The Idiot: Part Two, Chapter Two Summary & Analysis

In early June, the Epanchins depart for their dacha in Pavlovsk. Only a day or so later, Myshkin arrives back in St. Petersburg. He has a different wardrobe now, one made up of well-made clothes that are in fact too fashionable, with comic results. Arriving back, he feels a pair of sinister eyes staring at him. He goes straight to Lebedev’s house from the train station. The house is surprisingly nice, and he finds Lebedev inside, talking to young people in mourning wear, along with a strange, dark-haired man of about 20, who is lying down. On seeing the prince, Lebedev greets him enthusiastically. Although it is the daytime, Lebedev is obviously drunk. One of the young people explains that their mother died five weeks ago. 

Lebedev starts speaking somewhat nonsensically about a case that’s been in the papers of a family who were murdered. The dark-haired young man says that he recites the same speech every day. This young man, Lebedev’s nephew, observes that the visitor must be Myshkin, whom he’s heard about from Kolya. Kolya says Myshkin is the most intelligent person in the world. The nephew then tells Myshkin a story about how he gambled and lost 20 roubles to a lieutenant from Rogozhin’s old band. The nephew confessed the whole thing to Lebedev and tried to borrow money from him, promising to pay it back as soon as he starts his new job on the railways. However, Lebedev has refused. 

The nephew observes that Lebedev has become extremely paranoid about being robbed and calls him a “drunken mumbler” who has been praying for the countess du Barry. Lebedev interrupts to talk about how he cared for his nephew, who is the son of his widowed sister. He then explains that he’s just read a biography of du Barry, who rose from “a life of shame” to the French royal court. During the French Revolution, she was executed via guillotine in front of a crowd. Although she did not understand what was happening, du Barry begged for one more little minute” before she was killed. Lebedev says that when he read this, “it was as if my heart was in pincers.”

Myshkin asks for the nephew’s name, and he replies that it’s Timofei Lukyanovich (Doktorenko). Myshkin says he is trying to find Kolya, and Doktorenko replies that Kolya spent the night there, and has possibly been with “the general” (Ivolgin) who Myshkin helped free from prison. Now, Kolya might even be in Pavlovsk with the Epanchins. Lebedev and Myshkin then go out into Lebedev’s pretty garden alone, and Myshkin asks if it’s true that Nastasya has deserted Rogozhin for good this time. Lebedev that Nastasya indeed abandoned Rogozhin at the altar, and that she might still be in St. Petersburg now, or possibly in Pavlovsk at Darya’s dacha. Lebedev says that the last time he saw Nastasya, they discussed the apocalypse. Lebedev thinks they are living in the end times.

Lebedev continues to tell somewhat fantastical stories and Myshkin eventually gets up to leave, saying he doesn’t feel well after his journey. Lebedev says that he will soon be going to Pavlovsk, too, to stay in a small but lovely dacha owned by Ptitsyn. Myshkin asks if Lebedev will rent him the dacha, and Lebedev agrees. He then mischievously tells Myshkin that Aglaya will likely be visiting her friend Darya’s dacha often, “with a purpose.” Myshkin dismisses this, annoyed. He is suddenly so consumed by thought that he leaves without saying goodbye.