ery important coincidence for I did not know for
certain at that time whether Lizaveta Nikolaevna would come to you or
not; I gave my own money simply because you distinguished yourself by
taking it into your head to betray your secret to every one. Well, I
won't go into that... that's your affair... your chivalry, but I must
own I was amazed, it was a knock-down blow. And forasmuch as I was
exceeding weary of these tragic stories--and let me tell you, I talk
seriously though I do use Biblical language--as it was all upsetting
my plans in fact, I made up my mind at any cost, and without your
knowledge, to pack the Lebyadkins off to Petersburg, especially as he
was set on going himself. I made one mistake: I gave the money in your
name;--was it a mistake or not? Perhaps it wasn't a mistake, eh? Listen
now, listen how it has all turned out...."

In the heat of his talk he went close up to Stavrogin and took hold of
the revers of his coat (really, it may have been on purpose). With a
violent movement Stavrogin struck him on the arm.

"Come, what is it... give over... you'll break my arm... what matters
is the way things have turned out," he rattled on, not in the least
surprised at the blow. "I forked out the money in the evening on
condition that his sister and he should set off early next morning; I
trusted that rascal Liputin with the job of getting them into the train
and seeing them off. But that beast Liputin wanted to play his schoolboy
pranks on the public--perhaps you heard? At the matinee? Listen, listen:
they both got drunk, made up verses of which half are Liputin's; he
rigged Lebyadkin out in a dress-coat, assuring me meanwhile that he had
packed him off that morning, but he kept him shut somewhere in a back
room, till he thrust him on the platform at the matinee. But Lebyadkin
got drunk quickly and unexpectedly. Then came the scandalous scene you
know of, and then they got him home more dead than alive, and Liputin
filched away the two hundred roubles, leaving him only small change. But
it appears unluckily that already that morning Lebyadkin had taken that
two hundred roubles out of his pocket, boasted of it and shown it in
undesirable quarters. And as that was just what Fedka was expecting, and
as he had heard something at Kirillov's (do you remember, your hint?) he
made up his mind to take advantage of it. That's the whole truth. I
am glad, anyway, that Fedka did not find the money, the rascal was
reckoni