Chapter 31: Clings to Political Keyboarding and Never Retreats

When Mikhail Romanovich Raskolnikov finished reading this new novel and noticed that the gentlemen present all seemed to have rather grave expressions, he realized he might have overestimated these gentlemen's capacity for endurance.

I still need to keep up with the times...

Fortunately, only a small circle knows about this for now. To avoid being labeled as some kind of radical radical, Mikhail Romanovich Raskolnikov spoke up to add:

"As for the ending of this novel, I am still hesitating. My initial Toxic idea was actually to leave a suspenseful cliffhanger. Ending it right at 'Valka quietly slipped to the cradle, bent down, and leaned close to the doll' would not be bad either."

That indeed poses no problem, after all, this ending was indeed the first version by the literary giant who claimed "Medicine is my lawful wife, and literature is my mistress."

In the current era, using it would be slightly safer.

Upon hearing Mikhail Romanovich Raskolnikov's words, the gentlemen present whose expressions had been slightly grave seemed to finally relax a bit, and then they began discussing one after another:

"God! Infanticide! How could this Miss have such a Toxic idea?!"

"It is another innovative writing style; last time it was the epistolary form, and this time it is the interweaving and contrast between hallucination and reality."

"Although there are some slight issues, one must admit that this piece is still written very well, no less impressive than the previous two."

"Vissarion is right; this young man is indeed a genius, but perhaps he should try some other direction? I think he should apply his talents in a better way."

"I think the ending that leaves a suspenseful cliffhanger is better; the previous ending was simply too crude, too vicious, and too shocking! How could a perfectly fine Miss really strangle an unarmed infant just because she was tired? She really should not have done such a thing."

After listening to this round, it seemed that most of the gentlemen present felt the ending with a suspenseful cliffhanger was better. Just as Mikhail Romanovich Raskolnikov was preparing to speak a few words, Turgenev on the other side suddenly stood up and said loudly:

"Gentlemen, I actually think the first ending is the best!"

Mikhail Romanovich Raskolnikov: "?"

Old Turgenev, is this your line to take?

Could it be that you are not as gentle as I read in the materials?

Feeling everyone's gaze converge upon him, the tall Turgenev continued while waving his arms:

"Those truly respectable gentlemen would never treat a maid in such a way, so for them, such a novel will only make them cling even more firmly to their judgment and treat these poor people with even greater compassion!

And for those overly harsh and despicable gentlemen, such an ending will be a very powerful reminder! They will eventually realize how wrong some of their behaviors truly are."

Mikhail Romanovich Raskolnikov: "?"

Attacking reactionary nobles, but not denying the entire noble class, right?

That's the flavor, that's the flavor...

However, in these days, Turgenev's understanding was actually quite good, after all, it is obvious at a glance which is more dangerous: firing on everyone or firing on only some people.

Therefore, after hearing Turgenev's explanation, Mikhail Romanovich Raskolnikov naturally smiled and nodded at Old Turgenev.

Hmm, I appreciate your gentleness!

And Turgenev undoubtedly saw Mikhail Romanovich Raskolnikov's expression and gesture, so his already unsettled mood instantly became even more excited.

First, because he received approval from the author of this very excellent novel himself; second, he instantly had material for bragging for these past few days.

Oh, do you know that very popular author Mikhail Romanovich Raskolnikov? Yes! I know him! When he was a child, I even held him!

He has written a new novel recently, and I even gave him some guidance! Yes, yes, you will be able to see it in a couple of days.

While the high-spirited Turgenev was daydreaming, he suddenly heard someone nearby speak up: "No, Ivan, you are wrong."

Just now, several gentlemen nodded in agreement; who is being so disrespectful now?!

When the future leader of the literary world, Turgenev, turned to look at the source of the voice and saw that the speaker was none other than Belinsky, this tall young man immediately wilted.

Speaking of this, one must mention the relationship between Belinsky and Turgenev; in short, Belinsky was the guide on Turgenev's literary path.

Before meeting Belinsky, Turgenev's literary activities carried more or less an element of chance and a somewhat superficial understanding. It was Belinsky who made him view the writer's career in another way.

Although Belinsky did not live to see the peak of Turgenev's literary creative activities, his friendship with Turgenev played a decisive role during Turgenev's growth as an artist, during his transition from poetry to A Sportsman's Sketches and then to novels, during his establishment of the people-oriented and realist principles of literature, and in the changes of his spiritual outlook and thoughts and feelings.

So much so that even in Turgenev's later years, when Belinsky had already been gone for nearly forty years, Turgenev still left this will:

"Bury me beside Belinsky!"

But the huge influence Belinsky had on Turgenev also had a negative side: it deadly pinned Turgenev down to the career of political keyboarding, making it difficult for him to ever extricate himself.

One must admit that gentle people are not suited for the career of political keyboarding; first, one must endure immense pressure from all sides, and if one's mind is a bit too delicate and sensitive, a single slip could directly cause one to become depressed. Gogol is a very good example in this regard.

And anyone who has read Turgenev's representative works such as A Sportsman's Sketches can roughly feel how incredibly delicate the heart of a writer like him is, being able to capture such subtle things and beautiful scenes.

Second, as the times and social situation intensify, taking sides almost becomes an inevitable matter.

If you do not stand with me, then sorry, you are not my comrade or friend.

Precisely under such circumstances, Turgenev almost never fully sided with either side; he opposed serfdom and feudal remnants yet hoped to avoid violence and bloodshed; he realized the power of the people and their poverty and powerlessness but did not draw revolutionary conclusions; yet while not drawing revolutionary conclusions, he sympathized with and supported the revolution; he discovered the inability of Russian liberal nobles to push society forward yet felt full of regret for these "superfluous men."

Even in aesthetics, Turgenev opposed the view of "art for art's sake" and adhered to realist principles, but on the other hand, he rejected Chernyshevsky's materialist aesthetic essay "The Aesthetic Relation of Art to Reality," believing that art is not merely a mechanical reflection of reality.

This led to Turgenev being unwelcome on almost any side; even though he later became the leader of the literary world, every faction, whether old or young, would often confront Turgenev directly with a full-force attack, opening their mouths with a single sentence: "Turgenev! F*** your mother!"

I, Brother Turgenev, am someone who cares so much about face; I really lost my composure many times because of these insults and bad reviews.

By rights, having reached this point, Turgenev could actually consider making the same choice as Gogol: either choose to stand on one side, or simply withdraw from the literary world, retire to the mountains and forests, and continue his own beautiful and leisurely hunting life.

But precisely, I, Brother Turgenev, am one who clings to political keyboarding and never retreats, not for money nor for fame, always persisting in his One's own idea and expression.

In a certain sense, he is indeed a true man.

(End of this chapter)