crime and punishment(罪与罚)-第21章
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sound he began for some reason to suspect that this was some one
coming there； to the fourth floor； to the old woman。 Why？ Were the
sounds somehow peculiar； significant？ The steps were heavy； even and
unhurried。 Now he had passed the first floor； now he was mounting
higher； it was growing more and more distinct！ He could hear his heavy
breathing。 And now the third storey had been reached。 Coming here！ And
it seemed to him all at once that he was turned to stone； that it
was like a dream in which one is being pursued； nearly caught and will
be killed； and is rooted to the spot and cannot even move one's arms。
At last when the unknown was mounting to the fourth floor； he
suddenly started； and succeeded in slipping neatly and quickly back
into the flat and closing the door behind him。 Then he took the hook
and softly； noiselessly； fixed it in the catch。 Instinct helped him。
When he had done this； he crouched holding his breath； by the door。
The unknown visitor was by now also at the door。 They were now
standing opposite one another； as he had just before been standing
with the old woman； when the door divided them and he was listening。
The visitor panted several times。 〃He must be a big； fat man；〃
thought Raskolnikov； squeezing the axe in his hand。 It seemed like a
dream indeed。 The visitor took hold of the bell and rang loudly。
As soon as the tin bell tinkled； Raskolnikov seemed to be aware of
something moving in the room。 For some seconds he listened quite
seriously。 The unknown rang again； waited and suddenly tugged
violently and impatiently at the handle of the door。 Raskolnikov gazed
in horror at the hook shaking in its fastening； and in blank terror
expected every minute that the fastening would be pulled out。 It
certainly did seem possible； so violently was he shaking it。 He was
tempted to hold the fastening； but he might be aware of it。 A
giddiness came over him again。 〃I shall fall down！〃 flashed through
his mind； but the unknown began to speak and he recovered himself at
once。
〃What's up？ Are they asleep or murdered？ D…damn them！〃 he bawled
in a thick voice； 〃Hey； Alyona Ivanovna； old witch！ Lizaveta Ivanovna；
hey； my beauty！ open the door！ Oh； damn them！ Are they asleep or
what？〃
And again； enraged； he tugged with all his might a dozen times at
the bell。 He must certainly be a man of authority and an intimate
acquaintance。
At this moment light hurried steps were heard not far off； on the
stairs。 Some one else was approaching。 Raskolnikov had not heard
them at first。
〃You don't say there's no one at home；〃 the new…comer cried in a
cheerful； ringing voice； addressing the first visitor； who still
went on pulling the bell。 〃Good evening； Koch。〃
〃From his voice he must be quite young；〃 thought Raskolnikov。
〃Who the devil can tell？ I've almost broken the lock；〃 answered
Koch。 〃But how do you come to know me？
〃Why！ The day before yesterday I beat you three times running at
billiards at Gambrinus'。〃
〃Oh！〃
〃So they are not at home？ That's queer？ It's awfully stupid
though。 Where could the old woman have gone？ I've come on business。〃
〃Yes； and I have business with her； too。〃
〃Well； what can we do？ Go back； I suppose； Aie…aie！ And I was hoping
to get some money！〃 cried the young man。
〃We must give it up； of course； but what did she fix this time
for？ The old witch fixed the time for me to come herself。 It's out
of my way。 And where the devil she can have got to； I can't make
out。 She sits here from year's end to year's end； the old hag； her
legs are bad and yet here all of a sudden she is out for a walk！〃
〃Hadn't we better ask the porter？〃
〃What？〃
〃Where she's gone and when she'll be back。〃
〃Hm。。。。 Damn it all！。。。 We might ask。。。。 But you know she never does
go anywhere。〃
And he once more tugged at the door…handle。
〃Damn it all。 There's nothing to be done； we must go！〃
〃Stay！〃 cried the young man suddenly。 〃Do you see how the door
shakes if you pull it？〃
〃Well？〃
〃That shows it's not locked； but fastened with the hook！ Do you hear
how the hook clanks？〃
〃Well？〃
〃Why； don't you see？ That proves that one of them is at home。 If
they were all out； they would have locked the door from the outside
with the key and not with the hook from inside。 There； do you hear how
the hook is clanking？ To fasten the hook on the inside they must be at
home； don't you see。 So there they are sitting inside and don't open
the door！〃
〃Well！ And so they must be！〃 cried Koch； astonished。 〃What are
they about in there！〃 And he began furiously shaking the door。
〃Stay！〃 cried the young man again。 〃Don't pull at it！ There must
be something wrong。。。。。 Here； you've been ringing and pulling at the
door and still they don't open！ So either they've both fainted or。。。〃
〃What？〃
〃I tell you what。 Let's go fetch the porter； let him wake them up。〃
〃All right。〃
Both were going down。
〃Stay。 You stop here while I run down for the porter。〃
〃What for？〃
〃Well； you'd better。〃
〃All right。〃
〃I'm studying the law you see！ It's evident； e…vi…dent there's
something wrong here！〃 the young man cried hotly； and he ran
downstairs。
Koch remained。 Once more he softly touched the bell which gave one
tinkle； then gently； as though reflecting and looking about him； began
touching the door…handle pulling it and letting it go to make sure
once more that it was only fastened by the hook。 Then puffing and
panting he bent down and began looking at the keyhole； but the key was
in the lock on the inside and so nothing could be seen。
Raskolnikov stood keeping tight hold of the axe。 He was in a sort of
delirium。 He was even making ready to fight when they should come
in。 While they were knocking and talking together； the idea several
times occurred to him to end it all at once and shout to them
through the door。 Now and then he was tempted to swear at them； to
jeer at them； while they could not open the door！ 〃Only make haste！〃
was the thought that flashed through his mind。
〃But what the devil is he about？。。。〃 Time was passing； one minute；
and another… no one came。 Koch began to be restless。
〃What the devil？〃 he cried suddenly and in impatience deserting
his sentry duty； he； too； went down； hurrying and thumping his heavy
boots on the stairs。 The steps died away。
〃Good heavens！ What am I to do？〃
Raskolnikov unfastened the hook； opened the door… there was no
sound。 Abruptly； without any thought at all； he went out； closing
the door as thoroughly as he could； and went downstairs。
He had gone down three flights when he suddenly heard a loud voice
below… where could he go！ There was nowhere to hide。 He was just going
back to the flat。
〃Hey there！ Catch the brute！〃
Somebody dashed out of a flat below； shouting； and rather fell
than ran down the stairs； bawling at the top of his voice。
〃Mitka！ Mitka！ Mitka！ Mitka！ Mitka！ Blast him！〃
The shout ended in a shriek； the last sounds came from the yard； all
was still。 But at the same instant several men talking loud and fast
began noisily mounting the stairs。 There were three or four of them。
He distinguished the ringing voice of the young man。 〃They！〃
Filled with despair he went straight to meet them； feeling 〃come
what must！〃 If they stopped him… all was lost； if they let him pass…
all was lost too； they would remember him。 They were approaching； they
were only a flight from him… and suddenly deliverance！ A few steps
from him on the right； there was an empty flat with the door wide
open； the flat on the second floor where the painters had been at
work； and which； as though for his benefit； they had just left。 It was
they； no doubt； who had just run down； shouting。 The floor had only
just been painted； in the middle of the room stood a pail and a broken
pot with paint and brushes。 In one instant he had whisked in at the
open door and hidden behind the wall and only in the nick of time；
they had already reached the landing。 Then they turned and went on
up to the fourth floor； talking loudly。 He waited； went out on
tiptoe and ran down the stairs。
No one was on the stairs； nor in the gateway。 He passed quickly
through the gateway and turned to the left in the street。
He knew； he knew perfectly well that at that moment they were at the
flat； that they were greatly astonished at finding it
