白痴 英文版 The Idiot
陀思妥耶夫斯基 Fyodor Dostoyevsky
The Idiot VII. Page 1
When the prince ceased speaking all were gazing merrily at him--even Aglaya; but Lizabetha Prokofievna looked the jolliest ofall.
"Well!" she cried, "we HAVE 'put him through his paces,' with avengeance! My dears, you imagined, I believe, that you were aboutto patronize this young gentleman, like some poor protege pickedup somewhere, and taken under your magnificent protection. Whatfools we were, and what a specially big fool is your father! Welldone, prince! I assure you the general actually asked me to putyou through your paces, and examine you. As to what you saidabout my face, you are absolutely correct in your judgment. I ama child, and know it. I knew it long before you said so; you haveexpressed my own thoughts. I think your nature and mine must beextremely alike, and I am very glad of it. We are like two dropsof water, only you are a man and I a woman, and I've not been toSwitzerland, and that is all the difference between us."
"Don't be in a hurry, mother; the prince says that he has somemotive behind his simplicity," cried Aglaya.
"Yes, yes, so he does," laughed the others.
"Oh, don't you begin bantering him," said mamma. "He is probablya good deal cleverer than all three of you girls put together. Weshall 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."
shall I write?" asked the prince.step this way.
"Why? Her face is clear enough, isn't it?"
"Oh yes, of course. You are very beautiful, Aglaya Ivanovna, sobeautiful 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 havenot 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 Aglayawith admiration. "Almost as lovely as Nastasia Philipovna, butquite 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 NastasiaPhilipovna?"
"Gavrila Ardalionovitch showed the general her portrait justnow."
"How so? Did he bring the portrait for my husband?"
"Only to show it. Nastasia Philipovna gave it to GavrilaArdalionovitch today, and the latter brought it here to show tothe general."
"I must see it!" cried Mrs. Epanchin. "Where is the portrait? Ifshe gave it to him, he must have it; and he is still in thestudy. He never leaves before four o'clock on Wednesdays. Sendfor Gavrila Ardalionovitch at once. No, I don't long to see HIMso much. Look here, dear prince, BE so kind, will you? Just stepto 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, asthe 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 fullthoughts.
"He got out of it very neatly about our faces, though," saidAglaya. He flattered us all round, even mamma."
"Nonsense" cried the latter. "He did not flatter me. It was I whofound his appreciation flattering. I think you are a great dealmore foolish than he is. He is simple, of course, but also veryknowing. Just like myself."
"How stupid of me to speak of the portrait," thought the princeas 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 ina mass of papers. He looked as though he did not take his salaryfrom the public company, whose servant he was, for a sinecure.
He grew very wroth and confused when the prince asked for theportrait, and explained how it came about that he had spoken ofit.
"Oh, curse it all," he said; "what on earth must you go blabbingfor? 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 saidthat Aglaya was almost as beautiful as Nastasia Philipovna."
Gania asked for further details; and the prince once morerepeated the conversation. Gania looked at him with ironicalcontempt the while.
"Nastasia Philipovna," he began, and there paused; he was clearlymuch agitated and annoyed. The prince reminded him of theportrait.
"Listen, prince," said Gania, as though an idea had just struckhim, "I wish to ask you a great favour, and yet I really don'tknow--"
He paused again, he was trying to make up his mind to something,and was turning the matter over. The prince waited quietly. Oncemore Gania fixed him with intent and questioning eyes.
"Prince," he began again, "they are rather angry with me, inthere, owing to a circumstance which I need not explain, so thatI do not care to go in at present without an invitation. Iparticularly wish to speak to Aglaya, but I have written a fewwords in case I shall not have the chance of seeing her" (herethe prince observed a small note in his hand), "and I do not knowhow to get my communication to her. Don't you think you couldundertake to give it to her at once, but only to her, mind, andso that no one else should see you give it? It isn't much of asecret, 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 amI to get it to her? It is most important, dreadfully important!"
Gania was evidently much alarmed at the idea that the princewould not consent to take his note, and he looked at him now withan expression of absolute entreaty.
"Well, I will take it then."
"But mind, nobody is to see!" cried the delighted Gania "And ofcourse 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 inconfusion.
"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 befree."
He could not settle himself to his papers again, for agitationand excitement, but began walking up and down the room fromcorner 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; butwhen he was two rooms distant from the drawing-room, where theyall were, he stopped a though recalling something; went to thewindow, nearer the light, and began to examine the portrait inhis hand.
He longed to solve the mystery of something in the face NastasiaPhilipovna, something which had struck him as he looked at theportrait for the first time; the impression had not left him. Itwas partly the fact of her marvellous beauty that struck him, andpartly something else. There was a suggestion of immense prideand disdain in the face almost of hatred, and at the same timesomething confiding and very full of simplicity. The contrastaroused a deep sympathy in his heart as he looked at the lovelyface. The blinding loveliness of it was almost intolerable, thispale thin face with its flaming eyes; it was a strange beauty.
The prince gazed at it for a minute or two, then glanced aroundhim, and hurriedly raised the portrait to his lips. When, aminute after, he reached the drawing-room door, his face wasquite composed. But just as he reached the door he met Aglayacoming 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 theprince's eyes. There was no confusion in her face; a littlesurprise, perhaps, but that was all. By her look she seemedmerely to challenge the prince to an explanation as to how he andGania happened to be connected in this matter. But her expressionwas perfectly cool and quiet, and even condescending.
So they stood for a moment or two, confronting one another. Atlength a faint smile passed over her face, and she passed by himwithout a word.
Mrs. Epanchin examined the portrait of Nastasia Philipovna forsome little while, holding it critically at arm's length.
finding a page, and making his preparations.
"Yes, she is pretty," she said at last, "even very pretty. I haveseen her twice, but only at a distance. So you admire this kindof beauty, do you?" she asked the prince, suddenly.
"Yes, I do--this kind."
"Do you mean especially this kind?"
"Yes, especially this kind."
show it to anyone," said !
"Why?"
prince," said Adelaida, "I must be going .
"There is much suffering in this face," murmured the prince, moreas though talking to himself than answering the question.
"I think you are wandering a little, prince," Mrs. Epanchindecided, after a lengthened survey of his face; and she tossedthe portrait on to the table, haughtily.
Alexandra took it, and Adelaida came up, and both the girlsexamined the photograph. Just then Aglaya entered the room.
"What a power!" cried Adelaida suddenly, as she earnestlyexamined the portrait over her sister's shoulder.
"Whom? What power?" asked her mother, crossly.
"Such beauty is real power," said Adelaida. "With such beauty asthat one might overthrow the world." She returned to her easelthoughtfully.
Aglaya merely glanced at the portrait--frowned, and put out herunderlip; 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 theman 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 evidentlyseriously 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 matterwhich ought to be approached with all candour and open-heartedness. There is a marriage being talked of, and I don'tlike this marriage--"
"Mamma, what are you saying?" said Alexandra again, hurriedly.
"Well, what, my dear girl? As if you can possibly like ityourself? The heart is the great thing, and the rest is allrubbish--though one must have sense as well. Perhaps sense isreally the great thing. Don't smile like that, Aglaya. I don'tcontradict myself. A fool with a heart and no brains is just asunhappy as a fool with brains and no heart. I am one and you arethe other, and therefore both of us suffer, both of us areunhappy."
"Why are you so unhappy, mother?" asked Adelaida, who alone ofall the company seemed to have preserved her good temper andspirits up to now.
"In the first place, because of my carefully brought-updaughters," said Mrs. Epanchin, cuttingly; "and as that is thebest reason I can give you we need not bother about any other atpresent. Enough of words, now! We shall see how both of you (Idon't count Aglaya) will manage your business, and whether you,most revered Alexandra Ivanovna, will be happy with your finemate."
"Ah!" she added, as Gania suddenly entered the room, "here'sanother marrying subject. How do you do?" she continued, inresponse 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 withconfusion.
"Are you about to take a wife? I ask,--if you prefer thatexpression."
"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 sittingsome way off, and dropped his eyes immediately.
Aglaya gazed coldly, intently, and composedly at him, withouttaking 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 Wednesdaymorning, in answer to my question, that you are not going to bemarried. 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 themonth?"
"Twenty-seventh!" said Gania.
"Twenty-seventh; very well. Good-bye now; you have a good deal todo, 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 shalltell old Princess Bielokonski about you. I shall go and see heron purpose. And listen, my dear boy, I feel sure that God hassent you to Petersburg from Switzerland on purpose for me. Maybeyou will have other things to do, besides, but you are sentchiefly for my sake, I feel sure of it. God sent you to me! Aurevoir! Alexandra, come with me, my dear."
Mrs. Epanchin left the room.
"Prince," he said, "I am just going home. If you have not changedyour mind as to living with us, perhaps you would like to comewith me. You don't know the address, I believe?"
"Wait a minute, prince," said Aglaya, suddenly rising from herseat, "do write something in my album first, will you? Fathersays you are a most talented caligraphist; I'll bring you my bookin 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 friendlysmile as she left the room. She did not so much as look at Gania.
"This is your doing, prince," said Gania, turning on the latterso soon as the others were all out of the room. "This is yourdoing, sir! YOU have been telling them that I am going to bemarried!" He said this in a hurried whisper, his eyes flashingwith rage and his face ablaze. "You shameless tattler!"
"I assure you, you are under a delusion," said the prince, calmlyand politely. "I did not even know that you were to be married."
"You heard me talking about it, the general and me. You heard mesay that everything was to be settled today at NastasiaPhilipovna's, and you went and blurted it out here. You lie ifyou deny it. Who else could have told them Devil take it, sir,who could have told them except yourself? Didn't the old woman asgood 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 timeto reply.
"There, prince," said she, "there's my album. Now choose a pageand write me something, will you? There's a pen, a new one; doyou mind a steel one? I have heard that you caligraphists don'tlike steel pens."
Conversing with the prince, Aglaya did not even seem to noticethat Gania was in the room. But while the prince was getting hispen ready, finding a page, and making his preparations to write,Gania came up to the fireplace where Aglaya was standing, to theright 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 thewords almost unconsciously and on the impulse of the moment.
Aglaya gazed at him for some seconds with precisely the samecomposure and calm astonishment as she had shown a little whilebefore, when the prince handed her the note, and it appeared thatthis calm surprise and seemingly absolute incomprehension of whatwas said to her, were more terribly overwhelming to Gania thaneven the most plainly expressed disdain would have been.
GavrilaArdalionovitch.
"What shall I write?" asked the prince.
"I'll dictate to you," said Aglaya, coming up to the table. "Nowthen, are you ready? Write, 'I never condescend to bargain!' Nowput 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. Aurevoir, prince. Wait a minute,"; she added, "I want to give yousomething 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 inbewilderment.
"Oh! I KNOW you haven't read it, and that you could never be thatman'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. Thisday I must give my word irrevocably. I have no right to ask yourhelp, and I dare not allow myself to indulge in any hopes; butonce you said just one word, and that word lighted up the nightof my life, and became the beacon of my days. Say one more suchword, and save me from utter ruin. Only tell me, 'break off thewhole thing!' and I will do so this very day. Oh! what can itcost you to say just this one word? In doing so you will but begiving me a sign of your sympathy for me, and of your pity; onlythis, only this; nothing more, NOTHING. I dare not indulge in anyhope, 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 tomy 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, Iswear to you; and oh! do not be angry with the audacity ofdespair, with the drowning man who has dared to make this lasteffort to save himself from perishing beneath the waters.
"G.L."
"This man assures me," said Aglaya, scornfully, when the princehad finished reading the letter, "that the words 'break offeverything' do not commit me to anything whatever; and himselfgives me a written guarantee to that effect, in this letter.Observe how ingenuously he underlines certain words, and howcrudely he glosses over his hidden thoughts. He must know that ifhe 'broke off everything,' FIRST, by himself, and without tellingme a word about it or having the slightest hope on my account,that in that case I should perhaps be able to change my opinionof him, and even accept his--friendship. He must know that, buthis soul is such a wretched thing. He knows it and cannot make uphis mind; he knows it and yet asks for guarantees. He cannotbring himself to TRUST, he wants me to give him hopes of myselfbefore he lets go of his hundred thousand roubles. As to the'former word' which he declares 'lighted up the night of hislife,' 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 eversince; he is still fishing for me. Well, enough of this. Take theletter and give it back to him, as soon as you have left ourhouse; 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 thatyou are going to live in his house?"