"It's good business," said Ptitsin, at last, folding the letter and handing it back to the prince. "You will receive, without the slightest trouble, by the last will and testament of your aunt, a very large sum of money indeed."
"Impossible!" cried the general, starting up as if he had been shot.
Ptitsin explained, for the benefit of the company, that the prince's aunt had died five months since. He had never known her, but she was his mother's own sister, the daughter of a Moscow merchant, one Paparchin, who had died a bankrupt. But the elder brother of this same Paparchin, had been an eminent and very rich merchant. A year since it had so happened that his only two sons had both died within the same month. This sad event had so affected the old man that he, too, had died very shortly after. He was a widower, and had no relations left, excepting the prince's aunt, a poor woman living on charity, who was herself at the point of death from dropsy; but who had time, before she died, to set Salaskin to work to find her nephew, and to make her will bequeathing her newly-acquired fortune to him.
It appeared that neither the prince, nor the doctor with whom he lived in Switzerland, had thought of waiting for further communications; but the prince had started straight away with Salaskin's letter in his pocket.
"One thing I may tell you, for certain," concluded Ptitsin, addressing the prince, "that there is no question about the authenticity of this matter. Anything that Salaskin writes you as regards your unquestionable right to this inheritance, you may look upon as so much money in your pocket. I congratulate you, prince; you may receive a million and a half of roubles, perhaps more; I don't know. All I DO know is that Paparchin was a very rich merchant indeed."
"Hurrah!" cried Lebedeff, in a drunken voice. "Hurrah for the last of the Muishkins!"
"My goodness me! and I gave him twenty-five roubles this morning as though he were a beggar," blurted out the general, half senseless with amazement. "Well, I congratulate you, I congratulate you!" And the general rose from his seat and solemnly embraced the prince. All came forward with congratulations; even those of Rogojin's party who had retreated into the next room, now crept softly back to look on. For the moment even Nastasia Philipovna was forgotten.
But gradually the consciousness crept back into the minds of each one present that the prince had just made her an offer of marriage. The situation had, therefore, become three times as fantastic as before.
Totski sat and shrugged his shoulders, bewildered. He was the only guest left sitting at this time; the others had thronged round the table in disorder, and were all talking at once.
It was generally agreed, afterwards, in recalling that evening, that from this moment Nastasia Philipovna seemed entirely to lose her senses. She continued to sit still in her place, looking around at her guests with a strange, bewildered expression, as though she were trying to collect her thoughts, and could not. Then she suddenly turned to the prince, and glared at him with frowning brows; but this only lasted one moment. Perhaps it suddenly struck her that all this was a jest, but his face seemed to reassure her. She reflected, and smiled again, vaguely.
"So I am really a princess," she whispered to herself, ironically, and glancing accidentally at Daria Alexeyevna's face, she burst out laughing.
"Ha, ha, ha!" she cried, "this is an unexpected climax, after all. I didn't expect this. What are you all standing up for, gentlemen? Sit down; congratulate me and the prince! Ferdishenko, just step out and order some more champagne, will you? Katia, Pasha," she added suddenly, seeing the servants at the door, "come here! I'm going to be married, did you hear? To the prince. He has a million and a half of roubles; he is Prince Muishkin, and has asked me to marry him. Here, prince, come and sit by me; and here comes the wine. Now then, ladies and gentlemen, where are your congratulations?"
"Hurrah!" cried a number of voices. A rush was made for the wine by Rogojin's followers, though, even among them, there seemed some sort of realization that the situation had changed. Rogojin stood and looked on, with an incredulous smile, screwing up one side of his mouth.
"Prince, my dear fellow, do remember what you are about," said the general, approaching Muishkin, and pulling him by the coat sleeve.
Nastasia Philipovna overheard the remark, and burst out laughing.
"No, no, general!" she cried. "You had better look out! I am the princess now, you know. The prince won't let you insult me. Afanasy Ivanovitch, why don't you congratulate me? I shall be able to sit at table with your new wife, now. Aha! you see what I gain by marrying a prince! A million and a half, and a prince, and an idiot into the bargain, they say. What better could I wish for? Life is only just about to commence for me in earnest. Rogojin, you are a little too late. Away with your paper parcel! I'm going to marry the prince; I'm richer than you are now."
But Rogojin understood how things were tending, at last. An inexpressibly painful expression came over his face. He wrung his hands; a groan made its way up from the depths of his soul.
"Surrender her, for God's sake!" he said to the prince.
All around burst out laughing.
"What? Surrender her to YOU?" cried Daria Alexeyevna. "To a fellow who comes and bargains for a wife like a moujik! The prince wishes to marry her, and you--"
"So do I, so do I! This moment, if I could! I'd give every farthing I have to do it."
"You drunken moujik," said Daria Alexeyevna, once more. "You ought to be kicked out of the place."
The laughter became louder than ever.
"Do you hear, prince?" said Nastasia Philipovna. "Do you hear how this moujik of a fellow goes on bargaining for your bride?"
"He is drunk," said the prince, quietly, "and he loves you very much."
"Won't you be ashamed, afterwards, to reflect that your wife very nearly ran away with Rogojin?"
"Oh, you were raving, you were in a fever; you are still half delirious."
"And won't you be ashamed when they tell you, afterwards, that your wife lived at Totski's expense so many years?"
"No; I shall not be ashamed of that. You did not so live by your own will."
"And you'll never reproach me with it?"
"Never."
"Take care, don't commit yourself for a whole lifetime."
"Nastasia Philipovna." said the prince, quietly, and with deep emotion, "I said before that I shall esteem your consent to be my wife as a great honour to myself, and shall consider that it is you who will honour me, not I you, by our marriage. You laughed at these words, and others around us laughed as well; I heard them. Very likely I expressed myself funnily, and I may have looked funny, but, for all that, I believe I understand where honour lies, and what I said was but the literal truth. You were about to ruin yourself just now, irrevocably; you would never have forgiven yourself for so doing afterwards; and yet, you are absolutely blameless. It is impossible that your life should be altogether ruined at your age. What matter that Rogojin came bargaining here, and that Gavrila Ardalionovitch would have deceived you if he could? Why do you continually remind us of these facts? I assure you once more that very few could find it in them to act as you have acted this day. As for your wish to go with Rogojin, that was simply the idea of a delirious and suffering brain. You are still quite feverish; you ought to be in bed, not here. You know quite well that if you had gone with Rogojin, you would have become a washer-woman next day, rather than stay with him. You are proud, Nastasia Philipovna, and perhaps you have really suffered so much that you imagine yourself to be a desperately guilty woman. You require a great deal of petting and looking after, Nastasia Philipovna, and I will do this. I saw your portrait this morning, and it seemed quite a familiar face to me; it seemed to me that the portrait- face was calling to me for help. I-I shall respect you all my life, Nastasia Philipovna," concluded the prince, as though suddenly recollecting himself, and blushing to think of the sort of company before whom he had said all this.
Ptitsin bowed his head and looked at the ground, overcome by a mixture of feelings. Totski muttered to himself: "He may be an idiot, but he knows that flattery is the best road to success here."
The prince observed Gania's eyes flashing at him, as though they would gladly annihilate him then and there.
"That's a kind-hearted man, if you like," said Daria Alexeyevna, whose wrath was quickly evaporating.
"A refined man, but--lost," murmured the general.
Totski took his hat and rose to go. He and the general exchanged glances, making a private arrangement, thereby, to leave the house together.
"Thank you, prince; no one has ever spoken to me like that before," began Nastasia Philipovna. "Men have always bargained for me, before this; and not a single respectable man has ever proposed to marry me. Do you hear, Afanasy Ivanovitch? What do YOU think of what the prince has just been saying? It was almost immodest, wasn't it? You, Rogojin, wait a moment, don't go yet! I see you don't intend to move however. Perhaps I may go with you yet. Where did you mean to take me to?"
"To Ekaterinhof," replied Lebedeff. Rogojin simply stood staring, with trembling lips, not daring to believe his ears. He was stunned, as though from a blow on the head.
"What are you thinking of, my dear Nastasia?" said Daria Alexeyevna in alarm. "What are you saying?" "You are not going mad, are you?"
Nastasia Philipovna burst out laughing and jumped up from the sofa.
"You thought I should accept this good child's invitation to ruin him, did you?" she cried. "That's Totski's way, not mine. He's fond of children. Come along, Rogojin, get your money ready! We won't talk about marrying just at this moment, but let's see the money at all events. Come! I may not marry you, either. I don't know. I suppose you thought you'd keep the money, if I did! Ha, ha, ha! nonsense! I have no sense of shame left. I tell you I have been Totski's concubine. Prince, you must marry Aglaya Ivanovna, not Nastasia Philipovna, or this fellow Ferdishenko will always be pointing the finger of scorn at you. You aren't afraid, I know; but I should always be afraid that I had ruined you, and that you would reproach me for it. As for what you say about my doing you honour by marrying you-well, Totski can tell you all about that. You had your eye on Aglaya, Gania, you know you had; and you might have married her if you had not come bargaining. You are all like this. You should choose, once for all, between disreputable women, and respectable ones, or you are sure to get mixed. Look at the general, how he's staring at me!"
"This is too horrible," said the general, starting to his feet. All were standing up now. Nastasia was absolutely beside herself.
"I am very proud, in spite of what I am," she continued. "You called me 'perfection' just now, prince. A nice sort of perfection to throw up a prince and a million and a half of roubles in order to be able to boast of the fact afterwards! What sort of a wife should I make for you, after all I have said? Afanasy Ivanovitch, do you observe I have really and truly thrown away a million of roubles? And you thought that I should consider your wretched seventy-five thousand, with Gania thrown in for a husband, a paradise of bliss! Take your seventy-five thousand back, sir; you did not reach the hundred thousand. Rogojin cut a better dash than you did. I'll console Gania myself; I have an idea about that. But now I must be off! I've been in prison for ten years. I'm free at last! Well, Rogojin, what are you waiting for? Let's get ready and go."
"Come along!" shouted Rogojin, beside himself with joy. "Hey! all of you fellows! Wine! Round with it! Fill the glasses!"
"Get away!" he shouted frantically, observing that Daria Alexeyevna was approaching to protest against Nastasia's conduct. "Get away, she's mine, everything's mine! She's a queen, get away!"
He was panting with ecstasy. He walked round and round Nastasia Philipovna and told everybody to "keep their distance."
All the Rogojin company were now collected in the drawing-room; some were drinking, some laughed and talked: all were in the highest and wildest spirits. Ferdishenko was doing his best to unite himself to them; the general and Totski again made an attempt to go. Gania, too stood hat in hand ready to go; but seemed to be unable to tear his eyes away from the scene before him
"Get out, keep your distance!" shouted Rogojin.
"What are you shouting about there!" cried Nastasia "I'm not yours yet. I may kick you out for all you know I haven't taken your money yet; there it all is on the table Here, give me over that packet! Is there a hundred thousand roubles in that one packet? Pfu! what abominable stuff it looks! Oh! nonsense, Daria Alexeyevna; you surely did not expect me to ruin HIM?" (indicating the prince). "Fancy him nursing me! Why, he needs a nurse himself! The general, there, will be his nurse now, you'll see. Here, prince, look here! Your bride is accepting money. What a disreputable woman she must be! And you wished to marry her! What are you crying about? Is it a bitter dose? Never mind, you shall laugh yet. Trust to time." (In spite of these words there were two large tears rolling down Nastasia's own cheeks.) "It's far better to think twice of it now than afterwards. Oh! you mustn't cry like that! There's Katia crying, too. What is it, Katia, dear? I shall leave you and Pasha a lot of things, I've laid them out for you already; but good-bye, now. I made an honest girl like you serve a low woman like myself. It's better so, prince, it is indeed. You'd begin to despise me afterwards-- we should never be happy. Oh! you needn't swear, prince, I shan't believe you, you know. How foolish it would be, too! No, no; we'd better say good-bye and part friends. I am a bit of a dreamer myself, and I used to dream of you once. Very often during those five years down at his estate I used to dream and think, and I always imagined just such a good, honest, foolish fellow as you, one who should come and say to me: 'You are an innocent woman, Nastasia Philipovna, and I adore you.' I dreamt of you often. I used to think so much down there that I nearly went mad; and then this fellow here would come down. He would stay a couple of months out of the twelve, and disgrace and insult and deprave me, and then go; so that I longed to drown myself in the pond a thousand times over; but I did not dare do it. I hadn't the heart, and now--well, are you ready, Rogojin?"
"Ready--keep your distance, all of you!"
"We're all ready," said several of his friends. "The troikas [Sledges drawn by three horses abreast.] are at the door, bells and all."
Nastasia Philipovna seized the packet of bank-notes.
"Gania, I have an idea. I wish to recompense you--why should you lose all? Rogojin, would he crawl for three roubles as far as the Vassiliostrof?
"Oh, wouldn't he just!"
"Well, look here, Gania. I wish to look into your heart once more, for the last time. You've worried me for the last three months--now it's my turn. Do you see this packet? It contains a hundred thousand roubles. Now, I'm going to throw it into the fire, here--before all these witnesses. As soon as the fire catches hold of it, you put your hands into the fire and pick it out--without gloves, you know. You must have bare hands, and you must turn your sleeves up. Pull it out, I say, and it's all yours. You may burn your fingers a little, of course; but then it's a hundred thousand roubles, remember--it won't take you long to lay hold of it and snatch it out. I shall so much admire you if you put your hands into the fire for my money. All here present may be witnesses that the whole packet of money is yours if you get it out. If you don't get it out, it shall burn. I will let no one else come; away--get away, all of you--it's my money! Rogojin has bought me with it. Is it my money, Rogojin?"
"Yes, my queen; it's your own money, my joy."
"Get away then, all of you. I shall do as I like with my own-- don't meddle! Ferdishenko, make up the fire, quick!"
"Nastasia Philipovna, I can't; my hands won't obey me," said Ferdishenko, astounded and helpless with bewilderment.
"Nonsense," cried Nastasia Philipovna, seizing the poker and raking a couple of logs together. No sooner did a tongue of flame burst out than she threw the packet of notes upon it.
Everyone gasped; some even crossed themselves.
"She's mad--she's mad!" was the cry.
"Oughtn't-oughtn't we to secure her?" asked the general of Ptitsin, in a whisper; "or shall we send for the authorities? Why, she's mad, isn't she--isn't she, eh?"
"N-no, I hardly think she is actually mad," whispered Ptitsin, who was as white as his handkerchief, and trembling like a leaf. He could not take his eyes off the smouldering packet.
"She's mad surely, isn't she?" the general appealed to Totski.
"I told you she wasn't an ordinary woman," replied the latter, who was as pale as anyone.
"Oh, but, positively, you know--a hundred thousand roubles!"
"Goodness gracious! good heavens!" came from all quarters of the room.
All now crowded round the fire and thronged to see what was going on; everyone lamented and gave vent to exclamations of horror and woe. Some jumped up on chairs in order to get a better view. Daria Alexeyevna ran into the next room and whispered excitedly to Katia and Pasha. The beautiful German disappeared altogether.
"My lady! my sovereign!" lamented Lebedeff, falling on his knees before Nastasia Philipovna, and stretching out his hands towards the fire; "it's a hundred thousand roubles, it is indeed, I packed it up myself, I saw the money! My queen, let me get into the fire after it--say the word-I'll put my whole grey head into the fire for it! I have a poor lame wife and thirteen children. My father died of starvation last week. Nastasia Philipovna, Nastasia Philipovna!" The wretched little man wept, and groaned, and crawled towards the fire.
"Away, out of the way!" cried Nastasia. "Make room, all of you! Gania, what are you standing there for? Don't stand on ceremony. Put in your hand! There's your whole happiness smouldering away, look! Quick!"
But Gania had borne too much that day, and especially this evening, and he was not prepared for this last, quite unexpected trial.
The crowd parted on each side of him and he was left face to face with Nastasia Philipovna, three paces from her. She stood by the fire and waited, with her intent gaze fixed upon him.
Gania stood before her, in his evening clothes, holding his white gloves and hat in his hand, speechless and motionless, with arms folded and eyes fixed on the fire.
The fire, choked between a couple of smouldering pieces of wood, had died down for the first few moments after the packet was thrown upon it. But a little tongue of fire now began to lick the paper from below, and soon, gathering courage, mounted the sides of the parcel, and crept around it. In another moment, the whole of it burst into flames, and the exclamations of woe and horror were redoubled.
"Nastasia Philipovna!" lamented Lebedeff again, straining towards the fireplace; but Rogojin dragged him away, and pushed him to the rear once more.
The whole of Regojin's being was concentrated in one rapturous gaze of ecstasy. He could not take his eyes off Nastasia. He stood drinking her in, as it were. He was in the seventh heaven of delight.
"Oh, what a queen she is!" he ejaculated, every other minute, throwing out the remark for anyone who liked to catch it. "That's the sort of woman for me! Which of you would think of doing a thing like that, you blackguards, eh?" he yelled. He was hopelessly and wildly beside himself with ecstasy.
The prince watched the whole scene, silent and dejected.
"I'll pull it out with my teeth for one thousand," said Ferdishenko.
"So would I," said another, from behind, "with pleasure. Devil take the thing!" he added, in a tempest of despair, "it will all be burnt up in a minute--It's burning, it's burning!"
"It's burning, it's burning!" cried all, thronging nearer and nearer to the fire in their excitement.
"Gania, don't be a fool! I tell you for the last time."
"Get on, quick!" shrieked Ferdishenko, rushing wildly up to Gania, and trying to drag him to the fire by the sleeve of his coat. "Get it, you dummy, it's burning away fast! Oh--DAMN the thing!"
Gania hurled Ferdishenko from him; then he turned sharp round and made for the door. But he had not gone a couple of steps when he tottered and fell to the ground.
"He's fainted!" the cry went round.
"And the money's burning still," Lebedeff lamented.
"Burning for nothing," shouted others.
"Katia-Pasha! Bring him some water!" cried Nastasia Philipovna. Then she took the tongs and fished out the packet.
Nearly the whole of the outer covering was burned away, but it was soon evident that the contents were hardly touched. The packet had been wrapped in a threefold covering of newspaper, and the, notes were safe. All breathed more freely.
"Some dirty little thousand or so may be touched," said Lebedeff, immensely relieved, "but there's very little harm done, after all."
"It's all his--the whole packet is for him, do you hear--all of you?" cried Nastasia Philipovna, placing the packet by the side of Gania. "He restrained himself, and didn't go after it; so his self-respect is greater than his thirst for money. All right-- he'll come to directly--he must have the packet or he'll cut his throat afterwards. There! He's coming to himself. General, Totski, all of you, did you hear me? The money is all Gania's. I give it to him, fully conscious of my action, as recompense for-- well, for anything he thinks best. Tell him so. Let it lie here beside him. Off we go, Rogojin! Goodbye, prince. I have seen a man for the first time in my life. Goodbye, Afanasy Ivanovitch-- and thanks!"
The Rogojin gang followed their leader and Nastasia Philipovna to the entrance-hall, laughing and shouting and whistling.
In the hall the servants were waiting, and handed her her fur cloak. Martha, the cook, ran in from the kitchen. Nastasia kissed them all round.
"Are you really throwing us all over, little mother? Where, where are you going to? And on your birthday, too!" cried the four girls, crying over her and kissing her hands.
"I am going out into the world, Katia; perhaps I shall be a laundress. I don't know. No more of Afanasy Ivanovitch, anyhow. Give him my respects. Don't think badly of me, girls."
The prince hurried down to the front gate where the party were settling into the troikas, all the bells tinkling a merry accompaniment the while. The general caught him up on the stairs:
"Prince, prince!" he cried, seizing hold of his arm, "recollect yourself! Drop her, prince! You see what sort of a woman she is. I am speaking to you like a father."
The prince glanced at him, but said nothing. He shook himself free, and rushed on downstairs.
The general was just in time to see the prince take the first sledge he could get, and, giving the order to Ekaterinhof, start off in pursuit of the troikas. Then the general's fine grey horse dragged that worthy home, with some new thoughts, and some new hopes and calculations developing in his brain, and with the pearls in his pocket, for he had not forgotten to bring them along with him, being a man of business. Amid his new thoughts and ideas there came, once or twice, the image of Nastasia Philipovna. The general sighed.
"I'm sorry, really sorry," he muttered. "She's a ruined woman. Mad! mad! However, the prince is not for Nastasia Philipovna now,--perhaps it's as well."
Two more of Nastasia's guests, who walked a short distance together, indulged in high moral sentiments of a similar nature.
"Do you know, Totski, this is all very like what they say goes on among the Japanese?" said Ptitsin. "The offended party there, they say, marches off to his insulter and says to him, 'You insulted me, so I have come to rip myself open before your eyes;' and with these words he does actually rip his stomach open before his enemy, and considers, doubtless, that he is having all possible and necessary satisfaction and revenge. There are strange characters in the world, sir!"
"H'm! and you think there was something of this sort here, do you? Dear me--a very remarkable comparison, you know! But you must have observed, my dear Ptitsin, that I did all I possibly could. I could do no more than I did. And you must admit that there are some rare qualities in this woman. I felt I could not speak in that Bedlam, or I should have been tempted to cry out, when she reproached me, that she herself was my best justification. Such a woman could make anyone forget all reason-- everything! Even that moujik, Rogojin, you saw, brought her a hundred thousand roubles! Of course, all that happened tonight was ephemeral, fantastic, unseemly--yet it lacked neither colour nor originality. My God! What might not have been made of such a character combined with such beauty! Yet in spite of all efforts --in spite of all education, even--all those gifts are wasted! She is an uncut diamond.... I have often said so."
And Afanasy Ivanovitch heaved a deep sigh.
“这事是可信的，”普季岑终于宣布说，一边把信折起来，交给公爵，“根据您姨妈立下的无可争议的财产处理遗嘱，您可以不用任何操心地得到一笔异常庞大的资产。”
“不可能！”将军喊了一声，犹如开了一枪似的。
大家又张口结舌。
普季岑主要是对伊万·费奥多罗维奇解释说，五个月前公爵的姨妈故世了。公爵本人从来也不认识她，这是他母亲的胞姐，是贫困破产中死去的莫斯科三等商人帕普申的女儿。但是这个帕普申的亲哥哥不久前也离世了，他却是个有名的富商。差不多一年前，几乎是在同一个月，他唯一的两个儿子相继死去。这给了他致命一击，因此过了不多久老头自己也病倒而亡。他是个鳏夫，根本就没有继承人，只有老头的亲侄女，即公爵的姨妈，她则是个很穷的女人，过着寄人篱下的生活，在得到遗产的时候这位姨妈因为水肿病几乎已快要死了，但她立即开始寻找公爵，并把此事委托给了萨拉兹金，还赶紧立下了遗瞩。看来，无论是公爵还是在瑞士他寄居的那位医生都不想等正式的通知或者做一下查询，于是公爵就带了萨拉兹金的信决定亲自回国。
“我只能对您说一点，”普季岑转向公爵，最后说，“这一切是不容争议和千真万确的。萨拉兹金写信告诉您这件事情的确凿性和合法性，您可以当作口袋里的现钱一样来看待，祝贺您，公爵！也许，您也将得到１５０万，也许甚至更多。帕普申是个非常富有的商人。”
“好一个家族里最后一个梅什金公爵！”费尔迪先科喊了起来。
“乌拉。！”列别杰夫酒喝得沙哑了的嗓子呼叫着。
“可我刚才还借给他这个可怜虫二十五个卢布，哈一哈一哈！真是变幻莫测呀，就是这么回事！”将军惊讶得几乎发呆，说，“来，恭喜恭喜！”他从座位上站起来，走到公爵跟前拥抱他。在他之后其余的人也站了起来，向公爵这边走拢来。连那些躲在门帘后面的人也出现在客厅里。响起了、片乱哄哄的谈话声和惊叹声，也传来了要求开香槟酒的喊声；所有的人椎椎揉揉，忙乱起来。有一会儿几乎忘了纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜，忘了她毕竟是晚会的女主人这一点。但是慢慢地，大家几乎又一下子想起了，公爵刚才向她求了婚。这样，事情比起原先来就有三倍的疯狂和异常。深为惊诧的托茨基耸了耸肩，几乎只有他一人还坐着，其余的人群都杂乱地挤在桌子周围。后来大家都断定，正是从这一刻起，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜精神失常的。她依然坐着，用一种奇怪的惊讶的目光打量了大家一段时间，仿佛不明白是怎么回事而又竭力想弄清楚。后来她突然转向公爵，横眉冷对，凝神仔细端详着他，但这只是一霎那；也许，他突然觉得，所有这一切只是个玩笑，嘲弄人而已；但是公爵的神志又马上使她放弃了这个念头。她沉思起来，后来又笑了一下，却似乎并没有明确意识到为什么而笑。
“这么说，我真的是公爵夫人了！”她似乎嘲讽地喃喃自语说，无意间瞥见达里娅·阿列克谢耶夫娜后，又笑了起来。“真是出人意料的结局……我……期待的可不是这样……你们干嘛都站着，诸位，请吧，请坐下，祝贺我和公爵吧！好像曾有人要喝香槟；费尔迪先科，请走一趟，吩咐一下。卡佳；帕莎，”她突然看见了在门口的女仆，“到这里来，我要嫁人了，听见了吗？嫁给公爵，他有１５０万，他是梅什金公爵，要娶我！”
“那就让上帝保佑吧，我的姑奶奶，是时候了！没什么好放过的了！”达里娅·阿列克谢耶夫娜咸道，她为眼前发生的事深感震惊。
“公爵，就坐到我身旁来，”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜继续说，“就这样，马上就会送酒来，诸位，祝贺吧！”
“鸟拉！”众多的嗓子呼喊着。许多人挤过去拿酒，所有罗戈任的人几乎都在其中，但是尽管他们喊了或者曾经准备喊叫，也不论情境和事态多么怪诞不经，他们中许多人还是感到了情势在变化，另一些人则困惑不解，不相信地等待着。不少人彼此窃窃私语，认为这是最平常不过的事，公爵们跟哪个女人结婚这种事屡见不鲜，娶流浪的茨冈女人的都有。罗戈任本人站在那里看着，扭曲的脸现出呆僵木然、莫名其妙的傻笑。
“公爵，亲爱的，你醒醒！”将军从旁边走近去，扯着公爵的衣袖，惊恐地低声唤了一声。
纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜发觉了，哈哈大笑起来。
“不，将军！现在我自己就是公爵夫人了，您听见了，公爵是不会让我受欺负的！阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇，您倒是祝贺我呀；我现在无论在什么地方都将与您妻子并肩而坐；有这么一个丈夫很有好处，您怎么认为？１５０万，还是公爵，外加，据说还是个白痴，还有什么更好的？只有现在才将开始真正的生活！罗戈任，你迟来了！收起自己的纸包，我要嫁给公爵，而且我自己比你更富有！”
但是罗戈任已经弄清楚是怎么回事。他的脸上流露出一种难以形容的痛苦。他双手一拍，从胸中发出一声呻吟。
“让开！”他对公爵喊道。
周围发出一阵哄笑。
“这是为你让路吗。”达里娅·阿列克谢耶夫娜得意洋洋地接过话茬说，“瞧你，把钱往桌上一扔，真是个老粗！公爵要娶她为妻。而你却来胡闹。”
“我也要娶她！马上就娶，就此刻！什么都拿出来……”
“瞧你，小馆子里出来的醉汉，该把你赶出去！”达里娅·阿列克谢耶夫娜忿忿地重复说。
笑声更加厉害了。
“听着，公爵，”纳斯塔西娅·赞利帕夫娜转向他说，“这汉子是怎么出价欲买你的未婚妻。”
“他醉了，”公爵说，“他是很爱您。”
“往后你会不会觉得羞耻，因为你的未婚妻差点跟罗戈任跑了？”
“这是您情绪激亢所致，您现在也仍如发热病说胡话。”
“以后人家对你说，你的妻子曾经是托茨基的姘妇，你不觉耻辱吗？”
“不，不会觉得羞耻的……您在托茨基那里并非出于自愿。”
“也永不责难？”
“不会责难。”
“嗬，可得留神，别担保一辈子。”
“纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜，”公爵似乎怀着同情和怜悯轻轻地说，“我刚才对您说过了，我把您的同意看作是一种荣誉，是您给我荣誉而不是我。您对这些话付之一笑，我听到周围的人也笑了。也许，我表达得很可笑，而且我自己也很可笑，但是我总觉得，我……是理解什么是荣誉的，也深信我说得是对的。您现在想毁掉自己，不可挽回地毁掉自己，因为您今后永远不会原谅自己这件事、可是您是丝毫没有过错的。您的生活已经完全毁了，这是不可能的。罗戈任来找您，加夫里拉·阿尔达利翁诺维奇想欺骗您，这又算得了什么？您何必不断地要提这些？您所做的是很少人能做到的，这一点我现在再对您重讲一次。至于说您想跟罗戈任走，这是您在痛苦的冲动中做出的决定，您现在也仍然在冲动中，最好还是去躺下。明天您宁可去当洗衣妇，也别留下来跟罗戈任在一起。您很高傲，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜，但是，也许您已经不幸到了真的以为自己有过错的地步。需要对您多加照料，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜。我会照顾您的。我刚才看见了您的照片，就像看到一张熟悉的脸。我立即就觉得，您仿佛已经在召唤我了……我……我将终身都尊敬您，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜，”公爵突然结束自己的话，似乎突然醒悟过来，意识到是在哪些人面前讲这番话的而脸红了起来。
普季岑出于纯真和不好意思甚至低下了头盯着地面：托茨基则暗自想：“虽是个白痴，可是却知道，阿谀献媚比什公都管用；真是秉性难移！”公爵也发觉了加尼亚从角落里放射出来的的的目光，仿佛想用它来把公爵烧成灰烬。
“这真是个善良的人！”深受感动的达里娅·阿列克谢耶夫娜赞叹说。
“人是有教养的，但不可救药！”将军轻声低语说。
托茨基拿起了帽子，准备站起身偷偷溜走。他和将军互使眼色，以便一起出去。
“谢谢，公爵，至今没有人跟我这样谈过，”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜说，“所有的人都是出价钱买卖我，却没有一个正派人要娶我为妻的。听见了吗，阿法纳西·伊万内奇？公爵所说的一切，您觉得怎样？那可几乎是不体面的……罗戈任！你等一等走。我看，你也不会走。也许，我还是跟你走，你想把我带到哪里去？”
“叶卡捷琳戈夫，”列别杰夫从角落里应答着，而罗戈任只是颤粟了一下，睁大眼睛望着似乎不相信自己。他全然变呆了，犹如头上狠狠地挨了一击。“你怎么啦，你怎么啦！我的姑奶奶！真正是发病了：疯了还是怎么的？”达里娅·阿列克谢耶夫娜惊恐不安地跳起来说。
“难道你真的这样想？”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜哈哈笑着，从沙发上跳了起来，“去毁掉这么一个涉世不深的人？这对于阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇来说正是时机：他是喜欢不诸世事的年轻人的！我们走，罗戈任！准备好你那一包钱！你想结婚，这没什么，可钱嘛还是要给的。也许，我还不想嫁给你。你以为，既然是自己想结婚，钱也就将留在你那里？胡扯！我自己就是个不知羞耻的人！我曾经做过托茨基的姘妇……公爵！对你来说现在应该娶阿格拉娅·叶潘钦娜，而不是纳斯塔西娅· 费利帕夫娜，不然连费尔迪先科也会用指头点点戳戳的！你不害怕，可我会害怕，怕把你毁了和以后你会责怪我！至于你刚才声明说，是我给你荣誉，那么托茨基是知道这一点的，而你，加涅奇卡，把阿格拉哑·叶潘钦娜错过了；你知道这一点吗？如果你不跟她做交易，她一定会嫁给你的！你们大家就是这么回事：要么与不正经的女人，要么与正经女人交往，只有一种选择！否则一定会弄糊涂的，瞧，将军张大嘴，看着呢……”
“这真是乱了套了，乱了套了！”将军耸着肩膀，连声说，他也从沙发上站起身，所有的人又都站着了。纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜仿佛发了狂似的。
“真的吗？”公爵捏着手，痛楚地呻吟说。
“你认为不是吗？我也许就是自己高傲，其实不需要，反正我是没有廉耻的女人！你刚才称我是完美的人；光是为了夸口，把百万家财产公爵的名分踩得稀烂，而去住贫民窟，好一个完美呀！好吧，这以后我怎么做你妻子呢？阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇，我可是真的把百万家财往窗外扔！您怎么会认为，我会嫁给加涅奇卡，我会为了您的七万五千卢布而出嫁，并将此看作是幸福？七万五千你拿去吧，阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇（还不到十万，罗戈任可胜过你！）；对加涅奇卡，我会亲自安慰他的，我还有了主意。而现在我想玩乐，我本来就是个马路天使嘛！我有十年蹲的是监狱，现在则是我的幸福！你怎么啦，罗戈任？去准备吧，我们就走！”
“我们开路！”罗戈任欣喜若狂，拼命地喊了起来，“你们……所有的人……给她酒呀！嗨！……”
“备些酒，我要喝的。音乐有没有？”
“会有的，会有的！别走近来。”罗戈任看见达里娅·阿列克谢耶夫娜正向纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜走近来，发狂地吼起来，“她是我的！全是我的！是我的女王！事情了结了！”
他兴奋得喘不过气来；他绕着纳斯塔西娅·、费利帕夫娜走来走去，对所有的人嚷着：“别走近来！”他那伙人已经全都挤在客厅里。一些人喝着酒，另一些人喊叫着、哈哈笑着，所有的人都极为激奋，放肆不羁；费尔迪先科开始试着与他们凑在一起；将军和托茨基又做出要尽快躲闪的动作，加利亚也把帽子拿在手中，但他默默地站着，似乎仍然不能摆脱在他面前演变的这一场景。
“别走近来。”罗戈任喊着。
“你喊什么呀！”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜冲着他哈哈笑着说，“我在自己这儿还是女主人；只要我想，还可以把你赶出去。哦，还没有拿你的钱呢，它们在桌子上；把它们拿过来，一整包！这一包里是１０万？嗬、多么肮脏呀！你怎么啦，达里娅·阿列克谢耶夫娜？难道我得坑害他？（她指了一下公爵）他哪儿能结婚，他自己还需要有保姆；这下将军就会是他的保姆了，瞧，他正缠着他呢！公爵，你看着，你的未婚妻收下了钱，因为她是个放荡女人，而你却想娶她！你哭什么呀？你痛苦，是吗？依我看你还是笑吧，”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜继续说，她自己的脸颊上挂着两滴晶莹的大泪珠。“相信时间吧，一切都会过去的！现在改变主意比以后变卦为好……你们干吗全都哭呀，连卡加也哭了！你怎么啦，卡加，亲爱的？我要给你和帕莎留下许多东西，我已经做了安排、而现在告别了！我让你一个正派姑娘来照料我这么一个放荡女人……这样为好，公爵，真的更好，否则以后你会鄙视我、我们就不会有幸福！别发誓，我不相信！而且这又多么愚蠢！……不，最好还是好分好散，不然是不会有好处的，用为我自己本来就是个好幻想的人。难道我良已没有幻想过嫁给你吗？这点你说对了，我早就幻想过，还是在他的村庄里，我孤零零一个人度过了五年。我想啊，想啊，常常这样，幻想啊，幻想啊，就老是想象着像你这样的人，善良，正派，心好，也是这么傻乎乎的，突然来到我面前，说：您是没有过错的，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜，我敬爱您！常常这样想入非非，简直要发疯……而那时来的却是这个人，一年中住上两个月，使我蒙受耻愿，受尽委屈，激起情欲，导致堕落，然后就走了。我曾经上千次想投入池塘，但我又个卑贱的人，缺少勇气；好了，现在，罗戈任，准备好了吗？”
“一切就绪！别靠近！”
“准备好了！”响起了好几个声音。
“三驾马车等着，带铃挡的。”
纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜把那一包钞票一下抓在手里。
“加尼亚，我冒出了一个主意：我想补偿你，因为……何必让你失去一切呢？罗戈任，为了３个卢布他会爬到瓦西利耶夫斯基马上去吗？”
“会爬到的！”
“好吧，那么听着，加尼亚，我想最后一次看一看你的灵魂；你自己折磨了我整整三个月；现在轮到我了。你看见这个纸包了，里面是１０万卢布！我现在就把它丢进壁炉里，扔进火里，就当着大家的面，大家都是见证人！一旦火烧着了整个纸包，你就到壁炉里去拿吧，只是不许戴手套，要光着手，还要卷起袖子，把纸包从火中取出来！你取出来，就归你了。整整１０万就是你的了！你只不过稍稍烫一下手指头，可是有１０万呐，你倒想想！又不用很长时间！而我则要欣赏一下你的灵魂，看你怎么伸手到火中去取我的钱的。大家都是证人，这包钱将是你南！要是你不去取，那就让它烧光：谁都不许去取。走开！大家都走开！这是我的钱。作为我在罗戈任那儿一夜的代价而得到的。是我的钱吗，罗戈任？”
“是你的，亲爱的！是你的，我的女王！”
“好吧，那么请大家让开，我怎么想，就怎么干了！别妨碍我！费尔迪先科。把火弄弄旺！”
“纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜，我下不了手呀。”大为震惊的费尔迪先科回答说。
“哎--。”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜发出一声叹息，抓起火钳，扒开两块微燃的劈柴，等火焰刚窜起来，就把纸包投进火中。
四周发出了喊声；许多人甚至划着十字。
“她疯啦，她疯啦！”四周叫喊着。
“是不是……我们是不是……把她绑起来？”将军对普季岑低语说，“或者是否派人……她可是疯了，她不是疯了吗？不是疯了吗？”
“不，也许，这根本不是发疯，”脸色苍白得像手绢一般的普季岑颤抖着呐呐说，他无力使自己的眼睛离开那刚燃着的纸包。
“疯了吗？不是疯了吗？”将军又缠住托茨基问。
“我对您说过，这是个很有个性的女人，”脸色也有点苍白的阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇低声含糊地说。
“可是，要知道是１０万呐！……”
“上帝啊，上帝！”周围一片惊叹声。所有的人部挤在壁炉周围，大家都争相观看；大家都感叹不绝……有些人甚至跳到椅子上，好隔着别人的脑袋观看这一景象。达里娅·阿列克谢耶夫娜奔了出去到另一个房间，惊恐万状地对卡加和帕莎低语着什么。德国美人则已逃之夭夭。
“我的姑奶奶！我的女王！万能的女神？”列别杰夫跪着爬到纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜面前，双手伸向壁炉，号叫着、“１０万！ １０万！我亲眼看见的，是当着我面包起来的！我的姑奶奶！开开恩吧！只要吩咐我钻进壁炉去，我就整个儿爬进去，我就把自己斑白的脑袋瓜一古脑几伸进火中去！我有一个卧床不起的有病的妻子，１３个全是孤苦伶订的孩子，上星期则刚埋葬了父亲，他是饿死的，纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜！！”他大声诉说完，便向壁炉爬去。
“滚开！”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜推开他，喊道，“你们大家都让开！加尼亚，你还站着于什么？别害臊！去取吧、这是你的幸福！”
但是加尼亚在这个白天，和这个晚上所经受的已经大多了，对于这出其不意的最后一个考验没有准备。人群在他面前分成两半，他就和纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜面对面站着，相距只有三步路。她站在壁炉旁等着，专注的目光不离他身。加尼亚穿着燕尾服，手中拿着帽子和手套，无言以答地默默站在她面前，交叉着双手，望着火焰。疯子般的傻笑在他那白如绢帕的脸上回荡。确实，他无法使眼睛移开它，那个已经燃着的纸包；但是，好像有某种新的东西在他心中萌生；仿佛在发誓要经受住这一考验；他在原地一动也不动；过了一会儿大家便明白，他是不会去取纸包的，他不想。
“哎，要烧光了，人家会讥笑你的，”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜向他喊着，“过后你可是会上吊的，我不是开玩笑。”
火原先在两块快烧完的木头之间燃烧，纸包掉进去压着它时，开始一度熄灭。但是小小的蓝色火苗还是从下面攀住了下面那块木头的角。终于，细长的火舌舔着了纸包、火附着后又从纸的四角向上蔓延开来，突然整个纸包在壁炉皇勃然燃烧、明亮的火焰向上直窜。大家都发出了惊叹声。
“我的姑奶奶！”还是列别杰夫在号叫。他又朝前冲去，但罗戈任又把他拖回来，推开。
罗戈任自己整个儿变成了一道一动不动的目光。他无法把目光从纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜身上移开。他完全陶醉了，飘飘然如在七重天。
“这就是女王的气派！”不管碰上谁，他朝周围见到的人不断重复说，“这才是我们的气派！”他忘乎所以，高声嚷嚷着，“嘿，你们这些骗子手，哪个能干出这样的花样来，啊？”
公爵忧郁而默默地观察着。
“只要给我干，我就用牙齿去叨出来！”费尔迪先科提议说。
“用牙齿叨，我也会干！”拳头先生毅然不顾死活，咬牙切齿冲动地说，“真见鬼，烧着了，会要烧光了！”他看见火焰后高呼起来。
“烧着了，烧着了！”众人异口同声地喊起来，几乎全都向壁炉这边拥去。
“加尼亚，别扭扭捏捏。我说最后一次！”
“快去！”费尔迪先科全然如痴若狂一般奔向加尼亚，扯着他的衣袖，吼着，“去呀，你这不知好歹的人！要烧光了！哦，真一该一死！”
加尼亚用力推开费尔迪先科，转过身，向门口走去；但是，没有走两步，摇晃了一下，便扑通一声倒在地上。
“昏倒了！”四周喊了起来。
“姑奶奶，要烧光了！”列别杰夫号叫着。
“要白白烧光了！”四面八方吼着。
“卡加，帕莎，给他喝点水、酒！”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜喊了一声，抓起火钳，夹出了纸包。
外面整张纸几乎已烧光，仍阴燃着，但是立刻就可看到，里面没有烧着。纸包包着三层报纸，因此钱还完好无羔。大家都轻快地松了口气。
“顶多损坏千把个卢布，剩下的都好好的。”列别杰夫激动地说。
“全都是他的！整包钞票都是他的！听见了吧，诸位！”纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜宣布说，并把纸包放到加尼亚身边，“他到底没有去拿，坚持住了！这么说，自尊心还是比对钱的贪婪心要多一点。没关系，会苏醒过来的！不然的话，也许还会杀人……瞧他已经在恢复知觉了。将军，伊万·彼得罗维奇，达里娅·阿列克谢耶夫娜，卡加，帕莎，罗戈任，你们都听到了吗？钱包是他的，是加尼亚的。我把它给他，归他所有，作为补偿……好了，不管它了！请告诉他！就让纸包放在他身边……罗戈任，开路！告辞了，公爵，我第一次看到了人！别人，阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇，Ｍｅｒｃｉ＊！”
罗戈任一伙人跟在罗戈任和纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜后面，吵吵嚷嚷：哇里哇啦；靴声橐橐地穿过房向，向大门口走去。在厅屋里侍女把皮大衣递给她；玛尔法从厨房里跑出来。纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜与他们一一吻别。
“小姐，难道您完全离开我们了？您要去哪里呀？而且还是生日，在这样的日子走！”侍女吻着她的手，恸哭着问。
“到马路上去，卡佳，你听见了，那里才是我该去的地方，要不就去当洗衣妇！跟阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇在一起受够了！代我向他致意，而我有什么对不住的地方；请原谅……”
在大门口众人已经分坐在四辆带铃当的三驾马车上。公爵拚命朝那里奔去，可是还在楼梯上将军就已经赶上了他。
“得了，公爵，清醒一下！”他抓住他的手，说，抛弃这念头吧！你也看见了，她是个什么样的女人，我是像父亲那样对你说……”公爵向他瞥了一眼，但是什么活也没说，便挣脱开，朝下跑去。
三驾马车刚刚驶离大门口。将军看见，公爵抓住他遇上的第一个马车夫，对他喊了一声，要他跟上前面的三驾马车，去叶卡捷琳戈夫。紧接着将军的大灰马把车拉过来，把将军载回家，同时也载着新的希望和打算，还载着将军毕竟没有忘记拿回去的不久前送给纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜的珍珠。在他做着新的打算之际，曾经有两次闪现出她那迷人的芳影；将军发出一声叹息：
“真可惜！真正可惜！不可救药的女人！疯狂的女人！……这样嘛，现在公爵就不会要纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜了……”
说这类有点劝谕性的临别赠言似的话的还有纳斯塔西娅·费利帕夫娜的另两位客人，他们决定步行一程，便一路交谈着。
“知道吗，阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇，据说，日本人也常有这类事，”伊万·彼得罗维奇·普季岑说，“那里受了侮辱的人好像要去找侮辱他的人，并对他说：‘你侮辱了我、为此我来要当着你的面剖腹。’说完这些话便真的当着侮辱者的。面剖开自己的肚子，大概还感到非常满足，就像真的报复了一样。世上常有各种奇怪的性格，阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇！”
＊法语：谢谢。
“您认为，这里的事也是这种情况罗，”阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇微笑着回答，“嗯！不过您很敏锐……打了个很好的比喻。但是您看见了，还是亲自看见了，亲爱的伊万·彼得罗维奇，我做了我所能做的一切；我无法做到超过我所能的事，您同意吗？然而，您也会同意下面这一点：这个女人具有一些非凡的品格……卓越的品格。如果在乱成一团的情况下我允许自己做的话，刚才我甚至会朝她大声喊出来，她自己就是我对她提出的所有非难的最好辩解。唉，谁会不迷恋这个女人，有时甚至迷得忘却了理智……和一切？瞧这个大老粗罗戈任竟然为她弄来了十万！假如说，刚刚在那里所发生的一切是昙花一现，罗曼蒂克，不大体面的，但是，精彩生动。别出心裁，您自己也会同意这点的。上帝啊，这样的性格加上这样的美貌本来能出落成什么样的人呵，可是，尽管做了一切努力，甚至还给她受了教育；全都枉费心机了！这是一颗未经琢屠的金钢钻，这话我已经说过几次了……”
阿法纳西·伊万诺维奇发出一声深深的叹息。