Speaker 1: Chapter three of The Permanent Husband by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. This
Speaker 1: LibriVox recording is in the public domain. The crape man
Speaker 1: stood rooted to the spot, dumb with astonishment. Both men
Speaker 1: stood opposite one another on the landing, and both stared
Speaker 1: in each other's eyes, silent and motionless. So passed a
Speaker 1: few moments, and suddenly, like a flash of lightning, Velchanov
Speaker 1: became aware of the identity of his guest. At the
Speaker 1: same moment, the latter seemed to guess that Velchanov had
Speaker 1: recognized him. Beltaonanov could see it in his eyes. In
Speaker 1: one instant, the visitor's whole face was ablaze with its
Speaker 1: very sweetest of smiles. Surely I have the pleasure of
Speaker 1: speaking to Alexey Ivanovitch, he asked, in the most dulcet
Speaker 1: of voices, comically inappropriate to the circumstances of the case.
Speaker 1: Surely you are Pavel Pavlovitch. Pruzotsky, asked Vlchanov in return,
Speaker 1: after a pause and with an expression of much perplexity,
Speaker 1: I had the pleasure of your acquaintance ten years ago
Speaker 1: at tea, and if I may remind you of the
Speaker 1: fact we were almost intimate friends. Quite so. Oh yes,
Speaker 1: but it is now three o'clock in the morning, and
Speaker 1: you have been trying my lock for the last ten minutes.
Speaker 1: Three o'clock, cried the visitor, looking at his watch with
Speaker 1: an air of melancholy surprise. Why so it is, dear me,
Speaker 1: three o'clock. Forgive me, Alexey Ivanovitch. I ought to have
Speaker 1: found it out before thinking of paying you a visit.
Speaker 1: I will do myself the honor of calling to explain
Speaker 1: another day. And now I oh, no, no, no, if
Speaker 1: you are to explain at all, let's have it at once.
Speaker 1: This moment interrupted Belchonanov warmly, kindly step in here into
Speaker 1: the room. You must have meant to come in. You
Speaker 1: know you didn't come here at night like this simply
Speaker 1: for the pleasure of trying my lock. He felt excited
Speaker 1: and at the same time was conscious of a sort
Speaker 1: of timidity. He could not collect his thoughts. He was
Speaker 1: ashamed of himself for it. There was no danger, no
Speaker 1: mystery about the business, nothing but the silly figure of
Speaker 1: Pavel Pavlovitch. And yet he could not feel satisfied that
Speaker 1: there was nothing particular in it. He felt afraid of
Speaker 1: something to come. He knew not what or when. However,
Speaker 1: he made the man enter, seated him in a chair,
Speaker 1: and himself sat down on the side of his bed
Speaker 1: a yard or so off, and rested his elbows on
Speaker 1: his knees while he quietly waited for the other to begin.
Speaker 1: He felt irritated. He stared at his visitor and let
Speaker 1: his thoughts run. Strangely enough, the other never opened his mouth.
Speaker 1: He seemed to be entirely oblivious of the fact that
Speaker 1: it was his duty to speak. Nay, he was evil,
Speaker 1: looking inquiringly at Velchoninov, as though quite expecting that the
Speaker 1: latter would speak to him. Perhaps he felt a little
Speaker 1: uncomfortable at first, somewhat as a mouse must feel when
Speaker 1: he finds himself unexpectedly in the trap. Velchonanov very soon
Speaker 1: lost his patience well. He cried, You are not a
Speaker 1: fantasy or a dream or anything of that kind, are you?
Speaker 1: You aren't a corpse? Are you? Come, my friend? This
Speaker 1: is not a game or play. I want your explanation please.
Speaker 1: The visitor fidgeted about a little, smiled, and began to
Speaker 1: speak cautiously. So far as I can see, he said,
Speaker 1: the time of night of my visit is what surprises you,
Speaker 1: and that I should have come as I did. In fact,
Speaker 1: when I remember the past and our intimacy and all that,
Speaker 1: I am astonished myself. But the fact is I did
Speaker 1: not mean to come in at all, and if I
Speaker 1: did so, it was purely an accident, an axe. Why
Speaker 1: I saw you creeping across the road on tiptoes, you
Speaker 1: saw me indeed come. Then you know as much or
Speaker 1: more about the matter than I do. But I see
Speaker 1: I am annoying you. This is how it was. I've
Speaker 1: been in town three weeks or so on business. I
Speaker 1: am Pavel Pavlovitch Trusotsky. You recognize me yourself. My business
Speaker 1: in town is to effect an exchange of departments. I
Speaker 1: am trying for a situation in another place, one with
Speaker 1: a large increase of salary. But all this is beside
Speaker 1: the point. The fact of the matter is I believe
Speaker 1: I have been delaying my business on purpose. I believe
Speaker 1: if everything were settled at this moment, I should still
Speaker 1: be dawdling in this Saint Petersburg of yours. In my
Speaker 1: present condition of mind, I go wandering about as though
Speaker 1: I had lost all interest in things. And we're rather
Speaker 1: glad of the fact in my present condition of mind.
Speaker 1: What condition of mind, asked Velchaninov, frowning. The visitor raised
Speaker 1: his eyes to Velchaonnov's, lifted his hat from the ground
Speaker 1: beside him, and with great dignity pointed out the black
Speaker 1: crape band there, sir, in that condition of mind, he observed,
Speaker 1: Velchaninov stared stupidly at the crape and thence at the
Speaker 1: man's face. Suddenly his face flushed up in a hot
Speaker 1: blush for a moment, and he was violently agitated. Not
Speaker 1: Natalia Vassilyevna, surely, yes, Natalia Vasslyevna, last March consumption, sir.
Speaker 1: And almost suddenly all over in two or three months.
Speaker 1: And here am I left? As you see me, so,
Speaker 1: saying Pavel Pavlovitch, with much show of feeling, bent his
Speaker 1: bald head down and kept it bent for some ten
Speaker 1: seconds while he held out his two hands, in one
Speaker 1: of which was the hat with the band, in explanatory emotion.
Speaker 1: This gesture and the man's whole air seemed to brighten
Speaker 1: Bolchoonnanov up. He smiled sarcastically for one instant, not more
Speaker 1: at present, for the news of this lady's death. He
Speaker 1: had known her so long ago and had forgotten her
Speaker 1: many a year since, had made a quite unexpected impression
Speaker 1: upon his mind. Is it possible, he muttered, using the
Speaker 1: first words that came to his lips, and pray, why
Speaker 1: did you not come here and tell me at once
Speaker 1: thanks for your kind interest? I see and value it,
Speaker 1: in spite of in spite of what, in spite of
Speaker 1: so many years of separation, you at once sympathized with
Speaker 1: my sorrow and in fact with myself, and so fully
Speaker 1: too that I feel naturally grateful. That's all I had
Speaker 1: to tell you, sir. Don't suppose I doubt my friends.
Speaker 1: You know why, even here in this place, I could
Speaker 1: put my finger on several very sincere friends, indeed, for
Speaker 1: instance Stepan Mikaylovitch Bagantov. But remember, my dear Alexey Ivanovitch,
Speaker 1: nine years have passed since we were acquaintances or friends,
Speaker 1: if you'll allow me to say so. And meanwhile, you
Speaker 1: have never been to see us, never written the guests.
Speaker 1: Sang all this out as though he were reading it
Speaker 1: from music, and kept his eyes fixed on the ground
Speaker 1: the while, although of course he saw what was going
Speaker 1: on above his eyelashes exceedingly well. All the same, Belchavanov
Speaker 1: had found his head by this time with a strange
Speaker 1: sort of fascinated attention, which strengthened itself every moment. He
Speaker 1: continued to gaze at and listen to Pavel Pavlovitch, and
Speaker 1: of a sudden, when the latter stopped speaking, a flood
Speaker 1: of curious ideas swept unexpectedly through his brain. But look here,
Speaker 1: he cried, how is it that I never recognized you
Speaker 1: all this while we've met five times, at least in
Speaker 1: the streets. Quite so, I am perfectly aware of the circumstance.
Speaker 1: You chanced to meet me two or three times. And no, no,
Speaker 1: you met me? You know not I you Belchavanov suddenly
Speaker 1: burst into a roar of laughter and rose from his seat.
Speaker 1: Pavel Pavlovitch paused a moment, looked keenly at Velchaonyanov, and
Speaker 1: then continued, as to your not recognizing me in the
Speaker 1: first place, you might easily have forgotten me by now,
Speaker 1: And besides, I have had smallpox since last we met,
Speaker 1: and I dare say my face is a good deal
Speaker 1: marked smallpox. Why how did you manage that? He has
Speaker 1: had it? Though by jove, cried Vlchaonanov. What a funny
Speaker 1: fellow you are. However, go on, don't stop. Velchaonyanov's spirits
Speaker 1: were rising higher and higher. He was beginning to feel
Speaker 1: wonderfully light hearted. That feeling of agitation, which had lately
Speaker 1: so disturbed him, had given place to quite a different sentiment.
Speaker 1: He now began to stride up and down the room
Speaker 1: very quickly. I was going to say, resumed Pavel Pavlovitch,
Speaker 1: that though I have met you several times, and though
Speaker 1: I quite intended to come and look you up when
Speaker 1: I was arranging my visit to Petersburg, still I was
Speaker 1: in that condition of mind, you know, and my wits
Speaker 1: have so suffered since last March, that wits since last March. Yes,
Speaker 1: go on, wait a minute, do you smoke? Oh you know,
Speaker 1: Natalia Vassilyevna, never quite so, but since March. Eh, well
Speaker 1: I might a cigarette or so. Here you are, then
Speaker 1: light up and go on, go on, you interest me wonderfully.
Speaker 1: Golchoonianov lit a cigar and sat down on his bed again.
Speaker 1: Pavel Pavlovitch paused a moment, but what a state of
Speaker 1: agitation you seem to be in yourself, said he Are
Speaker 1: you quite well? Oh, curse my health, cried Belchaninov. You
Speaker 1: go on. The visitor observed his host's agitation with satisfaction.
Speaker 1: He went on with his share of the talking with
Speaker 1: more confidence. What am I to go on about? He asked?
Speaker 1: Imagine me, Alexey Ivanovitch, a broken man, not simply broken,
Speaker 1: but gone at the route, as it were, a man
Speaker 1: forced to change his whole manner of living after twenty
Speaker 1: years of married life, wandering about the dusty roads without
Speaker 1: an object, mind lost, almost oblivious of his own self,
Speaker 1: and yet, as it were, taking some sort of intoxicated
Speaker 1: delight in his loneliness. Isn't it natural that if I should,
Speaker 1: at such a moment of self forgetfulness, come across a friend,
Speaker 1: even a dear friend, I might prefer to avoid him
Speaker 1: for that moment. And isn't it equally natural that at
Speaker 1: another moment I should long to see and speak with
Speaker 1: some one who has been an eye wishness of, or
Speaker 1: a partaker, so to speak, in my never to be
Speaker 1: recalled past, And to rush not only in the day
Speaker 1: but at night, if it so happens, to rush to
Speaker 1: the embrace of such a man, yes, even if one
Speaker 1: has to wake him up at three in the morning
Speaker 1: to do it. I was wrong in my time, not
Speaker 1: in my estimate of my friend, though for at this
Speaker 1: moment I feel the full rapture of success. My rash
Speaker 1: action has been successful. I have found sympathy. As for
Speaker 1: the time of night, I confess I thought it was
Speaker 1: not twelve yet. You see one's SUPs of grief and
Speaker 1: it intoxicates one at least, not grief exactly. It's more
Speaker 1: the condition of mind, the new state of things that
Speaker 1: affects me. Dear me, how oddly you express yourself, said belchaninoff,
Speaker 1: rising from his seat once more and becoming quite serious again.
Speaker 1: Oddly do I perhaps, look here are you? Are you
Speaker 1: joking joking? Cried Pavel Pavlovitch, in shocked surprise. Joking at
Speaker 1: the very moment when I am telling you of Oh,
Speaker 1: be quiet about that for goodness sake. Velchonanov started off
Speaker 1: on his journey up and down the room again. So
Speaker 1: matters stood for five minutes or so. The visitor seemed
Speaker 1: inclined to rise from his chair, but Velchaonanov bade him
Speaker 1: sit still, and Pavel Pavlovitch obediently flopped into his seat again.
Speaker 1: How changed you are, said the host at last, stopping
Speaker 1: in front of the other chair, as though suddenly struck
Speaker 1: with the idea. Fearfully changed, wonderful, you're quite another man.
Speaker 1: That's hardly surprising. Nine years, sir, No, no, no, years
Speaker 1: have nothing to do with it. It's not an appearance
Speaker 1: you are so changed. It's something else. Well, sir, the
Speaker 1: nine years might account for anything. Perhaps it's only since March.
Speaker 1: Eh ha, you are playful, sir, said Pabo Pavlovitch, laughing slyly.
Speaker 1: But if I may ask it, wherein am I so changed? Oh?
Speaker 1: Why you used to be such a staid, sober correct
Speaker 1: pavl Pavlovitch, such a wise Pavel Pavlovitch, And now you're
Speaker 1: a good for nothing sort of Pavel Pavlovitch. Velchayanov was
Speaker 1: in that state of irritation when the steadiest, gravest people
Speaker 1: will sometimes say rather more than they mean. Good for nothing?
Speaker 1: Am I and wise? No longer I suppose, eh, chuckled
Speaker 1: Pabo Pavlovitch with disagreeable satisfaction. Wise, indeed, my dear sir,
Speaker 1: I'm afraid you are not sober, replied Vulchaonyanov and added
Speaker 1: to himself, I am pretty fairly insolent myself, but I
Speaker 1: can't compare with this little cad. And what on earth
Speaker 1: is the fellow driving at? Oh, my dear good, my
Speaker 1: best of Alexey Ivanovitch's, said the visitor, suddenly most excitedly
Speaker 1: and twisting about on his chair. And why should I
Speaker 1: be sober? We are not moving in the brilliant walks
Speaker 1: of society, you and I just now we are but
Speaker 1: two dear old friends come together in the full sincerity
Speaker 1: of perfect love, to recall and talk over that sweet
Speaker 1: mutual tie of which the dear departed formed so treasured
Speaker 1: a link in our friendship, so saying, the sensitive gentleman
Speaker 1: became so carried away by his feelings that he bent
Speaker 1: his head down once more to hide his emotion, and
Speaker 1: buried his face in his hat. Dulchahlanov looked on with
Speaker 1: an uncomfortable feeling of disgust. I can't help thinking the
Speaker 1: man is simply silly, he thought. And yet no, no,
Speaker 1: his face is so red. He must be drunk. But
Speaker 1: drunk or not drunk? What does the little wretch want
Speaker 1: with me? That's the puzzle. Do you remember or don't
Speaker 1: you remember our delightful little evenings dancing sometimes or sometimes
Speaker 1: literary at Simeon Semyonovitch's continued the visitor, gradually removing his
Speaker 1: hat from before his face and apparently growing more and
Speaker 1: more enthusiastic over the memories of the past and our
Speaker 1: little readings, you and she and myself and our first
Speaker 1: meeting when you came in to ask for information about
Speaker 1: something connected with your business in the town and commenced
Speaker 1: shouting angrily at me. Don't you remember when suddenly in
Speaker 1: came Natalia Vassilyevna, and within ten minutes you were our
Speaker 1: dear friend, and so remained for exactly a year, Just
Speaker 1: like Torknev's story, the Provincialka Valchonyanov had continued his walk
Speaker 1: up and down the room during this tirade, with his
Speaker 1: eyes on the ground, listening impatiently and with disgust, but
Speaker 1: listening hard all the same. It never struck me to
Speaker 1: think of the Provincialka in connection with the matter, He interrupted,
Speaker 1: and look here, why do you talk in that sneaking,
Speaker 1: whining sort of voice. You never used to do that.
Speaker 1: Your whole manner is unlike yourself, quite so, quite so,
Speaker 1: I used to be more silent. I know, I used
Speaker 1: to love to listen while others talked. You remember how
Speaker 1: well the dear departed talked, the wit and grace of
Speaker 1: her conversation As to the Provincialka. I remember she and
Speaker 1: I used often to compare your friendship for us to
Speaker 1: certain episodes in that piece, and especially to the doings
Speaker 1: of one Stupendef. It really was remarkably like that character
Speaker 1: and his doings. What Stupendef do you mean? Confound it all?
Speaker 1: Cried Velchaninov, stamping his foot with rage. The name seemed
Speaker 1: to have evoked certain most irritating thoughts in his mind.
Speaker 1: Why stupend if, don't you know the husband in Provincialka,
Speaker 1: whined Pabo Pavlovitch in the very sweetest of tones. But
Speaker 1: that belongs to another set of fond memories after you departed,
Speaker 1: In fact, when mister Bogantov had honored us with his friendship,
Speaker 1: just as you had done before him, only that his
Speaker 1: lasted five whole years. Bogontov, what Bogantov do you mean
Speaker 1: that same Bogontov who was serving down in your town?
Speaker 1: Why he also, yes, yes, quite so. He also he
Speaker 1: also cried the enthusiastic Pavol Pavlovitch, seizing upon Volchaoninov's accidental slip,
Speaker 1: of course, so that there you are, there's the whole company.
Speaker 1: Bogantov played the count, the dear departed was the provincialka,
Speaker 1: and I was the husband, only that the part was
Speaker 1: taken away from me for incapacity. I suppose, yes, fancy
Speaker 1: you a stupendif you're a your first of Pavel Pavlovitch.
Speaker 1: Trusotsky said Velchaonanov contemptuously and very unceremoniously. But look here,
Speaker 1: but Gantov is in town. I know he is, for
Speaker 1: I have seen him. Why don't you go to see
Speaker 1: him as well as myself? My dear sir, I have
Speaker 1: been there every day for the last three weeks. He
Speaker 1: won't receive me. He's ill and can't receive. And do
Speaker 1: you know I have found out that he really is
Speaker 1: very ill. Fancy my feelings a five years friend, Oh,
Speaker 1: my dear Alexey Ivanovitch, You don't know what my feelings
Speaker 1: are in my present condition of mind. I assure you.
Speaker 1: At one moment I long for the earth to open
Speaker 1: and swallow me up, and the next I feel that
Speaker 1: I must find one of those old friends, eye witnesses
Speaker 1: of the past, as it were, if only to weep
Speaker 1: on his books, only to weep, Sir, give you my word.
Speaker 1: Well that's about enough for tonight, don't you think so?
Speaker 1: Said Vilchanyanov cuttingly. Oh too too much, cried the other rising.
Speaker 1: It must be four o'clock, and here am I agitating
Speaker 1: your feelings in the most selfish way. Now look here,
Speaker 1: I shall call upon you myself, and I hope that
Speaker 1: you will then. But tell me, honestly, are you drunk tonight? Drunk?
Speaker 1: Not the least in the world. Did you drink nothing
Speaker 1: before you came here or earlier? Do you know, my
Speaker 1: dear Alexey Ivanovitch, you are quite in a high fever.
Speaker 1: Good night. I shall call tomorrow. And I have noticed
Speaker 1: it all the evening, really quite delirious, continued Pavo Pavlovitch,
Speaker 1: licking his lips, as it were, with satisfaction as he
Speaker 1: pursued this theme. I am really quite ashamed that I
Speaker 1: should have allowed me myself to be so awkward as
Speaker 1: to agitate you. Well, well, I'm going now. You must
Speaker 1: lie down at once and go to sleep. You haven't
Speaker 1: told me where you live, shouted Volchanov after him as
Speaker 1: he left the room. Oh didn't I Pokrovsky Hotel. Pavel
Speaker 1: Pavlovitch was out on the stairs. Now stop, cried Volchonanov
Speaker 1: once more. You are not running away, are you? How
Speaker 1: do you mean running away? Asked Pavel Pavlovitch, turning round
Speaker 1: at the third step and grinning back at him with
Speaker 1: his eyes staring very wide open. Instead of replying, Velchavanov
Speaker 1: banged the door fiercely, locked and bolted it, and went
Speaker 1: fuming back into his room. Arriving there, he spat on
Speaker 1: the ground as though to get rid of the taste
Speaker 1: of something loathsome. He then stood motionless for at least
Speaker 1: five minutes in the center of the room, after which
Speaker 1: he threw himself upon his bed head and fell asleep.
Speaker 1: In an instant, the forgotten candle burned itself out in
Speaker 1: its socket. End of Chapter three.