第136章

第136章butashewasabouttoopenthedoor,itbeganopeningofitself.hestartedandmovedback.thedooropenedgentlyandslowly,andtheresuddenlyappearedafigure—yesterday’svisitorfromunderground.

themanstoodinthedoorway,lookedatraskolnikovwithoutspeaking,andtookastepforwardintotheroom.hewasexactlythesameasyesterday;thesamefigure,thesamedress,buttherewasagreatchangeinhisface;helookeddejectedandsigheddeeply.ifhehadonlyputhishanduptohischeekandleanedhisheadononesidehewouldhavelookedexactlylikeapeasantwoman.

“whatdoyouwant?”askedraskolnikov,numbwithterror.themanwasstillsilent,butsuddenlyheboweddownalmosttotheground,touchingitwithhisfinger.

“whatisit?”criedraskolnikov.

“ihavesinned,”themanarticulatedsoftly.

“how?”

“byevilthoughts.”

theylookedatoneanother.

“iwasvexed.whenyoucame,perhapsindrink,andbadetheportersgotothepolicestationandaskedabouttheblood,iwasvexedthattheyletyougoandtookyoufordrunken.iwassovexedthatilostmysleep.andrememberingtheaddresswecamehereyesterdayandaskedforyou.…”

“whocame?”raskolnikovinterrupted,instantlybeginningtorecollect.

“idid,i’vewrongedyou.”

“thenyoucomefromthathouse?”

“iwasstandingatthegatewiththem…don’tyouremember?wehavecarriedonourtradeinthathouseforyearspast.wecureandpreparehides,wetakeworkhome…mostofalliwasvexed.…”

andthewholesceneofthedaybeforeyesterdayinthegatewaycameclearlybeforeraskolnikov’smind;herecollectedthattherehadbeenseveralpeopletherebesidestheporters,womenamongthem.herememberedonevoicehadestedtakinghimstraighttothepolice-station.hecouldnotrecallthefaceofthespeaker,andevennowhedidnotrecogniseit,butherememberedthathehadturnedroundandmadehimsomeanswer.…

sothiswasthesolutionofyesterday’shorror.themostawfulthoughtwasthathehadbeenactuallyalmostlost,hadalmostdoneforhimselfonaccountofsuchatrivialcircumstance.sothismancouldtellnothingexcepthisaskingabouttheflatandthebloodstains.soporfiry,too,hadnothingbutthatdelirium,nofactsbutthispsychologywhichcutsbothways,nothingpositive.soifnomorefactscometolight(andtheymustnot,theymustnot!)then…thenwhatcantheydotohim?howcantheyconvicthim,eveniftheyarresthim?andporfirythenhadonlyjustheardabouttheflatandhadnotknownaboutitbefore.

“wasityouwhotoldporfiry…thati’dbeenthere?”hecried,struckbyasuddenidea.

“whatporfiry?”

“theheadofthedetectivedepartment?”

“yes.theportersdidnotgothere,butiwent.”

“to-day?”

“igottheretwominutesbeforeyou.andiheard,ihearditall,howheworriedyou.”

“where?what?when?”

“why,inthenextroom.iwassittingthereallthetime.”

“what?why,thenyouwerethesurprise?buthowcouldithappen?uponmyword!”

“isawthattheportersdidnotwanttodowhatisaid,”begantheman;“forit’stoolate,saidthey,andmaybehe’llbeangrythatwedidnotcomeatthetime.iwasvexedandilostmysleep,andibeganmakinginquiries.andfindingoutyesterdaywheretogo,iwentto-day.thefirsttimeiwenthewasn’tthere,whenicameanhourlaterhecouldn’tseeme.iwentthethirdtime,andtheyshowedmein.iinformedhimofeverything,justasithappened,andhebeganskippingabouttheroomandpunchinghimselfonthechest.‘whatdoyouscoundrelsmeanbyit?ifi’dknownaboutitishouldhavearrestedhim!’thenheranout,calledsomebodyandbegantalkingtohiminthecorner,thenheturnedtome,scoldingandquestioningme.hescoldedmeagreatdeal;anditoldhimeverything,anditoldhimthatyoudidn’tdaretosayawordinanswertomeyesterdayandthatyoudidn’trecogniseme.andhefelltorunningaboutagainandkepthittinghimselfonthechest,andgettingangryandrunningabout,andwhenyouwereannouncedhetoldmetogointothenextroom.‘sitthereabit,’hesaid.‘don’tmove,whateveryoumayhear.’andhesetachairthereformeandlockedmein.‘perhaps,’hesaid,‘imaycallyou.’andwhennikolay’dbeenbroughtheletmeoutassoonasyouweregone.‘ishallsendforyouagainandquestionyou,’hesaid.”

“anddidhequestionnikolaywhileyouwerethere?”

“hegotridofmeashedidofyou,beforehespoketonikolay.”

themanstoodstill,andagainsuddenlyboweddown,touchingthegroundwithhisfinger.

“forgivemeformyevilthoughts,andmyslander.”

“maygodforgiveyou,”answeredraskolnikov.

andashesaidthis,themanboweddownagain,butnottotheground,turnedslowlyandwentoutoftheroom.

“itallcutsbothways,nowitallcutsbothways,”repeatedraskolnikov,andhewentoutmoreconfidentthanever.

“nowwe’llmakeafightforit,”hesaid,withamalicioussmile,ashewentdownthestairs.hismalicewasaimedathimself;withshameandcontemptherecollectedhis“cowardice.”