crime and punishment(罪与罚)-第41节
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〃Oh； yes！ Well； here's the story。 Early on the third day after the
murder； when they were still dandling Koch and Pestryakov… though they
accounted for every step they took and it was as plain as a pikestaff…
an unexpected fact turned up。 A peasant called Dushkin； who keeps a
dram…shop facing the house； brought to the police office a
jeweller's case containing some gold ear…rings； and told a long
rigamarole。 'The day before yesterday； just after eight o'clock'… mark
the day and the hour！… 'a journeyman house…painter； Nikolay； who had
been in to see me already that day； brought me this box of gold
ear…rings and stones； and asked me to give him two roubles for them。
When I asked him where he got them； he said that he picked them up
in the street。 I did not ask him anything more。' I am telling you
Dushkin's story。 'I gave him a note'… a rouble that is… 'for I thought
if he did not pawn it with me he would with another。 It would all come
to the same thing… he'd spend it on drink； so the thing had better
be with me。 The further you hide it the quicker you will find it；
and if anything turns up； if I hear any rumours； I'll take it to the
police。' Of course； that's all taradiddle； he lies like a horse； for I
know this Dushkin； he is a pawnbroker and a receiver of stolen
goods； and he did not cheat Nikolay out of a thirty…rouble trinket
in order to give it to the police。 He was simply afraid。 But no
matter； to return to Dushkin's story。 'I've known this peasant；
Nikolay Dementyev； from a child； he comes from the same province and
district of Zaraisk； we are both Ryazan men。 And though Nikolay is not
a drunkard； he drinks； and I knew he had a job in that house； painting
work with Dmitri； who comes from the same village； too。 As soon as
he got the rouble he changed it； had a couple of glasses； took his
change and went out。 But I did not see Dmitri with him then。 And the
next day I heard that some one had murdered Alyona Ivanovna and her
sister； Lizaveta Ivanovna； with an axe。 I knew them； and I felt
suspicious about the ear…rings at once； for I knew the murdered
woman lent money on pledges。 I went to the house； and began to make
careful inquiries without saying a word to any one。 First of all I
asked； 〃Is Nikolay here？〃 Dmitri told me that Nikolay had gone off
on the spree； he had come home at daybreak drunk； stayed in the
house about ten minutes； and went out again。 Dmitri didn't see him
again and is finishing the job alone。 And their job is on the same
staircase as the murder； on the second floor。 When I heard all that
I did not say a word to any one'… that's Dushkin's tale… 'but I
found out what I could about the murder； and went home feeling as
suspicious as ever。 And at eight o'clock this morning'… that was the
third day； you understand… 'I saw Nikolay coming in； not sober； though
not so very drunk… he could understand what was said to him。 He sat
down on the bench and did not speak。 There was only one stranger in
the bar and a man I knew asleep on a bench and our two boys。 〃Have you
seen Dmitri？〃 said I。 〃No； I haven't；〃 said he。 〃And you've not been
here either？〃 〃Not since the day before yesterday；〃 said he。 〃And
where did you sleep last night？〃 〃In Peski； with the Kolomensky
men。〃 〃And where did you get those ear…rings？〃 I asked。 〃I found
them in the street；〃 and the way he said it was a bit queer； he did
not look at me。 〃Did you hear what happened that very evening； at that
very hour； on that same staircase？〃 said I。 〃No；〃 said he； 〃I had
not heard；〃 and all the while he was listening； his eyes were
staring out of his head and he turned as white as chalk。 I told him
all about it and he took his hat and began getting up。 I wanted to
keep him。 〃Wait a bit； Nikolay；〃 said I； 〃won't you have a drink？〃 And
I signed to the boy to hold the door； and I came out from behind the
bar； but he darted out and down the street to the turning at a run。
I have not seen him since。 Then my doubts were at an end… it was his
doing； as clear as could be。。。。〃
〃I should think so；〃 said Zossimov。
〃Wait！ Hear the end。 Of course they sought high and low for Nikolay；
they detained Dushkin and searched his house； Dmitri； too； was
arrested； the Kolomensky men also were turned inside out。 And the
day before yesterday they arrested Nikolay in a tavern at the end of
the town。 He had gone there； taken the silver cross off his neck and
asked for a dram for it。 They gave it to him。 A few minutes afterwards
the woman went to the cowshed； and through a crack in the wall she saw
in the stable adjoining he had made a noose of his sash from the beam；
stood on a block of wood； and was trying to put his neck in the noose。
The woman screeched her hardest； people ran in。 'So that's what you
are up to！' 'Take me；' he says； 'to such…and…such a police officer；
I'll confess everything。' Well； they took him to that police
station… that is here… with a suitable escort。 So they asked him
this and that； how old he is； 'twenty…two；' and so on。 At the
question； 'When you were working with Dmitri； didn't you see any one
on the staircase at such…and…such a time？'… answer： 'To be sure
folks may have gone up and down； but I did not notice them。' 'And
didn't you hear anything； any noise； and so on？' 'We heard nothing
special。' 'And did you hear； Nikolay； that on the same day Widow
So…and…so and her sister were murdered and robbed？' 'I never knew a
thing about it。 The first I heard of it was from Afanasy Pavlovitch
the day before yesterday。' 'And where did you find the ear…rings？'
'I found them on the pavement。 〃Why didn't you go to work with
Dmitri the other day？' 'Because I was drinking。' 'And where were you
drinking？' 'Oh； in such…and…such a place。' 'Why did you run away
from Dushkin's？' 'Because I was awfully frightened。' 'What were you
frightened of？' 'That I should be accused。' 'How could you be
frightened； if you felt free from guilt？' Now； Zossimov； you may not
believe me； that question was put literally in those words。 I know
it for a fact； it was repeated to me exactly！ What do you say to
that？〃
〃Well； anyway； there's the evidence。〃
〃I am not talking of the evidence now； I am talking about that
question； of their own idea of themselves。 Well； so they squeezed
and squeezed him and he confessed： 'I did not find it in the street；
but in the flat where I was painting with Dmitri。' 'And how was that？'
'Why； Dmitri and I were painting there all day； and we were just
getting ready to go； and Dmitri took a brush and painted my face；
and he ran off and I after him。 I ran after him； shouting my
hardest； and at the bottom of the stairs I ran right against the
porter and some gentlemen… and how many gentlemen were there I don't
remember。 And the porter swore at me； and the other porter swore； too；
and the porter's wife came out； and swore at us； too； and a
gentleman came into the entry with a lady； and he swore at us； too；
for Dmitri and I lay right across the way。 I got hold of Dmitri's hair
and knocked him down and began beating him。 And Dmitri； too； caught me
by the hair and began beating me。 But we did it all not for temper；
but in a friendly way； for sport。 And then Dmitri escaped and ran into
the street； and I ran after him； but I did not catch him； and went
back to the flat alone； I had to clear up my things。 I began putting
them together； expecting Dmitri to come； and there in the passage；
in the corner by the door； I stepped on the box。 I saw it lying
there wrapped up in paper。 I took off the paper； saw some little
hooks； undid them； and in the box were the ear…rings。。。。'〃
〃Behind the door？ Lying behind the door？ Behind the door？〃
Raskolnikov cried suddenly； staring with a blank look of terror at
Razumihin； and he slowly sat up on the sofa； leaning on his hand。
〃Yes。。。 why？ What's the matter？ What's wrong？〃 Razumihin； too； got
up from his seat。
