白痴 英文版 The Idiot
陀思妥耶夫斯基 Fyodor Dostoyevsky
The Idiot IX.
"You will not deny, I am sure," said Gavrila Ardalionovitch,turning to Burdovsky, who sat looking at him with wide-open eyes,perplexed and astonished. You will not deny, seriously, that youwere born just two years after your mother's legal marriage toMr. Burdovsky, your father. Nothing would be easier than to provethe date of your birth from well-known facts; we can only look onMr. Keller's version as a work of imagination, and one, moreover,extremely offensive both to you and your mother. Of course hedistorted the truth in order to strengthen your claim, and toserve your interests. Mr. Keller said that he previouslyconsulted you about his article in the paper, but did not read itto you as a whole. Certainly he could not have read that passage... . .
"As a matter of fact, I did not read it," interrupted the boxer,"but its contents had been given me on unimpeachable authority,and I . . ."
"Excuse me, Mr. Keller," interposed Gavrila Ardalionovitch."Allow me to speak. I assure you your article shall be mentionedin its proper place, and you can then explain everything, but forthe moment I would rather not anticipate. Quite accidentally,with the help of my sister, Varvara Ardalionovna Ptitsin, Iobtained from one of her intimate friends, Madame Zoubkoff, aletter written to her twenty-five years ago, by NicolaiAndreevitch Pavlicheff, then abroad. After getting intocommunication with this lady, I went by her advice to TimofeiFedorovitch Viazovkin, a retired colonel, and one of Pavlicheff'soldest friends. He gave me two more letters written by the latterwhen he was still in foreign parts. These three documents, theirdates, and the facts mentioned in them, prove in the mostundeniable manner, that eighteen months before your birth,Nicolai Andreevitch went abroad, where he remained for threeconsecutive years. Your mother, as you are well aware, has neverbeen out of Russia. . . . It is too late to read the letters now;I am content to state the fact. But if you desire it, come to metomorrow morning, bring witnesses and writing experts with you,and I will prove the absolute truth of my story. From that momentthe question will be decided."
These words caused a sensation among the listeners, and there wasa general movement of relief. Burdovsky got up abruptly.
"If that is true," said he, "I have been deceived, grosslydeceived, but not by Tchebaroff: and for a long time past, a longtime. I do not wish for experts, not I, nor to go to see you. Ibelieve you. I give it up.... But I refuse the ten thousandroubles. Good-bye."
"Wait five minutes more, Mr. Burdovsky," said GavrilaArdalionovitch pleasantly. "I have more to say. Some rathercurious and important facts have come to light, and it isabsolutely necessary, in my opinion, that you should hear them.You will not regret, I fancy, to have the whole matter thoroughlycleared up."
Burdovsky silently resumed his seat, and bent his head as thoughin profound thought. His friend, Lebedeff's nephew, who had risento accompany him, also sat down again. He seemed much disappointed,though as self-confident as ever. Hippolyte looked dejected andsulky, as well as surprised. He had just been attacked by a violentfit of coughing, so that his handkerchief was stained with blood.The boxer looked thoroughly frightened.
"Oh, Antip!" cried he in a miserable voice, "I did say to you theother day--the day before yesterday--that perhaps you were notreally Pavlicheff's son!"
There were sounds of half-smothered laughter at this.
"Now, that is a valuable piece of information, Mr. Keller,"replied Gania. "However that may be, I have private informationwhich convinces me that Mr. Burdovsky, though doubtless aware ofthe date of his birth, knew nothing at all about Pavlicheff'ssojourn abroad. Indeed, he passed the greater part of his lifeout of Russia, returning at intervals for short visits. Thejourney in question is in itself too unimportant for his friendsto recollect it after more than twenty years; and of course Mr.Burdovsky could have known nothing about it, for he was not born.As the event has proved, it was not impossible to find evidenceof his absence, though I must confess that chance has helped mein a quest which might very well have come to nothing. It wasreally almost impossible for Burdovsky or Tchebaroff to discoverthese facts, even if it had entered their heads to try. Naturallythey never dreamt...
Here the voice of Hippolyte suddenly intervened.
"Allow me, Mr. Ivolgin," he said irritably. "What is the good ofall this rigmarole? Pardon me. All is now clear, and weacknowledge the truth of your main point. Why go into thesetedious details? You wish perhaps to boast of the cleverness ofyour investigation, to cry up your talents as detective? Orperhaps your intention is to excuse Burdovsky, by roving that hetook up the matter in ignorance? Well, I consider that extremelyimpudent on your part! You ought to know that Burdovsky has noneed of being excused or justified by you or anyone else! It isan insult! The affair is quite painful enough for him withoutthat. Will nothing make you understand?"
"Enough! enough! Mr. Terentieff," interrupted Gania.
"Don't excite yourself; you seem very ill, and I am sorry forthat. I am almost done, but there are a few facts to which Imust briefly refer, as I am convinced that they ought to beclearly explained once for all. . . ." A movement of impatiencewas noticed in his audience as he resumed: "I merely wish tostate, for the information of all concerned, that the reason forMr. Pavlicheff's interest in your mother, Mr. Burdovsky, wassimply that she was the sister of a serf-girl with whom he wasdeeply in love in his youth, and whom most certainly he wouldhave married but for her sudden death. I have proofs that thiscircumstance is almost, if not quite, forgotten. I may add thatwhen your mother was about ten years old, Pavlicheff took herunder his care, gave her a good education, and later, aconsiderable dowry. His relations were alarmed, and feared hemight go so far as to marry her, but she gave her hand to a youngland-surveyor named Burdovsky when she reached the age of twenty.I can even say definitely that it was a marriage of affection.After his wedding your father gave up his occupation as land-surveyor, and with his wife's dowry of fifteen thousand roubleswent in for commercial speculations. As he had had no experience,he was cheated on all sides, and took to drink in order to forgethis troubles. He shortened his life by his excesses, and eightyears after his marriage he died. Your mother says herself thatshe was left in the direst poverty, and would have died ofstarvation had it not been for Pavlicheff, who generously allowedher a yearly pension of six hundred roubles. Many people recallhis extreme fondness for you as a little boy. Your motherconfirms this, and agrees with others in thinking that he lovedyou the more because you were a sickly child, stammering in yourspeech, and almost deformed--for it is known that all his lifeNicolai Andreevitch had a partiality for unfortunates of everykind, especially children. In my opinion this is most important.I may add that I discovered yet another fact, the last on which Iemployed my detective powers. Seeing how fond Pavlicheff was ofyou,--it was thanks to him you went to school, and also had theadvantage of special teachers--his relations and servants grew tobelieve that you were his son, and that your father had beenbetrayed by his wife. I may point out that this idea was onlyaccredited generally during the last years of Pavlicheff's life,when his next-of-kin were trembling about the succession, whenthe earlier story was quite forgotten, and when all opportunityfor discovering the truth had seemingly passed away. No doubt you,Mr. Burdovsky, heard this conjecture, and did not hesitate to acceptit as true. I have had the honour of making your mother's acquaintance,and I find that she knows all about these reports. What she doesnot know is that you, her son, should have listened to them socomplaisantly. I found your respected mother at Pskoff, ill andin deep poverty, as she has been ever since the death of yourbenefactor. She told me with tears of gratitude how you hadsupported her; she expects much of you, and believes ferventlyin your future success..."
"Oh, this is unbearable!" said Lebedeff's nephew impatiently."What is the good of all this romancing?"
"It is revolting and unseemly!" cried Hippolyte, jumping up in afury.
Burdovsky alone sat silent and motionless.
"What is the good of it?" repeated Gavrila Ardalionovitch, withpretended surprise. "Well, firstly, because now perhaps Mr.Burdovsky is quite convinced that Mr. Pavlicheff's love for himcame simply from generosity of soul, and not from paternal duty.It was most necessary to impress this fact upon his mind,considering that he approved of the article written by Mr.Keller. I speak thus because I look on you, Mr. Burdovsky, as anhonourable man. Secondly, it appears that there was no intentionof cheating in this case, even on the part of Tchebaroff. I wishto say this quite plainly, because the prince hinted a while agothat I too thought it an attempt at robbery and extortion. On thecontrary, everyone has been quite sincere in the matter, andalthough Tchebaroff may be somewhat of a rogue, in this businesshe has acted simply as any sharp lawyer would do under thecircumstances. He looked at it as a case that might bring him ina lot of money, and he did not calculate badly; because on theone hand he speculated on the generosity of the prince, and hisgratitude to the late Mr. Pavlicheff, and on the other to hischivalrous ideas as to the obligations of honour and conscience.As to Mr. Burdovsky, allowing for his principles, we mayacknowledge that he engaged in the business with very littlepersonal aim in view. At the instigation of Tchebaroff and hisother friends, he decided to make the attempt in the service oftruth, progress, and humanity. In short, the conclusion may bedrawn that, in spite of all appearances, Mr. Burdovsky is a manof irreproachable character, and thus the prince can all the morereadily offer him his friendship, and the assistance of which hespoke just now..."
"Hush! hush! Gavrila Ardalionovitch!" cried Muishkin in dismay,but it was too late.
"I said, and I have repeated it over and over again," shoutedBurdovsky furiously, "that I did not want the money. I will nottake it... why...I will not... I am going away!"
He was rushing hurriedly from the terrace, when Lebedeff's nephewseized his arms, and said something to him in a low voice.Burdovsky turned quickly, and drawing an addressed but unsealedenvelope from his pocket, he threw it down on a little tablebeside the prince.
"Those are the two hundred and fifty roubles you dared to sendhim as a charity, by the hands of Tchebaroff," explainedDoktorenko.
"The article in the newspaper put it at fifty!" cried Colia.
"I beg your pardon," said the prince, going up to Burdovsky. "Ihave done you a great wrong, but I did not send you that money asa charity, believe me. And now I am again to blame. I offendedyou just now." (The prince was much distressed; he seemed wornout with fatigue, and spoke almost incoherently.) "I spoke ofswindling... but I did not apply that to you. I was deceived.... I said you were... afflicted... like me... But you arenot like me... you give lessons... you support your mother. Isaid you had dishonoured your mother, but you love her. She saysso herself... I did not know... Gavrila Ardalionovitch didnot tell me that... Forgive me! I dared to offer you tenthousand roubles, but I was wrong. I ought to have done itdifferently, and now... there is no way of doing it, for youdespise me..."
"I declare, this is a lunatic asylum!" cried LizabethaProkofievna.
"Of course it is a lunatic asylum!" repeated Aglaya sharply, buther words were overpowered by other voices. Everybody was talkingloudly, making remarks and comments; some discussed the affairgravely, others laughed. Ivan Fedorovitch Epanchin was extremelyindignant. He stood waiting for his wife with an air of offendeddignity. Lebedeff's nephew took up the word again.
"Well, prince, to do you justice, you certainly know how to makethe most of your--let us call it infirmity, for the sake ofpoliteness; you have set about offering your money and friendshipin such a way that no self-respecting man could possibly acceptthem. This is an excess of ingenuousness or of malice--you oughtto know better than anyone which word best fits the case."
"Allow me, gentlemen," said Gavrila Ardalionovitch, who had justexamined the contents of the envelope, "there are only a hundredroubles here, not two hundred and fifty. I point this out,prince, to prevent misunderstanding."
"Never mind, never mind," said the prince, signing to him to keepquiet.
"Why, no, it is hardly the same," remarked GavrilaArdalionovitch, with an air of ingenuous surprise.
"Don't interrupt, we are not such fools as you think, Mr.Lawyer," cried Lebedeff's nephew angrily. "Of course there is adifference between a hundred roubles and two hundred and fifty,but in this case the principle is the main point, and that ahundred and fifty roubles are missing is only a side issue. Thepoint to be emphasized is that Burdovsky will not accept yourhighness's charity; he flings it back in your face, and itscarcely matters if there are a hundred roubles or two hundredand fifty. Burdovsky has refused ten thousand roubles; you heardhim. He would not have returned even a hundred roubles if he wasdishonest! The hundred and fifty roubles were paid to Tchebarofffor his travelling expenses. You may jeer at our stupidity and atour inexperience in business matters; you have done all you couldalready to make us look ridiculous; but do not dare to call usdishonest. The four of us will club together every day to repaythe hundred and fifty roubles to the prince, if we have to pay itin instalments of a rouble at a time, but we will repay it, withinterest. Burdovsky is poor, he has no millions. After hisjourney to see the prince Tchebaroff sent in his bill. We countedon winning... Who would not have done the same in such a case?"
"Who indeed?" exclaimed Prince S.
"I shall certainly go mad, if I stay here!" cried LizabethaProkofievna.
"It reminds me," said Evgenie Pavlovitch, laughing, "of thefamous plea of a certain lawyer who lately defended a man formurdering six people in order to rob them. He excused his clienton the score of poverty. 'It is quite natural,' he said inconclusion, 'considering the state of misery he was in, that heshould have thought of murdering these six people; which of you,gentlemen, would not have done the same in his place?'"
"Enough," cried Lizabetha Prokofievna abruptly, trembling withanger, "we have had enough of this balderdash!"
In a state of terrible excitement she threw back her head, withflaming eyes, casting looks of contempt and defiance upon thewhole company, in which she could no longer distinguish friendfrom foe. She had restrained herself so long that she felt forcedto vent her rage on somebody. Those who knew LizabethaProkofievna saw at once how it was with her. "She flies intothese rages sometimes," said Ivan Fedorovitch to Prince S. thenext day, "but she is not often so violent as she was yesterday;it does not happen more than once in three years."
"Be quiet, Ivan Fedorovitch! Leave me alone!" cried Mrs.Epanchin. "Why do you offer me your arm now? You had not senseenough to take me away before. You are my husband, you are afather, it was your duty to drag me away by force, if in my follyI refused to obey you and go quietly. You might at least havethought of your daughters. We can find our way out now withoutyour help. Here is shame enough for a year! Wait a moment 'till Ithank the prince! Thank you, prince, for the entertainment youhave given us! It was most amusing to hear these young men... Itis vile, vile! A chaos, a scandal, worse than a nightmare! Is itpossible that there can be many such people on earth? Be quiet,Aglaya! Be quiet, Alexandra! It is none of your business! Don'tfuss round me like that, Evgenie Pavlovitch; you exasperate me!So, my dear," she cried, addressing the prince, "you go so far asto beg their pardon! He says, 'Forgive me for offering you afortune.' And you, you mountebank, what are you laughing at?" shecried, turning suddenly on Lebedeff's nephew. "'We refuse tenthousand roubles; we do not beseech, we demand!' As if he did notknow that this idiot will call on them tomorrow to renew hisoffers of money and friendship. You will, won't you? You will?Come, will you, or won't you?"
"I shall," said the prince, with gentle humility.
"You hear him! You count upon it, too," she continued, turningupon Doktorenko. "You are as sure of him now as if you had themoney in your pocket. And there you are playing the swaggerer tothrow dust in our eyes! No, my dear sir, you may take otherpeople in! I can see through all your airs and graces, I see yourgame!"
"Lizabetha Prokofievna!" exclaimed the prince.
"Come, Lizabetha Prokofievna, it is quite time for us to begoing, we will take the prince with us," said Prince S. with asmile, in the coolest possible way.
The girls stood apart, almost frightened; their father waspositively horrified. Mrs. Epanchin's language astonishedeverybody. Some who stood a little way off smiled furtively, andtalked in whispers. Lebedeff wore an expression of utmostecstasy.
"Chaos and scandal are to be found everywhere, madame," remarkedDoktorenko, who was considerably put out of countenance.
"Not like this! Nothing like the spectacle you have just givenus, sir," answered Lizabetha Prokofievna, with a sort ofhysterical rage. "Leave me alone, will you?" she cried violentlyto those around her, who were trying to keep her quiet. "No,Evgenie Pavlovitch, if, as you said yourself just now, a lawyersaid in open court that he found it quite natural that a manshould murder six people because he was in misery, the world mustbe coming to an end. I had not heard of it before. Now Iunderstand everything. And this stutterer, won't he turn out amurderer?" she cried, pointing to Burdovsky, who was staring ather with stupefaction. "I bet he will! He will have none of yourmoney, possibly, he will refuse it because his conscience willnot allow him to accept it, but he will go murdering you by nightand walking off with your cashbox, with a clear conscience! Hedoes not call it a dishonest action but 'the impulse of a nobledespair'; 'a negation'; or the devil knows what! Bah! everythingis upside down, everyone walks head downwards. A young girl,brought up at home, suddenly jumps into a cab in the middle ofthe street, saying: 'Good-bye, mother, I married Karlitch, orIvanitch, the other day!' And you think it quite right? You callsuch conduct estimable and natural? The 'woman question'? Lookhere," she continued, pointing to Colia, "the other day thatwhippersnapper told me that this was the whole meaning of the'woman question.' But even supposing that your mother is a fool,you are none the less, bound to treat her with humanity. Why didyou come here tonight so insolently? 'Give us our rights, butdon't dare to speak in our presence. Show us every mark ofdeepest respect, while we treat you like the scum of the earth.'The miscreants have written a tissue of calumny in their article,and these are the men who seek for truth, and do battle for theright! 'We do not beseech, we demand, you will get no thanks fromus, because you will be acting to satisfy your own conscience!'What morality! But, good. heavens! if you declare that theprince's generosity will, excite no gratitude in you, he mightanswer that he is not, bound to be grateful to Pavlicheff, whoalso was only satisfying his own conscience. But you counted onthe prince's, gratitude towards Pavlicheff; you never lent himany money; he owes you nothing; then what were you counting uponif not on his gratitude? And if you appeal to that sentiment inothers, why should you expect to be exempted from it? They aremad! They say society is savage and. inhuman because it despisesa young girl who has been seduced. But if you call societyinhuman you imply that the young girl is made to suffer by itscensure. How then, can you hold her up to the scorn of society inthe newspapers without realizing that you are making hersuffering, still greater? Madmen! Vain fools! They don't believein God, they don't believe in Christ! But you are so eaten. up bypride and vanity, that you will end by devouring each other--thatis my prophecy! Is not this absurd? Is it not monstrous chaos?And after all this, that shameless creature will go and beg theirpardon! Are there many people like you? What are you smiling at?Because I am not ashamed to disgrace myself before you?--Yes, Iam disgraced--it can't be helped now! But don't you jeer at me,you scum!" (this was aimed at Hippolyte). "He is almost at hislast gasp, yet he corrupts others. You, have got hold of this lad"--(she pointed to Colia); "you, have turned his head, you havetaught him to be an atheist, you don't believe in God, and youare not too old to be whipped, sir! A plague upon you! And so,Prince Lef Nicolaievitch, you will call on them tomorrow, willyou?" she asked the prince breathlessly, for the second time.
"Yes."
"Then I will never speak to you again." She made a suddenmovement to go, and then turned quickly back. "And you will callon that atheist?" she continued, pointing to Hippolyte. "How dareyou grin at me like that?" she shouted furiously, rushing at theinvalid, whose mocking smile drove her to distraction.
Exclamations arose on all sides.
"Lizabetha Prokofievna! Lizabetha Prokofievna! LizabethaProkofievna!"
"Mother, this is disgraceful!" cried Aglaya.
Mrs. Epanchin had approached Hippolyte and seized him firmly bythe arm, while her eyes, blazing with fury, were fixed upon hisface.
"Do not distress yourself, Aglaya Ivanovitch," he answeredcalmly; "your mother knows that one cannot strike a dying man. Iam ready to explain why I was laughing. I shall be delighted ifyou will let me--"
A violent fit of coughing, which lasted a full minute, preventedhim from finishing his sentence.
"He is dying, yet he will not stop holding forth!" criedLizabetha Prokofievna. She loosed her hold on his arm, almostterrified, as she saw him wiping the blood from his lips. "Why doyou talk? You ought to go home to bed."
"So I will," he whispered hoarsely. "As soon as I get home I willgo to bed at once; and I know I shall be dead in a fortnight;Botkine told me so himself last week. That is why I should liketo say a few farewell words, if you will let me."
"But you must be mad! It is ridiculous! You should take care ofyourself; what is the use of holding a conversation now? Go hometo bed, do!" cried Mrs. Epanchin in horror.
"When I do go to bed I shall never get up again," said Hippolyte,with a smile. "I meant to take to my bed yesterday and stay theretill I died, but as my legs can still carry me, I put it off fortwo days, so as to come here with them to-day--but I am verytired."
"Oh, sit down, sit down, why are you standing?"
Lizabetha Prokofievna placed a chair for him with her own hands.
"Thank you," he said gently. "Sit opposite to me, and let ustalk. We must have a talk now, Lizabetha Prokofievna; I am veryanxious for it." He smiled at her once more. "Remember thattoday, for the last time, I am out in the air, and in the companyof my fellow-men, and that in a fortnight I shall I certainly beno longer in this world. So, in a way, this is my farewell tonature and to men. I am not very sentimental, but do you know, Iam quite glad that all this has happened at Pavlofsk, where atleast one can see a green tree."
"But why talk now?" replied Lizabetha Prokofievna, more and morealarmed; "are quite feverish. Just now you would not stopshouting, and now you can hardly breathe. You are gasping."
"I shall have time to rest. Why will you not grant my last wish?Do you know, Lizabetha Prokofievna, that I have dreamed ofmeeting you for a long while? I had often heard of you fromColia; he is almost the only person who still comes to see me.You are an original and eccentric woman; I have seen that formyself--Do you know, I have even been rather fond of you?"
"Good heavens! And I very nearly struck him!"
"You were prevented by Aglaya Ivanovna. I think I am notmistaken? That is your daughter, Aglaya Ivanovna? She is sobeautiful that I recognized her directly, although I had neverseen her before. Let me, at least, look on beauty for the lasttime in my life," he said with a wry smile. "You are here withthe prince, and your husband, and a large company. Why should yourefuse to gratify my last wish?"
"Give me a chair!" cried Lizabetha Prokofievna, but she seizedone for herself and sat down opposite to Hippolyte. "Colia, youmust go home with him," she commanded and tomorrow I will comemy self. "
"Will you let me ask the prince for a cup of tea?... I amexhausted. Do you know what you might do, Lizabetha Prokofievna?I think you wanted to take the prince home with you for tea. Stayhere, and let us spend the evening together. I am sure the princewill give us all some tea. Forgive me for being so free and easy--but I know you are kind, and the prince is kind, too. In fact, weare all good-natured people--it is really quite comical."
The prince bestirred himself to give orders. Lebedeff hurriedout, followed by Vera.
"It is quite true," said Mrs. Epanchin decisively. "Talk, but nottoo loud, and don't excite yourself. You have made me sorry foryou. Prince, you don't deserve that I should stay and have teawith you, yet I will, all the same, but I won't apologize. Iapologize to nobody! Nobody! It is absurd! However, forgive me,prince, if I blew you up--that is, if you like, of course. Butplease don't let me keep anyone," she added suddenly to herhusband and daughters, in a tone of resentment, as though theyhad grievously offended her. "I can come home alone quite well."
But they did not let her finish, and gathered round her eagerly.The prince immediately invited everyone to stay for tea, andapologized for not having thought of it before. The generalmurmured a few polite words, and asked Lizabetha Prokofievna ifshe did not feel cold on the terrace. He very nearly askedHippolyte how long he had been at the University, but stoppedhimself in time. Evgenie Pavlovitch and Prince S. suddenly grewextremely gay and amiable. Adelaida and Alexandra had notrecovered from their surprise, but it was now mingled withsatisfaction; in short, everyone seemed very much relieved thatLizabetha Prokofievna had got over her paroxysm. Aglaya alonestill frowned, and sat apart in silence. All the other guestsstayed on as well; no one wanted to go, not even General Ivolgin,but Lebedeff said something to him in passing which did not seemto please him, for he immediately went and sulked in a corner.The prince took care to offer tea to Burdovsky and his friends aswell as the rest. The invitation made them rather uncomfortable.They muttered that they would wait for Hippolyte, and went andsat by themselves in a distant corner of the verandah. Tea wasserved at once; Lebedeff had no doubt ordered it for himself andhis family before the others arrived. It was striking eleven.