第116章

第116章“loveforthefuturepartnerofyourlife,foryourhusband,oughttooutweighyourloveforyourbrother,”hepronouncedsententiously,“andinanycaseicannotbeputonthesamelevel.…althoughisaidsoemphaticallythatiwouldnotspeakopenlyinyourbrother’spresence,nevertheless,iintendnowtoaskyourhonouredmotherforanecessaryexplanationonapointofgreatimportancecloselyaffectingmydignity.yourson,”heturnedtopulcheriaalexandrovna,“yesterdayinthepresenceofmr.razsudkin(or…ithinkthat’sit?excusemeihaveforgottenyoursurname,”hebowedpolitelytorazumihin)“insultedmebymisrepresentingtheideaiexpressedtoyouinaprivateconversation,drinkingcoffee,thatis,thatmarriagewithapoorgirlwhohashadexperienceoftroubleismoreadvantageousfromtheconjugalpointofviewthanwithonewhohaslivedinluxury,sinceitismoreprofitableforthemoralcharacter.yoursonintentionallyeratedthesignificanceofmywordsandmadethemridiculous,accusingmeofmaliciousintentions,and,asfarasicouldsee,relieduponyourcorrespondencewithhim.ishallconsidermyselfhappy,pulcheriaalexandrovna,ifitispossibleforyoutoconvincemeofanoppositeconclusion,andtherebyconsideratelyreassureme.kindlyletmeknowinwhattermspreciselyyourepeatedmywordsinyourlettertorodionromanovitch.”

“idon’tremember,”falteredpulcheriaalexandrovna.“irepeatedthemasiunderstoodthem.idon’tknowhowrodyarepeatedthemtoyou,perhapsheerated.”

“hecouldnothaveeratedthem,exceptatyourinstigation.”

“pyotrpetrovitch,”pulcheriaalexandrovnadeclaredwithdignity,“theproofthatdouniaandididnottakeyourwordsinaverybadsenseisthefactthatwearehere.”

“good,mother,”saiddouniaapprovingly.

“thenthisismyfaultagain,”saidluzhin,aggrieved.

“well,pyotrpetrovitch,youkeepblamingrodion,butyouyourselfhavejustwrittenwhatwasfalseabouthim,”pulcheriaalexandrovnaadded,gainingcourage.

“idon’trememberwritinganythingfalse.”

“youwrote,”raskolnikovsaidsharply,notturningtoluzhin,“thatigavemoneyyesterdaynottothewidowofthemanwhowaskilled,aswasthefact,buttohisdaughter(whomihadneverseentillyesterday).youwrotethistomakedissensionbetweenmeandmyfamily,andforthatobjectaddedcoarseexpressionsabouttheconductofagirlwhomyoudon’tknow.allthatismeanslander.”

“excuseme,sir,”saidluzhin,quiveringwithfury.“ienlargeduponyourqualitiesandconductinmylettersolelyinresponsetoyoursister’sandmother’sinquiries,howifoundyou,andwhatimpressionyoumadeonme.asforwhatyou’vealludedtoinmyletter,besogoodastopointoutonewordoffalsehood,show,thatis,thatyoudidn’tthrowawayyourmoney,andthattherearenotworthlesspersonsinthatfamily,howeverunfortunate.”

“tomythinking,you,withallyourvirtues,arenotworththelittlefingerofthatunfortunategirlatwhomyouthrowstones.”

“wouldyougosofarthenastoletherassociatewithyourmotherandsister?”

“ihavedonesoalready,ifyoucaretoknow.imadehersitdownto-daywithmotheranddounia.”

“rodya!”criedpulcheriaalexandrovna.douniacrimsoned,razumihinknittedhisbrows.luzhinsmiledwithloftysarcasm.

“youmayseeforyourself,avdotyaromanovna,”hesaid,“whetheritispossibleforustoagree.ihopenowthatthisquestionisatanend,onceandforall.iwillwithdraw,thatimaynothinderthepleasuresoffamilyintimacy,andthediscussionofsecrets.”hegotupfromhischairandtookhishat.“butinwithdrawing,iventuretorequestthatforthefutureimaybesparedsimilarmeetings,and,sotosay,compromises.iappealparticularlytoyou,honouredpulcheriaalexandrovna,onthissubject,themoreasmyletterwasaddressedtoyouandtonooneelse.”

pulcheriaalexandrovnawasalittleoffended.