PART 3 // chapter 2-5

[모나리자]

"그래서 이게 표트르 페트로비치에 대한 당신의 의견이에요?" 풀케리아 알렉산드로브나는 묻지 않을 수 없었다. "저는 당신 딸의 미래 남편에 대해 다른 의견을 가질 수 없어요." 라주미힌이 단호하고 따뜻하게 대답했다. "그리고 저는 그저 저속한 예의에서 말하는 게 아니라... 아브도티아 로마노브나가 자신의 자유 의지로 이 남자를 받아들였기 때문에 말하는 거예요. 제가 어젯밤에 그 사람에 대해 그렇게 무례하게 말했다면, 제가 역겹게 취했고... 게다가 미쳤기 때문이에요. 네, 미쳤어요, 미쳤어요. 저는 완전히 정신을 잃었어요... 그리고 오늘 아침 저는 그것이 부끄럽습니다."

그는 얼굴이 붉어지고 말을 멈추었다. 아브도티아 로마노브나는 얼굴이 붉어졌지만 침묵을 깨지 않았다. 그녀는 루진에 대해 이야기하기 시작한 순간부터 한 마디도 하지 않았다. 그녀의 지원 없이는 풀케리아 알렉산드로브나는 분명히 무엇을 해야 할지 몰랐다. 마침내 그녀는 딸을 계속 쳐다보며 비틀거리며 한 가지 상황에 대해 극도로 걱정하고 있다고 고백했다. "보셨죠, 드미트리 프로코피치." 그녀가 말을 시작했습니다.

"드미트리 프로코피치에게 완벽하게 솔직하게 말씀드릴게요, 두니아?" "물론이죠, 어머니." 아브도티아 로마노브나가 단호하게 말했습니다. "바로 이겁니다." 그녀는 마치 자신의 고민에 대해 말할 수 있다는 허락이 마음의 무거운 짐을 내려놓은 듯 서둘러 말을 시작했습니다. "오늘 아침 일찍 표트르 페트로비치로부터 도착을 알리는 편지에 대한 답장을 받았습니다. 그는 역에서 우리를 만나러 오겠다고 약속했습니다. 하지만 그 대신 하인을 보내서 이 숙소의 주소를 알려주고 길을 안내해 주었고, 오늘 아침 직접 여기 오겠다고 전갈을 보냈습니다. 하지만 오늘 아침 이 편지는 그에게서 온 것입니다.

직접 읽어보시는 게 좋을 겁니다. 제가 매우 걱정되는 부분이 하나 있습니다... 곧 무슨 말인지 알게 될 테고... 솔직하게 의견을 말씀해 주세요, 드미트리 프로코피치! 당신은 누구보다 로디아의 성격을 잘 알고 있고, 당신보다 더 잘 조언해 줄 수 있는 사람은 없습니다. 두니아, 말씀드리자면, 그녀는 즉시 결정을 내렸지만, 저는 여전히 어떻게 행동해야 할지 확신이 서지 않습니다. 그리고 저는... 당신의 의견을 기다리고 있었습니다." 라주미힌은 전날 저녁에 작성된 메모를 뜯어보니 다음과 같이 적혀 있었습니다.

"친애하는 부인, 풀케리아 알렉산드로브나, 예상치 못한 장애물 때문에 기차역에서 당신을 만날 수 없게 되었다는 것을 알려드리게 되어 영광입니다. 저는 같은 목적을 가진 매우 유능한 사람을 보냈습니다. 또한 저는 상원에서 지연을 허용하지 않는 업무로 인해 내일 아침 당신과의 면담의 영광을 박탈당할 것입니다. 또한 당신이 아들과 그녀의 동생 아브도티아 로마노브나를 만나는 동안 당신의 가족 모임에 개입할 수 없습니다.

내일 저녁 8시 정각에 귀사를 방문하고 귀사에서 경의를 표할 영광을 얻게 되며, 여기서 저는 Rodion Romanovitch가 저희 면담에 참석하지 않기를 간절히, 그리고 꼭 요청드립니다. 어제 제가 그의 병환을 찾아갔을 때 그가 저에게 엄중하고 전례 없는 모욕을 가했기 때문입니다. 게다가 저는 개인적으로 특정 사항에 대한 필수적이고 상황적인 설명을 원하기 때문에, 그에 대한 귀하의 해석을 알고 싶습니다.

저는 제 요청에도 불구하고 Rodion Romanovitch를 만나게 되면 즉시 물러나야 할 것이고, 그럴 경우

귀하께서 탓하실 수밖에 없다는 것을 미리 알려드립니다.

“So this is your opinion of Pyotr Petrovitch?” Pulcheria Alexandrovna could not resist asking. “I can have no other opinion of your daughter’s future husband,” Razumihin answered firmly and with warmth, “and I don’t say it simply from vulgar politeness, but because... simply because Avdotya Romanovna has of her own free will deigned to accept this man. If I spoke so rudely of him last night, it was because I was disgustingly drunk and... mad besides; yes, mad, crazy, I lost my head completely... and this morning I am ashamed of it.”

He crimsoned and ceased speaking. Avdotya Romanovna flushed, but did not break the silence. She had not uttered a word from the moment they began to speak of Luzhin. Without her support Pulcheria Alexandrovna obviously did not know what to do. At last, faltering and continually glancing at her daughter, she confessed that she was exceedingly worried by one circumstance. “You see, Dmitri Prokofitch,” she began.

“I’ll be perfectly open with Dmitri Prokofitch, Dounia?” “Of course, mother,” said Avdotya Romanovna emphatically. “This is what it is,” she began in haste, as though the permission to speak of her trouble lifted a weight off her mind. “Very early this morning we got a note from Pyotr Petrovitch in reply to our letter announcing our arrival. He promised to meet us at the station, you know; instead of that he sent a servant to bring us the address of these lodgings and to show us the way; and he sent a message that he would be here himself this morning. But this morning this note came from him.

You’d better read it yourself; there is one point in it which worries me very much... you will soon see what that is, and... tell me your candid opinion, Dmitri Prokofitch! You know Rodya’s character better than anyone and no one can advise us better than you can. Dounia, I must tell you, made her decision at once, but I still don’t feel sure how to act and I... I’ve been waiting for your opinion.” Razumihin opened the note which was dated the previous evening and read as follows:

“Dear Madam, Pulcheria Alexandrovna, I have the honour to inform you that owing to unforeseen obstacles I was rendered unable to meet you at the railway station; I sent a very competent person with the same object in view. I likewise shall be deprived of the honour of an interview with you to-morrow morning by business in the Senate that does not admit of delay, and also that I may not intrude on your family circle while you are meeting your son, and Avdotya Romanovna her brother.

I shall have the honour of visiting you and paying you my respects at your lodgings not later than to-morrow evening at eight o’clock precisely, and herewith I venture to present my earnest and, I may add, imperative request that Rodion Romanovitch may not be present at our interview—as he offered me a gross and unprecedented affront on the occasion of my visit to him in his illness yesterday, and, moreover, since I desire from you personally an indispensable and circumstantial explanation upon a certain point, in regard to which I wish to learn your own interpretation.

I have the honour to inform you, in anticipation, that if, in spite of my request, I meet Rodion Romanovitch, I shall be compelled to withdraw immediately and then

you have only yourself to blame.