crime and punishment(罪与罚)-第72章
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astute man； and insinuating where ladies are concerned； of which Marfa
Petrovna； who has died so strangely； is a terrible instance。 My only
desire has been to be of service to you and your mother with my
advice； in view of the renewed efforts which may certainly be
anticipated from him。 For my part it's my firm conviction； that he
will end in a debtor's prison again。 Marfa Petrovna had not the
slightest intention of settling anything substantial on him； having
regard for his children's interests； and； if she left him anything； it
would only be the merest sufficiency； something insignificant and
ephemeral； which would not last a year for a man of his habits。〃
〃Pyotr Petrovitch； I beg you；〃 said Dounia； 〃say no more of Mr。
Svidrigailov。 It makes me miserable。〃
〃He has just been to see me；〃 said Raskolnikov； breaking his silence
for the first time。
There were exclamations from all； and they all turned to him。 Even
Pyotr Petrovitch was roused。
〃An hour and a half ago； he came in when I was asleep； waked me； and
introduced himself；〃 Raskolnikov continued。 〃He was fairly cheerful
and at ease； and quite hopes that we shall become friends。 He is
particularly anxious by the way； Dounia； for an interview with you； at
which he asked me to assist。 He has a proposition to make to you；
and he told me about it。 He told me； too； that a week before her death
Marfa Petrovna left you three thousand roubles in her will； Dounia；
and that you can receive the money very shortly。〃
〃Thank God！〃 cried Pulcheria Alexandrovna； crossing herself。 〃Pray
for her soul； Dounia！〃
〃It's a fact！〃 broke from Luzhin。
〃Tell us； what more？〃 Dounia urged Raskolnikov。
〃Then he said that he wasn't rich and all the estate was left to his
children who are now with an aunt； then that he was staying
somewhere not far from me； but where； I don't know； I didn't ask。。。。〃
〃But what； what does he want to propose to Dounia？〃 cried
Pulcheria Alexandrovna in a fright。 〃Did he tell you？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃What was it？〃
〃I'll tell you afterwards。〃
Raskolnikov ceased speaking and turned his attention to his tea。
Pyotr Petrovitch looked at his watch。
〃I am compelled to keep a business engagement； and so I shall not be
in your way；〃 he added with an air of some pique and he began
getting up。
〃Don't go； Pyotr Petrovitch；〃 said Dounia； 〃you intended to spend
the evening。 Besides； you wrote yourself that you wanted to have an
explanation with mother。〃
〃Precisely so； Avdotya Romanovna；〃 Pyotr Petrovitch answered
impressively； sitting down again； but still holding his hat。 〃I
certainly desired an explanation with you and your honoured mother
upon a very important point indeed。 But as your brother cannot speak
openly in my presence to some proposals of Mr。 Svidrigailov； I； too；
do not desire and am not able to speak openly。。。 in the presence of
others。。。 of certain matters of the greatest gravity。 Moreover； my
most weighty and urgent request has been disregarded。。。。〃
Assuming an aggrieved air； Luzhin relapsed into dignified silence。
〃Your request that my brother should not be present at our meeting
was disregarded solely at my instance；〃 said Dounia。 〃You wrote that
you had been insulted by my brother； I think that this must be
explained at once； and you must be reconciled。 And if Rodya really has
insulted you； then he should and will apologise。〃
Pyotr Petrovitch took a stronger line。
〃There are insults； Avdotya Romanovna； which no good…will can make
us forget。 There is a line in everything which it is dangerous to
overstep； and when it has been overstepped； there is no return。〃
〃That wasn't what I was speaking of exactly； Pyotr Petrovitch；〃
Dounia interrupted with some impatience。 〃Please understand that our
whole future depends now on whether all this is explained and set
right as soon as possible。 I tell you frankly at the start that I
cannot look at it in any other light； and if you have the least regard
for me； all this business must be ended to…day； however hard that
may be。 I repeat that if my brother is to blame he will ask your
forgiveness。〃
〃I am surprised at your putting the question like that；〃 said
Luzhin； getting more and more irritated。 〃Esteeming； and so to say；
adoring you； I may at the same time； very well indeed； be able to
dislike some member of your family。 Though I lay claim to the
happiness of your hand； I cannot accept duties incompatible with。。。〃
〃Ah； don't be so ready to take offence； Pyotr Petrovitch；〃 Dounia
interrupted with feeling； 〃and be the sensible and generous man I have
always considered； and wish to consider； you to be。 I've given you a
great promise； I am your betrothed。 Trust me in this matter and；
believe me； I shall be capable of judging impartially。 My assuming the
part of judge is as much a surprise for my brother as for you。 When
I insisted on his coming to our interview to…day after your letter；
I told him nothing of what I meant to do。 Understand that； if you
are not reconciled； I must choose between you… it must be either you
or he。 That is how the question rests on your side and on his。 I don't
want to be mistaken in my choice； and I must not be。 For your sake I
must break off with my brother； for my brother's sake I must break off
with you。 I can find out for certain now whether he is a brother to
me； and I want to know it； and of you； whether I am dear to you；
whether you esteem me； whether you are the husband for me。〃
〃Avdotya Romanovna；〃 Luzhin declared huffily； 〃your words are of too
much consequence to me； I will say more； they are offensive in view of
the position I have the honour to occupy in relation to you。 To say
nothing of your strange and offensive setting me on a level with an
impertinent boy； you admit the possibility of breaking your promise to
me。 You say 'you or he；' showing thereby of how little consequence I
am in your eyes。。。 I cannot let this pass considering the relationship
and。。。 the obligations existing between us。〃
〃What！〃 cried Dounia； flushing。 〃I set your interest beside all that
has hitherto been most precious in my life； what has made up the whole
of my life； and here you are offended at my making too little
account of you。〃
Raskolnikov smiled sarcastically； Razumihin fidgeted； but Pyotr
Petrovitch did not accept the reproof； on the contrary； at every
word he became more persistent and irritable； as though he relished
it。
〃Love for the future partner of your life； for your husband； ought
to outweigh your love for your brother；〃 he pronounced
sententiously； 〃and in any case I cannot be put on the same
level。。。。 Although I said so emphatically that I would not speak
openly in your brother's presence； nevertheless； I intend now to ask
your honoured mother for a necessary explanation on a point of great
importance closely affecting my dignity。 Your son；〃 he turned to
Pulcheria Alexandrovna； 〃yesterday in the presence of Mr。 Razsudkin
（or。。。 I think that's it？ excuse me I have forgotten your surname；〃 he
bowed politely to Razumihin） 〃insulted me by misrepresenting the
idea I expressed to you in a private conversation； drinking coffee；
that is； that marriage with a poor girl who has had experience of
trouble is more advantageous from the conjugal point of view than with
one who has lived in luxury； since it is more profitable for the moral
character。 Your son intentionally exaggerated the significance of my
words and made them ridiculous； accusing me of malicious intentions；
and； as far as I could see； relied upon your correspondence with
him。 I shall consider myself happy； Pulcheria Alexandrovna； if it is
possible for you to convince me of an opposite conclusion； and thereby
considerately reassure me。 Kindly let me know in what terms
precisely you repeated my words in your letter to Rodion Romanovitch。〃
〃I don't remember；〃 faltered Pulcheria Alexandrovna。 〃I repeated
them as I understood them。 I don't know how Rodya repeated them to
you； perhaps he exaggerated。〃
〃He could not have exaggerated them； except at your instigation。〃
〃Pyotr Petrovitch；〃 Pulcheria Alexandrovna declared with dignity；
〃the proof that Dounia and I did not take your words in a very bad
sense is the fact that we are here。〃
〃Good； mother；〃 said Dounia approvingly。
〃Then this is my fault again；〃 said Luzhin； aggrieved。
〃Well； Pyotr Petrovitch； you keep blaming Rodion； but you yourself
have just written what was false about him；〃 Pulcheria Alexandrovna
added； gaining courage。
〃I don't remember writing anything false。〃
〃You wrote；〃 Raskolnikov said sharply； not turning to Luzhin；
〃that I gave money yesterday not to the widow of the man who was
killed； as was the fact； but to his daughter （whom I had never seen
till yesterday）。 You wrote this to make dissension between me and my
family； and for that object added coarse expressions about the conduct
of a girl whom you don't know。 All that is mean slande
