crime and punishment(罪与罚)-第111章
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in print that her father was a colonel； while Amalia Ivanovna's
father… if she really had one… was probably some Finnish milkman；
but that probably she never had a father at all； since it was still
uncertain whether her name was Amalia Ivanovna or Amalia Ludwigovna。
At this Amalia Ivanovna； lashed to fury； struck the table with her
fist； and shrieked that she was Amalia Ivanovna； and not Ludwigovna；
〃that her Vater was named Johann and that he was a burgomeister； and
that Katerina Ivanovna's Vater was quite never a burgomeister。〃
Katerina Ivanovna rose from her chair； and with a stern and apparently
calm voice （though she was pale and her chest was heaving） observed
that 〃if she dared for one moment to set her contemptible wretch of
a father on a level with her papa； she； Katerina Ivanovna； would
tear her cap off her head and trample it under foot。〃 Amalia
Ivanovna ran about the room； shouting at the top of her voice； that
she was mistress of the house and that Katerina Ivanovna should
leave the lodgings that minute； then she rushed for some reason to
collect the silver spoons from the table。 There was a great outcry and
uproar； the children began crying。 Sonia ran to restrain Katerina
Ivanovna； but when Amalia Ivanovna shouted something about 〃the yellow
ticket；〃 Katerina Ivanovna pushed Sonia away； and rushed at the
landlady to carry out her threat。
At that minute the door opened； and Pyotr Petrovitch Luzhin appeared
on the threshold。 He stood scanning the party with severe and vigilant
eyes。 Katerina Ivanovna rushed to him。
Chapter Three
〃PYOTR PETROVITCH；〃 she cried； 〃protect me。。。 you at least！ Make
this foolish woman understand that she can't behave like this to a
lady in misfortune。。。 that there is a law for such things。。。。 I'll
go to the governor…general himself。。。。 She shall answer for it。。。。
Remembering my father's hospitality protect these orphans。〃
〃Allow me； madam。。。。 Allow me。〃 Pyotr Petrovitch waved her off。
〃Your papa； as you are well aware； I had not the honour of knowing〃
（some one laughed aloud） 〃and I do not intend to take part in your
everlasting squabbles with Amalia Ivanovna。。。。 I have come here to
speak of my own affairs。。。 and I want to have a word with your
stepdaughter； Sofya。。。 Ivanovna； I think it is？ Allow me to pass。〃
Pyotr Petrovitch； edging by her； went to the opposite corner where
Sonia was。
Katerina Ivanovna remained standing where she was； as though
thunderstruck。 She could not understand how Pyotr Petrovitch could
deny having enjoyed her father's hospitility。 Though she had
invented it herself； she believed in it firmly by this time。 She was
struck too by the businesslike； dry and even contemptuously menacing
tone of Pyotr Petrovitch。 All the clamour gradually died away at his
entrance。 Not only was this 〃serious business man〃 strikingly
incongruous with the rest of the party； but it was evident； too；
that he had come upon some matter of consequence； that some
exceptional cause must have brought him and that therefore something
was going to happen。 Raskolnikov； standing beside Sonia； moved aside
to let him pass； Pyotr Petrovitch did not seem to notice him。 A minute
later Lebeziatnikov； too； appeared in the doorway； he did not come in；
but stood still； listening with marked interest； almost wonder； and
seemed for a time perplexed。
〃Excuse me for possibly interrupting you； but it's a matter of
some importance；〃 Pyotr Petrovitch observed； addressing the company
generally。 〃I am glad indeed to find other persons present。 Amalia
Ivanovna； I humbly beg you as mistress of the house to pay careful
attention to what I have to say to Sofya Ivanovna。 Sofya Ivanovna；〃 he
went on； addressing Sonia； who was very much surprised and already
alarmed； 〃immediately after your visit I found that a hundred…rouble
note was missing from my table； in the room of my friend Mr。
Lebeziatnikov。 If in any way whatever you know and will tell us
where it is now； I assure you on my word of honour and call all
present to witness that the matter shall end there。 In the opposite
case I shall be compelled to have recourse to very serious measures
and then。。。 you must blame yourself。〃
Complete silence reigned in the room。 Even the crying children
were still。 Sonia stood deadly pale； staring at Luzhin and unable to
say a word。 She seemed not to understand。 Some seconds passed。
〃Well； how is it to be then？〃 asked Luzhin； looking intently at her。
〃I don't know。。。。 I know nothing about it；〃 Sonia articulated
faintly at last。
〃No； you know nothing？〃 Luzhin repeated and again he paused for some
seconds。 〃Think a moment； mademoiselle；〃 he began severely； but still；
as it were； admonishing her。 〃Reflect； I am prepared to give you
time for consideration。 Kindly observe this： if I were not so entirely
convinced I should not； you may be sure； with my experience venture to
accuse you so directly。 Seeing that for such direct accusation
before witnesses； if false or even mistaken； I should myself in a
certain sense be made responsible； I am aware of that。 This morning
I changed for my own purposes several five per cent。 securities for
the sum of approximately three thousand roubles。 The account is
noted down in my pocket…book。 On my return home I proceeded to count
the money；… as Mr。 Lebeziatnikov will bear witness… and after counting
two thousand three hundred roubles I put the rest in my pocket…book in
my coat pocket。 About five hundred roubles remained on the table and
among them three notes of a hundred roubles each。 At that moment you
entered （at my invitation）… and all the time you were present you were
exceedingly embarrassed； so that three times you jumped up in the
middle of the conversation and tried to make off。 Mr。 Lebeziatnikov
can bear witness to this。 You yourself； mademoiselle； probably will
not refuse to confirm my statement that I invited you through Mr。
Lebeziatnikov； solely in order to discuss with you the hopeless and
destitute position of your relative； Katerina Ivanovna （whose dinner I
was unable to attend）； and the advisability of getting up something of
the nature of a subscription； lottery or the like； for her benefit。
You thanked me and even shed tears。 I describe all this as it took
place； primarily to recall it to your mind and secondly to show you
that not the slightest detail has escaped my recollection。 Then I took
a ten…rouble note from the table and handed it to you by way of
first instalment on my part for the benefit of your relative。 Mr。
Lebeziatnikov saw all this。 Then I accompanied you to the door；… you
being still in the same state of embarrassment… after which； being
left alone with Mr。 Lebeziatnikov I talked to him for ten minutes；…
then Mr。 Lebeziatnikov went out and I returned to the table with the
money lying on it； intending to count it and to put it aside； as I
proposed doing before。 To my surprise one hundred…rouble note had
disappeared。 Kindly consider the position。 Mr。 Lebeziatnikov I
cannot suspect。 I am ashamed to allude to such a supposition。 I cannot
have made a mistake in my reckoning； for the minute before your
entrance I had finished my accounts and found the total correct。 You
will admit that recollecting your embarrassment； your eagerness to get
away and the fact that you kept your hands for some time on the table；
and taking into consideration your social position and the habits
associated with it； I was； so to say； with horror and positively
against my will； compelled to entertain a suspicion… a cruel； but
justifiable suspicion！ I will add further and repeat that in spite
of my positive conviction； I realise that I run a certain risk in
making this accusation； but as you see； I could not let it pass。 I
have taken action and I will tell you why： solely； madam； solely；
owing to your black ingratitude！ Why！ I invite you for the benefit
of your destitute relative； I present you with my donation of ten
roubles and you； on the spot； repay me for all that with such an
action。 It is too bad！ You need a lesson。 Reflect！ Moreover； like a
true friend I beg you… and you could have no better friend at this
moment… think what you are doing； otherwise I shall be immovable！
Well； what do you say？〃
〃I have taken nothing；〃 Sonia whispered in terror； 〃you gave me
ten roubles； here it is； take it。〃
Sonia pulled her handkerchief out of her pocket； untied a corner
of it； took out the ten rouble note and gave it to Luzhin。
〃And the hundred roubles you do not confess to taking？〃 he
insisted reproachfully； not taking the note。
Sonia looked about her。 All were looking at her with such awful；
stern； ironical； hostile eyes。 She looked at Raskolnikov。。。 he stood
against the wall； with his arms crossed； looking at her with glowing
eyes。
〃Good God！〃 broke from Sonia。
〃Amalia Ivanovna； we shall have to send word to the police and
therefore I humbly beg you meanwhile to send for the house porter；〃
Luzhin said softly and even kindly。
〃Gott der barmherzige！ I knew she was the thief；〃 cried Amalia
Ivanovna； throwing up her hands。
〃You knew it？〃 Luzhin caught her up； 〃then I supp
