棍，我也能证明，这不只是因为他狠狠地揍了我一顿。公爵，他是个被淘汰的军官，过去罗戈任一伙里的退役中尉，现在在教拳击。罗戈任把他们赶走后，他们现在都四处漂泊。但最糟糕的是，我明明知道他，知道他是恶棍，无赖和小偷，我却仍然坐下来跟他一起赌。赌到最后一个卢布（我们玩的是帕尔基牌）时，我暗自想：要是输了，就去找鲁基扬舅舅，向他鞠个躬，他是不会拒绝的。这很卑鄙，确很卑鄙！，这已经是自觉的卑劣行径了！” “这不就是自觉的卑鄙行径嘛！”列别杰夫重复说。 “算了，别得意，再等一下，”外甥气乎乎地喊着，“他还高兴顺。我到他这里，公爵，向他承认了一切；我做的是高姿态，我没有宽恕自己，在他面前尽我所能咒骂自己，这里大家都是见证人。为了占据铁路上这个位置，我怎么也一定得置办些衣服，因为我浑身上下都穿的破砂烂烂。瞧！这双靴子！不然的话我无法去上班，要是不在指定的期限去报到，别人就会占了位置，那时我又一场空，不知什么时候再找到另一个工作。现在我向他求借就１５个卢布，保证今后再也不借，而且，在头三个月里把所有的债务分文不少付清给他。我说话算数。我会靠面包和克瓦斯熬它几个月，因为我有性格。三个月我将得到７５个卢布。连同过去的钱，我一共应该还给他３５个卢布，也就是说，我会有钱偿付的。嘿，让他随便要多少利息也行，真见鬼！他不认识我，还是怎么的？您问问他，公爵，过去他帮助我的时候，我是不是还清了？为什么现在他不愿意了？就因为我把钱付给了那个中尉，他就发脾气了。没有别的原因！瞧这是个什么人，既不为自己着想，又不肯给别人方便！” “他还赖着不走！”列别杰夫嚷道，“躺在这里，赖着不走！” “我就是这么对你说的。你不给，我就不走。您笑什么，公爵？好像您认为我不对？” “我没有笑，但是，照我看，您确实有点不大对，”公爵勉强回答。 “那您就直截了当说我完全不对，别转弯抹角说‘有点’！” “如果您愿意听，那么就是完全不对。” “如果我愿意！真可笑！难道·您以为、我自己不知道，这样做不大正当，钱是他的，该由他作主，从我这方面来说是强人所难。但是，公爵……您不了解生活。不教训教训他们，就不会明白事理。应该教训他们。我的良心是清白的。凭良心说，我不会使他吃亏的，我会连本加利归还的。精神上他也得到了满足：他看见了我这种低三下四的屈辱相。他还要什么？不给自己带来好处，他还能干什么？得了吧，他自己在干什么？您倒问问他，他怎么捉弄人家，怎么欺骗人家？他靠什么赚来了这所房子？如果他已经不蒙骗您，已经不再动脑溺怎么进一步欺骗您，我就把头砍下来！您在笑，不相信吗？” “我觉得，这跟您的事反正没多大关系，”公爵指出。 “我躺在这里已经第三天了，我看够了！”年轻人不睬公爵的话，高声说道，“您倒想想，他竟对这么一个天使，就是这个姑娘，现在是孤儿，我的表妹，他自己的女儿也疑神疑鬼，每天夜里在她房里搜索情郎！他也蹑手蹑脚到我这儿来，在我睡的沙发底下寻找。疑心得简直发了疯，每个角落都见到有小偷。整夜一刻不停地从床上跳起来，一会看看窗户，是不是都关好了；一会儿试试门，还朝炉于探头探脑看一番，这样子一夜里要有七次，在法庭上他为骗子辩护，而夜里他自己起来做三次祷告，就在这厅里，跪曹，每次叩头要叩半小时，喝醉的时候，为谁不作析祷，为什么享不哭诉？他为杜巴里伯爵夫人”的灵魂得到安息祈祷过，我亲耳听到的，科利亚也听到过。他完全疯了。” “公爵，你看见了，也听见了，他是怎么侮辱我的？”列别杰夫脸红了，他真的怒不可遏，大声嚷了起来，“可是他不知道，我这个酒鬼，淫棍，强盗和歹徒，也许就凭一点就是有价值的人：就是这个挖苦嘲笑的人，当初还是婴儿的时候，我经常替他包溺褓，给他在澡盆里洗澡，在贫寒寡居的阿尼西娅姐姐那里，同样贫穷的我夜里就坐着，通宵不睡，照看着他们两个病人，我偷下面看门人的木柴，给这个小子唱歌，同手指打枢子哄他，我自己饿着肚子把他抚养大。可现在他却嘲笑我！再说，即使我真的有一天什么时候在额头上划十字祈求杜巴里伯爵夫人灵魂得到安息，又关你什么事？公爵，三天前我平生第一次在词典里读到了她的生午。你知道吗，杜巴里夫人是个什么人？你说呀，知道不知道？” “嘿，就你一个人知道不成？”年轻人讥讽而又勉强地嘟哝着。 “这是这么一位伯爵夫人，她摆脱耻辱的地位，取代王后掌管大事，一位伟大的女皇在写给她的亲笔信中称她是ｍａ ｃｕｏｓｉｎｅ。＊红衣主教、罗马教皇使节在列维一久一鲁阿＊＊＊时（你知道什么是列维一久一鲁阿吗？）自告奋勇给她的光腿穿长丝袜，还将此看作是荣幸，尚且是这么一位崇高和神圣的人物！你知道这回事？从脸上我就看得出你不知道！那么她是怎么死的呢？既然你知道，就回答吗！” “滚开！老缠着人。” “她是这么死的，在这样的荣耀之后，这位过去权势显赫的女人却被刽子手莎姆松无辜地拖上了断头台，让那些巴黎的普阿萨尔德＊＊＊＊开心。而她却吓得莫名其妙，不知发生什么事。她看到，他把她的脖子往铡刀下面按，用脚乱踢一通，而那些婆娘们则笑着，她就喊了起来：‘Ｅｎｃｏｒｅ ｕｎ ｍｏｍｅｎｔ，ｍｏｎ的情人，法国大革命时被处决。 ＊让娜一玛丽·杜巴里（１７４３一１７９３），伯爵夫人，法国王路易十五 ＊＊法语；意为堂姐妹、表姐妹。此处女皇用此称呼，表示与她亲近。 ＊＊＊法语俄译音，意为早晨穿衣的仪式。 ＊＊＊＊法语俄译音，意为女商贩。 ｓｉｅｕｒ ｔｅ ｂｏｕｒｒｅａｕ， ｅｎｃｏｒ ｕｎ １ｎｏｍｅｎｔ＊，这意思是‘再等一会儿，布罗“先生，就一会儿！”也许，就在这一会儿里上帝会宽恕她，因为不能想象人的灵魂还能承受比这更甚的米泽尔”，你知道‘米泽尔’这个词的意思吗？啼，喊声就是‘米泽尔”，我读到伯爵夫人‘等一会儿’的呼叫时，我的心就像被钳子夹住似的。我睡觉前想起祈祷时提一下她这个罪孽深重的人，又与你这个卑鄙小人有什么相干？也许，之所以要提一下，是因为有世以来大概从来也未曾有人为她在额头上划十字，而且也没有想到过那样做。可是她在那个世界会感到高兴，因为总算有这么一个跟她一样的罪人，为她在人世间哪怕是做了一次祈祷。你干吗笑？你不相信，是个无神论者。那你又怎么知道呢？既然你偷听了我祈祷，可是却胡说：我不只是光为杜巴里夫人祷告，我是这样念的：‘求上帝让罪孽深重的杜巴里伯爵夫人和所有像她那样；的人的灵魂得到安息，这可完全是另一回事，因为有许多这样的罪孽深重的人和命运变幻无常的典型，他们尝尽煎熬，现在正在那边慌乱不安，呻吟，等待；而且我当时也曾为你，为你这样厚颜无耻和欺人的无赖祈祷过，既然你偷听我怎么祷告……” “好了，够了，够了，你想为谁就为谁祷告吧，见你的鬼，还大声嚷嚷呢！”外甥烦恼地打断了他，“公爵，您不知道吧，他可是我们这儿博学多识的人，”外甥带着一种尴尬的冷笑补充说，“现在他老是读这一类的各种书籍和回忆录。” “您舅舅毕竟……不是冷酷无情的人，”公爵不太愿意地说。这个年轻人使他感到相当反感。 “看来您要把他捧上天了！您看见了，他已经把手按在心口上了，嘴巴张成Ｖ形，马上他还想听好话呢！也许，他不是冷酷无情的人，但是个骗子，糟就糟在这里；’加上还酗酒，全身摇摇晃晃，支持不住，就如任何喝了多年酒的人一样，所以他老是吱哩哇拉乱响。就算他是爱孩子的，也尊重死去的舅妈……甚至也爱我，他可是在遗嘱里给我也留了一份，真的……” “我什么也不会留！”列别杰夫冷漠无情地嚷道。 “听着，列别杰夫，”公爵转身不理睬年轻人，坚定地说，“我可是凭经验知道，当您愿意的时候，您就是一个实干的人……我现在时间很少，如果您……对不起，怎么称您的名字和父称？我忘了。” ＊法语俄译音，意为刽于手。 ＊＊法语：痛苦。 “季一季一季莫菲。” “还有呢？” “鲁基扬诺维奇。” 所有在屋子里的人又大笑起来。 “他撒谎！”外甥喊了起来，“连这也撒谎！公爵，他，根本不叫季莫菲·鲁基扬诺维奇，而叫鲁基扬·季莫菲耶维奇！嘿，说吧，你为什么要撒谎？算了吧，对你来说，叫鲁墓扬还是季莫菲还是一个样，公爵哪儿管得了这个？公爵，我请您相信，他说谎只是积习难改！” “难道这是真的？”公爵迫不及待地问。 “鲁基扬·季莫菲耶维奇，这是真名，”列别杰夫承认并感到不好意思。他顺从地垂下双眼，又一次把手放到心口上。 “您为什么要这样，啊，我的上帝！” “这是出于自谦，”列别杰夫喃喃着说，越来越恭顺地低下自己的头。 “哎，这里要什么自谦！我只想知道，现在在哪里可以找到科利亚！”公爵说着，转过身准备离去。 “我会告诉您，科利亚在什么地方，”年轻人又自告奋勇说。 “不许说，不，绝不要讲！”列别杰夫气冲冲地急忙说，显得很是慌乱。 “科利亚在这里过过夜，但第二天早晨便去寻找自己的将军父亲，公爵，天知道为什么您把他从‘债务监狱’里赎出来。昨天将军还答应光临这儿过夜，可是没有来。最可能是在《天平旅馆》过的夜，离这儿很近。因而，科利亚是在那里或者是在帕夫洛夫斯克叶潘钦家。他有钱，他昨天就想去的。就这么回事，在《天平旅馆》或者在帕夫洛夫斯克。” “在帕夫洛夫斯克，在帕夫焰夫斯克！……我们到这里，到花园里去……喝咖啡……” 列别杰无拽住公爵的手。他们走出房间，穿过院子；走进篱笆门。这里面的有一个很小很小的花园，由于天气好所有的树木都已叶芽满枝了。列别杰夫让公爵坐到绿色的木条椅上，就在一张插入地中的绿色桌子旁边。自己则坐卒他对面。过了一会，咖啡也真的端上来了，公爵没有拒绝。列别杰夫陷媚和贪婪地继续望着他的眼睛。 “我不知道，您有这样的家业，”公爵说，他那副样子想的却完全是另一回事。 “全是孤－儿，”列别杰夫蟋缩一下身子，刚开始说就停住了，因为公爵心不在焉地望着自己面前，当然，他已忘记了自己的问题。又过了一会；列别杰夫察颜观色，期待着。 “那又怎么啦？”公爵仿佛醒悟过来，说，“啊，对了！您自己也知道，列别杰夫，我们有什么事情：我是因为您的来信才来的，说吧。”列别杰夫十分困窘，想要说什么，但只是吱吱唔唔一下，什么也没有说出来。公爵等了一会，忧郁地笑了一下。 “我好像非常理解您，鲁基扬·季莫菲耶维奇。大概，您并没期待我来。而认为，我不会因为您的第一个通知就从偏僻角落里赶来，您写信只是为了洗刷良心。而我却就赶来了。好了，够了，别欺骗了，一仆事二主的把戏该结束了。罗戈任在这里已经三个星期了，我全部知道。您已经像那次那样托她出卖给他了还是没有？说真话。” “是那个恶棍自己打听到的，是他自己。” “别骂他：当然，他对您是很坏……” “他狠狠地打了我，毒打了我！”列别杰夫激动万分接过话茬说，“在莫斯科他还放狗整条街地追我，是条跑得非常快的猎犬，一条凶猛异常的母狗。” “您把我当小孩了，列别杰夫。您说，她现在真的抛下他了，在莫斯科？” “真的，真的，又是在快要举行婚礼的时候。那家伙已经在一分钟一分钟地数时间了，可她却到了彼得堡这里；而且径直来找我、说：救救我，保护我，鲁基扬，也别告诉公爵……’公爵，她怕您比怕罗戈任更厉害，这一点实在深奥莫解！” 列别杰夫还狡黯地把一个手指按到脑门上。 “现在您又把他们弄到一起了？” “公爵阁下，我怎么能……怎么能不让呢？” “算了，够了，我自己会全弄清楚的。只不过告诉我，现在她在什么地方，在他那里吗？” “哦，不！绝对不在那里！她是独立的。她说，‘我是自由的。’公爵，您要知道，她强烈地坚持这一点，她说，‘我还完全是自由的！’她仍然在彼得堡岛＊上，住在我小姨子家里，我已经写信告诉过您了。” “现在还在那里？” ＊圣波得堡的一个行政区。 “除非因为好天气去帕夫洛夫斯克达里娅＊阿列克耐耶夫娜的别墅，就会在那里。她说、‘我是完全自由的。还在昨天她还对尼古拉·阿尔达利翁诺维奇大谈特谈了一通自己的自由。这是不祥之兆啊！” 列别杰夫咧嘴大笑。 “科利亚常在她那里吗？” “他有点冒失和莫名其妙，还不大保守秘密。” “您很久没去那里了？”？” “每天都去，每天都去。” “这么说、昨天也去了？” “不，三天以前。” “真遗憾，您有点喝醉了、列别杰夫！不然我有事要同您。” “不，不，我一点也没醉！” 列别杰夫两眼盯着他。 “告诉我，您留下她时怎么样？” “心神不定，若有所失。” “若有所失？” “她似乎老在寻找什么，似乎丢了什么似的。对于即将举行的婚礼，甚至想起来就令她厌恶，而且将它看作是一种侮辱。对罗戈任本人看得像一块桔子皮，根本就不放在眼里，但是也放去眼里，既害怕又恐惧，甚至不许人家说到他“只有不得已的情况下他们才见面……罗戈任对此非常多愁善感！可是又无法避免！……而她心烦意乱。好嘲弄人，言行不一，好发脾气……” “言行不一和好发脾气？” “是好发脾气，因为上一回为了一次谈话差点没揪我的头发。我用《启示录》为她祈求平安。” “怎么回事？”公爵以为自己听错了，重问了一遍。 “我给她念《启示录》。这是个有着令人不安的想象力的女士，嘻一嘻！而且我观察结果，她对一些严肃的话题，尽管与她毫不相干，却过分热衷。她喜欢，非常喜欢谈这些话题，甚至把这看作是人家对她的特别尊敬。是的，我在解释《启示录》方面是很在行的，而且已经讲了十五年了。她也同意我的说法，我们现在是在第三匹马即黑马的时代，是在于里拿着俄斗的骑士时代，因为如今一切都要用俄斗量，都要签合同，所有的人都只寻求自己的权利：‘一个银市换一俄斗小麦，一个银市换三俄斗大麦……，可在这同时人们还保留自由的精神和纯洁的心灵，健康的肉体和上帝赐予的一切。但是靠唯一的权利是保不住的，随后接回而至的是一匹浅色马，而马上骑士的名字则是死神，再后面已经是地狱了……我们遇在一起时，就讲这些，对她很有影响。” “您自己相信是这样吗？”公爵用奇怪的目光瞥了一眼列别杰夫，问。 “我相信，也就这样解释。因为我是个穷光蛋，是人们循环轮转中的一个原子。谁会尊敬列别杰夫？人人都可以嘲笑他，人人几乎都可以踹他一脚。在这件事上，即解释语义方面，我跟王公贵族没什么两样。因为我有智慧！王公贵族即使领悟到，在我面前……坐在安乐椅上照样要颤抖。尼尔·阿列克谢耶维奇大人阁下两年前复活节前夕听说了（当时我还在他的司里当差），便通过彼得·扎哈雷奇特地要我从值班室到他自己办公室去，只剩下我们两人时问我：‘你是解释反基督者的专家，真的吗？’我没有隐瞒：‘是我’。我向他说了，阐述了，形容了，也没有减少恐惧的因素，而且。还展开比喻的画卷，故意加强这种色彩，引用了许多数字。大人他微微含笑，但是听到数字和类似的地方便会打颤，就要我合上书，打发我走。到复活节给我颁了奖赏，可是此后一星期他就去见上帝了。” “您在说什么，列别杰夫？” “正是这样。在一次午宴后他从马车里跌出来……太阳穴撞在路边矮石柱上，就像小孩一样，就像小孜一样，马上就上西天了。照履历表上算享年７３。在世时他满脸红光，一头银丝，全身洒遍香水，总是笑容可掬，像小孩的笑咪咪的。当时彼得·扎哈雷奇回忆说，‘这是你的预言。’” 公爵站起身。列别杰夫很觉惊讶；甚至对公爵已经要起身告辞感到不知所措。 “您变得很淡漠，嘻嘻！”他斗胆馅媚地说。 “确实，我觉得不大舒服，我的头昏沉沉的，是旅途劳累了还是怎么的，”公爵皱着眉头回答。 “您最好是去别墅，”列别杰夫怯生生地引着话题。 公爵若有所思地站在那里。 “我自己再等三天要带全家去别墅。“

Part 2 Chapter 3 It was now close on twelve o'clock. The prince knew that if he called at the Epanchins' now he would only find the general, and that the latter might probably carry him straight off to Pavlofsk with him; whereas there was one visit he was most anxious to make without delay. So at the risk of missing General Epanchin altogether, and thus postponing his visit to Pavlofsk for a day, at least, the prince decided to go and look for the house he desired to find. The visit he was about to pay was, in some respects, a risky one. He was in two minds about it, but knowing that the house was in the Gorohovaya, not far from the Sadovaya, he determined to go in that direction, and to try to make up his mind on the way. Arrived at the point where the Gorohovaya crosses the Sadovaya, he was surprised to find how excessively agitated he was. He had no idea that his heart could beat so painfully. One house in the Gorohovaya began to attract his attention long before he reached it, and the prince remembered afterwards that he had said to himself: "That is the house, I'm sure of it." He came up to it quite curious to discover whether he had guessed right, and felt that he would be disagreeably impressed to find that he had actually done so. The house was a large gloomy- looking structure, without the slightest claim to architectural beauty, in colour a dirty green. There are a few of these old houses, built towards the end of the last century, still standing in that part of St. Petersburg, and showing little change from their original form and colour. They are solidly built, and are remarkable for the thickness of their walls, and for the fewness of their windows, many of which are covered by gratings. On the ground-floor there is usually a money-changer's shop, and the owner lives over it. Without as well as within, the houses seem inhospitable and mysterious--an impression which is difficult to explain, unless it has something to do with the actual architectural style. These houses are almost exclusively inhabited by the merchant class. Arrived at the gate, the prince looked up at the legend over it, which ran: "House of Rogojin, hereditary and honourable citizen." He hesitated no longer; but opened the glazed door at the bottom of the outer stairs and made his way up to the second storey. The place was dark and gloomy-looking; the walls of the stone staircase were painted a dull red. Rogojin and his mother and brother occupied the whole of the second floor. The servant who opened the door to Muishkin led him, without taking his name, through several rooms and up and down many steps until they arrived at a door, where he knocked. Parfen Rogojin opened the door himself. On seeing the prince he became deadly white, and apparently fixed to the ground, so that he was more like a marble statue than a human being. The prince had expected some surprise, but Rogojin evidently considered his visit an impossible and miraculous event. He stared with an expression almost of terror, and his lips twisted into a bewildered smile. "Parfen! perhaps my visit is ill-timed. I-I can go away again if you like," said Muishkin at last, rather embarrassed. "No, no; it's all right, come in," said Parfen, recollecting himself. They were evidently on quite familiar terms. In Moscow they had had many occasions of meeting; indeed, some few of those meetings were but too vividly impressed upon their memories. They had not met now, however, for three months. The deathlike pallor, and a sort of slight convulsion about the lips, had not left Rogojin's face. Though he welcomed his guest, he was still obviously much disturbed. As he invited the prince to sit down near the table, the latter happened to turn towards him, and was startled by the strange expression on his face. A painful recollection flashed into his mind. He stood for a time, looking straight at Rogojin, whose eyes seemed to blaze like fire. At last Rogojin smiled, though he still looked agitated and shaken. "What are you staring at me like that for?" he muttered. "Sit down." The prince took a chair. "Parfen," he said, "tell me honestly, did you know that I was coming to Petersburg or no?" "Oh, I supposed you were coming," the other replied, smiling sarcastically, and I was right in my supposition, you see; but how was I to know that you would come TODAY?" A certain strangeness and impatience in his manner impressed the prince very forcibly. "And if you had known that I was coming today, why be so irritated about it?" he asked, in quiet surprise. "Why did you ask me?" "Because when I jumped out of the train this morning, two eyes glared at me just as yours did a moment since." "Ha! and whose eyes may they have been?" said Rogojin, suspiciously. It seemed to the prince that he was trembling. "I don't know; I thought it was a hallucination. I often have hallucinations nowadays. I feel just as I did five years ago when my fits were about to come on." "Well, perhaps it was a hallucination, I don't know," said Parfen. He tried to give the prince an affectionate smile, and it seemed to the latter as though in this smile of his something had broken, and that he could not mend it, try as he would. "Shall you go abroad again then?" he asked, and suddenly added, "Do you remember how we came up in the train from Pskoff together? You and your cloak and leggings, eh?" And Rogojin burst out laughing, this time with unconcealed malice, as though he were glad that he had been able to find an opportunity for giving vent to it. "Have you quite taken up your quarters here?" asked the prince "Yes, I'm at home. Where else should I go to?" "We haven't met for some time. Meanwhile I have heard things about you which I should not have believed to be possible." "What of that? People will say anything," said Rogojin drily. "At all events, you've disbanded your troop--and you are living in your own house instead of being fast and loose about the place; that's all very good. Is this house all yours, or joint property?" "It is my mother's. You get to her apartments by that passage." "Where's your brother?" "In the other wing." "Is he married?" "Widower. Why do you want to know all this?" The prince looked at him, but said nothing. He had suddenly relapsed into musing, and had probably not heard the question at all. Rogojin did not insist upon an answer, and there was silence for a few moments. "I guessed which was your house from a hundred yards off," said the prince at last. "Why so?" "I don't quite know. Your house has the aspect of yourself and all your family; it bears the stamp of the Rogojin life; but ask me why I think so, and I can tell you nothing. It is nonsense, of course. I am nervous about this kind of thing troubling me so much. I had never before imagined what sort of a house you would live in, and yet no sooner did I set eyes on this one than I said to myself that it must be yours." "Really!" said Rogojin vaguely, not taking in what the prince meant by his rather obscure remarks. The room they were now sitting in was a large one, lofty but dark, well furnished, principally with writing-tables and desks covered with papers and books. A wide sofa covered with red morocco evidently served Rogojin for a bed. On the table beside which the prince had been invited to seat himself lay some books; one containing a marker where the reader had left off, was a volume of Solovieff's History. Some oil-paintings in worn gilded frames hung on the walls, but it was impossible to make out what subjects they represented, so blackened were they by smoke and age. One, a life-sized portrait, attracted the prince's attention. It showed a man of about fifty, wearing a long riding- coat of German cut. He had two medals on his breast; his beard was white, short and thin; his face yellow and wrinkled, with a sly, suspicious expression in the eyes. "That is your father, is it not?" asked the prince. "Yes, it is," replied Rogojin with an unpleasant smile, as if he had expected his guest to ask the question, and then to make some disagreeable remark. "Was he one of the Old Believers?" "No, he went to church, but to tell the truth he really preferred the old religion. This was his study and is now mine. Why did you ask if he were an Old Believer?" "Are you going to be married here?" "Ye-yes!" replied Rogojin, starting at the unexpected question. "Soon?" "You know yourself it does not depend on me." "Parfen, I am not your enemy, and I do not intend to oppose your intentions in any way. I repeat this to you now just as I said it to you once before on a very similar occasion. When you were arranging for your projected marriage in Moscow, I did not interfere with you--you know I did not. That first time she fled to me from you, from the very altar almost, and begged me to 'save her from you.' Afterwards she ran away from me again, and you found her and arranged your marriage with her once more; and now, I hear, she has run away from you and come to Petersburg. Is it true? Lebedeff wrote me to this effect, and that's why I came here. That you had once more arranged matters with Nastasia Philipovna I only learned last night in the train from a friend of yours, Zaleshoff--if you wish to know. "I confess I came here with an object. I wished to persuade Nastasia to go abroad for her health; she requires it. Both mind and body need a change badly. I did not intend to take her abroad myself. I was going to arrange for her to go without me. Now I tell you honestly, Parfen, if it is true that all is made up between you, I will not so much as set eyes upon her, and I will never even come to see you again. "You know quite well that I am telling the truth, because I have always been frank with you. I have never concealed my own opinion from you. I have always told you that I consider a marriage between you and her would be ruin to her. You would also be ruined, and perhaps even more hopelessly. If this marriage were to be broken off again, I admit I should be greatly pleased; but at the same time I have not the slightest intention of trying to part you. You may be quite easy in your mind, and you need not suspect me. You know yourself whether I was ever really your rival or not, even when she ran away and came to me. "There, you are laughing at me--I know why you laugh. It is perfectly true that we lived apart from one another all the time, in different towns. I told you before that I did not love her with love, but with pity! You said then that you understood me; did you really understand me or not? What hatred there is in your eyes at this moment! I came to relieve your mind, because you are dear to me also. I love you very much, Parfen; and now I shall go away and never come back again. Goodbye." The prince rose. "Stay a little," said Parfen, not leaving his chair and resting his head on his right hand. "I haven't seen you for a long time." The prince sat down again. Both were silent for a few moments. "When you are not with me I hate you, Lef Nicolaievitch. I have loathed you every day of these three months since I last saw you. By heaven I have!" said Rogojin." I could have poisoned you at any minute. Now, you have been with me but a quarter of an hour, and all my malice seems to have melted away, and you are as dear to me as ever. Stay here a little longer." "When I am with you you trust me; but as soon as my back is turned you suspect me," said the prince, smiling, and trying to hide his emotion. "I trust your voice, when I hear you speak. I quite understand that you and I cannot be put on a level, of course." "Why did you add that?--There! Now you are cross again," said the prince, wondering. "We were not asked, you see. We were made different, with different tastes and feelings, without being consulted. You say you love her with pity. I have no pity for her. She hates me-- that's the plain truth of the matter. I dream of her every night, and always that she is laughing at me with another man. And so she does laugh at me. She thinks no more of marrying me than if she were changing her shoe. Would you believe it, I haven't seen her for five days, and I daren't go near her. She asks me what I come for, as if she were not content with having disgraced me--" "Disgraced you! How?" "Just as though you didn't know! Why, she ran away from me, and went to you. You admitted it yourself, just now." "But surely you do not believe that she..." "That she did not disgrace me at Moscow with that officer. Zemtuznikoff? I know for certain she did, after having fixed our marriage-day herself!" "Impossible!" cried the prince. "I know it for a fact," replied Rogojin, with conviction. "It is not like her, you say? My friend, that's absurd. Perhaps such an act would horrify her, if she were with you, but it is quite different where I am concerned. She looks on me as vermin. Her affair with Keller was simply to make a laughing-stock of me. You don't know what a fool she made of me in Moscow; and the money I spent over her! The money! the money!" "And you can marry her now, Parfen! What will come of it all?" said the prince, with dread in his voice. Rogojin gazed back gloomily, and with a terrible expression in his eyes, but said nothing. "I haven't been to see her for five days," he repeated, after a slight pause. "I'm afraid of being turned out. She says she's still her own mistress, and may turn me off altogether, and go abroad. She told me this herself," he said, with a peculiar glance at Muishkin. "I think she often does it merely to frighten me. She is always laughing at me, for some reason or other; but at other times she's angry, and won't say a word, and that's what I'm afraid of. I took her a shawl one day, the like of which she might never have seen, although she did live in luxury and she gave it away to her maid, Katia. Sometimes when I can keep away no longer, I steal past the house on the sly, and once I watched at the gate till dawn--I thought something was going on--and she saw me from the window. She asked me what I should do if I found she had deceived me. I said, 'You know well enough.'" "What did she know?" cried the prince. "How was I to tell?" replied Rogojin, with an angry laugh. "I did my best to catch her tripping in Moscow, but did not succeed. However, I caught hold of her one day, and said: 'You are engaged to be married into a respectable family, and do you know what sort of a woman you are? THAT'S the sort of woman you are,' I said." "You told her that?" "Yes." "Well, go on." "She said, 'I wouldn't even have you for a footman now, much less for a husband.' 'I shan't leave the house,' I said, 'so it doesn't matter.' 'Then I shall call somebody and have you kicked out,' she cried. So then I rushed at her, and beat her till she was bruised all over." "Impossible!" cried the prince, aghast. "I tell you it's true," said Rogojin quietly, but with eyes ablaze with passion. "Then for a day and a half I neither slept, nor ate, nor drank, and would not leave her. I knelt at her feet: 'I shall die here,' I said, 'if you don't forgive me; and if you have me turned out, I shall drown myself; because, what should I be without you now?' She was like a madwoman all that day; now she would cry; now she would threaten me with a knife; now she would abuse me. She called in Zaleshoff and Keller, and showed me to them, shamed me in their presence. 'Let's all go to the theatre,' she says, 'and leave him here if he won't go--it's not my business. They'll give you some tea, Parfen Semeonovitch, while I am away, for you must be hungry.' She came back from the theatre alone. 'Those cowards wouldn't come,' she said. 'They are afraid of you, and tried to frighten me, too. "He won't go away as he came," they said, "he'll cut your throat--see if he doesn't." Now, I shall go to my bedroom, and I shall not even lock my door, just to show you how much I am afraid of you. You must be shown that once for all. Did you have tea?' 'No,' I said, 'and I don't intend to.' 'Ha, ha! you are playing off your pride against your stomach! That sort of heroism doesn't sit well on you,' she said. "With that she did as she had said she would; she went to bed, and did not lock her door. In the morning she came out. 'Are you quite mad?' she said, sharply. 'Why, you'll die of hunger like this.' 'Forgive me,' I said. 'No, I won't, and I won't marry you. I've said it. Surely you haven't sat in this chair all night without sleeping?' 'I didn't sleep,' I said. 'H'm! how sensible of you. And are you going to have no breakfast or dinner today?' 'I told you I wouldn't. Forgive me!' 'You've no idea how unbecoming this sort of thing is to you,' she said, 'it's like putting a saddle on a cow's back. Do you think you are frightening me? My word, what a dreadful thing that you should sit here and eat no food! How terribly frightened I am!' She wasn't angry long, and didn't seem to remember my offence at all. I was surprised, for she is a vindictive, resentful woman--but then I thought that perhaps she despised me too much to feel any resentment against me. And that's the truth. "She came up to me and said, 'Do you know who the Pope of Rome is?' 'I've heard of him,' I said. 'I suppose you've read the Universal History, Parfen Semeonovitch, haven't you?' she asked. 'I've learned nothing at all,' I said. 'Then I'll lend it to you to read. You must know there was a Roman Pope once, and he was very angry with a certain Emperor; so the Emperor came and neither ate nor drank, but knelt before the Pope's palace till he should be forgiven. And what sort of vows do you think that Emperor was making during all those days on his knees? Stop, I'll read it to you!' Then she read me a lot of verses, where it said that the Emperor spent all the time vowing vengeance against the Pope. 'You don't mean to say you don't approve of the poem, Parfen Semeonovitch,' she says. 'All you have read out is perfectly true,' say I. 'Aha!' says she, 'you admit it's true, do you? And you are making vows to yourself that if I marry you, you will remind me of all this, and take it out of me.' 'I don't know,' I say, 'perhaps I was thinking like that, and perhaps I was not. I'm not thinking of anything just now.' 'What are your thoughts, then?' 'I'm thinking that when you rise from your chair and go past me, I watch you, and follow you with my eyes; if your dress does but rustle, my heart sinks; if you leave the room, I remember every little word and action, and what your voice sounded like, and what you said. I thought of nothing all last night, but sat here listening to your sleeping breath, and heard you move a little, twice.' 'And as for your attack upon me,' she says, 'I suppose you never once thought of THAT?' 'Perhaps I did think of it, and perhaps not,' I say. And what if I don't either forgive you or marry, you' 'I tell you I shall go and drown myself.' 'H'm!' she said, and then relapsed into silence. Then she got angry, and went out. 'I suppose you'd murder me before you drowned yourself, though!' she cried as she left the room. "An hour later, she came to me again, looking melancholy. 'I will marry you, Parfen Semeonovitch,' she says, not because I'm frightened of you, but because it's all the same to me how I ruin myself. And how can I do it better? Sit down; they'll bring you some dinner directly. And if I do marry you, I'll be a faithful wife to you--you need not doubt that.' Then she thought a bit, and said, 'At all events, you are not a flunkey; at first, I thought you were no better than a flunkey.' And she arranged the wedding and fixed the day straight away on the spot. "Then, in another week, she had run away again, and came here to Lebedeff's; and when I found her here, she said to me, 'I'm not going to renounce you altogether, but I wish to put off the wedding a bit longer yet--just as long as I like--for I am still my own mistress; so you may wait, if you like.' That's how the matter stands between us now. What do you think of all this, Lef Nicolaievitch?" "'What do you think of it yourself?" replied the prince, looking sadly at Rogojin. "As if I can think anything about it! I--" He was about to say more, but stopped in despair. The prince rose again, as if he would leave. "At all events, I shall not interfere with you!" he murmured, as though making answer to some secret thought of his own. "I'll tell you what!" cried Rogojin, and his eyes flashed fire. "I can't understand your yielding her to me like this; I don't understand it. Have you given up loving her altogether? At first you suffered badly--I know it--I saw it. Besides, why did you come post-haste after us? Out of pity, eh? He, he, he!" His mouth curved in a mocking smile. "Do you think I am deceiving you?" asked the prince. "No! I trust you--but I can't understand. It seems to me that your pity is greater than my love." A hungry longing to speak his mind out seemed to flash in the man's eyes, combined with an intense anger. "Your love is mingled with hatred, and therefore, when your love passes, there will be the greater misery," said the prince. "I tell you this, Parfen--" "What! that I'll cut her throat, you mean?" The prince shuddered. "You'll hate her afterwards for all your present love, and for all the torment you are suffering on her account now. What seems to me the most extraordinary thing is, that she can again consent to marry you, after all that has passed between you. When I heard the news yesterday, I could hardly bring myself to believe it. Why, she has run twice from you, from the very altar rails, as it were. She must have some presentiment of evil. What can she want with you now? Your money? Nonsense! Besides, I should think you must have made a fairly large hole in your fortune already. Surely it is not because she is so very anxious to find a husband? She could find many a one besides yourself. Anyone would be better than you, because you will murder her, and I feel sure she must know that but too well by now. Is it because you love her so passionately? Indeed, that may be it. I have heard that there are women who want just that kind of love ... but still ..." The prince paused, reflectively. "What are you grinning at my father's portrait again for?" asked Rogojin, suddenly. He was carefully observing every change in the expression of the prince's face. "I smiled because the idea came into my head that if it were not for this unhappy passion of yours you might have, and would have, become just such a man as your father, and that very quickly, too. You'd have settled down in this house of yours with some silent and obedient wife. You would have spoken rarely, trusted no one, heeded no one, and thought of nothing but making money." "Laugh away! She said exactly the same, almost word for word, when she saw my father's portrait. It's remarkable how entirely you and she are at one now-a-days." "What, has she been here?" asked the prince with curiosity. "Yes! She looked long at the portrait and asked all about my father. 'You'd be just such another,' she said at last, and laughed. 'You have such strong passions, Parfen,' she said, 'that they'd have taken you to Siberia in no time if you had not, luckily, intelligence as well. For you have a good deal of intelligence.' (She said this--believe it or not. The first time I ever heard anything of that sort from her.) 'You'd soon have thrown up all this rowdyism that you indulge in now, and you'd have settled down to quiet, steady money-making, because you have little education; and here you'd have stayed just like your father before you. And you'd have loved your money so that you'd amass not two million, like him, but ten million; and you'd have died of hunger on your money bags to finish up with, for you carry everything to extremes.' There, that's exactly word for word as she said it to me. She never talked to me like that before. She always talks nonsense and laughs when she's with me. We went all over this old house together. 'I shall change all this,' I said, 'or else I'll buy a new house for the wedding.' 'No, no!' she said, 'don't touch anything; leave it all as it is; I shall live with your mother when I marry you.' "I took her to see my mother, and she was as respectful and kind as though she were her own daughter. Mother has been almost demented ever since father died--she's an old woman. She sits and bows from her chair to everyone she sees. If you left her alone and didn't feed her for three days, I don't believe she would notice it. Well, I took her hand, and I said, 'Give your blessing to this lady, mother, she's going to be my wife.' So Nastasia kissed mother's hand with great feeling. 'She must have suffered terribly, hasn't she?' she said. She saw this book here lying before me. 'What! have you begun to read Russian history?' she asked. She told me once in Moscow, you know, that I had better get Solovieff's Russian History and read it, because I knew nothing. 'That's good,' she said, 'you go on like that, reading books. I'll make you a list myself of the books you ought to read first--shall I?' She had never once spoken to me like this before; it was the first time I felt I could breathe before her like a living creature." "I'm very, very glad to hear of this, Parfen," said the prince, with real feeling. "Who knows? Maybe God will yet bring you near to one another." "Never, never!" cried Rogojin, excitedly. "Look here, Parfen; if you love her so much, surely you must be anxious to earn her respect? And if you do so wish, surely you may hope to? I said just now that I considered it extraordinary that she could still be ready to marry you. Well, though I cannot yet understand it, I feel sure she must have some good reason, or she wouldn't do it. She is sure of your love; but besides that, she must attribute SOMETHING else to you--some good qualities, otherwise the thing would not be. What you have just said confirms my words. You say yourself that she found it possible to speak to you quite differently from her usual manner. You are suspicious, you know, and jealous, therefore when anything annoying happens to you, you exaggerate its significance. Of course, of course, she does not think so ill of you as you say. Why, if she did, she would simply be walking to death by drowning or by the knife, with her eyes wide open, when she married you. It is impossible! As if anybody would go to their death deliberately!" Rogojin listened to the prince's excited words with a bitter smile. His conviction was, apparently, unalterable. "How dreadfully you look at me, Parfen!" said the prince, with a feeling of dread. "Water or the knife?" said the latter, at last. "Ha, ha--that's exactly why she is going to marry me, because she knows for certain that the knife awaits her. Prince, can it be that you don't even yet see what's at the root of it all?" "I don't understand you." "Perhaps he really doesn't understand me! They do say that you are a--you know what! She loves another--there, you can understand that much! Just as I love her, exactly so she loves another man. And that other man is--do you know who? It's you. There--you didn't know that, eh?" "I?" "You, you! She has loved you ever since that day, her birthday! Only she thinks she cannot marry you, because it would be the ruin of you. 'Everybody knows what sort of a woman I am,' she says. She told me all this herself, to my very face! She's afraid of disgracing and ruining you, she says, but it doesn't matter about me. She can marry me all right! Notice how much consideration she shows for me!" "But why did she run away to me, and then again from me to--" "From you to me? Ha, ha! that's nothing! Why, she always acts as though she were in a delirium now-a-days! Either she says, 'Come on, I'll marry you! Let's have the wedding quickly!' and fixes the day, and seems in a hurry for it, and when it begins to come near she feels frightened; or else some other idea gets into her head--goodness knows! you've seen her--you know how she goes on-- laughing and crying and raving! There's nothing extraordinary about her having run away from you! She ran away because she found out how dearly she loved you. She could not bear to be near you. You said just now that I had found her at Moscow, when she ran away from you. I didn't do anything of the sort; she came to me herself, straight from you. 'Name the day--I'm ready!' she said. 'Let's have some champagne, and go and hear the gipsies sing!' I tell you she'd have thrown herself into the water long ago if it were not for me! She doesn't do it because I am, perhaps, even more dreadful to her than the water! She's marrying me out of spite; if she marries me, I tell you, it will be for spite!" "But how do you, how can you--" began the prince, gazing with dread and horror at Rogojin. "Why don't you finish your sentence? Shall I tell you what you were thinking to yourself just then? You were thinking, 'How can she marry him after this? How can it possibly be permitted?' Oh, I know what you were thinking about!" "I didn't come here for that purpose, Parfen. That was not in my mind--" "That may be! Perhaps you didn't COME with the idea, but the idea is certainly there NOW! Ha, ha! well, that's enough! What are you upset about? Didn't you really know it all before? You astonish me!" "All this is mere jealousy--it is some malady of yours, Parfen! You exaggerate everything," said the prince, excessively agitated. "What are you doing?" "Let go of it!" said Parfen, seizing from the prince's hand a knife which the latter had at that moment taken up from the table, where it lay beside the history. Parfen replaced it where it had been. "I seemed to know it--I felt it, when I was coming back to Petersburg," continued the prince, "I did not want to come, I wished to forget all this, to uproot it from my memory altogether! Well, good-bye--what is the matter?" He had absently taken up the knife a second time, and again Rogojin snatched it from his hand, and threw it down on the table. It was a plainlooking knife, with a bone handle, a blade about eight inches long, and broad in proportion, it did not clasp. Seeing that the prince was considerably struck by the fact that he had twice seized this knife out of his hand, Rogojin caught it up with some irritation, put it inside the book, and threw the latter across to another table. "Do you cut your pages with it, or what?" asked Muishkin, still rather absently, as though unable to throw off a deep preoccupation into which the conversation had thrown him. "Yes." "It's a garden knife, isn't it?" "Yes. Can't one cut pages with a garden knife?" "It's quite new." "Well, what of that? Can't I buy a new knife if I like?" shouted Rogojin furiously, his irritation growing with every word. The prince shuddered, and gazed fixedly at Parfen. Suddenly he burst out laughing. "Why, what an idea!" he said. "I didn't mean to ask you any of these questions; I was thinking of something quite different! But my head is heavy, and I seem so absent-minded nowadays! Well, good-bye--I can't remember what I wanted to say--good-bye!" "Not that way," said Rogojin. "There, I've forgotten that too!" "This way--come along--I'll show you." 已经是１１点多了，公爵知道，此刻去叶潘钦家，他只能遇上因公事呆在城里的将军一人，而且也未必一定能遇上。他想到、将军大概还会带他立即驱车前往帕夫洛夫斯克，而在此以前他却很想先做另一次拜访。公爵甘愿迟去叶潘钦家和把去帕夫洛夫斯克的行程推迟到明天，决定去寻找他非常想去的那一幢房子。 不过，这次拜访对他来说在某些方面是很冒险的。他感到为难，并有点犹豫。他所知道的那幢房屋在豌豆街，高花园街不远，他决定先朝那里走，寄希望于在到达要去的地方前能最终彻底地下个决心。 走近豌豆街和花园街的十字路口时，他自己对自己那种异常的激动感到惊奇；他没有料到他的心会带着那样的痛楚跳动。有一座房屋大概因其独特的外表老远就开始吸引他的注意，公爵后来记起了，他对自己说：“这一定就是那座房子。”他怀着极大的好奇心走近去检验自己的猜测；他感到，如果他猜对了，不知为什么将会特别不愉快。这座房子很大，阴森森的，有三层楼，呈灰绿色，没有任何建筑风格。不过，建于上个世纪末的这类房屋只有很少几幢正是在一切都变得很侠的彼得堡的这儿条街道上保存了下来，而且毫无变样。它们建得很牢固，活很厚，窗房非常少；底下一层的窗户有的还装有栅栏。这下面一层大部分是兑换货币的铺子。掌柜的是个冷酷无憎的人，他租用了楼上作住房。不知为什么这房屋的外面和里面都给人一种冷漠呆板，拒客门外的感觉，一切都仿佛掩藏着，隐瞒着，至于为什么是这样，似乎光凭其外观是很难解释的。当然，建筑的线条结合有自己的秘密。在这幢房子里居住的几乎全是清一色的生意人。公爵走近大门，看了一下名牌，上面写着《世袭荣誉公民罗戈任宅》。 他不再犹豫，推开玻璃门进去，门在他身后砰的一声很响地关上了，他从正梯上二楼。楼梯很暗，是石砌的，结构粗笨，而楼梯壁漆成红色。他知道，罗戈任和母亲及兄长占据了这幢沉闷的房屋的整个二层楼。为公爵开门的人不经通报就带他往里走了很久，他们走过了一个正厅，那里的墙壁仿制成大理石，铺着像木拼本地板，摆设着二十年代粗陋而笨重的家具；他们还穿过了一些小斗室，就这样弯弯绕绕，后来登上两三个台阶，又向下跨了同样的级数，最终敲响了一扇门。开门的是帕尔芬·谢苗内奇本人。他看见是公爵，脸色一下子变得刷白，站在原地呆住了，一段时间宛如一尊石像。他双眼木然，目光惊惧，咧着嘴，露出一种极度困惑不解的微笑，仿佛认为公爵的来访是一件不可能的，几乎是奇迹的怪事。虽然这样的反应在公爵意料之中，但还是使他感到吃惊。 “帕尔芬，也许我来的不是时候，我可以就走，”终于他窘困地说。 “来得正好！来得正好！”帕尔芬终于恢复常态，“欢迎光临，请进！” 他们彼此用“你”相称。在莫斯科很长时间他们有机会经常碰头。在他们的会面中甚至有不少时刻在彼此心里烙下了令人难忘的记忆。现在他们已经有三个多月没有见面了。 罗戈任的脸色仍然苍白，脸上瞬息即逝的微微抽搐始终不停。他虽然招呼了客人，但是异常的窘困还没有消失。他把公爵带到扶手椅旁，请他坐到桌边。公爵无意中朝他转过身去，在他异常奇怪和沉重的目光影响下停住了。他想起了不久前令人痛苦、令人忧郁的事占他没有坐下来，一动不动地站着，直盯着罗戈任的眼睛好一会，这双眼睛在最初一瞬间射出的目光似乎更为咄咄逼人。最后，罗戈任讪笑了一下，但还有点不好意思而且似乎不知所措。 “你干吗这样盯着我看。”他喃喃着说，“请坐！” 公爵坐下了。 “帕尔芬，”他说，“对我直说，你知道我今天要来彼得堡还是不知道？” “你要来，我就是这么想的，你瞧见了，我没有错，”他刻毒地冷笑了一下，补充说，“但是凭什么我知道今天要来？” 罗戈任回话中的反问含着一种强烈的冲动、奇怪的气恼，这更使公爵惊讶。 “即使你知道我今天要来，又为了什么这样恼怒呢？”公爵不好意思地低声说。 “那你何必要问呢？” “刚才我下火车的时候，看见了一对眼睛跟你现在从背后看我的眼睛完全一样。” “瞧你说的！这是谁的眼睛呢？”罗戈任怀疑地喃喃说。公爵觉得他打了个颤。 “我不知道，那人在人群中，我甚至觉得是我的幻觉；不知怎么的我开始老是产生幻觉。帕尔芬兄弟，我感到自己几乎就跟五年前的情况差不多，那时毛病经常发作。” “也许，那就是幻觉；我不知道……”帕尔芬嘟哝说。 此时他脸上的亲切微笑跟他并不相称，就如这微笑的某个地方被折断了，不管帕尔芬怎么努力，要把它弥合起来却无能为力。 “怎么，又要去国外吗？”他问道，忽然又补充说，“你还记得我们坐火车的情景吗？秋天，我从普斯科夫乘车，我到这里，而你……穿着风衣，鞋罩。” 罗戈任突然笑了起来，这一次带着一种毫不掩饰的怨恨，并且似乎很高兴终于能以某种方式来表达这种怨恨。 “你在这里定居了？”公爵环顾着书房，问。 “是的，就在自己家里。我还能住在什么地方？” “我们很久没有见面了。我听到一些关于你的说法，说的几乎不是你了。” “人家说的还少吗？”罗戈任冷漠地说。 “不过你把那一伙人赶跑了，自己呆在父母的房子里，不再胡闹，这不很好吗？这是你的房子还是你们大家的？” “是母亲的房子。从这里穿过走廊就到她的房间。” “那你哥哥住哪里？” “谢苗·谢苗内奇哥哥住左厢房。” “他有家吗？” “是个鳏夫。你干吗要打听这些？” 公爵瞥了一眼，没有回答。他忽然陷于沉思，似乎没有听到问话。罗戈任没有盯着问，但等待着，他们沉默了一会。 “刚才我来的时候，一百步远的地方就猜到这是你家的房子，”公爵说。 “为什么？” “我完全不知道。你的房子具有你们整个家庭以及你们整个生活的外貌。你问为什么我得出这样的结论，我没法解释。当然，这是随便瞎说的。我甚至觉得害怕，我怎么这样忐忑不安。过去我没有想到，你住在这样的房子里，而当一看见它，马上就想到：‘他的房屋一定就是这样的！’” “原来这样！”罗戈任不完全理解公爵没有明说的想法，含糊地憨笑了一下。“这一憧房子还是祖父建造的，”他说，“这里住的全是阉割派教徒，有一家姓赫鲁佳科夫，现在还租住我们的房子。” “多暗哪。你就呆在这昏暗中，”公爵打量着书房，说。 “这是一个大房间，虽然很高，可是幽暗，堆满了各种家具，大多是一些大办公桌，写字台，橱柜，里面保藏着账册文件。一张宽大的羊皮红沙发显然是罗戈任睡觉用的。公爵发现罗戈任让他坐到旁边的桌子上有两三本书；其中一本。是索洛维约夫著的《历史》，正翻开在那里，还夹了东西作记号，四周墙上挂着几幅油画，金色的框架已经黯然无光，画面灰蒙蒙、黑乎乎的，很难辨清画的是什么。有一张全身肖像吸引了公爵的注意：画上是一个５０岁左右的人，穿着德国式样的外套，不过是长襟的，颈子上挂着两枚奖章，皱纹累累的黄脸上留着稀疏灰白的短须，目光显得多疑、隐秘和哀伤。” “这是你父亲吗？”公爵问。 “正是他，”罗戈任带着不愉快的苦笑回答说，仿佛准备着马上就将听到拿他已故的父亲作谈资的无礼的玩笑话。 “他不是旧派教徒吧？” “不是，他上教堂，这是真的，他说，旧的信仰比较正确。他也很尊重阉割派。这就是他的书房，你为什么要问是否信旧信仰？” “你将在这里办喜事？” “在--这里，”罗戈任回答说，因为这出乎意料的问题差点为之一颤。 “快了吗？” “你自己也知道，这难道取决于我？” “帕尔芬，我不是你的敌人，无论如何我也不想妨碍你，我现在重复说这点，就像过去有一次，几乎也在这样的时刻我曾经申明的一样。在莫斯科你举行婚礼时，我没有妨碍你，你是知道的。第一次，几乎就是从婚礼上，她自己跑来找我，请求我‘救救’她摆脱你。我向你复述的是她自己的话。后来她也从我这儿逃走了，你又找到她并带她去准备结婚，于是，据说她又从你那里逃到这里。这是夏的吗？我是列别杰夫这么告诉的，所以我也就来了。至于你们在这里又谈妥了这一情况，我只是昨天在火车上才第一次从你过去的一个好朋友那里获悉的，如果想知道，那是扎廖热夫说的，我到这里来是有打算的：我想最终说服她去国外恢复一下腔康；她身心交瘁，特别是头脑受到很大的刺激，照我看，需要非常精心的照料。我自己不想陪她去国外，我指的是没有我的情况下安排这一切。我对你说的是真心话，如果你们这件事又谈妥了完全属实的话，我就再也不会在她眼前露面，而且再也不会到你这里来。你自己也知道，我是不欺骗你的，因为我跟你总是赤诚相见的。我从来也不向你隐瞒自己对这件事的想法：跟着你她必将毁灭，你也会毁灭……也许，比她更惨。假如又再分手，我会感到很满意；但是我自己并不打算挑拨离间。你可以放心，不用怀疑我。再说，你自己也知道：什么时候我做过你的真正对手？甚至在她跑到我这里来的时候也没有过。你现在笑了，我知道，你在笑什么。是啊，我们在那里各住东西，后来又不在一个城市，这一切你必定知道的。哦可是以前就对你解释过，我对她的爱‘不是爱情而是怜悯’。我认为，我这样说是确切的。你那时说，你明白我的这句话，真的吗？真明白吗？瞧你多么敌视地望着我！我来是让你放心，因为你对我来说也是宝贵的，我很爱你，帕尔芬。而现在我就走，并且永远也不会再来。再见。” 公爵站起来。 “跟我一起坐一会，”帕尔芬轻轻地说，他没有从座位上起身，把头俯向右手掌，“我很久没有见到你了。” 公爵坐了下来。两人又沉默了。 “只要你不在我面前，我马上就会感到对你的怨恨，列夫·尼古拉耶维奇，这三个月里我没有看见你，每时每刻我都恨你，真的。巴不得抓住你，把你害死！就是这么回事。现在你和我一起坐了不到一刻钟，我所有的怨恨便都消失了，对我来说你又像原先那样惹人爱。陪我坐一会吧……” “我跟你在一起时，你是相信我的，当我不在时，你马上就不再相信我，还怀疑我。你就像你老子！”公爵友好地笑了一下，竭力掩饰着自己的感情，回答说。 “我和你一起坐着的时候，我相信你的声音。我可是很明白，我和你不能相提并论，我和你……” “你何必要添上这一句呢？你又着恼了，”公爵说，他对罗戈任觉得奇怪。 “这件事，兄弟，可不是问我们的意见，”罗戈任回答说，“无须我们就决定了。我们爱的方式也不一样，在所有各方面都有差异，”沉默一会以后，罗戈任轻轻地继续说，“你说，你爱她是出于怜悯。我对她却没有丝毫这样的怜悯，而且她恨我甚于一切。我现在每天夜里都梦见她，梦见她跟另一个男人嘲笑我的情景。兄弟，就是有这样的事。她答应与我结婚，可是根本就不会想着我，就像换双鞋似的。你相信吗，我已经有五天没有见到她了，因为我不敢到她那儿去，她会问：‘你来干吗？’她羞辱我还少嘛……” “羞辱你？你说什么呀？” “你仿佛不知道似的！她可是‘就从婚礼上’从我那里逃走，与你一起私奔的，你自己刚刚说的。” “可是你自己也不相信……” “在莫斯科时她与一个叫泽姆久日尼科夫的军官在一起，难道没有丢我脸？我肯定她丢了我的脸。在那以后她自己确定婚期的。” “不可能！”公爵喊了起来。 “我确切知道的，”罗戈任有把握地肯定说，“怎么，她不是这种人还是怎么的？兄弟啊，她不是这种人这样的话无须再说了。这纯粹是无稽之谈，她跟你不会是这样的，而跟我恰恰就是这样的。就是这么回事。他看我就像最无用的废物一样。跟凯勒尔，就是那个打拳击的军官，我肯定她跟他有名堂，就为了笑话我……你还不知道，她在莫斯科耍了我多少回！而我又给她汇了多少钱，多少钱呀……” “那……那你现在又怎能结婚呢！……以后怎么办？”公爵惊骇地问。 罗戈任苦恼和可怕地望了一眼公爵，什么话也没回答。 “我现在已经是第五天没去她那儿了，”沉默了稍顷，他继续说，“我老怕被她赶出来。‘我，’她说，‘还是自己的主人，只要我想，就可以把你赶走，自己到国外去’（这是她对我说要到国外去--罗戈任仿佛用括弧作说明似的指出，并且有点特别地看了一眼公爵的眼睛）；确实，有时候仅仅是吓唬吓唬人的，不知为什么老是要嘲笑我。有一次她真的皱眉蹙额，阴沉着脸，不说一句话，我就怕她这样，我甚至还想，不能空着手去见她，结果只惹得她笑，后来甚至恼恨起来，她把我送给她的那么一条高级的披巾送给了侍女卡季卡，虽然她以前过惯了奢华阔绰的生活，也许，还没有见到过这么好的／说到什么时候举行婚礼，连一个字也不能提。连到她那儿去都害怕，哪还算是未婚夫？我就这么呆着，忍不住了就偷偷地在她那条街上悄悄走过她的屋子或者躲在哪个角上望着那里。有时候在她住的屋子大门旁差不多一直到天亮，当时我仿佛觉得看到了什么。而她，大概，从窗口瞥见了我，就说‘如果你看见了我欺骗了你，你会拿我怎么办？’我忍无可忍，就说，‘你知道。’” “她知道什么？” “为什么我就知道！”罗戈任怨恨地笑了起来，“在莫斯科那时，虽然我等了很久，可是未能捉住任何人与她在一起。于是有一天我抓住她，说：‘你答应跟我举行婚礼，走进正派人家，可你知道自己现在是什么人吗？’我说，‘你算什么东西！’” “你对她说了？” “说了。” “后来呢？” “‘现在，’她说，‘把你当仆人也许我也不想要，而不是我当你的妻子。’我说，‘那我就不出去，反正一一样下场！’‘她说，我马上叫凯勒尔来，告诉他，让他把你扔到大门外。’我就扑向她，马上就把她打得青一块紫一块的。” “不可能。”公爵喊了起来。 “我说，有过这回事，”罗戈任目光炯炯，轻声肯定说，“整整一天半我不吃不喝不睡，不走出她的房间，跪在她面前，‘我说，只要你不宽恕我，我就是死也不出去，要是你吩咐把我拖出去，我就去投河，因为没有你我现在算什么？多那一整天她就像疯了似的，一会儿哭，一会想要用刀杀死我，一会儿骂我。她把扎廖热夫，凯勒尔和泽姆久日尼科夫等所有的熟人都叫来了，指着我向他们数落，羞辱我。‘诸位，今天我们大家结伴上剧院去，既然他不想出去，就让他在这里呆着，我可不会为了他而受束缚。而在这里，帕尔芬·谢苗内奇，我不在也会给您送茶的，今天您大概饿了。’她从剧院回来是一个人。她说，‘他们都是胆小鬼和卑鄙小人，怕你，还吓唬我，说什么你不会就这样走的，说不定会杀人。而我偏要走进卧室，偏不锁门，瞧我怕不怕你！也要让你知道和看到这点！你喝过茶了吗？’‘没有，’我说，‘也不要喝。’‘随你的便，不过这跟你很不相称。”她怎么说就怎么做，房间没有上锁。第二天早晨她走出来，笑着说，‘你疯·了还是怎么的？你这样是会饿死的！’我说，‘宽恕我吧！夕‘我不想宽恕，我也不嫁给你，这话已经说过了。难道你整夜就坐在这张扶手椅上，没有睡觉？’‘没有，’我说，‘没有睡。’‘真太聪明了！又不打算喝茶，吃饭。”‘我说了不，宽恕我吧！’‘这跟你可真不相称，’她说，‘这就像给母牛配马胺一样，你要知道这点就好了。你这不是想出来吓唬我吧？你饿着肚皮老这么坐下去，跟我又有什么关系，你就这么吓人好了！’她很生气，但时间不长，又开始挖苦我。这时我对她感到好生奇怪，难道她根本就下怨恨？她本来是个记仇的人，而且会很长时间对别人的恨耿耿于怀！于是找头脑里有了一个想法：她把我看得卑贱到不值得对我大动肝火的地步。确实是这样。‘你知道吗，’她说，‘罗马的神父是怎么回事吗？’‘听说过，’我说。‘你，’她说，‘帕尔芬·谢苗内奇，一点也没有学过通史。’我说，”一点包没有学过。’她说，‘那么我给你一本书读：曾经有过这样一个神父，他很生一个皇帝的气，那皇帝在他那儿三天不吃不喝，光着脚跪着，在神父宽恕他以前，他就一直跪在自己的宫殿前；你倒想想，在这三天中他跪着，反复暗自思忖，发出了什么誓言？……等一下，她说，我来把这一段念给你听！，她跳起身，拿来了书。‘这是诗，’她说着就开始给我念起诗来，诗里讲这个皇帝在这三天里发警要对那个神父报复，她说，‘难道你不喜欢这故事，帕尔芬·谢苗内奇？”我说，‘你读的这一切都是对的。‘啊，你自己说是对的，也就是说，你大概也在发誓：等她嫁给我，到那时我会记起她的桩桩件件，到那时非对她嘲弄个够！’‘我不知道，’我说，‘也许是这样想。，‘怎么不知道？，‘我是不知道，我说，现在我想的全不是这个。’‘那你现在在想什么？，‘当你从座位上站起来，从我身边走过时，我就望着你，注视着你；你的裙子发生一阵悉悉索索声，我的心就沉了下去，当你走出房间后，我就回想着你的第一句话，回想着你讲话的声音，讲了什么；整个夜里我什么都不想，老是谛听着，你睡着时怎么呼吸，怎么动弹两次……’‘你呀，她笑了起来说，‘大概也想到了打我的事，没想还是没记住？’‘也许，’我说，‘会想，我不知道。’‘如果我不宽恕，也不嫁给你呢？’‘我说过了，我就去投河。多‘也许，在这次前先打死我。’她说完就沉思起来。后来她发火了。走出了房间。过了一小时她走到我面前，她是那样的阴郁。‘我，’她说，‘嫁给你，帕尔芬·谢苗内奇，并不是因为我怕你，而是反正一样是毁灭。可哪里更好呢？请坐下。，她说， ‘马上给你送饭来。既然将嫁给你，她补充说，我将做你的忠实妻子，在这一点上你不用怀疑，也不用担心。’接着她沉默了一一会，又说，‘你终究不是奴才，我过去以为，你完全是个十足的奴才。’她当即就确走了婚期，而过了一个星期她就从我这儿逃到这里列别杰夫家。我一来，她就说，‘我根本不是要与你脱离关系；我只是还想等一等，我愿多久就多久，因为我依然还是自己的主人。如果你愿意，你就等着吧。’这就是我们目前的情况……列夫·尼古拉耶维奇，你对这一切是怎么想的。” “你自己是怎么想的？”公爵忧郁地望着罗戈任，反问道。 “难道我还能想什么？”罗戈任脱口而出。他本来还想补充说什么，但是在无穷的烦恼中、又缄默了。 公爵站起身，又想离开了。 “反正我不会妨碍你，”他几乎是若有所思地说，仿佛是在回答自己内心的隐秘的思想。 “知道吗，我要对你说什么！”罗戈任忽然振奋起来，目光熠熠，“我不明白；你怎么这样对我让步？难道已经完全不再爱她了？过去你毕竟害过相思病的，我可是看得出的。那么现在你拼命跑到这儿来又是为了什么？是出于怜悯？（他的脸变扭曲了，露出恶意的嘲笑。）嘻嘻！” “你认为，我是在欺骗你？”公爵问。 “不，我相信你，只不过一点也不明白其中的缘由。最正确的解释大概是你的怜悯比我的爱情更强烈。” 他的脸上燃起一种怨恨的、一定要立即说出来的愿望。 “怎么，你不能区分爱和恨，”公爵莞尔一笑，“要是爱情消逝，也许会有更大的不幸。帕尔芬兄弟，我现在就对你说明这点……” “难道我会杀了她？” 公爵打了个寒颤。 “为了目前这种爱情，为了眼前承受的所有这一切痛苦，你会非常恨她。对于我来说最为奇怪的是，她怎么又会答应嫁给你？昨天一听到这个消息，几乎难以相信，而且心头感到非常沉重。要知道她已是两次拒绝了你，而且在快要举行婚礼时逃走的。这就是说，她是有预感的！……她现在看中你什么：难道是你的钱？这是荒谬的。再说你的钱花得也够厉害的了。难道仅仅是为了找个丈夫？除了你她可也能找得到的。她嫁给任何人都比嫁给你好，因为你也许真的会杀了她，大概，她现在对这一点是太明白了，是因为你爱她爱得这么强烈？真的，莫非就是这一点……我常听说，是有这么一种人寻找以正是这样的爱情……只是这样的……” 公爵顿住不说了，陷于沉思之中。 “你干吗又笑起我父亲的画像来了？”罗戈任问，他非常留神地观察着么爵脸上的任何一点变化，任何一个瞬息却逝的细微的表情。 “我笑什么？我想到，如果你没有这件伤脑筋的事，不产生这种爱情，那么你大概会跟你父亲一模一样，而且就在不久的将来。你会一个人默默地跟驯服恭顺、不敢吭声的妻子住在这幢房子里，只会有很少的但是严厉的话语对谁也不相信，而且也根本不需要这一点，只是默默地、阴郁地聚敛财富。顶多就是有时候对古书大大赞扬一番，对旧派教徒用两个指头划十字感兴趣，就这些大概也要到老时才会这样……” “你嘲笑吧。不久前她也细细看过这幅画像，说的这些话一模一样。真怪。你们现在在所有方面都协调一致……” “难道她已经到你这里来过？”公爵好奇地问。 “来过，她对画像看了很久，打听了许多有关先父的事情，最后她朝我莞尔一笑，说、‘你会成为完全像他一样的人。帕尔芬·谢苗内奇，你有强烈的欲望，如果你也没有头脑的话，你正好带着这样的欲望飞去西伯利亚，去做苦工，可是你很有头脑。（你相信不相信她会这么说？我第一次从她那儿听到这样的话！），她说，‘你也会很快抛弃现在这一切胡作非为的行为。因为你是个完全没有教养的人，因此你会开始积攒钱财，会像你父亲一样跟自己那些阉割派教徒一起坐在这幢房子里，最后大概自己也转到他们的信仰上，并且你也会那样地爱自己的钱财，也许会积上不是两百万而是一千万，但是会饿死在自己的钱袋上，因为你在所有方面都存有欲望。你把一切都引向欲望。’她就是这么说的，几乎原话就是这些话。这以前她还从来也没有跟我这样谈过！她跟我尽说些无聊话，要不就是嘲笑话；而且这次开始时是笑着讲的，后来却变得非常忧郁；整个这幢房屋她都走了看遍，好像害怕什么似的。‘我要改变这一切，我说，‘重新装修，不然，也许还是另外买一幢房子结婚。’‘不，不，她说，‘这里什么也不要改变，我们就将这样生活。等我做了你的妻子。我想在你妈妈身边过日子。’我带她去见母亲，她对母亲很敬重，就像亲生女儿一般。母亲在以前精神就不完全正常，她有病已经有两年了，父亲去世后她完全变成小孩一样，没有话语，坐着不能动弹，一看见人，只会在原地朝人家行礼；似乎你不喂她吃，她三天也想不起来。我拿起母亲的右手，替她捏好指头，对她说，‘妈妈，祝福吧，她要与我结婚了。’她则充满感激地吻了我母亲的手。‘你母亲，’她说，‘一定受了许多苦。’她看见我的这本书说，‘你这是怎么了，开始看起《俄国史》来了？（其实，在莫斯科有一次她自己对我说过：‘你哪怕是充实一点自己也好，哪怕是读读索洛维耶夫的《俄国史》，你实在是什么也不知道。’）你这样很好，‘她说，’就这样做下去，做下去。我自己来给你写一份书单，哪些书你首先应该看，你愿不愿意？’以后她从来也没有这样跟我讲过话，从来也没有过，因此我简直是受宠若惊，第一次像个活人一样喘了一口气。” “帕尔芬，我对此感到很高兴，”公爵怀着真挚的感情说，“很高兴。谁知道呢，也许，是上帝把你们安排在一起。” “永远也不会有那样的事！”罗戈任激动地喊了起来。 “听着，帕尔芬，既然你这样爱她，难道你不想赢得她的尊敬？如果你想难道不希望这样？我刚才就说，对我来说有一道奥妙的题目：她为什么愿意嫁给你？虽然我解不出来，但我仍然毫不置疑，这里一定有充足的、有理的原因。她相信你的爱情，但是也一定相信你的一些长处。否则可是不可能的！你刚才所说的话证实了这一点，你自己说，她发现了有可能跟你用完全不同于过去对你讲的语言来讲话。你好疑心好嫉妒，因此夸大了你所发觉的一切不好的方面。反之，当然，也并没有像你说的那样把你想得那么不好。不然就意味着，她嫁给你是自觉地上刀山赴火海去找死。难道这可能吗？谁会自觉地上刀山赴火海去找死呢？” 帕尔芬带着一丝痛苦的微笑听着公爵这一番热烈的话。看来，他的信念已经不可动摇。 “帕尔芬，你现在望着我的样子多么令人难受呀！”公爵怀着沉重的感情脱口而出说。 “上刀山赴火海。”罗戈任终于说，“嘿，她之所以嫁给我，就因为料定要挨我的刀子！公爵，难道你夏的至今还没悟到、整个这件事的症结在哪里？” “我不明白你的话。” “好吧，也许你真的不明白，嘿嘿！怪不得人家说你有点儿……那个。她爱的是另一个人，这下明白了吧！就像我现在爱她一样，她也这样爱着另一个人。这另一个人你知道是谁吗？这就是你！怎么，你不知道还是怎么的？” “是我！” “是你。还是从生日那天开始，从那时起她就爱上你了。只不过她认为，她不可能嫁给你，因为她似乎觉得会使你蒙受耻辱，殷了你的整个命运。她说：‘大家都知道我是个什么人。’至今她自己还经常重申这一点。这一切都是她亲自当着我面说的。她怕毁了你，使你蒙受耻辱，而嫁给我，这么说吧，是没什么关系的，是可以的，瞧她把我看作什么样的人，这也是显而易见的！” “那她怎么从你这儿逃到我那里，又……从我那里……” “从你那里跑到我这儿！嘿！她一时突发奇想的事还少吗！她现在整个人儿就像发热病一样。一会儿冲着我喊：‘嫁给你等于投河一样，快点结婚吧！’她自己催促我，选定日期，可一旦接近婚期，又害怕了，或者又冒出别的念头来，天晓得是怎么回事，你不也是看到的吗：又是哭，又是笑，激狂得打哆嗦。她从你那里逃走，这又有什么奥妙可言呢？当时她从你那里逃走，是因为她自己醒悟到，她是多么强烈地爱你。她不能呆在你那里。你刚才说，那时我在莫斯科