Chapter 5 two

General Ye Panqin lived in his private residence, not far from Fansha Street, near the Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior.In addition to this beautiful house (five-sixths of which were rented out), General Yepanchin also had a large house on Fa Yuen Street, which also brought him a lot of income.In addition to these two properties, he also has a large estate in the suburbs of Petersburg with extremely considerable income, and a factory in Petersburg County.As you all know, in the old days, General Ye Panqin once paid taxes.He is now a director of several reputable joint stock companies, and has a large voting power in the companies.He is a well-known rich man who runs a large number of industries and has made friends with the government and made many friends.In some places (including the place where he worked), he was good at dealing with entertainment, to show that he was in charge and everything was his.But everyone also knew Ivan Epanchin—an uneducated man who came from a military family, which was undoubtedly his glory.But the general, though a clever man, was not without some small, excusable weaknesses, and he disliked certain insinuations.But he was a smart and well-behaved guy - there's no disputing that.For example, he has a certain rule: never go out in the limelight where he needs to avoid it. Because of his honesty and simplicity, and because he always knows his status, many people think highly of him.But then again, those who judged General Epanchin might not be so concerned if they saw what was going on in the mind of Ivan Fyodorovich, who knew his position well. Arbitrary!Although this statement is true: he has practiced in the world, is quite experienced, and has some quite outstanding talents, but he prefers to show that he is just the executor of other people's intentions, rather than having a well-thought-out idea and another opinion.He likes to show himself as a "unflattering, loyal" person, even a good-natured Russian-what's the world now?In this regard, he also made a few funny jokes.But the general was never discouraged even if he made a big joke. Besides, he was lucky, even in poker. , and even flaunted it on purpose.The hobby of playing cards had served him well on many occasions.He associates with quite a lot of people, needless to say, they are all "big celebrities".However, his future is bright, when the time comes, all the glory and wealth will come.In addition, General Ye Panqin, as the saying goes, is in the prime of life, that is, he has just turned fifty-six years old, and it will never be more. In any case, fifty-six years old is the prime of life, and real life really begins at this age .Good health, a ruddy complexion, strong teeth, though a little dark, a short, stocky frame, a countenance in the early morning hours of business, a cheerful expression in the evenings when playing cards or visiting princes and ministers—all this would give him Success now and in the future adds to the spring, paving roses on the life of the General.

The General had a family that flourished like a flower.It is true that not everything in the house was roses, but there was something fascinating about it, and the General had long since begun to place his chief hopes and goals on it seriously and earnestly.What could be, what purpose could there be in life, more important and more sacred than the purpose of being a parent?If you don't refer to family, what else can you refer to?The general's family consists of his wife and three young ladies who have reached the age of 10.The general married very early, when he was still a lieutenant, to a girl who was almost the same age as him, but she was neither beautiful nor educated, and the dowry he got for marrying her was no more than Fifty serfs—it is true that these serfs became the cornerstone of his success in the future, but the general never complained about his early marriage, nor did he ever regard his early marriage as a result of being young, unable to calculate, and a whim. Sincerely.He respected his wife very much, and sometimes he was a little afraid of her, and from respect and fear developed into a kind of love.The general's wife came from the family of the Myshkin princes, a family that, though not aristocratic, had very ancient origins.Because of her family background, she thinks very highly of herself.A very powerful person at that time, a patron who could perform the duties of patronage without difficulty, agreed to take an interest in the young princess's marriage.He opened the back garden door for the young officer and pushed him in. In fact, even if he didn't push him, he just had to wink at him, and his efforts would not be in vain!Except for a few exceptions, the two of them stay together for a long time, but they can live in harmony and harmony.The general's wife, being a lady of great family, being the last princess of the family, and perhaps also because of her personal qualities, found herself guardians of high standing when she was still very young.Later, because her husband made a fortune and was promoted to an official position, she began to gain a more or less firm foothold in this high society.

The general's three daughters, Alexandra, Adelaida, and Aglaya, had all grown up in recent years.It is true that these three young ladies are all surnamed Ye Panqin, but their mothers were born dukes and had a large dowry, and their fathers will be promoted in the near future. She is very beautiful, even her eldest daughter Alexandra, who is over twenty-five years old, is no exception.The second daughter was twenty-three, and the youngest, Aglaya, had just turned twenty.This little girl, who might even be regarded as a stunning beauty, had begun to attract a great deal of attention in the world of society.But there's more to the awe-inspiring than that: the three sisters are also known for their knowledge, wisdom and talent.According to legend, the three sisters loved each other very much and supported each other.It was even mentioned that the two sisters seemed to be willing to sacrifice themselves in order to fulfill the common idol of the family - the younger sister.Not only do they not like to be in the limelight in the social world, they even appear too humble.No one could blame them for being haughty and pretentious, but they were also known to be proud and aware of their worth.The eldest sister is a musician, and the second sister is an excellent painter, but almost no one has known about this for many years, until recently it was discovered, and it was discovered by accident.All in all, a lot of good things have been said about the three sisters.But there are also some people with malicious intentions, who have a lot of complaints about them.Some people made a fuss and said how many books they read.They are not in a hurry to get married; although they value people in a certain circle of society, they do not value them too much.This was made all the more remarkable by the fact that everyone knew about their father's aspirations, character, aims, and aspirations.

It was about eleven o'clock when the Duke rang the bell of the General's house.The general lived on the second floor, and the apartment he occupied was unpretentious, though in proportion to his station.A servant in a gold-trimmed livery opened the door for the Duke.The Duke spent a lot of time explaining to him why he had come.The servant looked at him and his packet suspiciously at first.He declared more than once and unequivocally that he was indeed Prince Myshkin and that he had to see the general on important business.At this time, the servant accompanied him suspiciously and led him into a small front room.This antechamber adjoins the reception room, next to the study.Hand him over to another servant who is on duty in the antechamber every morning and who is responsible for notifying the general of visitors.This other servant was dressed in a tuxedo, was over forty years old, and had a sophisticated face.He is a footman who serves in the study and is responsible for reporting to the general, so he thinks highly of himself.

"Please wait in the anteroom, please leave this little bag here," he said, sitting down in his armchair calmly and pompously, and looked at the prince with a surprised and stern expression, because the prince is He sat down on the chair beside him, holding the small bag in both hands. "If you don't mind," said the prince, "I'll stay with you and wait here. It's awkward for me to be there alone!" "You shouldn't be in the antechamber, because you're here to petition and be considered a guest. Would you like to see the general himself?"

It seemed that the servant was very reluctant to let such a visitor in, so he asked again. "Yes, I have something to do..." the Duke said. "I didn't ask you what's the matter--my business is to inform you. I have already said. I can't go in and report because the secretary is away." The servant's suspicions seemed to only increase, for the duke was so different from ordinary visitors, although the general quite often, almost every day, came out at certain hours to receive guests, especially those who came on business, and sometimes these The guests were quite mixed, but although he was used to it and the regulations on visitors were quite loose, the footman still had doubts and insisted that he must inform through the secretary.

"Did you really... come back from abroad?" He finally asked the visitor as if he had no intention of doing so. ——As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he felt that the words were inappropriate; perhaps, he wanted to ask: "Are you really Prince Myshkin?" "Yes, I just got off the train. I think you want to ask: are you really Prince Myshkin? But out of politeness, I am ashamed to ask." "..." the servant mumbled, surprised. "Please believe that I have not lied to you, and you will not take responsibility for me. As for me, I am like this, and I am carrying a small bag, that is not surprising. My current situation is not good."

". To tell you the truth, that's not what worries me. It's my job to inform the master, and the secretary will come and see you, unless you... that's the way it is, unless you... you're not coming Sue the general, if you don't mind, may I take the liberty of asking you?" "Oh no, in a moment you'll believe it's quite true. I've got other things to do." "Excuse me, I only asked you when I saw you like this. Please wait a moment, the secretary will come in a moment. The master is talking to the colonel now. Wait a moment, the secretary will come...he is the secretary of the company. "

"So it's going to be a long wait. I have a request. Can I find a place here to smoke a pipe? I have a pipe and tobacco with me." "Smoke--?" The footman gave him a look of disdain and bewilderment, as if he could not believe his ears, "Smoke? No, you can't smoke here, and you can't smoke in your head. It's shameful to even think like that. Hmph . . . that's strange, you!" "Oh, I didn't ask to smoke in this room, I understand that. I wanted to go out for a while, to the place you appointed, because I have a habit of smoking, and look, I haven't smoked for three hours. But , listen carefully, you know, as the saying goes: When you enter the country, do as the Romans do, if you enter the country, ask about the ban..."

"How can I report your business?" the footman muttered almost involuntarily, "first, you should not stay here, you should sit in the reception room, because you are also a visitor, and you can be regarded as a guest, right? The higher-ups will blame me... What do you think, are you planning to live with us?" He squinted at the Duke's small bag again, and added.Evidently, the packet made him very uneasy. "No, I don't have that idea. Even if they ask me to stay, I can't stay here. I just came to get acquainted with the family, and I have no other plans."

"What? Just to get acquainted?" asked the footman with surprise and triple suspicion. "How did you do it in the first place?" "Well, it's almost nothing to do! That is to say, if there is something to do, it can be considered something. I just want to ask them a question, but my main reason for coming is to meet and get to know each other, because I am Prince Myshkin. , and General Yepanchin's wife is also the last princess of the Myshkin family, and there is no one else in the Myshkin family except me and her." "So you are still a relative?" The servant almost completely Terrified, he asked alertly. "It's almost not a relative. Then again, if you say it outright, of course it can be considered a relative, but it's a relative who can't be called a relative. If it's true, it's not even a relative. I once gave a general abroad Madame wrote a letter, but she didn't answer it. However, I still think that some contact should be established after returning home. I explain all this to you now, so that you can stop doubting, because I can see that you are still a little bit wrong. Don't worry. Just go and report that Prince Myshkin is asking for an audience, and the reason for my visit will be self-evident in the announcement. It's good to have an interview, and it's probably also very good not to receive an interview. But, in my opinion, they won't Those who don’t—the general’s wife must want to meet the only representative of her family who is older than her, I heard that she attaches great importance to her family status, and there is nothing wrong with that.” The duke's conversation seemed very casual, but the more casual it was, the more absurd it seemed under the circumstances. The worldly footman could not help feeling that what is perfectly reasonable between people happens between guests and servants. In between, it is completely unreasonable.As servants were much more intelligent than their masters supposed, the page could not help thinking that one of two things must be the case: either the duke was a libertine who must have come to be poor, or the duke was just a fool and had no self-respect.For a wise and self-respecting duke would never sit in an antechamber and tell his private affairs to his servants.In this way, no matter what the situation is, will he be responsible for it? "You'd better go to the reception room," he insisted, as best he could. "If I sit inside, I won't be able to explain everything to you," said the Duke with a pleasant smile. "In this way, you will not feel at ease when you look at my cloak and bag. Now you probably don't need to wait for the secretary. , You can go in and report yourself." "I dare not announce a visitor like you without going through the secretary, and besides, the master has taken special care that no one can disturb the colonel when he is inside, only Gavrila Ardalionitch. Go in unannounced." "Is he an official?" "You mean Gavrila Ardalionitch? No. He works for the company. Put this bag here." "I would have thought of that, if you would allow me. I said, would you like to take off the cloak?" "Of course, you can't go in to meet the general wearing a cloak." The Duke stood up and hastily removed his cloak, under which he wore a rather respectable, well-made, though worn-out jacket.A steel fob hung from the waistcoat.On the fob was a silver pocket watch made in Geneva. Although the servant had concluded that the duke was a fool, as the general's valet, he felt that it would be unseemly to continue such casual conversation with the visitor, although for some reason he liked the duke very much, of course, only in a certain way.But from another point of view, the Duke stirred up in him a strong unknown fire. "So, when will the general's wife be visiting?" the prince asked, taking his original seat again. "That's none of my business, sir. There's no rule for a lady to have guests, it depends on who they are. At eleven o'clock, let the fashion designer in. As for Gavrila Ardalionitch, it's always the same." Let him go in before the others, and even ask him to have breakfast with him." "It's warmer in your rooms than abroad in winter," said the prince, "but it's warmer out there than here, and in winter they're indoors—the Russians can't live because they're not used to it." "No fire?" "Yes, and the construction of the house is different, that is to say, the stove and the windows." "! Have you been abroad for a long time?" "It's been four years. But I always stay in one place, in the country." "Aren't you used to life in China?" "That's true. Believe it or not, I'm surprised I haven't forgotten how to speak Russian. See, I'm talking to you now, and I'm thinking: 'I see, I speak pretty well.' Maybe, just That's why I talk so much. Really, I've been wanting to speak Russian since yesterday." "! Hey! Have you ever been in Petersburg?" (The servant, however restrained he may be, cannot ignore such courteous conversation.) "In Petersburg? Almost nothing, just passing by. In the past, I didn't know anything about this place, but now I hear so many new things. It is said that those who are familiar with the situation here have to learn from the beginning and start all over again. Yes. There's a lot of talk right now about our judicial system here." "!...Judicial system. Judicial system, it is indeed a judicial system. How about foreign countries, is the trial fairer?" "I don't know. But I've heard good things about our judicial system. Besides, we've abolished the death penalty here." "Is the death penalty imposed abroad?" "Yes. I saw it in France, in Lyon. Schneider took me there." "Is it hanging?" "No, it's all beheadings in France." "What, shouting?" "How can it be! It took a while. When the person was put on the frame, a big knife fell down. It was killed by a machine. It was called a guillotine. It was heavy and powerful... Before I could blink, my head was broken. It was cut down. The preparations were the most unbearable. First the verdict was read, then put on the death row clothes, tied up with ropes, and then put on the guillotine. That was terrible! People came running from all directions, even women came to see It's lively, although women don't like to watch it there." "This is not something for women to watch." "Of course! Of course! How can they be made to see this pain! . . . The prisoner is a wise man, fearless, strong, but old. His name is Legro. To tell you the truth." Tell me, believe it or not, he wept when he went to the guillotine, and his face was as white as paper. How can this be endured? Isn't this horror? Tell me, who would cry out of fear? I It never occurred to me that it was not a child who was frightened and cried, but an adult who had never cried before, a forty-five-year-old adult. What kind of change happened to his soul at this minute, and what kind of tremors did people make this soul produce? It's nothing more than an insult to the soul! The bible says, 'Thou shalt not murder!' So, because he killed, should he be killed too? No, it shouldn't be. It's been a month since I saw this It happened in the past, but it still seems to be in front of me now. Four or five times, I have dreamed of it in my dreams." The Duke spoke more and more vigorously, a thin blush appeared on his pale face, although he still spoke very politely.The footman looked at him sympathetically and with interest, as if he couldn't get enough of him, presumably he was also imaginative and thoughtful. "It was okay when I lost my head, and I didn't suffer much." "Do you know?" the Duke said enthusiastically, "you have finally noticed this. Others have noticed all of this like you, so you invented a beheading machine. But at that time, I suddenly had an idea: if this Worse, what should I do? You must think this is ridiculous, you must feel that this is strange, in fact, as long as you imagine a little, this idea will arise spontaneously. You think: for example, torture, at this time There will be pain, scars and physical pain, all of which will instead distract and reduce mental pain, so you will only feel the pain of the wound until you die. Know that the main and most severe pain may not be in the Wounds, and when you know with certainty that in an hour, then in ten minutes, then in half a minute, and right now, right now—your soul is going to fly out of your body, you're not alone anymore, And that's certain. The main thing is this certainty. When you put your head under the knife and hear the knife come down with a screech on your head, that's the most terrible quarter of a second. You You know? It's not my own fantasy, it's been said by many people. I believe it so much that I'm telling you my opinion straight. Killing him because he killed someone is bigger than the crime itself It is an incomparable punishment. Killing someone under a death sentence is more terrible than murdering a robber, and it is incomparably more terrible. Killing a robber, at night, in the woods, or in other ways, is the most terrible thing. A slain man, until the last moment, must have held out hope of being saved. It is not uncommon for a man, with his throat cut, to still wish to either run away, or beg for mercy. A little hope, even to die would have been ten times easier, but now even the last hope has been taken away, and it has been taken away. Here is the sentence, it is fixed, there is no escape, the terrible pain is all Here in the world there is no pain like this. If you take a soldier and let him face the cannon in battle, and shoot him, he will always have a chance of survival, but if you ask The soldier pronounced the unpardonable sentence, he must go mad or weep bitterly. Who can say that human nature is enough to endure such pain without going crazy? Why should there be such ugly, unnecessary, futile What about the abuse of the human heart? Perhaps there is such a person, read the sentence to him, made him suffer for a while, and then said to him: "Go, you are pardoned." If there is such a person, perhaps he can Come out and tell how he felt. Even Christ spoke of such pain and such terror. No, that must never be done to a man!" The footman could not express all this in words as the prince could, but, of course, he understood the prince's main point, though not all, as was evident from his deeply moved face. "If you really want a cigarette very badly," he said, "I think so, but hurry up. I'm afraid the general will ask you suddenly, and you're not here. Look, there's a door by that little staircase over there. See it." Well, go through the door and there's a cabin on the right: you can smoke there, but please open the transom, because it's not good..." However, the Duke did not have time to go out for a smoke.A young man suddenly entered the antechamber with a document in his hand.The footman came forward and took off his fur coat.The young man squinted at the prince. "Gavrila Ardalionitch," began the footman in a whisper, almost affectionately, "it is said that this man is called Prince Myshkin, a relative of the lady, and he came from abroad by train with a Take the burden, but..." For the footman began to whisper, and the prince could not understand what was going on next.Gavrila Ardalionovitch listened attentively, and looked at the prince from time to time with great curiosity, until at last he stopped listening, and could not resist going up to the prince. "You are Prince Myshkin?" he asked very kindly and very politely.He was a very handsome young man, about twenty-eight years of age, tall, fair-haired, of medium height, with a Napoleonic moustache, and an intelligent, very handsome face.But his smile, though kindly looking, was a little inscrutable; his pearly teeth, too, were too neat; Seems aggressive. "He never looks that way when he's alone, and probably never smiles." The Duke felt this way for some reason. The prince explained his visit in as few words as he could, as he had previously explained to his servants and earlier to Rogozhin.At this moment, Gavrila Ardalionovitch seemed to remember something. "Is this not you?" he asked. "A year ago, or more recently, someone wrote a letter, apparently from Switzerland, addressed to Elizaveta Prokofy. Yevna." "It's my scumbag." "Then I know you here, and I must remember you. Do you want to see the general? I'll go and report...he'll be free soon. But you'd better...you'd better go to the reception room first...he How can you sit here?" he asked the footman sharply. "I told you, this gentleman won't..." At this time, the door of the study was suddenly opened, and a soldier came out with a briefcase in his hand, talking loudly and bowing his farewell. "Are you coming, Ganya?" cried someone from the study. "Come in!" Gavrila Ardalionovich nodded to the prince, and hurried into the study. About two minutes later, the door opened again, and Gavrila Ardalionovich's sonorous voice came: "Duke, please come in!"