crime and punishment(罪与罚)-第52章
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all the most important facts he knew of the last year of Raskolnikov's
life； concluding with a circumstantial account of his illness。 He
omitted； however； many things； which were better omitted； including
the scene at the police station with all its consequences。 They
listened eagerly to his story； and； when he thought he had finished
and satisfied his listeners； he found that they considered he had
hardly begun。
〃Tell me； tell me！ What do you think。。。？ Excuse me； I still don't
know your name！〃 Pulcheria Alexandrovna put in hastily。
〃Dmitri Prokofitch。〃
〃I should like very； very much to know； Dmitri Prokofitch。。。 how
he looks。。。 on things in general now； that is； how can I explain； what
are his likes and dislikes？ Is he always so irritable？ Tell me； if you
can； what are his hopes and so to say his dreams？ Under what
influences is he now？ In a word； I should like。。。〃
〃Ah； mother； how can he answer all that at once？〃 observed Dounia。
〃Good heavens； I had not expected to find him in the least like
this； Dmitri Prokofitch！〃
〃Naturally；〃 answered Razumihin。 〃I have no mother； but my uncle
comes every year and almost every time he can scarcely recognise me；
even in appearance； though he is a clever man； and your three years'
separation means a great deal。 What am I to tell you？ I have known
Rodion for a year and a half； he is morose； gloomy； proud and haughty；
and of late… and perhaps for a long time before… he has been
suspicious and fanciful。 He has a noble nature and a kind heart。 He
does not like showing his feelings and would rather do a cruel thing
than open his heart freely。 Sometimes； though； he is not at all
morbid； but simply cold and inhumanly callous； it's as though he
were alternating between two characters。 Sometimes he is fearfully
reserved！ He says he is so busy that everything is a hindrance； and
yet he lies in bed doing nothing。 He doesn't jeer at things； not
because he hasn't the wit； but as though he hadn't time to waste on
such trifles。 He never listens to what is said to him。 He is never
interested in what interests other people at any given moment。 He
thinks very highly of himself and perhaps he is right。 Well； what
more？ I think your arrival will have a most beneficial influence
upon him。〃
〃God grant it may；〃 cried Pulcheria Alexandrovna； distressed by
Razumihin's account of her Rodya。
And Razumihin ventured to look more boldly at Avdotya Romanovna at
last。 He glanced at her often while he was talking； but only for a
moment and looked away again at once。 Avdotya Romanovna sat at the
table； listening attentively； then got up again and began walking to
and fro with her arms folded and her lips compressed； occasionally
putting in a question； without stopping her walk。 She had the same
habit of not listening to what was said。 She was wearing a dress of
thin dark stuff and she had a white transparent scarf round her
neck。 Razumihin soon detected signs of extreme poverty in their
belongings。 Had Avdotya Romanovna been dressed like a queen； he felt
that he would not be afraid of her； but perhaps just because she was
poorly dressed and that he noticed all the misery of her surroundings；
his heart was filled with dread and he began to be afraid of every
word he uttered； every gesture he made； which was very trying for a
man who already felt diffident。
〃You've told us a great deal that is interesting about my
brother's character。。。 and have told it impartially。 I am glad。 I
thought that you were too uncritically devoted to him；〃 observed
Avdotya Romanovna with a smile。 〃I think you are right that he needs a
woman's care；〃 she added thoughtfully。
〃I didn't say so； but I daresay you are right； only。。。〃
〃What？〃
〃He loves no one and perhaps he never will；〃 Razumihin declared
decisively。
〃You mean he is not capable of love？〃
〃Do you know； Avdotya Romanovna； you are awfully like your
brother； in everything； indeed！〃 he blurted out suddenly to his own
surprise； but remembering at once what he had just before said of
her brother； he turned as red as a crab and was overcome with
confusion。 Avdotya Romanovna couldn't help laughing when she looked at
him。
〃You may both be mistaken about Rodya；〃 Pulcheria Alexandrovna
remarked； slightly piqued。 〃I am not talking of our present
difficulty； Dounia。 What Pyotr Petrovitch writes in this letter and
what you and I have supposed may be mistaken； but you can't imagine；
Dmitri Prokofitch； how moody and； so to say； capricious he is。 I never
could depend on what he would do when he was only fifteen。 And I am
sure that he might do something now that nobody else would think of
doing。。。 Well； for instance； do you know how a year and a half ago
he astounded me and gave me a shock that nearly killed me； when he had
the idea of marrying that girl… what was her name… his landlady's
daughter？〃
〃Did you hear about that affair？〃 asked Avdotya Romanovna。
〃Do you suppose…〃 Pulcheria Alexandrovna continued warmly。 〃Do you
suppose that my tears； my entreaties； my illness； my possible death
from grief； our poverty would have made him pause？ No； he would calmly
have disregarded all obstacles。 And yet it isn't that he doesn't
love us！〃
〃He has never spoken a word of that affair to me；〃 Razumihin
answered cautiously。 〃But I did hear something from Praskovya Pavlovna
herself； though she is by no means a gossip。 And what I heard
certainly was rather strange。〃
〃And what did you hear？〃 both the ladies asked at once。
〃Well； nothing very special。 I only learned that the marriage； which
only failed to take place through the girl's death； was not at all
to Praskovya Pavlovna's liking。 They say； too； the girl was not at all
pretty； in fact I am told positively ugly。。。 and such an invalid。。。
and queer。 But she seems to have had some good qualities。 She must
have had some good qualities or it's quite inexplicable。。。。 She had no
money either and he wouldn't have considered her money。。。。 But it's
always difficult to judge in such matters。〃
〃I am sure she was a good girl；〃 Avdotya Romanovna observed briefly。
〃God forgive me； I simply rejoiced at her death。 Though I don't know
which of them would have caused most misery to the other… he to her or
she to him；〃 Pulcheria Alexandrovna concluded。 Then she began
tentatively questioning him about the scene on the previous day with
Luzhin； hesitating and continually glancing at Dounia； obviously to
the latter's annoyance。 This incident more than all the rest evidently
caused her uneasiness； even consternation。 Razumihin described it in
detail again； but this time he added his own conclusions： he openly
blamed Raskolnikov for intentionally insulting Pyotr Petrovitch； not
seeking to excuse him on the score of his illness。
〃He had planned it before his illness；〃 he added。
〃I think so； too；〃 Pulcheria Alexandrovna agreed with a dejected
air。 But she was very much surprised at hearing Razumihin express
himself so carefully and even with a certain respect about Pyotr
Petrovitch。 Avdotya Romanovna； too； was struck by it。
〃So this is your opinion of Pyotr Petrovitch？〃 Pulcheria
Alexandrovna could not resist asking。
〃I can have no other opinion of your daughter's future husband；〃
Razumihin answered firmly and with warmth； 〃and I don't say it
simply from vulgar politeness； but because。。。 simply because Avdotya
Romanovna has of her own free will deigned to accept this man。 If I
spoke so rudely of him last night； it was because I was disgustingly
drunk and。。。 mad besides； yes； mad； crazy； I lost my head
completely。。。 and this morning I am ashamed of it。〃
He crimsoned and ceased speaking。 Avdotya Romanovna flushed； but did
not break the silence。 She had not uttered a word from the moment they
began to speak of Luzhin。
Without her support Pulcheria Alexandrovna obviously did not know
what to do。 At last； faltering and continually glancing at her
daughter； she confessed that she was exceedingly worried by one
circumstance。
〃You see； Dmitri Prokofitch；〃 she began。 〃I'll be perfectly open
with Dmitri Prokofitch； Dounia？〃
〃Of course； mother；〃 said Avdotya Romanovna emphatically。
〃This is what it is；〃 she began in haste； as though the permission
to speak of her trouble lifted a weight off her mind。 〃Very early this
morning we got a note from Pyotr Petrovitch in reply to our letter
announcing our arrival。 He promised to meet us at the station； you
know； instead of that he sent a servant to bring us the address of
these lodgings and to show us the way； and he sent a message that he
would be here himself this morning。 But this morning this note came
from him。 You'd better read it yourself； there is one point in it
which worries me very much。。。 you will soon see what that is； and。。。
tell me your candid opinion； Dmitri Prokofitch！ You know Rodya's
character better than any one and no one can advise us
