crime and punishment(罪与罚)-第125节
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not at all like other organ…grinders？ We aren't going to have a
Punch and Judy show in the street； but to sing a genteel song。。。。
Ah； yes；。。。 What are we to sing？ You keep putting me out； but we。。。
you see； we are standing here； Rodion Romanovitch； to find something
to sing and get money； something Kolya can dance to。。。。 For； as you
can fancy； our performance is all impromptu。。。。 We must talk it over
and rehearse it all thoroughly； and then we shall go to Nevsky；
where there are far more people of good society； and we shall be
noticed at once。 Lida knows 'My Village' only； nothing but 'My
Village；' and every one sings that。 We must sing something far more
genteel。。。。 Well； have you thought of anything； Polenka？ If only you'd
help your mother！ My memory's quite gone； or I should have thought
of something。 We really can't sing 'An Hussar。' Ah； let us sing in
French； 'Cinq sous；' I have taught it you； I have taught it you。 And
as it is in French； people will see at once that you are children of
good family； and that will be much more touching。。。。 You might sing
'Marlborough s'en va…t…en guerre；' for that's quite a child's song and
is sung as a lullaby in all the aristocratic houses。
…
Marlborough s'en va…t…en guerre
Ne sait quand reviendra。。。
…
she began singing。 〃But no； better sing 'Cinq sous。' Now； Kolya；
your hands on your hips； make haste； and you； Lida； keep turning the
other way； and Polenka and I will sing and clap our hands！
…
Cinq sous； cinq sous
Pour monter notre menage。
…
（Cough…cough…cough！） Set your dress straight； Polenka； it's
slipped down on your shoulders；〃 she observed； panting from
coughing。 〃Now it's particularly necessary to behave nicely and
genteelly； that all may see that you are well…born children。 I said at
the time that the bodice should be cut longer； and made of two widths。
It was your fault； Sonia； with your advice to make it shorter； and now
you see the child is quite deformed by it。。。。 Why； you're all crying
again！ What's the matter； stupids？ Come； Kolya； begin。 Make haste；
make haste！ Oh； what an unbearable child！
…
Cinq sous； cinq sous。
…
A policeman again！ What do you want？〃
A policeman was indeed forcing his way through the crowd。 But at
that moment a gentleman in civilian uniform and an overcoat… a
solid…looking official of about fifty with a decoration on his neck
（which delighted Katerina Ivanovna and had its effect on the
policeman）… approached and without a word handed her a green
three…rouble note。 His face wore a look of genuine sympathy。
Katerina Ivanovna took it and gave him a polite； even ceremonious；
bow。
〃I thank you； honoured sir；〃 she began loftily。 〃The causes that
have induced us （take the money； Polenka： you see there are generous
and honourable people who are ready to help a poor gentlewoman in
distress）。 You see； honoured sir； these orphans of good family… I
might even say of aristocratic connections… and that wretch of a
general sat eating grouse。。。 and stamped at my disturbing him。 'Your
excellency；' I said； 'protect the orphans； for you knew my late
husband； Semyon Zaharovitch； and on the very day of his death the
basest of scoundrels slandered his only daughter。'。。。 That policeman
again！ Protect me；〃 she cried to the official。 〃Why is that
policeman edging up to me？ We have only just run away from one of
them。 What do you want； fool？〃
〃It's forbidden in the streets。 You mustn't make a disturbance。〃
〃It's you're making a disturbance。 It's just the same as if I were
grinding an organ。 What business is it of yours？〃
〃You have to get a licence for an organ； and you haven't got one；
and in that way you collect a crowd。 Where do you lodge？〃
〃What； a license？〃 wailed Katerina Ivanovna。 〃I buried my husband
to…day。 What need of a license？〃
〃Calm yourself； madam； calm yourself；〃 began the official。 〃Come
along； I will escort you。。。。 This is no place for you in the crowd。
You are ill。〃
〃Honoured sir； honoured sir； you don't know；〃 screamed Katerina
Ivanovna。 〃We are going to the Nevsky。。。。 Sonia； Sonia！ Where is
she？ She is crying too！ What's the matter with you all？ Kolya； Lida；
where are you going？〃 she cried suddenly in alarm。 〃Oh； silly
children！ Kolya； Lida； where are they off to？。。。〃
Kolya and Lida； scared out of their wits by the crowd； and their
mother's mad pranks； suddenly seized each other by the hand； and ran
off at the sight of the policeman who wanted to take them away
somewhere。 Weeping and wailing； poor Katerina Ivanovna ran after them。
She was a piteous and unseemly spectacle； as she ran； weeping and
panting for breath。 Sonia and Polenka rushed after them。
〃Bring them back； bring them back； Sonia！ Oh stupid； ungrateful
children！。。。 Polenka！ catch them。。。。 It's for your sakes I。。。〃
She stumbled as she ran and fell down。
〃She's cut herself； she's bleeding！ Oh； dear！〃 cried Sonia；
bending over her。
All ran up and crowded round。 Raskolnikov and Lebeziatnikov were the
first at her side； the official too hastened up； and behind him the
policeman who muttered； 〃Bother！〃 with a gesture of impatience；
feeling that the job was going to be a troublesome one。
〃Pass on！ Pass on！〃 he said to the crowd that pressed forward。
〃She's dying；〃 some one shouted。
〃She's gone out of her mind；〃 said another。
〃Lord have mercy upon us；〃 said a woman； crossing herself。 〃Have
they caught the little girl and the boy？ They're being brought back；
the elder one's got them。。。。 Ah； the naughty imps！〃
When they examined Katerina Ivanovna carefully； they saw that she
had not cut herself against a stone； as Sonia thought； but that the
blood that stained the pavement red was from her chest。
〃I've seen that before；〃 muttered the official to Raskolnikov and
Lebeziatnikov； 〃that's consumption； the blood flows and chokes the
patient。 I saw the same thing with a relative of my own not long
ago。。。 nearly a pint of blood； all in a minute。。。。 What's to be done
though？ She is dying。〃
〃This way； this way； to my room！〃 Sonia implored。 〃I live here！。。。
See； that house； the second from here。。。。 Come to me； make haste；〃 she
turned from one to the other。 〃Send for the doctor！ Oh； dear！〃
Thanks to the official's efforts； this plan was adopted； the
policeman even helping to carry Katerina Ivanovna。 She was carried
to Sonia's room； almost unconscious； and laid on the bed。 The blood
was still flowing； but she seemed to be coming to herself。
Raskolnikov； Lebeziatnikov； and the official accompanied Sonia into
the room and were followed by the policeman； who first drove back
the crowd which followed to the very door。 Polenka came in holding
Kolya and Lida； who were trembling and weeping。 Several persons came
in too from the Kapernaumovs' room； the landlord； a lame one…eyed
man of strange appearance with whiskers and hair that stood up like
a brush； his wife； a woman with an
