第42章

第42章“therewasnosortofnoiseorfightinginmyhouse,mr.captain,”shepatteredallatonce,likepeasdropping,speakingrussianconfidently,thoughwithastronggermanaccent,“andnosortofscandal,andhishonourcamedrunk,andit’sthewholetruthiamtelling,mr.captain,andiamnottoblame.…mineisanhonourablehouse,mr.captain,andhonourablebehaviour,mr.captain,andialways,alwaysdislikeanyscandalmyself.buthecamequitetipsy,andaskedforthreebottlesagain,andthenhelifteduponeleg,andbeganplayingthepianofortewithonefoot,andthatisnotatallrightinanhonourablehouse,andheganzbrokethepiano,anditwasverybadmannersindeedandisaidso.andhetookupabottleandbeganhittingeveryonewithit.andthenicalledtheporter,andkarlcame,andhetookkarlandhithimintheeye;andhehithenrietteintheeye,too,andgavemefiveslapsonthecheek.anditwassoungentlemanlyinanhonourablehouse,mr.captain,andiscreamed.andheopenedthewindowoverthecanal,andstoodinthewindow,squealinglikealittlepig;itwasadisgrace.theideaofsquealinglikealittlepigatthewindowintothestreet!fieuponhim!andkarlpulledhimawayfromthewindowbyhiscoat,anditistrue,mr.captain,hetoreseinrock.andthenheshoutedthatmanmusspayhimfifteenroublesdamages.andididpayhim,mr.captain,fiveroublesforseinrock.andheisanungentlemanlyvisitorandcausedallthescandal.‘iwillshowyouup,’hesaid,‘foricanwritetoallthepapersaboutyou.’”

“thenhewasanauthor?”

“yes,mr.captain,andwhatanungentlemanlyvisitorinanhonourablehouse.…”

“nowthen!enough!ihavetoldyoualready…”

“ilyapetrovitch!”theheadclerkrepeatedsignificantly.

theassistantglancedrapidlyathim;theheadclerkslightlyshookhishead.

“…soitellyouthis,mostrespectableluiseivanovna,anditellityouforthelasttime,”theassistantwenton.“ifthereisascandalinyourhonourablehouseonceagain,iwillputyouyourselfinthelock-up,asitiscalledinpolitesociety.doyouhear?soaliteraryman,anauthortookfiveroublesforhiscoat-tailinan‘honourablehouse’?aniceset,theseauthors!”

andhecastacontemptuousglanceatraskolnikov.“therewasascandaltheotherdayinarestaurant,too.anauthorhadeatenhisdinnerandwouldnotpay;‘i’llwriteasatireonyou,’sayshe.andtherewasanotherofthemonasteamerlastweekusedthemostdisgracefullanguagetotherespectablefamilyofacivilcouncillor,hiswifeanddaughter.andtherewasoneofthemturnedoutofaconfectioner’sshoptheotherday.theyarelikethat,authors,literarymen,students,town-criers.…pfoo!yougetalong!ishalllookinuponyoumyselfoneday.thenyouhadbetterbecareful!doyouhear?”

withhurrieddeference,luiseivanovnafelltocurtsyinginalldirections,andsocurtsiedherselftothedoor.butatthedoor,shestumbledbackwardsagainstagood-lookingofficerwithafresh,openfaceandsplendidthickfairwhiskers.thiswasthesuperintendentofthedistricthimself,nikodimfomitch.luiseivanovnamadehastetocurtsyalmosttotheground,andwithmincinglittlesteps,sheflutteredoutoftheoffice.

“againthunderandlightning—ahurricane!”saidnikodimfomitchtoilyapetrovitchinacivilandfriendlytone.“youarearousedagain,youarefumingagain!ihearditonthestairs!”

“well,whatthen!”ilyapetrovitchdrawledwithgentlemanlynonchalance;andhewalkedwithsomepaperstoanothertable,withajauntyswingofhisshouldersateachstep.“here,ifyouwillkindlylook:anauthor,orastudent,hasbeenoneatleast,doesnotpayhisdebts,hasgivenaniou,won’tclearoutofhisroom,andcomplaintsareconstantlybeinglodgedagainsthim,andherehehasbeenpleasedtomakeaprotestagainstmysmokinginhispresence!hebehaveslikeacadhimself,andjustlookathim,please.here’sthegentleman,andveryattractiveheis!”

“povertyisnotavice,myfriend,butweknowyougoofflikepowder,youcan’tbearaslight,idaresayyoutookoffenceatsomethingandwenttoofaryourself,”continuednikodimfomitch,turningaffablytoraskolnikov.“butyouwerewrongthere;heisacapitalfellow,iassureyou,butexplosive,explosive!hegetshot,firesup,boilsover,andnostoppinghim!andthenit’sallover!andatthebottomhe’saheartofgold!hisnicknameintheregimentwastheexplosivelieutenant.…”

“andwhataregimentitwas,too,”criedilyapetrovitch,muchgratifiedatthisagreeablebanter,thoughstillsulky.

raskolnikovhadasuddendesiretosaysomethingexceptionallypleasanttothemall.“excuseme,captain,”hebeganeasily,suddenlyaddressingnikodimfomitch,“willyouenterintomyposition?…iamreadytoaskpardon,ifihavebeenill-mannered.iamapoorstudent,sickandshattered(shatteredwasthewordheused)bypoverty.iamnotstudying,becauseicannotkeepmyselfnow,butishallgetmoney.…ihaveamotherandsisterintheprovinceofx.theywillsendittome,andiwillpay.mylandladyisagood-heartedwoman,butsheissoexasperatedatmyhavinglostmylessons,andnotpayingherforthelastfourmonths,thatshedoesnotevensendupmydinner…andidon’tunderstandthisiouatall.sheisaskingmetopayheronthisiou.howamitopayher?judgeforyourselves!…”

“butthatisnotourbusiness,youknow,”theheadclerkwasobserving.