第193章

第193章itappearedafterwardsthatonthesameevening,attwentypasteleven,hemadeanotherveryeccentricandunexpectedvisit.therainstillpersisted.drenchedtotheskin,hewalkedintothelittleflatwheretheparentsofhisbetrothedlived,inthirdstreetinvassilyevskyisland.heknockedsometimebeforehewasadmitted,andhisvisitatfirstcausedgreatperturbation;butsvidrigailovcouldbeveryfascinatingwhenheliked,sothatthefirst,andindeedveryintelligentsurmiseofthesensibleparentsthatsvidrigailovhadprobablyhadsomuchtodrinkthathedidnotknowwhathewasdoingvanishedimmediately.thedecrepitfatherwaswheeledintoseesvidrigailovbythetenderandsensiblemother,whoasusualbegantheconversationwithvariousirrelevantquestions.sheneveraskedadirectquestion,butbeganbysmilingandrubbingherhandsandthen,ifshewereobligedtoascertainsomething—forinstance,whensvidrigailovwouldliketohavethewedding—shewouldbeginbyinterestedandalmosteagerquestionsaboutparisandthecourtlifethere,andonlybydegreesbroughttheconversationroundtothirdstreet.onotheroccasionsthishadofcoursebeenveryimpressive,butthistimearkadyivanovitchseemedparticularlyimpatient,andinsistedonseeinghisbetrothedatonce,thoughhehadbeeninformed,tobeginwith,thatshehadalreadygonetobed.thegirlofcourseappeared.

svidrigailovinformedheratoncethathewasobligedbyveryimportantaffairstoleavepetersburgforatime,andthereforebroughtherfifteenthousandroublesandedheracceptthemasapresentfromhim,ashehadlongbeenintendingtomakeherthistriflingpresentbeforetheirwedding.thelogicalconnectionofthepresentwithhisimmediatedepartureandtheabsolutenecessityofvisitingthemforthatpurposeinpouringrainatmidnightwasnotmadeclear.butitallwentoffverywell;eventheinevitableejaculationsofwonderandregret,theinevitablequestionswereextraordinarilyfewandrestrained.ontheotherhand,thegratitudeexpressedwasmostglowingandwasreinforcedbytearsfromthemostsensibleofmothers.svidrigailovgotup,laughed,kissedhisbetrothed,pattedhercheek,declaredhewouldsooncomeback,andnoticinginhereyes,togetherwithchildishcuriosity,asortofearnestdumbinquiry,reflectedandkissedheragain,thoughhefeltsincereangerinwardlyatthethoughtthathispresentwouldbeimmediatelylockedupinthekeepingofthemostsensibleofmothers.hewentaway,leavingthemallinastateofextraordinaryexcitement,butthetendermamma,speakingquietlyinahalfwhisper,settledsomeofthemostimportantoftheirdoubts,concludingthatsvidrigailovwasagreatman,amanofgreataffairsandconnectionsandofgreatwealth—therewasnoknowingwhathehadinhismind.hewouldstartoffonajourneyandgiveawaymoneyjustasthefancytookhim,sothattherewasnothingsurprisingaboutit.ofcourseitwasstrangethathewaswetthrough,butenglishmen,forinstance,areevenmoreeccentric,andallthesepeopleofhighsocietydidn’tthinkofwhatwassaidofthemanddidn’tstandonceremony.possibly,indeed,hecamelikethatonpurposetoshowthathewasnotafraidofanyone.aboveall,notawordshouldbesaidaboutit,forgodknowswhatmightcomeofit,andthemoneymustbelockedup,anditwasmostfortunatethatfedosya,thecook,hadnotleftthekitchen.andaboveallnotawordmustbesaidtothatoldcat,madameresslich,andsoonandsoon.theysatupwhisperingtilltwoo’clock,butthegirlwenttobedmuchearlier,amazedandrathersorrowful.

svidrigailovmeanwhile,exactlyatmidnight,crossedthebridgeonthewaybacktothemainland.therainhadceasedandtherewasaroaringwind.hebeganshivering,andforonemomenthegazedattheblackwatersofthelittlenevawithalookofspecialinterest,eveninquiry.buthesoonfeltitverycold,standingbythewater;heturnedandwenttowardsy.prospect.hewalkedalongthatendlessstreetforalongtime,almosthalfanhour,morethanoncestumblinginthedarkonthewoodenpavement,butcontinuallylookingforsomethingontherightsideofthestreet.hehadnoticedpassingthroughthisstreetlatelythattherewasahotelsomewheretowardstheend,builtofwood,butfairlylarge,anditsnameherememberedwassomethinglikeadrianople.hewasnotmistaken:thehotelwassoconspicuousinthatgod-forsakenplacethathecouldnotfailtoseeiteveninthedark.itwasalong,blackenedwoodenbuilding,andinspiteofthelatehourtherewerelightsinthewindowsandsignsoflifewithin.hewentinandaskedaedfellowwhomethiminthecorridorforaroom.thelatter,scanningsvidrigailov,pulledhimselftogetherandledhimatoncetoacloseandtinyroominthedistance,attheendofthecorridor,underthestairs.therewasnoother,allwereoccupied.theedfellowlookedinquiringly.

“istheretea?”askedsvidrigailov.

“yes,sir.”

“whatelseisthere?”

“veal,vodka,savouries.”

“bringmeteaandveal.”

“andyouwantnothingelse?”heaskedwithapparentsurprise.

“nothing,nothing.”

theedmanwentaway,completelydisillusioned.

“itmustbeaniceplace,”thoughtsvidrigailov.“howwasitididn’tknowit?iexpectilookasificamefromacafechantantandhavehadsomeadventureontheway.itwouldbeinterestingtoknowwhostayhere?”