第97章

第97章raskolnikovwasalreadyenteringtheroom.hecameinlookingasthoughhehadtheutmostdifficultynottoburstoutlaughingagain.behindhimrazumihinstrodeingawkyandawkward,shamefacedandredasapeony,withanutterlycrestfallenandferociousexpression.hisfaceandwholefigurereallywereridiculousatthatmomentandamplyjustifiedraskolnikov’slaughter.raskolnikov,notwaitingforanintroduction,bowedtoporfirypetrovitch,whostoodinthemiddleoftheroomlookinginquiringlyatthem.heheldouthishandandshookhands,stillapparentlymakingdesperateeffortstosubduehismirthandutterafewwordstointroducehimself.buthehadnosoonereededinassumingaseriousairandmutteringsomethingwhenhesuddenlyglancedagainasthoughaccidentallyatrazumihin,andcouldnolongercontrolhimself:hisstifledlaughterbrokeoutthemoreirresistiblythemorehetriedtorestrainit.theextraordinaryferocitywithwhichrazumihinreceivedthis“spontaneous”mirthgavethewholescenetheappearanceofmostgenuinefunandnaturalness.razumihinstrengthenedthisimpressionasthoughonpurpose.

“fool!youfiend,”heroared,wavinghisarmwhichatoncestruckalittleroundtablewithanemptytea-glassonit.everythingwassentflyingandcrashing.

“butwhybreakchairs,gentlemen?youknowit’salosstothecrown,”porfirypetrovitchquotedgaily.

raskolnikovwasstilllaughing,withhishandinporfirypetrovitch’s,butanxiousnottooverdoit,awaitedtherightmomenttoputanaturalendtoit.razumihin,completelyputtoconfusionbyupsettingthetableandsmashingtheglass,gazedgloomilyatthefragments,cursedandturnedsharplytothewindowwherehestoodlookingoutwithhisbacktothecompanywithafiercelyscowlingcountenance,seeingnothing.porfirypetrovitchlaughedandwasreadytogoonlaughing,butobviouslylookedforexplanations.zametovhadbeensittinginthecorner,butheroseatthevisitors’entranceandwasstandinginexpectationwithasmileonhislips,thoughhelookedwithsurpriseandevenitseemedincredulityatthewholesceneandatraskolnikovwithacertainembarrassment.zametov’sunexpectedpresencestruckraskolnikovunpleasantly.

“i’vegottothinkofthat,”hethought.“excuseme,please,”hebegan,affectingextremeembarrassment.“raskolnikov.”

“notatall,verypleasanttoseeyou…andhowpleasantlyyou’vecomein.…why,won’theevensaygood-morning?”porfirypetrovitchnoddedatrazumihin.

“uponmyhonouridon’tknowwhyheisinsucharagewithme.ionlytoldhimaswecamealongthathewaslikeromeo…andprovedit.andthatwasall,ithink!”

“pig!”ejaculatedrazumihin,withoutturninground.

“theremusthavebeenverygravegroundsforit,ifheissofuriousattheword,”porfirylaughed.

“oh,yousharplawyer!…damnyouall!”snappedrazumihin,andsuddenlyburstingoutlaughinghimself,hewentuptoporfirywithamorecheerfulfaceasthoughnothinghadhappened.“that’lldo!weareallfools.tocometobusiness.thisismyfriendrodionromanovitchraskolnikov;inthefirstplacehehasheardofyouandwantstomakeyouracquaintance,andsecondly,hehasalittlematterofbusinesswithyou.bah!zametov,whatbroughtyouhere?haveyoumetbefore?haveyouknowneachotherlong?”

“whatdoesthismean?”thoughtraskolnikovuneasily.

zametovseemedtakenaback,butnotverymuchso.

“why,itwasatyourroomswemetyesterday,”hesaideasily.

“thenihavebeensparedthetrouble.alllastweekhewasingmetointroducehimtoyou.porfiryandyouhavesniffedeachotheroutwithoutme.whereisyouro?”

porfirypetrovitchwaswearingadressing-gown,verycleanlinen,andtrodden-downslippers.hewasamanofaboutfiveandthirty,short,stouteventocorpulence,andcleanshaven.heworehishaircutshortandhadalargeroundhead,particularlyprominentattheback.hissoft,round,rathersnub-nosedfacewasofasicklyyellowishcolour,buthadavigorousandratherironicalexpression.itwouldhavebeengood-naturedexceptforalookintheeyes,whichshonewithawatery,mawkishlightunderalmostwhite,blinkingeyelashes.theexpressionofthoseeyeswasstrangelyoutofkeepingwithhissomewhatwomanishfigure,andgaveitsomethingfarmoreseriousthancouldbeguessedatfirstsight.

assoonasporfirypetrovitchheardthathisvisitorhadalittlematterofbusinesswithhim,heedhimtositdownonthesofaandsatdownhimselfontheotherend,waitingforhimtoexplainhisbusiness,withthatcarefulandover-seriousattentionwhichisatonceoppressiveandembarrassing,especiallytoastranger,andespeciallyifwhatyouarediscussingisinyouropinionoffartoolittleimportanceforsuchexceptionalsolemnity.butinbriefandcoherentphrasesraskolnikovexplainedhisbusinessclearlyandexactly,andwassowellsatisfiedwithhimselfthatheeveneededintakingagoodlookatporfiry.porfirypetrovitchdidnotoncetakehiseyesoffhim.razumihin,sittingoppositeatthesametable,listenedwarmlyandimpatiently,lookingfromonetotheothereverymomentwithratherexcessiveinterest.

“fool,”raskolnikovsworetohimself.

“youhavetogiveinformationtothepolice,”porfiryreplied,withamostbusinesslikeair,“thathavinglearntofthisincident,thatisofthemurder,youbegtoinformthelawyerinchargeofthecasethatsuchandsuchthingsbelongtoyou,andthatyoudesiretoredeemthem…or…buttheywillwritetoyou.”

“that’sjustthepoint,thatatthepresentmoment,”raskolnikovtriedhisutmosttofeignembarrassment,“iamnotquiteinfunds…andeventhistriflingsumisbeyondme…ionlywanted,yousee,forthepresenttodeclarethatthethingsaremine,andthatwhenihavemoney.…”