The Idiot

by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Colia: “Goand take this hedgehog to the prince from me, and ask him to accept itas a token of my profound respect.” Colia joyfully promised to do theerrand, but he demanded explanations. “What does the hedgehog mean? Whatis the meaning of such a present?” Aglaya replied that it was none ofhis business. “I am sure that there is some allegory about it,” Coliapersisted. Aglaya grew angry, and called him “a silly boy.” “If I didnot respect all women in your person,” replied Colia, “and if my ownprinciples would permit it, I would soon prove to you, that I know howto answer such an insult!” But, in the end, Colia went off with thehedgehog in great delight, followed by Kostia Lebedeff. Aglaya’sannoyance was soon over, and seeing that Colia was swinging thehedgehog’s basket violently to and fro, she called out to him from theverandah, as if they had never quarrelled: “Colia, dear, please takecare not to drop him!” Colia appeared to have no grudge against her,either, for he stopped, and answered most cordially: “No, I will notdrop him! Don’t be afraid, Aglaya Ivanovna!” After which he went on hisway. Aglaya burst out laughing and ran up to her room, highly delighted.Her good spirits lasted the whole day.

  All this filled poor Lizabetha’s mind with chaotic confusion. What onearth did it all mean? The most disturbing feature was the hedgehog.What was the symbolic signification of a hedgehog? What did theyunderstand by it? What underlay it? Was it a cryptic message?

  Poor General Epanchin “put his foot in it” by answering the abovequestions in his own way. He said there was no cryptic message atall. As for the hedgehog, it was just a hedgehog, which meantnothing--unless, indeed, it was a pledge of friendship,--the sign offorgetting of offences and so on. At all events, it was a joke, and, ofcourse, a most pardonable and innocent one.

  We may as well remark that the general had guessed perfectly accurately.

  The prince, returning home from the interview with Aglaya, had satgloomy and depressed for half an hour. He was almost in despair whenColia arrived with the hedgehog.

  Then the sky cleared in a moment. The prince seemed to arise from thedead; he asked Colia all about it, made him repeat the story over andover again, and laughed and shook hands with the boys in his delight.

  It seemed clear to the prince that Aglaya forgave him, and that he mightgo there again this very evening; and in his eyes that was not only themain thing, but everything in the world.

  “What children we are still, Colia!” he cried at last,enthusiastically,--“and how delightful it is that we can be childrenstill!”

  “Simply--my dear prince,--simply she is in love with you,--that’s thewhole of the secret!” replied Colia, with authority.

  The prince blushed, but this time he said nothing. Colia burst outlaughing and clapped his hands. A minute later the prince laughed too,and from this moment until the evening he looked at his watch everyother minute to see how much time he had to wait before evening came.

  But the situation was becoming rapidly critical.

  Mrs. Epanchin could bear her suspense no longer, and in spite of theopposition of husband and daughters, she sent for Aglaya, determined toget a straightforward answer out of her, once for all.

  “Otherwise,” she observed hysterically, “I shall die before evening.”

  It was only now that everyone realized to what a ridiculous dead-lockthe whole matter had been brought. Excepting feigned surprise,indignation, laughter, and jeering--both at the prince and at everyonewho asked her questions,--nothing could be got out of Aglaya.

  Lizabetha Prokofievna went to bed and only rose again in time for tea,when the prince might be expected.

  She awaited him in trembling agitation; and when he at last arrived shenearly went off into hysterics.

  Muishkin himself came in very timidly. He seemed to feel his way, andlooked in each person’s eyes in a questioning way,--for Aglaya wasabsent, which fact alarmed him at once.

  This evening there were no strangers present--no one but the immediatemembers of the family. Prince S. was still in town, occupied with theaffairs of Evgenie Pavlovitch’s uncle.

  “I wish at least _he_ would come and say something!” complained poorLizabetha Prokofievna.

  The general sat still with a most preoccupied air. The sisters werelooking very serious and did not speak a word, and Lizabetha Prokofievnadid not know how to commence the conversation.

  At length she plunged into an energetic and hostile criticism ofrailways, and glared at the prince defiantly.

  Alas Aglaya still did not come--and the prince was quite lost. He hadthe greatest difficulty in expressing his opinion that railways weremost useful institutions,--and in the middle of his speech Adelaidalaughed, which threw him into a still worse state of confusion.

  At this moment in marched Aglaya, as calm and collected as could be.She gave the prince a ceremonious bow and solemnly took up aprominent position near the big round table. She looked at the princequestioningly.

  All present realized that the moment for the settlement of perplexitieshad arrived.

  “Did you get my hedgehog?” she inquired, firmly and almost angrily.

  “Yes, I got it,” said the prince, blushing.

  “Tell us now, at once, what you made of the present? I must have youanswer this question for mother’s sake; she needs pacifying, and so doall the rest of the family!”

  “Look here, Aglaya--” began the general.

  “This--this is going beyond all limits!” said Lizabetha Prokofievna,suddenly alarmed.

  “It is not in the least beyond all limits, mamma!” said her daughter,firmly. “I sent the prince a hedgehog this morning, and I wish to hearhis opinion of it. Go on, prince.”

  “What--what sort of opinion, Aglaya Ivanovna?”

  “About the hedgehog.”

  “That is--I suppose you wish to know how I received the hedgehog, AglayaIvanovna,--or, I should say, how I regarded your sending him to me? Inthat case, I may tell you--in a word--that I--in fact--”

  He paused, breathless.

  “Come--you haven’t told us much!” said Aglaya, after waiting some fiveseconds. “Very well, I am ready to drop the hedgehog, if you like; butI am anxious to be able to clear up this accumulation ofmisunderstandings. Allow me to ask you, prince,--I wish to hear fromyou, personally--are you making me an offer, or not?”

  “Gracious heavens!” exclaimed Lizabetha Prokofievna. The prince started.The general stiffened in his chair; the sisters frowned.

  “Don’t deceive me now, prince--tell the truth. All these peoplepersecute me with astounding questions--about you. Is there any groundfor all these questions, or not? Come!”

  “I have not asked you to marry me yet, Aglaya Ivanovna,” said theprince, becoming suddenly animated; “but you know yourself how much Ilove you and trust you.”

  “No--I asked you this--answer this! Do you intend to ask for my hand, ornot?”

  “Yes--I do ask for it!” said the prince, more dead than alive now.

  There was a general stir in the room.

  “No--no--my dear girl,” began the general. “You cannot proceed likethis, Aglaya, if that’s how the matter stands. It’s impossible. Prince,forgive it, my dear fellow, but--Lizabetha Prokofievna!”--he appealed tohis spouse for help--“you must really--”

  “Not I--not I! I retire from all responsibility,” said LizabethaProkofievna, with a wave of the hand.

  “Allow me to speak, please, mamma,” said Aglaya. “I think I ought tohave something to say in the matter. An important moment of my destinyis about to be decided”--(this is how Aglaya expressed herself)--“andI wish to find out how the matter stands, for my own sake, though I amglad you are all here. Allow me to ask you, prince, since you cherishthose intentions, how you consider that you will provide for myhappiness?”

  “I--I don’t quite know how to answer your question, Aglaya Ivanovna.What is there to say to such a question? And--and must I answer?”

  “I think you are rather overwhelmed and out of breath. Have a littlerest, and try to recover yourself. Take a glas
s of water, or--butthey’ll give you some tea directly.”

  “I love you, Aglaya Ivanovna,--I love you very much. I love onlyyou--and--please don’t jest about it, for I do love you very much.”

  “Well, this matter is important. We are not children--we must look intoit thoroughly. Now then, kindly tell me--what does your fortune consistof?”

  “No--Aglaya--come, enough of this, you mustn’t behave like this,” saidher father, in dismay.

  “It’s disgraceful,” said Lizabetha Prokofievna in a loud whisper.

  “She’s mad--quite!” said Alexandra.

  “Fortune--money--do you mean?” asked the prince in some surprise.

  “Just so.”

  “I have now--let’s see--I have a hundred and thirty-five thousandroubles,” said the prince, blushing violently.

  “Is that all, really?” said Aglaya, candidly, without the slightestshow of confusion. “However, it’s not so bad, especially if managed witheconomy. Do you intend to serve?”

  “I--I intended to try for a certificate as private tutor.”

  “Very good. That would increase our income nicely. Have you anyintention of being a Kammer-junker?”

  “A Kammer-junker? I had not thought of it, but--”

  But here the two sisters could restrain themselves no longer, and bothof them burst into irrepressible laughter.

  Adelaida had long since detected in Aglaya’s features the gatheringsigns of an approaching storm of laughter, which she restrained withamazing self-control.

  Aglaya looked menacingly at her laughing sisters, but could not containherself any longer, and the next minute she too had burst into anirrepressible, and almost hysterical, fit of mirth. At length she jumpedup, and ran out of the room.

  “I knew it was all a joke!” cried Adelaida. “I felt it ever since--sincethe hedgehog.”

  “No, no! I cannot allow this,--this is a little too much,” criedLizabetha Prokofievna, exploding with rage, and she rose from her seatand followed Aglaya out of the room as quickly as she could.

  The two sisters hurriedly went after her.

  The prince and the general were the only two persons left in the room.

  “It’s--it’s really--now could you have imagined anything like it, LefNicolaievitch?” cried the general. He was evidently so much agitatedthat he hardly knew what he wished to say. “Seriously now, seriously Imean--”

  “I only see that Aglaya Ivanovna is laughing at me,” said the poorprince, sadly.

  “Wait a bit, my boy, I’ll just go--you stay here, you know. But do justexplain, if you can, Lef Nicolaievitch, how in the world has all thiscome about? And what does it all mean? You must understand, my dearfellow; I am a father, you see, and I ought to be allowed to understandthe matter--do explain, I beg you!”

  “I love Aglaya Ivanovna--she knows it,--and I think she must have longknown it.”

  The general shrugged his shoulders.

  “Strange--it’s strange,” he said, “and you love her very much?”

  “Yes, very much.”

  “Well--it’s all most strange to me. That is--my dear fellow, it issuch a surprise--such a blow--that... You see, it is not your financialposition (though I should not object if you were a bit richer)--I amthinking of my daughter’s happiness, of course, and the thing is--areyou able to give her the happiness she deserves? And then--is all thisa joke on her part, or is she in earnest? I don’t mean on your side, buton hers.”

  At this moment Alexandra’s voice was heard outside the door, calling out“Papa!”

  “Wait for me here, my boy--will you? Just wait and think it all over,and I’ll come back directly,” he said hurriedly, and made off with whatlooked like the rapidity of alarm in response to Alexandra’s call.

  He found the mother and daughter locked in one another’s arms, minglingtheir tears.

  These were the tears of joy and peace and reconciliation. Aglaya waskissing her mother’s lips and cheeks and hands; they were hugging eachother in the most ardent way.

  “There, look at her now--Ivan Fedorovitch! Here she is--all of her! Thisis our _real_ Aglaya at last!” said Lizabetha Prokofievna.

  Aglaya raised her happy, tearful face from her mother’s breast, glancedat her father, and burst out laughing. She sprang at him and hugged himtoo, and kissed him over and over again. She then rushed back to hermother and hid her face in the maternal bosom, and there indulged inmore tears. Her mother covered her with a corner of her shawl.

  “Oh, you cruel little girl! How will you treat us all next, I wonder?” she said, but she spoke with a ring of joy in her voice, and as thoughshe breathed at last without the oppression which she had felt so long.

  “Cruel?” sobbed Aglaya. “Yes, I _am_ cruel, and worthless, andspoiled--tell father so,--oh, here he is--I forgot Father, listen!” Shelaughed through her tears.

  “My darling, my little idol,” cried the general, kissing and fondlingher hands (Aglaya did not draw them away); “so you love this young man,do you?”

  “No, no, no, can’t _bear_ him, I can’t _bear_ your young man!” criedAglaya, raising her head. “And if you dare say that _once_ more, papa--I’mserious, you know, I’m,--do you hear me--I’m serious!”

  She certainly did seem to be serious enough. She had flushed up all overand her eyes were blazing.

  The general felt troubled and remained silent, while LizabethaProkofievna telegraphed to him from behind Aglaya to ask no questions.

  “If that’s the case, darling--then, of course, you shall do exactly asyou like. He is waiting alone downstairs. Hadn’t I better hint to himgently that he can go?” The general telegraphed to Lizabetha Prokofievnain his turn.

  “No, no, you needn’t do anything of the sort; you mustn’t hint gentlyat all. I’ll go down myself directly. I wish to apologize to this youngman, because I hurt his feelings.”

  “Yes, _seriously_,” said the general, gravely.

  “Well, you’d better stay here, all of you, for a little, and I’ll godown to him alone to begin with. I’ll just go in and then you can followme almost at once. That’s the best way.”

  She had almost reached the door when she turned round again.

  “I shall laugh--I know I shall; I shall die of laughing,” she said,lugubriously.

  However, she turned and ran down to the prince as fast as her feet couldcarry her.

  “Well, what does it all mean? What do you make of it?” asked the generalof his spouse, hurriedly.

  “I hardly dare say,” said Lizabetha, as hurriedly, “but I think it’s asplain as anything can be.”

  “I think so too, as clear as day; she loves him.”

  “Loves him? She is head over ears in love, that’s what she is,” put inAlexandra.

  “Well, God bless her, God bless her, if such is her destiny,” saidLizabetha, crossing herself devoutly.

  “H’m destiny it is,” said the general, “and there’s no getting out ofdestiny.”

  With these words they all moved off towards the drawing-room, whereanother surprise awaited them. Aglaya had not only not laughed, as shehad feared, but had gone to the prince rather timidly, and said to him:

  “Forgive a silly, horrid, spoilt girl”--(she took his hand here)--“andbe quite assured that we all of us esteem you beyond all words. And if Idared to turn your beautiful, admirable simplicity to ridicule, forgiveme as you would a little child its mischief. Forgive me all my absurdityof just now, which, of course, meant nothing, and could not have theslightest consequence.” She spoke these words with great emphasis.

  Her father, mother, and sisters came into the room and were much struckwith the last words, which they just caught as they entered--“absurditywhich of course meant nothing”--and still more so with the emphasis withwhich Aglaya had spoken.

  They exchanged glances questioningly, but the prince did not seem tohave understood the meaning of Aglaya’s words; he was in the highestheaven of delight.

  “Why do you speak so?” he murmured. “Why
do you ask my forgiveness?”

  He wished to add that he was unworthy of being asked for forgivenessby her, but paused. Perhaps he did understand Aglaya’s sentence about“absurdity which meant nothing,” and like the strange fellow that hewas, rejoiced in the words.

  Undoubtedly the fact that he might now come and see Aglaya as much ashe pleased again was quite enough to make him perfectly happy; that hemight come and speak to her, and see her, and sit by her, and walk withher--who knows, but that all this was quite enough to satisfy him forthe whole of his life, and that he would desire no more to the end oftime?

  (Lizabetha Prokofievna felt that this might be the case, and she didn’tlike it; though very probably she could not have put the idea intowords.)

  It would be difficult to describe the animation and high spirits whichdistinguished the prince for the rest of the evening.

  He was so happy that “it made one feel happy to look at him,” asAglaya’s sisters expressed it afterwards. He talked, and told storiesjust as he had done once before, and never since, namely on the veryfirst morning of his acquaintance with the Epanchins, six months ago.Since his return to Petersburg from Moscow, he had been remarkablysilent, and had told Prince S. on one occasion, before everyone, that hedid not think himself justified in degrading any thought by his unworthywords.

  But this evening he did nearly all the talking himself, and told storiesby the dozen, while he answered all questions put to him clearly,gladly, and with any amount of detail.

  There was nothing, however, of love-making in his talk. His ideas wereall of the most serious kind; some were even mystical and profound.

  He aired his own views on various matters, some of his most privateopinions and observations, many of which would have seemed rather funny,so his hearers agreed afterwards, had they not been so well expressed.

  The general liked serious subjects of conversation; but both he andLizabetha Prokofievna felt that they were having a little too much of agood thing tonight, and as the evening advanced, they both grew moreor less melancholy; but towards night, the prince fell to telling funnystories, and was always the first to burst out laughing himself, whichhe invariably did so joyously and simply that the rest laughed just asmuch at him as at his stories.

  As for Aglaya, she hardly said a word all the evening; but she listenedwith all her ears to Lef Nicolaievitch’s talk,