crime and punishment(罪与罚)-第67章
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scared and frightened him。 How dark it was！ The man must be hiding
in some corner here。 Ah！ the flat was standing wide open； he hesitated
and went in。 It was very dark and empty in the passage； as though
everything had been removed； he crept on tiptoe into the parlour which
was flooded with moonlight。 Everything there was as before； the
chairs； the looking…glass； the yellow sofa and the pictures in the
frames。 A huge； round； copper…red moon looked in at the windows。 〃It's
the moon that makes it so still； weaving some mystery；〃 thought
Raskolnikov。 He stood and waited； waited a long while； and the more
silent the moonlight； the more violently his heart beat； till it was
painful。 And still the same hush。 Suddenly he heard a momentary
sharp crack like the snapping of a splinter and all was still again。 A
fly flew up suddenly and struck the window pane with a plaintive buzz。
At that moment he noticed in the corner between the window and the
little cupboard something like a cloak hanging on the wall。 〃Why is
that cloak here？〃 he thought； 〃it wasn't there before。。。。〃 He went
up to it quietly and felt that there was some one hiding behind it。 He
cautiously moved the cloak and saw； sitting on a chair in the
corner； the old woman bent double so that he couldn't see her face；
but it was she。 He stood over her。 〃She is afraid；〃 he thought。 He
stealthily took the axe from the noose and struck her one blow； then
another on the skull。 But strange to say she did not stir； as though
she were made of wood。 He was frightened； bent down nearer and tried
to look at her； but she； too； bent her head lower。 He bent right
down to the ground and peeped up into her face from below； he peeped
and turned cold with horror： the old woman was sitting and laughing；
shaking with noiseless laughter； doing her utmost that he should not
hear it。 Suddenly he fancied that the door from the bedroom was opened
a little and that there was laughter and whispering within。 He was
overcome with frenzy and he began hitting the old woman on the head
with all his force； but at every blow of the axe the laughter and
whispering from the bedroom grew louder and the old woman was simply
shaking with mirth。 He was rushing away； but the passage was full of
people； the doors of the flats stood open and on the landing； on the
stairs and everywhere below there were people； rows of heads； all
looking； but huddled together in silence and expectation。 Something
gripped his heart； his legs were rooted to the spot； they would not
move。。。。 He tried to scream and woke up。
He drew a deep breath… but his dream seemed strangely to persist：
his door was flung open and a man whom he had never seen stood in
the doorway watching him intently。
Raskolnikov had hardly opened his eyes and he instantly closed
them again。 He lay on his back without stirring。
〃Is it still a dream？〃 he wondered and again raised his eyelids
hardly perceptibly； the stranger was standing in the same place； still
watching him。
He stepped cautiously into the room； carefully closing the door
after him； went up to the table； paused a moment； still keeping his
eyes on Raskolnikov and noiselessly seated himself on the chair by the
sofa； he put his hat on the floor beside him and leaned his hands on
his cane and his chin on his hands。 It was evident that he was
prepared to wait indefinitely。 As far as Raskolnikov could make out
from his stolen glances； he was a man no longer young； stout； with a
full； fair； almost whitish beard。
Ten minutes passed。 It was still light； but beginning to get dusk。
There was complete stillness in the room。 Not a sound came from the
stairs。 Only a big fly buzzed and fluttered against the window pane。
It was unbearable at last。 Raskolnikov suddenly got up and sat on
the sofa。
〃Come； tell me what you want。〃
〃I knew you were not asleep； but only pretending；〃 the stranger
answered oddly； laughing calmly。 〃Arkady Ivanovitch Svidrigailov；
allow me to introduce myself。。。。〃
PART FOUR
Chapter One
〃CAN this be still a dream？〃 Raskolnikov thought once more。
He looked carefully and suspiciously at the unexpected visitor。
〃Svidrigailov！ What nonsense！ It can't be！〃 he said at last aloud in
bewilderment。
His visitor did not seem at all surprised at this exclamation。
〃I've come to you for two reasons。 In the first place； I wanted to
make your personal acquaintance； as I have already heard a great
deal about you that is interesting and flattering； secondly； I cherish
the hope that you may not refuse to assist me in a matter directly
concerning the welfare of your sister； Avdotya Romanovna。 For
without your support she might not let me come near her now； for she
is prejudiced against me； but with your assistance I reckon on。。。〃
〃You reckon wrongly；〃 interrupted Raskolnikov。
〃They only arrived yesterday； may I ask you？〃
Raskolnikov made no reply。
〃It was yesterday； I know。 I only arrived myself the day before。
Well； let me tell you this； Rodion Romanovitch； I don't consider it
necessary to justify myself； but kindly tell me what was there
particularly criminal on my part in all this business； speaking
without prejudice； with common sense？〃
Raskolnikov continued to look at him in silence。
〃That in my own house I persecuted a defenceless girl and
'insulted her with my infamous proposals'… is that it？ （I am
anticipating you。） But you've only to assume that I； too； am a man
et nihil humanum。。。 in a word； that I am capable of being attracted
and falling in love （which does not depend on our will）； then
everything can be explained in the most natural manner。 The question
is； am I a monster； or am I myself a victim？ And what if I am a
victim？ In proposing to the object of my passion to elope with me to
America or Switzerland； I may have cherished the deepest respect for
her； and may have thought that I was promoting our mutual happiness！
Reason is the slave of passion； you know； why； probably； I was doing
more harm to myself than any one！〃
〃But that's not the point；〃 Raskolnikov interrupted with disgust。
〃It's simply that whether you are right or wrong； we dislike you。 We
don't want to have anything to do with you。 We show you the door。 Go
out！〃
Svidrigailov broke into a sudden laugh。
〃But you're。。。 but there's no getting round you；〃 he said；
laughing in the frankest way。 〃I hoped to get round you； but you
took up the right line at once！〃
〃But you are trying to get round me still！〃
〃What of it？ What of it？〃 cried Svidrigailov； laughing openly。
〃But this is what the French call bonne guerre； and the most
innocent form of deception！。。。 But still you have interrupted me；
one way or another； I repeat again： there would never have been any
unpleasantness except for what happened in the garden。 Marfa
Petrovna。。。〃
〃You have got rid of Marfa Petrovna； too； so they say？〃
Raskolnikov interrupted rudely。
〃Oh； you've heard that； too； then？ You'd be sure to； though。。。。
But as for your question； I really don't know what to say； though my
own conscience is quite at rest on that score。 Don't suppose that I am
in any apprehension about it。 All was regular and in order； the
medical inquiry diagnosed apoplexy due to bathing immediately after
a heavy dinner and a bottle of wine； and indeed it could have proved
nothing else。 But I'll tell you what I have been thinking to myself of
late； on my way here in the train； especially： didn't I contribute
to all that。。。 calamity； morally； in a way； by irritation or something
of the sort。 But I came to the conclusion that that； too； was quite
out of the question。〃
Raskolnikov laughed。
〃I wonder you trouble yourself about it！〃
〃But what are you laughing at？ Only consider； I struck her just
twice with a switch… there were no marks even。。。 don't regard me as
a cynic； please； I am perfectly aware how atrocious it was of me and
all that； but I know for certain； too； that Marfa Petrovna was very
likely pleased at my； so to say； warmth。 The story of your sister
had been wrung out to the last drop； for the last three days Marfa
Petrovna had been forced to sit at home； she had nothing to show
herself with in the town。 Besides； she had bored them so with that
letter （you heard about her reading the letter）。 And all of a sudden
those two switches fell from heaven！ Her first act was to order the
carriage to be got out。。。。 Not to speak of the fact that there are
cases when women are very； very glad to be insulted in spite of all
their show of indignation。 There are instances of it with every one；
human beings in general； indeed； greatly love to be insulted； have you
noticed that？ But it's particularly so with women。 One might even
say it's their only amusement。〃
