Idiot (2003) s01e05 Episode Script
Part 5
Ordered by the Russia TV-channel with the support of the Cinematography Service the Russian Ministry of Culture produced by 2-B-2 Studio ENTERTAlNMEN Fyodor Mikhailovitch Dostoevsky lDlO Evgeni MlRONOV As prince Muishkin Starring Vladimir MASHKOV Lidiya VELEZHEVA Olga Budina lnna CHURlKOVA Oleg BASILASHVILI Alexei PETRENKO Vladimir lLYlN Michael BOYARSKY Alexander LAZAREV Alexandr Domogarov Maria KlSELYOVA Written and directed by Vladimir BORTKO Photography by Dmitri MASS Design by Vladimir SVETOZAROV Marina NlKOLAYEVA Original music by lgor KORNELYUK Producer Valery TODORORVSKl Episode 5 Listen Lebedeff, you seem to have appropriated me.
You keep me under lock.
At the villa, anyway, l mean to see whom l like and go anywhere l choose.
Without the finest doubt.
And what visitor did you turn away? About an hour ago? lt was.
lt was the general.
l've a great respect for that man.
He is a great man.
But it's better, illustrious prince, for you not to receive him.
Why? Too hospitable.
Hospitable? He assured me just now, all his life ever since he was an ensign up to the 11th of June last year every day he had never sat down to dinner with less than 200 people at his table.
He went so far, at last, they never got up.
So they had dinner and supper and tea for fifteen hours out of 24 hours.
For thirty years whithout a break.
Scarcely had the time to change the tablecloths.
One would get up and go, another would come.
And on holidays there would be as many as three hundred.
And on the thousandth anniversary of foundation of Russia he counted 700 people.
Won't a man like that be too hospitable for you and me? But you was in excellent terms with him? Yes.
He is intending to live with me.
We are connected by marriage.
He is a brother-in-law.
You are a second cousin of his too on the mother's side.
-Yes? -Yes.
lf you are a cousin, then you and l must be related too.
We are like brothers and l take it as a joke.
Let us be brothers-in-law.
lt's an honor to me.
Even through the 700 people and the thousand anniversary of Russia l can see he is a very remarkable man.
l mean it sincerely.
Lebedeff, why are you standing on tiptoe? And why do you always approach me as though you wanted to whisper a secret in my ear? l'm abject.
l'm abject.
l feel it.
And there is a secret.
A person you know of has just sent word she would like to have an appointment with you in secret.
Why in secret? l'll go and see her myself today.
Not at all.
lt's not what you suppose she is afraid of.
By the way, the monster comes every day to ask after your health.
Did you know it? You call him ''monster'' so often.
lt makes me quite suspicious, Lebedeff.
You can feel no sort of suspicious.
l only wanted to explain that she isn't afraid of him, but of something very different.
Very different.
Why, of what? That's the secret.
Whose secret? Your.
You forbade me yourself to speak of it, illustrious prince.
She afraid of Aglaya lvanovna.
Lebedeff, l'll give up your villa.
And where are the Gavrila Ardalionovitch and Ptitsins? - Ptitsins? -You've enticed them away too? No.
They are coming.
And even general after them.
l'll open all the doors, l'll call all daughters too.
At once, at once.
Good afternoon, prince.
Good afternoon, Nikolai Ardalionovitch.
Lizabetha Prokofievna and her daughters to you.
- Shall l admit the Ptitsins? - Of course.
-And Gavrila Ardalionovitch? - Eh? Of course.
-And the general? - Listen, let anyone come who likes.
l have not the slightest reason For hiding and concealing myself.
Good afternoon, prince.
Good afternoon - How do you feel yourself? - Thanks, l'm in a good health.
- Glad to see you, prince.
- Thank you.
- Glad to see you too.
- Pleased to see you.
Pleased to see you - Good day.
-Very glad to see you.
- Hello.
- Good afternoon.
l expected to find you on death-bed.
As l didn't tell you that prince is almost well again.
lt was much more interesting to imagine him Lying on his death-bed.
Be silent.
- Hello.
- Good afternoon, Lizabetha Prokofievna.
- Good afternoon, prince.
- Good afternoon, Adelaida lvanovna.
Please, welcome.
Good afternoon, Aglaya.
Sit down.
lt's the truth, Lef Nikolaevitch, l expected to find you almost a bad.
l exaggerated things so in my fright.
lntroduce.
The prince Scherbatov.
-Very glad.
- Good day.
Have you come to us for long? The whole summer.
And perhaps longer.
You are alone? Not married? Alone.
Not married.
lt seems you are looking at me with surprise, Aglaya lvanovna? l've the honour to introduce myself.
General lvolgin.
l used to carry you in my arms.
You are, sir, as usual.
You have never carried her in your arms.
Maman, he really did, at Tver.
l remember.
l was six years old then.
He made me an arrow and bow.
And a helmet made of cardboard and a wooden sword for me.
- l remember.
-And l remember it too.
Yes.
Remember.
l remember it all.
l was a staff-captain.
You were such a pretty little mite.
l used to be a guest in your house.
And see what you've come now.
So you haven't drunk away all your better feeling.
Have a cry.
Remember your innocence in the past.
What comes of speaking the truth for once.
lt reduced him to tears.
Was that Gavrila Ardalionovitch who went out? Yes.
He's very much changed.
-And greatly for the better.
- He has been very ill.
How has he changed for the better? What improvement do you see? There is nothing better than the ''poor knight''.
There is nothing better.
Don't understand.
What poor knight? ln fact is, there is a strange Russian poem.
We were trying to find a subject for Adelaida lvanovna next picture.
Then we hit on the ''poor knight''.
-Which of us first l don't remember.
-Aglaya lvanovna.
Because that poem describes a man who is capable of an ideal.
Who having sat an ideal before him has faith in it.
And having faith in it gives up his life blindly for it.
This does not happen always in our day.
But there is some obscure device of which we are not told in full.
The letters M.
F.
B.
inscribed on his shield.
-A.
N.
D.
- But l say M.
F.
B.
That's what l want to say.
That poor knight did not care what his lady was or what she did.
lf she became a thief afterwards he would still be bound to believe in her and be ready to break a spear for her pure beauty.
The poor knight is the same Don Quixote only seriously and not comic.
l didn't understand him at first and laughed But now l love the poor knight.
and what's more respect his exploits.
He must have been a fool anyway.
He and his exploits.
Whose poem is it? Pushkin's.
As soon as we get home, give me that poem of Pushkin.
Good afternoon, Aglaya lvanovna.
Suiter of Aglaya lvanovna.
So the ''poor knight'' on the scene again? Hello, Lef Nikolaevitch.
lntroduce prince.
Evgenie Pavlovitch Radomski.
Just in retirement.
l had long meant to gain not only your acquaintance but your friendship.
-Very glad to see you.
-Where are you? Lef Nikolaevitch, there four men come to see you they've been waiting a long time, scolding.
But father won't let them in to you.
-Who they are? - The son of Pavlicheff.
The son of Pavlicheff.
They are not worth it.
They are not worth listening to.
And it would be out of place to disturb yourself, illustrious prince They are not worth it.
Oh God! The son of Pavlicheff.
l owe everything to that man.
The son of Pavlicheff.
Yes.
l know.
l asked Gavrila Ardalionovitch to attend to that.
He told me just now This is very interesting.
Son of Pavlicheff? What the son of Pavlicheff can there be? They are trying to throw mud at you, prince.
You must defend yourself.
l'm awfully glad for you.
l want this disgusting claim to be stopped at last.
Give it to them well, prince.
Don't spare them.
My ears have been tingling with this business.
lt's been spoiling my temper.
They'll come in.
l'll show them and take away after that.
Let's go.
Welcome, gentlemen.
-Vladimir Doktorenko.
-Vurdalup.
Antip Burdovsky.
lppolit, don't! - Keller.
- Stop, Colia.
That'll be all right.
-Where can l sit down? - Hippolyte.
- Hippolyte Terentieff.
-Allow.
Gentlemen.
l didn't expect any of you.
l've been ill till today.
l asked Gavrila Ardalionovitch lvolgin To deal with your business.
l informed you.
No, gentlemen.
You are mistaken.
l've no objection to a personal explanation.
l suggest you should go with me into another room.
Because my friends is here now.
Friends? As much as one likes.
You might treated us more politely, and not have left us waiting two hours in your servant's room.
And of course this is behaving like a prince.
You are the generals, but l'm not your servant.
- l - This is behaving like a prince.
lf it were my personal affair.
Gentlemen, l only heard this minute that you are here.
But what right had you, let me ask, to submit Burdovsky's case to the judgment of your friends.
But maybe we don't wish the judgment of your friends.
Anyone can see what the judgment of your friends would be.
Mr.
Burdovsky, if you don't wish to speak here let us go into another room.
l repeat l heard of you all this very minute.
You have no right.
You have no right.
You have no Lef Nikioaevitch, read this at once.
This minute.
Read.
lt has to do with your business.
Wouldn't it be better not aloud.
l could read it alone afterwards.
Then you had better read it.
Read it aloud.
Read it aloud.
so that every one may hear.
Read.
Here is a strange anecdote about a scion of our decaying nobility.
Left a baby at his father's death they say he was a lieutenant, who died while in his trial for a sudden disappearance at cards of all the company's money Our orphan was brought up by the charity Of a very rich Russian landowner.
We'll call him ''P''.
He was apparently one of those drones and sluggards, who spend their idle lives abroad.
ln summer at the waters, and in winter at the Parisian Chateau des Fleurs Be that as it may, the light-hearted P.
brought up the orphan like a prince.
Engaged governesses, no doubt pretty ones, whom he brought himself from Paris.
But the last scion of the noble house was an idiot.
The governesses from the Chateau des Fleurs were of no use.
Up to his twentieth year our scion not be taught to speak any language, not even Russian.
At last the happy whim entered the heart of the serf-owner P.
, that the idiot might be taught sence in Switzerland.
Thousands were spent on it.
The idiot, of course, didn't become sensible.
But he became like a human being, no great shakes.
Suddenly P.
died.
Go and tell her we are together.
Go.
A crowd of friends and acquaintances gathered about our gaitered baron who ran after a notorious beauty of easy virtue.
He even picked up the relations.
And above all he was pursued by perfect crowds of young ladies, hungering and thirsting for lawful matrimony.
That That passes my comprehension.
- Leave off, Colia.
Read it.
Read it.
Whatever happens.
Prince, if you stop him reading, we'll quarrel.
Let's.
Read it.
One morning a well-known lawyer called on our quickly made millionaire.
He was been instructed by a young man.
This young man was neither more nor less than son of the deceased P, thought he bore a different name.
The licentious P had seduced a virtuous young girl and remarking the inevitable of the liaison he made haste to get her marriage.
Some time passed and P.
died, leaving no will.
Meanwhile his son who was adopted by the honourable character of his mother's husband, who also died, was thrown entirely on his own resources, giving lessons, with an grieving mother, thought her death was hardly an alleviation to him.
Now the question, what would have been a just decision for our noble scion to make? You would doubtless, reader, expect him to say to himself, l've all my life enjoyed all the gifts of P.
all that has been spent on me ought, by right, ought to have come to the son of P.
But no, gentlemen, wish a majestic air using his million to crush people with impunity, our scion pulls out a fifty-rouble note and sends to the noble young man by way of insulting charity.
The money, of course, was returned to him at once.
So to speak, flung back in his face.
What resource have we left us? There is no legal claim.
There is no resource but publicity.
What on earth.
As though fifty lackeys had met together and composed it.
Allow me to ask you, my dear sir, How dare you make such insulting suppositions? This.
This for an honourable man.
ln the first place, l'm not ''your dear sir''.
ln the second place, l have no intention of giving you any explanation.
Gentlemen, why did you write this article? l knew nothing about article.
lt's all untrue.
-Why it's untrue? -Allow me prince.
Yourself.
-You know that yourselves.
- lt's all true.
l think, gentlemen, that you have been guilty of a mean action.
A mean action You are wrong! You are pleased to forget, prince, it was only through your kindness of your heart you received them and now, illustrious prince, you might turn all these gentlemen out at once into the street.
What? What do you permit yourself? l, as a master of the house, with a greatest pleasure.
Perfectly right.
Lebedeff, enough.
Enough.
- No, excuse me.
-With a greatest pleasure That's not enough now.
They threaten to turn us into the street.
But is it possible, prince, you can think us such fools as not to understand we have no legal claim whatever we have no right to ask for a single rouble.
We came because we assumed you to be a man of common sense.
That is of honour and conscience.
We put the question to you directly and with dignity.
Do you admit that you were benefited and perhaps saved from death of Pavlicheff? lf you admit it, and it's evident, do you, after receiving millions, intend to compensate Pavlicheff's son in his poverty, even though he does bear the name of Burdovsky.
lf yes, satisfy us and the matter is finished.
Satisfy us without entreaties and gratitude on our part.
Don't expect them of us, for you are doing it not for our sake, but for the sake of justice.
lf your answer is no, we go away and the case is over.
And we tell you to your face, that you are a man of coarse intelligence and low development.
That the future you dare not call youself a man with honour and conscience and have no right to do so.
l've finished.
Turn us into the street now, if you dare.
But remember all the same that we demand and we don't beg.
Mark it well.
We demand, we don't beg.
We demand.
Yes, prince.
We demand, we don't beg.
Gentlemen.
Gentlemen.
Gentlemen.
You published that article on the supposition that nothing would induce me to satisfy Mr.
Burdovsky.
This is insufferable.
But how do you know l may have to satisfy Mr.
Burdovsky.
Yes.
-Yes.
Now.
l'm here.
- Good Lord.
l declare.
Listen, gentlemen.
l'll satisfy.
Come, that's a wise and generous saying From a wise and generous man.
Five weeks ago you lawyer, Tchebaroff, came to see me.
- l didn't like him.
-You didn't like him too? - Understand.
- Be silent.
l think, he have taught you.
- How? He had taken advantage of your simplicity.
You've no right.
l'm not simple.
You've no sort of right to make such suppositions.
This suppositions is insulting, false and irrelevant.
l agree.
- Surely.
l'm sorry, gentlemen.
l'm sorry.
- This is intolerable.
- Excuse me, l think.
l decided l must help to poor and trustful Mr.
Burdovsky.
Trustful? l decided to give him ten thousand roubles.
That's all that by my reckoning Pavlicheff could have upon me.
What, only ten thousand? Well, prince, you are not at all good in arithmetic.
Or else you are too good at it.
l won't agree to take ten thousand.
Antip, take it.
Take it.
Afterwards we'll see.
Listen to me.
Listen to me.
l've time to see clearly.
l'm convinced that my guess was correct.
-What's the guess? -What's the guess, prince? What.
That Mr.
Burdovsky is an innocent man.
- Of course innocent.
He is a helpless man - Helpless? - Therefore l ought to spare him.
- Don't say so.
-What? - Don't spare.
- Let's here out.
- Sit down, Antip, don't worry.
- Hear out.
Hear me out, gentlemen.
The chief point it appears now that Mr.
Burdovsky is not a son of Pavlicheff at all.
Not the son of Pavlicheff? Not the son of Pavlicheff? Gentlemen, Gavrila Ardalionovitch will explain everything to us.
Yes? Yes.
- He has even been to home.
- To home? - He has even been to home to see your mother, who hasn't died at all.
They've made you say in the article.
please.
Yes? l obtained the letters written by the late Mr.
Pavlicheff twenty-four years ago to colonel Viazovkin.
These letters prove that Nicolai Andreevitch remained abroad for three years.
Just a year and a half before you were born, Mr.
Burdovsky.
Your mother, as you know, has never been out of Russia.
l told you the day before yesterday that perhaps you really weren't Pavlicheff's son.
lf it's so, l've been deceived.
Not by Tchebaroff, but long ago.
l believe you.
l refuse.
l don't agree to ten thousand.
Good-buy.
- There's the money.
- Those are the two hundred and fifty roubles.
You dared to send him as a charity - The article said fifty.
- How dared you.
- How dared you.
lt's my fault.
- But l didn't send it you as a charity.
Believe me.
- So.
l'm to blame now.
l'm to blame.
l talked of swindling, but l didn't mean you.
No.
l was mistaken.
l said, you were afflicted as l am.
But you are not like me.
You support your mother.
l ventured to offer you ten thousand, but l'm to blame.
l ought to have done differently.
And now it can't be done.
Because you despise me.
This is a madhouse.
Of course it's a house of madmen.
Excuse me, gentlemen.
There are not two hundred and fifty roubles There's only a hundred.
l say so, prince, that there may be no misunderstanding.
Let it be.
- Let it be.
No, don't let it be, prince.
Your ''let it be'' is an insult to us.
We don't hide ourselves, we declare it openly.
Yes, there are only a hundred roubles in it instead of two hundred and fifty - But isn't it just the same? - No, it isn't just the same.
Don't interrupt me.
Of course a hundred roubles is not two hundred and fifty.
But the principle is what matters.
What matters is that Burdovsky does not accept your charity, your excellency.
He throws it in your face.
ln that sense it makes no difference whether it's a hundred or two hundred and fifty.
That hundred and fifty roubles has gone to Tchebaroff for his journey to see the prince.
Burdovsky is poor.
Burdovsky hasn't millions.
And Tchebaroff sent his account after his journey.
We hoped to win the case.
Who would not have done the same in his place? Who would not? l'll go out of my mind here.
lt reminds me of the famous defense made recently a lawyer, who bringing forward: ''lt was natural that in my client's poverty the idea Of murdering six people should have occurred to him.
And whom indeed would it not have occurred in his position?'' Enough.
lt's time to cut short this nonsense.
- Lizabetha Prokofievna.
- Enough lvan Fedorovitch.
Let me alone, why are you offering me your arm now.
You hadn't the sense to take me away before.
You are the husband, the head of the family you've taken me by the ear, if l were so silly as not to obey you and go.
You might think of your daughters, anyhow.
Wait a bit.
l must still thank the prince.
- Maman.
- Don't hinder me.
That's not your business.
Aglaya, Adelaida Thank you, prince, for your entertainment.
l've been staying on to listen to the young people.
lt's disgraceful.
lt's disgraceful.
lt's chaos.
lt's infamy.
lt's worse than a dream.
Are there many like them? So you are asking their forgiveness.
''lt's my fault for daring to offer you a fortune.
What are you, what are you laughing at? ''We refuse to fortune''.
''We demand, we don't ask''.
As thoug he didn't know this idiot will trail off tomorrow to them and offer his friendship and his money to them again.
You will? Will you or not? l will.
You hear? So that's what you are reckoning on.
The money is as good as in your pocket.
That's why you boast and try to impress us.
No, my good man.
l see through you.
You can find other fools.
l see all your game.
Lizabetha Prokofievna.
Lizabetha Prokofievna.
And this stuttering fellow wouldn't he murder anyone? l'm ready to bet he'll murder someone.
Maybe he won't take your money for conscience' sake but he'll come at night and murder you and take the money out of your cash box.
He'll take it for conscience' sake.
That's not dishonest to him, it's an outburst of noble indignation.
lt's a protest or goodness knows what.
Tfoo! Everything is topsy-turvy.
Everything is upside down.
We demand, we don't ask.
And you'll get no gratitude from us because you're acting for the satisfaction of his own conscience.
Queer sort of reasoning.
So if he'll get no gratitude from you the prince may tell you in answer he feels no gratitude to Pavlicheff.
Because to Pavlicheff too did good for the satisfaction of his own conscience.
Lunatics.
They don't believe in God.
They don't believe in Christ.
You'll end by eating up one another.
That's what l prophesy.
What are you laughing at, you sloven? Maman, this is shameful.
Don't worry yourself, Aglaya lvanovna.
Don't worry yourself.
Your maman will see she cannot attack a dying man.
l'm ready to explain why l laughed.
He's dying, yet he must hold firth.
You aren't fit for talking.
You simply ought to go and lie down.
So l will.
l'll die in fortnight.
Dr.
Botkin himself told me so a week ago.
So if you allow me, l should like to say two words to you at parting.
Are you crazy? Nonsense.
Think.
This is the last time l'll be out in the air with people.
And in a fortnight l'll certainly be underground.
So that this will be like a farewell to men and to nature.
l'm glad all this has happened at Pavlovsk.
One can see the trees in leaf anyway.
Good heavens! l was positively on the point of striking him.
Aglaya lvanovna, your daughter, held your back.
l'm not mistaken, am l? Let me at least look at a beautiful woman for the last time in my life.
A chair.
Colia.
- Sit down.
- Colia.
You must go with him at once, take him.
And tomorrow l'll certainly.
-And do you know? Do you know, Lizabetha Prokofievna, you meant to take prince back to tea with you.
Stay here and the prince will give us all tea.
Yes.
Excuse my arranging it all.
l know you're good-natured.
The prince too.
You're all ridiculously good-natured people Don't get excited.
You've softened my heart.
Prince.
You don't deserve.
l should drink tea with you.
But so be it, l'll stay.
Though l'm not going to apologies to anyone.
-Vera.
- Not to any one.
l've learned to hold in high respect you, Lizabetha Prokofievna.
l've heard of you very often.
Colia told.
And l hold you in high respect.
He's feeling awkward.
l thought he would.
lt's useless.
lt's a sure sign now he'll do something out of spite eccentric.
lt'll be too much for even Lizabetha Prokofievna, perhaps.
-You seem feverish.
-What are you saying me? -Yes.
l'm not well.
- Prince.
He was saying this clown your landlord, corrected the article for this gentleman.
Why don't you speak? Well, l see now he did.
l'm a poor creature.
-A poor creature.
What do l care.
He thinks he'll get out of it by saying he's a poor creature.
Are you not ashamed, prince, to do with such people.
Although he did suggest kicking us downstairs, l confess, l really did apply to him and offered him six roubles.
Not for correct the style, but simply to give me facts.
.
l must observe, l only corrected the first half of the article but as we didn't agree in the middle and quarreled over one idea l didn't correct the second half.
So that it's bad grammar in there, it's bad grammar so that mustn't be set down to me.
A nice set of people.
l'll keep in mind.
Darling, have you put me here to be a laughing-stock.
God forbid.
What strikes me is your eccentricity, Lizabetha Prokofievna.
l led up the conversation to Lebedeff on purpose.
l knew the effect this would have on you only because the prince will forgive it and has probably forgiven it already.
Maybe he has found an excuse in his own mind.
That's true, prince.
lsn't it? You've said everything? Well, now go to bed, you're in a fever.
Good heavens.
Wait.
He's speaking again.
Why do you keep laughing at me? Why do you? Why do you keep laughing at me? l notice you're laughing at me.
l wanted to ask you, Mr.
Terentieff.
ls it true l've heard you believe you've only to talk to the people for a quarter of an hour and they'll follow you at once? lt's quite possible l've said so.
l certainly did say so.
What of it? Absolutely nothing.
Ad notam.
For remind.
Well, that's enough of you, my friend.
Well.
Period.
Goodbye.
Do you think it's easy for me to say you goodbye? Your excelency.
l've the honour of inviting you to my funeral.
lf only you think me worthy of such an honour.
And all of you, gentlemen, in the wake of the general.
l come here to see the trees.
These here.
That's not ridiculous, is it? There is nothing ridiculous in it? You were laughting at me wanting to talk out of the window for a quarter of an hour.
You know l'm not eighteen? A dead man has no age.
When you were saying goodbye l thought.
These people, trees here there will be nothing.
The red red-brick wall will opposite my window.
Opposite this red-brick house.
Well.
Tell them about all that.
Try to tell them.
Try to tell them you are a dead man.
You don't laugh? Or will you laugh again? You're horribly cruel.
l wanted to be a figure, Lizabetha Prokofievna.
Have l right? How much l wanted.
Now l want nothing, l don't want to want any thing.
l've given a word so then l'm not needed.
l wanted to live for the happiness of all men, to descover and proclame true.
l think l'll talk out of the window for a quarter of an hour and they'll agree with me.
What has come of it? You're laughting at me.
Well, nobody is laughing at you here.
Don't worry yourself.
A new doctor will come tomorrow.
The other one was mistaken.
Sit down.
You can hardly stand now.
Well.
Don't cry What are we to do now, lvan Fedorovitch? Be so good as you break your majestic.
lf you don't decide something, l'll stay the night here myself.
l'll just now.
My opinion, my dear, is that a nurse is more needed here, a sober person for the night than our emotion.
ln any case, the prince must be asked and the invalid must have rest at once.
And tomorrow we can show interest in him again.
Your excellency.
lf a satisfactory man is wanted for the night l'm ready to sacrifice myself for a friend he's such a soul.
l've long considered him a great man, your excellency.
My education has been defective, of course.
But his criticism -they're pearls, pearls, your excellency.
Prince, are you asleep? lf you don't want him, my friend, l'll take him home with us.
My goodness, he can hardly stand upright himself.
Why, you're ill? No.
No.
That's all right.
l'll be very glad if he'll stay.
lt's difficult for him to be moved.
Ah, that's what.
l was afraid of it.
That was bound to happen.
Ah, you were afraid of that.
That was bound to happen, you say? Let me tell you, if l hate anyone here, l hate you all.
But you, you, jesuitical, treacly soul, millionaire, philanthropic, idiot, l hate you more then everything in the world.
l understood and hated you long ago, then first l heard of you.
You led me on to breaking down.
You.
You drove a dying man to shame.
You are to blame for my abject cowardice.
l would kill you if l remained alive.
l don't want your benevolence.
l won't take anything -do you hear?- from anyone.
That's all right! l've thought out, if He's ashamed of his tears.
That was bound to happen.
Bravo the prince, he saw right through him.
Thank you, the eccentric friend of our family for the agreeable evening you have given us all.
Thank you for having let us have a clear view at last of what you are.
- Goodbye, prince.
- Prince.
Papa.
lf you don't throw up these nasty people at once, l'll hate you all my life.
Goodbye, prince.
Goodbye.
lt happened as l thought it would.
Only l'm sorry you poor fellow have had such a bad time.
- Lizabetha Prokofievna.
- Enough.
Enough.
Evgenie Pavlovitch, is that you? l'm glad, l've found you at last.
l sent a messenger to you in town.
Two of them.
They've looking of you all day.
l've a news.
Don't worry about Kupfer's lOUs.
Rogozhin has bought them up for thirty, l persuaded him.
You can be easy for another three months.
And we'll manage Biskup and all those wretches through friends.
lt's a madwoman.
l haven't an idea what she was talking about.
Well, that's all right.
Be cheerful.
Let's go.
See you tomorrow.
Allow me, Lizabetha Prokofievna.
Oh, enough, lvan Fedorovitch.
Prince, tell the truth.
Do you know what it means? No.
l know nothing about it.
- No? - No.
And l don't know.
l swear l've had nothing to do with any lOUs, you may believe my world of honour.
Oh, you're fainting, prince.
No.
l assure you.
No.
No.
Do you know, my dear Lef Nicolaievitch who that person was who shouted to Evgenie Pavlovitch yesterday from the carriage.
l must admit, lt's a mystery to me.
To me and to others.
Dear prince, l want to ask you if you know anything.
l mean, has no rumour, by some marvel, reached you? Then they plainly looked on me as a being concerned in the intrigue.
Besides, she must have some dreadful object.
What object.
Horrible.
And how's one to stop her? There's no possibility of stopping her when she's determined on her object.
She's a mad.
She's a mad.
Nastasia Philipovna, go for a drive every so often but behaved with extreme propriety.
The eccentric incident yesterday was, of course, premeditated and must not to be counted.
People will have to seek in out on purpose or to invent it.
Which they would not to be slow to do, Why he called yesterday's incident ''premeditated''? And why they would not be slow to do so? l want to leave everything here.
And go to back from which l had come.
To go away at once.
Without even saying goodbye to anyone.
lf l'll remain here even a few days longer l would be drawn into this world.
And would be bound up with it forever.
l must think over and decide upon this step.
That step is not one of those that can be thought over.
But one of simply decided upon.
l had lost every vestige of morality that l had become a thief.
Can you fancy that? Listen, Keller.
lf l were you l wouldn't confess that without special need.
To you alone, prince, and solely to promote my own development.
But prince, if only you know if only you know, how hard it is to get money nowadays.
How is one to get it, allow me to ask you.
The answers is the same: bring gold and diamonds.
That's just what l haven't got.
Can you fancy that? l lost my temper at last.
After waiting and waiting.
''Will you give me something for emeralds?'', said l.
''Yes, for emeralds, too'', said he.
''That's all right'', said l.
l put on my hat and walked out.
You're a set of scoundrels, yes, by Jove.
Have you any emeralds, then? Have l any emeralds, prince? Oh, prince, what a sweet and innocent idea of life you have.
You know, don't despair.
Now, you have given me a full account of everything That it's impossible to add anything.
lsn't it? lmpossible? Oh, prince, how completely, a la Suisse, if l may say so you still interpret human nature.
Can yon really have more to add? What did you expect of me? -Why have you come to me? - From you? What did l expect? ln the first place, lt's pleasant to watch your simplicity.
lt's nice to sit and talk to you.
And secondly.
Secondly.
Perhaps you wanted to borrow money? Upon my word, prince.
Such simplicity, seen innocence as was never seen in the Golden Age.
Yet all at once you pierce right through.
Like an arrow with such psychological depth of observation.
Of course.
in the long run my object was to borrow money.
But you ask me about it as if you saw nothing reprehensible in that As though it were just as it should be.
Yes.
From you it is just as it should be.
-And you're not indignant? - No Why? Listen, prince, l've been staying here since yesterday evening first, we were pulling corks with Lebedeff till three in the morning.
And secondly, and chiefly.
And here l'll take my oath.
l am speaking my holy truth! l stayed because l wanted, so to speak, by making you a full, heart felt confession, to promote my own development.
With that idea l fell asleep, toward; four o'clock, bathed in tears, Would you believe on the word of a man of honour now at the very minute l fell asleep, genuinely filled with inward and, so to say, outward tears l really was sobbing.
l remember.
A hellish thought occurred to me Why not, when all's said and done, borrow money of him after my confession one hundred and fifty roubles.
Don't you think that was base? lt's simply both things came at once.
that often happens.
lt's constantly so with me, Keller.
Do you know? Just now.
You might have been telling me about myself .
lt's awfully difficult to struggle against these double thoughts Awfully difficult.
l don't know how they arise and come.
How they arise? l've felt it.
Anyway, l'm not your judge.
You were acting deceitfully to obtain my money by your tears.
But you swear yourself that there was another motive too for your confession - an honourable.
As for the money, you want it for riotous living.
But after such a confession, that's feebleness.
But how are you to give up riotous living all in a minute? That's impossible.
What's to be done? lt had better be left to your own conscience.
Don't you think? Well, why they call you an idiot after that? l don't understand.
You've judged me humanely.
To punish myself and to show that l am touched.
l won't take a hundred and fifty roubles.
Give me only twenty-five, and it will be enough That's all l want fortnight.
for a fortnight l won't come for money within a fortnight.
- No.
Enough.
- l did mean to treat Agashka.
But she's not worth it.
Oh, dear prince, God bless you.
The outpourings of the heart? He really was genuinely penitent What does his penitence amount to.
lt's just like me saying yesterday.
''l m abject, l am abject!'' it's only words So that was only words? l thought you Words and deeds.
Lies and truth.
are all mixed up in me and are perfectly sincere.
Deeds and truth come out in my genuine penitence.
And words and lies in the hellish and always present craving to get the man to make something even out of one's tears of penitence it's so, by God.
l wouldn't tell another man.
he'd laugh or curse.
But you, prince, judge humanely.
But he is more sincere than you.
And you, Lebedeff, you've turned your penitence into regulartrade Don't crease up your face.
And don't lay your hands on your heart, Lebedeff.
Tell me the truth straight off for once in your life.
Had you anything to do with that carriage stopping here yesterday or not? l see you had.
But But indirectly, only indirectly.
lt's the holy truth l'm telling you The only part l had in it was letting a certain personage know l had such company in my house that certain persons were present.
What intrigue is this? lt's not my intrigue, not mine.
There're others in it so to speak and it's rather a fantasy, than an intrigue But what's the meaning of it? ls it possible you dont't understand that it concerns me directly, Lebedeff? lt takes of me, lt's blackening Yevgeny Pavlovitch.
- Prince.
-Yes? lllustrious prince, you won't allow me to tell the whole truth.
l've tried to already more than once.
You wouldn't allow me to go on.
Very well, tell the truth.
-Aglaia lvanovna.
- Be silent.
lt's impossible, lt's all nonsense.
lt's impossible You invented all that yourself or some madmen like you.
And let me never hear of it from you again.
You keep me under lock.
At the villa, anyway, l mean to see whom l like and go anywhere l choose.
Without the finest doubt.
And what visitor did you turn away? About an hour ago? lt was.
lt was the general.
l've a great respect for that man.
He is a great man.
But it's better, illustrious prince, for you not to receive him.
Why? Too hospitable.
Hospitable? He assured me just now, all his life ever since he was an ensign up to the 11th of June last year every day he had never sat down to dinner with less than 200 people at his table.
He went so far, at last, they never got up.
So they had dinner and supper and tea for fifteen hours out of 24 hours.
For thirty years whithout a break.
Scarcely had the time to change the tablecloths.
One would get up and go, another would come.
And on holidays there would be as many as three hundred.
And on the thousandth anniversary of foundation of Russia he counted 700 people.
Won't a man like that be too hospitable for you and me? But you was in excellent terms with him? Yes.
He is intending to live with me.
We are connected by marriage.
He is a brother-in-law.
You are a second cousin of his too on the mother's side.
-Yes? -Yes.
lf you are a cousin, then you and l must be related too.
We are like brothers and l take it as a joke.
Let us be brothers-in-law.
lt's an honor to me.
Even through the 700 people and the thousand anniversary of Russia l can see he is a very remarkable man.
l mean it sincerely.
Lebedeff, why are you standing on tiptoe? And why do you always approach me as though you wanted to whisper a secret in my ear? l'm abject.
l'm abject.
l feel it.
And there is a secret.
A person you know of has just sent word she would like to have an appointment with you in secret.
Why in secret? l'll go and see her myself today.
Not at all.
lt's not what you suppose she is afraid of.
By the way, the monster comes every day to ask after your health.
Did you know it? You call him ''monster'' so often.
lt makes me quite suspicious, Lebedeff.
You can feel no sort of suspicious.
l only wanted to explain that she isn't afraid of him, but of something very different.
Very different.
Why, of what? That's the secret.
Whose secret? Your.
You forbade me yourself to speak of it, illustrious prince.
She afraid of Aglaya lvanovna.
Lebedeff, l'll give up your villa.
And where are the Gavrila Ardalionovitch and Ptitsins? - Ptitsins? -You've enticed them away too? No.
They are coming.
And even general after them.
l'll open all the doors, l'll call all daughters too.
At once, at once.
Good afternoon, prince.
Good afternoon, Nikolai Ardalionovitch.
Lizabetha Prokofievna and her daughters to you.
- Shall l admit the Ptitsins? - Of course.
-And Gavrila Ardalionovitch? - Eh? Of course.
-And the general? - Listen, let anyone come who likes.
l have not the slightest reason For hiding and concealing myself.
Good afternoon, prince.
Good afternoon - How do you feel yourself? - Thanks, l'm in a good health.
- Glad to see you, prince.
- Thank you.
- Glad to see you too.
- Pleased to see you.
Pleased to see you - Good day.
-Very glad to see you.
- Hello.
- Good afternoon.
l expected to find you on death-bed.
As l didn't tell you that prince is almost well again.
lt was much more interesting to imagine him Lying on his death-bed.
Be silent.
- Hello.
- Good afternoon, Lizabetha Prokofievna.
- Good afternoon, prince.
- Good afternoon, Adelaida lvanovna.
Please, welcome.
Good afternoon, Aglaya.
Sit down.
lt's the truth, Lef Nikolaevitch, l expected to find you almost a bad.
l exaggerated things so in my fright.
lntroduce.
The prince Scherbatov.
-Very glad.
- Good day.
Have you come to us for long? The whole summer.
And perhaps longer.
You are alone? Not married? Alone.
Not married.
lt seems you are looking at me with surprise, Aglaya lvanovna? l've the honour to introduce myself.
General lvolgin.
l used to carry you in my arms.
You are, sir, as usual.
You have never carried her in your arms.
Maman, he really did, at Tver.
l remember.
l was six years old then.
He made me an arrow and bow.
And a helmet made of cardboard and a wooden sword for me.
- l remember.
-And l remember it too.
Yes.
Remember.
l remember it all.
l was a staff-captain.
You were such a pretty little mite.
l used to be a guest in your house.
And see what you've come now.
So you haven't drunk away all your better feeling.
Have a cry.
Remember your innocence in the past.
What comes of speaking the truth for once.
lt reduced him to tears.
Was that Gavrila Ardalionovitch who went out? Yes.
He's very much changed.
-And greatly for the better.
- He has been very ill.
How has he changed for the better? What improvement do you see? There is nothing better than the ''poor knight''.
There is nothing better.
Don't understand.
What poor knight? ln fact is, there is a strange Russian poem.
We were trying to find a subject for Adelaida lvanovna next picture.
Then we hit on the ''poor knight''.
-Which of us first l don't remember.
-Aglaya lvanovna.
Because that poem describes a man who is capable of an ideal.
Who having sat an ideal before him has faith in it.
And having faith in it gives up his life blindly for it.
This does not happen always in our day.
But there is some obscure device of which we are not told in full.
The letters M.
F.
B.
inscribed on his shield.
-A.
N.
D.
- But l say M.
F.
B.
That's what l want to say.
That poor knight did not care what his lady was or what she did.
lf she became a thief afterwards he would still be bound to believe in her and be ready to break a spear for her pure beauty.
The poor knight is the same Don Quixote only seriously and not comic.
l didn't understand him at first and laughed But now l love the poor knight.
and what's more respect his exploits.
He must have been a fool anyway.
He and his exploits.
Whose poem is it? Pushkin's.
As soon as we get home, give me that poem of Pushkin.
Good afternoon, Aglaya lvanovna.
Suiter of Aglaya lvanovna.
So the ''poor knight'' on the scene again? Hello, Lef Nikolaevitch.
lntroduce prince.
Evgenie Pavlovitch Radomski.
Just in retirement.
l had long meant to gain not only your acquaintance but your friendship.
-Very glad to see you.
-Where are you? Lef Nikolaevitch, there four men come to see you they've been waiting a long time, scolding.
But father won't let them in to you.
-Who they are? - The son of Pavlicheff.
The son of Pavlicheff.
They are not worth it.
They are not worth listening to.
And it would be out of place to disturb yourself, illustrious prince They are not worth it.
Oh God! The son of Pavlicheff.
l owe everything to that man.
The son of Pavlicheff.
Yes.
l know.
l asked Gavrila Ardalionovitch to attend to that.
He told me just now This is very interesting.
Son of Pavlicheff? What the son of Pavlicheff can there be? They are trying to throw mud at you, prince.
You must defend yourself.
l'm awfully glad for you.
l want this disgusting claim to be stopped at last.
Give it to them well, prince.
Don't spare them.
My ears have been tingling with this business.
lt's been spoiling my temper.
They'll come in.
l'll show them and take away after that.
Let's go.
Welcome, gentlemen.
-Vladimir Doktorenko.
-Vurdalup.
Antip Burdovsky.
lppolit, don't! - Keller.
- Stop, Colia.
That'll be all right.
-Where can l sit down? - Hippolyte.
- Hippolyte Terentieff.
-Allow.
Gentlemen.
l didn't expect any of you.
l've been ill till today.
l asked Gavrila Ardalionovitch lvolgin To deal with your business.
l informed you.
No, gentlemen.
You are mistaken.
l've no objection to a personal explanation.
l suggest you should go with me into another room.
Because my friends is here now.
Friends? As much as one likes.
You might treated us more politely, and not have left us waiting two hours in your servant's room.
And of course this is behaving like a prince.
You are the generals, but l'm not your servant.
- l - This is behaving like a prince.
lf it were my personal affair.
Gentlemen, l only heard this minute that you are here.
But what right had you, let me ask, to submit Burdovsky's case to the judgment of your friends.
But maybe we don't wish the judgment of your friends.
Anyone can see what the judgment of your friends would be.
Mr.
Burdovsky, if you don't wish to speak here let us go into another room.
l repeat l heard of you all this very minute.
You have no right.
You have no right.
You have no Lef Nikioaevitch, read this at once.
This minute.
Read.
lt has to do with your business.
Wouldn't it be better not aloud.
l could read it alone afterwards.
Then you had better read it.
Read it aloud.
Read it aloud.
so that every one may hear.
Read.
Here is a strange anecdote about a scion of our decaying nobility.
Left a baby at his father's death they say he was a lieutenant, who died while in his trial for a sudden disappearance at cards of all the company's money Our orphan was brought up by the charity Of a very rich Russian landowner.
We'll call him ''P''.
He was apparently one of those drones and sluggards, who spend their idle lives abroad.
ln summer at the waters, and in winter at the Parisian Chateau des Fleurs Be that as it may, the light-hearted P.
brought up the orphan like a prince.
Engaged governesses, no doubt pretty ones, whom he brought himself from Paris.
But the last scion of the noble house was an idiot.
The governesses from the Chateau des Fleurs were of no use.
Up to his twentieth year our scion not be taught to speak any language, not even Russian.
At last the happy whim entered the heart of the serf-owner P.
, that the idiot might be taught sence in Switzerland.
Thousands were spent on it.
The idiot, of course, didn't become sensible.
But he became like a human being, no great shakes.
Suddenly P.
died.
Go and tell her we are together.
Go.
A crowd of friends and acquaintances gathered about our gaitered baron who ran after a notorious beauty of easy virtue.
He even picked up the relations.
And above all he was pursued by perfect crowds of young ladies, hungering and thirsting for lawful matrimony.
That That passes my comprehension.
- Leave off, Colia.
Read it.
Read it.
Whatever happens.
Prince, if you stop him reading, we'll quarrel.
Let's.
Read it.
One morning a well-known lawyer called on our quickly made millionaire.
He was been instructed by a young man.
This young man was neither more nor less than son of the deceased P, thought he bore a different name.
The licentious P had seduced a virtuous young girl and remarking the inevitable of the liaison he made haste to get her marriage.
Some time passed and P.
died, leaving no will.
Meanwhile his son who was adopted by the honourable character of his mother's husband, who also died, was thrown entirely on his own resources, giving lessons, with an grieving mother, thought her death was hardly an alleviation to him.
Now the question, what would have been a just decision for our noble scion to make? You would doubtless, reader, expect him to say to himself, l've all my life enjoyed all the gifts of P.
all that has been spent on me ought, by right, ought to have come to the son of P.
But no, gentlemen, wish a majestic air using his million to crush people with impunity, our scion pulls out a fifty-rouble note and sends to the noble young man by way of insulting charity.
The money, of course, was returned to him at once.
So to speak, flung back in his face.
What resource have we left us? There is no legal claim.
There is no resource but publicity.
What on earth.
As though fifty lackeys had met together and composed it.
Allow me to ask you, my dear sir, How dare you make such insulting suppositions? This.
This for an honourable man.
ln the first place, l'm not ''your dear sir''.
ln the second place, l have no intention of giving you any explanation.
Gentlemen, why did you write this article? l knew nothing about article.
lt's all untrue.
-Why it's untrue? -Allow me prince.
Yourself.
-You know that yourselves.
- lt's all true.
l think, gentlemen, that you have been guilty of a mean action.
A mean action You are wrong! You are pleased to forget, prince, it was only through your kindness of your heart you received them and now, illustrious prince, you might turn all these gentlemen out at once into the street.
What? What do you permit yourself? l, as a master of the house, with a greatest pleasure.
Perfectly right.
Lebedeff, enough.
Enough.
- No, excuse me.
-With a greatest pleasure That's not enough now.
They threaten to turn us into the street.
But is it possible, prince, you can think us such fools as not to understand we have no legal claim whatever we have no right to ask for a single rouble.
We came because we assumed you to be a man of common sense.
That is of honour and conscience.
We put the question to you directly and with dignity.
Do you admit that you were benefited and perhaps saved from death of Pavlicheff? lf you admit it, and it's evident, do you, after receiving millions, intend to compensate Pavlicheff's son in his poverty, even though he does bear the name of Burdovsky.
lf yes, satisfy us and the matter is finished.
Satisfy us without entreaties and gratitude on our part.
Don't expect them of us, for you are doing it not for our sake, but for the sake of justice.
lf your answer is no, we go away and the case is over.
And we tell you to your face, that you are a man of coarse intelligence and low development.
That the future you dare not call youself a man with honour and conscience and have no right to do so.
l've finished.
Turn us into the street now, if you dare.
But remember all the same that we demand and we don't beg.
Mark it well.
We demand, we don't beg.
We demand.
Yes, prince.
We demand, we don't beg.
Gentlemen.
Gentlemen.
Gentlemen.
You published that article on the supposition that nothing would induce me to satisfy Mr.
Burdovsky.
This is insufferable.
But how do you know l may have to satisfy Mr.
Burdovsky.
Yes.
-Yes.
Now.
l'm here.
- Good Lord.
l declare.
Listen, gentlemen.
l'll satisfy.
Come, that's a wise and generous saying From a wise and generous man.
Five weeks ago you lawyer, Tchebaroff, came to see me.
- l didn't like him.
-You didn't like him too? - Understand.
- Be silent.
l think, he have taught you.
- How? He had taken advantage of your simplicity.
You've no right.
l'm not simple.
You've no sort of right to make such suppositions.
This suppositions is insulting, false and irrelevant.
l agree.
- Surely.
l'm sorry, gentlemen.
l'm sorry.
- This is intolerable.
- Excuse me, l think.
l decided l must help to poor and trustful Mr.
Burdovsky.
Trustful? l decided to give him ten thousand roubles.
That's all that by my reckoning Pavlicheff could have upon me.
What, only ten thousand? Well, prince, you are not at all good in arithmetic.
Or else you are too good at it.
l won't agree to take ten thousand.
Antip, take it.
Take it.
Afterwards we'll see.
Listen to me.
Listen to me.
l've time to see clearly.
l'm convinced that my guess was correct.
-What's the guess? -What's the guess, prince? What.
That Mr.
Burdovsky is an innocent man.
- Of course innocent.
He is a helpless man - Helpless? - Therefore l ought to spare him.
- Don't say so.
-What? - Don't spare.
- Let's here out.
- Sit down, Antip, don't worry.
- Hear out.
Hear me out, gentlemen.
The chief point it appears now that Mr.
Burdovsky is not a son of Pavlicheff at all.
Not the son of Pavlicheff? Not the son of Pavlicheff? Gentlemen, Gavrila Ardalionovitch will explain everything to us.
Yes? Yes.
- He has even been to home.
- To home? - He has even been to home to see your mother, who hasn't died at all.
They've made you say in the article.
please.
Yes? l obtained the letters written by the late Mr.
Pavlicheff twenty-four years ago to colonel Viazovkin.
These letters prove that Nicolai Andreevitch remained abroad for three years.
Just a year and a half before you were born, Mr.
Burdovsky.
Your mother, as you know, has never been out of Russia.
l told you the day before yesterday that perhaps you really weren't Pavlicheff's son.
lf it's so, l've been deceived.
Not by Tchebaroff, but long ago.
l believe you.
l refuse.
l don't agree to ten thousand.
Good-buy.
- There's the money.
- Those are the two hundred and fifty roubles.
You dared to send him as a charity - The article said fifty.
- How dared you.
- How dared you.
lt's my fault.
- But l didn't send it you as a charity.
Believe me.
- So.
l'm to blame now.
l'm to blame.
l talked of swindling, but l didn't mean you.
No.
l was mistaken.
l said, you were afflicted as l am.
But you are not like me.
You support your mother.
l ventured to offer you ten thousand, but l'm to blame.
l ought to have done differently.
And now it can't be done.
Because you despise me.
This is a madhouse.
Of course it's a house of madmen.
Excuse me, gentlemen.
There are not two hundred and fifty roubles There's only a hundred.
l say so, prince, that there may be no misunderstanding.
Let it be.
- Let it be.
No, don't let it be, prince.
Your ''let it be'' is an insult to us.
We don't hide ourselves, we declare it openly.
Yes, there are only a hundred roubles in it instead of two hundred and fifty - But isn't it just the same? - No, it isn't just the same.
Don't interrupt me.
Of course a hundred roubles is not two hundred and fifty.
But the principle is what matters.
What matters is that Burdovsky does not accept your charity, your excellency.
He throws it in your face.
ln that sense it makes no difference whether it's a hundred or two hundred and fifty.
That hundred and fifty roubles has gone to Tchebaroff for his journey to see the prince.
Burdovsky is poor.
Burdovsky hasn't millions.
And Tchebaroff sent his account after his journey.
We hoped to win the case.
Who would not have done the same in his place? Who would not? l'll go out of my mind here.
lt reminds me of the famous defense made recently a lawyer, who bringing forward: ''lt was natural that in my client's poverty the idea Of murdering six people should have occurred to him.
And whom indeed would it not have occurred in his position?'' Enough.
lt's time to cut short this nonsense.
- Lizabetha Prokofievna.
- Enough lvan Fedorovitch.
Let me alone, why are you offering me your arm now.
You hadn't the sense to take me away before.
You are the husband, the head of the family you've taken me by the ear, if l were so silly as not to obey you and go.
You might think of your daughters, anyhow.
Wait a bit.
l must still thank the prince.
- Maman.
- Don't hinder me.
That's not your business.
Aglaya, Adelaida Thank you, prince, for your entertainment.
l've been staying on to listen to the young people.
lt's disgraceful.
lt's disgraceful.
lt's chaos.
lt's infamy.
lt's worse than a dream.
Are there many like them? So you are asking their forgiveness.
''lt's my fault for daring to offer you a fortune.
What are you, what are you laughing at? ''We refuse to fortune''.
''We demand, we don't ask''.
As thoug he didn't know this idiot will trail off tomorrow to them and offer his friendship and his money to them again.
You will? Will you or not? l will.
You hear? So that's what you are reckoning on.
The money is as good as in your pocket.
That's why you boast and try to impress us.
No, my good man.
l see through you.
You can find other fools.
l see all your game.
Lizabetha Prokofievna.
Lizabetha Prokofievna.
And this stuttering fellow wouldn't he murder anyone? l'm ready to bet he'll murder someone.
Maybe he won't take your money for conscience' sake but he'll come at night and murder you and take the money out of your cash box.
He'll take it for conscience' sake.
That's not dishonest to him, it's an outburst of noble indignation.
lt's a protest or goodness knows what.
Tfoo! Everything is topsy-turvy.
Everything is upside down.
We demand, we don't ask.
And you'll get no gratitude from us because you're acting for the satisfaction of his own conscience.
Queer sort of reasoning.
So if he'll get no gratitude from you the prince may tell you in answer he feels no gratitude to Pavlicheff.
Because to Pavlicheff too did good for the satisfaction of his own conscience.
Lunatics.
They don't believe in God.
They don't believe in Christ.
You'll end by eating up one another.
That's what l prophesy.
What are you laughing at, you sloven? Maman, this is shameful.
Don't worry yourself, Aglaya lvanovna.
Don't worry yourself.
Your maman will see she cannot attack a dying man.
l'm ready to explain why l laughed.
He's dying, yet he must hold firth.
You aren't fit for talking.
You simply ought to go and lie down.
So l will.
l'll die in fortnight.
Dr.
Botkin himself told me so a week ago.
So if you allow me, l should like to say two words to you at parting.
Are you crazy? Nonsense.
Think.
This is the last time l'll be out in the air with people.
And in a fortnight l'll certainly be underground.
So that this will be like a farewell to men and to nature.
l'm glad all this has happened at Pavlovsk.
One can see the trees in leaf anyway.
Good heavens! l was positively on the point of striking him.
Aglaya lvanovna, your daughter, held your back.
l'm not mistaken, am l? Let me at least look at a beautiful woman for the last time in my life.
A chair.
Colia.
- Sit down.
- Colia.
You must go with him at once, take him.
And tomorrow l'll certainly.
-And do you know? Do you know, Lizabetha Prokofievna, you meant to take prince back to tea with you.
Stay here and the prince will give us all tea.
Yes.
Excuse my arranging it all.
l know you're good-natured.
The prince too.
You're all ridiculously good-natured people Don't get excited.
You've softened my heart.
Prince.
You don't deserve.
l should drink tea with you.
But so be it, l'll stay.
Though l'm not going to apologies to anyone.
-Vera.
- Not to any one.
l've learned to hold in high respect you, Lizabetha Prokofievna.
l've heard of you very often.
Colia told.
And l hold you in high respect.
He's feeling awkward.
l thought he would.
lt's useless.
lt's a sure sign now he'll do something out of spite eccentric.
lt'll be too much for even Lizabetha Prokofievna, perhaps.
-You seem feverish.
-What are you saying me? -Yes.
l'm not well.
- Prince.
He was saying this clown your landlord, corrected the article for this gentleman.
Why don't you speak? Well, l see now he did.
l'm a poor creature.
-A poor creature.
What do l care.
He thinks he'll get out of it by saying he's a poor creature.
Are you not ashamed, prince, to do with such people.
Although he did suggest kicking us downstairs, l confess, l really did apply to him and offered him six roubles.
Not for correct the style, but simply to give me facts.
.
l must observe, l only corrected the first half of the article but as we didn't agree in the middle and quarreled over one idea l didn't correct the second half.
So that it's bad grammar in there, it's bad grammar so that mustn't be set down to me.
A nice set of people.
l'll keep in mind.
Darling, have you put me here to be a laughing-stock.
God forbid.
What strikes me is your eccentricity, Lizabetha Prokofievna.
l led up the conversation to Lebedeff on purpose.
l knew the effect this would have on you only because the prince will forgive it and has probably forgiven it already.
Maybe he has found an excuse in his own mind.
That's true, prince.
lsn't it? You've said everything? Well, now go to bed, you're in a fever.
Good heavens.
Wait.
He's speaking again.
Why do you keep laughing at me? Why do you? Why do you keep laughing at me? l notice you're laughing at me.
l wanted to ask you, Mr.
Terentieff.
ls it true l've heard you believe you've only to talk to the people for a quarter of an hour and they'll follow you at once? lt's quite possible l've said so.
l certainly did say so.
What of it? Absolutely nothing.
Ad notam.
For remind.
Well, that's enough of you, my friend.
Well.
Period.
Goodbye.
Do you think it's easy for me to say you goodbye? Your excelency.
l've the honour of inviting you to my funeral.
lf only you think me worthy of such an honour.
And all of you, gentlemen, in the wake of the general.
l come here to see the trees.
These here.
That's not ridiculous, is it? There is nothing ridiculous in it? You were laughting at me wanting to talk out of the window for a quarter of an hour.
You know l'm not eighteen? A dead man has no age.
When you were saying goodbye l thought.
These people, trees here there will be nothing.
The red red-brick wall will opposite my window.
Opposite this red-brick house.
Well.
Tell them about all that.
Try to tell them.
Try to tell them you are a dead man.
You don't laugh? Or will you laugh again? You're horribly cruel.
l wanted to be a figure, Lizabetha Prokofievna.
Have l right? How much l wanted.
Now l want nothing, l don't want to want any thing.
l've given a word so then l'm not needed.
l wanted to live for the happiness of all men, to descover and proclame true.
l think l'll talk out of the window for a quarter of an hour and they'll agree with me.
What has come of it? You're laughting at me.
Well, nobody is laughing at you here.
Don't worry yourself.
A new doctor will come tomorrow.
The other one was mistaken.
Sit down.
You can hardly stand now.
Well.
Don't cry What are we to do now, lvan Fedorovitch? Be so good as you break your majestic.
lf you don't decide something, l'll stay the night here myself.
l'll just now.
My opinion, my dear, is that a nurse is more needed here, a sober person for the night than our emotion.
ln any case, the prince must be asked and the invalid must have rest at once.
And tomorrow we can show interest in him again.
Your excellency.
lf a satisfactory man is wanted for the night l'm ready to sacrifice myself for a friend he's such a soul.
l've long considered him a great man, your excellency.
My education has been defective, of course.
But his criticism -they're pearls, pearls, your excellency.
Prince, are you asleep? lf you don't want him, my friend, l'll take him home with us.
My goodness, he can hardly stand upright himself.
Why, you're ill? No.
No.
That's all right.
l'll be very glad if he'll stay.
lt's difficult for him to be moved.
Ah, that's what.
l was afraid of it.
That was bound to happen.
Ah, you were afraid of that.
That was bound to happen, you say? Let me tell you, if l hate anyone here, l hate you all.
But you, you, jesuitical, treacly soul, millionaire, philanthropic, idiot, l hate you more then everything in the world.
l understood and hated you long ago, then first l heard of you.
You led me on to breaking down.
You.
You drove a dying man to shame.
You are to blame for my abject cowardice.
l would kill you if l remained alive.
l don't want your benevolence.
l won't take anything -do you hear?- from anyone.
That's all right! l've thought out, if He's ashamed of his tears.
That was bound to happen.
Bravo the prince, he saw right through him.
Thank you, the eccentric friend of our family for the agreeable evening you have given us all.
Thank you for having let us have a clear view at last of what you are.
- Goodbye, prince.
- Prince.
Papa.
lf you don't throw up these nasty people at once, l'll hate you all my life.
Goodbye, prince.
Goodbye.
lt happened as l thought it would.
Only l'm sorry you poor fellow have had such a bad time.
- Lizabetha Prokofievna.
- Enough.
Enough.
Evgenie Pavlovitch, is that you? l'm glad, l've found you at last.
l sent a messenger to you in town.
Two of them.
They've looking of you all day.
l've a news.
Don't worry about Kupfer's lOUs.
Rogozhin has bought them up for thirty, l persuaded him.
You can be easy for another three months.
And we'll manage Biskup and all those wretches through friends.
lt's a madwoman.
l haven't an idea what she was talking about.
Well, that's all right.
Be cheerful.
Let's go.
See you tomorrow.
Allow me, Lizabetha Prokofievna.
Oh, enough, lvan Fedorovitch.
Prince, tell the truth.
Do you know what it means? No.
l know nothing about it.
- No? - No.
And l don't know.
l swear l've had nothing to do with any lOUs, you may believe my world of honour.
Oh, you're fainting, prince.
No.
l assure you.
No.
No.
Do you know, my dear Lef Nicolaievitch who that person was who shouted to Evgenie Pavlovitch yesterday from the carriage.
l must admit, lt's a mystery to me.
To me and to others.
Dear prince, l want to ask you if you know anything.
l mean, has no rumour, by some marvel, reached you? Then they plainly looked on me as a being concerned in the intrigue.
Besides, she must have some dreadful object.
What object.
Horrible.
And how's one to stop her? There's no possibility of stopping her when she's determined on her object.
She's a mad.
She's a mad.
Nastasia Philipovna, go for a drive every so often but behaved with extreme propriety.
The eccentric incident yesterday was, of course, premeditated and must not to be counted.
People will have to seek in out on purpose or to invent it.
Which they would not to be slow to do, Why he called yesterday's incident ''premeditated''? And why they would not be slow to do so? l want to leave everything here.
And go to back from which l had come.
To go away at once.
Without even saying goodbye to anyone.
lf l'll remain here even a few days longer l would be drawn into this world.
And would be bound up with it forever.
l must think over and decide upon this step.
That step is not one of those that can be thought over.
But one of simply decided upon.
l had lost every vestige of morality that l had become a thief.
Can you fancy that? Listen, Keller.
lf l were you l wouldn't confess that without special need.
To you alone, prince, and solely to promote my own development.
But prince, if only you know if only you know, how hard it is to get money nowadays.
How is one to get it, allow me to ask you.
The answers is the same: bring gold and diamonds.
That's just what l haven't got.
Can you fancy that? l lost my temper at last.
After waiting and waiting.
''Will you give me something for emeralds?'', said l.
''Yes, for emeralds, too'', said he.
''That's all right'', said l.
l put on my hat and walked out.
You're a set of scoundrels, yes, by Jove.
Have you any emeralds, then? Have l any emeralds, prince? Oh, prince, what a sweet and innocent idea of life you have.
You know, don't despair.
Now, you have given me a full account of everything That it's impossible to add anything.
lsn't it? lmpossible? Oh, prince, how completely, a la Suisse, if l may say so you still interpret human nature.
Can yon really have more to add? What did you expect of me? -Why have you come to me? - From you? What did l expect? ln the first place, lt's pleasant to watch your simplicity.
lt's nice to sit and talk to you.
And secondly.
Secondly.
Perhaps you wanted to borrow money? Upon my word, prince.
Such simplicity, seen innocence as was never seen in the Golden Age.
Yet all at once you pierce right through.
Like an arrow with such psychological depth of observation.
Of course.
in the long run my object was to borrow money.
But you ask me about it as if you saw nothing reprehensible in that As though it were just as it should be.
Yes.
From you it is just as it should be.
-And you're not indignant? - No Why? Listen, prince, l've been staying here since yesterday evening first, we were pulling corks with Lebedeff till three in the morning.
And secondly, and chiefly.
And here l'll take my oath.
l am speaking my holy truth! l stayed because l wanted, so to speak, by making you a full, heart felt confession, to promote my own development.
With that idea l fell asleep, toward; four o'clock, bathed in tears, Would you believe on the word of a man of honour now at the very minute l fell asleep, genuinely filled with inward and, so to say, outward tears l really was sobbing.
l remember.
A hellish thought occurred to me Why not, when all's said and done, borrow money of him after my confession one hundred and fifty roubles.
Don't you think that was base? lt's simply both things came at once.
that often happens.
lt's constantly so with me, Keller.
Do you know? Just now.
You might have been telling me about myself .
lt's awfully difficult to struggle against these double thoughts Awfully difficult.
l don't know how they arise and come.
How they arise? l've felt it.
Anyway, l'm not your judge.
You were acting deceitfully to obtain my money by your tears.
But you swear yourself that there was another motive too for your confession - an honourable.
As for the money, you want it for riotous living.
But after such a confession, that's feebleness.
But how are you to give up riotous living all in a minute? That's impossible.
What's to be done? lt had better be left to your own conscience.
Don't you think? Well, why they call you an idiot after that? l don't understand.
You've judged me humanely.
To punish myself and to show that l am touched.
l won't take a hundred and fifty roubles.
Give me only twenty-five, and it will be enough That's all l want fortnight.
for a fortnight l won't come for money within a fortnight.
- No.
Enough.
- l did mean to treat Agashka.
But she's not worth it.
Oh, dear prince, God bless you.
The outpourings of the heart? He really was genuinely penitent What does his penitence amount to.
lt's just like me saying yesterday.
''l m abject, l am abject!'' it's only words So that was only words? l thought you Words and deeds.
Lies and truth.
are all mixed up in me and are perfectly sincere.
Deeds and truth come out in my genuine penitence.
And words and lies in the hellish and always present craving to get the man to make something even out of one's tears of penitence it's so, by God.
l wouldn't tell another man.
he'd laugh or curse.
But you, prince, judge humanely.
But he is more sincere than you.
And you, Lebedeff, you've turned your penitence into regulartrade Don't crease up your face.
And don't lay your hands on your heart, Lebedeff.
Tell me the truth straight off for once in your life.
Had you anything to do with that carriage stopping here yesterday or not? l see you had.
But But indirectly, only indirectly.
lt's the holy truth l'm telling you The only part l had in it was letting a certain personage know l had such company in my house that certain persons were present.
What intrigue is this? lt's not my intrigue, not mine.
There're others in it so to speak and it's rather a fantasy, than an intrigue But what's the meaning of it? ls it possible you dont't understand that it concerns me directly, Lebedeff? lt takes of me, lt's blackening Yevgeny Pavlovitch.
- Prince.
-Yes? lllustrious prince, you won't allow me to tell the whole truth.
l've tried to already more than once.
You wouldn't allow me to go on.
Very well, tell the truth.
-Aglaia lvanovna.
- Be silent.
lt's impossible, lt's all nonsense.
lt's impossible You invented all that yourself or some madmen like you.
And let me never hear of it from you again.