The Complete Novels of Fyodor Dostoyevsky - Fyodor Dostoyevsky

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me as a daughter. I have given her a good education: she speaks French and plays the piano, she has read books and everything… . Such a sweet smile she has! Have you noticed it, Seryozha? As though she were laughing at one, but yet she is not laughing, but on the contrary, loving one… . You see I thought that you would come and make her an offer; they would be convinced that I had no intentions in regard to her, and would give over spreading these disgusting stories. She would remain with us then in peace, in comfort, and how happy we should be! You are both my children, both almost orphans, you have both grown up under my guardianship … I should have loved you so! I would have devoted my life to you; I would not part from you; I would follow you anywhere! Oh, how happy we might have been! And why are these people always so cross, always so angry, why do they hate each other? If only I could explain it all to them! If only I could make them see the whole truth! Ah, my God!”

      “Yes, uncle, yes, that is all so; but, you see, she has refused me.”

      “Refused you! Hm. … Do you know, I had a sort of presentiment that she would refuse you,” he said, musing. “But no!” he cried. “I don’t believe it. It’s impossible. In that case, all our plans are upset! But you must have begun injudiciously somehow, even offended her perhaps. Perhaps you tried your hand at paying compliments… . Tell me how it was again, Sergey.”

      I repeated the whole story in full detail again. When I came to Nastenka’s hoping by her departure to save my uncle from Tatvana Ivanovna, he gave a bitter smile.

      “Save me!” he said. “Save me till tomorrow morning… .”

      “But you don’t mean to say that you are going to marry Tatyana Ivanovna!” I cried in alarm.

      “How else could I have paid for Nastasya’s not being sent away tomorrow? Tomorrow I make the offer — the formal proposal.”

      “And you have made up your mind to it, uncle?”

      “What could I do, my boy, what could I do? It rends my heart, but I have made up my mind to it. The proposal will be tomorrow; they suggest that the wedding should be a quiet one, at home; it would certainly be better at home. You will perhaps be best man. I have already dropped a hint about you, so they won’t drive you away before then. There is no help for it, my boy. They say, ‘It’s a fortune for your children!’ Of course one would do anything for one’s children. One would turn head over heels, especially as really, perhaps, what they say is right. You know, I really ought to do something for my family. One can’t sit an idle drone for ever!”

      “But, uncle, she is mad, you know!” I cried, forgetting myself, and there was a sickly pang at my heart.

      “Oh, mad, is she now? She is not mad at all; it’s only, you know, that she has had trouble… . There is no help for it, my boy. Of course I should have been glad of one with sense… . Though, after all, some who have sense are no better! If only you knew what a kindhearted creature she is, noble-hearted!”

      “But, my God! he is resigning himself to the thought of it already,” I said in despair.

      “And what else is there to do? You know they are doing their utmost for my benefit, and, indeed, I felt beforehand that sooner or later they would force me to marry, that there is no getting out of it. So better now than make more quarrelling about it. I am telling you everything quite openly, Seryozha. In a way I am actually glad. I have made up my mind, somehow. Why, I came here with my mind almost at ease. It seems, it’s my fate. And the great thing to make up for it wras that Nastenka would stay on. You know I agreed on that condition. And now she wants to run away of herself! But that shall not be!” my uncle cried, stamping. “Listen, Sergey,” he added with a determined air; “wait for me here, don’t go away. I will come back to you in an instant.”

      “Where are you off to, uncle?”

      “Perhaps I shall see her, Sergey; it will all be cleared up, believe me that it will all be cleared up, and … and … you shall marry her, I give you my word of honour!” . My uncle went quickly out of the room, and turned not towards the house, but into the garden. I watched him from the window.

      CHAPTER XII

      THE CATASTROPHE

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       I WAS left alone. My position was insufferable; I had been rejected, and my uncle meant to marry me almost by force. I was perplexed and lost in a tangle of ideas. Mizintchikov and his proposition was not absent from my mind for an instant. At all costs uncle must be saved! I even thought of going to look for Mizintchikov and telling him all about it. But where had my uncle gone, though? He had said himself that he was going to look for Nastenka, but had turned in the direction of the garden. The thought of secret meetings flashed through my mind, and a very unpleasant feeling clutched at my heart. I remembered what Mizintchikov had said of a secret liaison. After a moment’s thought I rejected my suspicions with indignation. My uncle was incapable of deceit: that was obvious. My uneasiness grew greater every moment. Unconsciously I went out on to the steps, and walked into the garden down the very avenue into which my uncle had disappeared. The moon was beginning to rise. I knew that garden through and through, and was not afraid of losing myself. As I drew near the old arbour which stood in solitude on the bank of the neglected scum-covered pond, I suddenly stood rooted to the spot; I heard voices in the arbour. I cannot describe the strange feeling of annoyance that took possession of me. I felt convinced that my uncle and Nastenka were there, and went on going nearer, appeasing my conscience by thinking that I was walking at the same pace as before and not trying to approach stealthily. Suddenly there was the distinct sound of a kiss, then stifled exclamations, and immediately afterwards a shrill feminine shriek. At that instant a woman in a white dress ran out of the arbour and flashed by me like a swallow. It even seemed to me that she hid her face in her hands that she might not be recognised: probably I had been noticed from the arbour. But what was my amazement when in the swain who emerged after the flying lady I recognised — Obnoskin, Obnoskin, who, according to Mizintchikov’s words, had gone away some hours before. Obnoskin on his side was greatly confused when he saw me; all his impudence vanished instantly.

      “Excuse me, but … I did not in the least expect to meet you,” he brought out, smiling and hesitating.

      “Nor I you,” I answered ironically, “especially as I heard you had already gone away.”

      “No. … It was just … I went a little on the way with my mother. But may I appeal to you as an absolutely honourable man?”

      “What about?”

      “There are cases — and you will agree yourself that it is so — when a truly honourable man is forced to appeal to the highest sense of honour of another truly honourable man. … I hope you understand me… .”

      “Do not hope, I understand absolutely nothing. …”

      “You saw the lady who was here with me in the arbour?”

      “I saw her, but I did not recognise her.”

      “Ah, you did not recognise her… . That lady I shall shortly call my wife.”

      “I congratulate you. But in what way can I be of use to you?”

      “Only in one way, by keeping it a dead secret that you have seen me with that lady.”

      “Who can she be?” I wondered. “Surely not …”

      “I really don’t know,” I answered Obnoskin. “I hope that you will excuse me for not being able to promise.”

      “Yes, please, for God’s sake,” Obnoskin besought me. “Understand my position, it’s a secret. You may be betrothed too: then I …”

      “Shi someone is coming!”

      “Where?”

      We did indeed catch a glimpse thirty paces away of the shadow of someone passing.

      “It

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