Page 403 - the-idiot

ty-five years ago, by Nicolai Andreevitch Pavlicheff, then
abroad. After getting into communication with this lady, I
went by her advice to Timofei Fedorovitch Viazovkin, a re-
tired colonel, and one of Pavlicheff’s oldest friends. He gave
me two more letters written by the latter when he was still
in foreign parts. These three documents, their dates, and
the facts mentioned in them, prove in the most undeniable
manner, that eighteen months before your birth, Nico-
lai Andreevitch went abroad, where he remained for three
consecutive years. Your mother, as you are well aware, has
never been out of Russia…. It is too late to read the letters
now; I am content to state the fact. But if you desire it, come
to me tomorrow morning, bring witnesses and writing ex-
perts with you, and I will prove the absolute truth of my
story. From that moment the question will be decided.’
These words caused a sensation among the listeners, and
there was a general movement of relief. Burdovsky got up
abruptly.
‘If that is true,’ said he, ‘I have been deceived, grossly de-
ceived, but not by Tchebaroff: and for a long time past, a
long time. I do not wish for experts, not I, nor to go to see
you. I believe you. I give it up.... But I refuse the ten thou-
sand roubles. Good-bye.’
‘Wait five minutes more, Mr. Burdovsky,’ said Gavrila
Ardalionovitch pleasantly. ‘I have more to say. Some rather
curious and important facts have come to light, and it is
absolutely necessary, in my opinion, that you should hear
them. You will not regret, I fancy, to have the whole matter
thoroughly cleared up.’

0 The Idiot