"Such a . . . nice girl . . ." the prince thought and forgot about her at once. He went to the corner of the terrace, where there was a couch with a little table in front of it, sat down, covered his face with his hands, and went on sitting for some ten minutes; suddenly he thrust his hand hastily and anxiously into his side pocket and took out the three letters.
But the door opened again and Kolya came in. The prince seemed glad that he had to put the letters back into his pocket and postpone the moment.
"Well, quite an event!" said Kolya, sitting on the couch and going straight to the subject, like all his fellows. "How do you look at Ippolit now? Without respect?"
"Why should . . . but I'm tired, Kolya . . . Besides, it's too sad to start about that again . . . How is he, though?"
"Asleep, and he'll go on sleeping for another couple of hours. I understand; you didn't sleep at home, you walked in the park . . . agitation, of course . . . what else!"
"How do you know that I walked in the park and didn't sleep at home?"
"Vera just said so. She insisted that I not come in; I couldn't help it, for a moment. I've spent these two hours watching at his bedside; now it's Kostya Lebedev's turn. Burdovsky left. Lie down,
then, Prince. Good . . . well, good day! Only, you know, I'm really struck!"
"Of course ... all this . . ."
"No, Prince, no; I'm struck by the confession. Above all by the place where he speaks about providence and the future life. There's a gi-gan-tic thought there!"
The prince gazed affectionately at Kolya, who had certainly come only to talk the sooner about the gigantic thought.
"But the main thing, the main thing is not in the thought alone, but in the whole situation! If it had been written by Voltaire, Rousseau, Proudhon, 25I'd read it, make note of it, but I wouldn't be struck to such a degree. But a man who knows for certain that he has ten minutes left, and who speaks like that—oh, that's proud! That's the highest independence of personal dignity, that means a direct challenge . . . No, it's gigantic strength of spirit! And after that to maintain that he didn't put the cap in on purpose—it's mean, unnatural! And, you know, he deceived us yesterday, he tricked us: I never packed his bag with him and never saw the pistol; he packed everything himself, and then he suddenly got me confused. Vera says you're letting him stay here; I swear there won't be any danger, especially since we never leave him for an instant."
"And who of you was there during the night?"
"Kostya Lebedev, Burdovsky, and I; Keller stayed for a while and then went to sleep at Lebedev's, because we had no bed. Ferdyshchenko also slept at Lebedev's; he left at seven. The general is always at Lebedev's; he also left just now . . . Lebedev may come to see you presently; he's been looking for you, I don't know why, he asked twice. Shall I let him in or not, since you're going to bed? I'm also going to sleep. Ah, yes, there's something I might tell you; the general surprised me earlier: Burdovsky woke me up after six for my turn on duty, even almost at six; I stepped out for a minute and suddenly met the general, still so drunk that he didn't recognize me; stood in front of me like a post; the moment he came to his senses, he simply fell on me: 'How's the sick boy?' he says. 'I was on my way to find out about the sick boy . . .' I reported to him, well—this and that. 'That's all fine,' he says, 'but I was on my way, mainly, which is why I got up, to warn you; I have reasons to think that not everything can be said in front of Mr. Ferdyshchenko, and . . . one must restrain oneself.' Can you understand that, Prince?"
"Really? However . . . it's all the same to us."
"Yes, undoubtedly it's all the same, we're not Masons! 26So that I even wondered why the general was coming at night on purpose to wake me up for that."
"Ferdyshchenko left, you say?"
"At seven. He stopped to see me on his way; I was on duty! He said he was going to spend the rest of the night at Vilkin's—there's this drunk named Vilkin! Well, I'm going! And here is Lukyan Timofeich . . . The prince wants to sleep, Lukyan Timofeich; about-face!"
"Just for one minute, my much-esteemed Prince, on a certain matter which is significant in my eyes," the entering Lebedev said in a half-whisper, stiffly and in a sort of heartfelt tone, and bowed gravely. He had just returned and had not even had time to stop at his own quarters, so that he still had his hat in his hand. His face was preoccupied and had a special, extraordinary tinge of personal dignity. The prince invited him to sit down.
"You asked for me twice? Perhaps you're still worried about yesterday's . . ."
"About that boy yesterday, you mean, Prince? Oh, no, sir; yesterday my thoughts were in disarray . . . but today I no longer intend to countercarrate your intentions in any way."
"Counter . . . what did you say?"
"I said countercarrate; it's a French word, 27like many other words that have entered the Russian language; but I don't especially insist on it."
"What is it with you today, Lebedev, you're so grave and decorous, and enunciate so distinctly," the prince smiled.
"Nikolai Ardalionovich!" Lebedev addressed Kolya in an all but affectionate voice, "having to inform the prince of a matter essentially of concern ..."
"Ah, yes, naturally, naturally, it's none of my business! Goodbye, Prince!" Kolya left at once.
"I like the child for his quick wits," Lebedev said, looking at his back, "a nimble boy, though an importunate one. It is a great misfortune that I have experienced, my much-esteemed Prince, yesterday evening or today at dawn ... I hesitate to specify the exact time."
"What is it?"
"The disappearance of four hundred roubles from my side pocket, my much-esteemed Prince; I've been marked!" Lebedev added with a sour smile.
"You lost four hundred roubles? That's a pity."
"And especially if one is a poor man who lives nobly by his own labor."
"Of course, of course. How did it happen?"
"On account of wine, sir. I am turning to you as to providence, my much-esteemed Prince. I received the sum of four hundred roubles in silver from a debtor yesterday at five o'clock in the afternoon and came here by train. I had the wallet in my pocket. Having changed from my uniform 28into a frock coat, I transferred the money to the frock coat, with a view to keeping it with me, counting on handing it over that same evening on a certain request ... as I was expecting an agent."
"By the way, Lukyan Timofeich, is it true that you put a notice in the newspaper that you lend money for gold and silver objects?"
"Through an agent; my name wasn't mentioned, nor was my address. Having insignificant capital and in view of my growing family, you must agree that an honest percentage . . ."
"Well, yes, yes; I merely wanted to know; excuse me for interrupting."
"The agent did not come. Meanwhile the unfortunate young man was brought; I was already under the influence, after dinner; those guests came, we had . . . tea, and ... I waxed merry, to my undoing. And when, at a late hour, this Keller came and announced your celebration and your orders about the champagne, I, my dear and much-esteemed Prince, having a heart (which you have probably noticed by now, for I deserve it), having a heart which is, I do not say sensitive, but grateful, and I am proud of it—I, for the greater solemnity of the impending meeting and in expectation of personally offering my congratulations, decided to go and exchange my old rags for my uniform, which I had taken off on my return, and so I did, as you probably noticed, Prince, seeing me in my uniform all evening. In changing my clothes, I forgot the wallet in my frock coat . . . Verily, when God wishes to punish a man, he first deprives him of reason. 29And it was only today, at half-past seven, on awakening, that I jumped up like a half-wit and snatched my frock coat first thing—only an empty pocket! Not a trace of the wallet."