crime and punishment(罪与罚)-第69节
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to…day？〃
〃Mother； show Rodya Pyotr Petrovitch's letter；〃 said Dounia。
With trembling hands； Pulcheria Alexandrovna gave him the letter。 He
took it with great interest； but； before opening it； he suddenly
looked with a sort of wonder at Dounia。
〃It is strange；〃 he said； slowly； as though struck by a new idea。
〃What am I making such a fuss for？ What is it all about？ Marry whom
you like！〃
He said this as though to himself； but said it aloud； and looked for
some time at his sister； as though puzzled。 He opened the letter at
last； still with the same look of strange wonder on his face。 Then；
slowly and attentively； he began reading； and read it through twice。
Pulcheria Alexandrovna showed marked anxiety； and all indeed
expected something particular。
〃What surprises me；〃 he began； after a short pause； handing the
letter to his mother； but not addressing any one in particular； 〃is
that he is a business man； a lawyer； and his conversation is
pretentious indeed； and yet he writes such an uneducated letter。〃
They all started。 They had expected something quite different。
〃But they all write like that； you know；〃 Razumihin observed；
abruptly。
〃Have you read it？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃We showed him； Rodya。 We。。。 consulted him just now；〃 Pulcheria
Alexandrovna began； embarrassed。
〃That's just the jargon of the courts；〃 Razumihin put in。 〃Legal
documents are written like that to this day。〃
〃Legal？ Yes； it's just legal… business language… not so very
uneducated； and not quite educated… business language！〃
〃Pyotr Petrovitch makes no secret of the fact that he had a cheap
education； he is proud indeed of having made his own way；〃 Avdotya
Romanovna observed； somewhat offended by her brother's tone。
〃Well； if he's proud of it； he has reason； I don't deny it。 You seem
to be offended； sister； at my making only such a frivolous criticism
on the letter； and to think that I speak of such trifling matters on
purpose to annoy you。 It is quite the contrary； an observation apropos
of the style occurred to me that is by no means irrelevant as things
stand。 There is one expression； 'blame yourselves' put in very
significantly and plainly； and there is besides a threat that he
will go away at once if I am present。 That threat to go away is
equivalent to a threat to abandon you both if you are disobedient； and
to abandon you now after summoning you to Petersburg。 Well； what do
you think？ Can one resent such an expression from Luzhin； as we should
if he （he pointed to Razumihin） had written it； or Zossimov； or one of
us？〃
〃N…no；〃 answered Dounia； with more animation。 〃I saw clearly that it
was too naively expressed； and that perhaps he simply has no skill
in writing。。。 that is a true criticism； brother。 I did not expect；
indeed。。。〃
〃It is expressed in legal style； and sounds coarser than perhaps
he intended。 But I must disillusion you a little。 There is one
expression in the letter； one slander about me； and rather a
contemptible one。 I gave the money last night to the widow； a woman in
consumption； crushed with trouble； and not 'on the pretext of the
funeral；' but simply to pay for the funeral； and not to the
daughter… a young woman； as he writes； of notorious behaviour （whom
I saw last night for the first time in my life）… but to the widow。
In all this I see a too hasty desire to slander me and to raise
dissension between us。 It is expressed again in legal jargon； that
is to say； with a too obvious display of the aim； and with a very
naive eagerness。 He is a man of intelligence； but to act sensibly；
intelligence is not enough。 It all shows the man and。。。 I don't
think he has a great esteem for you。 I tell you this simply to warn
you； because I sincerely wish for your good。。。〃
Dounia did not reply。 Her resolution had been taken。 She was only
awaiting the evening。
〃Then what is your decision； Rodya？〃 asked Pulcheria Alexandrovna；
who was more uneasy than ever at the sudden； new businesslike tone
of his talk。
〃What decision？〃
〃You see Pyotr Petrovitch writes that you are not to be with us this
evening； and that he will go away if you come。 So will you。。。 come？〃
〃That； of course； is not for me to decide； but for you first； if you
are not offended by such a request； and secondly； by Dounia； if she；
too； is not offended。 I will do what you think best；〃 he added drily。
〃Dounia has already decided； and I fully agree with her；〃
Pulcheria Alexandrovna hastened to declare。
〃I decided to ask you； Rodya； to urge you not to fail to be with
us at this interview；〃 said Dounia。 〃Will you come？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃I will ask you； too； to be with us at eight o'clock；〃 she said；
addressing Razumihin。 〃Mother； I am inviting him； too。〃
〃Quite right； Dounia。 Well； since you have decided；〃 added Pulcheria
Alexandrovna； 〃so be it。 I shall feel easier myself。 I do not like
concealment and deception。 Better let us have the whole truth。。。。
Pyotr Petrovitch may be angry or not； now！〃
Chapter Four
AT THAT moment the door was softly opened； and a young girl walked
into the room； looking timidly about her。 Every one turned towards her
with surprise and curiosity。 At first sight； Raskolnikov did not
recognise her。 It was Sofya Semyonovna Marmeladov。 He had seen her
yesterday for the first time； but at such a moment； in such
surroundings and in such a dress； that his memory retained a very
different image of her。 Now she was a modestly and poorly…dressed
young girl； very young； indeed almost like a child； with a modest
and refined manner； with a candid but somewhat frightened…looking
face。 She was wearing a very plain indoor dress； and had on a shabby
old…fashioned hat； but she still carried a parasol。 Unexpectedly
finding the room full of people； she was not so much embarrassed as
completely overwhelmed with shyness； like a little child。 She was even
about to retreat。 〃Oh。。。。 it's you！〃 said Raskolnikov； extremely
astonished； and he； too； was confused。 He at once recollected that his
mother and sister knew through Luzhin's letter of 〃some young woman of
notorious behaviour。〃 He had only just been protesting against
Luzhin's calumny and declaring that he had seen the girl last night
for the first time； and suddenly she had walked in。 He remembered；
too； that he had not protested against the expression 〃of notorious
behaviour。〃 All this passed vaguely and fleetingly through his
brain； but looking at her more intently； he saw that the humiliated
creature was so humiliated that he felt suddenly sorry for her。 When
she made a movement to retreat in terror； it sent a pang to his heart。
〃I did not expect you；〃 he said； hurriedly； with a look that made
her stop。 〃Please sit down。 You come； no doubt； from Katerina
Ivanovna。 Allow me… not there。 Sit here。。。。〃
At Sonia's entrance； Razumihin； who had been sitting on one of
Raskolnikov's three chairs； close to the door； got up to allow her
to enter。 Raskolnikov had at first shown her the place on the sofa
where Zossimov had been sitting
