第192章

第192章hespentthateveningtillteno’clockgoingfromonelowhaunttoanother.katiatooturnedupandsanganotherguttersong,howacertain“villainandtyrant”

“begankissingkatia.”

svidrigailovtreatedkatiaandtheorgan-grinderandsomesingersandthewaitersandtwolittleclerks.hewasparticularlydrawntotheseclerksbythefactthattheybothhadcrookednoses,onebenttotheleftandtheothertotheright.theytookhimfinallytoapleasuregarden,wherehepaidfortheirentrance.therewasonelankythree-year-oldpine-treeandthreebushesinthegarden,besidesa“vauxhall,”whichwasinrealityadrinking-barwhereteatoowasserved,andtherewereafewgreentablesandchairsstandingroundit.achorusofwretchedsingersandadrunkenbutexceedinglydepressedgermanclownfrommunichwitharednoseentertainedthepublic.theclerksquarrelledwithsomeotherclerksandafightseemedimminent.svidrigailovwaschosentodecidethedispute.helistenedtothemforaquarterofanhour,buttheyshoutedsoloudthattherewasnopossibilityofunderstandingthem.theonlyfactthatseemedcertainwasthatoneofthemhadstolensomethingandhadeveneededinsellingitonthespottoajew,butwouldnotsharethespoilwithhiscompanion.finallyitappearedthatthestolenobjectwasateaspoonbelongingtothevauxhall.itwasmissedandtheaffairbegantoseemtroublesome.svidrigailovpaidforthespoon,gotup,andwalkedoutofthegarden.itwasaboutsixo’clock.hehadnotdrunkadropofwineallthistimeandhadorderedteamoreforthesakeofappearancesthananything.

itwasadarkandstiflingevening.threateningstorm-cloudscameovertheskyaboutteno’clock.therewasaclapofthunder,andtheraincamedownlikeawaterfall.thewaterfellnotindrops,butbeatontheearthinstreams.therewereflashesoflightningeveryminuteandeachflashlastedwhileonecouldcountfive.

drenchedtotheskin,hewenthome,lockedhimselfin,openedthebureau,tookoutallhismoneyandtoreuptwoorthreepapers.then,puttingthemoneyinhispocket,hewasabouttochangehisclothes,but,lookingoutofthewindowandlisteningtothethunderandtherain,hegaveuptheidea,tookuphishatandwentoutoftheroomwithoutlockingthedoor.hewentstraighttosonia.shewasathome.

shewasnotalone:thefourkapernaumovchildrenwerewithher.shewasgivingthemtea.shereceivedsvidrigailovinrespectfulsilence,lookingwonderinglyathissoakingclothes.thechildrenallranawayatonceinindescribableterror.

svidrigailovsatdownatthetableandaskedsoniatositbesidehim.shetimidlypreparedtolisten.

“imaybegoingtoamerica,sofyasemyonovna,”saidsvidrigailov,“andasiamprobablyseeingyouforthelasttime,ihavecometomakesomearrangements.well,didyouseetheladyto-day?iknowwhatshesaidtoyou,youneednottellme.”(soniamadeamovementandblushed.)“thosepeoplehavetheirownwayofdoingthings.astoyoursistersandyourbrother,theyarereallyprovidedforandthemoneyassignedtothemi’veputintosafekeepingandhavereceivedacknowledgments.youhadbettertakechargeofthereceipts,incaseanythinghappens.here,takethem!wellnow,that’ssettled.herearethree5-per-centbondstothevalueofthreethousandroubles.takethoseforyourself,entirelyforyourself,andletthatbestrictlybetweenourselves,sothatnooneknowsofit,whateveryouhear.youwillneedthemoney,fortogoonlivingintheoldway,sofyasemyonovna,isbad,andbesidesthereisnoneedforitnow.”

“iamsomuchindebtedtoyou,andsoarethechildrenandmystepmother,”saidsoniahurriedly,“andifi’vesaidsolittle…pleasedon’tconsider…”

“that’senough!that’senough!”

“butasforthemoney,arkadyivanovitch,iamverygratefultoyou,butidon’tneeditnow.icanalwaysearnmyownliving.don’tthinkmeungrateful.ifyouaresocharitable,thatmoney.…”

“it’sforyou,foryou,sofyasemyonovna,andpleasedon’twastewordsoverit.ihaven’ttimeforit.youwillwantit.rodionromanovitchhastwoalternatives:abulletinthebrainorsiberia.”(sonialookedwildlyathim,andstarted.)“don’tbeuneasy,iknowallaboutitfromhimselfandiamnotagossip;iwon’ttellanyone.itwasgoodadvicewhenyoutoldhimtogivehimselfupandconfess.itwouldbemuchbetterforhim.well,ifitturnsouttobesiberia,hewillgoandyouwillfollowhim.that’sso,isn’tit?andifso,you’llneedmoney.you’llneeditforhim,doyouunderstand?givingittoyouisthesameasmygivingittohim.besides,youpromisedamaliaivanovnatopaywhat’sowing.iheardyou.howcanyouundertakesuchobligationssoheedlessly,sofyasemyonovna?itwaskaterinaivanovna’sdebtandnotyours,soyououghtnottohavetakenanynoticeofthegermanwoman.youcan’tgetthroughtheworldlikethat.ifyouareeverquestionedaboutme—to-morroworthedayafteryouwillbeasked—don’tsayanythingaboutmycomingtoseeyounowanddon’tshowthemoneytoanyoneorsayawordaboutit.well,nowgood-bye.”(hegotup.)“mygreetingstorodionromanovitch.bytheway,you’dbetterputthemoneyforthepresentinmr.razumihin’skeeping.youknowmr.razumihin?ofcourseyoudo.he’snotabadfellow.takeittohimto-morrowor…whenthetimecomes.andtillthen,hideitcarefully.”

soniatoojumpedupfromherchairandlookedindismayatsvidrigailov.shelongedtospeak,toaskaquestion,butforthefirstmomentsshedidnotdareanddidnotknowhowtobegin.

“howcanyou…howcanyoubegoingnow,insuchrain?”

“why,bestartingforamerica,andbestoppedbyrain!ha,ha!good-bye,sofyasemyonovna,mydear!liveandlivelong,youwillbeofusetoothers.bytheway…tellmr.razumihinisendmygreetingstohim.tellhimarkadyivanovitchsvidrigailovsendshisgreetings.besureto.”

hewentout,leavingsoniainastateofwonderinganxietyandvagueapprehension.