An excerpt from the original text.(complete · 2516 words)
t was seven in the evening, and the prince was just preparing to go
out for a walk in the park, when suddenly Mrs. Epanchin appeared on the
terrace.
“In the first place, don’t dare to suppose,” she began, “that I am
going to apologize. Nonsense! You were entirely to blame.”
The prince remained silent.
“Were you to blame, or not?”
“No, certainly not, no more than yourself, though at first I thought I
was.”
“Oh, very well, let’s sit down, at all events, for I don’t intend to
stand up all day. And remember, if you say, one word about ‘mischievous
urchins,’ I shall go away and break with you altogether. Now then, did
you, or did you not, send a letter to Aglaya, a couple of months or so
ago, about Easter-tide?”
“Yes!”
“What for? What was your object? Show me the letter.” Mrs. Epanchin’s
eyes flashed; she was almost trembling with impatience.
“I have not got the letter,” said the prince, timidly, extremely
surprised at the turn the conversation had taken. “If anyone has it, if
it still exists, Aglaya Ivanovna must have it.”
“No finessing, please. What did you write about?”
“I am not finessing, and I am not in the least afraid of telling you;
but I don’t see the slightest reason why I should not have written.”
“Be quiet, you can talk afterwards! What was the letter about? Why are
you blushing?”
The prince was silent. At last he spoke.
“I don’t understand your thoughts, Lizabetha Prokofievna; but I can see
that the fact of my having written is for some reason repugnant to you.
You must admit that I have a perfect right to refuse to answer your
questions; but, in order to show you that I am neither ashamed of the
letter, nor sorry that I wrote it, and that I am not in the least
inclined to blush about it” (here the prince’s blushes redoubled), “I
will repeat the substance of my letter, for I think I know it almost by
heart.”
So saying, the prince repeated the letter almost word for word, as he
had written it.
“My goodness, what utter twaddle, and what may all this nonsense have
signified, pray? If it had any meaning at all!” said Mrs. Epanchin,
cuttingly, after having listened with great attention.
“I really don’t absolutely know myself; I know my feeling was very
sincere. I had moments at that time full of life and hope.”
“What sort of hope?”
“It is difficult to explain, but certainly not the hopes you have in
your mind. Hopes—well, in a word, hopes for the future, and a feeling
of joy that there, at all events, I was not entirely a stranger and a
foreigner. I felt an ecstasy in being in my native land once more; and
one sunny morning I took up a pen and wrote her that letter, but why to
her, I don’t quite know. Sometimes one longs to have a friend near,
and I evidently felt the need of one then,” added the prince, and
paused.
“Are you in love with her?”
“N-no! I wrote to her as to a sister; I signed myself her brother.”
“Oh yes, of course, on purpose! I quite understand.”
“It is very painful to me to answer these questions, Lizabetha
Prokofievna.”
“I dare say it is; but that’s no affair of mine. Now then, assure me
truly as before Heaven, are you lying to me or not?”
“No, I am not lying.”
“Are you telling the truth when you say you are not in love?”
“I believe it is the absolute truth.”
“‘I believe,’ indeed! Did that mischievous urchin give it to her?”
“I asked Nicolai Ardalionovitch...”
“The urchin! the urchin!” interrupted Lizabetha Prokofievna in an angry
voice. “I do not want to know if it were Nicolai Ardalionovitch! The
urchin!”
“Nicolai Ardalionovitch...”
“The urchin, I tell you!”
“No, it was not the urchin: it was Nicolai Ardalionovitch,” said the
prince very firmly, but without raising his voice.
“Well, all right! All right, my dear! I shall put that down to your
account.”
She was silent a moment to get breath, and to recover her composure.
“Well!—and what’s the meaning of the ‘poor knight,’ eh?”
“I don’t know in the least; I wasn’t present when the joke was made. It
is a joke. I suppose, and that’s all.”
“Well, that’s a comfort, at all events. You don’t suppose she could
take any interest in you, do you? Why, she called you an ‘idiot’
herself.”
“I think you might have spared me that,” murmured the prince
reproachfully, almost in a whisper.
“Don’t be angry; she is a wilful, mad, spoilt girl. If she likes a
person she will pitch into him, and chaff him. I used to be just such
another. But for all that you needn’t flatter yourself, my boy; she is
not for you. I don’t believe it, and it is not to be. I tell you so at
once, so that you may take proper precautions. Now, I want to hear you
swear that you are not married to that woman?”
“Lizabetha Prokofievna, what are you thinking of?” cried the prince,
almost leaping to his feet in amazement.
“Why? You very nearly were, anyhow.”
“Yes—I nearly was,” whispered the prince, hanging his head.
“Well then, have you come here for her? Are you in love with her?
With that creature?”
“I did not come to marry at all,” replied the prince.
“Is there anything you hold sacred?”
“There is.”
“Then swear by it that you did not come here to marry her!”
“I’ll swear it by whatever you please.”
“I believe you. You may kiss me; I breathe freely at last. But you must
know, my dear friend, Aglaya does not love you, and she shall never be
your wife while I am out of my grave. So be warned in time. Do you hear
me?”
“Yes, I hear.”
The prince flushed up so much that he could not look her in the face.
“I have waited for you with the greatest impatience (not that you were
worth it). Every night I have drenched my pillow with tears, not for
you, my friend, not for you, don’t flatter yourself! I have my own
grief, always the same, always the same. But I’ll tell you why I have
been awaiting you so impatiently, because I believe that Providence
itself sent you to be a friend and a brother to me. I haven’t a friend
in the world except Princess Bielokonski, and she is growing as stupid
as a sheep from old age. Now then, tell me, yes or no? Do you know why
she called out from her carriage the other night?”
“I give you my word of honour that I had nothing to do with the matter
and know nothing about it.”
“Very well, I believe you. I have my own ideas about it. Up to
yesterday morning I thought it was really Evgenie Pavlovitch who was to
blame; now I cannot help agreeing with the others. But why he was made
such a fool of I cannot understand. However, he is not going to marry
Aglaya, I can tell you that. He may be a very excellent fellow, but—so
it shall be. I was not at all sure of accepting him before, but now I
have quite made up my mind that I won’t have him. ‘Put me in my coffin
first and then into my grave, and then you may marry my daughter to
whomsoever you please,’ so I said to the general this very morning. You
see how I trust you, my boy.”
“Yes, I see and understand.”
Mrs. Epanchin gazed keenly into the prince’s eyes. She was anxious to
see what impression the news as to Evgenie Pavlovitch had made upon
him.
“Do you know anything about Gavrila Ardalionovitch?” she asked at last.
“Oh yes, I know a good deal.”
“Did you know he had communications with Aglaya?”
“No, I didn’t,” said the prince, trembling a little, and in great
agitation. “You say Gavrila Ardalionovitch has private communications
with Aglaya?—Impossible!”
“Only quite lately. His sister has been working like a rat to clear the
way for him all the winter.”
“I don’t believe it!” said the prince abruptly, after a short pause.
“Had it been so I should have known long ago.”
“Oh, of course, yes; he would have come and wept out his secret on your
bosom. Oh, you simpleton—you simpleton! Anyone can deceive you and take
you in like a—like a,—aren’t you ashamed to trust him? Can’t you see
that he humbugs you just as much as ever he pleases?”
“I know very well that he does deceive me occasionally, and he knows
that I know it, but—” The prince did not finish his sentence.
“And that’s why you trust him, eh? So I should have supposed. Good
Lord, was there ever such a man as you? Tfu! and are you aware, sir,
that this Gania, or his sister Varia, have brought her into
correspondence with Nastasia Philipovna?”
“Brought whom?” cried Muishkin.
“Aglaya.”
“I don’t believe it! It’s impossible! What object could they have?” He
jumped up from his chair in his excitement.
“Nor do I believe it, in spite of the proofs. The girl is self-willed
and fantastic, and insane! She’s wicked, wicked! I’ll repeat it for a
thousand years that she’s wicked; they all are, just now, all my
daughters, even that ‘wet hen’ Alexandra. And yet I don’t believe it.
Because I don’t choose to believe it, perhaps; but I don’t. Why haven’t
you been?” she turned on the prince suddenly. “Why didn’t you come near
us all these three days, eh?”
The prince began to give his reasons, but she interrupted him again.
“Everybody takes you in and deceives you; you went to town yesterday. I
dare swear you went down on your knees to that rogue, and begged him to
accept your ten thousand roubles!”
“I never thought of doing any such thing. I have not seen him, and he
is not a rogue, in my opinion. I have had a letter from him.”
“Show it me!”
The prince took a paper from his pocket-book, and handed it to
Lizabetha Prokofievna. It ran as follows:
“Sir,
“In the eyes of the world I am sure that I have no cause for pride
or self-esteem. I am much too insignificant for that. But what may
be so to other men’s eyes is not so to yours. I am convinced that
you are better than other people. Doktorenko disagrees with me, but
I am content to differ from him on this point. I will never accept
one single copeck from you, but you have helped my mother, and I am
bound to be grateful to you for that, however weak it may seem. At
any rate, I have changed my opinion about you, and I think right to
inform you of the fact; but I also suppose that there can be no
further intercourse between us.
“Antip Burdovsky.
“P.S.—The two hundred roubles I owe you shall certainly be repaid in
time.”
“How extremely stupid!” cried Mrs. Epanchin, giving back the letter
abruptly. “It was not worth the trouble of reading. Why are you
smiling?”
“Confess that you are pleased to have read it.”
“What! Pleased with all that nonsense! Why, cannot you see that they
are all infatuated with pride and vanity?”
“He has acknowledged himself to be in the wrong. Don’t you see that the
greater his vanity, the more difficult this admission must have been on
his part? Oh, what a little child you are, Lizabetha Prokofievna!”
“Are you tempting me to box your ears for you, or what?”
“Not at all. I am only proving that you are glad about the letter. Why
conceal your real feelings? You always like to do it.”
“Never come near my house again!” cried Mrs. Epanchin, pale with rage.
“Don’t let me see as much as a shadow of you about the place! Do you
hear?”
“Oh yes, and in three days you’ll come and invite me yourself. Aren’t
you ashamed now? These are your best feelings; you are only tormenting
yourself.”
“I’ll die before I invite you! I shall forget your very name! I’ve
forgotten it already!”
She marched towards the door.
“But I’m forbidden your house as it is, without your added threats!”
cried the prince after her.
“What? Who forbade you?”
She turned round so suddenly that one might have supposed a needle had
been stuck into her.
The prince hesitated. He perceived that he had said too much now.
“Who forbade you?” cried Mrs. Epanchin once more.
“Aglaya Ivanovna told me—”
“When? Speak—quick!”
“She sent to say, yesterday morning, that I was never to dare to come
near the house again.”
Lizabetha Prokofievna stood like a stone.
“What did she send? Whom? Was it that boy? Was it a message?—quick!”
“I had a note,” said the prince.
“Where is it? Give it here, at once.”
The prince thought a moment. Then he pulled out of his waistcoat pocket
an untidy slip of paper, on which was scrawled:
“PRINCE LEF NICOLAIEVITCH,—If you think fit, after all that has passed,
to honour our house with a visit, I can assure you you will not find me
among the number of those who are in any way delighted to see you.
“Aglaya Epanchin.”
Mrs. Epanchin reflected a moment. The next minute she flew at the
prince, seized his hand, and dragged him after her to the door.
“Quick—come along!” she cried, breathless with agitation and
impatience. “Come along with me this moment!”
“But you declared I wasn’t—”
“Don’t be a simpleton. You behave just as though you weren’t a man at
all. Come on! I shall see, now, with my own eyes. I shall see all.”
“Well, let me get my hat, at least.”
“Here’s your miserable hat. He couldn’t even choose a respectable shape
for his hat! Come on! She did that because I took your part and said
you ought to have come—little vixen!—else she would never have sent you
that silly note. It’s a most improper note, I call it; most improper
for such an intelligent, well-brought-up girl to write. H’m! I dare say
she was annoyed that you didn’t come; but she ought to have known that
one can’t write like that to an idiot like you, for you’d be sure to
take it literally.” Mrs. Epanchin was dragging the prince along with
her all the time, and never let go of his hand for an instant. “What
are you listening for?” she added, seeing that she had committed
herself a little. “She wants a clown like you—she hasn’t seen one for
some time—to play with. That’s why she is anxious for you to come to
the house. And right glad I am that she’ll make a thorough good fool of
you. You deserve it; and she can do it—oh! she can, indeed!—as well as
most people.”
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Let's Analyse the Pattern
People who care about us often express love through harsh criticism when they fear we're heading toward pain they can't prevent.
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
This chapter teaches how to recognize when harsh words mask deeper fears about losing someone we love.
Practice This Today
This week, notice when someone who cares about you criticizes your choices—ask yourself what they might be afraid of losing instead of defending against their words.
Now let's explore the literary elements.
Key Quotes & Analysis
"In the first place, don't dare to suppose that I am going to apologize. Nonsense! You were entirely to blame."
Context: Her opening salvo as she storms onto the terrace to confront the prince
This aggressive opening reveals how people often attack when they're actually scared or hurt. She's not really angry about blame - she's terrified about her daughter's emotional safety.
In Today's Words:
Don't expect me to say sorry first, because this is all your fault anyway.
"I am not finessing, and I am not in the least afraid of telling you; but I don't see the slightest reason why I should not have written."
Context: His response when accused of being evasive about his letter to Aglaya
The prince's complete transparency is both his strength and weakness. He genuinely doesn't understand why honesty should be complicated or why simple kindness needs justification.
In Today's Words:
I'm not playing games with you, and I don't see why writing a nice letter is such a big deal.
"Were you to blame, or not?"
Context: Demanding a clear answer about responsibility for whatever conflict occurred
This shows how people often want simple answers to complex emotional situations. Mrs. Epanchin needs someone to blame because it feels more controllable than accepting that feelings are messy.
In Today's Words:
Just tell me straight up - is this your fault or not?
Thematic Threads
Class Barriers
In This Chapter
Mrs. Epanchin sees the prince as socially acceptable but practically dangerous—his goodness makes him unfit for their harsh world
Development
Evolved from simple snobbery to complex recognition that class isn't just about money but survival skills
In Your Life:
You might face judgment not for lacking worth, but for lacking the hardness others think you need to survive
Protective Love
In This Chapter
Mrs. Epanchin's aggressive interrogation masks her genuine care for both the prince and her daughter's future happiness
Development
Builds on earlier themes of how love often expresses itself through seemingly hostile actions
In Your Life:
The harshest criticism often comes from people who are most invested in your success
Honesty as Vulnerability
In This Chapter
The prince's truthfulness about his letter makes him both trustworthy and an easy target for manipulation
Development
Continues exploring how the prince's greatest strength creates his greatest weakness
In Your Life:
Your integrity might make you vulnerable to those who mistake honesty for naivety
Family Dynamics
In This Chapter
Mrs. Epanchin drags the prince back to confront Aglaya, showing how families create drama to avoid direct emotional conversations
Development
Introduced here as a new layer of how relationships operate through indirect communication
In Your Life:
Family conflicts often mask deeper fears about connection and loss that no one wants to name directly
Social Expectations
In This Chapter
The tension between what society expects from relationships and what individuals actually need for happiness
Development
Deepens from earlier chapters to show how social rules can conflict with genuine care
In Your Life:
You might find yourself torn between what others expect from your choices and what you know is right for you
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
Why does Mrs. Epanchin interrogate the prince so aggressively about his letter to Aglaya, and what does her behavior reveal about her true concerns?
analysis • surface - 2
How does the prince's honesty both protect and endanger him in this conversation with Mrs. Epanchin?
analysis • medium - 3
Where have you seen someone attack or criticize something they actually care about protecting? What was really driving their harsh words?
application • medium - 4
When someone who cares about you seems to tear down your choices or dreams, how can you tell if they're being protective versus genuinely disapproving?
application • deep - 5
What does Mrs. Epanchin's final action of dragging the prince back to her house teach us about how people express love through seemingly contradictory behavior?
reflection • deep
Critical Thinking Exercise
Decode the Real Message
Think of a recent conversation where someone seemed angry or critical toward you, but you sensed they actually cared. Write down what they said versus what they might have really meant. Then identify what fear or concern was driving their harsh words.
Consider:
- •Look for emotional investment - people don't get heated about things they don't care about
- •Consider what they might be trying to protect you from based on their own experiences
- •Notice if their criticism comes with specific warnings or advice rather than just general negativity
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when you realized someone's harsh words were actually coming from a place of caring. How did that realization change your relationship with that person?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 29: Family Anxieties and Political Arguments
Mrs. Epanchin marches the prince directly back to her house for an immediate confrontation with Aglaya. What will happen when mother and daughter face off over the prince's banishment, and will Aglaya's true feelings finally be revealed?
