cannot standalone; otherwise he would have behaved like a scoundrel in this matter.But I feel certain that he does not understand it! I was just the samemyself before I went to Switzerland; I stammered incoherently; one triesto express oneself and cannot. I understand that. I am all the betterable to pity Mr. Burdovsky, because I know from experience what it is tobe like that, and so I have a right to speak. Well, though there is nosuch person as ‘Pavlicheff’s son,’ and it is all nothing but a humbug,yet I will keep to my decision, and I am prepared to give up tenthousand roubles in memory of Pavlicheff. Before Mr. Burdovsky made thisclaim, I proposed to found a school with this money, in memory of mybenefactor, but I shall honour his memory quite as well by givingthe ten thousand roubles to Mr. Burdovsky, because, though he was notPavlicheff’s son, he was treated almost as though he were. That iswhat gave a rogue the opportunity of deceiving him; he really didthink himself Pavlicheff’s son. Listen, gentlemen; this matter mustbe settled; keep calm; do not get angry; and sit down! GavrilaArdalionovitch will explain everything to you at once, and I confessthat I am very anxious to hear all the details myself. He says that hehas even been to Pskoff to see your mother, Mr. Burdovsky; she is notdead, as the article which was just read to us makes out. Sit down,gentlemen, sit down!”
The prince sat down, and at length prevailed upon Burdovsky’s companyto do likewise. During the last ten or twenty minutes, exasperated bycontinual interruptions, he had raised his voice, and spoken withgreat vehemence. Now, no doubt, he bitterly regretted several words andexpressions which had escaped him in his excitement. If he had not beendriven beyond the limits of endurance, he would not have ventured toexpress certain conjectures so openly. He had no sooner sat down thanhis heart was torn by sharp remorse. Besides insulting Burdovskywith the supposition, made in the presence of witnesses, that he wassuffering from the complaint for which he had himself been treatedin Switzerland, he reproached himself with the grossest indelicacy inhaving offered him the ten thousand roubles before everyone. “I oughtto have waited till to-morrow and offered him the money when we werealone,” thought Muishkin. “Now it is too late, the mischief is done!Yes, I am an idiot, an absolute idiot!” he said to himself, overcomewith shame and regret.
Till then Gavrila Ardalionovitch had sat apart in silence. When theprince called upon him, he came and stood by his side, and in a calm,clear voice began to render an account of the mission confided to him.All conversation ceased instantly. Everyone, especially the Burdovskyparty, listened with the utmost curiosity.
IX.
“You will not deny, I am sure,” said Gavrila Ardalionovitch, turningto Burdovsky, who sat looking at him with wide-open eyes, perplexed andastonished. “You will not deny, seriously, that you were born just twoyears after your mother’s legal marriage to Mr. Burdovsky, your father.Nothing would be easier than to prove the date of your birth fromwell-known facts; we can only look on Mr. Keller’s version as a work ofimagination, and one, moreover, extremely offensive both to you and yourmother. Of course he distorted the truth in order to strengthen yourclaim, and to serve your interests. Mr. Keller said that he previouslyconsulted you about his article in the paper, but did not read it to youas a whole. Certainly he could not have read that passage. ....”
“As a matter of fact, I did not read it,” interrupted the boxer, “butits contents had been given me on unimpeachable authority, and I...”
“Excuse me, Mr. Keller,” interposed Gavrila Ardalionovitch. “Allow me tospeak. I assure you your article shall be mentioned in its proper place,and you can then explain everything, but for the moment I would rathernot anticipate. Quite accidentally, with the help of my sister, VarvaraArdalionovna Ptitsin, I obtained from one of her intimate friends,Madame Zoubkoff, a letter written to her twenty-five years ago,by Nicolai Andreevitch Pavlicheff, then abroad. After gettinginto communication with this lady, I went by her advice to TimofeiFedorovitch Viazovkin, a retired colonel, and one of Pavlicheff’s oldestfriends. He gave me two more letters written by the latter when he wasstill in foreign parts. These three documents, their dates, and thefacts mentioned in them, prove in the most undeniable manner, thateighteen months before your birth, Nicolai Andreevitch went abroad,where he remained for three consecutive years. Your mother, as you arewell aware, has never been out of Russia.... It is too late to read theletters now; I am content to state the fact. But if you desire it, cometo me tomorrow morning, bring witnesses and writing experts with you,and I will prove the absolute truth of my story. From that moment thequestion will be decided.”
These words caused a sensation among the listeners, and there was ageneral movement of relief. Burdovsky got up abruptly.
“If that is true,” said he, “I have been deceived, grossly deceived, butnot by Tchebaroff: and for a long time past, a long time. I do notwish for experts, not I, nor to go to see you. I believe you. I give itup.... But I refuse the ten thousand roubles. Good-bye.”
“Wait five minutes more, Mr. Burdovsky,” said Gavrila Ardalionovitchpleasantly. “I have more to say. Some rather curious and important factshave come to light, and it is absolutely necessary, in my opinion, thatyou should hear them. You will not regret, I fancy, to have the wholematter thoroughly cleared up.”
Burdovsky silently resumed his seat, and bent his head as though inprofound thought. His friend, Lebedeff’s nephew, who had risen toaccompany him, also sat down again. He seemed much disappointed, thoughas self-confident as ever. Hippolyte looked dejected and sulky, as wellas surprised. He had just been attacked by a violent fit of coughing,so that his handkerchief was stained with blood. The boxer lookedthoroughly frightened.
“Oh, Antip!” cried he in a miserable voice, “I did say to you theother day--the day before yesterday--that perhaps you were not reallyPavlicheff’s son!”
There were sounds of half-smothered laughter at this.
“Now, that is a valuable piece of information, Mr. Keller,” repliedGania. “However that may be, I have private information which convincesme that Mr. Burdovsky, though doubtless aware of the date of his birth,knew nothing at all about Pavlicheff’s sojourn abroad. Indeed, he passedthe greater part of his life out of Russia, returning at intervals forshort visits. The journey in question is in itself too unimportant forhis friends to recollect it after more than twenty years; and of courseMr. Burdovsky could have known nothing about it, for he was not born.As the event has proved, it was not impossible to find evidence of hisabsence, though I must confess that chance has helped me in a questwhich might very well have come to nothing. It was really almostimpossible for Burdovsky or Tchebaroff to discover these facts, even ifit had entered their heads to try. Naturally they never dreamt...”
Here the voice of Hippolyte suddenly intervened.
“Allow me, Mr. Ivolgin,” he said irritably. “What is the good of allthis rigmarole? Pardon me. All is now clear, and we acknowledge thetruth of your main point. Why go into these tedious details? You wishperhaps to boast of the cleverness of your investigation, to cry up yourtalents as detective? Or perhaps your intention is to excuse Burdovsky,by proving that he took up the matter in ignorance? Well, I consider thatextremely impudent on your part! You ought to know that Burdovsky hasno need of being excused or justified by you or anyone else! It is aninsult! The affair is quite painful enough for him without that. Willnothing make you understand?”
“Enough! enough! Mr. Terentieff,” interrupted Gania.
“Don’t excite yourself; you seem very ill, and I am sorry for that. I amalmost done, but there are a few facts to which I must briefly refer, asI am convinced that they ought to be clearly explained once for all....” A movement of impatience was noticed in his audience as he resumed: “Imerely wish to state, for the information of all concerned, that thereason for Mr. Pavlicheff’s interest in your mother, Mr. Burdovsky, wassimply that she was the sister of a serf-girl with whom he was deeply inlove in his youth, and whom most certainly he would have married but forher sudden death. I have proofs that this circumstance is almost, if no
tquite, forgotten. I may add that when your mother was about ten yearsold, Pavlicheff took her under his care, gave her a good education, andlater, a considerable dowry. His relations were alarmed, and fearedhe might go so far as to marry her, but she gave her hand to a youngland-surveyor named Burdovsky when she reached the age of twenty. Ican even say definitely that it was a marriage of affection. After hiswedding your father gave up his occupation as land-surveyor, and withhis wife’s dowry of fifteen thousand roubles went in for commercialspeculations. As he had had no experience, he was cheated on all sides,and took to drink in order to forget his troubles. He shortened his lifeby his excesses, and eight years after his marriage he died. Your mothersays herself that she was left in the direst poverty, and would havedied of starvation had it not been for Pavlicheff, who generouslyallowed her a yearly pension of six hundred roubles. Many people recallhis extreme fondness for you as a little boy. Your mother confirms this,and agrees with others in thinking that he loved you the