第95章

第95章“hewasinquiringforpeoplewhohadpawnedthings,andihavesomepledgesthere,too—trifles—aringmysistergavemeasakeepsakewhenilefthome,andmyfather’ssilverwatch—theyareonlyworthfiveorsixroublesaltogether…butivaluethem.sowhatamitodonow?idonotwanttolosethethings,especiallythewatch.iwasquakingjustnow,forfearmotherwouldasktolookatit,whenwespokeofdounia’swatch.itistheonlythingoffather’sleftus.shewouldbeillifitwerelost.youknowwhatwomenare.sotellmewhattodo.iknowioughttohavegivennoticeatthepolicestation,butwoulditnotbebettertogostraighttoporfiry?eh?whatdoyouthink?themattermightbesettledmorequickly.yousee,mothermayaskforitbeforedinner.”

“certainlynottothepolicestation.certainlytoporfiry,”razumihinshoutedinextraordinaryexcitement.“well,howgladiam.letusgoatonce.itisacoupleofsteps.weshallbesuretofindhim.”

“verywell,letusgo.”

“andhewillbevery,verygladtomakeyouracquaintance.ihaveoftentalkedtohimofyouatdifferenttimes.iwasspeakingofyouyesterday.letusgo.soyouknewtheoldwoman?sothat’sit!itisallturningoutsplendidly.…oh,yes,sofyaivanovna…”

“sofyasemyonovna,”correctedraskolnikov.“sofyasemyonovna,thisismyfriendrazumihin,andheisagoodman.”

“ifyouhavetogonow,”soniawasbeginning,notlookingatrazumihinatall,andstillmoreembarrassed.

“letusgo,”decidedraskolnikov.“iwillcometoyouto-day,sofyasemyonovna.onlytellmewhereyoulive.”

hewasnotexactlyillatease,butseemedhurried,andavoidedhereyes.soniagaveheraddress,andflushedasshedidso.theyallwentouttogether.

“don’tyoulockup?”askedrazumihin,followinghimontothestairs.

“never,”answeredraskolnikov.“ihavebeenmeaningtobuyalockforthesetwoyears.peoplearehappywhohavenoneedoflocks,”hesaid,laughing,tosonia.theystoodstillinthegateway.

“doyougototheright,sofyasemyonovna?howdidyoufindme,bytheway?”headded,asthoughhewantedtosaysomethingquitedifferent.hewantedtolookathersoftcleareyes,butthiswasnoteasy.

“why,yougaveyouraddresstopolenkayesterday.”

“polenka?oh,yes;polenka,thatisthelittlegirl.sheisyoursister?didigivehertheaddress?”

“why,hadyouforgotten?”

“no,iremember.”

“ihadheardmyfatherspeakofyou…onlyididnotknowyourname,andhedidnotknowit.andnowicame…andasihadlearntyourname,iaskedto-day,‘wheredoesmr.raskolnikovlive?’ididnotknowyouhadonlyaroomtoo.…good-bye,iwilltellkaterinaivanovna.”

shewasextremelygladtoescapeatlast;shewentawaylookingdown,hurryingtogetoutofsightassoonaspossible,towalkthetwentystepstotheturningontherightandtobeatlastalone,andthenmovingrapidlyalong,lookingatnoone,noticingnothing,tothink,toremember,tomeditateoneveryword,everydetail.never,neverhadshefeltanythinglikethis.dimlyandunconsciouslyawholenewworldwasopeningbeforeher.sherememberedsuddenlythatraskolnikovmeanttocometoherthatday,perhapsatonce!

“onlynotto-day,please,notto-day!”shekeptmutteringwithasinkingheart,asthoughentreatingsomeone,likeafrightenedchild.“mercy!tome…tothatroom…hewillsee…oh,dear!”

shewasnotcapableatthatinstantofnoticinganunknowngentlemanwhowaswatchingherandfollowingatherheels.hehadaccompaniedherfromthegateway.atthemomentwhenrazumihin,raskolnikov,andshestoodstillatpartingonthepavement,thisgentleman,whowasjustpassing,startedonhearingsonia’swords:“andiaskedwheremr.raskolnikovlived?”heturnedarapidbutattentivelookuponallthree,especiallyuponraskolnikov,towhomsoniawasspeaking;thenlookedbackandnotedthehouse.allthiswasdoneinaninstantashepassed,andtryingnottobetrayhisinterest,hewalkedonmoreslowlyasthoughwaitingforsomething.hewaswaitingforsonia;hesawthattheywereparting,andthatsoniawasgoinghome.

“home?where?i’veseenthatfacesomewhere,”hethought.“imustfindout.”

attheturninghecrossedover,lookedround,andsawsoniacomingthesameway,noticingnothing.sheturnedthecorner.hefollowedherontheotherside.afteraboutfiftypaceshecrossedoveragain,overtookherandkepttwoorthreeyardsbehindher.

hewasamanaboutfifty,rathertallandthicklyset,withbroadhighshoulderswhichmadehimlookasthoughhestoopedalittle.heworegoodandfashionableclothes,andlookedlikeagentlemanofposition.hecarriedahandsomecane,whichhetappedonthepavementateachstep;hisgloveswerespotless.hehadabroad,ratherpleasantfacewithhighcheek-bonesandafreshcolour,notoftenseeninpetersburg.hisflaxenhairwasstillabundant,andonlytouchedhereandtherewithgrey,andhisthicksquarebeardwasevenlighterthanhishair.hiseyeswereblueandhadacoldandthoughtfullook;hislipswerecrimson.hewasaremarkedlywell-preservedmanandlookedmuchyoungerthanhisyears.