The Village of Stepanchikovo (Translation by Ignat Avsey 1983) by Fyodor Dostoevsky

Author:Fyodor Dostoevsky [Dostoevsky, Fyodor]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Literature
ISBN: 9780141965383
Publisher: Penguin Books; Penguin Group
Published: 1852-01-01T16:00:00+00:00

11

Bewilderment

‘Uncle!’ I said, ‘there you are at last!’

‘My boy, I’ve been dying to see you myself. Just let me finish with Vidoplyasov – and then we’ll talk our hearts out. I’ve got a lot of things to tell you.’

‘What! Not Vidoplyasov again! Leave him be, Uncle!’

‘Give me five or ten minutes more, Sergey, and then I’ll be at your disposal. I really am busy.’

‘He’s probably just fooling about,’ I said, disappointed …

‘Well, what do you want me to say to you, my friend? Some people just will not learn! Really, my good Grigory, you couldn’t have picked a worse time for your complaints! So what can I do for you? Have pity on me, you of all people. You’ve all done for me – eaten me alive and whole! I’m at the end of my tether, Sergey!’

And Uncle waved both his arms in the utmost distress.

‘Well, what’s so important that it can’t wait? I have an important matter myself, Uncle …’

‘My dear boy, I’m forever being blamed for neglecting my servants’ morals! What if he complains tomorrow that I’ve not even bothered to hear him out? …’

And Uncle waved his arm again.

‘All right, try and get it over quickly! And let me help you. Why don’t we go inside? … What’s the matter with him? What’s he up to?’ I asked as we went indoors.

‘Well, you see, my boy, he’s taken a dislike to his own surname and he wants to change it. What do you make of that?’

‘Surname? How so …? Uncle,’ I said, my arms spread in consternation, ‘before I listen to him – let me tell you that your house must be the only one where such goings-on are possible.’

‘That’s all very well, my boy,’ Uncle remarked sadly, ‘I can wave my arms too, but what’s the use! You just try and talk to him yourself. He’s been at me for the last two months …’

‘It’s an unbecoming surname!’ declared Vidoplyasov.

‘Why unbecoming?’ I inquired with surprise.

‘Well, it is. It’s vulgar and base.’

‘Why base? Anyway, how do you propose to change it? Whoever heard of such a thing?’

‘And whoever heard of such a surname?’

‘I do agree that your surname is a trifle unusual,’ I continued, still unable to overcome my astonishment, ‘but what can you do now? After all, your father rejoiced in the same name.’

‘That’s the scandal of it all,’ Vidoplyasov replied, ‘that I should suffer eternally because of my father, and have to endure insults and gibes on account of my name.’

‘I’ll wager a bet that Foma is behind all this, Uncle!’ I exclaimed bitterly.

‘No, no, my boy; you’re mistaken. True, Foma does favour him. He’s made him his secretary and absolved him from all other obligations. Well, naturally this has had an edifying effect upon him, it has spiritually renewed him and, in a sense, opened his eyes … You see, there’s so much to tell you …’

‘Just so!’ Vidoplyasov interrupted. ‘Foma Fomich is my true benefactor, and being my true benefactor he has inculcated

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