under western eyes-第7章

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tears；　in　an　incredible　fellowship　of　souls　such　as　the　world

had　never　seen。　　It　was　sublime！



Inwardly　he　wept　and　trembled　already。　　But　to　the　casual　eyes

that　were　cast　upon　him　he　was　aware　that　he　appeared　as　a

tranquil　student　in　a　cloak；　out　for　a　leisurely　stroll。

He　noted；　too；　the　sidelong；　brilliant　glance　of　a　pretty

womanwith　a　delicate　head；　and　covered　in　the　hairy　skins

of　wild　beasts　down　to　her　feet；　like　a　frail　and　beautiful

savagewhich　rested　for　a　moment　with　a　sort　of　mocking　tenderness

on　the　deep　abstraction　of　that　good…looking　young　man。



Suddenly　Razumov　stood　still。　　The　glimpse　of　a　passing　grey

whisker；　caught　and　lost　in　the　same　instant；　had　evoked　the

complete　image　of　Prince　K…；　the　man　who　once　had　pressed　his

hand　as　no　other　man　had　pressed　ita　faint　but　lingering

pressure　like　a　secret　sign；　like　a　half…unwilling　caress。



And　Razumov　marvelled　at　himself。　　Why　did　he　not　think　of　him　before！



〃A　senator；　a　dignitary；　a　　great　personage；　the　very　manHe！〃



A　strange　softening　emotion　came　over　Razumovmade　his　knees

shake　a　little。　　He　repressed　it　with　a　new…born　austerity。　　All

that　sentiment　was　pernicious　nonsense。　　He　couldn't　be　quick

enough；　and　when　he　got　into　a　sledge　he　shouted　to　the　driver



〃TotheK…　Palace。　　Get　onyou！　Fly！〃　　The　startled　moujik；

bearded　up　to　the　very　whites　of　his　eyes；　answered　obsequiously



〃I　hear；　your　high　Nobility。〃



It　was　lucky　for　Razumov　that　Prince　K　…was　not　a　man　of　timid

character。　　On　the　day　of　Mr。　de　P…'s　murder　an　extreme　alarm

and　despondency　prevailed　in　the　high　official　spheres。

Prince　K…；　sitting　sadly　alone　in　his　study；　was　told　by　his

alarmed　servants　that　a　mysterious　young　man　had　forced　his　way

into　the　hall；　refused　to　tell　his　name　and　the　nature　of　his

business；　and　would　not　move　from　there　till　he　had　seen　his

Excellency　in　private。　　Instead　of　locking　himself　up　and

telephoning　for　the　police；　as　nine　out　of　ten　high　personages

would　have　done　that　evening；　the　Prince　gave　way　to　curiosity

and　came　quietly　to　the　door　of　his　study。



In　the　hall；　the　front　door　standing　wide　open；　he　recognised　at

once　Razumov；　pale　as　death；　his　eyes　blazing；　and　surrounded　by

perplexed　lackeys。



The　Prince　was　vexed　beyond　measure；　and　even　indignant。　　But

his　humane　instincts　and　a　subtle　sense　of　self…respect　could　not

allow　him　to　let　this　young　man　be　thrown　out　into　the　street　by

base　menials。　　He　retreated　unseen　into　his　room；　and　after　a

little　rang　his　bell。　　Razumov　heard　in　the　hall　an　ominously

raised　harsh　voice　saying　somewhere　far　away



〃Show　the　gentleman　in　here。〃



Razumov　walked　in　without　a　tremor。　　He　felt　himself

invulnerableraised　far　above　the　shallowness　of　common

judgment。　　Though　he　saw　the　Prince　looking　at　him　with　black

displeasure；　the　lucidity　of　his　mind；　of　which　he　was　very

conscious；　gave　him　an　extraordinary　assurance。　　He　was　not

asked　to　sit　down。



Half　an　hour　later　they　appeared　in　the　hall　together。　　The　lackeys

stood　up；　and　the　Prince；　moving　with　difficulty　on　his

gouty　feet；　was　helped　into　his　furs。　　The　carriage　had　been

ordered　before。　　When　the　great　double　door　was　flung　open　with　a

crash；　Razumov；　who　had　been　standing　silent　with　a　lost　gaze　but

with　every　faculty　intensely　on　the　alert；　heard　the　Prince's　voice



〃Your　arm；　young　man。〃



The　mobile；　superficial　mind　of　the　ex…Guards　officer；　man　of

showy　missions；　experienced　in　nothing　but　the　arts　of　gallant

intrigue　and　worldly　success；　had　been　equally　impressed　by　the

more　obvious　difficulties　of　such　a　situation　and　by　Razumov's

quiet　dignity　in　stating　them。



He　had　said；　〃No。　　Upon　the　whole　I　can't　condemn　the　step　you

ventured　to　take　by　coming　to　me　with　your　story。　　It　is　not　an

affair　for　police　understrappers。　　The　greatest　importance　is

attached　to。　。　。Set　your　mind　at　rest。　　I　shall　see　you　through

this　most　extraordinary　and　difficult　situation。〃



Then　the　Prince　rose　to　ring　the　bell；　and　Razumov；　making　a

short　bow；　had　said　with　deference



〃I　have　trusted　my　instinct。　　A　young　man　having　no　claim　upon

anybody　in　the　world　has　in　an　hour　of　trial　involving　his

deepest　political　convictions　turned　to　an　illustrious

Russianthat's　all。〃



The　Prince　had　exclaimed　hastily



〃You　have　done　well。〃



In　the　carriageit　was　a　small　brougham　on　sleigh　runners

Razumov　broke　the　silence　in　a　voice　that　trembled　slightly。



〃My　gratitude　surpasses　the　greatness　of　my　presumption。〃



He　gasped；　feeling　unexpectedly　in　the　dark　a　momentary　pressure

on　his　arm。



〃You　have　done　well；〃　repeated　the　Prince。



When　the　carriage　stopped　the　Prince　murmured　to　Razumov；　who　had

never　ventured　a　single　question



〃The　house　of　General　T…。〃



In　the　middle　of　the　snow…covered　roadway　blazed　a　great　bonfire。

Some　Cossacks；　the　bridles　of　their　horses　over　the　arm；　were

warming　themselves　around。　　Two　sentries　stood　at　the　door；

several　gendarmes　lounged　under　the　great　carriage　gateway；　and

on　the　first…floor　landing　two　orderlies　rose　and　stood　at

attention。　　Razumov　walked　at　the　Prince's　elbow。



A　surprising　quantity　of　hot…house　plants　in　pots　cumbered　the

floor　of　the　ante…room。　　Servants　came　forward。　　A　　young　man　in

civilian　clothes　arrived　hurriedly；　was　whispered　to；　bowed　low；

and　exclaiming　zealously；　〃Certainlythis　minute；〃　fled　within

somewhere。　　The　Prince　signed　to　Razumov。



They　passed　through　a　suite　of　reception…rooms　all　barely　lit　and

one　of　them　prepared　for　dancing。　　The　wife　of　the　General　had

put　off　her　party。　　An　atmosphere　of　consternation　pervaded　the　place。

But　the　General's　own　room；　with　heavy　sombre　hangings；　two　massive　desks；

and　deep　armchairs；　had　all　the　lights　turned　on。　　The　footman　shut　the

door　behind　them　and　they　waited。



There　was　a　coal　fire　in　an　English　grate；　Razumov　had　never

before　seen　such　a　fire；　and　the　silence　of　the　room　was　like　the

silence　of　the　grave；　perfect；　measureless；　for　even　the　clock　on

the　mantelpiece　made　no　sound。　　Filling　a　corner；　on　a　black

pedestal；　stood　a　quarter…life…size　smooth…limbed　bronze　of　an

adolescent　figure；　running。　　The　Prince　observed　in　an　undertone…



〃Spontini's。　　'Flight　of　Youth。'　　Exquisite。〃



〃Admirable；〃　assented　Razumov　faintly。



They　said　nothing　more　after　this；　the　Prince　silent　with　his

grand　air；　Razumov　staring　at　the　statue。　　He　was　worried　by　a

sensation　resembling　the　gnawing　of　hunger。



He　did　not　turn　when　he　heard　an　inner　door　fly　open；　and　a　quick

footstep；　muffled　on　the　carpet。



The　Prince's　voice　immediately　exclaimed；　thick　with　excitement



〃We　have　got　him_ce　miserable。_　　A　worthy　young　man　came　to　me

No！　　It's　incredible。　。　。〃



Razumov　held　his　breath　before　the　bronze　as　if　expecting　a

crash。　　Behind　his　back　a　voice　he　had　never　heard　before

insisted　politely



〃_Asseyez…vous　donc_。〃



The　Prince　almost　shrieked；　〃_Mais　comprenez…vous；　mon　cher！

L'assassin！_　　the　murderer　we　have　got　him。　。　。〃



Razumov　spun　round。　　The　General's　smooth　big　cheeks　rested　on

the　stiff　collar　of　his　uniform。　　He　must　have　been　already

looking　at　Razumov；　because　that　last　saw　the　pale　blue　eyes

fastened　on　him　coldly。



The　Prince　from　a　chair　waved　an　impressive　hand。



〃This　is　a　most　honourable　young　man　whom　Providence

itself。　。　。Mr。　Razumov。〃



The　General　acknowledged　the　introduction　by　frowning　at　Razumov；

who　did　not　make　the　slightest　movement。



Sitting　down　before　his　desk　the　General　listened　with　compressed　lips。

It　was　impossible　to　detect　any　sign　of　emotion　on　his　face。



Razumov　watched　the　immobility　of　the　fleshy　profile。　　But　it

lasted　only　a　moment；　till　the　Prince　had　finished；　and　when　the

General　turned　to　the　providential　young　man；　his　florid

complexion；　the　blue；　unbelieving　eyes　and　the　bright　white　flash

of　an　automatic　smile　had　an　air　of　jovial；　careless　cruelty。　　He

expressed　no　wonder　at　the　extraordinary　storyno　pleasure　or

excitementno　incredulity　either。　　He　betrayed　no　sentiment

whatever。　　Only　with　a　politeness　almost　deferential　suggested

that　〃the　bird　might　have　flown　while　Mr。Mr。　Razumov　was

running　about　the　streets。〃



Razumov　advanced　to　the　middle　of　the　room　and　said；　〃The　door　is

locked　and　I　have　the　key　in　my　pocket。〃



His　loathing　for　the　man　was　intense。　　It　had　come　upon　him　so

unawares　that　he　felt　he　had　not　kept　it　out　of　his　voice。　　The

General　looked　up　at　him　thoughtfully；　and　Razumov　grinned。



All　this　went　over　the　head　of　Prince　K　…seated　in　a　deep

armchair；　very　tired　and　impatient。



〃A　student　called　Haldin；〃　said　the　General　thoughtfully。



Razumov　ceased　to　grin。



〃That　is　his　name；〃　he　said　unnecessarily　loud。　　〃Victor

Victorovitch　Haldina　student。〃



The　General　shifted　his　position　a　little。



〃How　is　he　dressed？　　Would　you　have　the　goodness　to　tell　me？〃



Razumov　angrily　described　Haldin's　clothing　in　a　few　jerky　words。

The　General　stared　all　the　time；　then　addressing　the　Prince



〃We　were　not　without　some　indications；〃　he　said　in　French。　　〃A

good　woman　who　was　in　the　street　described　to　us　somebody　wearing

a　dress　of　the　sort　as　the　thrower　of　the　second　bomb。　　We　have

detained　her　at　the　Secretariat；　and　every　one　in　a　Tcherkess

coat　we　could　lay　our　hands　on　has　been　brought　to　her　to　look

at。　　She　kept　on　crossing　herself　and　shaking　her　head　at　them。

It　was　exasperating。　。　。　。〃　　He　turned　to　Razumov；　and　in

Russian；　with　friendly　reproach



〃Take　a　chair；　Mr。　Razumovdo。　　Why　are　you　standing？〃



Razumov　sat　down　carelessly　and　looked　at　the　General。



〃This　goggle…eyed　imbecile　understands　nothing；〃　he　thought。



The　Prince　began　to　speak　loftily。



〃Mr。　Razumov　is　a　young　man　of　conspicuous　abilities。　　I　have　it

at　heart　that　his　future　should　not。　。　。　。〃



〃Certainly；〃　interrupted　the　General；　with　a　movement　of　the

hand。　　〃Has　he　any　weapons　on　him；　do　you　think；　Mr。　Razumov？〃



The　General　employed　a　gentle　musical　voice。　　Razumov　answered

with　suppressed　irritation



〃No。　　But　my　razors　are　lying　aboutyou　understand。〃



The　General　lowered　his　head　approvingly。



〃Precisely。〃



Then　to　the　Prince；　explaining　courteously



〃We　want　that　bird　alive。　　It　will　be　the　devil　if　we　can't　make

him　sing　a　little　before　we　are　done　with　him。〃



The　grave…like　silence　of　the　room　with　its　mute　clock　fell　upon

the　polite　modulations　of　this　terrible　phrase。　　The　Prince；

hidden　in　the　chair；　made　no　sound。



The　General　unexpectedly　developed　a　thought。



〃Fidelity　to　menaced　institutions　on　which　depend　the　safety　of　a

throne　and　of　a　people　is　no　child's　play。　　We　know　that；　_mon

Prince；_　and_tenez_〃he　went　on　with　a　sort　of　flattering

harshness；　〃Mr。　Razumov　here