第73章

第73章hercoughchokedher—butherreproacheswerenotwithoutresult.theyevidentlystoodinsomeaweofkaterinaivanovna.thelodgers,oneafteranother,squeezedbackintothedoorwaywiththatstrangeinnerfeelingofsatisfactionwhichmaybeobservedinthepresenceofasuddenaccident,eveninthosenearestanddearesttothevictim,fromwhichnolivingmanisexempt,eveninspiteofthesincerestsympathyandcompassion.

voicesoutsidewereheard,however,speakingofthehospitalandsayingthatthey’dnobusinesstomakeadisturbancehere.

“nobusinesstodie!”criedkaterinaivanovna,andshewasrushingtothedoortoventherwrathuponthem,butinthedoorwaycamefacetofacewithmadamelippevechselwhohadonlyjustheardoftheaccidentandranintorestoreorder.shewasaparticularlyquarrelsomeandirresponsiblegerman.

“ah,mygod!”shecried,claspingherhands,“yourhusbanddrunkenhorseshavetrampled!tothehospitalwithhim!iamthelandlady!”

“amalialudwigovna,ibegyoutorecollectwhatyouaresaying,”katerinaivanovnabeganhaughtily(shealwaystookahaughtytonewiththelandladythatshemight“rememberherplace”andevennowcouldnotdenyherselfthissatisfaction).“amalialudwigovna…”

“ihaveyouoncebeforetoldthatyoutocallmeamalialudwigovnamaynotdare;iamamaliaivanovna.”

“youarenotamaliaivanovna,butamalialudwigovna,andasiamnotoneofyourdespicableflattererslikemr.lebeziatnikov,who’slaughingbehindthedooratthismoment(alaughandacryof‘theyareatitagain’wasinfactaudibleatthedoor)soishallalwayscallyouamalialudwigovna,thoughifailtounderstandwhyyoudislikethatname.youcanseeforyourselfwhathashappenedtosemyonzaharovitch;heisdying.ibegyoutoclosethatdooratonceandtoadmitnoone.lethimatleastdieinpeace!oriwarnyouthegovernor-general,himself,shallbeinformedofyourconductto-morrow.theprinceknewmeasagirl;herememberssemyonzaharovitchwellandhasoftenbeenabenefactortohim.everyoneknowsthatsemyonzaharovitchhadmanyfriendsandprotectors,whomheabandonedhimselffromanhonourablepride,knowinghisunhappyweakness,butnow(shepointedtoraskolnikov)agenerousyoungmanhascometoourassistance,whohaswealthandconnectionsandwhomsemyonzaharovitchhasknownfromachild.youmayrestassured,amalialudwigovna…”

allthiswasutteredwithextremerapidity,gettingquickerandquicker,butacoughsuddenlycutshortkaterinaivanovna’seloquence.atthatinstantthedyingmanrecoveredconsciousnessandutteredagroan;sherantohim.theinjuredmanopenedhiseyesandwithoutrecognitionorunderstandinggazedatraskolnikovwhowasbendingoverhim.hedrewdeep,slow,painfulbreaths;bloodoozedatthecornersofhismouthanddropsofperspirationcameoutonhisforehead.notrecognisingraskolnikov,hebeganlookingrounduneasily.katerinaivanovnalookedathimwithasadbutsternface,andtearstrickledfromhereyes.

“mygod!hiswholechestiscrushed!howheisbleeding,”shesaidindespair.“wemusttakeoffhisclothes.turnalittle,semyonzaharovitch,ifyoucan,”shecriedtohim.

marmeladovrecognisedher.

“apriest,”hearticulatedhuskily.

katerinaivanovnawalkedtothewindow,laidherheadagainstthewindowframeandexclaimedindespair:

“oh,cursedlife!”

“apriest,”thedyingmansaidagainafteramoment’ssilence.

“they’vegoneforhim,”katerinaivanovnashoutedtohim,heobeyedhershoutandwassilent.withsadandtimideyeshelookedforher;shereturnedandstoodbyhispillow.heseemedalittleeasierbutnotforlong.

soonhiseyesrestedonlittlelida,hisfavourite,whowasshakinginthecorner,asthoughshewereinafit,andstaringathimwithherwonderingchildisheyes.

“a-ah,”hesignedtowardsheruneasily.hewantedtosaysomething.

“whatnow?”criedkaterinaivanovna.

“barefoot,barefoot!”hemuttered,indicatingwithfrenziedeyesthechild’sbarefeet.

“besilent,”katerinaivanovnacriedirritably,“youknowwhysheisbarefooted.”

“thankgod,thedoctor,”exclaimedraskolnikov,relieved.

thedoctorcamein,apreciselittleoldman,agerman,lookingabouthimmistrustfully;hewentuptothesickman,tookhispulse,carefullyfelthisheadandwiththehelpofkaterinaivanovnaheunbuttonedtheblood-stainedshirt,andbaredtheinjuredman’schest.itwasgashed,crushedandfractured,severalribsontherightsidewerebroken.ontheleftside,justovertheheart,wasalarge,sinister-lookingyellowish-blackbruise—acruelkickfromthehorse’shoof.thedoctorfrowned.thepolicemantoldhimthathewascaughtinthewheelandturnedroundwithitforthirtyyardsontheroad.

“it’swonderfulthathehasrecoveredconsciousness,”thedoctorwhisperedsoftlytoraskolnikov.

“whatdoyouthinkofhim?”heasked.

“hewilldieimmediately.”

“istherereallynohope?”

“notthefaintest!heisatthelastgasp.…hisheadisbadlyinjured,too…hm…icouldbleedhimifyoulike,but…itwouldbeuseless.heisboundtodiewithinthenextfiveortenminutes.”

“betterbleedhimthen.”

“ifyoulike.…butiwarnyouitwillbeperfectlyuseless.”

atthatmomentotherstepswereheard;thecrowdinthepassageparted,andthepriest,alittle,greyoldman,appearedinthedoorwaybearingthesacrament.apolicemanhadgoneforhimatthetimeoftheaccident.thedoctorchangedplaceswithhim,exchangingglanceswithhim.raskolnikovedthedoctortoremainalittlewhile.heedhisshouldersandremained.