The Idiot

The Epanchin family moves to their dacha (summer residence) in Pavlovsk just before Myshkin returns to Saint Petersburg. As he disembarks from the train, he senses "two strange, burning eyes" (152) watching him from the crowd but, on closer examination, he sees no one. His first action is to visit the recently widowed Lebedev, who is now raising four children by himself as well as dealing with his nephew who is demanding money. Myshkin speaks to Lebedev about Rogozhin and Nastasya, who jilted Rogozhin by leaving him "right at the foot of the altar" (159) on the day of their wedding. Nastasya has written to Lebedev for help, so he has made plans for her to take a room in his sister-in-law's house in the city. Lebedev also offers Myshkin a room in his dacha in Pavlovsk, mentioning that Aglaya is also likely to be in the area. Myshkin accepts and leaves. After he departs, Lebedev reflects on Myshkin's "sudden absentmindedness" (161).

Before leaving for Pavlovsk, Myshkin visits Rogozhin's large "dreary" (162) home. The gloomy old apartment is shared by Rogozhin with his mother and brother. Speaking to Rogozhin, Myshkin mentions the "pair of eyes" (163) watching him at the station. He admits that Nastasya came to him the first time she left Rogozhin in Moscow. However, she also ran away from Myshkin. Nastasya also ran away a second time, leaving Rogozhin before returning to him. Now, they plan to try to get married again. Myshkin asks Rogozhin about the plans for the wedding. Rogozhin admits that the wedding depends on Nastasya, rather than him. Myshkin warns Rogozhin that a wedding may be damaging for both Rogozhin and Nastasya as Rogozhin will never be able to forget this "torment" (168). Myshkin both loves and pities Nastasya—while he also considers Rogozhin to be a friend—but he admits that he would take Nastasya into his house if she ran away and needed help. Rogozhin confesses that he does not pity Nastasya. She hates him, he believes, and she embarrasses him by absconding with other men. On one occasion, he says, she insulted him so badly that he violently assaulted her. Nastasya was covered in bruises. Seeing what he had done, Rogozhin fell to his knees and begged for forgiveness. Eventually, Nastasya agreed to marry him but demanded a delay. Rogozhin believes that Nastasya loves Myshkin, but also that she is scared that she will damage Myshkin in some way. Myshkin worries that this form of jealousy is a serious sickness. When he casually finds a "knife of a simply form, with a staghorn handle" (171) hidden inside a book, Rogozhin snatches it from him. Myshkin asks about the knife, but Rogozhin dismisses the questions.

Rogozhin escorts Myshkin from his house. As they walk toward the exit, Myshkin notices a painting of Jesus Christ being lifted down from the cross on which he was crucified. Myshkin believes the painting is so powerful that "a man could even lose his faith" (172) while looking at it. The painting intrigues Myshkin and prompts him to ask Rogozhin about religion. They discuss their belief (or lack of) in God. Myshkin believes in God, but Rogozhin has lost his faith. Myshkin responds to Rogozhin's questions about atheist by recalling four parables to illustrate the unknowable nature of the universe. One story involves a man who sold a cross to Myshkin; the man tried to convince him that the cross was valuable silver but Myshkin, knowing the cross to be tin, took pity on him and bought it anyway. Rogozhin asks Myshkin to swap the tin cross for his more expensive cross. The two men swap crosses. Despite the meaningful nature of the gesture which makes them "brothers" (175), Myshkin cannot help but detect a note of resentment in Rogozhin's expression. Myshkin briefly visits Rogozhin's elderly mother, who bless him before he leaves.

Myshkin leaves Rogozhin and plans to visit the Epanchin family, but they are not at home. He leaves his calling card with the servants and then checks for Koyla at the young man's hotel. After waiting for several hours for Koyla to arrive, Myshkin gives up. He decides to walk "aimlessly" (176) around the city and his mind seems to be playing tricks on him, as though he cannot trust reality. After finding himself at the train station, he comes close to buying a ticket to Pavlovsk so that he can see Aglaya but then changes his mind at the last moment. He leaves the station, feeling strange and anxious. Myshkin allows his mind to wander as he strolls through the city. Remembering the pain of his epileptic seizures, he views these fits as though his mind were achieving a moment of "sublime tranquility" (178) before a deep dive into an unknown darkness. He feels a sudden urge to see Nastasya but discovers that she has moved to a dacha for the summer months. Myshkin begins to walk again. He continues to feel strange, beset by a "gloom and inner cold" (182), as though someone is following him. He worries that Rogozhin is pursuing him for some reason. He returns to his hotel, only to spot Rogozhin in the lobby. They lock eyes and Myshkin is shocked to see his friend lift a knife, as though to stab him. Myshkin's mind turns to "total darkness" (184). He suffers from an epileptic seizure and drops to the ground, where the servants rush to help him. He is taken to his room and a doctor is called. When Koyla finds Myshkin, he arranges for them both to travel to Lebedev's dacha in a carriage.

At Lebedev's "comfortable and even beautiful" (186) dacha, Myshkin recovers from his epileptic seizure. The Epanchin family's dacha is very close by, and Madame Epanchin is able to visit the recovering Myshkin with her daughters and a man named Prince Shch., who claims to have known Myshkin from their younger days. Koyla and the Ivolgin family also visit. When they all arrive at the same time, General Ivolgin claims to have held Aglaya as a baby. While he repeats this anecdote about most young people, he is actually correct on this occasion and he "really did" (191) carry her in his arms when she was young. The group talks—in a joking, coded manner—about a "poor knight" (193) who may or may not be Myshkin. Koyla jokes about Aglaya's fascination with such a figure. Myshkin, listening to all this, feels embarrassed.

As she recites a poem about a poor knight, Myshkin detects some "special calculation" (195) in her tone. Aglaya seems to imply that she is sorry that Myshkin has chosen Nastasya over her. The other characters in the conversation notice the emotional sincerity which seems to take over her recital. While she recites the poem, she notably swaps a character's initials for the initials of Nastasya Filippovna Barashkov in an apparent act of "obvious, spiteful mockery" (197). At a different time, Myshkin is visited by four young men. Doktorenko is Lebedev's nephew who is always looking for money. Burdovsky claims to be the son of Myshkin's mentor, Pavlishchev. Keller is a boxer and a former lieutenant in the army. Ippolit is the son of General Ivolgin's mistress, Marfa, and a friend of Koyla. The young men are famous for their pessimistic world view, so much so that Madame Epanchin refers to them as "nihilists" (200).

Myshkin meets with the nihilists. The belligerent young men are told by Myshkin that, if they are looking for money, then he has left his administrative affairs to be handled by Ganya. Madame Epanchin changes the subject by asking Koyla to read from a newspaper editorial recently written by Keller. The article humorously skewers Myshkin himself, portraying him as a greedy "idiot" (205) who is trying to defraud the rightful (but illegitimate) heirs to his mentor and benefactor, Pavlishchev. Myshkin is also mocked for his romantic interest in Nastasya. The article clarifies to Myshkin why the men are present: they want money from him, having been put up to the task by a disreputable lawyer by the name of Chebarov. Myshkin does not agree with their demands, but he offers 10,000 rubles to Burdovsky to leave him alone and settle the "crooked affair" (211). Before he gives the money to Burdovsky, however, he calls on Ganya to reveal the "positive proofs" (214) that Burdovsky has been tricked into believing that he is Pavlishchev's son.

Ganya rounds on the author of the article, accusing Keller of inventing stories for the newspaper. Ganya investigated the matter and found that, during the time Burdovsky claims to have been fathered by Pavlishchev, Pavlishchev was not even in the country. This proves "mathematically, with no possibility of refutation or even doubt" (215), that Pavlishchev is not Burdovsky's father. Keller, Ganya says, has mischaracterized Pavlishchev's genuine platonic affection for Burdovsky's aunt. His aunt was a "house-serf girl" (217) who won Pavlishchev's affection and, after her death, Pavlishchev promised to support Burdovsky's mother. Even when Burdovsky's father died, Pavlishchev provided financial support and now Burdovsky is manipulating the truth for financial gain. The accusation shames Burdovsky, who withdraws his demand for money, even returning a small sum that Myshkin has already given to him. However, Burdovsky can only repay some of the money. The rest has already been taken in fees by the lawyer Chebarov, who orchestrated this scheme. Doktorenko becomes defensive and insists that the men will return the full sum to Myshkin "rouble by rouble" (219), though he shouts at Myshkin and blames him for putting them in such a predicament. Madame Epanchin criticizes the young nihilists, particularly Ippolit. She also criticizes Myshkin for being so kind and understanding to the men who were trying to extort him. She is worried that Ippolit will have a corrupting influence on Koyla but eases off when Ippolit—who suffers badly from consumption and claims that he will be dead "in two weeks" (222)—begins to cough. She instructs him to sit down and recover.

Ippolit sits in a chair and accepts the offer of tea to ease his cough. While sat, he admits that he helped Keller to write the defamatory article. Madame Epanchin feels her anger toward the "wretched little people" (224) ebb away and she pities the sick young Ippolit. As he continues to talk, she interjects to tell him to go to bed to rest. Evgeny Pavlovich, who is in Pavlovsk in an attempt to court Aglaya, accuses Ippolit and the nihilists of believing that only the strongest survive. Ippolit is uninterested in political or philosophical discussions. He is too absorbed in his own personal problems. Even though he is not yet 18 years old, he tells the group, he is convinced that he will die soon, and he now believes that this is "good" (229). He says that he now hates everyone. Madame Epanchin and her family prepare to leave. Before they can depart, a carriage passes by and, from inside, a woman with a "beautiful voice" (232) calls to Evgeny Pavlovich. The woman tells him that Rogozhin has promised to satisfy his debts by buying his promissory notes. Most people in the house are confused by the meaning of this, including Evgeny who says that he has "had nothing to do with these promissory notes" (233).

In the following days, Prince Shch. and Adelaida call at the dacha. They talk to Myshkin and ask about the mysterious woman who called to Evgeny from the carriage. Myshkin reveals the identity of the mysterious woman: Nastasya. They are shocked by this and Prince Shch. argues that Evgeny would never take out debts with a moneylender. Everyone knows that Evgeny has an "enormous" (235) fortune, he argues, so Nastasya must be trying to discredit his reputation. After the couple leave, Myshkin reflects on Nastasya's behavior. He wonders whether Nastasya's apparent madness is part of some calculated effort on her part. He speaks to Ganya, who explains that Nastasya has spent the last four days in Pavlovsk, and she is "already attracting great attention" (236). Her presence is causing many people to speculate as to what she wants; Ganya believes that Evgeny may be in debt to someone. He also mentions that Aglaya has "quarreled" (237) with her family. Later that day, Keller returns to the dacha. He asks Myshkin for money and, once again, Myshkin obliges him. They discuss money and Myshkin's eloquence prompts Keller to lower the requested amount. Later still, Lebedev returns home. Myshkin asks Lebedev about the incident with Nastasya. Lebedev admits that he spoke to Nastasya and told her that Myshkin was staying with him. Lebedev suggests that Aglaya may be the reason for Nastasya's behavior, but Myshkin interrupts him, "turning all red with indignation and perhaps with shame" (241). Koyla visits later that night. He reveals that the Epanchin family have suffered a scandal involving Ganya, though he does not know the exact details. Madame Epanchin has banned Varya from the house. After a period in which the Epanchin family avoids Myshkin, he returns to Saint Petersburg. On the train, he talks to General Epanchin who believes that Nastasya invented Evgeny's scandalous debts as "senseless slander" (242).

After a few days, Myshkin receives a visit from Madame Epanchin, who is "shaking with impatience" (243). She wants to know why Myshkin wrote a letter to Aglaya several months before. Myshkin tells Madame Epanchin that he wrote to Aglaya in a platonic fashion, as "a brother" (244) might write to a sister. Madame Epanchin asks about the events of the recent evening, in which Aglaya seemed to cryptically show affection for Myshkin. She wonders whether Aglaya may be romantically interested in Myshkin but insists that she will forbid any such marriage. She describes her daughter as "a despotic, crazy, spoiled girl" (245). Ganya, she explains, has also contacted Aglaya recently. Ganya has used Varya as an intermediary. Furthermore, Aglaya has been talking to Nastasya. This last revelation causes Myshkin to be upset. Madame Epanchin reacts badly to Myshkin teasing her about her concern about the Ivolgins. She bans him from their house, and, in response, he accidently reveals that he has already been "forbidden" (247) from visiting by Aglaya. She sent him a note, saying just that. Madame Epanchin changes her mind. In "a fit of extraordinary excitement and impatience" (248), she hauls Myshkin back to her house so that she can demand an explanation from her daughter.