白痴 英文版 The Idiot
陀思妥耶夫斯基 Fyodor Dostoyevsky
The Idiot IX. Page 1
ARRIVED at her house, Lizabetha Prokofievna paused in the firstroom. She could go no farther, and subsided on to a couch quiteexhausted; too feeble to remember so much as to ask the prince totake a seat. This was a large reception-room, full of flowers,and with a glass door leading into the garden.
Alexandra and Adelaida came in almost immediately, and lookedinquiringly at the prince and their mother.
The girls generally rose at about nine in the morning in thecountry; Aglaya, of late, had been in the habit of getting uprather earlier and having a walk in the garden, but not at seveno'clock; about eight or a little later was her usual time.
Lizabetha Prokofievna, who really had not slept all night, roseat about eight on purpose to meet Aglaya in the garden and walkwith her; but she could not find her either in the garden or inher own room.
This agitated the old lady considerably; and she awoke her otherdaughters. Next, she learned from the maid that Aglaya had goneinto the park before seven o'clock. The sisters made a joke ofAglaya's last freak, and told their mother that if she went intothe park to look for her, Aglaya would probably be very angrywith her, and that she was pretty sure to be sitting reading onthe green bench that she had talked of two or three days since,and about which she had nearly quarrelled with Prince S., who didnot see anything particularly lovely in it.
Arrived at the rendezvous of the prince and her daughter, andhearing the strange words of the latter, Lizabetha Prokofievnahad been dreadfully alarmed, for many reasons. However, now thatshe had dragged the prince home with her, she began to feel alittle frightened at what she had undertaken. Why should notAglaya meet the prince in the park and have a talk with him, evenif such a meeting should be by appointment?
"Don't suppose, prince," she began, bracing herself up for theeffort, "don't suppose that I have brought you here to askquestions. After last night, I assure you, I am not soexceedingly anxious to see you at all; I could have postponed thepleasure for a long while." She paused.
"But at the same time you would be very glad to know how Ihappened to meet Aglaya Ivanovna this morning?" The princefinished her speech for her with the utmost composure.
"Well, what then? Supposing I should like to know?" criedLizabetha Prokofievna, blushing. "I'm sure I am not afraid ofplain speaking. I'm not offending anyone, and I never wish to,and--"
"Pardon me, it is no offence to wish to know this; you are hermother. We met at the green bench this morning, punctually atseven o'clock,--according to an agreement made by Aglaya Ivanovnawith myself yesterday. She said that she wished to see me andspeak to me about something important. We met and conversed foran hour about matters concerning Aglaya Ivanovna herself, andthat's all."
"Of course it is all, my friend. I don't doubt you for a moment,"said Lizabetha Prokofievna with dignity.
"Well done, prince, capital!" cried Aglaya, who entered the roomat this moment. "Thank you for assuming that I would not demeanmyself with lies. Come, is that enough, mamma, or do you intendto put any more questions?"
"You know I have never needed to blush before you, up to thisday, though perhaps you would have been glad enough to make me,"said Lizabetha Prokofievna,--with majesty. "Good-bye, prince;forgive me for bothering you. I trust you will rest assured of myunalterable esteem for you."
The prince made his bows and retired at once. Alexandra andAdelaida smiled and whispered to each other, while LizabethaProkofievna glared severely at them. "We are only laughing at theprince's beautiful bows, mamma," said Adelaida. "Sometimes hebows just like a meal-sack, but to-day he was like--like EvgeniePavlovitch!"
"It is the HEART which is the best teacher of refinement anddignity, not the dancing-master," said her mother, sententiously,and departed upstairs to her own room, not so much as glancing atAglaya.
When the prince reached home, about nine o'clock, he found VeraLebedeff and the maid on the verandah. They were both busy tryingto tidy up the place after last night's disorderly party.
"Thank goodness, we've just managed to finish it before you camein!" said Vera, joyfully.
"Good-morning! My head whirls so; I didn't sleep all night. Ishould like to have a nap now."
"Here, on the verandah? Very well, I'll tell them all not to comeand wake you. Papa has gone out somewhere."
The servant left the room. Vera was about to follow her, butreturned and approached the prince with a preoccupied air.
"Prince!" she said, "have pity on that poor boy; don't turn himout today."
"Not for the world; he shall do just as he likes."
"He won't do any harm now; and--and don't be too severe withhim,"
"Oh dear no! Why--"
"And--and you won't LAUGH at him? That's the chief thing."
"Oh no! Never."
"How foolish I am to speak of such things to a man like you,"said Vera, blushing. "Though you DO look tired," she added, halfturning away," your eyes are so splendid at this moment--so fullof happiness."
"Really?" asked the prince, gleefully, and he laughed in delight.
But Vera, simple-minded little girl that she was (just like aboy, in fact), here became dreadfully confused, of a sudden, andran hastily out of the room, laughing and blushing.
"What a dear little thing she is," thought the prince, andimmediately forgot all about her.
But the door opened again, and out came Colia.
The prince actually felt glad that he had been interrupted,--andmight return the letters to his pocket. He was glad of therespite.
"Well," said Colia, plunging in medias res, as he always did,"here's a go! What do you think of Hippolyte now? Don't respecthim any longer, eh?"
"Why not? But look here, Colia, I'm tired; besides, the subjectis too melancholy to begin upon again. How is he, though?"
"Asleep--he'll sleep for a couple of hours yet. I quiteunderstand--you haven't slept--you walked about the park, I know.Agitation--excitement--all that sort of thing--quite natural,too!"
"How do you know I walked in the park and didn't sleep at home?"
"Vera just told me. She tried to persuade me not to come, but Icouldn't help myself, just for one minute. I have been having myturn at the bedside for the last two hours; Kostia Lebedeff isthere now. Burdovsky has gone. Now, lie down, prince, makeyourself comfortable, and sleep well! I'm awfully impressed, youknow."
"Naturally, all this--"
"No, no, I mean with the 'explanation,' especially that part ofit where he talks about Providence and a future life. There is agigantic thought there."
The prince gazed affectionately at Colia, who, of course, hadcome in solely for the purpose of talking about this "giganticthought."
"But it is not any one particular thought, only; it is thegeneral circumstances of the case. If Voltaire had written thisnow, or Rousseau, I should have just read it and thought itremarkable, but should not have been so IMPRESSED by it. But aman who knows for certain that he has but ten minutes to live andcan talk like that--why--it's--it's PRIDE, that is! It is reallya most extraordinary, exalted assertion of personal dignity,it's--it's DEFIANT! What a GIGANTIC strength of will, eh? And toaccuse a fellow like that of not putting in the cap on purpose;it's base and mean! You know he deceived us last night, thecunning rascal. I never packed his bag for him, and I never sawhis pistol. He packed it himself. But he put me off my guard likethat, you see. Vera says you are going to let him stay on; Iswear there's no danger, especially as we are always with him."
"Who was by him at night?"
"I, and Burdovsky, and Kostia Lebedeff. Keller stayed a littlewhile, and then went over to Lebedeff's to sleep. Ferdishenkoslept at Lebedeff's, too; but he went away at seven o'clock. Myfather is always at Lebedeff's; but he has gone out just now. Idare say Lebedeff will be coming in here directly; he has beenlooking for you; I don't know what he wants. Shall we let him inor not, if you are asleep? I'm going to have a nap, too. By-the-by, such a curious thing happened. Burdovsky woke me at seven,and I met my father just outside the room, so drunk, he didn'teven know me. He stood before me like a log, and when herecovered himself, asked hurriedly how Hippolyte was. 'Yes,' hesaid, when I told him, 'that's all very well, but I REALLY cameto warn you that you must be very careful what you say beforeFerdishenko.' Do you follow me, prince?"
only myself--"cunning.
"Yes. Is it really so? However, it's all the same to us, ofcourse."
"Of course it is; we are not a secret society; and that being thecase, it is all the more curious that the general should havebeen on his way to wake me up in order to tell me this."
"Ferdishenko has gone, you say?"
"Yes, he went at seven o'clock. He came into the room on his wayout; I was watching just then. He said he was going to spend 'therest of the night' at Wilkin's; there's a tipsy fellow, a friendof his, of that name. Well, I'm off. Oh, here's Lebedeff himself!The prince wants to go to sleep, Lukian Timofeyovitch, so you mayjust go away again."
"One moment, my dear prince, just one. I must absolutely speak toyou about something which is most grave," said Lebedeff,mysteriously and solemnly, entering the room with a bow andlooking extremely important. He had but just returned, andcarried his hat in his hand. He looked preoccupied and mostunusually dignified.
The prince begged him to take a chair.
"I hear you have called twice; I suppose you are still worriedabout yesterday's affair."
"What, about that boy, you mean? Oh dear no, yesterday my ideaswere a little--well--mixed. Today, I assure you, I shall notoppose in the slightest degree any suggestions it may please youto make."
"What's up with you this morning, Lebedeff? You look so importantand dignified, and you choose your words so carefully," said theprince, smiling.
"Nicolai Ardalionovitch!" said Lebedeff, in a most amiable toneof voice, addressing the boy. "As I have a communication to maketo the prince which concerns only myself--"
"Of course, of course, not my affair. All right," said Colia, andaway he went.
"I love that boy for his perception," said Lebedeff, lookingafter him. "My dear prince," he continued, "I have had a terriblemisfortune, either last night or early this morning. I cannottell the exact time."
"What is it?"
"I have lost four hundred roubles out of my side pocket! They'regone!" said Lebedeff, with a sour smile.
o'clock, or even earlier."very.
"You've lost four hundred roubles? Oh! I'm sorry for that."
"Yes, it is serious for a poor man who lives by his toil."
"Of course, of course! How was it?"
"Oh, the wine is to blame, of course. I confess to you, prince,as I would to Providence itself. Yesterday I received fourhundred roubles from a debtor at about five in the afternoon, andcame down here by train. I had my purse in my pocket. When Ichanged, I put the money into the pocket of my plain clothes,intending to keep it by me, as I expected to have an applicantfor it in the evening."
"It's true then, Lebedeff, that you advertise to lend money ongold or silver articles?"
"Yes, through an agent. My own name doesn't appear. I have alarge family, you see, and at a small percentage--"
"Quite so, quite so. I only asked for information--excuse thequestion. Go on."
"Well, meanwhile that sick boy was brought here, and those guestscame in, and we had tea, and--well, we made merry--to my ruin!Hearing of your birthday afterwards, and excited with thecircumstances of the evening, I ran upstairs and changed my plainclothes once more for my uniform [Civil Service clerks in Russiawear uniform.]--you must have noticed I had my uniform on all theevening? Well, I forgot the money in the pocket of my old coat--you know when God will ruin a man he first of all bereaves him ofhis senses--and it was only this morning at half-past seven thatI woke up and grabbed at my coat pocket, first thing. The pocketwas empty--the purse gone, and not a trace to be found!"
"Dear me! This is very unpleasant!"
"Unpleasant! Indeed it is. You have found a very appropriateexpression," said Lebedeff, politely, but with sarcasm.
"But what's to be done? It's a serious matter," said the prince,thoughtfully. "Don't you think you may have dropped it out ofyour pocket whilst intoxicated?"
"Certainly. Anything is possible when one is intoxicated, as youneatly express it, prince. But consider--if I, intoxicated ornot, dropped an object out of my pocket on to the ground, thatobject ought to remain on the ground. Where is the object, then?"
"Didn't you put it away in some drawer, perhaps?"
"I've looked everywhere, and turned out everything."
"I confess this disturbs me a good deal. Someone must have pickedit up, then."
"Or taken it out of my pocket--two alternatives."
"It is very distressing, because WHO--? That's the question!"
"Most undoubtedly, excellent prince, you have hit it--that is thevery question. How wonderfully you express the exact situation ina few words!"
"Come, come, Lebedeff, no sarcasm! It's a serious--"
"Sarcasm!" cried Lebedeff, wringing his hands."All right, all right, I'm not angry. I'm only put out aboutthis. Whom do you suspect?"
"That is a very difficult and complicated question. I cannotsuspect the servant, for she was in the kitchen the wholeevening, nor do I suspect any of my children."
"I should think not. Go on."
"Then it must be one of the guests."
"Absolutely and utterly impossible--and yet, so it must be. Butone thing I am sure of, if it be a theft, it was committed, notin the evening when we were all together, but either at night orearly in the morning; therefore, by one of those who slept here.Burdovsky and Colia I except, of course. They did not even comeinto my room."
"Yes, or even if they had! But who did sleep with you?" "Four ofus, including myself, in two rooms. The general, myself, Keller,and Ferdishenko. One of us four it must have been. I don'tsuspect myself, though such cases have been known."
the evening when we were!
"Oh! DO go on, Lebedeff! Don't drag it out so."
"Well, there are three left, then--Keller firstly. He is adrunkard to begin with, and a liberal (in the sense of otherpeople's pockets), otherwise with more of the ancient knightabout him than of the modern liberal. He was with the sick man atfirst, but came over afterwards because there was no place to liedown in the room and the floor was so hard."
"You suspect him?"
"I DID suspect him. When I woke up at half-past seven and tore myhair in despair for my loss and carelessness, I awoke thegeneral, who was sleeping the sleep of innocence near me. Takinginto consideration the sudden disappearance of Ferdishenko, whichwas suspicious in itself, we decided to search Keller, who waslying there sleeping like a top. Well, we searched his clothesthoroughly, and not a farthing did we find; in fact, his pocketsall had holes in them. We found a dirty handkerchief, and a love-letter from some scullery-maid. The general decided that he wasinnocent. We awoke him for further inquiries, and had thegreatest difficulty in making him understand what was up. Heopened his mouth and stared--he looked so stupid and so absurdlyinnocent. It wasn't Keller."
"Oh, I'm so glad!" said the prince, joyfully. "I was so afraid."
"Afraid! Then you had some grounds for supposing he might be theculprit?" said Lebedeff, frowning.
"Oh no--not a bit! It was foolish of me to say I was afraid!Don't repeat it please, Lebedeff, don't tell anyone I said that!"
"My dear prince! your words lie in the lowest depth of my heart--it is their tomb!" said Lebedeff, solemnly, pressing his hat tothe region of his heart.
"Thanks; very well. Then I suppose it's Ferdishenko; that is, Imean, you suspect Ferdishenko?"
"Whom else?" said Lebedeff, softly, gazing intently into theprince s face.
"Of course--quite so, whom else? But what are the proofs?"
"We have evidence. In the first place, his mysteriousdisappearance at seven o'clock, or even earlier."
"I know, Colia told me that he had said he was off to--I forgetthe name, some friend of his, to finish the night."
"H'm! then Colia has spoken to you already?"
"Not about the theft."
"He does not know of it; I have kept it a secret. Very well,Ferdishenko went off to Wilkin's. That is not so curious initself, but here the evidence opens out further. He left hisaddress, you see, when he went. Now prince, consider, why did heleave his address? Why do you suppose he went out of his way totell Colia that he had gone to Wilkin's? Who cared to know thathe was going to Wilkin's? No, no! prince, this is finesse,thieves' finesse! This is as good as saying, 'There, how can I bea thief when I leave my address? I'm not concealing my movementsas a thief would.' Do you understand, prince?"
"Oh yes, but that is not enough."
"Second proof. The scent turns out to be false, and the addressgiven is a sham. An hour after--that is at about eight, I went toWilkin's myself, and there was no trace of Ferdishenko. The maiddid tell me, certainly, that an hour or so since someone had beenhammering at the door, and had smashed the bell; she said shewould not open the door because she didn't want to wake hermaster; probably she was too lazy to get up herself. Suchphenomena are met with occasionally!"
"But is that all your evidence? It is not enough!"
"Well, prince, whom are we to suspect, then? Consider!" saidLebedeff with almost servile amiability, smiling at the prince.There was a look of cunning in his eyes, however.
"You should search your room and all the cupboards again," saidthe prince, after a moment or two of silent reflection.
"But I have done so, my dear prince!" said Lebedeff, more sweetlythan ever.
"H'm! why must you needs go up and change your coat like that?"asked the prince, banging the table with his fist, in annoyance.
"Oh, don't be so worried on my account, prince! I assure you I amnot worth it! At least, not I alone. But I see you are sufferingon behalf of the criminal too, for wretched Ferdishenko, infact!"
"Of course you have given me a disagreeable enough thing to thinkabout," said the prince, irritably, "but what are you going todo, since you are so sure it was Ferdishenko?"
"But who else COULD it be, my very dear prince?" repeatedLebedeff, as sweet as sugar again. "If you don't wish me tosuspect Mr. Burdovsky?"
"Of course not."
"Nor the general? Ha, ha, ha!"
"Nonsense!" said the prince, angrily, turning round upon him.
"Quite so, nonsense! Ha, ha, ha! dear me! He did amuse me, didthe general! We went off on the hot scent to Wilkin's together,you know; but I must first observe that the general was even morethunderstruck than I myself this morning, when I awoke him afterdiscovering the theft; so much so that his very face changed--hegrew red and then pale, and at length flew into a paroxysm ofsuch noble wrath that I assure you I was quite surprised! He is amost generous-hearted man! He tells lies by the thousands, Iknow, but it is merely a weakness; he is a man of the highestfeelings; a simple-minded man too, and a man who carries theconviction of innocence in his very appearance. I love that man,sir; I may have told you so before; it is a weakness of mine.Well--he suddenly stopped in the middle of the road, opened outhis coat and bared his breast. "Search me," he says, "yousearched Keller; why don't you search me too? It is only fair!"says he. And all the while his legs and hands were trembling withanger, and he as white as a sheet all over! So I said to him,"Nonsense, general; if anybody but yourself had said that to me,I'd have taken my head, my own head, and put it on a large dishand carried it round to anyone who suspected you; and I shouldhave said: 'There, you see that head? It's my head, and I'll gobail with that head for him! Yes, and walk through the fire forhim, too. There,' says I, 'that's how I'd answer for you,general!' Then he embraced me, in the middle of the street, andhugged me so tight (crying over me all the while) that I coughedfit to choke! 'You are the one friend left to me amid all mymisfortunes,' says he. Oh, he's a man of sentiment, that! He wenton to tell me a story of how he had been accused, or suspected,of stealing five hundred thousand roubles once, as a young man;and how, the very next day, he had rushed into a burning, blazinghouse and saved the very count who suspected him, and NinaAlexandrovna (who was then a young girl), from a fiery death. Thecount embraced him, and that was how he came to marry NinaAlexandrovna, he said. As for the money, it was found among theruins next day in an English iron box with a secret lock; it hadgot under the floor somehow, and if it had not been for the fireit would never have been found! The whole thing is, of course, anabsolute fabrication, though when he spoke of Nina Alexandrovnahe wept! She's a grand woman, is Nina Alexandrovna, though she isvery angry with me!"