crime and punishment(罪与罚)-第24章
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The clerk looked at him； but without the slightest interest。 He
was a particularly unkempt person with the look of a fixed idea in his
eye。
〃There would be no getting anything out of him； because he has no
interest in anything；〃 thought Raskolnikov。
〃Go in there to the head clerk；〃 said the clerk； pointing towards
the furthest room。
He went into that room… the fourth in order； it was a small room and
packed full of people； rather better dressed than in the outer
rooms。 Among them were two ladies。 One； poorly dressed in mourning；
sat at the table opposite the chief clerk； writing something at his
dictation。 The other； a very stout； buxom woman with a purplish…red；
blotchy face； excessively smartly dressed with a brooch on her bosom
as big as a saucer； was standing on one side； apparently waiting for
something。 Raskolnikov thrust his notice upon the head clerk。 The
latter glanced at it； said： 〃Wait a minute；〃 and went on attending
to the lady in mourning。
He breathed more freely。 〃It can't be that！〃
By degrees he began to regain confidence； he kept urging himself
to have courage and be calm。
〃Some foolishness； some trifling carelessness； and I may betray
myself！ Hm。。。 it's a pity there's no air here；〃 he added； 〃it's
stifling。。。。 It makes one's head dizzier than ever。。。 and one's mind
too。。。〃
He was conscious of a terrible inner turmoil。 He was afraid of
losing his self…control； he tried to catch at something and fix his
mind on it； something quite irrelevant； but he could not succeed in
this at all。 Yet the head clerk greatly interested him； he kept hoping
to see through him and guess something from his face。
He was a very young man； about two and twenty； with a dark mobile
face that looked older than his years。 He was fashionably dressed
and foppish； with his hair parted in the middle； well combed and
pomaded； and wore a number of rings on his well…scrubbed fingers and a
gold chain on his waistcoat。 He said a couple of words in French to
a foreigner who was in the room； and said them fairly correctly。
〃Luise Ivanovna； you can sit down；〃 he said casually to the
gaily…dressed； purple…faced lady； who was still standing as though not
venturing to sit down； though there was a chair beside her。
〃Ich danke；〃 said the latter； and softly； with a rustle of silk
she sank into the chair。 Her light blue dress trimmed with white
lace floated about the table like an air…balloon and filled almost
half the room。 She smelt of scent。 But she was obviously embarrassed
at filling half the room and smelling so strongly of scent； and though
her smile was impudent as well as cringing； it betrayed evident
uneasiness。
The lady in mourning had done at last； and got up。 All at once； with
some noise； an officer walked in very jauntily； with a peculiar
swing of his shoulders at each step。 He tossed his cockaded cap on the
table and sat down in an easy…chair。 The small lady positively skipped
from her seat on seeing him； and fell to curtsying in a sort of
ecstasy； but the officer took not the smallest notice of her； and
she did not venture to sit down again in his presence。 He was the
assistant superintendent。 He had a reddish moustache that stood out
horizontally on each side of his face； and extremely small features；
expressive of nothing much except a certain insolence。 He looked
askance and rather indignantly at Raskolnikov； he was so very badly
dressed； and in spite of his humiliating position； his bearing was
by no means in keeping with his clothes。 Raskolnikov had unwarily
fixed a very long and direct look on him； so that he felt positively
affronted。
〃What do you want？〃 he shouted； apparently astonished that such a
ragged fellow was not annihilated by the majesty of his glance。
〃I was summoned。。。 by a notice。。。〃 Raskolnikov faltered。
〃For the recovery of money due； from the student；〃 the head clerk
interfered hurriedly； tearing himself from his papers。 〃Here！〃 and
he flung Raskolnikov a document and pointed out the place。 〃Read
that！〃
〃Money？ What money？〃 thought Raskolnikov； 〃but。。。 then。。。 it's
certainly not that。〃
And he trembled with joy。 He felt sudden intense indescribable
relief。 A load was lifted from his back。
〃And pray； what time were you directed to appear； sir？〃 shouted
the assistant superintendent； seeming for some unknown reason more and
more aggrieved。 〃You are told to come at nine； and now it's twelve！〃
〃The notice was only brought me a quarter of an hour ago；〃
Raskolnikov answered loudly over his shoulder。 To his own surprise he；
too； grew suddenly angry and found a certain pleasure in it。 〃And it's
enough that I have come here ill with fever。〃
〃Kindly refrain from shouting！〃
〃I'm not shouting； I'm speaking very quietly； it's you who are
shouting at me。 I'm a student； and allow no one to shout at me。〃
The assistant superintendent was so furious that for the first
minute he could only splutter inarticulately。 He leaped up from his
seat。
〃Be silent！ You are in a government office。 Don't be impudent； sir！〃
〃You're in a government office； too；〃 cried Raskolnikov； 〃and you're
smoking a cigarette as well as shouting； so you are showing disrespect
to all of us。〃
He felt an indescribable satisfaction at having said this。
The head clerk looked at him with a smile。 The angry assistant
superintendent was obviously disconcerted。
〃That's not your business！〃 he shouted at last with unnatural
loudness。 〃Kindly make the declaration demanded of you。 Show him。
Alexandr Grigorievitch。 There is a complaint against you！ You don't
pay your debts！ You're a fine bird！〃
But Raskolnikov was not listening now； he had eagerly clutched at
the paper； in haste to find an explanation。 He read it once； and a
second time； and still did not understand。
〃What is this？〃 he asked the head clerk。
〃It is for the recovery of money on an I。O。U。； a writ。 You must
either pay it； with all expenses； costs and so on； or give a written
declaration when you can pay it； and at the same time an undertaking
not to leave the capital without payment； and nor to sell or conceal
your property。 The creditor is at liberty to sell your property； and
proceed against you according to the law。〃
〃But I。。。 am not in debt to any one！〃
〃That's not our business。 Here； an I。O。U。 for a hundred and
fifteen roubles； legally attested； and due for payment； has been
brought us for recovery； given by you to the widow of the assessor
Zarnitsyn； nine months ago； and paid over by the widow Zarnitsyn to
one Mr。 Tchebarov。 We therefore summon you hereupon。〃
〃But she is my landlady！〃
〃And what if she is your landlady？〃
The head clerk looked at him with a condescending smile of
compassion； and at the same time with a certain triumph； as at a
novice under fire for the first time… as though he would say： 〃Well；
how do you feel now？〃 But what did he care now for an I。O。U。； for a
writ of recovery！ Was that worth worrying about now； was it worth
attention even！ He stood； he read； he listened； he answered； he even
asked questions himself； but all mechanically。 The triumphant sense of
security； of deliverance from overwhelming danger； that was what
filled his whole soul that moment without thought for the future；
without analysis； without suppositions or surmises； without doubts and
without questioning。 It was an instant of full； direct； purely
instinctive joy。 But at that very moment something like a thunderstorm
took place in the office。 The assistant superintendent； still shaken
by Raskolnikov's disrespect； still fuming and obviously anxious to
keep up his wounded dignity； pounced on the unfortunate smart lady；
who had been gazing at him ever since he came in with an exceedingly
silly smile。
〃You shameful hussy！〃 he shouted suddenly at the top of his voice。
（The lady in mourning had left the office。） 〃What was going on at your
house last night？ Eh！ A disgrace again； you're a scandal to the
whole street。 Fighting and drinking again。 Do you want the house of
correction？ Why； I have warned you ten times over that I would not let
you off the eleventh！ And here you are again； again； you。。。 you。。。！〃
The paper fell out of Raskolnikov's hands； and he looked wildly at
the smart lady who was so unceremoniously treated。 But he soon saw
what it meant； and at once began to find positive amusement in the
scandal。 He listened with pleasure； so that he longed to laugh and
laugh。。。 all his nerves were on edge。
〃Ilya Petrovitch！〃 the head clerk was beginning anxiously； but
stopped short； for he knew from experience that the enraged
assistant could not be stopped except by force。
As for the smart lady； at first she positively trembled before the
storm。 But strange to say； the more numerous and viole
