Chapter 13 ten

The front room was suddenly very lively, full of people's voices. From the living room, it seemed that several people came in from the yard, and there were still people coming in.Several voices were speaking and shouting at the same time, and others were speaking and shouting on the stairs, and the door leading from the vestibule to the stairs could be heard to be still open.The visit was extremely puzzling.Everyone looked at each other, Ganya hurried into the sitting room, but several people had already entered the sitting room. "Ah, here he is, Judas!" cried a voice that sounded familiar to the duke. "Hello, Ganka, you bastard!"

"It's him, it's the bastard!" Another voice chimed in. The prince had no doubts: one voice was Rogozhin, the other Lebedev. Ganya stood in the doorway of the drawing-room, dumbfounded, watching in silence, and let about ten or twelve people, one after another, enter the sitting-room after Parvin Rogozhin, without hindrance.This group of mermaids is a mixed bag, not only good and bad are mixed, but also uncoordinated.Some people came in, just as in the street, wearing overcoats and leather jackets.However, no one was completely drunk, but they all seemed to be drunk.It seems that everyone needs to be brave enough to come in. No one has the courage to come in alone, but everyone seems to be pushing each other to cheer each other up.Even Rogozhin, who was in the lead, came in cautiously, but he seemed to have ulterior motives, and his face looked sullen and sullen, as if something was on his mind.Everyone else seemed to be there to chime in, or rather to be a cheerleader.In addition to Lebedev, there was Zalyozhev, who had a perm, took off his fur coat in the outer room, and walked in very casually and like a dandy, and there were two or three others like him. Gentlemen, apparently young businessmen.There was also a man in a military overcoat; another was a short man, but he was extraordinarily fat, and always smiling; another was a tall man, about two feet twelve inches in height. , This gentleman is also very fat, but the boss kept a straight face and said nothing, showing an appearance that he was ready to fight at any time.There was also a university student studying medicine, and a Polish guy who followed closely behind everyone.Two ladies were looking in from the stairs, but dared not come in.Kolya slammed the door shut before them both, and hung the hook.

"Hello, Ganka, you bastard! Why, didn't you expect me, Parfen Rogozhin, to come?" Rogozhin walked to the door of the living room, stopped, faced Ganya, and repeated What I just said.But at that moment he suddenly saw Nastasya Filippovna sitting directly opposite him in the drawing-room.Evidently he had not expected to meet her here, for at the sight of her an extraordinary change took place in him: his face turned pale, and even his lips turned blue. "So, it's true!" he murmured as if talking to himself, looking distraught and bewildered. "It's over!...Hmph...you answer me now!" He looked at him in disgust. Ganya, gnashing his teeth suddenly, said, "Hmph... alas! . . . "

He was so out of breath that he couldn't even speak.He entered the drawing-room unconsciously, but just as he crossed the threshold, he suddenly saw Nina Alexandrovna and Varya, and, in spite of his great excitement at the moment, he stopped a little embarrassed.After him came Lebedev, who was already inseparable from Rogozhin and very drunk, then the student, the gentleman with his fists clenched, and Zarezhev, Zarezhev. When you come in, you bow to the left and right sides, and the last one to squeeze in is the short, fat man.Because there were two ladies present, they had some scruples and didn't dare to be too presumptuous. Of course, it was just before starting, making excuses, yelling, and before starting to act... At that time, any lady would be ignored by them here.

"Why, you're here too, prince?" said Rogozhin absent-mindedly, somewhat surprised to meet the prince here. "Still wearing those shoe covers, alas!" he sighed, and then forgot about the prince. and turning his eyes to Nastasya Filippovna, he moved slowly towards her as if attracted by a magnet. Nastasya Filippovna also looked at the company with uneasiness and curiosity. Ganya finally came to his senses. "But I'm sorry, what on earth does that mean?" he exclaimed, casting a stern glance at the visitor, but mainly to Rogozhin. younger sister……" "I saw your mother and sister," Rogozhin said casually.

"It can be seen that it is the mother and sister." Lebedev chimed in to show his prestige. The gentleman with clenched fists probably thought it was time, and started mumbling something. "But, again!" Ganya suddenly raised his voice inappropriately, and said explosively, "First, please leave here and go to the sitting room; second, who are you?" "Look, you don't know me," Rogozhin stood still, baring his teeth viciously, "you don't even know Rogozhin?" "Assume I've seen you somewhere, but..." "Look, where! It's only been three months, and I've just lost my father's two hundred rubles to you. Before the old man could find out, he died of anger. You dragged me into the water, Kniff did." Don’t know me anymore? Ptitsyn is a witness! Now, if I take three rubles out of my pocket and show you your face, you’ll get on all fours and follow the three rubles to Vasily Go to the island—that’s what you are! Your soul is so cheap! I’m here now to buy you with money. Don’t look at me wearing such broken boots. I have money, buddy, a lot of money I can buy you as a whole, even all the living people in your family... As long as I want, I can buy you all! I can buy everything!" Rogozhin said impassionedly , It seems that the drunkenness is getting stronger and stronger. "Alas!" he cried, "Nastasya Filippovna! Don't throw me away, but just say one word: will you marry him?"

Rogozhin posed this question like a man in a desperate situation asking a god, but also like a man condemned to death, with the boldness of a man condemned to death without scruples.In great distress he waited for an answer. Nastasya Filippovna looked at him with a mocking and haughty look, then at Varya and Nina Alexandrovna, then at Ganya, suddenly changed his tone. "That's not the case at all. What's the matter with you? How did you even think of asking that question?" she replied in a low, serious voice, seeming a little surprised. "That's not the case? It's not the case!" Rogozhin cried, almost mad with joy, "it's really not the case?! But they told me . . . Oh! Hey! . . . Filippovna! They say you are engaged to Ganka! With him! Is that possible? (I say that to all of them!) For a hundred rubles I can buy him whole Come down, give him a thousand, um, just three thousand, and he'll give up the marriage, run away before the wedding, and leave the bride to me. Isn't that right, Ganka, you bastard! You'd rather take three thousand Rubles! Here’s the money, and here it is! I’m here to ask you to write a note. If I say buy it, I’ll buy it!”

"Get out, you're drunk!" shouted Ganya, whose face turned red and white by turns. After he yelled, he suddenly heard several voices explode. Rogozhin's entire team had long been waiting for him to challenge first.Lebedev whispered very flatteringly to Rogozhin. "Yes, little civil servant!" Rogozhin answered, "yes, drunkard! Come on, Nastasya Filippovna!" he cried, looking at her like a madman, timidly at first, Then he suddenly regained his energy, looking desperate, "This is eighteen thousand!" After he finished speaking, he put a white paper package tied cross-crossed with ribbons on the small table in front of her, "All Here! And... more!"

He didn't dare to say all he wanted to say. "No, no, no!" Lebedev whispered to him again with a very frightened look, from which he could guess that he was frightened by the large amount, so he suggested that it be possible to pay less. , let's try first with a much smaller number. "No, buddy, you're an amateur if you do this, and it's too much if you don't know how to do it... It seems that I am also a fool to fool around with you!" At this time, Nastasia Filippo Under Funa's furious gaze, Rogozhin suddenly came to his senses and shuddered, "Oh! I'm talking nonsense, and I listened to you." He added regretfully.

Nastasya Filippovna looked at Rogozhin's despondent face, and suddenly smiled. "Eighteen thousand, give it to me? You'll get it right away, country bumpkin!" She added abruptly in a disrespectful, presumptuous and informal tone, and stood up from the sofa, as if about to leave.Ganya watched the play, his heart stopping. "Then forty thousand, forty thousand, not eighteen thousand!" cried Rogozhin. "Vanka Ptitsyn and Biskup promised forty thousand by seven o'clock. Forty thousand! One lump sum." The play was getting worse and worse, but Nastasya Filippovna continued to laugh and did not move away, as if she wanted to prolong the play.Nina Alexandrovna and Varya also got up from their seats, and waited in panic and silence for the end of the play.Varya's eyes were shining, but the effect of all this on Nina Alexandrovna was painful: she trembled all over, as if she was about to faint.

"In this case, one hundred thousand! Take one hundred thousand today. Ptitsyn, give me a hand, and I will let you make a penny of ill-gotten wealth!" "You're crazy!" Ptitsyn hurried up to him, grabbed his arm, and whispered, "You're drunk, and they'll call the police. Do you know where you are?" "Drunk and talking nonsense," said Nastasya Filippovna, teasing him. "I don't want to talk about it. If there is one, it will be there! It will be there before dark. Ptitsyn, give me a hand, you interest-eating master, it's up to you how much interest you want. Get me a hundred thousand rubles before dark. Come. I will prove that I will not begrudge you!" Rogozhin said, suddenly refreshed and cheerful. "I mean, what's the matter?" Ardalion Alexandrovitch rushed up to Rogozhin in a rage, and broke off with a stern voice.The old man had been silent until now, but now he had a sudden attack, which inevitably made people laugh, and there was laughter. "Where did this master come from?" Rogozhin laughed, "Come on, old man, I'll let you get drunk!" "Vile, dirty!" cried Kolya, crying out of shame and exasperation. "Couldn't one of you find someone to drag this shameless woman out?" Varya suddenly exclaimed, trembling with rage. "Call me a shameless woman!" retorted Nastasya Filippovna contemptuously and cheerfully, "I'd be a fool to invite them to a party at my house! Look, that's what I'm talking about." How did my sister abuse me, Gavrila Ardalionovich!" Ganya stood motionless as if struck by lightning while his sister's surly behavior flared up.But seeing that Nastasya Filippovna was really going away this time, he rushed up to Varya in a frenzy and seized her by the arm in fury. "Good job!" he cried, looking at her, wishing he could eat her right here.He was so flustered that he had no idea. "What have I done? Where have you dragged me? Did you ask me to apologize to her for insulting your mother and disgrace your whole family? You bastard!" Varya shouted again, lazily He looked at his brother proudly and challengingly. They looked at each other and stood face to face for a moment.Ganya still held her arm with his hand.Varya struggled once and twice, but finally couldn't help it, and suddenly forgot to spit on her brother's face. "That's a good girl!" cried Nastasya Filippovna. "Excellent, Ptitsyn, congratulations!" Ganya's eyes were darkened, and he waved at his sister with all his might.The slap hit her right in the face, but suddenly another hand appeared and grabbed Ganya's arm halfway. Between him and his sister stood the Duke. "Forget it!" he said resolutely, but he too trembled as if he had been shaken very violently. "You keep getting in my way!" growled Ganya, letting go of Varya's arm, and with a frantic flick of his free hand, he slapped the prince across the face. "Ah!" cried Kolya, clapping his hands together. "Ah, my God!" Shouts came from all directions, and the duke turned pale.He looked into Ganya's eyes with wonder and reproach, and his lips trembled as he tried to speak.A strange, utterly inappropriate smile flitted across his crooked lips. "Okay, hit me... but hit her... Anyway, I won't let it!..." He finally said softly.But suddenly he couldn't help it, left Ganya, put his face in his hands, went to a corner, faced the wall, and said in a broken voice: "Oh, you will be ashamed of your behavior. !" As expected, Ganya stood there bewildered.Kolya hurried to embrace and kiss the prince.Rogozhin, Varya, Ptitsyn, Nina Alexandrovna, everyone, even the old Ardalion Alexandrovitch pushed past him. "Nothing, nothing!" murmured the Duke to them all, still with that inappropriate smile. "He will regret it!" cried Rogozhin. "Ganka, you will be ashamed of insulting such a... sheep (he couldn't find another word)! Prince, my darling, leave them! Leave them alone, let's go! You will know what a friend Rogozhin is!" Nastasya Filippovna was also surprised at Ganya's behavior and at the prince's answer.Her usual pale, thoughtful face had always been at odds with the artificial laugh she had just had, and although she was stirred by a new emotion, she still seemed unwilling to let it go. Emotion showed, trying to keep the sardonic smile on her face. "Really, where have I seen his face!" She suddenly remembered the question she asked just now, and suddenly said seriously. "You're not ashamed either! Are you what you look like now? Is that possible!" cried the prince suddenly, in a tone of deep and passionate reproach. Nastasya Filippovna was surprised when she heard this, she smiled, but as if hiding something in her smile, she was a little flustered, and looked up at Ganya , and walked out of the living room.But before he reached the antechamber, he turned abruptly again, walked quickly up to Nina Alexandrovna, took her hand, and held it to his lips. "I'm really not like that, he guessed right." She blushed suddenly, whispered quickly and enthusiastically, and then turned and walked out, this time she walked so fast that no one had time Find out what she is going to do when she comes back.All that was seen was that she whispered something to Nina Alexandrovna and, it seemed, kissed her hand.But Varya saw and heard everything, and watched her in amazement as she left the living room. Ganya regained consciousness and hurried to see Nastasya Filippovna, but she had already left the room.He ran to the stairs before catching up with her. "No need to send it off!" she called to him. "Good-bye, see you tonight! You must come, you hear me?" He returned to the room, anxious and thoughtful, with a heavy riddle weighing on his mind, heavier than ever.The prince's shadow appeared in his mind again... He was so distraught that he almost didn't see how Rogozhin's gang walked past him, bumped him at the door, and hurried out with Rogozhin room.Everyone was talking loudly about something in unison.Rogozhin walked with Ptitsyn, repeating to Ptitsyn again and again an important and seemingly urgent matter. "Losing, Ganka!" Rogozhin shouted to him as he passed him. Ganya looked at their leaving back in horror.