crime and punishment(罪与罚)-第81章
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Rodion Romanovitch； that in our Petersburg circles； if two clever
men meet who are not intimate； but respect each other； like you and
me； it takes them half an hour before they can find a subject for
conversation… they are dumb； they sit opposite each other and feel
awkward。 Every one has subjects of conversation； ladies for
instance。。。 people in high society always have their subjects of
conversation； c'est de rigueur； but people of the middle sort like us；
thinking people that is； are always tongue…tied and awkward。 What is
the reason of it？ Whether it is the lack of public interest； or
whether it is we are so honest we don't want to deceive one another； I
don't know。 What do you think？ Do put down your cap； it looks as if
you were just going； it makes me uncomfortable。。。 I am so
delighted。。。〃
Raskolnikov put down his cap and continued listening in silence with
a serious frowning face to the vague and empty chatter of Porfiry
Petrovitch。 〃Does he really want to distract my attention with his
silly babble？〃
〃I can't offer you coffee here； but why not spend five minutes
with a friend；〃 Porfiry pattered on； 〃and you know all these
official duties。。。 please don't mind my running up and down； excuse
it； my dear fellow； I am very much afraid of offending you； but
exercise is absolutely indispensable for me。 I'm always sitting and so
glad to be moving about for five minutes。。。 I suffer from my sedentary
life。。。 I always intend to join a gymnasium； they say that officials
of all ranks； even Privy Councillors may be seen skipping gaily there；
there you have it； modern science。。。 yes； yes。。。。 But as for my duties
here； inquiries and all such formalities。。。 you mentioned inquiries
yourself just now。。。 I assure you these interrogations are sometimes
more embarrassing for the interrogator than for the interrogated。。。。
You made the observation yourself just now very aptly and wittily。
（Raskolnikov had made no observation of the kind。） One gets into a
muddle！ A regular muddle！ One keeps harping on the same note； like a
drum！ There is to be a reform and we shall be called by a different
name； at least； he…he…he！ And as for our legal tradition； as you so
wittily called it； I thoroughly agree with you。 Every prisoner on
trial； even the rudest peasant knows； that they begin by disarming him
with irrelevant questions （as you so happily put it） and then deal him
a knock…down blow； he…he…he！… your felicitous compacts son； he…he！
So you really imagined that I meant by government quarters。。。 he…he！
You are an ironical person。 Come。 I won't go on！ Ah； by the way；
yes！ One word leads to another。 You spoke of formality just now；
apropos of the inquiry； you know。 But what's the use of formality？
In many cases it's nonsense。 Sometimes one has a friendly chat and
gets a good deal more out of it。 One can always fall back on
formality； allow me to assure you。 And after all； what does it
amount to？ An examining lawyer cannot be bounded by formality at every
step。 The work of investigation is； so to speak； a free art in its own
way； he…he…he！〃
Porfiry Petrovitch took breath a moment。 He had simply babbled on
uttering empty phrases； letting slip a few enigmatic words and again
reverting to incoherence。 He was almost running about the room； moving
his fat little legs quicker and quicker； looking at the ground； with
his right hand behind his back； while with his left making
gesticulations that were extraordinarily incongruous with his words。
Raskolnikov suddenly noticed that as he ran about the room he seemed
twice to stop for a moment near the door； as though he were listening。
〃Is he expecting anything？〃
〃You are certainly quite right about it；〃 Porfiry began gaily；
looking with extraordinary simplicity at Raskolnikov （which startled
him and instantly put him on his guard）； 〃certainly quite right in
laughing so wittily at our legal forms； he…he！ Some of these elaborate
psychological methods are exceedingly ridiculous and perhaps
useless； if one adheres too closely to the forms。 Yes。。。 I am
talking of forms again。 Well； if I recognise； or more strictly
speaking； if I suspect some one or other to be a criminal in any
case entrusted to me。。。 you're reading for the law； of course；
Rodion Romanovitch？〃
〃Yes； I was。。。〃
〃Well； then it is a precedent for you for the future… though don't
suppose I should venture to instruct you after the articles you
publish about crime！ No； I simply make bold to state it by way of
fact； if I took this man or that for a criminal； why； I ask； should
I worry him prematurely； even though I had evidence against him？ In
one case I may be bound； for instance； to arrest a man at once； but
another may be in quite a different position； you know； so why
shouldn't I let him walk about the town a bit； he…he…he！ But I see you
don't quite understand； so I'll give you a clearer example。 If I put
him in prison too soon； I may very likely give him； so to speak； moral
support； he…he！ You're laughing？〃
Raskolnikov had no idea of laughing。 He was sitting with
compressed lips； his feverish eyes fixed on Porfiry Petrovitch's。
〃Yes that is the case； with some types especially； for men are so
different。 You say evidence。 Well； there may be evidence。 But
evidence； you know； can generally be taken two ways。 I am an examining
lawyer and a weak man； I confess it。 I should like to make a proof； so
to say； mathematically clear； I should like to make a chain of
evidence such as twice two are four； it ought to be a direct；
irrefutable proof！ And if I shut him up too soon… even though I
might be convinced he was the man； I should very likely be depriving
myself of the means of getting further evidence against him。 And
how？ By giving him； so to speak； a definite position； I shall put
him out of suspense and set his mind at rest； so that he will
retreat into his shell。 They say that at Sevastopol； soon after
Alma； the clever people were in a terrible fright that the enemy would
attack openly and take Sevastopol at once。 But when they saw that
the enemy preferred a regular siege； they were delighted； I am told
and reassured； for the thing would drag on for two months at least。
You're laughing； you don't believe me again？ Of course； you're
right； too。 You're right； you're right。 These are an special cases；
I admit。 But you must observe this； my dear Rodion Romanovitch； the
general case； the case for which all legal forms and rules are
intended； for which they are calculated and laid down in books； does
not exist at all； for the reason that every case； every crime for
instance； so soon as it actually occurs； at once becomes a
thoroughly special case and sometimes a case unlike any that's gone
before。 Very comic cases of that sort sometimes occur。 If I leave
one man quite alone； if I don't touch him and don't worry him； but let
him know or at least suspect every moment that I know all about it and
am watching him day and night； and if he is in continual suspicion and
terror； he'll be bound to lose his head。 He'll come of himself； or
maybe do something which will make it as plain as twice two are
four… it's delightful。 It may be so with a simple peasant； but with
one of our sort； an intelligent man cultivated on a certain side； it's
a dead certainty。 For； my dear fellow； it's a very important matter to
know on what side a man is cultivated。 And then there are nerves；
there are nerves； you have overlooked them！ Why； they are all sick；
nervous and irritable！。。。 And then how they all suffer from spleen！
That I assure you is a regular gold mine for us。 And it's no anxiety
to me； his running about the town free！ Let him； let him walk about
for a bit！ I know well enough that I've caught him and that he won't
escape me。 Where could he escape to； he…he？ Abroad； perhaps？ A Pole
will escape abroad； but not here； especially as I am watching and have
taken measures。 Will he escape into the depths of the country perhaps？
But you know； peasants live there； real rude Russian peasants。 A
modern cultivated man would prefer prison to living with such
strangers as our peasants。 He…he！ But that's all nonsense； and on
the surface。 It's not merely that he has nowhere to run to； he is
psychologically unable to escape me； he…he！ What an expression！
Through a law of nature he can't escape me if he had anywhere to go。
Have you seen a butterfly round a candle？ That's how he will keep
circling and circling round me。 Freedom will lose its attractions。
He'll begin to brood； hell weave a tangle round himself； he'll worry
himself to death！ What's more he will provide me with a mathematical
proof… if I only give him long enough interval。。。。 And he'll keep
circling round me； getting nearer and nearer and then… flop！ He'll fly
straight into my mouth and I'll swallow him； and that will be very
amusing； he…he…he！ You don't believe me？〃
Raskolnikov made no reply； he sat pale and motionless； still
gazing with the same intensity into Porfiry's face。
〃It's a lesson；〃 he thought； turning cold。 〃This is beyond the cat
playing with a mouse； like yesterday。 He can't be showing off his
power with no motive。。。 prompting me； he is far too clever for that。。。
he must have another object。 What is it？ It's all nonsense； my friend；
you are pretending； to scare me！ You've no proofs and the man I saw
had no real existence。 You simply want to make me lose my head； to
work me up beforehand and so to crush me。 But you are
