crime and punishment(罪与罚)-第2节
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he liked all these surroundings： in such darkness even the most
inquisitive eyes were not to be dreaded。
〃If I am so scared now； what would it be if it somehow came to
pass that I were really going to do it？〃 he could not help asking
himself as he reached the fourth storey。 There his progress was barred
by some porters who were engaged in moving furniture out of a flat。 He
knew that the flat had been occupied by a German clerk in the civil
service； and his family。 This German was moving out then； and so the
fourth floor on this staircase would be untenanted except by the old
woman。 〃That's a good thing anyway；〃 he thought to himself； as he rang
the bell of the old woman's flat。 The bell gave a faint tinkle as
though it were made of tin and not of copper。 The little flats in such
houses always have bells that ring like that。 He had forgotten the
note of that bell； and now its peculiar tinkle seemed to remind him of
something and to bring it clearly before him。。。。 He started； his
nerves were terribly overstrained by now。 In a little while； the
door was opened a tiny crack： the old woman eyed her visitor with
evident distrust through the crack； and nothing could be seen but
her little eyes； glittering in the darkness。 But； seeing a number of
people on the landing； she grew bolder； and opened the door wide。
The young man stepped into the dark entry； which was partitioned off
from the tiny kitchen。 The old woman stood facing him in silence and
looking inquiringly at him。 She was a diminutive； withered up old
woman of sixty； with sharp malignant eyes and a sharp little nose。 Her
colourless； somewhat grizzled hair was thickly smeared with oil； and
she wore no kerchief over it。 Round her thin long neck； which looked
like a hen's leg； was knotted some sort of flannel rag； and； in
spite of the heat； there hung flapping on her shoulders； a mangy fur
cape； yellow with age。 The old woman coughed and groaned at every
instant。 The young man must have looked at her with a rather
peculiar expression； for a gleam of mistrust came into her eyes again。
〃Raskolnikov； a student； I came here a month ago；〃 the young man
made haste to mutter； with a half bow； remembering that he ought to be
more polite。
〃I remember； my good sir； I remember quite well your coming here；〃
the old woman said distinctly； still keeping her inquiring eyes on his
face。
〃And here。。。 I am again on the same errand；〃 Raskolnikov
continued； a little disconcerted and surprised at the old woman's
mistrust。 〃Perhaps she is always like that though； only I did not
notice it the other time；〃 he thought with an uneasy feeling。
The old woman paused； as though hesitating； then stepped on one
side； and pointing to the door of the room； she said； letting her
visitor pass in front of her：
〃Step in； my good sir。〃
The little room into which the young man walked； with yellow paper
on the walls； geraniums and muslin curtains in the windows； was
brightly lighted up at that moment by the setting sun。
〃So the sun will shine like this then too！〃 flashed as it were by
chance through Raskolnikov's mind； and with a rapid glance he
scanned everything in the room； trying as far as possible to notice
and remember its arrangement。 But there was nothing special in the
room。 The furniture； all very old and of yellow wood； consisted of a
sofa with a huge bent wooden back； an oval table in front of the sofa；
a dressing…table with a looking…glass fixed on it between the windows；
chairs along the walls and two or three half…penny prints in yellow
frames； representing German damsels with birds in their hands… that
was all。 In the corner a light was burning before a small ikon。
Everything was very clean； the floor and the furniture were brightly
polished； everything shone。
〃Lizaveta's work；〃 thought the young man。 There was not a speck of
dust to be seen in the whole flat。
〃It's in the houses of spiteful old widows that one finds such
cleanliness；〃 Raskolnikov thought again； and he stole a curious glance
at the cotton curtain over the door leading into another tiny room； in
which stood the old woman's bed and chest of drawers and into which he
had never looked before。 These two rooms made up the whole flat。
〃What do you want？〃 the old woman said severely； coming into the
room and； as before； standing in front of him so as to look him
straight in the face。
〃I've brought something to pawn here；〃 and he drew out of his pocket
an old…fashioned flat silver watch； on the back of which was
engraved a globe； the chain was of steel。
〃But the time is up for your last pledge。 The month was up the day
before yesterday。〃
〃I will bring you the interest for another month； wait a little。〃
〃But that's for me to do as I please； my good sir； to wait or to
sell your pledge at once。〃
〃How much will you give me for the watch； Alyona Ivanovna？〃
〃You come with such trifles； my good sir； it's scarcely worth
anything。 I gave you two roubles last time for your ring and one could
buy it quite new at a jeweler's for a rouble and a half。〃
〃Give me four roubles for it； I shall redeem it； it was my father's。
I shall be getting some money soon。〃
〃A rouble and a half； and interest in advance； if you like！〃
〃A rouble and a half！〃 cried the young man。
〃Please yourself〃… and the old woman handed him back the watch。
The young man took it； and was so angry that he was on the point of
going away； but checked himself at once； remembering that there was
nowhere else he could go； and that he had had another object also in
coming。
〃Hand it over；〃 he said roughly。
The old woman fumbled in her pocket for her keys； and disappeared
behind the curtain into the other room。 The young man； left standing
alone in the middle of the room； listened inquisitively； thinking。
He could hear her unlocking the chest of drawers。
〃It must be the top drawer；〃 he reflected。 〃So she carries the
keys in a pocket on the right。 All in one bunch on a steel ring。。。。
And there's one key there； three times as big as all the others；
with deep notches； that can't be the key of the chest of drawers。。。
then there must be some other chest or strong…box。。。 that's worth
knowing。 Strong…boxes always have keys like that。。。 but how
degrading it all is。〃
The old woman came back。
〃Here； sir： as we say ten copecks the rouble a month； so I must take
fifteen copecks from a rouble and a half for the month in advance。 But
for the two roubles I lent you before； you owe me now twenty copecks
on the same reckoning in advance。 That makes thirty…five copecks
altogether。 So I must give you a rouble and fifteen copecks for the
watch。 Here it is。〃
〃What！ only a rouble and fifteen copecks now！〃
〃Just so。〃
The young man did not dispute it and took the money。 He looked at
the old woman； and was in no hurry to get away； as though there was
still something he wanted to say or to do； but he did not himself
quite know what。
〃I may be bringing you something else in a day or two； Alyona
Ivanovna… a valuable thing… silver… a cigarette box； as soon as I
get it back from a friend。。。〃 he broke off in confusion。
〃Well； we will talk about it the
