The Brothers Karamazov, Fyodor Dostoyevsky [children's books read aloud TXT] 📗

>a good head for business, was acquisitive, saving and careful, and

by fair means or foul had succeeded, it was said, in amassing a little

fortune. There was only, one point on which all were agreed. Grushenka

was not easily to be approached and, except her aged protector,

there had not been one man who could boast of her favours during those

four years. It was a positive fact, for there had been a good many,

especially during the last two years, who had attempted to obtain

those favours. But all their efforts had been in vain and some of

these suitors had been forced to beat an undignified and even comic

retreat, owing to the firm and ironical resistance they met from the

strong-willed young person. It was known, too, that the young person

had, especially of late, been given to what is called “speculation,”

and that she had shown marked abilities in that direction, so that

many people began to say that she was no better than a Jew. It was not

that she lent money on interest, but it was known, for instance,

that she had for some time past, in partnership with old Karamazov,

actually invested in the purchase of bad debts for a trifle, a tenth

of their nominal value, and afterwards had made out of them ten

times their value.

 

The old widower Samsonov, a man of large fortune, was stingy and

merciless. He tyrannised over his grown-up sons, but, for the last

year during which he had been ill and lost the use of his swollen

legs, he had fallen greatly under the influence of his protegee,

whom he had at first kept strictly and in humble surroundings, “on

Lenten fare,” as the wits said at the time. But Grushenka had

succeeded in emancipating herself, while she established in him a

boundless belief in her fidelity. The old man, now long since dead,

had had a large business in his day and was also a noteworthy

character, miserly and hard as flint. Though Grushenka’s hold upon him

was so strong that he could not live without her (it had been so

especially for the last two years), he did not settle any considerable

fortune on her and would not have been moved to do so, if she had

threatened to leave him. But he had presented her with a small sum,

and even that was a surprise to everyone when it became known.

 

“You are a wench with brains,” he said to her, when he gave her

eight thousand roubles, “and you must look after yourself, but let

me tell you that except your yearly allowance as before, you’ll get

nothing more from me to the day of my death, and I’ll leave you

nothing in my will either.”

 

And he kept his word; he died and left everything to his sons,

whom, with their wives and children, he had treated all his life as

servants. Grushenka was not even mentioned in his will. All this

became known afterwards. He helped Grushenka with his advice to

increase her capital and put business in her way.

 

When Fyodor Pavlovitch, who first came into contact with Grushenka

over a piece of speculation, ended to his own surprise by falling

madly in love with her, old Samsonov, gravely ill as he was, was

immensely amused. It is remarkable that throughout their whole

acquaintance Grushenka was absolutely and spontaneously open with

the old man, and he seems to have been the only person in the world

with whom she was so. Of late, when Dmitri too had come on the scene

with his love, the old man left off laughing. On the contrary, he once

gave Grushenka a stern and earnest piece of advice.

 

“If you have to choose between the two, father or son, you’d

better choose the old man, if only you make sure the old scoundrel

will marry you and settle some fortune on you beforehand. But don’t

keep on with the captain, you’ll get no good out of that.”

 

These were the very words of the old profligate, who felt

already that his death was not far off and who actually died five

months later.

 

I will note too, in passing-that although many in our town knew

of the grotesque and monstrous rivalry of the Karamazovs, father and

son, the object of which was Grushenka, scarcely anyone understood

what really underlay her attitude to both of them. Even Grushenka’s

two servants (after the catastrophe of which we will speak later)

testified in court that she received Dmitri Fyodorovitch simply from

fear because “he threatened to murder her.” These servants were an old

cook, invalidish and almost deaf, who came from Grushenka’s old

home, and her granddaughter, a smart young girl of twenty, who

performed the duties of a maid. Grushenka lived very economically

and her surroundings were anything but luxurious. Her lodge

consisted of three rooms furnished with mahogany furniture in the

fashion of 1820, belonging to her landlady.

 

It was quite dark when Rakitin and Alyosha entered her rooms,

yet they were not lighted up. Grushenka was lying down in her

drawing-room on the big, hard, clumsy sofa, with a mahogany back.

The sofa was covered with shabby and ragged leather. Under her head

she had two white down pillows taken from her bed. She was lying

stretched out motionless on her back with her hands behind her head.

She was dressed as though expecting someone, in a black silk dress,

with a dainty lace fichu on her head, which was very becoming. Over

her shoulders was thrown a lace shawl pinned with a massive gold

brooch. She certainly was expecting someone. She lay as though

impatient and weary, her face rather pale and her lips and eyes hot,

restlessly tapping the arm of the sofa with the tip of her right foot.

The appearance of Rakitin and Alyosha caused a slight excitement. From

the hall they could hear Grushenka leap up from the sofa and cry out

in a frightened voice, “Who’s there?” But the maid met the visitors

and at once called back to her mistress.

 

“It’s not he, it’s nothing, only other visitors.”

 

“What can be the matter?” muttered Rakitin, leading Alyosha into

the drawing-room.

 

Grushenka was standing by the sofa as though still alarmed. A

thick coil of her dark brown hair escaped from its lace covering and

fell on her right shoulder, but she did not notice it and did not

put it back till she had gazed at her visitors and recognised them.

 

“Ah, it’s you, Rakitin? You quite frightened me. Whom have you

brought? Who is this with you? Good heavens, you have brought him!”

she exclaimed, recognising Alyosha.

 

“Do send for candles!” said Rakitin, with the free-and-easy air of

a most intimate friend, who is privileged to give orders in the house.

 

“Candles… of course, candles…. Fenya, fetch him a candle….

Well, you have chosen a moment to bring him! she exclaimed again,

nodding towards Alyosha, and turning to the looking-glass she began

quickly fastening up her hair with both hands. She seemed displeased.

 

“Haven’t I managed to please you?” asked Rakitin, instantly almost

offended.

 

You frightened me, Rakitin, that’s what it is.” Grushenka turned

with a smile to Alyosha. “Don’t be afraid of me, my dear Alyosha,

you cannot think how glad I am to see you, my unexpected visitor.

But you frightened me, Rakitin, I thought it was Mitya breaking in.

You see, I deceived him just now, I made him promise to believe me and

I told him a lie. I told him that I was going to spend the evening

with my old man, Kuzma Kuzmitch, and should be there till late

counting up his money. I always spend one whole evening a week with

him making up his accounts. We lock ourselves in and he counts on

the reckoning beads while I sit and put things down in the book. I

am the only person he trusts. Mitya believes that I am there, but I

came back and have been sitting locked in here, expecting some news.

How was it Fenya let you in? Fenya, Fenya, run out to the gate, open

it and look about whether the captain is to be seen! Perhaps he is

hiding and spying, I am dreadfully frightened.”

 

There’s no one there, Agrafena Alexandrovna, I’ve just looked out;

I keep running to peep through the crack; I am in fear and trembling

myself.”

 

“Are the shutters fastened, Fenya? And we must draw the

curtains-that’s better!” She drew the heavy curtains herself. “He’d

rush in at once if he saw a light. I am afraid of your brother Mitya

to-day, Alyosha.”

 

Grushenka spoke aloud, and, though she was alarmed, she seemed

very happy about something.

 

“Why are you so afraid of Mitya to-day?” inquired Rakitin. “I

should have thought you were not timid with him, you’d twist him round

your little finger.”

 

“I tell you, I am expecting news, priceless news, so I don’t

want Mitya at all. And he didn’t believe, I feel he didn’t, that I

should stay at Kuzma Kuzmitch’s. He must be in his ambush now,

behind Fyodor Pavlovitch’s, in the garden, watching for me. And if

he’s there, he won’t come here, so much the better! But I really

have been to Kuzma Kuzmitch’s, Mitya escorted me there. I told him I

should stay there till midnight, and I asked him to be sure to come at

midnight to fetch me home. He went away and I sat ten minutes with

Kuzma Kuzmitch and came back here again. Ugh, I was afraid, I ran

for fear of meeting him.”

 

“And why are you so dressed up? What a curious cap you’ve got on!”

 

“How curious you are yourself, Rakitin! I tell you, I am expecting

a message. If the message comes, I shall fly, I shall gallop away

and you will see no more of me. That’s why I am dressed up, so as to

be ready.”

 

“And where are you flying to?”

 

“If you know too much, you’ll get old too soon.”

 

“Upon my word! You are highly delighted… I’ve never seen you

like this before. You are dressed up as if you were going to a

ball.” Rakitin looked her up and down.

 

“Much you know about balls.”

 

“And do you know much about them?”

 

“I have seen a ball. The year before last, Kuzma Kuzmitch’s son

was married and I looked on from the gallery. Do you suppose I want to

be talking to you, Rakitin, while a prince like this is standing here.

Such a visitor! Alyosha, my dear boy, I gaze at you and can’t

believe my eyes. Good heavens, can you have come here to see me! To

tell you the truth, I never had a thought of seeing you and I didn’t

think that you would ever come and see me. Though this is not the

moment now, I am awfully glad to see you. Sit down on the sofa,

here, that’s right, my bright young moon. I really can’t take it in

even now…. Eh, Rakitin, if only you had brought him yesterday or the

day before! But I am glad as it is! Perhaps it’s better he has come

now, at such a moment, and not the day before yesterday.”

 

She gaily sat down beside Alyosha on the sofa, looking at him with

positive delight. And she really was glad, she was not lying when

she said so. Her eyes glowed, her lips laughed, but it was a

good-hearted merry laugh. Alyosha had not expected to see such a

kind expression in her face…. He had hardly met her till the day

before, he had formed an alarming idea of her,