The Wedding That Never Was — The Idiot

The prince survives to wedding week, outwardly kind while inwardly troubled. Lebedeff plots to have him declared incompetent; Keller promises pistols against a planned charivari; General Ivolgin dies and Myshkin attends the funeral where whispers follow him. Hippolyte warns that Rogojin, who has been watching from church shadows, may murder Aglaya out of jealous love. Nastasia grows merry about finery yet panics at night, once screaming that Rogojin hides in the garden until the fear proves false. On the evening before the ceremony she clings to Myshkin's knees asking what she is doing to him; by morning she is radiant over diamonds and dressmakers. At seven she steps toward Keller's carriage before a hostile crowd; when she sees Rogojin she rushes to him crying save me, and they flee to the train. Left at the church, Myshkin murmurs he was afraid this would happen and receives curious townspeople at home with tea instead of rage. He asks Vera to wake him for the first Petersburg train and kisses her forehead saying until tomorrow. The chapter shows how public humiliation met with strange grace can still mask a man preparing for the next catastrophe.