第149章

第149章“pyotrpetrovitch,”shecried,“protectme…youatleast!makethisfoolishwomanunderstandthatshecan’tbehavelikethistoaladyinmisfortune…thatthereisalawforsuchthings.…i’llgotothegovernor-generalhimself.…sheshallanswerforit.…rememberingmyfather’shospitalityprotecttheseorphans.”

“allowme,madam.…allowme.”pyotrpetrovitchwavedheroff.“yourpapaasyouarewellawareihadnotthehonourofknowing”(someonelaughedaloud)“andidonotintendtotakepartinyoureverlastingsquabbleswithamaliaivanovna.…ihavecomeheretospeakofmyownaffairs…andiwanttohaveawordwithyourstepdaughter,sofya…ivanovna,ithinkitis?allowmetopass.”

pyotrpetrovitch,edgingbyher,wenttotheoppositecornerwheresoniawas.

katerinaivanovnaremainedstandingwhereshewas,asthoughthunderstruck.shecouldnotunderstandhowpyotrpetrovitchcoulddenyhavingenjoyedherfather’shospitility.thoughshehadinventeditherself,shebelievedinitfirmlybythistime.shewasstrucktoobythebusinesslike,dryandevencontemptuousmenacingtoneofpyotrpetrovitch.alltheclamourgraduallydiedawayathisentrance.notonlywasthis“seriousbusinessman”strikinglyincongruouswiththerestoftheparty,butitwasevident,too,thathehadcomeuponsomematterofconsequence,thatsomeexceptionalcausemusthavebroughthimandthatthereforesomethingwasgoingtohappen.raskolnikov,standingbesidesonia,movedasidetolethimpass;pyotrpetrovitchdidnotseemtonoticehim.aminutelaterlebeziatnikov,too,appearedinthedoorway;hedidnotcomein,butstoodstill,listeningwithmarkedinterest,almostwonder,andseemedforatimeperplexed.

“excusemeforpossiblyinterruptingyou,butit’samatterofsomeimportance,”pyotrpetrovitchobserved,addressingthecompanygenerally.“iamgladindeedtofindotherpersonspresent.amaliaivanovna,ihumblybegyouasmistressofthehousetopaycarefulattentiontowhatihavetosaytosofyaivanovna.sofyaivanovna,”hewenton,addressingsonia,whowasverymuchsurprisedandalreadyalarmed,“immediatelyafteryourvisitifoundthatahundred-roublenotewasmissingfrommytable,intheroomofmyfriendmr.lebeziatnikov.ifinanywaywhateveryouknowandwilltelluswhereitisnow,iassureyouonmywordofhonourandcallallpresenttowitnessthatthemattershallendthere.intheoppositecaseishallbecompelledtohaverecoursetoveryseriousmeasuresandthen…youmustblameyourself.”

completesilencereignedintheroom.eventhecryingchildrenwerestill.soniastooddeadlypale,staringatluzhinandunabletosayaword.sheseemednottounderstand.somesecondspassed.

“well,howisittobethen?”askedluzhin,lookingintentlyather.

“idon’tknow.…iknownothingaboutit,”soniaarticulatedfaintlyatlast.