PART IV
9. CHAPTER IX.
A FORTNIGHT had passed since the events recorded in the last
chapter, and the position of the actors in our story had become
so changed that it is almost impossible for us to continue the
tale without some few explanations. Yet we feel that we ought to
limit ourselves to the simple record of facts, without much
attempt at explanation, for a very patent reason: because we
ourselves have the greatest possible difficulty in accounting for
the facts to be recorded. Such a statement on our part may appear
strange to the reader. How is anyone to tell a story which he
cannot understand himself? In order to keep clear of a false
position, we had perhaps better give an example of what we mean;
and probably the intelligent reader will soon understand the
difficulty. More especially are we inclined to take this course
since the example will constitute a distinct march forward of our
story, and will not hinder the progress of the events remaining
to be recorded.
During the next fortnight--that is, through the early part of
July--the history of our hero was circulated in the form of
strange, diverting, most unlikely-sounding stories, which passed
from mouth to mouth, through the streets and villas adjoining
those inhabited by Lebedeff, Ptitsin, Nastasia Philipovna and the
Epanchins; in fact, pretty well through the whole town and its
environs. All society--both the inhabitants of the place and
those who came down of an evening for the music--had got hold of
one and the same story, in a thousand varieties of detail--as to
how a certain young prince had raised a terrible scandal in a
most respectable household, had thrown over a daughter of the
family, to whom he was engaged, and had been captured by a woman
of shady reputation whom he was determined to marry at once--
breaking off all old ties for the satisfaction of his insane
idea; and, in spite of the public indignation roused by his
action, the marriage was to take place in Pavlofsk openly and
publicly, and the prince had announced his intention of going
through with it with head erect and looking the whole world in
the face. The story was so artfully adorned with scandalous
details, and persons of so great eminence and importance were
apparently mixed up in it, while, at the same time, the evidence
was so circumstantial, that it was no wonder the matter gave food
for plenty of curiosity and gossip.
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