Summary
The next day, the Underground Man is horrified by his
“sentimental” behavior with Liza, and especially by the fact that
he gave her his address. He is more immediately concerned, though,
with how he can redeem himself in the eyes of Zverkov and Simonov.
The Underground Man borrows money from Anton Antonych to pay his
debt to Simonov, casually explaining that he had been “carousing”
with friends the night before. Then he writes a letter of apology to
Simonov, carefully cultivating a “gentlemanly, good-natured” tone.
The Underground Man boastfully exults in his ability to use his
education and intelligence to get out of an awkward situation, and
he almost convinces himself that he does indeed view the events of
the night before as casually as he seems to in the letter.
The Underground Man then takes a walk in the crowded streets, but
he begins to feel more and more confused and guilty. He worries that
Liza will really visit him, and he fears that she will be unimpressed
by his shabby apartment, his rude servant, and his own attempts
at courtesy. He remembers his behavior with her as dishonorable,
but then tells himself that he really did want to inspire noble
thoughts in her.
After Liza does not come that evening, he spends a few
days both dreading and anticipating her arrival. Certain that she
will find him, the Underground Man curses her “pure heart” and “rotten
sentimental soul,” but he also constructs elaborate fantasies in
which he saves her from prostitution, educates her, and compels
her to fall in love with him. In these fantasies, he is too unselfish
and refined to accept her love initially, but in the end, he invites
her into his life with the last lines of the poem quoted at the
beginning of Part II: “and now, full mistress of the place, / Come
bold and free into my house.” These fantasies, predictably, end
in self-disgust.
The Underground Man is distracted from his frustrations
by the rudeness of his elderly servant, Apollon. He hates Apollon
because he believes that Apollon is vain and pedantic. He feels
that Apollon looks down on him, condescending to allow the Underground
Man to pay him seven roubles a month to “do nothing.” The Underground
Man especially hates Apollon’s cultivated lisp, thinking that Apollon
is unjustifiably proud of his distinguished way of speaking. However,
the Underground Man feels that he cannot afford to get rid of Apollon,
because he imagines that it would be impossible to separate Apollon
from the apartment.
Although the Underground Man concludes that he has no
control over Apollon, he attempts to exert some power by intentionally withholding
Apollon’s wages for two weeks. He hopes to force Apollon into swallowing
his pride and lowering himself to ask for his wages, rather than
of proudly waiting for them to be delivered. Unfortunately, every
time the Underground Man attempts this trick, Apollon’s significant
sighs and stares defeat him. Unable to meet Apollon’s gaze, the
Underground Man always caves in and gives him the money. On this
occasion, however, the Underground Man explodes with intense anger
after one of Apollon’s long, significant looks. He threatens and
insults Apollon, showing him the wage money but refusing to give
it to him. Apollon threatens to go to the police.
The Underground Man decides that Liza is responsible for
the problem he is having with Apollon. Just as the Underground Man
is about to hit Apollon, Liza enters the room unannounced. The Underground
Man is overcome by shame when he sees her. He flees to his bedroom
until Apollon comes to tell him that “someone” has come to see him.
