第59章

第59章meanwhileraskolnikov,whohadturnedalittletowardshimwhenheanswered,begansuddenlystaringathimagainwithmarkedcuriosity,asthoughhehadnothadagoodlookathimyet,orasthoughsomethingnewhadstruckhim;herosefromhispillowonpurposetostareathim.therecertainlywassomethingpeculiarinpyotrpetrovitch’swholeappearance,somethingwhichseemedtojustifythetitleof“fiance”sounceremoniouslyappliedtohim.inthefirstplace,itwasevident,fartoomuchsoindeed,thatpyotrpetrovitchhadmadeeageruseofhisfewdaysinthecapitaltogethimselfupandrighimselfoutinexpectationofhisbetrothed—aperfectlyinnocentandpermissibleproceeding,indeed.evenhisown,perhapstoocomplacent,consciousnessoftheagreeableimprovementinhisappearancemighthavebeenforgiveninsuchcircumstances,seeingthatpyotrpetrovitchhadtakenuptheroleoffiance.allhisclotheswerefreshfromthetailor’sandwereallright,exceptforbeingtoonewandtoodistinctlyappropriate.eventhestylishnewroundhathadthesamesignificance.pyotrpetrovitchtreatedittoorespectfullyandheldittoocarefullyinhishands.theexquisitepairoflavendergloves,reallouvain,toldthesametale,ifonlyfromthefactofhisnotwearingthem,butcarryingtheminhishandforshow.lightandyouthfulcolourspredominatedinpyotrpetrovitch’sattire.heworeacharmingsummerjacketofafawnshade,lightthintrousers,awaistcoatofthesame,newandfinelinen,acravatofthelightestcambricwithpinkstripesonit,andthebestofitwas,thisallsuitedpyotrpetrovitch.hisveryfreshandevenhandsomefacelookedyoungerthanhisforty-fiveyearsatalltimes.hisdark,mutton-chopwhiskersmadeanagreeablesettingonbothsides,growingthicklyuponhisshining,clean-shavenchin.evenhishair,touchedhereandtherewithgrey,thoughithadbeencombedandcurledatahairdresser’s,didnotgivehimastupidappearance,ascurledhairusuallydoes,byinevitablyestingagermanonhiswedding-day.iftherereallywassomethingunpleasingandrepulsiveinhisrathergood-lookingandimposingcountenance,itwasduetoquiteothercauses.afterscanningmr.luzhinunceremoniously,raskolnikovsmiledmalignantly,sankbackonthepillowandstaredattheceilingasbefore.

butmr.luzhinhardenedhisheartandseemedtodeterminetotakenonoticeoftheiroddities.

“ifeelthegreatestregretatfindingyouinthissituation,”hebegan,againbreakingthesilencewithaneffort.“ifihadbeenawareofyourillnessishouldhavecomeearlier.butyouknowwhatbusinessis.ihave,too,averyimportantlegalaffairinthesenate,nottomentionotherupationswhichyoumaywellconjecture.iamexpectingyourmammaandsisteranyminute.”

raskolnikovmadeamovementandseemedabouttospeak;hisfaceshowedsomeexcitement.pyotrpetrovitchpaused,waited,butasnothingfollowed,hewenton:

“…anyminute.ihavefoundalodgingforthemontheirarrival.”

“where?”askedraskolnikovweakly.

“verynearhere,inbakaleyev’shouse.”

“that’sinvoskresensky,”putinrazumihin.“therearetwostoreysofrooms,letbyamerchantcalledyushin;i’vebeenthere.”

“yes,rooms…”

“adisgustingplace—filthy,stinkingand,what’smore,ofdoubtfulcharacter.thingshavehappenedthere,andthereareallsortsofqueerpeoplelivingthere.andiwentthereaboutascandalousbusiness.it’scheap,though…”

“icouldnot,ofcourse,findoutsomuchaboutit,foriamastrangerinpetersburgmyself,”pyotrpetrovitchrepliedhuffily.“however,thetworoomsareexceedinglyclean,andasitisforsoshortatime…ihavealreadytakenapermanent,thatis,ourfutureflat,”hesaid,addressingraskolnikov,“andiamhavingitdoneup.andmeanwhileiammyselfcrampedforroominalodgingwithmyfriendandreysemyonovitchlebeziatnikov,intheflatofmadamelippevechsel;itwashewhotoldmeofbakaleyev’shouse,too…”

“lebeziatnikov?”saidraskolnikovslowly,asifrecallingsomething.

“yes,andreysemyonovitchlebeziatnikov,aclerkintheministry.doyouknowhim?”

“yes…no,”raskolnikovanswered.

“excuseme,ifanciedsofromyourinquiry.iwasoncehisguardian.…averyniceyoungmanandadvanced.iliketomeetyoungpeople:onelearnsnewthingsfromthem.”luzhinlookedroundhopefullyatthemall.

“howdoyoumean?”askedrazumihin.

“inthemostseriousandessentialmatters,”pyotrpetrovitchreplied,asthoughdelightedatthequestion.“yousee,it’stenyearssinceivisitedpetersburg.allthenovelties,reforms,ideashavereachedusintheprovinces,buttoseeitallmoreclearlyonemustbeinpetersburg.andit’smynotionthatyouobserveandlearnmostbywatchingtheyoungergeneration.andiconfessiamdelighted…”

“atwhat?”

“yourquestionisawideone.imaybemistaken,butifancyifindclearerviews,more,sotosay,criticism,morepracticality…”

“that’strue,”zossimovletdrop.

“nonsense!there’snopracticality.”razumihinflewathim.“practicalityisadifficultthingtofind;itdoesnotdropdownfromheaven.andforthelasttwohundredyearswehavebeendivorcedfromallpracticallife.ideas,ifyoulike,arefermenting,”hesaidtopyotrpetrovitch,“anddesireforgoodexists,thoughit’sinachildishform,andhonestyyoumayfind,althoughtherearecrowdsofbrigands.anyway,there’snopracticality.practicalitygoeswellshod.”