Chapter 12 Nine

There was a sudden silence, and everyone looked at the prince, as if they did not understand and did not want to understand what he said.Ganya was dumbfounded. Nastasya Filippovna's visit, especially at this moment, was unexpected, strange and troublesome.Just the first visit of Nastasya Filippovna was unexpected, strange, and troublesome enough, because before that she had been very haughty and never showed any signs of But she intended to meet and get to know his relatives, and recently, she hadn't even mentioned them at all, as if they didn't exist in the world at all.As far as he was concerned, Weishi was not happy to be able to put off such a difficult conversation, but even so, he still hated her arrogance.In short, what he can expect from her is nothing more than her ridicule and sarcasm at his family, and it will never be a dedicated visit.He knew this clearly: because of his courtship, what happened in his family, and how his relatives looked at her now, she knew it well.Now, after sending the pictures, on her birthday, on the day she had promised to decide his fate, her sudden visit almost in itself said what the decision was.

Everyone looked at the prince in bewilderment, which did not last long, because Nastasya Filippovna herself appeared at the door of the drawing-room, and pushing the prince a little as she entered the room . "It's finally here... What are you using the doorbell for?" she said happily, and Ganya rushed forward to meet her, and she held out her hand to Ganya, "What are you doing with your face? Please Introduce me to..." Ganya, completely at a loss, introduced her to everyone.First introduced to Varya.The two women exchanged strange glances before reaching out to each other.Still, Nastasya Filippovna smiled and pretended to be, but Varya did not want to pretend, and kept her eyes fixed on her with a straight face, which was not required by common courtesy. There is no smile.Ganya was dumbfounded, there was neither need nor time to beg her, so he cast a menacing glance at Varya, from which she immediately understood how important this moment was to her brother.Then, as if she had made up her mind, she made some concessions to him and smiled at Nastasya Filippovna (at home, after all, they all loved each other).It was Nina Alexandrovna who was able to save the situation a little.Ganya made a mess of the rules: first he introduced his sister, then his mother, and then led her to Nastasya Filippovna.But as soon as Nina Alexandrovna said, "It is a great honor," Nastasya Filippovna turned hastily to Ganya, not waiting for her host's invitation. , sat down on a small sofa in the corner by the window, and shouted:

"Where's your study? And... where do the tenants live? Aren't you renting out the house?" Ganya blushed for a moment and was about to stammer an answer, but Nastasya Filippovna went on at once: "How can there be a guest here? You don't even have a study. Can you charge for the room?" she asked Nina Alexandrovna sharply. "It's a bit of a hassle," Nina Alexandrovna had just answered. "Of course, it's a little bit of a gain. But we've just..." But Nastasya Filippovna stopped listening, and looking at Ganya, she cried to him with a smile:

"What's with your face? Oh, my God, what an ugly face you have now!" She laughed for a moment, and Ganya's face was really ugly at this moment: his stunned look, his ridiculous and timid confusion disappeared from his face for a moment, but his face suddenly became very pale, The lips twitched and tilted to one side.He gazed uncomfortably fixedly and silently into the face of the guest--she was still laughing. Here was another spectator, who was almost dumbfounded at the sight of Nastasya Filippovna, and even then he did not completely shake off his stupidity.But although he stood "stunned" in the same place, at the door of the living room, he still saw Ganya's pale face and the ugly change in it.This bystander was the Duke.He almost became frightened, and suddenly walked forward unconsciously.

"Drink some water," he whispered to Ganya, "and don't look at people like that..." Obviously, he didn't have any intention or special intention when he said this, it was just a sudden inspiration, and he thought of something to say, but his words had an abnormal effect.Ganya's full of resentment seemed to explode suddenly, and it was directed at the prince: he grabbed the prince by the shoulder and looked at him in silence, vengeful, gnashing his teeth, and seemed unable to speak.There was an uproar: Nina Alexandrovna even yelled softly, Ptitsyn stepped forward anxiously, Kolya and Fedishenko stopped in surprise as soon as they reached the door, and only Vari Ya is still stern, observing carefully.She did not sit down, but stood aside, next to her mother, with her arms folded on her breast.

But Ganya woke up almost immediately at the first minute of his recklessness and started laughing nervously.He is wide awake. "What's the matter with you, Prince, are you a doctor?" he cried, trying to look as cheerful and honest as possible, "that frightened me. Nastasya Filippovna , let me introduce you, this is a very precious person, although I only met him this morning." Nastasya Filippovna looked at the prince in bewilderment. "Duke? Is he a duke? Think about it, I treated him as a servant in the outhouse just now, and asked him to come in to report! Hahaha!"

"It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter!" interjected Fedsenko, coming forward, and was delighted to see that everyone began to laugh. "It doesn't matter: se non e vero..." "I almost scolded you, Prince. Please forgive me. Fedsenko, why are you here, and at this hour? At least I thought I wouldn't meet you here. Who is he? Prince? May Duke Shkin?" she asked again.Ganya still held the prince by the shoulder, but he had already been introduced. "Our lodger," Ganya repeated. The prince was evidently regarded as a curiosity (he could be used to break the deadlock), and Nastasya Filippovna was almost spared.The prince even distinctly heard "idiot" whispered behind him, which seemed to have been said by Fedsenko when he was explaining to Nastasya Filippovna who he was.

"Excuse me, why didn't you explain the situation to me when I made such a big mistake just now... mistaking you for a servant?" Eyeing the Duke all over his feet, impatiently waiting for his answer, he seemed convinced that his answer would be utterly stupid, outrageous, and hilarious. "I was surprised when I suddenly saw it was you..." the Duke murmured. "How did you recognize me? Where have you seen me before? What's the matter, I seem to have seen him somewhere. Excuse me, why did you just stand there dumbfounded? What's so amazing about me?"

"Say it, talk it!" Fedsenko continued to make a fool of himself, "speak it! Oh Lord, if I were to answer this question, I have so much to say! Speak it... Prince, You are such a big fool, how can I praise you!" "If I were you, I would have a lot to say," the prince smiled at Fedsenko. "I saw your picture not long ago, which surprised me," he continued to Nastasya. Filippovna said, "Afterwards I talked about you with the Epanchins...Early in the morning, before the train came into Petersburg, there was a man named Parvin Rowe on the train. Gozhin told me a lot about you... I was thinking of you when I opened the door for you, but you suddenly appeared."

"How did you know it was me?" "I saw the photo, I recognized it, and..." "and also?" "And because that's how I imagined you... as if I'd seen you somewhere." "Where, where?" "I think I've seen your eyes somewhere...but it's impossible! I'm just talking casually...I've never been here. Maybe it's in a dream..." "That's right, the prince!" exclaimed Fedsenko. "No, I take back what I said: se non e vero, but... but it's all very natural and unintentional!" he added regretfully. .

When the Duke said the above words, his tone was very unsteady, his speech was intermittent, and he was often out of breath.All this shows that he is very excited.Nastasya Filippovna looked at him curiously, but stopped smiling.At that moment, suddenly, from behind the crowd that had surrounded the prince and Nastasya Filippovna, a new, loud voice seemed to split the crowd in two.Before Nastasya Filippovna stood the head of the family, General Ivolkin.He was wearing a tuxedo and a clean corset, and his beard was dyed. This was too much for Ganya. He had a high self-esteem, vain to the point of nervousness and paranoia.In the past two months, he has been looking for a fulcrum to live a decent life and appear to be more dignified.He felt that he was still a novice on the road he had chosen, and he might fail if he didn't, because he had always been arbitrary at home, so he made up his mind, tore his face, and was unreasonable, but in Nasta He dared not do anything in front of Thea Filippovna, who eluded him until the last minute and played him mercilessly In the palm of your hand.He was told that he was, in Nastasya Filippovna's own words, an "impatient beggar."He swore to God again and again that he would take revenge on her for all of this in the future. At the same time, sometimes he privately fantasized childishly that he would be able to deal with Yuru and resolve all conflicts in the future—but now, he still had to drink This glass of bitter wine, especially at this moment, must be swallowed hard!There was another thing which he did not expect, and which is the most dreadful torment for a vain man--the pain of blushing for one's loved ones in one's own home, should befall him. "In the final analysis, can the reward I get make up for the price I paid for it?" This thought flashed through Ganya's mind at this moment. At this moment, something that he had only dreamed about at night in the past two months occurred, which made him horrified and ashamed.The scene of his father's meeting with Nastasya Filippovna at home was finally performed.He sometimes imagined what the general would look like when he held a wedding for his own troubles, but he never dared to think about this painful picture to the end, and quickly threw it away after thinking about it for a while.Perhaps, he exaggerated his disaster too much.However, people with strong vanity have always been like this.For the past two months, he had thought about it and finally made up his mind. He promised himself that no matter what, he would find a way to restrain his father, make him disappear, and if possible, even let him leave Petersburg temporarily, regardless of him. Does the mother agree to this.Ten minutes before, when Nastasya Filippovna had first entered, he had been so bewildered with fright that he had completely forgotten about the possible appearance of Ardalion Alexandrovitch, and therefore did not make any arrangements.But now the general appeared in front of everyone, solemnly prepared, put on a tailcoat, and just at the moment when Nastasya Filippovna "was looking for an opportunity to laugh at him and his family" (he was convinced of this).Seriously, that's not the reason for her visit this time, what else could she be doing?Had she come here to be close to his mother and sister, or had she come to his house to insult them?But, judging from the situation on both sides, there was no doubt: his mother and sister were sitting aside in the abused state, and Nastasya Filippovna seemed to have forgotten that they were with her. In the same room... Since she held such an attitude like no one else, she naturally had another purpose! Fedsenko supported the general and led him to the front. "Your Majesty Ardalion Alexandrovitch Ivolkin," said the general, smiling, stooping, with air, "a down-and-out old soldier, the head of the family. It is a great honor to receive such a humble home." Absolutely gorgeous..." He did not finish, and Fedsenko hastily pushed the chair behind him, and as the General's legs were a little weak from his meal, he fell with a thud, or rather sat down on the chair, but this did not It didn't make him blush.He sat opposite Nastasya Filippovna, put on a cheerful countenance, and slowly and affectively took her finger and pressed it to his lips.In short, it is quite difficult to embarrass the general.His appearance, apart from being a little sloppy, looked quite decent, and he was well aware of this.He had been in high society in the past, and he had been completely excluded from it for only two or three years in total.It was from then on that he unscrupulously indulged some of his weaknesses.But he still retains a mellow and pleasant demeanor to this day.Nastasya Filippovna seemed extremely pleased at the presence of Ardalion Alexandrovitch, of whom she had of course already heard. "I heard my boy..." began Ardalion Alexandrovitch. "Yes, son! You are a good father! Why do you never see you come down? Did you hide yourself, or did your son hide you? You can go to me if you want, and you won't hurt anyone." of honor." "The sons and daughters of the nineteenth century and their parents..." the general began again. "Nastasya Filippovna! Please send Ardalion Alexandrovitch out, he is being sought," Nina Alexandrovna cried. "Let him go? How could it be possible? I've heard the name of the general for a long time, and I want to see him soon! What's the matter with him? Isn't he retired from the army? You won't leave me, general, will you?" "I assure you, he will come to the house in person, but now he needs to rest." "Ardalion Alexandrovitch, they say you need to rest!" Nastasya Filippovna, like a petulant little fool who has been robbed of a toy, made a Expressing dissatisfaction and disgusting grimace, shouted.The General is just trying to make his position even more ridiculous. "Baby! Baby!" he said, turning solemnly to his wife, and pressing his hand to his chest, reproachfully. "Her, don't you want to leave here?" Varya asked aloud. "No, Varya, I'm going to sit down." It was impossible for Nastasya Filippovna not to hear the questions and answers between their mother and daughter.But the joy in her heart continued unabated, and she seemed to be happier.Immediately she asked the general a series of questions, and five minutes later the general had grown exuberant and exuberant, and was talking out loud amidst roars of laughter. The back of the Duke of Kolyalala. "You find a way to get him away! Can't you? Thank you!" The eyes of the poor boy were even burning with tears of anger. "Oh, damn Ganka!" he added to himself. "It is true that I am close friends with Ivan Epanchin," answered the general casually to a series of questions from Nastasina Filippovna. "I, he, and the late Prince Lev Nikolaevich Myshkin (whose son I embrace today after a twenty-year absence), the three of us are, so to speak, the inseparable Three Horsemen: Athos, Porthos and Aramis. But, alas, the one lies buried, struck by slander and bullets, and the other sits before you, still struggling with slander and bullets..." "Same bullet!" cried Nastasya Filippovna. "The bullet is here, in my chest, but I was shot in Kars. It hurts when the weather is bad. But in all other respects, I still live a leisurely life, go out and walk around, take a break." Take a walk, in the coffee shop I often go to, play checkers like a bourgeois in his spare time, and watch Ind pendance. After the pug incident, I made a clean break with him." "Pugs? What's the matter!" asked Nastasya Filippovna very curiously. "The pug incident? Slowly, and on the train! . . . " She seemed to be remembering. "Oh, it's too boring to mention: it's all due to Mrs. Schmidt, Princess Belokonskaya's tutor, but... it's not worth mentioning." "You must!" cried Nastasya Filippovna joyfully. "Nor have I heard of it!" said Fedsenko. "C'est du nouveau." "Ardalion Alexandrovitch!" Nina Alexandrovna pleaded again. "Father, someone is looking for you!" Kolya shouted. "A boring matter can be finished in two sentences." The general said confidently. "Two years ago, yes! Almost two years ago, after a new railway line was opened, I (in civilian clothes) was working on something very important to me, post-disarmament, so I bought A first-class ticket: I walked into the car and sat down to smoke. That is to say, continue to smoke, because I had already lit a cigarette. I was alone in the train compartment. Smoking was neither prohibited nor allowed on the train at that time, as usual It depends on who you are. The window was open. Suddenly, as we were about to drive, two ladies came up, with a pug, and sat across from me. They came Late. One of the ladies was very richly dressed in light blue and the other was more modest in a faded black silk dress. Both were not ugly, but they looked haughty and spoke English I don't care, I smoke my cigarette. That is, I thought about it, but I continued to smoke, because the window was open, and I turned my face out of the window. The pug lay in the light blue The lady's knees are not too big, and even the head and tail are only as big as my fist. It's all black, but its paws are white. It's really a rare animal. The collar is silver, with engraved inscriptions. I still turn a blind eye But I noticed that the two ladies seemed to be angry, of course because I was smoking a cigar. One of them also raised a tortoiseshell monocle and gave me a look. I still ignored it: because they didn't say anything It’s a different matter if they say something, take care of me in advance, ask me, because they have mouths, and they are human, otherwise, they don’t say a word...Suddenly—to tell you the truth, there is no warning at all, really Without even the slightest warning, as if completely insane, the woman in light blue reached out, snatched the cigar from my hand, and threw it out the window. The train was speeding, and I They were all dumbfounded. This woman is really savage. What a savage woman, completely in a state of savagery. However, this woman is tall, fat and tall, with golden hair, red face (even too red), She stared at me with wide eyes. I said nothing, very politely, politely, even very gracefully, put out two fingers, approached the pug, and gently grabbed its hindquarters. neck, and threw it violently, followed by the cigar, and flew out of the window! Only one scream was heard! The train continued to fly..." "You are too wicked!" cried Nastasya Filippovna, clapping her hands like a little girl. "Great, great!" cried Fedsenko.Ptitsyn, who had been very disgusted by the general's appearance, smiled at this moment.Even Kolya laughed and exclaimed: "Excellent!" "I'm right, right, very right!" The complacent general continued to say enthusiastically, "Because smoking is prohibited in the carriage, and dogs are even more prohibited." "Excellent, Pa!" Kolya exclaimed cheerfully. "Excellent! I would, I would, I would have done the same!" "But what about the lady?" Nastasya Filippovna asked impatiently. "Her? Well, that's the root of all the unhappiness," the general continued, frowning. "She slapped me without a word, without warning! A barbaric woman, completely in a Barbaric state!" "What about you?" The general lowered his eyes, raised his eyebrows, raised his shoulders, squeezed his lips, spread his hands, and after a moment of silence, suddenly said: "I'm on fire too!" "Does it hurt? Does it hurt?" "Really, the beating doesn't hurt! Although I hit someone, it didn't hurt. I just waved her and slapped her, just slapped her. But, what the hell: the woman in the light blue dress turned out to be An English governess of Princess Belokonskaya's family, or even a friend of the family, and the woman in the black silk dress turned out to be Princess Belokonskaya's eldest daughter. Miss Belokonskaya, an old maid of about thirty-five years old. Everyone knows what kind of relationship General Yepanchin's wife has with the Belokonskayas. All the girls in the family heard this. Afterwards, they all fainted, with tears in their eyes, mourning for their pet dog—the pug, the six daughters wept bitterly, and the British woman cried loudly—it’s the end of the world! What can I do? Of course, I have to come to the door to apologize and ask Forgive me, and I wrote a letter, but they refused to see me, and they refused to accept this letter, and since then Ye Panqin has been at odds with me, shutting doors and rejecting people thousands of miles away." "But, excuse me, what's the matter?" asked Nastasya Filippovna sharply. "Five, I don't know six days ago, I was in Ind pendance (I often read Ind pendance ) read an exact same story! Exactly the same! It happened on a railroad on the Rhine, in a train, between a Frenchman and an Englishwoman: also robbed of cigars, and pugs They were also thrown out of the window, and in the end, the story ended exactly as you said. Even the clothes were light blue!" The general blushed when she asked her.Kolya, too, blushed, clasped his head with both hands.Ptitsyn also hurriedly turned away.Only Fedsenko was still laughing.As for Ganya, it goes without saying: he stood there all the time, enduring silent, embarrassing pain. "Please believe me," said the general, "the exact same thing happened to me..." "My father did have an unpleasant affair with Mrs. Schmidt, the governess of the Belokonskayas," cried Kolya. "I remember it." "What! Exactly the same? The same story happened at the east and west ends of Europe, and the details are exactly the same, even including the light blue dress!" Nastasya Filippovna said ruthlessly. , "I can send you the Ind pendance!" "But please note," the general insisted, "that this happened to me two years ago." "Ah, unless that's the difference!" Nastasya Filippovna laughed out loud and threw herself back and forth. "Dad, I ask you to come out and say a few words." Ganya accidentally grabbed his father's shoulder and said in a trembling and painful voice.Infinite hatred boiled in his eyes. Just then there was a very loud knock at the door in the vestibule.Pulling the doorbell so hard, the bell rope must be broken.This heralds an extraordinary visit.Kolya ran to open the door.