Chapter 27 Chapter 10

I went straight to Alyosha.He lives at his father's house in the coastal alley.The Duke has a rather large residence, although he lives alone.Alyosha occupied two very fine rooms in the house.I seldom go to him, this About once in total.He came to see me often, especially at first, when he and Natasha were living together. he is not at home.I went through the hall, walked directly to his room, and wrote him this text message: "Alyosha, you are probably crazy. Because on Tuesday night, I personally asked Natasha to agree to be your wife, and you are very happy with this request (I am a witness), so, You have to admit that your current behavior

in baffling.Do you know what you did to Natasha right now?In any case, this text message of mine will remind you that what you have done to your future wife is very inappropriate and thoughtless.i know i have no rights I'm going to make irresponsible remarks to you, but I can't care about that much anymore. "Also: She doesn't know anything about this letter, and she didn't even tell me about your recent situation." I put the envelope on his desk, and one of the servants answered my question that Alexey Petrovich almost never came home, and even if he came back now, it would be midnight at the earliest, and it was almost dawn. .

It was not easy for me to get home.I was dizzy, my legs were weak, and I couldn't help shaking.The door to my room was open.Nikolai Sergeyitch Ikhmenev was sitting in my room waiting for my return.He sat at the table and looked at Ye Lian silently and in amazement. She also weighed the ground in astonishment, although she stubbornly remained silent. "Isn't it," I thought, "he must think she's queer." "I said little brother, I've been waiting for you for a whole hour. To tell you the truth, I never expected... This is your situation," he looked around the room, then pointed at Yelena quietly and said to me With a wink, he continued.His eyes showed astonishment

.But looking closer, I saw a kind of panic and sadness in his expression.He was paler than usual. "Sit down, sit down," he continued busy and preoccupied, "I have something to do, and I came to you urgently; what's the matter with you? Your complexion is so ugly." "A bit uncomfortable. Dizzy in the morning." "Well, you've got to be careful, it's not a careless business. You've got a cold, haven't you?" "No, it's just a nervous fit. It happens to me sometimes. How are you, how are you?" "It's nothing, nothing! It's nothing serious. I'm angry and unhappy for a while. I have something to do. You sit down first."

I moved my chair closer and sat at the table facing him.The old man bent slightly towards me and whispered: "Keep your eyes off her, and pretend we're talking about something irrelevant. Who's that little guest of yours sitting there?" "I'll tell you all about it later, Nikolai Sergeyitch. It's a poor little girl, helpless, the one who lived here and died in a grocery store. Smith's granddaughter." "Oh, so he has a granddaughter! I said little boy, this child is quite weird! Look at her, look at her! To tell you the truth: if you don't come in five minutes, I won't be able to sit here anymore .the door was opened with great difficulty until now

Not saying a word; being with her was frightening, not living.How did she come to you?Ah, I see, I probably came to see my grandfather, I didn't know he was dead. " "Yes. Her life was very bitter. The old man thought of her when he was dying." "Well! What kind of grandpa is there, what kind of granddaughter is there. Tell me about all this in the future. Since she is so miserable, maybe we can find a way to help her, at least help her... ...well, little man, now Can you let her go first, because I have something important to tell you. " "She has no place to go. She lives with me."

I explained it to the old man in as few words as I could, and then added that it didn't hurt to speak in front of her, because she was still a child. "Yes . . . still a boy, of course. But, boy, you surprised me. Living with you, Lord, my God!" Then the old man looked at her again in amazement.Yelena, feeling that she was being talked about, bowed her head and sat silently, twisting the edge of the sofa with her fingers.She's got new clothes on, and they fit perfectly.Her hair is also thicker than usual Combed carefully, probably because of wearing new clothes.Generally speaking, she must be a very sweet and beautiful little girl if she hadn't looked strange and wild in her eyes.

"Simply and clearly, little brother, that's what happened," the old man began again, "it's a long story, and it's very important..." He sat with his head bowed, with a serious expression, as if he was thinking.Although he was in a hurry and declared in advance that he wanted to be "simple and clear", he didn't know where to start and couldn't find the words. "What's the matter?" I thought. "I said, Vanya, I have come to talk to you about something important. But before we talk about it... because I'm thinking about it myself now, I have to explain to you some... very delicate circumstances. ..."

He cleared his throat, and cast a quick glance at me; after that glance, he blushed; when he blushed, he became angry at his embarrassment, and when he did, he gave it up: "Oh, there is nothing to explain! You can understand without saying it. Open the skylight and tell the truth. I want to fight the Duke. I invite you to arrange this matter and be my duel witness." I leaned back in my chair and stared at him in shock. "Oh, what are you looking at! I'm not crazy." "But, I'm sorry, Nikolai Sergeyitch! What excuse do you have, and what are you trying to achieve? Finally, how could it be..."

"Excuse! Purpose!" exclaimed the old man, "what a wonderful thing! . . . " "Well, well, I know what you're going to say; but what's the use of it! What's the use of a duel? To be honest, I don't understand anything." "I expected you would not understand anything. Let me tell you this: our case is closed (or, in a few days, it will be closed; there are only a few frivolous formalities left); I lost the case. Must pay Compensation up to ten thousand rubles; That's how it was judged.The money was paid in the village of Ihmenevka.So now the wretch is guaranteed money, and when I hand over the village of Ihmenevka I also pay the money and become irrelevant.now i can shoot

Let's start.I will say to him thus: Most venerable duke, you have insulted me for two years; you have tarnished my name and the innocence of my family, and all this I can only swallow!At that time, I couldn't fight to the death with you. Then you would have said straight to me: 'Ah, you are a cunning man, you want to kill me for paying my bills, because you have a premonition that you will lose the case and pay me a fine sooner or later!No, let's see how this case is resolved, and then you'll find I duel. 'Now, my lord, the case is closed, you have a guarantee, and therefore there is no obstacle, so please come here in vain, and fight in the duel.That's it.Well, the way you see it, at the end of the day, I have no right To avenge Xuelang for himself and everything! " His eyes light up.I watched him silently for a long time.I wanted to penetrate his secret thoughts. "I said Nikolai Sergey was surprised," I answered at last, determined to tell him the truth, otherwise we would not be able to understand each other. "Can you talk to me frankly?" "Okay," he replied firmly. "Please open the skylight and speak frankly: the reason why you want to fight is because you want to avenge Xue, or do you have other plans?" "Vanya," he replied, "you know, I never allow anyone to touch certain points in my conversation: but this time I make an exception, because you have a good brain and see through , it is impossible to avoid this question .Yes, I still have him.The purpose is to save my daughter who has gone astray, so that she will not be lost forever. Some recent circumstances are causing her to embark on this path of endless harm. " "But the question is how can you save her by engaging in this duel?" "A duel will stop what they're plotting right now. Listen to me: don't think I'm out of some kind of paternal weakness and whatnot. It's all nonsense! I don't want anyone to see what's inside me. Even you don't know my heart What are you thinking.The girl ditched me and eloped with her lover, so I threw her out of my heart and forgot her forever, that very night—do you remember?I've seen me wail over her portrait once, but never let that stop me Surely I want to forgive her.Even then, I did not forgive her.What I cry about is lost happiness and vain fantasies, but I am definitely not crying about being in the mainland.I may cry often; I am not ashamed to admit it, as I am not ashamed to admit that I loved my Children are loved more than anything in the world.This all seems contradictory to what I'm doing now.You will ask me: if that is the case, since you are so indifferent to the fate of the person whom you no longer recognize as your daughter, why do you interfere with their present situation? What about the thing you're planning?My answer is: first, in order to prevent that insidious villain from succeeding in his plot, and second, out of human nature - the most common benevolence.Although she is no longer my daughter, she is an unprotected girl after all. A weak person who was deceived again, and he was still deceiving her further, trying to destroy her completely.I can't intervene directly, but I can intervene indirectly through dueling.If I'm shot by them or wounded and bleeding, can she cross our field, Maybe step over my body and marry the son of my murderer?Like that king's daughter (remember, we had a book at home, the one you used to learn French) driving past her father in a fancy carriage? The dead body of a relative.Besides, if he goes to a duel, then we dukes and sons themselves don't want any more weddings.In a word, I do not want to see this marriage, and I will do everything in my power not to make it happen.you now understand what i mean ? " "I don't understand. Since you wish Natasha well, how can you be so determined to obstruct her marriage, because only marriage can restore the country's reputation? You know, in this world, she has a long life; she needs a good reputation." "Abandon these worldly views, she should think about things like this! She should realize that the greatest shame for her is this marriage, and nothing is more associating with these despicable people and this despicable high society. She noble self-esteem to answer this high society.At that time, maybe I will reach out to her, and I will see who will dare to ruin my child's reputation by then! " This extreme idealism astonished me.But I saw at once that he was unhappy and had said these exaggerated words on a whim. "It's so idealistic," I answered him, "that it's kind of cruel. You want her to have courage, but you didn't give her that kind of strength and courage when she was born. Did she agree to marry because she wanted to be a duke?" Ma'am? You know, she loves He; you know, this is strong love, this is destiny.Finally: You let her scorn the world, and you yourself bowed to its weight.The duke has made you suffer unjustly, openly suspecting that you want to pursue high skills, and want to use deceitful means to associate with the duke's family marriage, so you now think that if, now, after their formal proposal, she rejects them herself, that, of course, will very thoroughly and very clearly disprove their earlier slander.See, here's what you're after, you bow From the duke's own opinion, what you are seeking is to make him admit his mistakes.All you wanted was to laugh at him, to avenge him, and you sacrificed your daughter's happiness for it.Isn't this selfish? " ① Refers to the seventh and third Tarquin Supeb in the Roman monarchy era recorded in the "History of Rome" by the ancient Roman historian Li Wei (here refers to the French translation of the book, Paris edition in 1830).He was originally the son-in-law of the sixth king, Seve Turiu, and later killed Yue. The father usurped the throne and dumped his father-in-law's body in the market.His wife, the former king's daughter, after declaring her husband king, drove home from a mass meeting, driving openly past her father's body, leaving a trail of blood on the road. The old man sat there with a stern face and furrowed brows, without saying a word, and this went on for a long time. "You're not being fair to me, Vanya," he said at last, with a shiny tear hanging from his eyelashes, "I swear to you, it's not fair for you to say that, but don't talk about it! I I can't show you my heart," he said slightly He stood up, picked up his hat, and continued, "There is only one thing I want to say: you mentioned my daughter's happiness just now. I don't believe that this will make her happy at all, unless there is one thing: even if I don't intervene, this accident The marriage will never happen." "How could it be? Why do you think so? Maybe you know something?" I exclaimed curiously. "No, I don't know of any particular circumstances. But there's no way this damn old fox, kid, could have made up his mind to do it. It's all bullshit and conspiracy. I'm sure of it, you mark my words , it must be so. No. Secondly, even if the marriage were to be consummated, it would only be possible if the wretch had his own special secret plans, unknown to anyone, that the marriage would be in his favour. --As for what the plan is, I I don't understand at all, you tell yourself, you might as well ask yourself: will this marriage make her happy?Complaining and scolding, humiliating, and accompanying a baby who is not big enough for life, and this baby now regards her love as a burden, once married will disrespect her, bully her, and humiliate her; at the same time, her passion becomes more and more intense as the other party becomes more and more indifferent; jealousy, pain, heartbreak, divorce, and perhaps Crime... No, Van Eya!if you are there You're helping me with the sloppy planning of this, and I'm going to put the ugly words in my head, and you're accountable to God, but by then it's too late!goodbye! " I stopped him. "I say, Nikolay Sergeitch, shall we do this: wait a moment. Believe that there is not only one pair of eyes watching this matter, maybe it will work out, it is best However, it can be solved without using tools such as duels. coercive, artificial solutions.Time is the best solver!Finally, let me venture to say that all your plans are completely unworkable.Do you seriously think (even for a minute) that the Duke will accept your challenge? " "Why won't you accept it? What are you talking about, you're confused! "I swear to you he won't take it, trust me he'll find excuses for good reason; laughing stock……" "How can it be, little brother, how can it be! I am so shocked by what you say! How can he not accept it? No, Vanya, you are a poet; are you not, a real poet! Why, in your opinion, it would be indecent to fight a duel with me ?I am no worse than the earth.I'm an old man, a disgraced father; you're a Russian man of letters, you're a respectable man, you can be a witness to a duel, and... and... I don't understand, you still want what……" "You will see. He will find all kinds of excuses to make you see for yourself that it is absolutely impossible to fight him." "Well . I have one thing to ask, my friend: please ask I promise you will never be there, and you will never tell Anna Andreyevna what we have said, will you? " "I promise." "Secondly, Vanya, thank you, from now on, don't mention this matter to me again." "Okay, I promise." "Finally, one more thing: I know, my dear, that you may be bored in the shed, but please come and visit the shed as often as you can. My poor Anna Andreyevna I like you very much, and...and... ...If you don't go, she will miss you... Do you understand, Vanya? " He said and shook my hand tightly.I sincerely agreed to him. "And now, Vanya, at last, there is something more difficult to tell. Do you have money?" "Money!" I repeated in surprise. "Yes (the old man blushes and lowers his eyes); little boy, I see that the house you live in... your situation... I think you may have something else urgent (it is very likely to be urgent right now), Well...here, boy, it's one hundred and fifty Ten rubles, you take it first..." "One hundred and fifty rubles, let's take it first, didn't you just lose the lawsuit yourself!" "I see, Vanya, that you don't quite get my point! You may need something urgently, and you need to understand that. Money, in certain circumstances, helps to be independent, to make independent decisions. Perhaps you are now No need, in the future Wouldn't there be anything needed?Anyway, I'll leave the money with you first.I can scrape together to get these.Pay me back if you can't spend it all.And now, goodbye!My God, how pale you are!you are sick ..." I didn't refuse, and accepted the money, knowing very clearly what he was going to do with the money he left me. "I could barely stand," I answered him. "Don't be careless about it, Vanya, my dear, don't be careless! Don't go anywhere today. I'll tell Anna Andreyevna about you. Do you want the doctor? Come see you tomorrow; at least, I'll try to come, as long as These two legs can still move.And now, you lie down first... well, goodbye.Goodbye, little girl; turn your head away!Listen to me, my friend!Here's another five rubles for the little girl.But don't tell her I gave it to her That's it, buy a pair of shoes, underwear,... buy whatever you need!Goodbye my friend……" I walked him all the way to the gate.I'm going to ask the porter to buy me something to eat.Yelena hasn't eaten yet...