PART I // chapter 3-5

[모나리자]

바로 다음 날, 일요일이었기 때문에 그녀는 성당으로 곧장 가서 무릎을 꿇고 눈물로 성모님께 기도하며 이 새로운 시련을 견뎌내고 의무를 다할 힘을 달라고 간청했습니다. 그런 다음 그녀는 성당에서 곧장 우리에게 와서 모든 이야기를 들려주고 몹시 울었고 완전히 회개한 그녀는 두니아를 껴안고 그녀를 용서해 달라고 간청했습니다.

같은 날 아침, 그녀는 지체 없이 마을의 모든 집과 모든 곳을 돌아다니며 눈물을 흘리며 가장 아첨하는 말로 두니아의 무죄함과 그녀의 감정과 행동의 고귀함을 주장했습니다. 게다가 그녀는 모든 사람에게 두니아가 직접 쓴 스비드리가일로프 씨에게 보낸 편지를 보여주고 읽어주었고 심지어 사본을 가져가도록 허락하기도 했습니다. 제 생각에는 불필요한 일이었습니다.

이런 식으로 그녀는 며칠 동안 마을 전체를 운전하며 바빴습니다. 어떤 사람들은 다른 사람들에게 선례가 주어졌다는 이유로 기분을 상하게 했기 때문입니다. 그래서 그들은 교대로 해야 했고, 그녀가 도착하기 전에 모든 집에서 그녀가 기다리고 있었고, 모든 사람이 어느 날 어느 장소에서 마르파 페트로브나가 편지를 읽을 것이라는 것을 알고 있었고, 많은 사람들이 이미 자신의 집과 다른 사람들의 집에서 여러 번 들었던 사람들조차도 그 편지를 읽을 때마다 모였습니다. 제 생각에는 이 모든 것의 상당 부분이, 매우 상당 부분이 불필요했습니다.

하지만 그것이 마르파 페트로브나의 성격입니다. 어쨌든 그녀는 두니아의 명성을 완전히 회복하는 데 성공했고 이 사건의 모든 불명예는 그녀의 남편에게 지울 수 없는 불명예로 남았고, 비난할 유일한 사람이었습니다. 그래서 저는 정말 그를 불쌍히 여기기 시작했습니다. 사실 미친 녀석을 너무 가혹하게 대했습니다. 두니아는 여러 가정에서 수업을 해달라는 요청을 받았지만 거절했습니다. 갑자기 모든 사람이 그녀를 현저하게 존경하기 시작했고 이 모든 것이 우리의 모든 운명이 지금 변화했다고 말할 수 있는 사건을 가져오는 데 많은 도움이 되었습니다. 친애하는 로디아, 두니아가 구혼자가 있고 이미 그와 결혼하기로 동의했다는 걸 알아야 해.

나는 이 문제에 대해 전부 말하고 싶어. 비록 네 동의 없이 정해졌지만, 네가 나나 네 자매에게 그 때문에 원망하지 않을 거라고 생각해. 왜냐하면 우리가 네 소식을 들을 때까지 기다리거나 결정을 미룰 수 없었기 때문이야. 그리고 네가 그 자리에서 모든 사실을 판단할 수는 없었을 거야. 일이 이렇게 일어났어. 그는 이미 고문인 표트르 페트로비치 루진의 계급에 속해 있고, 결혼을 성사시키는 데 매우 적극적으로 나선 마르파 페트로브나와 먼 친척이야. 그가 그녀를 통해 우리를 알고 싶다는 의사를 표현하면서 시작되었어. 그는 제대로 받아들여졌고, 우리와 커피를 마셨고, 바로 다음 날 그는 우리에게 편지를 보내서 매우 정중하게 제안을 하고 빠르고 단호한 답변을 구했어.

그는 매우 바쁜 사람이고 상트페테르부르크에 도착하기 위해 매우 서두르고 있어서 그에게는 매 순간이 소중해. 처음에는 물론, 우리는 매우 놀랐습니다. 모든 일이 너무 빨리 예상치 못하게 일어났기 때문입니다. 우리는 하루 종일 그것에 대해 생각하고 이야기했습니다. 그는 의지할 만한 부유한 사람이고, 정부에서 두 개의 직책을 맡았으며 이미 재산을 모았습니다. 그가 45세라는 것은 사실이지만, 그는 상당히 매력적인 외모를 가지고 있고 여성들에게 여전히 매력적으로 여겨질 수 있으며, 그는 전반적으로 매우 존경스럽고 괜찮은 사람입니다. 다만 그는 약간 우울하고 다소 오만해 보입니다.

하지만 그것은 그가 첫눈에 보이는 인상일 뿐일 수도 있습니다. 그리고 사랑하는 로디아, 그가 상트페테르부르크에 올 때 조심하세요. 그는 곧 그렇게 할 것입니다. 첫눈에 그에게 마음에 들지 않는 것이 있다면 당신의 방식대로 너무 성급하고 가혹하게 판단하지 마세요. 나는 당신에게 이 경고를 합니다. 비록 그가 당신에게 호의적인 인상을 줄 것이라고 확신하지만요. 게다가 어떤 사람을 이해하기 위해서는 신중하고 주의 깊게 편견이나 잘못된 생각을 갖지 않도록 노력해야 합니다. 이런 편견이나 잘못된 생각은 나중에 바로잡거나 극복하기가 매우 어렵습니다.

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The very next day, being Sunday, she went straight to the Cathedral, knelt down and prayed with tears to Our Lady to give her strength to bear this new trial and to do her duty. Then she came straight from the Cathedral to us, told us the whole story, wept bitterly and, fully penitent, she embraced Dounia and besought her to forgive her.

The same morning without any delay, she went round to all the houses in the town and everywhere, shedding tears, she asserted in the most flattering terms Dounia’s innocence and the nobility of her feelings and her behavior. What was more, she showed and read to everyone the letter in Dounia’s own handwriting to Mr. Svidrigaïlov and even allowed them to take copies of it—which I must say I think was superfluous.

In this way she was busy for several days in driving about the whole town, because some people had taken offence through precedence having been given to others. And therefore they had to take turns, so that in every house she was expected before she arrived, and everyone knew that on such and such a day Marfa Petrovna would be reading the letter in such and such a place and people assembled for every reading of it, even many who had heard it several times already both in their own houses and in other people’s. In my opinion a great deal, a very great deal of all this was unnecessary;

but that’s Marfa Petrovna’s character. Anyway she succeeded in completely re-establishing Dounia’s reputation and the whole ignominy of this affair rested as an indelible disgrace upon her husband, as the only person to blame, so that I really began to feel sorry for him; it was really treating the crazy fellow too harshly. Dounia was at once asked to give lessons in several families, but she refused. All of a sudden everyone began to treat her with marked respect and all this did much to bring about the event by which, one may say, our whole fortunes are now transformed. You must know, dear Rodya,that Dounia has a suitor and that she has already consented to marry him.

I hasten to tell you all about the matter, and though it has been arranged without asking your consent, I think you will not be aggrieved with me or with your sister on that account, for you will see that we could not wait and put off our decision till we heard from you. And you could not have judged all the facts without being on the spot. This was how it happened. He is already of the rank of a counsellor, Pyotr Petrovitch Luzhin, and is distantly related to Marfa Petrovna, who has been very active in bringing the match about. It began with his expressing through her his desire to make our acquaintance. He was properly received, drank coffee with us and the very next day he sent us a letter in which he very courteously made an offer and begged for a speedy and decided answer.

He is a very busy man and is in a great hurry to get to Petersburg, so that every moment is precious to him. At first, of course, we were greatly surprised, as it had all happened so quickly and unexpectedly. We thought and talked it over the whole day. He is a well-to-do man, to be depended upon, he has two posts in the government and has already made his fortune. It is true that he is forty-five years old, but he is of a fairly prepossessing appearance and might still be thought attractive by women, and he is altogether a very respectable and presentable man, only he seems a little morose and somewhat conceited.

But possibly that may only be the impression he makes at first sight. And beware, dear Rodya, when he comes to Petersburg, as he shortly will do, beware of judging him too hastily and severely, as your way is, if there is anything you do not like in him at first sight. I give you this warning, although I feel sure that he will make a favourable impression upon you. Moreover, in order to understand any man one must be deliberate and careful to avoid forming prejudices and mistaken ideas, which are very difficult to correct and get over afterwards.