The End Justifies the Means

This flow examines Golyadkin’s shifting judgment of strategic deception, from theoretical rejection to his own improvised intrigues.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

The Jesuit Argument

Strategy Considered A Borrowed Maxim While concealed by the back stairs, Golyadkin recalls the claim that any means may be justified if the end is achieved. He weighs this against his professed dislike of intrigue. A Convenient Exception He considers slipping unnoticed into the party, then condemns the idea as cowardice before finally acting on impulse. His reasoning exposes how readily principle gives way when the desired outcome seems close.

Coins for Information

Buying News A Secret Inquiry Golyadkin offers money to a copying clerk and asks what is happening inside the department. He hopes to learn whether colleagues are discussing him and whether the double is gaining favor. Information Remains Uncertain The clerk’s hints and evasions provide little dependable knowledge. Golyadkin’s attempt to uncover a plot by covert means deepens his suspicion without giving him an effective defense.

Intrigue Against Intrigue

A Principle Reversed Planning a Countermove Golyadkin considers approaching his superiors, sending letters, and arranging for others to gather information. He repeatedly condemns intrigue even as he tries to get ahead of those he imagines are plotting. The Cost of Contradiction His defensive tactics reproduce the secrecy he attributes to his enemies. The story makes his moral vocabulary unstable: he wants justice, but cannot act without tactics he distrusts.

during the hidden wait at the birthday party

the day after the double takes his office seat

during Golyadkin’s last private reflections before departure