crime and punishment(罪与罚)-第44章
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children were terrified。 Little Lida screamed； rushed to Polenka and
clutched at her； trembling all over。
Having laid Marmeladov down； Raskolnikov flew to Katerina Ivanovna。
〃For God's sake be calm； don't be frightened！〃 he said； speaking
quickly； 〃he was crossing the road and was run over by a carriage；
don't be frightened； he will come to； I told them bring him here。。。
I've been here already； you remember？ He will come to； I'll pay！〃
〃He's done it this time！〃 Katerina Ivanovna cried despairingly and
she rushed to her husband。
Raskolnikov noticed at once that she was not one of those women
who swoon easily。 She instantly placed under the luckless man's head a
pillow； which no one had thought of and began undressing and examining
him。 She kept her head； forgetting herself； biting her trembling
lips and stifling the screams which were ready to break from her。
Raskolnikov meanwhile induced some one to run for a doctor。 There
was a doctor； it appeared； next door but one。
〃I've sent for a doctor；〃 he kept assuring Katerina Ivanovna； 〃don't
be uneasy； I'll pay。 Haven't you water？。。。 and give me a napkin or a
towel； anything； as quick as you can。。。。 He is injured； but not
killed； believe me。。。。 We shall see what the doctor says！〃
Katerina Ivanovna ran to the window； there； on a broken chair in the
corner； a large earthenware basin full of water had been stood； in
readiness for washing her children's and husband's linen that night。
This washing was done by Katerina Ivanovna at night at least twice a
week； if not oftener。 For the family had come to such a pass that they
were practically without change of linen； and Katerina Ivanovna
could not endure uncleanliness and； rather than see dirt in the house；
she preferred to wear herself out at night； working beyond her
strength when the rest were asleep； so as to get the wet linen hung on
a line and dry by the morning。 She took up the basin of water at
Raskolnikov's request； but almost fell down with her burden。 But the
latter had already succeeded in finding a towel； wetted it and begun
washing the blood off Marmeladov's face。
Katerina Ivanovna stood by； breathing painfully and pressing her
hands to her breast。 She was in need of attention herself。 Raskolnikov
began to realise that he might have made a mistake in having the
injured man brought here。 The policeman； too； stood in hesitation。
〃Polenka；〃 cried Katerina Ivanovna； 〃run to Sonia； make haste。 If
you don't find her at home； leave word that her father has been run
over and that she is to come here at once。。。 when she comes in。 Run；
Polenka！ there； put on the shawl。〃
〃Run your fastest！〃 cried the little boy on the chair suddenly；
after which he relapsed into the same dumb rigidity； with round
eyes； his heels thrust forward and his toes spread out。
Meanwhile the room had become so full of people that you couldn't
have dropped a pin。 The policemen left； all except one； who remained
for a time； trying to drive out the people who came in from the
stairs。 Almost all Madame Lippevechsel's lodgers had streamed in
from the inner rooms of the flat； at first they were squeezed together
in the doorway； but afterwards they overflowed into the room。 Katerina
Ivanovna flew into a fury。
〃You might let him die in peace； at least；〃 she shouted at the
crowd； 〃is it a spectacle for you to gape at？ With cigarettes！ （Cough；
cough； cough！） You might as well keep your hats on。。。。 And there is
one in his hat！。。。 Get away！ You should respect the dead； at least！〃
Her cough choked her… but her reproaches were not without result。
They evidently stood in some awe of Katerina Ivanovna。 The lodgers；
one after another； squeezed back into the doorway with that strange
inner feeling of satisfaction which may be observed in the presence of
a sudden accident； even in those nearest and dearest to the victim；
from which no living man is exempt； even in spite of the sincerest
sympathy and compassion。
Voices outside were heard； however； speaking of the hospital and
saying that they'd no business to make a disturbance here。
〃No business to die！〃 cried Katerina Ivanovna； and she was rushing
to the door to vent her wrath upon them； but in the doorway came
face to face with Madame Lippevechsel who had only just heard of the
accident and ran in to restore order。 She was a particularly
quarrelsome and irresponsible German。
〃Ah； my God！〃 she cried； clasping her hands； 〃your husband drunken
horses have trampled！ To the hospital with him！ I am the landlady！〃
〃Amalia Ludwigovna； I beg you to recollect what you are saying；〃
Katerina Ivanovna began haughtily （she always took a haughty tone with
the landlady that she might 〃remember her place〃 and even now could
not deny herself this satisfaction）。 〃Amalia Ludwigovna。。。〃
〃I have you once before told that you to call me Amalia Ludwigovna
may not dare； I am Amalia Ivanovna。〃
〃You are not Amalia Ivanovna； but Amalia Ludwigovna； and as I am not
one of your despicable flatterers like Mr。 Lebeziatnikov； who's
laughing behind the door at this moment （a laugh and a cry of 'they
are at it again' was in fact audible at the door） so I shall always
call you Amalia Ludwigovna； though I fail to understand why you
dislike that name。 You can see for yourself what has happened to
Semyon Zaharovitch； he is dying。 I beg you to close that door at
once and to admit no one。 Let him at least die in peace！ Or I warn you
the Governor…General； himself； shall be informed of your conduct
to…morrow。 The prince knew me as a girl； he remembers Semyon
Zaharovitch well and has often been a benefactor to him。 Every one
knows that Semyon Zaharovitch had many friends and protectors； whom he
abandoned himself from an honourable pride； knowing his unhappy
weakness； but now （she pointed to Raskolnikov） a generous young man
has come to our assistance； who has wealth and connections and whom
Semyon Zaharovitch has known from a child。 You may rest assured；
Amalia Ludwigovna。。。〃
All this was uttered with extreme rapidity； getting quicker and
quicker； but a cough suddenly cut short Katerina Ivanovna's eloquence。
At that instant the dying man recovered consciousness and uttered a
groan； she ran to him。 The injured man opened his eyes and without
recognition or understanding gazed at Raskolnikov who was bending over
him。 He drew deep； slow； painful breaths； blood oozed at the corners
of his mouth and drops of perspiration came out on his forehead。 Not
recognising Raskolnikov； he began looking round uneasily。 Katerina
Ivanovna looked at him with a sad but stern face； and tears trickled
from her eyes。
〃My God！ His whole chest is crushed！ How he is bleeding；〃 she said
in despair。 〃We must take off his clothes。 Turn a little； Semyon
Zaharovitch； if you can；〃 she cried to him。
Marmeladov recognised her。
〃A priest；〃 he articulated huskily。
Katerina Ivanovna walked to the window； laid her head against the
window frame and exclaimed in despair：
〃Oh； cursed life！〃
〃A priest；〃 the dying man said again after a moment's silence。
〃They've gone for him；〃 Katerina Ivanovna shouted to him； he
obeyed her shout and was silent。 With sad and timid eyes he looked for
her； she returned and stood by his pillow。 He seemed a little easier
but not for long。
Soon his eyes rested on little Lida； his favourite； who was
shaking in the corner； as though she were in a fit； and staring at him
with her wondering childish eyes。
〃A…ah；〃 he signed towards her uneasily。 He wanted to say something。
〃What now？〃 cried Katerina Ivanovna。
〃Barefoot； barefoot！〃 he muttered； indicating with frenzied eyes the
child's bare feet。
〃Be silent；〃 Katerina Ivanovna cried irritably； 〃you know why she is
barefooted。〃
〃Thank God； the doctor；〃 exclaimed Raskolnikov； relieved。
The doctor came in； a precise little old man； a German； looking
about him mistrustfully； he went up to the sick man； took his pulse；
carefully felt his head and with the help of Katerina Ivanovna he
unbuttoned the blood…stained shirt； and bared the injured man's chest。
It was gashed； crushed and fractured； several ribs on the right side
were broken。 On the left side； just over the heart； was a large；
sinister…looking yellowish…black bruise… a cruel kick from the horse's
hoof。 The doctor frowned。 The policeman told him that he was caught in
the wheel and turned round with it for thirty yards on the road。
〃It's wonderful that he has recovered consciousness；〃 the doctor
whispered softly to Raskolnikov。
〃What do you think of him？〃 he asked。
〃He will die immediately。〃
〃Is there really no hope？〃
〃Not the faintest！ He is at the last gasp。。。。 His head is badly
injured； too。。。 Him。。。 I could bleed him if you like； but。。。 it
would be useless。 He is bound to die within the next five or ten
minutes。〃
〃Better bleed him then。〃
