第71章

第71章anelegantcarriagestoodinthemiddleoftheroadwithapairofspiritedgreyhorses;therewasnooneinit,andthecoachmanhadgotoffhisboxandstoodby;thehorseswerebeingheldbythebridle.…amassofpeoplehadgatheredround,thepolicestandinginfront.oneofthemheldalightedlanternwhichhewasturningonsomethinglyingclosetothewheels.everyonewastalking,shouting,exclaiming;thecoachmanseemedatalossandkeptrepeating:

“whatamisfortune!goodlord,whatamisfortune!”

raskolnikovpushedhiswayinasfarashecould,andeededatlastinseeingtheobjectofthecommotionandinterest.onthegroundamanwhohadbeenrunoverlayapparentlyunconscious,andcoveredwithblood;hewasverybadlydressed,butnotlikeaworkman.bloodwasflowingfromhisheadandface;hisfacewascrushed,mutilatedanddisfigured.hewasevidentlybadlyinjured.

“mercifulheaven!”wailedthecoachman,“whatmorecouldido?ifi’dbeendrivingfastorhadnotshoutedtohim,butiwasgoingquietly,notinahurry.everyonecouldseeiwasgoingalongjustlikeeverybodyelse.adrunkenmancan’twalkstraight,weallknow.…isawhimcrossingthestreet,eringandalmostfalling.ishoutedagainandasecondandathirdtime,theniheldthehorsesin,buthefellstraightundertheirfeet!eitherhediditonpurposeorhewasverytipsy.…thehorsesareyoungandreadytotakefright…theystarted,hescreamed…thatmadethemworse.that’showithappened!”

“that’sjusthowitwas,”avoiceinthecrowdconfirmed.

“heshouted,that’strue,heshoutedthreetimes,”anothervoicedeclared.

“threetimesitwas,weallheardit,”shoutedathird.

butthecoachmanwasnotverymuchdistressedandfrightened.itwasevidentthatthecarriagebelongedtoarichandimportantpersonwhowasawaitingitsomewhere;thepolice,ofcourse,wereinnolittleanxietytoavoidupsettinghisarrangements.alltheyhadtodowastotaketheinjuredmantothepolicestationandthehospital.nooneknewhisname.

meanwhileraskolnikovhadsqueezedinandstoopedcloseroverhim.thelanternsuddenlylighteduptheunfortunateman’sface.herecognisedhim.

“iknowhim!iknowhim!”heshouted,pushingtothefront.“it’sagovernmentclerkretiredfromtheservice,marmeladov.helivesclosebyinkozel’shouse.…makehasteforadoctor!iwillpay,see?”hepulledmoneyoutofhispocketandshowedittothepoliceman.hewasinviolentagitation.

thepoliceweregladthattheyhadfoundoutwhothemanwas.raskolnikovgavehisownnameandaddress,and,asearnestlyasifithadbeenhisfather,hebesoughtthepolicetocarrytheunconsciousmarmeladovtohislodgingatonce.

“justhere,threehousesaway,”hesaideagerly,“thehousebelongstokozel,arichgerman.hewasgoinghome,nodoubtdrunk.iknowhim,heisadrunkard.hehasafamilythere,awife,children,hehasonedaughter.…itwilltaketimetotakehimtothehospital,andthereissuretobeadoctorinthehouse.i’llpay,i’llpay!atleasthewillbelookedafterathome…theywillhelphimatonce.buthe’lldiebeforeyougethimtothehospital.”hemanagedtoslipsomethingunseenintothepoliceman’shand.butthethingwasstraightforwardandlegitimate,andinanycasehelpwascloserhere.theyraisedtheinjuredman;peoplevolunteeredtohelp.

kozel’shousewasthirtyyardsaway.raskolnikovwalkedbehind,carefullyholdingmarmeladov’sheadandshowingtheway.

“thisway,thisway!wemusttakehimupstairsheadforemost.turnround!i’llpay,i’llmakeitworthyourwhile,”hemuttered.

katerinaivanovnahadjustbegun,asshealwaysdidateveryfreemoment,walkingtoandfroinherlittleroomfromwindowtostoveandbackagain,withherarmsfoldedacrossherchest,talkingtoherselfandcoughing.oflateshehadbeguntotalkmorethanevertohereldestgirl,polenka,achildoften,who,thoughtherewasmuchshedidnotunderstand,understoodverywellthathermotherneededher,andsoalwayswatchedherwithherbigclevereyesandstroveherutmosttoappeartounderstand.thistimepolenkawasundressingherlittlebrother,whohadbeenunwellalldayandwasgoingtobed.theboywaswaitingforhertotakeoffhisshirt,whichhadtobewashedatnight.hewassittingstraightandmotionlessonachair,withasilent,seriousface,withhislegsstretchedoutstraightbeforehim—heelstogetherandtoesturnedout.

hewaslisteningtowhathismotherwassayingtohissister,sittingperfectlystillwithpoutinglipsandwide-openeyes,justasallgoodlittleboyshavetositwhentheyareundressedtogotobed.alittlegirl,stillyounger,dressedliterallyinrags,stoodatthescreen,waitingforherturn.thedoorontothestairswasopentorelievethemalittlefromthecloudsofosmokewhichfloatedinfromtheotherroomsandbroughtonlongterriblefitsofcoughinginthepoor,consumptivewoman.katerinaivanovnaseemedtohavegrowneventhinnerduringthatweekandthehecticflushonherfacewasbrighterthanever.