第27章
第27章itwasaboutnineo’clockwhenhecrossedthehaymarket.atthetablesandthebarrows,attheboothsandtheshops,allthemarketpeoplewereclosingtheirestablishmentsorclearingawayandpackinguptheirwaresand,liketheircustomers,weregoinghome.ragpickersandcostermongersofallkindswerecrowdingroundthetavernsinthedirtyandstinkingcourtyardsofthehaymarket.raskolnikovparticularlylikedthisplaceandtheneighbouringalleys,whenhewanderedaimlesslyinthestreets.herehisragsdidnotattractcontemptuousattention,andonecouldwalkaboutinanyattirewithoutscandalisingpeople.atthecornerofanalleyahucksterandhiswifehadtwotablessetoutwithtapes,thread,cottonhandkerchiefs,etc.they,too,hadgotuptogohome,butwerelingeringinconversationwithafriend,whohadjustcomeuptothem.thisfriendwaslizavetaivanovna,or,aseveryonecalledher,lizaveta,theyoungersisteroftheoldpawnbroker,alyonaivanovna,whomraskolnikovhadvisitedthepreviousdaytopawnhiswatchandmakehisexperiment.…healreadyknewallaboutlizavetaandsheknewhimalittletoo.shewasasinglewomanofaboutthirty-five,tall,clumsy,timid,submissiveandalmostidiotic.shewasacompleteslaveandwentinfearandtremblingofhersister,whomadeherworkdayandnight,andevenbeather.shewasstandingwithabundlebeforethehucksterandhiswife,listeningearnestlyanddoubtfully.theyweretalkingofsomethingwithspecialwarmth.themomentraskolnikovcaughtsightofher,hewasovercomebyastrangesensationasitwereofintenseastonishment,thoughtherewasnothingastonishingaboutthismeeting.
“youcouldmakeupyourmindforyourself,lizavetaivanovna,”thehucksterwassayingaloud.“comeroundto-morrowaboutseven.theywillbeheretoo.”
“to-morrow?”saidlizavetaslowlyandthoughtfully,asthoughunabletomakeuphermind.
“uponmyword,whatafrightyouareinofalyonaivanovna,”gabbledthehuckster’swife,alivelylittlewoman.“ilookatyou,youarelikesomelittlebabe.andsheisnotyourownsistereither-nothingbutastep-sisterandwhatahandshekeepsoveryou!”
“butthistimedon’tsayawordtoalyonaivanovna,”herhusbandinterrupted;“that’smyadvice,butcomeroundtouswithoutasking.itwillbeworthyourwhile.lateronyoursisterherselfmayhaveanotion.”
“amitocome?”
“aboutseveno’clockto-morrow.andtheywillbehere.youwillbeabletodecideforyourself.”
“andwe’llhaveacupoftea,”addedhiswife.
“allright,i’llcome,”saidlizaveta,stillpondering,andshebeganslowlymovingaway.
raskolnikovhadjustpassedandheardnomore.hepassedsoftly,unnoticed,tryingnottomissaword.hisfirstamazementwasfollowedbyathrillofhorror,likeashiverrunningdownhisspine.hehadlearnt,hehadsuddenlyquiteunexpectedlylearnt,thatthenextdayatseveno’clocklizaveta,theoldwoman’ssisterandonlycompanion,wouldbeawayfromhomeandthatthereforeatseveno’clockpreciselytheoldwomanwouldbeleftalone.
hewasonlyafewstepsfromhislodging.hewentinlikeamancondemnedtodeath.hethoughtofnothingandwasincapableofthinking;buthefeltsuddenlyinhiswholebeingthathehadnomorefreedomofthought,nowill,andthateverythingwassuddenlyandirrevocablydecided.
certainly,ifhehadtowaitwholeyearsforasuitableopportunity,hecouldnotreckononamorecertainsteptowardstheessoftheplanthanthatwhichhadjustpresenteditself.inanycase,itwouldhavebeendifficulttofindoutbeforehandandwithcertainty,withgreaterexactnessandlessrisk,andwithoutdangerousinquiriesandinvestigations,thatnextdayatacertaintimeanoldwoman,onwhoselifeanattemptwascontemplated,wouldbeathomeandentirelyalone.