crime and punishment(罪与罚)-第115节
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cried with a heartrending wail； and she ran to Katerina Ivanovna；
who clasped her tightly in her arms； as though she would shelter her
from all the world。
〃Sonia！ Sonia！ I don't believe it！ You see； I don't believe it！〃 she
cried in the face of the obvious fact； swaying her to and fro in her
arms like a baby； kissing her face continually； then snatching at
her hands and kissing them； too。 〃You took it！ How stupid these people
are！ Oh dear！ You are fools； fools；〃 she cried； addressing the whole
room； 〃you don't know； you don't know what a heart she has； what a
girl she is！ She take it； she？ She'd sell her last rag； she'd go
barefoot to help you if you needed it； that's what she is！ She has the
yellow passport because my children were starving； she sold herself
for us！ Ah； husband； husband！ Do you see？ Do you see？ What a
memorial dinner for you！ Merciful heavens！ Defend her； why are you all
standing still？ Rodion Romanovitch； why don't you stand up for her？ Do
you believe it； too？ You are not worth her little finger； all of you
together！ Good God！ Defend her now； at least！〃
The wail of the poor； consumptive； helpless woman seemed to
produce a great effect on her audience。 The agonised； wasted；
consumptive face； the parched blood…stained lips； the hoarse voice；
the tears unrestrained as a child's； the trustful； childish and yet
despairing prayer for help were so piteous that every one seemed to
feel for her。 Pyotr Petrovitch at any rate was at once moved to
compassion。
〃Madam； madam； this incident does not reflect upon you！〃 he cried
impressively； 〃no one would take upon himself to accuse you of being
an instigator or even an accomplice in it； especially as you have
proved her guilt by turning out her pockets； showing that you had no
previous idea of it。 I am most ready； most ready to show compassion；
if poverty； so to speak； drove Sofya Semyonovna to it； but why did you
refuse to confess； mademoiselle？ Were you afraid of the disgrace？
The first step？ You lost your head； perhaps？ One can quite
understand it。。。。 But how could you have lowered yourself to such an
action？ Gentlemen；〃 he addressed the whole company； 〃gentlemen！
Compassionate and so to say commiserating these people； I am ready
to overlook it even now in spite of the personal insult lavished
upon me！ And may this disgrace be a lesson to you for the future；〃
he said； addressing Sonia； 〃and I will carry the matter no further。
Enough！〃
Pyotr Petrovitch stole a glance at Raskolnikov。 Their eyes met；
and the fire in Raskolnikov's seemed ready to reduce him to ashes。
Meanwhile Katerina Ivanovna apparently heard nothing。 She was
kissing and hugging Sonia like a madwoman。 The children； too； were
embracing Sonia on all sides； and Polenka；… though she did not fully
understand what was wrong；… was drowned in tears and shaking with
sobs； as she hid her pretty little face； swollen with weeping； on
Sonia's shoulder。
〃How vile！〃 a loud voice cried suddenly in the doorway。
Pyotr Petrovitch looked round quickly。
〃What vileness！〃 Lebeziatnikov repeated； staring him straight in the
face。
Pyotr Petrovitch gave a positive start… all noticed it and
recalled it afterwards。 Lebeziatnikov strode into the room。
〃And you dared to call me as witness？〃 he said； going up to Pyotr
Petrovitch。
〃What do you mean？ What are you talking about？〃 muttered Luzhin。
〃I mean that you。。。 are a slanderer； that's what my words mean！〃
Lebeziatnikov said hotly； looking sternly at him with his shortsighted
eyes。
He was extremely angry。 Raskolnikov gazed intently at him； as though
seizing and weighing each word。 Again there was a silence。 Pyotr
Petrovitch indeed seemed almost dumbfounded for the first moment。
〃If you mean that for me；。。。〃 he began； stammering。 〃But what's
the matter with you？ Are you out of your mind？〃
〃I'm in my mind； but you are a scoundrel！ Ah； how vile！ I have heard
everything。 I kept waiting on purpose to understand it； for I must own
even now it is not quite logical。。。。 What you have done it all for I
can't understand。〃
〃Why； what have I done then？ Give over talking in your nonsensical
riddles！ Or maybe you are drunk！〃
〃You may be a drunkard； perhaps； vile man； but I am not！ I never
touch vodka； for it's against my convictions。 Would you believe it；
he； he himself； with his own hands gave Sofya Semyonovna that
hundred…rouble note… I saw it； I was a witness； I'll take my oath！
He did it； he！〃 repeated Lebeziatnikov； addressing all。
〃Are you crazy； milksop？〃 squealed Luzhin。 〃She is herself before
you；… she herself here declared just now before every one that I
gave her only ten roubles。 How could I have given it to her？〃
〃I saw it； I saw it；〃 Lebeziatnikov repeated； 〃and although it is
against my principles； I am ready this very minute to take any oath
you like before the court； for I saw how you slipped it in her pocket。
Only like a fool I thought you did it out of kindness！ When you were
saying good…bye to her at the door； while you held her hand in one
hand； with the other； the left； you slipped the note into her
pocket。 I saw it； I saw it！〃
Luzhin turned pale。
〃What lies！〃 he cried impudently； 〃why； how could you； standing by
the window； see the note！ You fancied it with your shortsighted
eyes。 You are raving！〃
〃No； I didn't fancy it。 And though I was standing some way off； I
saw it all。 And though it certainly would be hard to distinguish a
note from the window；… that's true… I knew for certain that it was a
hundred…rouble note； because； when you were going to give Sofya
Semyonovna ten roubles； you took up from the table a hundred…rouble
note （I saw it because I was standing near then； and an idea struck me
at once； so that I did not forget you had it in your hand）。 You folded
it and kept it in your hand all the time。 I didn't think of it again
until； when you were getting up； you changed it from your right hand
to your left and nearly dropped it！ I noticed it because the same idea
struck me again； that you meant to do her a kindness without my
seeing。 You can fancy how I watched you and I saw how you succeeded in
slipping it into her pocket。 I saw it； I saw it； I'll take my oath。〃
Lebeziatnikov was almost breathless。 Exclamations arose on all hands
chiefly expressive of wonder； but some were menacing in tone。 They all
crowded round Pyotr Petrovitch。 Katerina Ivanovna flew to
Lebeziatnikov。
〃I was mistaken in you！ Protect her！ You are the only one to take
her part！ She is an orphan。 God has sent you！〃
Katerina Ivanovna； hardly knowing what she was doing； sank on her
knees before him。
〃A pack of nonsense！〃 yelled Luzhin； roused to fury； 〃it's all
nonsense you've been talking！ 'An idea struck you； you didn't think；
you noticed'… what does it amount to？ So I gave it to her on the sly
on purpose？ What for？ With what object？ What have I to do with
this。。。？〃
〃What for？ That's what I can't understand； but that what I am
telling you is the fact； that's certain！ So far from my being
mistaken； you infamous； criminal man； I remember how； on account of
it； a question occurred to me at once； just when I was thanking you
and pressing your hand。 What made
