The Idiot

by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

theprince, regarding Burdovsky with curiosity.

  “One might dispute your right to ask such questions,” observedLebedeff’s nephew.

  “I was only surprised that Mr. Burdovsky should have--however, this iswhat I have to say. Since you had already given the matter publicity,why did you object just now, when I began to speak of it to my friends?”

  “At last!” murmured Lizabetha Prokofievna indignantly.

  Lebedeff could restrain himself no longer; he made his way through therow of chairs.

  “Prince,” he cried, “you are forgetting that if you consented to receiveand hear them, it was only because of your kind heart which has noequal, for they had not the least right to demand it, especially as youhad placed the matter in the hands of Gavrila Ardalionovitch, whichwas also extremely kind of you. You are also forgetting, most excellentprince, that you are with friends, a select company; you cannotsacrifice them to these gentlemen, and it is only for you to have themturned out this instant. As the master of the house I shall have greatpleasure ....”

  “Quite right!” agreed General Ivolgin in a loud voice.

  “That will do, Lebedeff, that will do--” began the prince, when anindignant outcry drowned his words.

  “Excuse me, prince, excuse me, but now that will not do,” shoutedLebedeff’s nephew, his voice dominating all the others. “The matter mustbe clearly stated, for it is obviously not properly understood. Theyare calling in some legal chicanery, and upon that ground they arethreatening to turn us out of the house! Really, prince, do you think weare such fools as not to be aware that this matter does not come withinthe law, and that legally we cannot claim a rouble from you? But we arealso aware that if actual law is not on our side, human law is for us,natural law, the law of common-sense and conscience, which is no lessbinding upon every noble and honest man--that is, every man of sanejudgment--because it is not to be found in miserable legal codes. If wecome here without fear of being turned out (as was threatened just now)because of the imperative tone of our demand, and the unseemliness ofsuch a visit at this late hour (though it was not late when we arrived,we were kept waiting in your anteroom), if, I say, we came in withoutfear, it is just because we expected to find you a man of sense; I mean,a man of honour and conscience. It is quite true that we did not presentourselves humbly, like your flatterers and parasites, but holding up ourheads as befits independent men. We present no petition, but a proud andfree demand (note it well, we do not beseech, we demand!). We ask youfairly and squarely in a dignified manner. Do you believe that in thisaffair of Burdovsky you have right on your side? Do you admit thatPavlicheff overwhelmed you with benefits, and perhaps saved your life?If you admit it (which we take for granted), do you intend, now that youare a millionaire, and do you not think it in conformity with justice,to indemnify Burdovsky? Yes or no? If it is yes, or, in other words, ifyou possess what you call honour and conscience, and we more justly callcommon-sense, then accede to our demand, and the matter is at an end.Give us satisfaction, without entreaties or thanks from us; do notexpect thanks from us, for what you do will be done not for our sake,but for the sake of justice. If you refuse to satisfy us, that is, ifyour answer is no, we will go away at once, and there will be an end ofthe matter. But we will tell you to your face before the present companythat you are a man of vulgar and undeveloped mind; we will openly denyyou the right to speak in future of your honour and conscience, for youhave not paid the fair price of such a right. I have no more to say--Ihave put the question before you. Now turn us out if you dare. You cando it; force is on your side. But remember that we do not beseech, wedemand! We do not beseech, we demand!”

  With these last excited words, Lebedeff’s nephew was silent.

  “We demand, we demand, we demand, we do not beseech,” splutteredBurdovsky, red as a lobster.

  The speech of Lebedeff’s nephew caused a certain stir among the company;murmurs arose, though with the exception of Lebedeff, who was stillvery much excited, everyone was careful not to interfere in the matter.Strangely enough, Lebedeff, although on the prince’s side, seemed quiteproud of his nephew’s eloquence. Gratified vanity was visible in theglances he cast upon the assembled company.

  “In my opinion, Mr. Doktorenko,” said the prince, in rather a lowvoice, “you are quite right in at least half of what you say. I wouldgo further and say that you are altogether right, and that I quite agreewith you, if there were not something lacking in your speech. I cannotundertake to say precisely what it is, but you have certainly omittedsomething, and you cannot be quite just while there is somethinglacking. But let us put that aside and return to the point. Tell me whatinduced you to publish this article. Every word of it is a calumny, andI think, gentlemen, that you have been guilty of a mean action.”

  “Allow me--”

  “Sir--”

  “What? What? What?” cried all the visitors at once, in violentagitation.

  “As to the article,” said Hippolyte in his croaking voice, “I have toldyou already that we none of us approve of it! There is the writer,” headded, pointing to the boxer, who sat beside him. “I quite admit that hehas written it in his old regimental manner, with an equal disregardfor style and decency. I know he is a cross between a fool and anadventurer; I make no bones about telling him so to his face every day.But after all he is half justified; publicity is the lawful right ofevery man; consequently, Burdovsky is not excepted. Let him answer forhis own blunders. As to the objection which I made just now in the nameof all, to the presence of your friends, I think I ought to explain,gentlemen, that I only did so to assert our rights, though we reallywished to have witnesses; we had agreed unanimously upon the pointbefore we came in. We do not care who your witnesses may be, orwhether they are your friends or not. As they cannot fail to recognizeBurdovsky’s right (seeing that it is mathematically demonstrable), it isjust as well that the witnesses should be your friends. The truth willonly be more plainly evident.”

  “It is quite true; we had agreed upon that point,” said Lebedeff’snephew, in confirmation.

  “If that is the case, why did you begin by making such a fuss about it?” asked the astonished prince.

  The boxer was dying to get in a few words; owing, no doubt, to thepresence of the ladies, he was becoming quite jovial.

  “As to the article, prince,” he said, “I admit that I wrote it, in spiteof the severe criticism of my poor friend, in whom I always overlookmany things because of his unfortunate state of health. But I wrote andpublished it in the form of a letter, in the paper of a friend. I showedit to no one but Burdovsky, and I did not read it all through, even tohim. He immediately gave me permission to publish it, but you will admitthat I might have done so without his consent. Publicity is a noble,beneficent, and universal right. I hope, prince, that you are tooprogressive to deny this?”

  “I deny nothing, but you must confess that your article--”

  “Is a bit thick, you mean? Well, in a way that is in the publicinterest; you will admit that yourself, and after all one cannotoverlook a blatant fact. So much the worse for the guilty parties,but the public welfare must come before everything. As to certaininaccuracies and figures of speech, so to speak, you will also admitthat the motive, aim, and intention, are the chief thing. It is aquestion, above all, of making a wholesome example; the individual casecan be examined afterwards; and as to the style--well, the thing wasmeant to be humorous, so to speak, and, after all, everybody writes likethat; you must admit it yourself! Ha, ha!”

  “But, gentlemen, I assure you that you are quite astray,” exclaimed theprince. “You have published this article upon the supposition that Iwould never consent to satisfy Mr. Burdovsky. Acting on that conviction,you have tried to intimidate me by this publication and to be revengedfor my supposed refusal. But what did you know of my intentions? It maybe that I have resolved to satisfy Mr. Burdovsky’s claim. I now declareopenly, in the presence of these witnesses, that I will do so.”

  “The noble and intelligent word of an inte
lligent and most noble man, atlast!” exclaimed the boxer.

  “Good God!” exclaimed Lizabetha Prokofievna involuntarily.

  “This is intolerable,” growled the general.

  “Allow me, gentlemen, allow me,” urged the prince.

  “I will explain matters to you. Five weeks ago I received a visit fromTchebaroff, your agent, Mr. Burdovsky. You have given a very flatteringdescription of him in your article, Mr. Keller,” he continued, turningto the boxer with a smile, “but he did not please me at all. I saw atonce that Tchebaroff was the moving spirit in the matter, and, to speakfrankly, I thought he might have induced you, Mr. Burdovsky, to makethis claim, by taking advantage of your simplicity.”

  “You have no right.... I am not simple,” stammered Burdovsky, muchagitated.

  “You have no sort of right to suppose such things,” said Lebedeff’snephew in a tone of authority.

  “It is most offensive!” shrieked Hippolyte; “it is an insultingsuggestion, false, and most ill-timed.”

  “I beg your pardon, gentlemen; please