The Idiot (98 page)

The prince began to tremble badly.

‘A note?’

‘No, sir, by mouth; she only just had time. She asks you very much not to go out at all for a single moment today until seven in the evening, or even until nine, I didn’t hear it all properly.’

‘But... why? What does it mean?’

‘I really don’t know; only she told me to be sure to tell you.’

‘Is that what she said: “be sure to”?’

‘No, sir, she didn’t say it directly: she was turning away, and she hardly had time to get the words out, seeing as how I myself had rushed up to her. But from her face it was plain that she was telling me to be sure I did it. She gave me such a look that my heart froze ...’

A few more questions, and although the prince learned nothing further, he became even more anxious. Remaining alone, he lay down on the sofa and began to think again. ‘Perhaps they have guests until nine, and she’s afraid that I’ll start playing pranks in front of them again,’ he concluded to himself at last, and again began impatiently to wait for the evening, and to look at his watch. But the denouement followed long before evening and also in the form of another visit, a denouement in the form of a new, tormenting riddle: just half an hour after the Yepanchins’ departure Ippolit entered his room, so tired and exhausted that, entering without saying a word, as if unconscious, he literally fell into an armchair and instantly sank into unendurable coughing. He coughed until he spat up blood
. His eyes glittered and red spots glowed on his cheeks. The prince muttered something to him, but he did not reply and for a long time, still not replying, merely continued to make a defensive gesture with his arm, as a sign that he should not be disturbed. At last he came to.

‘I’m leaving!’ he articulated at last in a hoarse voice.

‘I’ll see you home if you like,’ said the prince, half getting up from his chair, and stopped short, remembering the recent prohibition on going out.

Ippolit began to laugh.

‘It’s not you I’m leaving,’ he continued, with a constant gasping, and a slight cough. ‘On the contrary, I considered it necessary to come and see you, and on business ... in the absence of which I wouldn’t have troubled you. I’m going
there,
and this time, it seems, in earnest.
Kaput!
I’m not here for sympathy, believe me ... I lay down at ten this morning, intending not to get up at all until
then,
but I changed my mind and got up again in order to come and see you ... so that means I had no alternative.’

‘It hurts me to see you like this; you ought to have summoned me, rather than put yourself through all this effort.’

‘Well, that will do. You’ve shown enough pity to satisfy the requirements of social politeness ... Oh yes, I forgot: how’s your health?’

‘I’m all right. Yesterday I wasn’t ... very ...’

‘I heard, I heard. The Chinese vase met its end; what a pity I wasn’t there! But let me get down to business. Number one: today I had the pleasure of seeing Gavrila Ardalionovich at a rendezvous with Aglaya Ivanovna, at the green bench. I marvelled at the degree to which a man may possess a stupid appearance. Commented on this to Aglaya Ivanovna herself after Gavrila Ardalionovich’s departure ... Nothing seems to surprise you, Prince,’ he added, looking mistrustfully at the prince’s untroubled face. ‘It is said that not being surprised at anything is a token of great intelligence; in my opinion, it could equally well serve as a token of great stupidity ... Though actually, I’m not referring to you, forgive me ... I’m very unfortunate in my choice of words today.’

‘I knew yesterday that Gavrila Ardalionovich ...’ the prince stopped short, apparently embarrassed, though Ippolit was annoyed at his lack of surprise.

‘You knew! Now that is news! Though actually, perhaps, don’t tell me ... And you were a witness of the rendezvous this morning?’

‘You would have seen that I was not there, if you were there yourself.’

‘Well, perhaps you were crouching behind a bush somewhere. Actually, I’m glad, for you, of course, for otherwise I’d have thought that Gavrila Ardalionovich was the preferred suitor!’

‘I would ask you not to speak of that to me, Ippolit, and especially not in such words.’

‘Particularly as you already know everything.’

‘You’re wrong. I hardly know anything, and Aglaya Ivanovna knows for a fact that I don’t know anything. Even about this rendezvo
us I knew absolutely nothing ... You say there was a rendezvous? So, very well, let us leave it there ...’

‘But how is this, you knew, and yet you did not know? You say: all right, let us leave it there? Well, no, don’t be so trusting! Especially if you don’t know anything. That’s why you’re trusting, because you don’t know. And do you know what those two individuals, the brother and the sister, are counting on? You do, perhaps, suspect something in that direction? ... Very well, very well, I’ll leave it there ...’, he added, noticing the prince’s impatient gesture, ‘but I came to see you on business of my own and that’s what I want to ... explain. The devil take it, one can’t even die without explanations; it’s dreadful, all the explaining I’m doing. Do you want to listen?’

‘Go on, I’m listening.’

‘Actually, as a matter of fact, I’ve changed my mind again: I shall none the less start with Ganechka. Can you imagine, I too had an appointment at the green bench this morning. However, I won’t tell lies: it was I who insisted on the rendezvous, thrust it upon her, promised to reveal a secret. I don’t know whether I got there too early (I think I actually did), but no sooner had I sat down beside Aglaya Ivanovna than I saw Gavrila Ardalionovich and Varvara Ardalionovna appear, arm in arm, as if they were out for a walk. They both seemed very surprised to see me; it wasn’t what they’d been expecting, and they were even rather embarrassed. Aglaya Ivanovna blushed and, believe it or not, even lost her head rather, whether it was because I was there, or simply because she’d spotted Gavrila Ardalionovich, for he’s a very handsome fellow, after all, but she merely blushed crimson and brought the matter to a conclusion in a single second, most comical to watch, it was: she half got up, replied to Gavrila Ardalionovich’s bow and Varvara Ardalionovna’s fawning smile, and suddenly snapped: ‘I’ve only come here to express to you my personal pleasure for your sincere and friendly feelings, and if I should ever be in need of them, then believe me ...’ At that point she bowed, and they both went away - whether in triumph or feeling foolish, I don’t know; Ganechka, of course, felt foolish; he couldn’t make any sense of it all and blushed like a lobster (sometimes his face has an extraordinary expression!), but Varvara Ardalionovna, it seems, realized that they’d better quickly show a clean pair of heels, and that this was really more than enough for them to take from Aglaya Ivanovna, and hauled her brother away. She’s cleverer than he is and will now be exulting, I’m sure. As for myself, I’d gone there to speak to Aglaya Ivanovna, in order to arrange a meeting with Nastasya Filippovna.’

‘With Nastasya Filippovna!’ the prince exclaimed.

‘Aha! You seem to be losing that sang froid of yours, and are starting to be surprised? I’m very glad that you want to resemble a human being. In return for which I’ll amuse you. That’s what one gets for doing good deeds for young and high-minded girls: today I got a slap in the face from her!’

‘A m-moral one?’ the prince inquired, almost involuntarily.

‘Yes, not a physical one. I don’t think anyone would raise their hand against someone like me, not even a woman would strike me now; not even Ganechka would! Though there was a moment yesterday when I thought he was going to let fly at me ... I bet I know what you’re thinking now? You’re thinking: “All right, we can’t thrash him, but he could be smothered in his sleep with a cushion or a wet rag - he really ought to be ...” It’s written all over your face, at this very second.’

‘I’ve never thought that!’ the prince said with revulsion.

‘I don’t know, I dreamed last night that I was being smothered with a wet rag by ... a certain person ... well, I’ll tell you who: imagine - Rogozhin! How, do you suppose, can a person be smothered with a wet rag?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘I’ve heard it’s possible. Very well, let’s leave it. Well, so why am I a scandal-monger? Why did she call me a scandal-monger today? And take note of the fact that she’d already heard me out to the last word and had even asked me to repeat things ... But that’s what women are like! It was for her that I entered into association with Rogozhin, an interesting man; for the sake of her interests, too, I’ve arranged a personal meeting with Nastasya Filippovna. Was it because I wounded her pride when I hinted that she was glad of Nastasya Filippovna’s “leavings”? But I constantly told her that it was in her own interests, I don’t deny it, I wrote her two letters in that vein, and today a third, the rendezvous ... I began this morning by telling her that it was degrading to her ... And what’s more, the word “leavings” is not really mine, but someone else’s; at least, everyone was using it at Ganechka’s; and she herself repeated it. Well, so what kind of scandal-monger am I where she’s concerned? I see, I see: you find it dreadfully amusing now, as you look at me, and I bet you’re applying those silly verses to me:

‘Ha-ha-ha!’ He suddenly dissolved in hysterical laughter, and began to cough. ‘Take note,’ he wheezed through the coughing, ‘that’s Ganechka for you: talks about “leavings”, but now wants to avail himself of the very same thing!’

For a long time the prince said nothing; he was in a state of horror.

‘You spoke of a meeting with Nastasya Filippovna?’ he muttered at last.

‘Oh my, is it really true that you don’t know that today there’s to be a meeting of Aglaya Ivanovna and Nastasya Filippovna, for which Nastasya Filippovna has been specially sent for from St Petersburg, through Rogozhin, at the invitation of Aglaya Ivanovna and by my efforts, and is now to be found, together with Rogozhin, not at all far from you, at her former house, the house of that lady, Darya Alexeyevna ... a very ambiguous lady, her friend, and that today, thence, to that ambiguous house, Aglaya Ivanovna is going to guide her steps for a
friendly conversation with Nastasya Filippovna and the resolution of various problems. They’re going to do some arithmetic. You didn’t know? Honestly?’

‘It’s unbelievable!’

‘Well, if that’s how you see it, very well, it’s unbelievable; anyway, how could you know? Though here, if a fly moves, everyone knows about it - that’s the sort of place it is! But at least I’ve warned you, and it’s possible that you may be thankful to me for it. Well,
au revoir
– in the next world, probably. Oh, and one more thing: though I’ve behaved like a scoundrel to you, because ... why should I lose what belongs to me, tell me, please? For your benefit, eh? I mean, I dedicated my confession to her (you didn’t know that?). And how did she receive it? Heh-heh! But I certainly haven’t behaved like a scoundrel to her, and I’m really not guilty of anything in her regard; while she’s dragged me into disgrace and led me up the garden path ... Though actually, I’m not guilty in your regard, either; even if I mentioned those “leavings” just now, and all the rest of it, I’m now telling you the day, the hour, and the address of the meeting, and I’m letting you in on the whole of this game ... out of spite, of course, and not out of generosity. Farewell, I’m as garrulous as a stutterer or a consumptive; watch out then, take precautions, and do so quickly, if you deserve to be called a man. The meeting will take place this evening, that’s certain.’

Ippolit moved towards the door, but the prince shouted to him, and he stopped in the doorway.

‘So in your opinion, Aglaya Ivanovna will come to see Nastasya Filippovna today?’ asked the prince. Red spots had emerged on his cheeks and forehead.

‘I don’t know exactly, but probably, yes,’ replied Ippolit, half looking round him, ‘and actually it can’t be otherwise. After all, Nastasya Filippovna can’t go and see
her,
can she? And not at Ganechka’s either; he almost has a dead man in his house. What about the general, eh?’

‘For that reason alone it’s out of the question!’ the prince interjected. ‘I mean, how could she go out, even if she wanted to? You don’t know the ... customs in that house: she can’t possibly go off on her own to see Nastasya Filippovna; that’s nonsense!’

‘Look, you see, Prince: no one jumps out of windows, but if there’s a fire, then even the finest gentleman and lady in the land will jump out of the window. If there’s an emergency, then there’s nothing for it, and our young lady will set off to see Nastasya Filippovna. But do they never let them go anywhere, your young ladies?’

‘No, that’s not what I meant ...’

‘Well then, all she needs to do is go down the front steps and walk straight on, even if she never goes home again. There are times when it’s all right to burn one’s boats, and when it’s even all right not to go home again; there’s more to life than just breakfasts and dinners and Prince Shchs. I think you take Aglaya Ivanovna for a young lady or a schoo
lgirl; I’ve already mentioned that to her; I think she agreed with me. Wait until seven or eight o’clock ... If I were you I’d send someone there to keep watch and catch her the moment she goes down the front steps. I say, you could even send Kolya; he’d gladly do some spying, be assured, for you, that is ... for after all, everything’s relative, isn’t it? ... Ha-ha!’

Ippolit went out. The prince had no need to ask anyone to do any spying, even if he had been capable of asking for such a thing. Aglaya’s telling him to stay at home was now almost explained: perhaps she wanted to drop in and visit him. Perhaps, it was true, she really did not want him to turn up there, and that was why she had told him to stay at home ... That was also possible. His head was spinning; the whole room was going round. He lay down on the sofa and closed his eyes.