crime and punishment(罪与罚)-第57章
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consumption； crushed with trouble； and not 'on the pretext of the
funeral；' but simply to pay for the funeral； and not to the
daughter… a young woman； as he writes； of notorious behaviour （whom
I saw last night for the first time in my life）… but to the widow。
In all this I see a too hasty desire to slander me and to raise
dissension between us。 It is expressed again in legal jargon； that
is to say； with a too obvious display of the aim； and with a very
naive eagerness。 He is a man of intelligence； but to act sensibly；
intelligence is not enough。 It all shows the man and。。。 I don't
think he has a great esteem for you。 I tell you this simply to warn
you； because I sincerely wish for your good。。。〃
Dounia did not reply。 Her resolution had been taken。 She was only
awaiting the evening。
〃Then what is your decision； Rodya？〃 asked Pulcheria Alexandrovna；
who was more uneasy than ever at the sudden； new businesslike tone
of his talk。
〃What decision？〃
〃You see Pyotr Petrovitch writes that you are not to be with us this
evening； and that he will go away if you come。 So will you。。。 come？〃
〃That； of course； is not for me to decide； but for you first； if you
are not offended by such a request； and secondly； by Dounia； if she；
too； is not offended。 I will do what you think best；〃 he added drily。
〃Dounia has already decided； and I fully agree with her；〃
Pulcheria Alexandrovna hastened to declare。
〃I decided to ask you； Rodya； to urge you not to fail to be with
us at this interview；〃 said Dounia。 〃Will you come？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃I will ask you； too； to be with us at eight o'clock；〃 she said；
addressing Razumihin。 〃Mother； I am inviting him； too。〃
〃Quite right； Dounia。 Well； since you have decided；〃 added Pulcheria
Alexandrovna； 〃so be it。 I shall feel easier myself。 I do not like
concealment and deception。 Better let us have the whole truth。。。。
Pyotr Petrovitch may be angry or not； now！〃
Chapter Four
AT THAT moment the door was softly opened； and a young girl walked
into the room； looking timidly about her。 Every one turned towards her
with surprise and curiosity。 At first sight； Raskolnikov did not
recognise her。 It was Sofya Semyonovna Marmeladov。 He had seen her
yesterday for the first time； but at such a moment； in such
surroundings and in such a dress； that his memory retained a very
different image of her。 Now she was a modestly and poorly…dressed
young girl； very young； indeed almost like a child； with a modest
and refined manner； with a candid but somewhat frightened…looking
face。 She was wearing a very plain indoor dress； and had on a shabby
old…fashioned hat； but she still carried a parasol。 Unexpectedly
finding the room full of people； she was not so much embarrassed as
completely overwhelmed with shyness； like a little child。 She was even
about to retreat。 〃Oh。。。。 it's you！〃 said Raskolnikov； extremely
astonished； and he； too； was confused。 He at once recollected that his
mother and sister knew through Luzhin's letter of 〃some young woman of
notorious behaviour。〃 He had only just been protesting against
Luzhin's calumny and declaring that he had seen the girl last night
for the first time； and suddenly she had walked in。 He remembered；
too； that he had not protested against the expression 〃of notorious
behaviour。〃 All this passed vaguely and fleetingly through his
brain； but looking at her more intently； he saw that the humiliated
creature was so humiliated that he felt suddenly sorry for her。 When
she made a movement to retreat in terror； it sent a pang to his heart。
〃I did not expect you；〃 he said； hurriedly； with a look that made
her stop。 〃Please sit down。 You come； no doubt； from Katerina
Ivanovna。 Allow me… not there。 Sit here。。。。〃
At Sonia's entrance； Razumihin； who had been sitting on one of
Raskolnikov's three chairs； close to the door； got up to allow her
to enter。 Raskolnikov had at first shown her the place on the sofa
where Zossimov had been sitting； but feeling that the sofa which
served him as a bed； was too familiar a place； he hurriedly motioned
her to Razumihin's chair。
〃You sit here；〃 he said to Razumihin； putting him on the sofa。
Sonia sat down； almost shaking with terror； and looked timidly at
the two ladies。 It was evidently almost inconceivable to herself
that she could sit down beside them。 At the thought of it； she was
so frightened that she hurriedly got up again； and in utter
confusion addressed Raskolnikov。
〃I。。。 I。。。 have come for one minute。 Forgive me for disturbing you；〃
she began falteringly。 〃I come from Katerina Ivanovna； and she had
no one to send。 Katerina Ivanovna told me to beg you。。。 to be at the
service。。。 in the morning。。。 at Mitrofanievsky。。。 and then。。。 to us。。。
to her。。。 to do her the honour。。。 she told me to beg you。。。〃 Sonia
stammered and ceased speaking。
〃I will try； certainly； most certainly；〃 answered Raskolnikov。 He；
too； stood up； and he； too； faltered and could not finish his
sentence。 〃Please sit down；〃 he said； suddenly。 〃I want to talk to
you。 You are perhaps in a hurry； but please； be so kind； spare me
two minutes；〃 and he drew up a chair for her。
Sonia sat down again； and again timidly she took a hurried；
frightened look at the two ladies； and dropped her eyes。 Raskolnikov's
pale face flushed； a shudder passed over him； his eyes glowed。
〃Mother；〃 he said； firmly and insistently； 〃this is Sofya Semyonovna
Marmeladov； the daughter of that unfortunate Mr。 Marmeladov； who was
run over yesterday before my eyes； and of whom I was just telling
you。〃
Pulcheria Alexandrovna glanced at Sonia； and slightly screwed up her
eyes。 In spite of her embarrassment before Rodya's urgent and
challenging look； she could not deny herself that satisfaction。 Dounia
gazed gravely and intently into the poor girl's face； and
scrutinised her with perplexity。 Sonia； hearing herself introduced；
tried to raise her eyes again； but was more embarrassed than ever。
〃I wanted to ask you；〃 said Raskolnikov； hastily； 〃how things were
arranged yesterday。 You were not worried by the police； for instance？〃
〃No； that was all right。。。 it was too evident； the cause of death。。。
they did not worry us。。。 only the lodgers are angry。〃
〃Why？〃
〃At the body's remaining so long。 You see it is hot now。 So that；
to…day； they will carry it to the cemetery； into the chapel； until
to…morrow。 At first Katerina Ivanovna was unwilling； but now she
sees herself that it's necessary。。。〃
〃To…day； then？〃
〃She begs you to do us the honour to be in the church to…morrow
for the service； and then to be present at the funeral lunch。〃
〃She is giving a funeral lunch？〃
〃Yes。。。 just a little。。。。 She told me to thank you very much for
helping us yesterday。 But for you； we should have had nothing for
the funeral。〃
All at once her lips and chin began trembling； but； with an
effort； she controlled herself； looking down again。
During the conversation； Raskolnikov watched her carefully。 She
had a thin； very thin； pale little face； rather irregular and angular；
with a sharp little nose and chin。 She could not have been called
pretty； but her blue eyes were so clear； and when they lighted up；
there was such a kindliness and simplicity in her expression that
one could not help being attracted。 Her face； and her whole figure
indeed； had another peculiar characteristic。 In spite of her
eighteen years； she looked almost a little girl… almost a child。 And
in some of her gestures； this childishness seemed almost absurd。
〃But has Katerina Ivanovna been able to manage with such small
means？ Does she even mean to have a funeral lunch？〃 Raskolnikov asked；
persistently keeping up the conversation。
〃The coffin will be plain； of course。。。 and everything will be
plain； so it won't cost much。 Katerina Ivanovna and I have reckoned it
all out； so that there will be enough left。。。 and Katerina Ivanovna
was very anxious it should be so。 You know one can't。。。 it's a comfort
to her。。。 she is like that； you know。。。。〃
〃I understand； I understand。。。 of course。。。 why do you look at my
room like that？ My mother has just said it is like a tomb。〃
〃You gave us everything yesterday；〃 Sonia said suddenly； in reply；
in a loud rapid whisper； and again she looked down in confusion。 Her
lips and chin were trembling once more。 She had been struck at once by
Raskolnikov's poor surroundings； and now these words broke out
spontaneously。 A silence followed。 There was a light in Dounia's eyes；
and even Pulcheria Alexandrovna looked kindly at Sonia。
〃Rodya；〃 she said； getting up； 〃we shall have dinner together； of
course。 Come； Dounia。。。。 And you； Rodya； had better go for a little
walk； and then rest and lie down before you come to see us。。。。 I am
afraid we have exhausted you。。。。〃
