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Under¡¡Western¡¡Eyes
by¡¡Joseph¡¡Conrad
¡¨I¡¡would¡¡take¡¡liberty¡¡from¡¡any¡¡hand
as¡¡a¡¡hungry¡¡man¡¡would¡¡snatch¡¡a¡¡piece¡¡of¡¡bread¡£¡¨
Miss¡¡HALDIN
PART¡¡FIRST
To¡¡begin¡¡with¡¡I¡¡wish¡¡to¡¡disclaim¡¡the¡¡possession¡¡of¡¡those¡¡high
gifts¡¡of¡¡imagination¡¡and¡¡expression¡¡which¡¡would¡¡have¡¡enabled¡¡my
pen¡¡to¡¡create¡¡for¡¡the¡¡reader¡¡the¡¡personality¡¡of¡¡the¡¡man¡¡who
called¡¡himself£»¡¡after¡¡the¡¡Russian¡¡custom£»¡¡Cyril¡¡son¡¡of
IsidorKirylo¡¡Sidorovitch¡Razumov£»
If¡¡I¡¡have¡¡ever¡¡had¡¡these¡¡gifts¡¡in¡¡any¡¡sort¡¡of¡¡living¡¡form¡¡they
have¡¡been¡¡smothered¡¡out¡¡of¡¡existence¡¡a¡¡long¡¡time¡¡ago¡¡under¡¡a
wilderness¡¡of¡¡words¡£¡¡¡¡Words£»¡¡as¡¡is¡¡well¡¡known£»¡¡are¡¡the¡¡great¡¡foes
of¡¡reality¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡have¡¡been¡¡for¡¡many¡¡years¡¡a¡¡teacher¡¡of¡¡languages¡£
It¡¡is¡¡an¡¡occupation¡¡which¡¡at¡¡length¡¡becomes¡¡fatal¡¡to¡¡whatever
share¡¡of¡¡imagination£»¡¡observation£»¡¡and¡¡insight¡¡an¡¡ordinary¡¡person
may¡¡be¡¡heir¡¡to¡£¡¡¡¡To¡¡a¡¡teacher¡¡of¡¡languages¡¡there¡¡comes¡¡a¡¡time
when¡¡the¡¡world¡¡is¡¡but¡¡a¡¡place¡¡of¡¡many¡¡words¡¡and¡¡man¡¡appears¡¡a
mere¡¡talking¡¡animal¡¡not¡¡much¡¡more¡¡wonderful¡¡than¡¡a¡¡parrot¡£
This¡¡being¡¡so£»¡¡I¡¡could¡¡not¡¡have¡¡observed¡¡Mr¡£¡¡Razumov¡¡or¡¡guessed
at¡¡his¡¡reality¡¡by¡¡the¡¡force¡¡of¡¡insight£»¡¡much¡¡less¡¡have¡¡imagined
him¡¡as¡¡he¡¡was¡£¡¡¡¡Even¡¡to¡¡invent¡¡the¡¡mere¡¡bald¡¡facts¡¡of¡¡his¡¡life
would¡¡have¡¡been¡¡utterly¡¡beyond¡¡my¡¡powers¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡I¡¡think¡¡that
without¡¡this¡¡declaration¡¡the¡¡readers¡¡of¡¡these¡¡pages¡¡will¡¡be¡¡able
to¡¡detect¡¡in¡¡the¡¡story¡¡the¡¡marks¡¡of¡¡documentary¡¡evidence¡£¡¡¡¡And
that¡¡is¡¡perfectly¡¡correct¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡is¡¡based¡¡on¡¡a¡¡document£»¡¡all¡¡I¡¡have
brought¡¡to¡¡it¡¡is¡¡my¡¡knowledge¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Russian¡¡language£»¡¡which¡¡is
sufficient¡¡for¡¡what¡¡is¡¡attempted¡¡here¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡document£»¡¡of¡¡course£»
is¡¡something¡¡in¡¡the¡¡nature¡¡of¡¡a¡¡journal£»¡¡a¡¡diary£»¡¡yet¡¡not¡¡exactly
that¡¡in¡¡its¡¡actual¡¡form¡£¡¡For¡¡instance£»¡¡most¡¡of¡¡it¡¡was¡¡not¡¡written
up¡¡from¡¡day¡¡to¡¡day£»¡¡though¡¡all¡¡the¡¡entries¡¡are¡¡dated¡£¡¡¡¡Some¡¡of
these¡¡entries¡¡cover¡¡months¡¡of¡¡time¡¡and¡¡extend¡¡over¡¡dozens¡¡of
pages¡£¡¡¡¡All¡¡the¡¡earlier¡¡part¡¡is¡¡a¡¡retrospect£»¡¡in¡¡a¡¡narrative
form£»¡¡relating¡¡to¡¡an¡¡event¡¡which¡¡took¡¡place¡¡about¡¡a¡¡year¡¡before¡£
I¡¡must¡¡mention¡¡that¡¡I¡¡have¡¡lived¡¡for¡¡a¡¡long¡¡time¡¡in¡¡Geneva¡£¡¡¡¡A
whole¡¡quarter¡¡of¡¡that¡¡town£»¡¡on¡¡account¡¡of¡¡many¡¡Russians¡¡residing
there£»¡¡is¡¡called¡¡La¡¡Petite¡¡Russie¡¡Little¡¡Russia¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡had¡¡a
rather¡¡extensive¡¡connexion¡¡in¡¡Little¡¡Russia¡¡at¡¡that¡¡time¡£¡¡¡¡Yet¡¡I
confess¡¡that¡¡I¡¡have¡¡no¡¡comprehension¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Russian¡¡character¡£
The¡¡illogicality¡¡of¡¡their¡¡attitude£»¡¡the¡¡arbitrariness¡¡of¡¡their
conclusions£»¡¡the¡¡frequency¡¡of¡¡the¡¡exceptional£»¡¡should¡¡present¡¡no
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something¡¡else¡¡in¡¡the¡¡way£»¡¡some¡¡special¡¡human¡¡traitone¡¡of¡¡those
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What¡¡must¡¡remain¡¡striking¡¡to¡¡a¡¡teacher¡¡of¡¡languages¡¡is¡¡the
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cherish¡¡them£»¡¡but¡¡they¡¡don't¡¡hoard¡¡them¡¡in¡¡their¡¡breasts£»¡¡on¡¡the
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by¡¡the¡¡night¡¡with¡¡an¡¡enthusiasm£»¡¡a¡¡sweeping¡¡abundance£»¡¡with¡¡such
an¡¡aptness¡¡of¡¡application¡¡sometimes¡¡that£»¡¡as¡¡in¡¡the¡¡case¡¡of¡¡very
accomplished¡¡parrots£»¡¡one¡¡can't¡¡defend¡¡oneself¡¡from¡¡the¡¡suspicion
that¡¡they¡¡really¡¡understand¡¡what¡¡they¡¡say¡£¡¡¡¡There¡¡is¡¡a¡¡generosity
in¡¡their¡¡ardour¡¡of¡¡speech¡¡which¡¡removes¡¡it¡¡as¡¡far¡¡as¡¡possible¡¡from
common¡¡loquacity£»¡¡and¡¡it¡¡is¡¡ever¡¡too¡¡disconnected¡¡to¡¡be¡¡classed
as¡¡eloquence¡£¡¡¡£¡¡¡£¡¡¡£But¡¡I¡¡must¡¡apologize¡¡for¡¡this¡¡digression¡£
It¡¡would¡¡be¡¡idle¡¡to¡¡inquire¡¡why¡¡Mr¡£¡¡Razumov¡¡has¡¡left¡¡this
record¡¡behind¡¡him¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡is¡¡inconceivable¡¡that¡¡he¡¡should¡¡have
wished¡¡any¡¡human¡¡eye¡¡to¡¡see¡¡it¡£¡¡¡¡A¡¡mysterious¡¡impulse¡¡of¡¡human
nature¡¡comes¡¡into¡¡play¡¡here¡£¡¡¡¡Putting¡¡aside¡¡Samuel¡¡Pepys£»¡¡who¡¡has
forced¡¡in¡¡this¡¡way¡¡the¡¡door¡¡of¡¡immortality£»¡¡innumerable¡¡people£»
criminals£»¡¡saints£»¡¡philosophers£»¡¡young¡¡girls£»¡¡statesmen£»¡¡and
simple¡¡imbeciles£»¡¡have¡¡kept¡¡self¡revealing¡¡records¡¡from¡¡vanity¡¡no
doubt£»¡¡but¡¡also¡¡from¡¡other¡¡more¡¡inscrutable¡¡motives¡£¡¡¡¡There¡¡must
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have¡¡used¡¡them¡¡for¡¡self¡communion¡£¡¡¡¡Being¡¡myself¡¡a¡¡quiet
individual¡¡I¡¡take¡¡it¡¡that¡¡what¡¡all¡¡men¡¡are¡¡really¡¡after¡¡is¡¡some
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Kirylo¡¡Sidorovitch¡¡Razumov¡¡expected¡¡to¡¡find¡¡in¡¡the¡¡writing¡¡up¡¡of
his¡¡record¡¡it¡¡passeth¡¡my¡¡understanding¡¡to¡¡guess¡£
The¡¡fact¡¡remains¡¡that¡¡he¡¡has¡¡written¡¡it¡£
Mr¡£¡¡Razumov¡¡was¡¡a¡¡tall£»¡¡well¡proportioned¡¡young¡¡man£»¡¡quite
unusually¡¡dark¡¡for¡¡a¡¡Russian¡¡from¡¡the¡¡Central¡¡Provinces¡£¡¡¡¡His
good¡¡looks¡¡would¡¡have¡¡been¡¡unquestionable¡¡if¡¡it¡¡had¡¡not¡¡been¡¡for
a¡¡peculiar¡¡lack¡¡of¡¡fineness¡¡in¡¡the¡¡features¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡was¡¡as¡¡if¡¡a¡¡face
modelled¡¡vigorously¡¡in¡¡wax¡¡£¨with¡¡some¡¡approach¡¡¡¡even¡¡to¡¡a
classical¡¡correctness¡¡of¡¡type£©¡¡had¡¡been¡¡held¡¡close¡¡to¡¡a¡¡fire¡¡till
all¡¡sharpness¡¡of¡¡line¡¡had¡¡been¡¡lost¡¡in¡¡the¡¡softening¡¡of¡¡the
material¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡even¡¡thus¡¡he¡¡was¡¡sufficiently¡¡good¡looking¡£¡¡¡¡His
manner£»¡¡too£»¡¡was¡¡good¡£¡¡In¡¡discussion¡¡he¡¡was¡¡easily¡¡swayed¡¡by
argument¡¡and¡¡authority¡£¡¡¡¡With¡¡his¡¡younger¡¡compatriots¡¡he¡¡took¡¡the
attitude¡¡of¡¡an¡¡inscrutable¡¡listener£»¡¡a¡¡listener¡¡of¡¡the¡¡kind¡¡that
hears¡¡you¡¡out¡¡intelligently¡¡and¡¡thenjust¡¡changes¡¡the¡¡subject¡£
This¡¡sort¡¡of¡¡trick£»¡¡which¡¡may¡¡arise¡¡either¡¡from¡¡intellectual
insufficiency¡¡or¡¡from¡¡an¡¡imperfect¡¡trust¡¡in¡¡one's¡¡own
convictions£»¡¡procured¡¡for¡¡Mr¡£¡¡Razumov¡¡a¡¡reputation¡¡of¡¡profundity¡£
Amongst¡¡a¡¡lot¡¡of¡¡exuberant¡¡talkers£»¡¡in¡¡the¡¡habit¡¡of¡¡exhausting
themselves¡¡daily¡¡by¡¡ardent¡¡discussion£»¡¡a¡¡comparatively¡¡taciturn
personality¡¡is¡¡naturally¡¡credited¡¡with¡¡reserve¡¡power¡£¡¡¡¡By¡¡his
comrades¡¡at¡¡the¡¡St¡£¡¡Petersburg¡¡University£»¡¡Kirylo¡¡Sidorovitch
Razumov£»¡¡third¡¡year's¡¡student¡¡in¡¡philosophy£»¡¡was¡¡looked¡¡upon¡¡as¡¡a
strong¡¡naturean¡¡altogether¡¡trustworthy¡¡man¡£¡¡¡¡This£»¡¡in¡¡a¡¡country
where¡¡an¡¡opinion¡¡may¡¡be¡¡a¡¡legal¡¡crime¡¡visited¡¡by¡¡death¡¡or
sometimes¡¡by¡¡a¡¡fate¡¡worse¡¡than¡¡mere¡¡death£»¡¡meant¡¡that¡¡he¡¡was
worthy¡¡of¡¡being¡¡trusted¡¡with¡¡forbidden¡¡opinions¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡was¡¡liked
also¡¡for¡¡his¡¡amiability¡¡and¡¡for¡¡his¡¡quiet¡¡readiness¡¡to¡¡oblige¡¡his
comrades¡¡even¡¡at¡¡the¡¡¡¡cost¡¡¡¡of¡¡personal¡¡inconvenience¡£
Mr¡£¡¡Razumov¡¡was¡¡supposed¡¡to¡¡be¡¡the¡¡son¡¡of¡¡an¡¡Archpriest¡¡and¡¡to¡¡be
protected¡¡by¡¡a¡¡distinguished¡¡noblemanperhaps¡¡of¡¡his¡¡own¡¡distant
province¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡his¡¡outward¡¡¡¡appearance¡¡accorded¡¡¡¡badly¡¡with¡¡such
humble¡¡origin¡£¡¡¡¡Such¡¡a¡¡descent¡¡was¡¡not¡¡credible¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡was£»¡¡indeed£»
suggested¡¡that¡¡Mr¡£¡¡Razumov¡¡was¡¡the¡¡son¡¡of¡¡an¡¡Archpriest's¡¡pretty
daughterwhich£»¡¡of¡¡course£»¡¡would¡¡put¡¡a¡¡different¡¡complexion¡¡on
the¡¡matter¡£¡¡¡¡This¡¡theory¡¡also¡¡rendered¡¡intelligible¡¡the
protection¡¡of¡¡the¡¡distinguished¡¡nobleman¡£¡¡¡¡All¡¡this£»¡¡however£»¡¡had
never¡¡been¡¡investigated¡¡maliciously¡¡or¡¡otherwise¡£¡¡¡¡No¡¡one¡¡knew¡¡or
cared¡¡who¡¡the¡¡nobleman¡¡in¡¡question¡¡was¡£¡¡Razumov¡¡received¡¡a¡¡modest
but¡¡very¡¡sufficient¡¡allowance¡¡from¡¡the¡¡hands¡¡of¡¡an¡¡obscure
attorney£»¡¡who¡¡seemed¡¡to¡¡act¡¡as¡¡his¡¡guardian¡¡in¡¡some¡¡measure¡£
Now¡¡and¡¡then¡¡he¡¡appeared¡¡at¡¡some¡¡professor's¡¡¡¡informal¡¡¡¡reception¡£
Apart¡¡from¡¡that¡¡Razumov¡¡was¡¡not¡¡known¡¡to¡¡have¡¡any¡¡social¡¡relations
in¡¡the¡¡town¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡attended¡¡the¡¡obligatory¡¡lectures¡¡regularly¡¡and¡¡was
considered¡¡by¡¡the¡¡authorities¡¡as¡¡a¡¡very¡¡promising¡¡student¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡worked
at¡¡home¡¡in¡¡the¡¡manner¡¡of¡¡a¡¡man¡¡who¡¡means¡¡to¡¡get¡¡on£»¡¡but¡¡did¡¡not¡¡shut
himself¡¡up¡¡severely¡¡for¡¡that¡¡purpose¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡was¡¡always¡¡accessible£»
and¡¡there¡¡was¡¡nothing¡¡secret¡¡or¡¡reserved¡¡in¡¡his¡¡life¡£
I
THE¡¡origin¡¡of¡¡Mr¡£¡¡Razumov's¡¡record¡¡is¡¡connected¡¡with¡¡an¡¡event
characteristic¡¡of¡¡modern¡¡Russia¡¡in¡¡the¡¡actual¡¡fact£º¡¡the
assassination¡¡of¡¡a¡¡prominent¡¡statesman¡¡and¡¡still¡¡more
characteristic¡¡of¡¡the¡¡moral¡¡corruption¡¡of¡¡an¡¡oppressed¡¡society
where¡¡the¡¡noblest¡¡aspirations¡¡of¡¡humanity£»¡¡the¡¡desire¡¡of¡¡freedom£»
an¡¡ardent¡¡patriotism£»¡¡the¡¡love¡¡of¡¡justice£»¡¡the¡¡sense¡¡of¡¡pity£»¡¡and
even¡¡the¡¡fidelity¡¡of¡¡simple¡¡minds¡¡are¡¡prostituted¡¡to¡¡the¡¡lusts¡¡of
hate¡¡and¡¡fear£»¡¡the¡¡inseparable¡¡companions¡¡of¡¡an¡¡uneasy¡¡despotism¡£
The¡¡fact¡¡alluded¡¡to¡¡above¡¡is¡¡the¡¡successful¡¡attempt¡¡on¡¡the¡¡life
of¡¡Mr¡£¡¡de¡¡P¡£»¡¡the¡¡President¡¡of¡¡the¡¡notorious¡¡Repressive
Commission¡¡of¡¡some¡¡years¡¡ago£»¡¡the¡¡Minister¡¡of¡¡State¡¡invested¡¡with
extraordinary¡¡powers¡£¡¡The¡¡newspapers¡¡made¡¡noise¡¡enough¡¡about¡¡that
fanatical£»¡¡narrow¡chested¡¡figure¡¡in¡¡gold¡laced¡¡uniform£»¡¡with¡¡a
face¡¡of¡¡crumpled¡¡parchment£»¡¡insipid£»¡¡bespectacled¡¡eyes£»¡¡and¡¡the
cross¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Order¡¡of¡¡St¡£¡¡Procopius¡¡hung¡¡under¡¡the¡¡skinny¡¡throat¡£
For¡¡a¡¡time£»¡¡it¡¡may¡¡be¡¡remembered£»¡¡not¡¡a¡¡month¡¡passed¡¡without¡¡his
portrait¡¡appearing¡¡in¡¡some¡¡one¡¡of¡¡the¡¡illustrated¡¡papers¡¡of
Europe¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡served¡¡the¡¡monarchy¡¡by¡¡imprisoning£»¡¡exiling£»¡¡or
sending¡¡to¡¡the¡¡gallows¡¡men¡¡and¡¡women£»¡¡young¡¡and¡¡old£»¡¡with¡¡an
equable£»¡¡unwearied¡¡industry¡£¡¡¡¡In¡¡his¡¡mystic¡¡acceptance¡¡of¡¡the
principle¡¡of¡¡autocracy¡¡he¡¡was¡¡bent¡¡on¡¡extirpating¡¡from¡¡the¡¡land
every¡¡vestige¡¡of¡¡anything¡¡that¡¡resembled¡¡freedom¡¡in¡¡public
institutions£»¡¡and¡¡in¡¡his¡¡ruthless¡¡persecution¡¡of¡¡the¡¡rising
generation¡¡he¡¡seemed¡¡to¡¡aim¡¡at¡¡the¡¡destruction¡¡of¡¡the¡¡very
hope¡¡of¡¡liberty¡¡itself¡£
It¡¡is¡¡said¡¡that¡¡this¡¡execrated¡¡personality¡¡had¡¡not
enough¡¡imagination¡¡to¡¡be¡¡aware¡¡of¡¡the¡¡hate¡¡he¡¡inspired¡£¡¡It¡¡is
hardly¡¡credible£»¡¡but¡¡it¡¡is¡¡a¡¡fact¡¡that¡¡he¡¡took¡¡very¡¡few