under western eyes-第11章

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suspect　person　is　sometimes　forgotten　for　ever。　　But　the　Prince

came　to　the　rescue。



〃Providence　itself　has　led　the　wretch　in　a　moment　of　mental

aberration　to　seek　Mr。　Razumov　on　the　strength　of　some　old；

utterly　misinterpreted　exchange　of　ideassome　sort　of　idle

speculative　conversationmonths　agoI　am　toldand　completely

forgotten　till　now　by　Mr。　Razumov。〃



〃Mr。　Razumov；〃　queried　the　General　meditatively；　after　a　short

silence；　〃do　you　often　indulge　in　speculative　conversation？〃



〃No；　Excellency；〃　answered　Razumov；　coolly；　in　a　sudden　access　of

self…confidence。　　〃I　am　a　man　of　deep　convictions。　　Crude

opinions　are　in　the　air。　　They　are　not　always　worth　combating。

But　even　the　silent　contempt　of　a　serious　mind　may　be

misinterpreted　by　headlong　utopists。〃



The　General　stared　from　between　his　hands。　　Prince　K…

murmured



〃A　serious　young　man。　　_Un　esprit　superieur_。〃



〃I　see　that；　_mon　cher　Prince_；〃　　said　the　General。　〃Mr。　Razumov

is　quite　safe　with　me。　　I　am　interested　in　him。　　He　has；　it

seems；　the　great　and　useful　quality　of　inspiring　confidence。

What　I　was　wondering　at　is　why　the　other　should　mention　anything

at　allI　mean　even　the　bare　fact　aloneif　his　object　was　only

to　obtain　temporary　shelter　for　a　few　hours。　　For；　after　all；

nothing　was　easier　than　to　say　nothing　about　it　unless；　indeed；

he　were　trying；　under　a　crazy　misapprehension　of　your　true

sentiments；　to　enlist　your　assistanceeh；　Mr。　Razumov？〃



It　seemed　to　Razumov　that　the　floor　was　moving　slightly。

This　grotesque　man　in　a　tight　uniform　was　terrible。　　It　was　right

that　he　should　be　terrible。



〃I　can　see　what　your　Excellency　has　in　your　mind。　　But　I　can　only

answer　that　I　don't　know　why。〃



〃I　have　nothing　in　my　mind；〃　murmured　the　General；　with　gentle

surprise。



〃I　am　his　preyhis　helpless　prey；〃　thought　Razumov。　　The

fatigues　and　the　disgusts　of　that　afternoon；　the　need　to　forget；

the　fear　which　he　could　not　keep　off；　reawakened　his　hate　for

Haldin。



〃Then　I　can't　help　your　Excellency。　　I　don't　know　what　he　meant。

I　only　know　there　was　a　moment　when　I　wished　to　kill　him。　　There

was　also　a　moment　when　I　wished　myself　dead。　　I　said　nothing。　　I

was　overcome。　　I　provoked　no　confidenceI　asked　for　no

explanations〃



Razumov　seemed　beside　himself；　but　his　mind　was　lucid。　　It　was

really　a　calculated　outburst。



〃It　is　rather　a　pity；〃　the　General　said；　〃that　you　did　not。

Don't　you　know　at　all　what　he　means　to　do？〃　Razumov　calmed　down

and　saw　an　opening　there。



〃He　told　me　he　was　in　hopes　that　a　sledge　would　meet　him　about

half　an　hour　after　midnight　at　the　seventh　lamp…post　on　the　left

from　the　upper　end　of　Karabelnaya。　　At　any　rate；　he　meant　to　be

there　at　that　time。　　He　did　not　even　ask　me　for　a　change　of

clothes。〃

〃_Ah　voila_！〃　said　the　General；　turning　to　Prince　K　with　an　air

of　satisfaction。　　〃There　is　a　way　to　keep　your　_protege_；　Mr。

Razumov；　quite　clear　of　any　connexion　with　the　actual　arrest。　　We

shall　be　ready　for　that　gentleman　in　Karabelnaya。〃



The　Prince　expressed　his　gratitude。　　There　was　real　emotion　in

his　voice。　　Razumov；　motionless；　silent；　sat　staring　at　the

carpet。　　The　General　turned　to　him。



〃Half　an　hour　after　midnight。　　Till　then　we　have　to　depend　on

you；　Mr。　Razumov。　　You　don't　think　he　is　likely　to　change　his

purpose？〃



〃How　can　I　tell？〃　said　Razumov。　　〃Those　men　are　not　of　the　sort

that　ever　changes　its　purpose。〃



〃What　men　do　you　mean？〃



〃Fanatical　lovers　of　liberty　in　general。　　Liberty　with　a　capital

L；　Excellency。　　Liberty　that　means　nothing　precise。　　Liberty　in

whose　name　crimes　are　committed。〃



The　General　murmured



〃I　detest　rebels　of　every　kind。　　I　can't　help　it。　　It's　my　nature！〃



He　clenched　a　fist　and　shook　it；　drawing　back　his　arm。　　〃They　shall

be　destroyed；　then。〃



〃They　have　made　a　sacrifice　of　their　lives　beforehand；〃　said

Razumov　with　malicious　pleasure　and　looking　the　General　straight

in　the　face。　　〃If　Haldin　does　change　his　purpose　to…night；　you

may　depend　on　it　that　it　will　not　be　to　save　his　life　by　flight

in　some　other　way。　　He　would　have　thought　then　of　something　else

to　attempt。　But　that　is　not　likely。〃



The　General　repeated　as　if　to　himself；　〃They　shall　be　destroyed。〃



Razumov　assumed　an　impenetrable　expression。



The　Prince　exclaimed



〃What　a　terrible　necessity！〃



The　General's　arm　was　lowered　slowly。



〃One　comfort　there　is。　　That　brood　leaves　no　posterity。　　I've

always　said　it；　one　effort；　pitiless；　persistent；　steadyand　we

are　done　with　them　for　ever。〃



Razumov　thought　to　himself　that　this　man　entrusted　with　so　much

arbitrary　power　must　have　believed　what　he　said　or　else　he　could

not　have　gone　on　bearing　the　responsibility。



〃I　detest　rebels。　　These　subversive　minds！　　These　intellectual

_debauches_！　　My　existence　has　been　built　on　fidelity。　　It's　a　feeling。

To　defend　it　I　am　ready　to　lay　down　my　lifeand　even　my　honourif

that　were　needed。　　But　pray　tell　me　what　honour　can　there　be　as　against

rebelsagainst　people　that　deny　God　Himselfperfect　unbelievers！

Brutes。　　It　is　horrible　to　think　of。〃



During　this　tirade　Razumov；　facing　the　General；　had　nodded

slightly　twice。　　Prince　K…；　standing　on　one　side　with　his　grand

air；　murmured；　casting　up　his　eyes



〃_Helas！_〃



Then　lowering　his　glance　and　with　great　decision　declared



〃This　young　man；　General；　is　perfectly　fit　to　apprehend　the

bearing　of　your　memorable　words。〃



The　General's　whole　expression　changed　from　dull　resentment　to

perfect　urbanity。



〃I　would　ask　now；　Mr。　Razumov；〃　he　said；　〃to　return　to　his　home。

Note　that　I　don't　ask　Mr。　Razumov　whether　he　has　justified　his

absence　to　his　guest。　　No　doubt　he　did　this　sufficiently。　　But　I

don't　ask。　　Mr。　Razumov　inspires　confidence。　　It　is　a　great　gift。

I　only　suggest　that　a　more　prolonged　absence　might　awaken　the

criminal's　suspicions　and　induce　him　perhaps　to　change　his

plans。〃



He　rose　and　with　a　scrupulous　courtesy　escorted　his　visitors　to

the　ante…room　encumbered　with　flower…pots。



Razumov　parted　with　the　Prince　at　the　corner　of　a　street。　　In　the

carriage　he　had　listened　to　speeches　where　natural　sentiment

struggled　with　caution。　　Evidently　the　Prince　was　afraid　of

encouraging　any　hopes　of　future　intercourse。　　But　there　was　a

touch　of　tenderness　in　the　voice　uttering　in　the　dark　the　guarded

general　phrases　of　goodwill。　　And　the　Prince　too　said



〃I　have　perfect　confidence　in　you；　Mr。　Razumov。〃



〃They　all；　it　seems；　have　confidence　in　me；〃　thought　Razumov

dully。　　He　had　an　indulgent　contempt　for　the　man　sitting　shoulder

to　shoulder　with　him　in　the　confined　space。　　Probably　he　was　afraid

of　scenes　with　his　wife。　　She　was　said　to　be　proud　and　violent。



It　seemed　to　him　bizarre　that　secrecy　should　play　such　a　large

part　in　the　comfort　and　safety　of　lives。　　But　he　wanted　to　put

the　Prince's　mind　at　ease；　and　with　a　proper　amount　of　emphasis

he　said　that；　being　conscious　of　some　small　abilities　and

confident　in　his　power　of　work；　he　trusted　his　future　to　his　own

exertions。　　He　expressed　his　gratitude　for　the　helping　hand。

Such　dangerous　situations　did　not　occur　twice　in　the　course　of

one　lifehe　added。



〃And　you　have　met　this　one　with　a　firmness　of　mind　and

correctness　of　feeling　which　give　me　a　high　idea　of　your　worth；〃

the　Prince　said　solemnly。　　〃You　have　now　only　to　persevereto

persevere。〃



On　getting　out　on　the　pavement　Razumov　saw　an　ungloved　hand

extended　to　him　through　the　lowered　window　of　the　brougham。　　It

detained　his　own　in　its　grasp　for　a　moment；　while　the　light　of　a

street　lamp　fell　upon　the　Prince's　long　face　and　old…fashioned

grey　whiskers。



〃I　hope　you　are　perfectly　reassured　now　as　to　the　consequences。　。　。〃



〃After　what　your　Excellency　has　condescended　to　do　for　me；

I　can　only　rely　on　my　conscience。〃



〃_Adieu_；〃　said　the　whiskered　head　with　feeling。



Razumov　bow