白痴 英文版 The Idiot
陀思妥耶夫斯基 Fyodor Dostoyevsky
The Idiot IX. Page 2
"Are you acquainted with her?"
"Well, hardly at all. I wish I were, if only for the sake ofjustifying myself in her eyes. Nina Alexandrovna has a grudgeagainst me for, as she thinks, encouraging her husband indrinking; whereas in reality I not only do not encourage him, butI actually keep him out of harm's way, and out of bad company.Besides, he's my friend, prince, so that I shall not lose sightof him, again. Where he goes, I go. He's quite given up visitingthe captain's widow, though sometimes he thinks sadly of her,especially in the morning, when he's putting on his boots. Idon't know why it's at that time. But he has no money, and it'sno use his going to see her without. Has he borrowed any moneyfrom you, prince?"
"No, he has not."
"Ah, he's ashamed to! He MEANT to ask you, I know, for he saidso. I suppose he thinks that as you gave him some once (youremember), you would probably refuse if he asked you again."
"Do you ever give him money?"
"Prince! Money! Why I would give that man not only my money, butmy very life, if he wanted it. Well, perhaps that's exaggeration;not life, we'll say, but some illness, a boil or a bad cough, oranything of that sort, I would stand with pleasure, for his sake;for I consider him a great man fallen--money, indeed!"
"H'm, then you DO give him money?"
"N-no, I have never given him money, and he knows well that Iwill never give him any; because I am anxious to keep him out ofintemperate ways. He is going to town with me now; for you mustknow I am off to Petersburg after Ferdishenko, while the scent ishot; I'm certain he is there. I shall let the general go one way,while I go the other; we have so arranged matters in order to popout upon Ferdishenko, you see, from different sides. But I amgoing to follow that naughty old general and catch him, I knowwhere, at a certain widow's house; for I think it will be a goodlesson, to put him to shame by catching him with the widow."
"Oh, Lebedeff, don't, don't make any scandal about it!" said theprince, much agitated, and speaking in a low voice.
"Not for the world, not for the world! I merely wish to make himashamed of himself. Oh, prince, great though this misfortune beto myself, I cannot help thinking of his morals! I have a greatfavour to ask of you, esteemed prince; I confess that it is thechief object of my visit. You know the Ivolgins, you have evenlived in their house; so if you would lend me your help, honouredprince, in the general's own interest and for his good."
Lebedeff clasped his hands in supplication.
"What help do you want from me? You may be certain that I am mostanxious to understand you, Lebedeff."
"I felt sure of that, or I should not have come to you. We mightmanage it with the help of Nina Alexandrovna, so that he might beclosely watched in his own house. Unfortunately I am not onterms ... otherwise ... but Nicolai Ardalionovitch, whoadores you with all his youthful soul, might help, too."
forbid that we should bring Nina.
"No, no! Heaven forbid that we should bring Nina Alexandrovnainto this business! Or Colia, either. But perhaps I have not yetquite understood you, Lebedeff?"
Lebedeff made an impatient movement.
"But there is nothing to understand! Sympathy and tenderness,that is all--that is all our poor invalid requires! You willpermit me to consider him an invalid?"
"Yes, it shows delicacy and intelligence on your part."
"I will explain my idea by a practical example, to make itclearer. You know the sort of man he is. At present his onlyfailing is that he is crazy about that captain's widow, and hecannot go to her without money, and I mean to catch him at herhouse today--for his own good; but supposing it was not only thewidow, but that he had committed a real crime, or at least somevery dishonourable action (of which he is, of course, incapable),I repeat that even in that case, if he were treated with what Imay call generous tenderness, one could get at the whole truth,for he is very soft-hearted! Believe me, he would betray himselfbefore five days were out; he would burst into tears, and make aclean breast of the matter; especially if managed with tact, andif you and his family watched his every step, so to speak. Oh, mydear prince," Lebedeff added most emphatically, "I do notpositively assert that he has ... I am ready, as the saying is,to shed my last drop of blood for him this instant; but you willadmit that debauchery, drunkenness, and the captain's widow, allthese together may lead him very far."
"I am, of course, quite ready to add my efforts to yours in sucha case," said the prince, rising; "but I confess, Lebedeff, thatI am terribly perplexed. Tell me, do you still think ...plainly, you say yourself that you suspect Mr. Ferdishenko?"
Lebedeff clasped his hands once more.
"Why, who else could I possibly suspect? Who else, most outspokenprince?" he replied, with an unctuous smile.
Muishkin frowned, and rose from his seat.
"You see, Lebedeff, a mistake here would be a dreadful thing.This Ferdishenko, I would not say a word against him, of course;but, who knows? Perhaps it really was he? I mean he really doesseem to be a more likely man than... than any other."
Lebedeff strained his eyes and ears to take in what the princewas saying. The latter was frowning more and more, and walkingexcitedly up and down, trying not to look at Lebedeff.
"You see," he said, "I was given to understand that Ferdishenkowas that sort of man,--that one can't say everything before him.One has to take care not to say too much, you understand? I saythis to prove that he really is, so to speak, more likely to havedone this than anyone else, eh? You understand? The importantthing is, not to make a mistake."
"And who told you this about Ferdishenko?"
"Oh, I was told. Of course I don't altogether believe it. I amvery sorry that I should have had to say this, because I assureyou I don't believe it myself; it is all nonsense, of course. Itwas stupid of me to say anything about it."
"You see, it is very important, it is most important to knowwhere you got this report from," said Lebedeff, excitedly. He hadrisen from his seat, and was trying to keep step with the prince,running after him, up and down. "Because look here, prince, Idon't mind telling you now that as we were going along toWilkin's this morning, after telling me what you know about thefire, and saving the count and all that, the general was pleasedto drop certain hints to the same effect about Ferdishenko, butso vaguely and clumsily that I thought better to put a fewquestions to him on the matter, with the result that I found thewhole thing was an invention of his excellency's own mind. Ofcourse, he only lies with the best intentions; still, he lies.But, such being the case, where could you have heard the samereport? It was the inspiration of the moment with him, youunderstand, so who could have told YOU? It is an importantquestion, you see!"
"It was Colia told me, and his father told HIM at about six thismorning. They met at the threshold, when Colia was leaving theroom for something or other." The prince told Lebedeff all thatColia had made known to himself, in detail.
"There now, that's what we may call SCENT!" said Lebedeff,rubbing his hands and laughing silently. "I thought it must beso, you see. The general interrupted his innocent slumbers, atsix o'clock, in order to go and wake his beloved son, and warnhim of the dreadful danger of companionship with Ferdishenko.Dear me! what a dreadfully dangerous man Ferdishenko must be, andwhat touching paternal solicitude, on the part of hisexcellency, ha! ha! ha!"
"Listen, Lebedeff," began the prince, quite overwhelmed; "DO actquietly--don't make a scandal, Lebedeff, I ask you--I entreatyou! No one must know--NO ONE, mind! In that case only, I willhelp you."
"Be assured, most honourable, most worthy of princes--be assuredthat the whole matter shall be buried within my heart!" criedLebedeff, in a paroxysm of exaltation. "I'd give every drop of myblood... Illustrious prince, I am a poor wretch in soul andspirit, but ask the veriest scoundrel whether he would prefer todeal with one like himself, or with a noble-hearted man like you,and there is no doubt as to his choice! He'll answer that heprefers the noble-hearted man--and there you have the triumph ofvirtue! Au revoir, honoured prince! You and I together--softly!softly!"