The Devils (The Possessed)

When Stepan finally agrees to talk to the narrator, he announces that he is leaving the town and is saying goodbye. Stepan writes a letter to Dasha, writing mournfully about their wedding “which never took place” (557). The narrator leaves Stepan to visit Yulia. He finds Peter beside her; she is blaming the failure of the morning’s event on Peter’s absence. He claims to have been sick that morning, but he claims that it is “absolutely essential” (558) that the evening’s ball take place. Yulia is certain that a “group of conspirators” (559) are trying to make her and her husband appear ridiculous by ruining the event. The narrator resigns as an usher, claiming he cannot act against his own convictions.

At length, Peter explains why no such conspiracy could exist. Liputin’s insulting poem was merely a “crude joke, a bit obscene, but it was amusing” (561). Yulia is gradually convinced, especially when Peter hints that the government has arranged for Von Lembke to be replaced as governor. Peter also dramatically reveals the latest gossip sweeping through the town: Liza has left Maurice to be with Stavrogin. He claims to have witnessed her jumping from her carriage to go to Stavrogin, but he cannot provide many details. The narrator angrily accuses Peter of arranging this, warning Yulia that “he’ll destroy [her] too” (566). The narrator leaves. He walks around the town, confirming the scandalous story and convincing himself of Peter’s role in bringing everything about. He decides to attend the ball in the evening.

The narrator arrives late to the ball. Though many people are in attendance, “not a single family from our high society showed up” (568). The narrator believes many disreputable, ticketless people are present. When Yulia arrives, she seems “sickly” (571). She clings to Von Lembke and seems to be avoiding Peter. Von Lembke appears equally as shellshocked. He talks incessantly about nothing in particular and stays at his wife’s side. The narrator stands behind the couple as “six pathetic pairs of masked figures” (574) take to the dance floor. He notices a squabble between Yulia and Peter. The narrator, like everyone else, feels a palpable sense of “embarrassment” (575) while watching the strange dance.

As Yulia bickers with attendees, one of the dancers—Lyamshin—begins to perform a satirical handstand. Von Lembke demands that the dance be stopped and the dancers thrown out. As the party comes to a close, rumors that “the whole riverbank’s in flames” (578) spread through the crowd. People claim that the fire has been set by the Shpigulin factory workers. As people rush to the exits, Von Lembke behaves erratically. He demands that everyone be stopped and searched. He calls for his own wife to be arrested because “this whole ball was organized for the purpose of setting fire” (579) to the buildings on the distant riverbank. Yulia faints. The ball descends into drunken chaos. Von Lembke shouts out “bizarre orders that [are] impossible to follow” (580).

Though many are quick to claim that the fire is “obviously a case of arson” (580), the Shpigulin workers are quickly exonerated, save for three men who are found guilty. The dominant theory is that Fedka was somehow involved but most theories are conjecture. The fire spread quickly through the wooden houses, destroying a quarter of the town. Yulia sends the narrator to find her husband. He pushes through the crowd and sees Von Lembke in “an astonishing and extraordinary position” (582). He is issuing orders that are being ignored and blaming the fire on “nihilism” (583), until a falling beam knocks him unconscious.

As the fire dies down, the narrator hears rumors of a pair of bodies being found. The bodies belong to Captain Lebyadkin and Marya. They have been stabbed to death and their house burned down, separate from the larger fire. The rent on the house had been paid six months in advance by Stavrogin. Rumors regarding Stavrogin, Marya, and Liza abound in the town.

In a drawing room, Liza asks Stavrogin to listen to her. She wants to “say everything” (588) that she wants to say and wants to give him the same opportunity. Much to Stavrogin’s surprise, she announces that she plans to leave him after spending the night with him. She hopes that, by leaving, they will each have their “vanity intact” (591). Now, she believes that her life is over. Stavrogin had hoped that he could finally be with Liza.

Peter enters. He asks to speak to Stavrogin alone. They discuss Captain Lebyadkin and Marya, who have been “murdered, but not burnt” (594). Peter talks rapidly, explaining the events of the previous day. He had promised himself to get rid of Lebyadkin by sending him to Saint Petersburg and paid him money to leave. He wanted Liputin to make sure that the captain and his sister left town. However, Liputin and Lebyadkin got drunk and wrote the offensive poem that Liputin performed. Liputin then took the money, while Fedka heard that Lebyadkin was in possession of a large sum and killed him. Peter claims that the fire is nothing to do with him. Instead, it is the result of “mob rule” (596). Peter suspects that people in the town will soon begin to blame Stavrogin for murdering his wife Marya to get out of his marriage.

Peter believes that the situation “solves all [Stavrogin’s] problems splendidly” (596). He knows that Liza spent the night, so now Stavrogin is free to marry her. Maurice, her fiancé, stood outside all night in the rain. Stavrogin is annoyed with Peter. He reveals that Liza correctly guessed that he does not love her. They argue about who is responsible for Marya’s murder and what to do with Maurice. Liza enters. When she asks why they were talking about murder, Peter interrupts to insist that Stavrogin is “innocent” (600). Stavrogin confesses that he knew about the murders and did nothing to stop them, which he believes makes him guilty of the crime. Liza leaves. Peter is furious with his “better half” (602) and brandishes a revolver. Stavrogin tells him to return the following day, by which point he may have devised a plan.

Peter stops Liza before she can reach Maurice. He tries to convince her to stay with him, but she runs away, reuniting with Maurice. Peter returns to Stavrogin’s house to fetch a carriage. Liza asks Maurice to take her to see the bodies of the murdered people. On the way, they see Stepan. He is “dressed ‘for the road’” (606). He is leaving town because he wants “to take leave of [his] entire past” (607). He has slipped away without telling anyone.

Liza and Maurice leave Stepan and arrive at the half-burned house where Lebyadkin and Marya were murdered. A crowd has gathered and has been consuming alcohol for some time. When they learn that Marya was Stavrogin’s wife, they remember that Liza was seen with Stavrogin the previous day. They decide that she is “Stavrogin’s woman” (609), and they attack her. Maurice tries to protect her, but he is restrained. Liza is knocked unconscious and killed by the crowd.

Peter is seen across town in a “state of extreme agitation” (610). He defends himself and convinces many people of his innocence. Stavrogin is said to have left unexpectedly for Saint Petersburg, much to Peter’s annoyance. He gathers together the five-person group of Liputin, Lyamshin, Shigalyov, Virginsky, and Ensign Erkel. Peter arrives late in a bad mood. Liputin is angry and demands answers; Peter accuses the group of committing the arson attacks, “lacking any instructions whatsoever” (616).

He also reveals deeply personal information about members of the group, acquired through his secret network of servant spies. He insists that they are just one of “several hundred” (617) radical groups scattered around Russia. Shatov, he warns, is about to inform on their activities to the authorities. They must kill Shatov, he says, before they are arrested “as arsonists and political offenders” (618). Peter plans for Kirillov’s long-planned suicide, leaving a note that assumes “all the blame” (619) for the group’s crimes. Virginsky is the only one who is reluctant, but he agrees to proceed for the good of the “common cause” (621).

The members of the group agree to kill Shatov, even though they know that Peter is “using them as pawns” (621). Peter himself is upset that Stavrogin has vanished without a word. Liputin dislikes Peter and the plan. He accuses Peter of lying about the scope of the organization and threatens to form a breakaway group of his own. Peter calls him an “idiot” (625). They arrive at a secret entrance to Kirillov’s building, which he shares with Shatov. Kirillov and Peter talk curtly about their plan. Peter worries that Kirillov is “losing heart” (627). Once Peter is satisfied that Kirillov will not back out, he goes to Fedka.

The criminal is still living in Kirillov’s apartment but he is planning to leave soon. He accuses Peter of cheating him out of money and of being “the real murderer” (630). Peter is furious but insists that Fedka will get everything he wants if he will go to Saint Petersburg. Fedka knows that Peter is lying. He says that “Mr Stavrogin stands miles above [Peter]” (631). Peter threatens Fedka, who then attacks him. Fedka knocks Peter unconscious and leaves. When he comes to, Peter threatens Kirillov that he will “follow [him] to the ends of the earth” (632) if he reneges on the plan. Then, he chases after Fedka with his revolver in his hand. Liputin rushes home, thinking about how he could escape the country with a false passport. However, he resolves to stay until after Shatov is killed. The next day, he is shocked by the news that Fedka has been murdered. He suspects that Peter killed Fedka. Liputin goes to the spot where the group has agreed to meet before murdering Shatov. He carries his false passport in his pocket.