The Idiot Page 7

nothing tofear.

  “Oh!” cried the general, catching sight of the prince’s specimen ofcaligraphy, which the latter had now handed him for inspection. “Why,this is simply beautiful; look at that, Gania, there’s real talentthere!”

  On a sheet of thick writing-paper the prince had written in medievalcharacters the legend:

  “The gentle Abbot Pafnute signed this.”

  “There,” explained the prince, with great delight and animation, “there,that’s the abbot’s real signature--from a manuscript of the fourteenthcentury. All these old abbots and bishops used to write mostbeautifully, with such taste and so much care and diligence. Have you nocopy of Pogodin, general? If you had one I could show you another type.Stop a bit--here you have the large round writing common in Franceduring the eighteenth century. Some of the letters are shaped quitedifferently from those now in use. It was the writing current then, andemployed by public writers generally. I copied this from one of them,and you can see how good it is. Look at the well-rounded a and d. Ihave tried to translate the French character into the Russian letters--adifficult thing to do, but I think I have succeeded fairly. Here is afine sentence, written in a good, original hand--‘Zeal triumphs overall.’ That is the script of the Russian War Office. That is how officialdocuments addressed to important personages should be written. Theletters are round, the type black, and the style somewhat remarkable. Astylist would not allow these ornaments, or attempts at flourishes--justlook at these unfinished tails!--but it has distinction and reallydepicts the soul of the writer. He would like to give play to hisimagination, and follow the inspiration of his genius, but a soldier isonly at ease in the guard-room, and the pen stops half-way, a slaveto discipline. How delightful! The first time I met an example of thishandwriting, I was positively astonished, and where do you think Ichanced to find it? In Switzerland, of all places! Now that is anordinary English hand. It can hardly be improved, it is so refined andexquisite--almost perfection. This is an example of another kind,a mixture of styles. The copy was given me by a French commercialtraveller. It is founded on the English, but the downstrokes are alittle blacker, and more marked. Notice that the oval has some slightmodification--it is more rounded. This writing allows for flourishes;now a flourish is a dangerous thing! Its use requires such taste, but,if successful, what a distinction it gives to the whole! It results inan incomparable type--one to fall in love with!”

  “Dear me! How you have gone into all the refinements and details of thequestion! Why, my dear fellow, you are not a caligraphist, you are anartist! Eh, Gania?”

  “Wonderful!” said Gania. “And he knows it too,” he added, with asarcastic smile.

  “You may smile,--but there’s a career in this,” said the general. “Youdon’t know what a great personage I shall show this to, prince. Why, youcan command a situation at thirty-five roubles per month to start with.However, it’s half-past twelve,” he concluded, looking at his watch; “soto business, prince, for I must be setting to work and shall not see youagain today. Sit down a minute. I have told you that I cannot receiveyou myself very often, but I should like to be of some assistance toyou, some small assistance, of a kind that would give you satisfaction.I shall find you a place in one of the State departments, an easyplace--but you will require to be accurate. Now, as to your plans--inthe house, or rather in the family of Gania here--my young friend, whomI hope you will know better--his mother and sister have prepared twoor three rooms for lodgers, and let them to highly recommended youngfellows, with board and attendance. I am sure Nina Alexandrovna willtake you in on my recommendation. There you will be comfortable and welltaken care of; for I do not think, prince, that you are the sort ofman to be left to the mercy of Fate in a town like Petersburg. NinaAlexandrovna, Gania’s mother, and Varvara Alexandrovna, are ladies forwhom I have the highest possible esteem and respect. Nina Alexandrovnais the wife of General Ardalion Alexandrovitch, my old brother in arms,with whom, I regret to say, on account of certain circumstances, I am nolonger acquainted. I give you all this information, prince, in orderto make it clear to you that I am personally recommending you to thisfamily, and that in so doing, I am more or less taking upon myself toanswer for you. The terms are most reasonable, and I trust that yoursalary will very shortly prove amply sufficient for your expenditure. Ofcourse pocket-money is a necessity, if only a little; do not be angry,prince, if I strongly recommend you to avoid carrying money in yourpocket. But as your purse is quite empty at the present moment, you mustallow me to press these twenty-five roubles upon your acceptance, assomething to begin with. Of course we will settle this little matteranother time, and if you are the upright, honest man you look, Ianticipate very little trouble between us on that score. Taking so muchinterest in you as you may perceive I do, I am not without my object,and you shall know it in good time. You see, I am perfectly candid withyou. I hope, Gania, you have nothing to say against the prince’s takingup his abode in your house?”

  “Oh, on the contrary! my mother will be very glad,” said Gania,courteously and kindly.

  “I think only one of your rooms is engaged as yet, is it not? Thatfellow Ferd-Ferd--”

  “Ferdishenko.”

  “Yes--I don’t like that Ferdishenko. I can’t understand why NastasiaPhilipovna encourages him so. Is he really her cousin, as he says?”

  “Oh dear no, it’s all a joke. No more cousin than I am.”

  “Well, what do you think of the arrangement, prince?”

  “Thank you, general; you have behaved very kindly to me; all the moreso since I did not ask you to help me. I don’t say that out of pride. Icertainly did not know where to lay my head tonight. Rogojin asked me tocome to his house, of course, but--”

  “Rogojin? No, no, my good fellow. I should strongly recommend you,paternally,--or, if you prefer it, as a friend,--to forget all aboutRogojin, and, in fact, to stick to the family into which you are aboutto enter.”

  “Thank you,” began the prince; “and since you are so very kind there isjust one matter which I--”

  “You must really excuse me,” interrupted the general, “but I positivelyhaven’t another moment now. I shall just tell Elizabetha Prokofievnaabout you, and if she wishes to receive you at once--as I shall adviseher--I strongly recommend you to ingratiate yourself with her at thefirst opportunity, for my wife may be of the greatest service to you inmany ways. If she cannot receive you now, you must be content to waittill another time. Meanwhile you, Gania, just look over these accounts,will you? We mustn’t forget to finish off that matter--”

  The general left the room, and the prince never succeeded in broachingthe business which he had on hand, though he had endeavoured to do sofour times.

  Gania lit a cigarette and offered one to the prince. The latter acceptedthe offer, but did not talk, being unwilling to disturb Gania’s work.He commenced to examine the study and its contents. But Gania hardlyso much as glanced at the papers lying before him; he was absent andthoughtful, and his smile and general appearance struck the prince stillmore disagreeably now that the two were left alone together.

  Suddenly Gania approached our hero who was at the moment standing overNastasia Philipovna’s portrait, gazing at it.

  “Do you admire that sort of woman, prince?” he asked, looking intentlyat him. He seemed to have some special object in the question.

  “It’s a wonderful face,” said the prince, “and I feel sure that herdestiny is not by any means an ordinary, uneventful one. Her face issmiling enough, but she must have suffered terribly--hasn’t she? Hereyes show it--those two bones there, the little points under her eyes,just where the cheek begins. It’s a proud face too, terribly proud! AndI--I can’t say whether she is good and kind, or not. Oh, if she be butgood! That would make all well!”

  “And would you marry a woman like that, now?” continued Gania, nevertaking his excited eyes off the prince’s face.

  “I cannot marry at all,” said the latter. “I am an invalid.”

  “Would Rogojin marr
y her, do you think?”

  “Why not? Certainly he would, I should think. He would marry hertomorrow!--marry her tomorrow and murder her in a week!”

  Hardly had the prince uttered the last word when Gania gave such afearful shudder that the prince almost cried out.

  “What’s the matter?” said he, seizing Gania’s hand.

  “Your highness! His excellency begs your presence in her excellency’sapartments!” announced the footman, appearing at the door.

  The prince immediately followed the man out of the room.

  IV.

  All three of the Miss Epanchins were fine, healthy girls, well-grown,with good shoulders and busts, and strong--almost masculine--hands;and, of course, with all the above attributes, they enjoyed capitalappetites, of which they were not in the least ashamed.

  Elizabetha Prokofievna sometimes informed the girls that they werea little too candid in this matter, but in spite of their outwarddeference to their mother these three young women, in solemn conclave,had long agreed to modify the unquestioning obedience which they