The Dostoevsky Moment, Part II
Here is the second story:"That same evening I stopped at a small provincial hotel, and it so happened that a dreadful murder had been committed there the night before, and everybody was talking about it. Two peasants-- elderly men and old friends--had had tea together there the night before, and were to occupy the same bedroom. They were not drunk but one of them had noticed for the first time that his friend possessed a silver watch which he was wearing on a chain. He was by no means a thief, and was, as peasants go, a rich man; but this watch so fascinated him that he could not restrain himself. He took a knife, and when his friend turned his back, he came up softly behind, raised his eyes to heaven, crossed himself, and saying earnestly--'God forgive me, for Christ's sake!' he cut his friend's throat like a sheep, and took the watch.
Rogojin roared with laughter. He laughed as though he were in a sort of fit. It was strange to see him laughing so after the sombre mood he had been in just before.
"Oh, I like that! That beats anything!" he cried convulsively, panting for breath. "One is an absolute unbeliever; the other is such a thorough--going believer that he murders his friend to the tune of a prayer! Oh, prince, prince, that's too good for anything! You can't have invented it. It's the best thing I've heard!"
posted by David Browder at 5/01/2006 08:33:00 AM
3 Comments:
I don’t remember if I ever read The Idiot. I did read a bit of Dostoevsky when I was very young, but needless to say, I was mostly puzzled most of the time. I suppose I still am. I look forward to the other two stories to discover if what I think I see is really there. It seems to me that, unlike the train rider who knew nothing of God, we have a peasant who thinks he knows a God who isn’t there, a God who will forgive him any act, so long as he whispers the correct magical incantation. It also seems significant that the killer’s sobriety is stressed, as is his long association with his victim, whom he is slaughtering “like a sheep” (interesting Christ/Passover image, that). Could the victim stand in for the innocent Christ, murdered by his own, among whom he walked and with whom he had such an intimate association, doubtless sharing rooms for sleeping and eating? I am sure the silver watch has some deep symbolic value, but it doesn’t occur to me just now. Thirty pieces of silver???
David, this may not be much help, but it sure is fun.
Walter, when I decided to do this, I knew you were going to have the most fun with it.
You know, the sheep thing didn't even occur to me. Excellent observation. I thought the thirty pieces of silver thing was interesting, too.
So far, you are having much better luck than I.
Your website has a useful information for beginners like me.
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