remembered there was some quarrel between father and Miss Smith, theBielokonski’s governess,” said Colia.
“How very curious, point for point the same anecdote, and happening atdifferent ends of Europe! Even the light blue dress the same,” continuedthe pitiless Nastasia. “I must really send you the paper.”
“You must observe,” insisted the general, “that my experience was twoyears earlier.”
“Ah! that’s it, no doubt!”
Nastasia Philipovna laughed hysterically.
“Father, will you hear a word from me outside!” said Gania, his voiceshaking with agitation, as he seized his father by the shoulder. Hiseyes shone with a blaze of hatred.
At this moment there was a terrific bang at the front door, almostenough to break it down. Some most unusual visitor must have arrived.Colia ran to open.
X.
The entrance-hall suddenly became full of noise and people. To judgefrom the sounds which penetrated to the drawing-room, a number of peoplehad already come in, and the stampede continued. Several voices weretalking and shouting at once; others were talking and shouting on thestairs outside; it was evidently a most extraordinary visit that wasabout to take place.
Everyone exchanged startled glances. Gania rushed out towards thedining-room, but a number of men had already made their way in, and methim.
“Ah! here he is, the Judas!” cried a voice which the prince recognizedat once. “How d’ye do, Gania, you old blackguard?”
“Yes, that’s the man!” said another voice.
There was no room for doubt in the prince’s mind: one of the voices wasRogojin’s, and the other Lebedeff’s.
Gania stood at the door like a block and looked on in silence, puttingno obstacle in the way of their entrance, and ten or a dozen menmarched in behind Parfen Rogojin. They were a decidedly mixed-lookingcollection, and some of them came in in their furs and caps. None ofthem were quite drunk, but all appeared to be considerably excited.
They seemed to need each other’s support, morally, before they daredcome in; not one of them would have entered alone but with the rest eachone was brave enough. Even Rogojin entered rather cautiously at the headof his troop; but he was evidently preoccupied. He appeared to be gloomyand morose, and had clearly come with some end in view. All the restwere merely chorus, brought in to support the chief character. BesidesLebedeff there was the dandy Zalesheff, who came in without his coatand hat, two or three others followed his example; the rest weremore uncouth. They included a couple of young merchants, a man ina great-coat, a medical student, a little Pole, a small fat man wholaughed continuously, and an enormously tall stout one who apparentlyput great faith in the strength of his fists. A couple of “ladies” ofsome sort put their heads in at the front door, but did not dare comeany farther. Colia promptly banged the door in their faces and lockedit.
“Hallo, Gania, you blackguard! You didn’t expect Rogojin, eh?” said thelatter, entering the drawing-room, and stopping before Gania.
But at this moment he saw, seated before him, Nastasia Philipovna.He had not dreamed of meeting her here, evidently, for her appearanceproduced a marvellous effect upon him. He grew pale, and his lips becameactually blue.
“I suppose it is true, then!” he muttered to himself, and his face tookon an expression of despair. “So that’s the end of it! Now you, sir,will you answer me or not?” he went on suddenly, gazing at Gania withineffable malice. “Now then, you--”
He panted, and could hardly speak for agitation. He advanced into theroom mechanically; but perceiving Nina Alexandrovna and Varia he becamemore or less embarrassed, in spite of his excitement. His followersentered after him, and all paused a moment at sight of the ladies. Ofcourse their modesty was not fated to be long-lived, but for a momentthey were abashed. Once let them begin to shout, however, and nothing onearth should disconcert them.
“What, you here too, prince?” said Rogojin, absently, but a littlesurprised all the same “Still in your gaiters, eh?” He sighed, andforgot the prince next moment, and his wild eyes wandered over toNastasia again, as though attracted in that direction by some magneticforce.
Nastasia looked at the new arrivals with great curiosity. Ganiarecollected himself at last.
“Excuse me, sirs,” he said, loudly, “but what does all this mean?” He glared at the advancing crowd generally, but addressed his remarksespecially to their captain, Rogojin. “You are not in a stable,gentlemen, though you may think it--my mother and sister are present.”
“Yes, I see your mother and sister,” muttered Rogojin, through histeeth; and Lebedeff seemed to feel himself called upon to second thestatement.
“At all events, I must request you to step into the salon,” said Gania,his rage rising quite out of proportion to his words, “and then I shallinquire--”
“What, he doesn’t know me!” said Rogojin, showing his teethdisagreeably. “He doesn’t recognize Rogojin!” He did not move an inch,however.
“I have met you somewhere, I believe, but--”
“Met me somewhere, pfu! Why, it’s only three months since I lost twohundred roubles of my father’s money to you, at cards. The old fellowdied before he found out. Ptitsin knows all about it. Why, I’ve only topull out a three-rouble note and show it to you, and you’d crawl on yourhands and knees to the other end of the town for it; that’s the sort ofman you are. Why, I’ve come now, at this moment, to buy you up! Oh, youneedn’t think that because I wear these boots I have no money. I havelots of money, my beauty,--enough to buy up you and all yours together.So I shall, if I like to! I’ll buy you up! I will!” he yelled,apparently growing more and more intoxicated and excited. “Oh, NastasiaPhilipovna! don’t turn me out! Say one word, do! Are you going to marrythis man, or not?”
Rogojin asked his question like a lost soul appealing to some divinity,with the reckless daring of one appointed to die, who has nothing tolose.
He awaited the reply in deadly anxiety.
Nastasia Philipovna gazed at him with a haughty, ironical expression offace; but when she glanced at Nina Alexandrovna and Varia, and from themto Gania, she changed her tone, all of a sudden.
“Certainly not; what are you thinking of? What could have induced youto ask such a question?” she replied, quietly and seriously, and even,apparently, with some astonishment.
“No? No?” shouted Rogojin, almost out of his mind with joy. “You arenot going to, after all? And they told me--oh, Nastasia Philipovna--theysaid you had promised to marry him, _him!_ As if you _could_ doit!--him--pooh! I don’t mind saying it to everyone--I’d buy him offfor a hundred roubles, any day pfu! Give him a thousand, or three if helikes, poor devil, and he’d cut and run the day before his wedding, andleave his bride to me! Wouldn’t you, Gania, you blackguard? You’d takethree thousand, wouldn’t you? Here’s the money! Look, I’ve come onpurpose to pay you off and get your receipt, formally. I said I’d buyyou up, and so I will.”
“Get out of this, you drunken beast!” cried Gania, who was red and whiteby turns.
Rogojin’s troop, who were only waiting for an excuse, set up a howl atthis. Lebedeff stepped forward and whispered something in Parfen’s ear.
“You’re right, clerk,” said the latter, “you’re right, tipsyspirit--you’re right!--Nastasia Philipovna,” he added, looking at herlike some lunatic, harmless generally, but suddenly wound up to a pitchof audacity, “here are eighteen thousand roubles, and--and you shallhave more--.” Here he threw a packet of bank-notes tied up in whitepaper, on the table before her, not daring to say all he wished to say.
“No--no--no!” muttered Lebedeff, clutching at his arm. He was clearlyaghast at the largeness of the sum, and thought a far smaller amountshould have been tried first.
“No, you fool--you don’t know whom you are dealing with--and it appearsI am a fool, too!” said Parfen, trembling beneath the flashing glanceof Nastasia. “Oh, curse it all! What a fool I was to listen to you!” headded, with profound melancholy.
Nastasia Philipovn
a, observing his woe-begone expression, suddenly burstout laughing.
“Eighteen thousand roubles, for me? Why, you declare yourself a fool atonce,” she said, with impudent familiarity, as she rose from the sofaand prepared to go. Gania watched the whole scene with a sinking of theheart.
“Forty thousand, then--forty thousand roubles instead of eighteen!Ptitsin and another have promised to find me forty thousand roubles byseven o’clock tonight. Forty thousand roubles--paid down on the nail!”
The scene was growing more and more disgraceful; but Nastasia Philipovnacontinued to laugh and did not go away. Nina Alexandrovna and Varia hadboth risen from their places and were waiting, in silent horror, tosee what would happen. Varia’s eyes were all ablaze with anger; butthe scene had a different effect on Nina Alexandrovna. She paled andtrembled, and looked more and more like fainting every moment.
“Very well then, a _hundred_ thousand! a hundred thousand! paid thisvery day. Ptitsin! find it for me. A good share shall stick to yourfingers--come!”
“You are mad!” said Ptitsin, coming up quickly and seizing him by thehand.