XVI
Its good business, said Ptitsin, at last, folding the letter and handing it back to the prince. You will receive, without the slightest trouble, by the last will and testament of your aunt, a very large sum of money indeed.
XVI
Its good business, said Ptitsin, at last, folding the letter and handing it back to the prince. You will receive, without the slightest trouble, by the last will and testament of your aunt, a very large sum of money indeed.
Impossible! cried the general, starting up as if he had been shot.
Ptitsin explained, for the benefit of the company, that the princes aunt had died five months since. He had never known her, but she was his mothers own sister, the daughter of a Moscow merchant, one Paparchin, who had died a bankrupt. But the elder brother of this same Paparchin, had been an eminent and very rich merchant. A year since it had so happened that his only two sons had both died within the same month. This sad event had so affected the old man that he, too, had died very shortly after. He was a widower, and had no relations left, excepting the princes aunt, a poor woman living on charity, who was herself at the point of death from dropsy; but who had time, before she died, to set Salaskin to work to find her nephew, and to make her will bequeathing her newly-acquired fortune to him.
It appeared that neither the prince, nor the doctor with whom he lived in Switzerland, had thought of waiting for further communications; but the prince had started straight away with Salaskins letter in his pocket.
One thing I may tell you, for certain, concluded Ptitsin, addressing the prince, that there is no question about the authenticity of this matter. Anything that Salaskin writes you as regards your unquestionable right to this inheritance, you may look upon as so much money in your pocket. I congratulate you, prince; you may receive a million and a half of roubles, perhaps more; I dont know. All I DO know is that Paparchin was a very rich merchant indeed.
Hurrah! cried Lebedeff, in a drunken voice. Hurrah for the last of the Muishkins!
My goodness me! and I gave him twenty-five roubles this morning as though he were a beggar, blurted out the general, half senseless with amazement. Well, I congratulate you, I congratulate you! And the general rose from his seat and solemnly embraced the prince. All came forward with congratulations; even those of Rogojins party who had retreated into the next room, now crept softly back to look on. For the moment even Nastasia Philipovna was forgotten.
But gradually the consciousness crept back into the minds of each one present that the prince had just made her an offer of marriage. The situation had, therefore, become three times as fantastic as before.
Totski sat and shrugged his shoulders, bewildered. He was the only guest left sitting at this time; the others had thronged round the table in disorder, and were all talking at once.
It was generally agreed, afterwards, in recalling that evening, that from this moment Nastasia Philipovna seemed entirely to lose her senses. She continued to sit still in her place, looking around at her guests with a strange, bewildered expression, as though she were trying to collect her thoughts, and could not. Then she suddenly turned to the prince, and glared at him with frowning brows; but this only lasted one moment. Perhaps it suddenly struck her that all this was a jest, but his face seemed to reassure her. She reflected, and smiled again, vaguely.
So I am really a princess, she whispered to herself, ironically, and glancing accidentally at Daria Alexeyevnas face, she burst out laughing.
Ha, ha, ha! she cried, this is an unexpected climax, after all. I didnt expect this. What are you all standing up for, gentlemen? Sit down; congratulate me and the prince! Ferdishenko, just step out and order some more champagne, will you? Katia, Pasha, she added suddenly, seeing the servants at the door, come here! Im going to be married, did you hear? To the prince. He has a million and a half of roubles; he is Prince Muishkin, and has asked me to marry him. Here, prince, come and sit by me; and here comes the wine. Now then, ladies and gentlemen, where are your congratulations?
Hurrah! cried a number of voices. A rush was made for the wine by Rogojins followers, though, even among them, there seemed some sort of realization that the situation had changed. Rogojin stood and looked on, with an incredulous smile, screwing up one side of his mouth.
Prince, my dear fellow, do remember what you are about, said the general, approaching Muishkin, and pulling him by the coat sleeve.
Nastasia Philipovna overheard the remark, and burst out laughing.
No, no, general! she cried. You had better look out! I am the princess now, you know. The prince wont let you insult me. Afanasy Ivanovitch, why dont you congratulate me? I shall be able to sit at table with your new wife, now. Aha! you see what I gain by marrying a prince! A million and a half, and a prince, and an idiot into the bargain, they say. What better could I wish for? Life is only just about to commence for me in earnest. Rogojin, you are a little too late. Away with your paper parcel! Im going to marry the prince; Im richer than you are now.