The Possessed (The Devils) - The Original Classic Edition. Dostoyevsky Fyodor
Nikolaevna's business with Shatov turned out, to my surprise, to be really only concerned with literature. I had imagined,
I don't know why, that she had asked him to come with some other object. We, Mavriky Nikolaevitch and I that is, seeing that they
55
were talking aloud and not trying to hide anything from us, began to listen, and at last they asked our advice. It turned out that Lizaveta Nikolaevna was thinking of bringing out a book which she thought would be of use, but being quite inexperienced she needed some one to help her. The earnestness with which she began to explain her plan to Shatov quite surprised me.
"She must be one of the new people," I thought. "She has not been to Switzerland for nothing."
Shatov listened with attention, his eyes fixed on the ground, showing not the slightest surprise that a giddy young lady in society
should take up work that seemed so out of keeping with her.
Her literary scheme was as follows. Numbers of papers and journals are published in the capitals and the provinces of Russia, and every day a number of events are reported in them. The year passes, the newspapers are everywhere folded up and put away in cupboards, or are torn up and become litter, or are used for making parcels or wrapping things. Numbers of these facts make an impression and are remembered by the public, but in the course of years they are forgotten. Many people would like to look them
up, but it is a labour for them to embark upon this sea of paper, often knowing nothing of the day or place or even year in which the incident occurred. Yet if all the facts for a whole year were brought together into one book, on a definite plan, and with a definite object, under headings with references, arranged according to months and days, such a compilation might reflect the characteristics
of Russian life for the whole year, even though the facts published are only a small fraction of the events that take place. "Instead of a number of newspapers there would be a few fat books, that's all," observed Shatov.
But Lizaveta Nikolaevna clung to her idea, in spite of the difficulty of carrying it out and her inability to describe it. "It ought to be one book, and not even a very thick one," she maintained. But even if it were thick it would be clear, for the great point would be the plan and the character of the presentation of facts. Of course not all would be collected and reprinted. The decrees and acts of government, local regulations, laws--all such facts, however important, might be altogether omitted from the proposed publication. They could leave out a great deal and confine themselves to a selection of events more or less characteristic of the moral life of
the people, of the personal character of the Russian people at the present moment. Of course everything might be put in: strange incidents, fires, public subscriptions, anything good or bad, every speech or word, perhaps even floodings of the rivers, perhaps even some government decrees, but only such things to be selected as are characteristic of the period; everything would be put in with a certain view, a special significance and intention, with an idea which would illuminate the facts looked at in the aggregate, as a whole. And finally the book ought to be interesting even for light reading, apart from its value as a work of reference. It would be, so to say, a presentation of the spiritual, moral, inner life of Russia for a whole year.
"We want every one to buy it, we want it to be a book that will be found on every table," Liza declared. "I understand that all lies in the plan, and that's why I apply to you," she concluded. She grew very warm over it, and although her explanation was obscure and incomplete, Shatov began to understand.
"So it would amount to something with a political tendency, a selection of facts with a special tendency," he muttered, still not raising his head.
"Not at all, we must not select with a particular bias, and we ought not to have any political tendency in it. Nothing but impartiality--that will be the only tendency."
"But a tendency would be no harm," said Shatov, with a slight movement, "and one can hardly avoid it if there is any selection at all. The very selection of facts will suggest how they are to be understood. Your idea is not a bad one."
"Then such a book is possible?" cried Liza delightedly.
"We must look into it and consider. It's an immense undertaking. One can't work it out on the spur of the moment. We need experience. And when we do publish the book I doubt whether we shall find out how to do it. Possibly after many trials; but the thought is alluring. It's a useful idea."
He raised his eyes at last, and they were positively sparkling with pleasure, he was so interested. "Was it your own idea?" he asked Liza, in a friendly and, as it were, bashful way.
"The idea's no trouble, you know, it's the plan is the trouble," Liza smiled. "I understand very little. I am not very clever, and I only pursue what is clear to me, myself...."
56
"Pursue?"
"Perhaps that's not the right word?" Liza inquired quickly.
"The word is all right; I meant nothing."
"I thought while I was abroad that even I might be of some use. I have money of my own lying idle. Why shouldn't I--even I--work for the common cause? Besides, the idea somehow occurred to me all at once of itself. I didn't invent it at all, and was delighted with it. But I saw at once that I couldn't get on without some one to help, because I am not competent to do anything of myself. My helper, of course, would be the co-editor of the book. We would go halves. You would give the plan and the work. Mine would be the original idea and the means for publishing it. Would the book pay its expenses, do you think?"
"If we hit on a good plan the book will go."
"I warn you that I am not doing it for profit; but I am very anxious that the book should circulate and should be very proud of mak-
ing a profit."
"Well, but how do I come in?"
"Why, I invite you to be my fellow-worker, to go halves. You will think out the plan." "How do you know that I am capable of thinking out the plan?"
"People have talked about you to me, and here I've heard ... I know that you are very clever and... are working for the cause ... and think a great deal. Pyotr Stepanovitch Verhovensky spoke about you in Switzerland," she added hurriedly. "He's a very clever man, isn't he?"
Shatov stole a fleeting, momentary glance at her, but dropped his eyes again.
"Nikolay Vsyevolodovitch told me a great deal about you, too." Shatov suddenly turned red.
"But here are the newspapers." Liza hurriedly picked up from a chair a bundle of newspapers that lay tied up ready. "I've tried to mark the facts here for selection, to sort them, and I have put the papers together... you will see."
Shatov took the bundle.
"Take them home and look at them. Where do you live?" "In Bogoyavlensky Street, Filipov's house."
"I know. I think it's there, too, I've been told, a captain lives, beside you, Mr. Lebyadkin," said Liza in the same hurried manner.
Shatov sat for a full minute with the bundle in his outstretched hand, making no answer and staring at the floor.
"You'd better find some one else for these jobs. I shouldn't suit you at all," he brought out at last, dropping his voice in an awfully
strange way, almost to a whisper.
Liza flushed crimson.
"What jobs are you speaking of ? Mavriky Nikolaevitch," she cried, "please bring that letter here." I too followed Mavriky Nikolaevitch to the table.
"Look at this," she turned suddenly to me, unfolding the letter in great excitement. "Have you ever seen anything like it. Please read it aloud. I want Mr. Shatov to hear it too."
57
With no little astonishment I read aloud the following missive:
"To the Perfection, Miss Tushin. "Gracious Lady
"Lizaveta Nikolaevna!
"Oh, she's a sweet queen,
Lizaveta Tushin!
When