第184章

第184章svidrigailovstruckthetablewithhisfistimpatiently.hewasflushed.raskolnikovsawclearlythattheglassorglassandahalfofchampagnethathehadsippedalmostunconsciouslywasaffectinghim—andheresolvedtotakeadvantageoftheopportunity.hefeltverysuspiciousofsvidrigailov.

“well,afterwhatyouhavesaid,iamfullyconvincedthatyouhavecometopetersburgwithdesignsonmysister,”hesaiddirectlytosvidrigailov,inordertoirritatehimfurther.

“oh,nonsense,”saidsvidrigailov,seemingtorousehimself.“why,itoldyou…besidesyoursistercan’tendureme.”

“yes,iamcertainthatshecan’t,butthat’snotthepoint.”

“areyousosurethatshecan’t?”svidrigailovscreweduphiseyesandsmiledmockingly.“youareright,shedoesn’tloveme,butyoucanneverbesureofwhathaspassedbetweenhusbandandwifeorloverandmistress.there’salwaysalittlecornerwhichremainsasecrettotheworldandisonlyknowntothosetwo.willyouanswerforitthatavdotyaromanovnaregardedmewithaversion?”

“fromsomewordsyou’vedropped,inoticethatyoustillhavedesigns—andofcourseevilones—ondouniaandmeantocarrythemoutpromptly.”

“what,haveidroppedwordslikethat?”svidrigailovaskedinnaivedismay,takingnottheslightestnoticeoftheepithetbestowedonhisdesigns.

“why,youaredroppingthemevennow.whyareyousofrightened?whatareyousoafraidofnow?”

“me—afraid?afraidofyou?youhaverathertobeafraidofme,cherami.butwhatnonsense.…i’vedrunktoomuchthough,iseethat.iwasalmostsayingtoomuchagain.damnthewine!hi!there,water!”

hesnatchedupthechampagnebottleandflungitwithoutceremonyoutofthewindow.philipbroughtthewater.

“that’sallnonsense!”saidsvidrigailov,wettingatowelandputtingittohishead.“buticanansweryouinonewordandannihilateallyoursuspicions.doyouknowthatiamgoingtogetmarried?”

“youtoldmesobefore.”

“didi?i’veforgotten.buticouldn’thavetoldyousoforcertainforihadnotevenseenmybetrothed;ionlymeantto.butnowireallyhaveabetrothedandit’sasettledthing,andifitweren’tthatihavebusinessthatcan’tbeputoff,iwouldhavetakenyoutoseethematonce,forishouldliketoaskyouradvice.ach,hangit,onlytenminutesleft!see,lookatthewatch.butimusttellyou,forit’saninterestingstory,mymarriage,initsownway.whereareyouoffto?goingagain?”

“no,i’mnotgoingawaynow.”