PART II
I.
Two days after the strange conclusion to Nastasia Philipovna's
birthday party, with the record of which we concluded the first
part of this story, Prince Muishkin hurriedly left St. Petersburg
for Moscow, in order to see after some business connected with
the receipt of his unexpected fortune.
It was said that there were other reasons for his hurried
departure; but as to this, and as to his movements in Moscow, and
as to his prolonged absence from St. Petersburg, we are able to
give very little information.
The prince was away for six months, and even those who were most
interested in his destiny were able to pick up very little news
about him all that while. True, certain rumours did reach his
friends, but these were both strange and rare, and each one
contradicted the last.
Of course the Epanchin family was much interested in his
movements, though he had not had time to bid them farewell before
his departure. The general, however, had had an opportunity of
seeing him once or twice since the eventful evening, and had
spoken very seriously with him; but though he had seen the
prince, as I say, he told his family nothing about the
circumstance. In fact, for a month or so after his departure it
was considered not the thing to mention the prince's name in the
Epanchin household. Only Mrs. Epanchin, at the commencement of
this period, had announced that she had been "cruelly mistaken in
the prince!" and a day or two after, she had added, evidently
alluding to him, but not mentioning his name, that it was an
unalterable characteristic of hers to be mistaken in people. Then
once more, ten days later, after some passage of arms with one of
her daughters, she had remarked sententiously. "We have had
enough of mistakes. I shall be more careful in future!" However,
it was impossible to avoid remarking that there was some sense of
oppression in the household--something unspoken, but felt;
something strained. All the members of the family wore frowning
looks. The general was unusually busy; his family hardly ever saw
him.
As to the girls, nothing was said openly, at all events; and
probably very little in private. They were proud damsels, and
were not always perfectly confidential even among themselves. But
they understood each other thoroughly at the first word on all
occasions; very often at the first glance, so that there was no
need of much talking as a rule.
One fact, at least, would have been perfectly plain to an
outsider, had any such person been on the spot; and that was,
that the prince had made a very considerable impression upon the
family, in spite of the fact that he had but once been inside the
house, and then only for a short time. Of course, if analyzed,
this impression might have proved to be nothing more than a
feeling of curiosity; but be it what it might, there it
undoubtedly was.
Little by little, the rumours spread about town became lost in a
maze of uncertainty. It was said that some foolish young prince,
name unknown, had suddenly come into possession of a gigantic
fortune, and had married a French ballet dancer. This was
contradicted, and the rumour circulated that it was a young
merchant who had come into the enormous fortune and married the
great ballet dancer, and that at the wedding the drunken young
fool had burned seventy thousand roubles at a candle out of pure
bravado.
However, all these rumours soon died down, to which circumstance
certain facts largely contributed. For instance, the whole of the
Rogojin troop had departed, with him at their head, for Moscow.
This was exactly a week after a dreadful orgy at the Ekaterinhof
gardens, where Nastasia Philipovna had been present. It became
known that after this orgy Nastasia Philipovna had entirely
disappeared, and that she had since been traced to Moscow; so
that the exodus of the Rogojin band was found consistent with
this report.
There were rumours current as to Gania, too; but circumstances
soon contradicted these. He had fallen seriously ill, and his
illness precluded his appearance in society, and even at
business, for over a month. As soon as he had recovered, however,
he threw up his situation in the public company under General
Epanchin's direction, for some unknown reason, and the post was
given to another. He never went near the Epanchins' house at all,
and was exceedingly irritable and depressed.
Varvara Ardalionovna married Ptitsin this winter, and it was said
that the fact of Gania's retirement from business was the
ultimate cause of the marriage, since Gania was now not only
unable to support his family, but even required help himself.
We may mention that Gania was no longer mentioned in the Epanchin
household any more than the prince was; but that a certain
circumstance in connection with the fatal evening at Nastasia's
house became known to the general, and, in fact, to all the
family the very next day. This fact was that Gania had come home
that night, but had refused to go to bed. He had awaited the
prince's return from Ekaterinhof with feverish impatience.
On the latter's arrival, at six in the morning, Gania had gone to
him in his room, bringing with him the singed packet of money,
which he had insisted that the prince should return to Nastasia
Philipovna without delay. It was said that when Gania entered the
prince's room, he came with anything but friendly feelings, and
in a condition of despair and misery; but that after a short
conversation, he had stayed on for a couple of hours with him,
sobbing continuously and bitterly the whole time. They had parted
upon terms of cordial friendship.
The Epanchins heard about this, as well as about the episode at
Nastasia Philipovna's. It was strange, perhaps, that the facts
should become so quickly, and fairly accurately, known. As far as
Gania was concerned, it might have been supposed that the news
had come through Varvara Ardalionovna, who had suddenly become a
frequent visitor of the Epanchin girls, greatly to their mother's
surprise. But though Varvara had seen fit, for some reason, to
make friends with them, it was not likely that she would have
talked to them about her brother. She had plenty of pride, in
spite of the fact that in thus acting she was seeking intimacy
with people who had practically shown her brother the door. She
and the Epanchin girls had been acquainted in childhood, although
of late they had met but rarely. Even now Varvara hardly ever
appeared in the drawing-room, but would slip in by a back way.
Lizabetha Prokofievna, who disliked Varvara, although she had a
great respect for her mother, was much annoyed by this sudden
intimacy, and put it down to the general "contrariness" of her
daughters, who were "always on the lookout for some new way of
opposing her." Nevertheless, Varvara continued her visits.
A month after Muishkin's departure, Mrs. Epanchin received a
letter from her old friend Princess Bielokonski (who had lately
left for Moscow), which letter put her into the greatest good
humour. She did not divulge its contents either to her daughters
or the general, but her conduct towards the former became
affectionate in the extreme. She even made some sort of
confession to them, but they were unable to understand what it
was about. She actually relaxed towards the general a little--he
had been long disgraced--and though she managed to quarrel with
them all the next day, yet she soon came round, and from her
general behaviour it was to be concluded that she had bad good
news of some sort, which she would like, but could not make up
her mind, to disclose.
However, a week later she received another letter from the same
source, and at last resolved to speak.
She solemnly announced that she had heard from old Princess
Bielokonski, who had given her most comforting news about "that
queer young prince." Her friend had hunted him up, and found that
all was going well with him. He had since called in person upon
her, making an extremely favourable impression, for the princess
had received him each day since, and had introduced him into
several good houses.
The girls could see that their mother concealed a great deal from
them, and left out large pieces of the letter in reading it to
them.
However, the ice was broken, and it suddenly became possible to
mention the prince's name again. And again it became evident how
very strong was the impression the young man had made in the
household by his one visit there. Mrs. Epanchin was surprised at
the effect which the news from Moscow had upon the girls, and
they were no less surprised that after solemnly remarking that
her most striking characteristic was "being mistaken in people"
she should have troubled to obtain for the prince the favour and
protection of so powerful an old lady as the Princess
Bielokonski. As soon as the ice was thus broken, the general lost
no time in showing that he, too, took the greatest interest in
the subject. He admitted that he was interested, but said that it
was merely in the business side of the question. It appeared
that, in the interests of the prince, he had made arrangements in
Moscow for a careful watch to be kept upon the prince's business
affairs, and especially upon Salaskin. All that had been said as
to the prince being an undoubted heir to a fortune turned out to
be perfectly true; but the fortune proved to be much smaller than
was at first reported. The estate was considerably encumbered
with debts; creditors turned up on all sides, and the prince, in
spite of all advice and entreaty, insisted upon managing all
matters of claim himself--which, of course, meant satisfying
everybody all round, although half the claims were absolutely
fraudulent.
Mrs. Epanchin confirmed all this. She said the princess had
written to much the same effect, and added that there was no
curing a fool. But it was plain, from her expression of face, how
strongly she approved of this particular young fool's doings. In
conclusion, the general observed that his wife took as great an
interest in the prince as though he were her own son; and that
she had commenced to be especially affectionate towards Aglaya
was a self-evident fact.
All this caused the general to look grave and important. But,
alas! this agreeable state of affairs very soon changed once
more.
A couple of weeks went by, and suddenly the general and his wife
were once more gloomy and silent, and the ice was as firm as
ever. The fact was, the general, who had heard first, how Nastasia
Philipovna had fled to Moscow and had been discovered there by
Rogojin; that she had then disappeared once more, and been
found again by Rogojin, and how after that she had almost
promised to marry him, now received news that she had once more
disappeared, almost on the very day fixed for her wedding, flying
somewhere into the interior of Russia this time, and that Prince
Muishkin had left all his affairs in the hands of Salaskin and
disappeared also--but whether he was with Nastasia, or had only
set off in search of her, was unknown.
Lizabetha Prokofievna received confirmatory news from the
princess--and alas, two months after the prince's first
departure from St. Petersburg, darkness and mystery once more
enveloped his whereabouts and actions, and in the Epanchin family
the ice of silence once more formed over the subject. Varia,
however, informed the girls of what had happened, she having
received the news from Ptitsin, who generally knew more than most
people.
To make an end, we may say that there were many changes in the
Epanchin household in the spring, so that it was not difficult to
forget the prince, who sent no news of himself.
The Epanchin family had at last made up their minds to spend the
summer abroad, all except the general, who could not waste time
in "travelling for enjoyment," of course. This arrangement was
brought about by the persistence of the girls, who insisted that
they were never allowed to go abroad because their parents were
too anxious to marry them off. Perhaps their parents had at last
come to the conclusion that husbands might be found abroad, and
that a summer's travel might bear fruit. The marriage between
Alexandra and Totski had been broken off. Since the prince's
departure from St. Petersburg no more had been said about it; the
subject had been dropped without ceremony, much to the joy of
Mrs. General, who, announced that she was "ready to cross herself
with both hands" in gratitude for the escape. The general,
however, regretted Totski for a long while. "Such a fortune!" he
sighed, "and such a good, easy-going fellow!"
After a time it became known that Totski had married a French
marquise, and was to be carried off by her to Paris, and then to
Brittany.
"Oh, well," thought the general, "he's lost to us for good, now."
So the Epanchins prepared to depart for the summer.
But now another circumstance occurred, which changed all the
plans once more, and again the intended journey was put off, much
to the delight of the general and his spouse.
A certain Prince S-- arrived in St. Petersburg from Moscow, an
eminent and honourable young man. He was one of those active
persons who always find some good work with which to employ
themselves. Without forcing himself upon the public notice,
modest and unobtrusive, this young prince was concerned with much
that happened in the world in general.
He had served, at first, in one of the civil departments, had
then attended to matters connected with the local government of
provincial towns, and had of late been a corresponding member of
several important scientific societies. He was a man of excellent
family and solid means, about thirty-five years of age.
Prince S-- made the acquaintance of the general's family, and
Adelaida, the second girl, made a great impression upon him.
Towards the spring he proposed to her, and she accepted him. The
general and his wife were delighted. The journey abroad was put
off, and the wedding was fixed for a day not very distant.
The trip abroad might have been enjoyed later on by Mrs. Epanchin
and her two remaining daughters, but for another circumstance.
It so happened that Prince S-- introduced a distant relation of
his own into the Epanchin family--one Evgenie Pavlovitch, a young
officer of about twenty-eight years of age, whose conquests among
the ladies in Moscow had been proverbial. This young gentleman
no sooner set eyes on Aglaya than he became a frequent visitor at
the house. He was witty, well-educated, and extremely wealthy, as
the general very soon discovered. His past reputation was the
only thing against him.
Nothing was said; there were not even any hints dropped; but
still, it seemed better to the parents to say nothing more about
going abroad this season, at all events. Aglaya herself perhaps
was of a different opinion.
All this happened just before the second appearance of our hero
upon the scene.
By this time, to judge from appearances, poor Prince Muishkin had
been quite forgotten in St. Petersburg. If he had appeared
suddenly among his acquaintances, he would have been received as
one from the skies; but we must just glance at one more fact
before we conclude this preface.
Colia Ivolgin, for some time after the prince's departure,
continued his old life. That is, he went to school, looked after
his father, helped Varia in the house, and ran her errands, and
went frequently to see his friend, Hippolyte.
The lodgers had disappeared very quickly--Ferdishenko soon after
the events at Nastasia Philipovna's, while the prince went to
Moscow, as we know. Gania and his mother went to live with Varia
and Ptitsin immediately after the latter's wedding, while the
general was housed in a debtor's prison by reason of certain
IOU's given to the captain's widow under the impression that they
would never be formally used against him. This unkind action much
surprised poor Ardalion Alexandrovitch, the victim, as he called
himself, of an "unbounded trust in the nobility of the human
heart."
