第41章

第41章“andpray,whattimewereyoudirectedtoappear,sir?”shoutedtheassistantsuperintendent,seemingforsomeunknownreasonmoreandmoreaggrieved.“youaretoldtocomeatnine,andnowit’stwelve!”

“thenoticewasonlybroughtmeaquarterofanhourago,”raskolnikovansweredloudlyoverhisshoulder.tohisownsurprisehe,too,grewsuddenlyangryandfoundacertainpleasureinit.“andit’senoughthatihavecomehereillwithfever.”

“kindlyrefrainfromshouting!”

“i’mnotshouting,i’mspeakingveryquietly,it’syouwhoareshoutingatme.i’mastudent,andallownoonetoshoutatme.”

theassistantsuperintendentwassofuriousthatforthefirstminutehecouldonlysplutterinarticulately.heleapedupfromhisseat.

“besilent!youareinagovernmentoffice.don’tbeimpudent,sir!”

“you’reinagovernmentoffice,too,”criedraskolnikov,“andyou’resmokingacigaretteaswellasshouting,soyouareshowingdisrespecttoallofus.”

hefeltanindescribablesatisfactionathavingsaidthis.

theheadclerklookedathimwithasmile.theangryassistantsuperintendentwasobviouslydisconcerted.

“that’snotyourbusiness!”heshoutedatlastwithunnaturalloudness.“kindlymakethedeclarationdemandedofyou.showhim.alexandrgrigorievitch.thereisacomplaintagainstyou!youdon’tpayyourdebts!you’reafinebird!”

butraskolnikovwasnotlisteningnow;hehadeagerlyclutchedatthepaper,inhastetofindanexplanation.hereaditonce,andasecondtime,andstilldidnotunderstand.

“whatisthis?”heaskedtheheadclerk.

“itisfortherecoveryofmoneyonaniou,awrit.youmusteitherpayit,withallexpenses,costsandsoon,orgiveawrittendeclarationwhenyoucanpayit,andatthesametimeanundertakingnottoleavethecapitalwithoutpayment,andnortosellorconcealyourproperty.thecreditorisatlibertytosellyourproperty,andproceedagainstyouaccordingtothelaw.”

“buti…amnotindebttoanyone!”

“that’snotourbusiness.here,aniouforahundredandfifteenroubles,legallyattested,anddueforpayment,hasbeenbroughtusforrecovery,givenbyyoutothewidowoftheassessorzarnitsyn,ninemonthsago,andpaidoverbythewidowzarnitsyntoonemr.tchebarov.wethereforesummonyou,hereupon.”

“butsheismylandlady!”

“andwhatifsheisyourlandlady?”

theheadclerklookedathimwithacondescendingsmileofcompassion,andatthesametimewithacertaintriumph,asatanoviceunderfireforthefirsttime—asthoughhewouldsay:“well,howdoyoufeelnow?”butwhatdidhecarenowforaniou,forawritofrecovery!wasthatworthworryingaboutnow,wasitworthattentioneven!hestood,heread,helistened,heanswered,heevenaskedquestionshimself,butallmechanically.thetriumphantsenseofsecurity,ofdeliverancefromoverwhelmingdanger,thatwaswhatfilledhiswholesoulthatmomentwithoutthoughtforthefuture,withoutanalysis,withoutsuppositionsorsurmises,withoutdoubtsandwithoutquestioning.itwasaninstantoffull,direct,purelyinstinctivejoy.butatthatverymomentsomethinglikeathunderstormtookplaceintheoffice.theassistantsuperintendent,stillshakenbyraskolnikov’sdisrespect,stillfumingandobviouslyanxioustokeepuphiswoundeddignity,pouncedontheunfortunatesmartlady,whohadbeengazingathimeversincehecameinwithanexceedinglysillysmile.

“youshamefulhussy!”heshoutedsuddenlyatthetopofhisvoice.(theladyinmourninghadlefttheoffice.)“whatwasgoingonatyourhouselastnight?eh!adisgraceagain,you’reascandaltothewholestreet.fightinganddrinkingagain.doyouwantthehouseofcorrection?why,ihavewarnedyoutentimesoverthatiwouldnotletyouofftheeleventh!andhereyouareagain,again,you…you…!”

thepaperfelloutofraskolnikov’shands,andhelookedwildlyatthesmartladywhowassounceremoniouslytreated.buthesoonsawwhatitmeant,andatoncebegantofindpositiveamusementinthescandal.helistenedwithpleasure,sothathelongedtolaughandlaugh…allhisnerveswereonedge.

“ilyapetrovitch!”theheadclerkwasbeginninganxiously,butstoppedshort,forheknewfromexperiencethattheenragedassistantcouldnotbestoppedexceptbyforce.

asforthesmartlady,atfirstshepositivelytrembledbeforethestorm.but,strangetosay,themorenumerousandviolentthetermsofabusebecame,themoreamiableshelooked,andthemoreseductivethesmilesshelavishedontheterribleassistant.shemoveduneasily,andcurtsiedincessantly,waitingimpatientlyforachanceofputtinginherword:andatlastshefoundit.