Poor Folk Anthology

by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

  "You're an intriguing adventuress, you're after his money! You've disgraced yourself in society and will answer for it in a court of law! … "

  "You're taking advantage of an unfortunate invalid and driving him to madness … and you're shouting at me because I'm a woman, and there's no one to defend me … "

  "Oh, yes, you are his betrothed, a fine betrothed," Büring chuckled, with spiteful violence.

  "Baron, Baron … chère enfant, je nous aime," wailed the prince, stretching out his hands towards Anna Andreyevna.

  "Go along, prince, go along, there's been a plot against you, and maybe your life was threatened," shouted Büring.

  "Qui, oui, je comprends, j'ai compris au commencement … "

  "Prince," Anna Andreyevna raised her voice. "You are insulting me, and letting me be insulted!"

  "Get along with you," Büring shouted at her suddenly.

  That I could not endure.

  "Blackguard!" I yelled at him: "Anna Andreyevna, I'm here to defend you!"

  What happened then I cannot describe exactly, and will not attempt to. The scene that followed was horrible and degrading. I seemed suddenly to lose my reason. I believe I dashed up and struck him, or at least gave him a violent push. He struck me with all his might on my head so that I fell on the floor. When I came to, I rushed after them down stairs. I remember that my nose was bleeding. At the entrance a carriage was waiting for them, and while they were getting the prince in, I ran up, and in spite of the lackey, who pushed me back I rushed at Büring again. At this point the police turned up, I don't know how. Büring seized me by the collar and in a threatening voice ordered the police to take me into custody. I shouted that he ought to come with me, that we might make our affirmation together, and that they dare not take me almost from my own lodging. But as it had all happened in the street and not in the flat, and as I shouted and fought like a drunken man, and as Büring was wearing his uniform, the policeman took me. But flying into a perfect frenzy, I believe at that point I struck the policeman too. Then I remember two of them suddenly appeared and carried me off. I faintly remember they took me to a room full of tobacco smoke, with all sorts of people standing and sitting about in it waiting and writing; here too I went on shouting, and insisting on making a statement. But things had gone beyond that, and were complicated by violence and resisting the police, besides I looked absolutely disreputable. Some one shouted at me angrily. Meanwhile the policeman charging me with fighting was describing the colonel …

  "What's your name?" some one shouted to me.

  "Dolgoruky," I yelled.

  "Prince Dolgoruky?"

  Beside myself, I answered by a very coarse word of abuse, and then … then I remember they dragged me to a very dark little room, set apart for drunkards. Oh, I'm not complaining. Readers will have seen of late in the newspapers a complaint made by a gentleman who was kept all night under arrest, tied up, and in a room set apart for drunkards, but I believe he was quite innocent while I had done something. I threw myself on the common bed which I shared with two unconscious sleepers. My head ached, my temples throbbed, and so did my heart. I must have been unconscious, and I believe I was delirious. I only remember waking up in the middle of the night, and sitting on the bed. I remembered everything at once and understood it in all its bearings, and, with my elbow propped on my knees and my head in my hands, I sank into profound meditation.

  Oh, I am not going to describe my feelings, and there is no time to do it, but I will note one thing only: perhaps I never spent moments more consolatory to my soul than those moments of reflection in the middle of the night on that prison bed. This will perhaps strike the reader as strange, and he may be inclined to set it down to brag and the desire to be original—and yet it was just as I have said. It was one of those minutes which come perhaps to every one, but only come once in a lifetime. At such moments men decide their fate, define their point of view, and say to themselves once and for all: "That's where the truth lies, and that is the path to take to attain it." Yes, those moments were the light of my soul. Insulted by haughty Büring and expecting to be insulted next day by that aristocratic lady, I knew that I could revenge myself on them, but I decided not to revenge myself. I decided, in spite of every temptation, that I would not produce the letter, and publish it to the whole world (the idea had been floating in my mind); I repeated to myself that next day I would put that letter before her, and, if need be, instead of gratitude, would bear her ironical smile, but in any case I would not say a word but would go away from her for ever… . There is no need to enlarge on this, however. What would happen next day here, how I should be brought before the authorities, and what they would do with me—I almost forgot to think about. I crossed myself with love in my heart, lay down on the bed, and fell into a sound childlike sleep.

  I waked up late, when it was daylight. I found myself alone in the room. I sat down to wait in silence and waited about an hour; it must have been about nine o'clock when I was suddenly summoned. I might go into greater detail but it is not worth while, for all this is now irrelevant; I need only record what matters. I must note, however, that to my great astonishment I was treated with unexpected courtesy; I was questioned, I answered, and I was at once allowed to depart. I went out in silence, and to my satisfaction saw in their faces some surprise at a man who was able to keep up his dignity even in such circumstances. If I had not noticed that, I should not have recorded it. Tatyana Pavlovna was waiting for me at the entrance. I will explain in a couple of words why I was let off so easily.

  Early in the morning, by eight o'clock perhaps, Tatyana Pavlovna had flown round to my lodging, that is to Pyotr Ippolitovitch's, expecting to find the old prince still there, and she heard at once of all the horrors of the previous day, above all that I had been arrested. She instantly rushed off to Katerina Nikolaevna (who on returning from the theatre the evening before had had an interview with the father who had been restored to her). Tatyana Pavlovna waked her up, alarmed her and insisted that I should be at once released. With a note from her she flew at once to Büring's and demanded from him forthwith another note, to the proper authorities, with an urgent request from Büring himself that I should be released, as I had been arrested through a misunderstanding. With this note she presented herself to the prison and her request was respectfully granted.

  3.

  Now I will go on with my story.

  Tatyana Pavlovna pounced on me, put me in a sledge, and took me home with her, she immediately ordered the samovar, and washed and brushed me herself in the kitchen. In the kitchen she told me in a loud voice that at half-past eleven Katerina Nikolaevna would come herself—as they had agreed that morning—to meet me. Marya overheard this. A few minutes later she brought in the samovar, and two minutes later, when Tatyana Pavlovna called her, she did not answer; it appeared that she had gone out for something. I beg the reader to make special note of this; it was about a quarter to ten I believe. Though Tatyana Pavlovna was angry at her disappearance without asking leave, she only thought she had gone out to the shop, and immediately forgot about it. And, indeed, we had no thoughts to spare for it, we talked away without ceasing, for we had plenty to talk about, so that I, at least, scarcely noticed Marya's disappearance; I beg the reader to make a note of that.

  As for me, I was in a sort of delirium, I poured out my feelings, and above all we were expecting Katerina Nikolaevna, and the thought that in an hour I should meet her at last, and at such a turning-point in my life, made me tremble and quiver. At last, when I had drunk two cups of tea, Tatyana Pavlovna suddenly stood up, took a pair of scissors from the table, and said:

  "Let me have your pocket, I must take out the letter, we can't unpick it when she's here."

  "Yes," I exclaimed and unbuttoned my coat.

  "What a muddle it's in! who sewed it up?"

  "I did, I did, Tatyana Pavlovna."

  "Well, I can see you did. Come, here it is… ."

  We took it out … the old e
nvelope was the same, but inside was a blank sheet of paper.

  "What's this?" cried Tatyana Pavlovna, turning it round and round … "what's the matter with you?"

  But I was standing pale and speechless … and I suddenly sank helplessly into a chair. I really almost fainted.

  "What does it mean?" wailed Tatyana Pavlovna. "Where is your letter?"

  "Lambert!" I jumped up suddenly, slapping myself on the forehead as I guessed.

  With breathless haste I explained to her—the night at Lambert's and our plot; I had, however, confessed that to her the night before.

  "They've stolen it, they've stolen it!" I cried, stamping on the floor and clutching at my hair.

  "That's terrible!" cried Tatyana Pavlovna, grasping what had happened.

  "What time is it?"

  It was about eleven.

  "Ech, there's no Marya! … Marya, Marya!"

  "What is it, mistress?" Marya responded from the kitchen.

  "Are you here? What are we to do now! I will fly to her… . Ah, slow coach, slow coach!"

  "And I to Lambert," I yelled, "and I will strangle him if need be."

  "Mistress," Marya piped suddenly from the kitchen, "here's a person asking for you very particularly."

  But before she had time to finish, the person burst in from the kitchen, making a great outcry and lamentation. It was Alphonsine. I will not describe the scene in detail; the scene was a fraud and a deception, but I must say Alphonsine acted it splendidly. With tears of repentance and with violent gesticulations she babbled (in French, of course), that she had unpicked the letter herself, that it was now in Lambert's hands, and that Lambert, together with that "brigand," cet homme noir, meant to entice Mme. la générale to shoot her, immediately within an hour … that she knew all this from them, and that she had suddenly taken fright because she saw they had a pistol, le pistolet, and now she had rushed off to us, that we might go, might save, might warn… . That cet homme noir… ."

  In fact, it all sounded very probable, the very stupidity of some of Alphonsine's expressions only increased its apparent truthfulness.

  "What homme noir?" cried Tatyana Pavlovna.

  "Tien, j'ai oublié son nom… Un homme affreux… Tiens, Versilov."

  "Versilov, it cannot be," I cried!

  "Oh, yes, it can!" wailed Tatyana Pavlovna: "come, tell us my good woman without dancing about, don't wave your arms about; what do they want? Explain, my good woman; I don't believe they mean to shoot her."

  "My good woman" did explain as follows (N.B.—it was all a lie, I must remind the reader again): Versilov was to sit at the door and when she went in Lambert was to show her cette lettre, then Versilov was to rush in and they would… . Oh! ils feront leur vengeance! that she, Alphonsine, was afraid there would be trouble, because she had had a share in the business herself, cette dame, la générale would certainly come at once, at once, because they had sent her a copy of the letter, and she would see at once that they really had the letter, and would go to interview them, but only Lambert had written the letter, so she knew nothing about Versilov; and Lambert had introduced himself as a stranger who had come from a lady in Moscow, une dame de Moscou (N.B.—Marie Ivanovna!)

  "Ach, I feel sick! Ach, I feel sick!" exclaimed Tatyana Pavlovna.

  "Sauvez la, sauvez la!" cried Alphonsine.

  Oh, of course there was something inconsistent, even at first sight, in this mad story, but there was no time to think it over, for in essentials it sounded very probable. Of course, one might still suppose, and with the greatest likelihood, that Katerina Nikolaevna, on receiving Lambert's summons, would come first to Tatyana Pavlovna's to discuss the matter with us; and on the other hand, this might not happen, and she might go straight to him, and then—she was lost! It was difficult to believe that she would rush off to a stranger like Lambert at the first summons; yet, again, this might somehow happen, after seeing the copy and satisfying herself that they really had her letter, and then there would be disaster anyway! Above all, we had no time even to reflect.

  "Versilov will murder her! if he has stooped to make use of Lambert he'll murder her! It's the second self," I cried.

  "Ah that 'second self'!" cried Tatyana Pavlovna, wringing her hands. "Well, this is no use," she said decidedly, "take your cap and coat and quick march together. Lead us straight to them, my good woman. Ach, it's a long way. Marya, Marya, if Katerina Nikolaevna comes, tell her I shall be back directly and make her sit and wait for me, and if she does not want to wait, lock the door and keep her by force. Tell her I told her to. A hundred roubles for you, Marya, if you deserve it."

  We ran down stairs. No doubt nothing better could have been suggested, for, in any case, the chief scene of danger was in Lambert's lodging, and if Katerina Nikolaevna did really come first to Tatyana Pavlovna's lodgings, Marya could always detain her. Yet after she had called a sledge, Tatyana Pavlovna changed her mind.

  "You go with her," she bade me, leaving me with Alphonsine "and if need be, die there, do you understand? I'll follow you directly, but first I'll whisk round to her, maybe I shall find her, for say what you like, I feel suspicious!"

  And she flew off to Katerina Nikolaevna.

  Alphonsine and I went our way towards Lambert's. I urged on the driver and continued to question Alphonsine, but she confined herself to exclamations, and finally took refuge in tears. But God saved and preserved us all when everything was hanging on a thread. We had not driven a quarter of the way when I suddenly heard a shout behind me; some one was calling me by my name. I looked round—Trishatov was driving after us in another sledge.

  "Where are you going," he shouted in alarm, "and with her, with Alphonsine?"

  "Trishatov," I cried, "you told the truth, there is trouble! I am going to that scoundrel, Lambert's! Let's go together, the more the better!"

  "Turn back, turn back at once," shouted Trishatov, "Lambert's deceiving you, and Alphonsine's deceiving you. The pock-marked fellow sent me; they are not at home, I met Versilov and Lambert just now; they were driving to Tatyana Pavlovna's … they're there now… ."

  I stopped the driver and jumped out to join Trishatov. To this day I don't know how I could make up my mind so quickly, but I believed him at once, and made up my mind. Alphonsine raised a terrible outcry, but we did not trouble ourselves about her, and I don't know whether she followed us or went home, anyway, I did not see her again.

  In the sledge, Trishatov told me breathlessly that there was some sort of plot on foot, that Lambert had been plotting with the pock- marked man, but that the latter had betrayed him at the last moment, and had sent Trishatov to Tatyana Pavlovna's to warn her not to believe Lambert and Alphonsine. Trishatov added that he knew nothing more, and that the pock-marked gentleman had told him nothing more, for he had been in a hurry himself, and it had all been settled in haste. "I saw you driving," Trishatov went on, "and drove after you."

  It was clear, of course, that this pock-marked individual also knew the whole story, since he had sent Trishatov straight to Tatyana Pavlovna's, but that was another mystery. But to avoid a muddle I will, before describing the catastrophe, explain the actual fact, and for the last time anticipate the order of events.

  4.

  After stealing the letter Lambert at once got into communication with Versilov. How Versilov could have brought himself to join Lambert—I won't discuss for the time; that will come later; what was chiefly responsible was the "second self!" After joining Versilov, Lambert still had to entice Katerina Nikolaevna as cunningly as he could. Versilov assured him at once that she would not come. But ever since the day before yesterday, when I met him in the street in the evening, broke off all relations with him, and told him that I should give back the letter at Tatyana Pavlovna's lodgings and in her presence—Lambert had arranged to keep a watch on Tatyana Pavlovna's lodgings; Marya was bought over as a spy. Marya was given twenty roubles, and after the theft of the letter, Lambert visited Marya a second time, settling with her finally, a
nd promising to pay her two hundred roubles for her services.

  That was why Marya had rushed from the flat and galloped off in a sledge to Lambert's, with the news, as soon as she heard that Katerina Nikolaevna was to be at Tatyana Pavlovna's at half-past eleven, and that I, too, should be present. This was just the information she was to bring Lambert; that was precisely the duty assigned her. Versilov happened to be with Lambert at that very moment. In one moment Versilov had devised the diabolical plan. They say that madmen are at times extraordinarily cunning.

  The plot was to lure both of us, Tatyana and me, out of the flat at all costs, if only for a quarter of an hour, but before Katerina Nikolaevna arrived. Then they meant to wait in the street, and as soon as Tatyana Pavlovna and I had come out, to run into the flat, which Marya was to open to them, and there to await Katerina Nikolaevna. Alphonsine, meantime, was to do her utmost to detain us where and how she pleased. Katerina Nikolaevna would be sure to come, as she promised, at half-past eleven, so that she would certainly be there long before we could be back. (Of course, Katerina Nikolaevna had received no summons from Lambert. Alphonsine had told us a lie and Versilov had invented the story in all its details, and Alphonsine had simply played the part of the frightened traitor.) Of course, it was a risk, but they probably reasoned that if it answered all would be well, if it failed nothing would have been lost, for the document would still be in their possession. But it did answer and could not possibly have failed to do so, for we could not but follow Alphonsine on the barest supposition that what she said might be true. I repeat again: there was no time to reflect.