第150章

第150章“no,youknownothing?”luzhinrepeatedandagainhepausedforsomeseconds.“thinkamoment,mademoiselle,”hebeganseverely,butstill,asitwere,admonishingher.“reflect,iampreparedtogiveyoutimeforconsideration.kindlyobservethis:ifiwerenotsoentirelyconvincedishouldnot,youmaybesure,withmyexperienceventuretoaccuseyousodirectly.seeingthatforsuchdirectaccusationbeforewitnesses,iffalseorevenmistaken,ishouldmyselfinacertainsensebemaderesponsible,iamawareofthat.thismorningichangedformyownpurposesseveralfive-per-centsecuritiesforthesumofapproximatelythreethousandroubles.theaccountisnoteddowninmypocket-book.onmyreturnhomeiproceededtocountthemoney—asmr.lebeziatnikovwillbearwitness—andaftercountingtwothousandthreehundredroublesiputtherestinmypocket-bookinmycoatpocket.aboutfivehundredroublesremainedonthetableandamongthemthreenotesofahundredroubleseach.atthatmomentyouentered(atmyinvitation)—andallthetimeyouwerepresentyouwereexceedinglyembarrassed;sothatthreetimesyoujumpedupinthemiddleoftheconversationandtriedtomakeoff.mr.lebeziatnikovcanbearwitnesstothis.youyourself,mademoiselle,probablywillnotrefusetoconfirmmystatementthatiinvitedyouthroughmr.lebeziatnikov,solelyinordertodiscusswithyouthehopelessanddestitutepositionofyourrelative,katerinaivanovna(whosedinneriwasunabletoattend),andtheadvisabilityofgettingupsomethingofthenatureofasubscription,lotteryorthelike,forherbenefit.youthankedmeandevenshedtears.idescribeallthisasittookplace,primarilytorecallittoyourmindandsecondlytoshowyouthatnottheslightestdetailhasescapedmyrecollection.thenitookaten-roublenotefromthetableandhandedittoyoubywayoffirstinstalmentonmypartforthebenefitofyourrelative.mr.lebeziatnikovsawallthis.theniaccompaniedyoutothedoor—youbeingstillinthesamestateofembarrassment—afterwhich,beingleftalonewithmr.lebeziatnikovitalkedtohimfortenminutes—thenmr.lebeziatnikovwentoutandireturnedtothetablewiththemoneylyingonit,intendingtocountitandtoputitaside,asiproposeddoingbefore.tomysurpriseonehundred-roublenotehaddisappeared.kindlyconsidertheposition.mr.lebeziatnikovicannotsuspect.iamashamedtoalludetosuchasupposition.icannothavemadeamistakeinmyreckoning,fortheminutebeforeyourentranceihadfinishedmyaccountsandfoundthetotalcorrect.youwilladmitthatrecollectingyourembarrassment,youreagernesstogetawayandthefactthatyoukeptyourhandsforsometimeonthetable,andtakingintoconsiderationyoursocialpositionandthehabitsassociatedwithit,iwas,sotosay,withhorrorandpositivelyagainstmywill,compelledtoentertainasuspicion—acruel,butjustifiablesuspicion!iwilladdfurtherandrepeatthatinspiteofmypositiveconviction,irealisethatirunacertainriskinmakingthisaccusation,butasyousee,icouldnotletitpass.ihavetakenactionandiwilltellyouwhy:solely,madam,solely,owingtoyourblackingratitude!why!iinviteyouforthebenefitofyourdestituterelative,ipresentyouwithmydonationoftenroublesandyou,onthespot,repaymeforallthatwithsuchanaction.itistoobad!youneedalesson.reflect!moreover,likeatruefriendibegyou—andyoucouldhavenobetterfriendatthismoment—thinkwhatyouaredoing,otherwiseishallbeimmovable!well,whatdoyousay?”

“ihavetakennothing,”soniawhisperedinterror,“yougavemetenroubles,hereitis,takeit.”

soniapulledherhandkerchiefoutofherpocket,untiedacornerofit,tookouttheten-roublenoteandgaveittoluzhin.

“andthehundredroublesyoudonotconfesstotaking?”heinsistedreproachfully,nottakingthenote.

sonialookedabouther.allwerelookingatherwithsuchawful,stern,ironical,hostileeyes.shelookedatraskolnikov…hestoodagainstthewall,withhisarmscrossed,lookingatherwithglowingeyes.

“goodgod!”brokefromsonia.

“amaliaivanovna,weshallhavetosendwordtothepoliceandthereforeihumblybegyoumeanwhiletosendforthehouseporter,”luzhinsaidsoftlyandevenkindly.

“gottderbarmherzige!iknewshewasthethief,”criedamaliaivanovna,throwingupherhands.

“youknewit?”luzhincaughtherup,“thenisupposeyouhadsomereasonbeforethisforthinkingso.ibegyou,worthyamaliaivanovna,torememberyourwordswhichhavebeenutteredbeforewitnesses.”

therewasabuzzofloudconversationonallsides.allwereinmovement.

“what!”criedkaterinaivanovna,suddenlyrealisingtheposition,andsherushedatluzhin.“what!youaccuseherofstealing?sonia?ah,thewretches,thewretches!”

andrunningtosoniasheflungherwastedarmsroundherandheldherasinavise.

“sonia!howdaredyoutaketenroublesfromhim?foolishgirl!giveittome!givemethetenroublesatonce—here!

andsnatchingthenotefromsonia,katerinaivanovnacrumpleditupandflungitstraightintoluzhin’sface.ithithimintheeyeandfellontheground.amaliaivanovnahastenedtopickitup.pyotrpetrovitchlosthistemper.

“holdthatmadwoman!”heshouted.

atthatmomentseveralotherpersons,besideslebeziatnikov,appearedinthedoorway,amongthemthetwoladies.