第147章

第147章“mylatehusbandcertainlyhadthatweakness,andeveryoneknowsit,”katerinaivanovnaattackedhimatonce,“buthewasakindandhonourableman,wholovedandrespectedhisfamily.theworstofitwashisgoodnaturemadehimtrustallsortsofdisreputablepeople,andhedrankwithfellowswhowerenotworththesoleofhisshoe.wouldyoubelieveit,rodionromanovitch,theyfoundagingerbreadcockinhispocket;hewasdeaddrunk,buthedidnotforgetthechildren!”

“acock?didyousayacock?”shoutedthecommissariatclerk.

katerinaivanovnadidnotvouchsafeareply.shesighed,lostinthought.

“nodoubtyouthink,likeeveryone,thatiwastooseverewithhim,”shewenton,addressingraskolnikov.“butthat’snotso!herespectedme,herespectedmeverymuch!hewasakind-heartedman!andhowsorryiwasforhimsometimes!hewouldsitinacornerandlookatme,iusedtofeelsosorryforhim,iusedtowanttobekindtohimandthenwouldthinktomyself:‘bekindtohimandhewilldrinkagain,’itwasonlybyseveritythatyoucouldkeephimwithinbounds.”

“yes,heusedtogethishairpulledprettyoften,”roaredthecommissariatclerkagain,swallowinganotherglassofvodka.

“somefoolswouldbethebetterforagooddrubbing,aswellashavingtheirhairpulled.iamnottalkingofmylatehusbandnow!”katerinaivanovnasnappedathim.

theflushonhercheeksgrewmoreandmoremarked,herchestheaved.inanotherminuteshewouldhavebeenreadytomakeascene.manyofthevisitorswereering,evidentlydelighted.theybeganpokingthecommissariatclerkandwhisperingsomethingtohim.theywereevidentlytryingtoegghimon.

“allowmetoaskwhatareyoualludingto,”begantheclerk,“thatistosay,whose…aboutwhom…didyousayjustnow…butidon’tcare!that’snonsense!widow!iforgiveyou.…pass!”

andhetookanotherdrinkofvodka.

raskolnikovsatinsilence,listeningwithdisgust.heonlyatefrompoliteness,justtastingthefoodthatkaterinaivanovnawascontinuallyputtingonhisplate,toavoidhurtingherfeelings.hewatchedsoniaintently.butsoniabecamemoreandmoreanxiousanddistressed;she,too,foresawthatthedinnerwouldnotendpeaceably,andsawwithterrorkaterinaivanovna’sgrowingirritation.sheknewthatshe,sonia,wasthechiefreasonforthe‘genteel’ladies’contemptuoustreatmentofkaterinaivanovna’sinvitation.shehadheardfromamaliaivanovnathatthemotherwaspositivelyoffendedattheinvitationandhadaskedthequestion:“howcouldsheletherdaughtersitdownbesidethatyoungperson?”soniahadafeelingthatkaterinaivanovnahadalreadyheardthisandaninsulttosoniameantmoretokaterinaivanovnathananinsulttoherself,herchildren,orherfather,soniaknewthatkaterinaivanovnawouldnotbesatisfiednow,“tillshehadshownthoseletailsthattheywereboth…”tomakemattersworsesomeonepassedsonia,fromtheotherendofthetable,aplatewithtwoheartspiercedwithanarrow,cutoutofblackbread.katerinaivanovnaflushedcrimsonandatoncesaidaloudacrossthetablethatthemanwhosentitwas“adrunkenass!”

amaliaivanovnawasforeseeingsomethingamiss,andatthesametimedeeplywoundedbykaterinaivanovna’shaughtiness,andtorestorethegood-humourofthecompanyandraiseherselfintheiresteemshebegan,aproposofnothing,tellingastoryaboutanacquaintanceofhers“karlfromthechemist’s,”whowasdrivingonenightinacab,andthat“thecabmanwantedhimtokill,andkarlverymuchedhimnottokill,andweptandclaspedhands,andfrightenedandfromfearpiercedhisheart.”thoughkaterinaivanovnasmiled,sheobservedatoncethatamaliaivanovnaoughtnottotellanecdotesinrussian;thelatterwasstillmoreoffended,andsheretortedthather“vaterausberlinwasaveryimportantman,andalwayswentwithhishandsinpockets.”katerinaivanovnacouldnotrestrainherselfandlaughedsomuchthatamaliaivanovnalostpatienceandcouldscarcelycontrolherself.

“listentotheowl!”katerinaivanovnawhisperedatonce,hergood-humouralmostrestored,“shemeanttosayhekepthishandsinhispockets,butshesaidheputhishandsinpeople’spockets.(cough-cough.)andhaveyounoticed,rodionromanovitch,thatallthesepetersburgforeigners,thegermansespecially,areallstupiderthanwe!canyoufancyanyoneofustellinghow‘karlfromthechemist’s’‘piercedhisheartfromfear’andthattheidiot,insteadofpunishingthecabman,‘claspedhishandsandwept,andmuched.’ah,thefool!andyouknowshefanciesit’sverytouchinganddoesnotsuspecthowstupidsheis!tomythinkingthatdrunkencommissariatclerkisagreatdealcleverer,anywayonecanseethathehasaddledhisbrainswithdrink,butyouknow,theseforeignersarealwayssowellbehavedandserious.…lookhowshesitsglaring!sheisangry,ha-ha!(cough-cough-cough.)”