crime and punishment(罪与罚)-第21节
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turning to the wall。
Nastasya stood over him。
〃Perhaps he really is ill；〃 she said； turned and went out。 She
came in again at two o'clock with soup。 He was lying as before。 The
tea stood untouched。 Nastasya felt positively offended and began
wrathfully rousing him。
〃Why are you lying like a log？〃 she shouted； looking at him with
repulsion。
He got up； and sat down again； but said nothing and stared at the
floor。
〃Are you ill or not？〃 asked Nastasya and again received no answer。
〃You'd better go out and get a breath of air；〃 she said after a pause。
〃Will you eat it or not？〃
〃Afterwards；〃 he said weakly。 〃You can go。〃
And he motioned her out。
She remained a little longer； looked at him with compassion and went
out。
A few minutes afterwards； he raised his eyes and looked for a long
while at the tea and the soup。 Then he took the bread； took up a spoon
and began to eat。
He ate a little； three or four spoonfuls； without appetite as it
were mechanically。 His head ached less。 After his meal he stretched
himself on the sofa again； but now he could not sleep； he lay
without stirring； with his face in the pillow。 He was haunted by
daydreams and such strange daydreams； in one； that kept recurring；
he fancied that he was in Africa； in Egypt； in some sort of oasis。 The
caravan was resting； the camels were peacefully lying down； the
palms stood all around in a complete circle； all the party were at
dinner。 But he was drinking water from a spring which flowed
gurgling close by。 And it was so cool； it was wonderful； wonderful；
blue； cold water running among the parti…coloured stones and over
the clean sand which glistened here and there like gold。。。。 Suddenly
he heard a clock strike。 He started； roused himself； raised his
head； looked out of the window； and seeing how late it was； suddenly
jumped up wide awake as though some one had pulled him off the sofa。
He crept on tiptoe to the door； stealthily opened it and began
listening on the staircase。 His heart beat terribly。 But all was quiet
on the stairs as if every one was asleep。。。。 It seemed to him
strange and monstrous that he could have slept in such forgetfulness
from the previous day and had done nothing； had prepared nothing
yet。。。。 And meanwhile perhaps it had struck six。 And his drowsiness
and stupefaction were followed by an extraordinary； feverish； as it
were； distracted； haste。 But the preparations to be made were few。
He concentrated all his energies on thinking of everything and
forgetting nothing； and his heart kept beating and thumping so that he
could hardly breathe。 First he had to make a noose and sew it into his
overcoat… a work of a moment。 He rummaged under his pillow and
picked out amongst the linen stuffed away under it； a worn out； old
unwashed shirt。 From its rags he tore a long strip； a couple of inches
wide and about sixteen inches long。 He folded this strip in two；
took off his wide； strong summer overcoat of some stout cotton
material （his only outer garment） and began sewing the two ends of the
rag on the inside； under the left armhole。 His hands shook as he
sewed； but he did it successfully so that nothing showed outside
when he put the coat on again。 The needle and thread he had got
ready long before and they lay on his table in a piece of paper。 As
for the noose； it was a very ingenious device of his own； the noose
was intended for the axe。 It was impossible for him to carry the axe
through the street in his hands。 And if hidden under his coat he would
still have had to support it with his hand； which would have been
noticeable。 Now he had only to put the head of the axe in the noose；
and it would hang quietly under his arm on the inside。 Putting his
hand in his coat pocket； he could hold the end of the handle all the
way； so that it did not swing； and as the coat was very full； a
regular sack in fact； it could not be seen from outside that he was
holding something with the hand that was in the pocket。 This noose；
too； he had designed a fortnight before。
When he had finished with this； he thrust his hand into a little
opening between his sofa and the floor； fumbled in the left corner and
drew out the pledge； which he had got ready long before and hidden
there。 This pledge was； however； only a smoothly planed piece of
wood the size and thickness of a silver cigarette case。 He picked up
this piece of wood in one of his wanderings in a courtyard where there
was some sort of a workshop。 Afterwards he had added to the wood a
thin smooth piece of iron； which he had also picked up at the same
time in the street。 Putting the iron which was a little the smaller on
the piece of wood； he fastened them very firmly； crossing and
re…crossing the thread round them； then wrapped them carefully and
daintily in clean white paper and tied up the parcel so that it
would be very difficult to untie it。 This was in order to divert the
attention of the old woman for a time； while she was trying to undo
the knot； and so to gain a moment。 The iron strip was added to give
weight； so that the woman might not guess the first minute that the
〃thing〃 was made of wood。 All this had been stored by him beforehand
under the sofa。 He had only just got the pledge out when he heard some
one suddenly about in the yard。
〃It struck six long ago。〃
〃Long ago！ My God！〃
He rushed to the door； listened； caught up his hat and began to
descend his thirteen steps cautiously； noiselessly； like a cat。 He had
still the most important thing to do… to steal the axe from the
kitchen。 That the deed must be done with an axe he had decided long
ago。 He had also a pocket pruning…knife； but he could not rely on
the knife and still less on his own strength； and so resolved
finally on the axe。 We may note in passing； one peculiarity in
regard to all the final resolutions taken by him in the matter； they
had one strange characteristic： the more final they were； the more
hideous and the more absurd they at once became in his eyes。 In
spite of all his agonising inward struggle； he never for a single
instant all that time could believe in the carrying out of his plans。
And； indeed； if it had ever happened that everything to the least
point could have been considered and finally settled； and no
uncertainty of any kind had remained； he would； it seems； have
renounced it all as something absurd； monstrous and impossible。 But
a whole mass of unsettled points and uncertainties remained。 As for
getting the axe； that trifling business cost him no anxiety； for
nothing could be easier。 Nastasya was continually out of the house；
especially in the evenings； she would run in to the neighbours or to a
shop； and always left the door ajar。 It was the one thing the landlady
was always scolding her about。 And so when the time came； he would
only have to go quietly into the kitchen and to take the axe； and an
hour later （when everything was over） go in and put it back again。 But
these were doubtful points。 Supposing he returned an hour later to put
it back； and Nastasya had come back and was on the spot。 He would of
course have to go by and wait till she went out again。 But supposing
she were in the meantime to miss the axe； look for it； make an outcry…
that would mean suspicion or at least grounds for suspicion。
But those were all trifles which he had not even begun to
consider； and indeed he had no time。 He was thinking of the chief
point； and put off trifling detail
