第99章

第99章“maybeifoundatreasuresomewhereandyouknownothingofit?sothat’swhyiwasliberalyesterday.…mr.zametovknowsi’vefoundatreasure!excuseus,please,fordisturbingyouforhalfanhourwithsuchtrivialities,”hesaid,turningtoporfirypetrovitch,withtremblinglips.“weareboringyou,aren’twe?”

“ohno,quitethecontrary,quitethecontrary!ifonlyyouknewhowyouinterestme!it’sinterestingtolookonandlisten…andiamreallygladyouhavecomeforwardatlast.”

“butyoumightgiveussometea!mythroat’sdry,”criedrazumihin.

“capitalidea!perhapswewillallkeepyoucompany.wouldn’tyoulike…somethingmoreessentialbeforetea?”

“getalongwithyou!”

porfirypetrovitchwentouttoordertea.

raskolnikov’sthoughtswereinawhirl.hewasinterribleexasperation.

“theworstofitistheydon’tdisguiseit;theydon’tcaretostandonceremony!andhowifyoudidn’tknowmeatall,didyoucometotalktonikodimfomitchaboutme?sotheydon’tcaretohidethattheyaretrackingmelikeapackofdogs.theysimplyspitinmyface.”hewasshakingwithrage.“come,strikemeopenly,don’tplaywithmelikeacatwithamouse.it’shardlycivil,porfirypetrovitch,butperhapsiwon’tallowit!ishallgetupandthrowthewholetruthinyouruglyfaces,andyou’llseehowidespiseyou.”hecouldhardlybreathe.“andwhatifit’sonlymyfancy?whatifiammistaken,andthroughinexperienceigetangryanddon’tkeepupmynastypart?perhapsit’sallunintentional.alltheirphrasesaretheusualones,butthereissomethingaboutthem.…itallmightbesaid,butthereissomething.whydidhesaybluntly,‘withher’?whydidzametovaddthatispokeartfully?whydotheyspeakinthattone?yes,thetone.…razumihinissittinghere,whydoesheseenothing?thatinnocentblockheadneverdoesseeanything!feverishagain!didporfirywinkatmejustnow?ofcourseit’snonsense!whatcouldhewinkfor?aretheytryingtoupsetmynervesoraretheyteasingme?eitherit’sillfancyortheyknow!evenzametovisrude.…iszametovrude?zametovhaschangedhismind.iforesawhewouldchangehismind!heisathomehere,whileit’smyfirstvisit.porfirydoesnotconsiderhimavisitor;sitswithhisbacktohim.they’reasthickasthieves,nodoubt,overme!notadoubttheyweretalkingaboutmebeforewecame.dotheyknowabouttheflat?ifonlythey’dmakehaste!whenisaidthatiranawaytotakeaflatheletitpass.…iputthatincleverlyaboutaflat,itmaybeofuseafterwards.…delirious,indeed…ha-ha-ha!heknowsallaboutlastnight!hedidn’tknowofmymother’sarrival!thehaghadwrittenthedateoninpencil!youarewrong,youwon’tcatchme!therearenofacts…it’sallsupposition!youproducefacts!theflatevenisn’tafactbutdelirium.iknowwhattosaytothem.…dotheyknowabouttheflat?iwon’tgowithoutfindingout.whatdidicomefor?butmybeingangrynow,maybeisafact!fool,howirritableiam!perhapsthat’sright;toplaytheinvalid.…heisfeelingme.hewilltrytocatchme.whydidicome?”

allthisflashedlikelightningthroughhismind.

porfirypetrovitchreturnedquickly.hebecamesuddenlymorejovial.

“yourpartyyesterday,brother,hasleftmyheadrather.…andiamoutofsortsaltogether,”hebeganinquiteadifferenttone,laughingtorazumihin.

“wasitinteresting?ileftyouyesterdayatthemostinterestingpoint.whogotthebestofit?”

“oh,noone,ofcourse.theygotontoeverlastingquestions,floatedoffintospace.”

“onlyfancy,rodya,whatwegotontoyesterday.whetherthereissuchathingascrime.itoldyouthatwetalkedourheadsoff.”

“whatistherestrange?it’saneverydaysocialquestion,”raskolnikovansweredcasually.

“thequestionwasn’tputquitelikethat,”observedporfiry.

“notquite,that’strue,”razumihinagreedatonce,gettingwarmandhurriedasusual.“listen,rodion,andtellusyouropinion,iwanttohearit.iwasfightingtoothandnailwiththemandwantedyoutohelpme.itoldthemyouwerecoming.…itbeganwiththesocialistdoctrine.youknowtheirdoctrine;crimeisaprotestagainsttheabnormalityofthesocialorganisationandnothingmore,andnothingmore;noothercausesadmitted!…”

“youarewrongthere,”criedporfirypetrovitch;hewasnoticeablyanimatedandkeptlaughingashelookedatrazumihin,whichmadehimmoreexcitedthanever.

“nothingisadmitted,”razumihininterruptedwithheat.