第34章

第34章helaidtheaxeonthegroundnearthedeadbodyandfeltatonceinherpocket(tryingtoavoidthestreamingbody)—thesameright-handpocketfromwhichshehadtakenthekeyonhislastvisit.hewasinfullpossessionofhisfaculties,freefromconfusionorgiddiness,buthishandswerestilltrembling.herememberedafterwardsthathehadbeenparticularlycollectedandcareful,tryingallthetimenottogetsmearedwithblood.…hepulledoutthekeysatonce,theywereall,asbefore,inonebunchonasteelring.heranatonceintothebedroomwiththem.itwasaverysmallroomwithawholeshrineofholyimages.againsttheotherwallstoodabigbed,verycleanandcoveredwithasilkpatchworkwaddedquilt.againstathirdwallwasachestofdrawers.strangetosay,sosoonashebegantofitthekeysintothechest,sosoonasheheardtheirjingling,aconvulsiveshudderpassedoverhim.hesuddenlyfelttemptedagaintogiveitallupandgoaway.butthatwasonlyforaninstant;itwastoolatetogoback.hepositivelysmiledathimself,whensuddenlyanotherterrifyingideaoccurredtohismind.hesuddenlyfanciedthattheoldwomanmightbestillaliveandmightrecoverhersenses.leavingthekeysinthechest,heranbacktothebody,snatcheduptheaxeandlifteditoncemoreovertheoldwoman,butdidnotbringitdown.therewasnodoubtthatshewasdead.bendingdownandexaminingheragainmoreclosely,hesawclearlythattheskullwasbrokenandevenbatteredinononeside.hewasabouttofeelitwithhisfinger,butdrewbackhishandandindeeditwasevidentwithoutthat.meanwhiletherewasaperfectpoolofblood.allatoncehenoticedastringonherneck;heedatit,butthestringwasstronganddidnotsnapandbesides,itwassoakedwithblood.hetriedtopullitoutfromthefrontofthedress,butsomethinghelditandpreventeditscoming.inhisimpatienceheraisedtheaxeagaintocutthestringfromaboveonthebody,butdidnotdare,andwithdifficulty,smearinghishandandtheaxeintheblood,aftertwominutes’hurriedeffort,hecutthestringandtookitoffwithouttouchingthebodywiththeaxe;hewasnotmistaken—itwasapurse.onthestringweretwocrosses,oneofcypruswoodandoneofcopper,andanimageinsilverfiligree,andwiththemasmallgreasychamoisleatherpursewithasteelrimandring.thepursewasstuffedveryfull;raskolnikovthrustitinhispocketwithoutlookingatit,flungthecrossesontheoldwoman’sbodyandrushedbackintothebedroom,thistimetakingtheaxewithhim.

hewasinterriblehaste,hesnatchedthekeys,andbegantryingthemagain.buthewasessful.theywouldnotfitinthelocks.itwasnotsomuchthathishandswereshaking,butthathekeptmakingmistakes;thoughhesawforinstancethatakeywasnottherightoneandwouldnotfit,stillhetriedtoputitin.suddenlyherememberedandrealisedthatthebigkeywiththedeepnotches,whichwashangingtherewiththesmallkeyscouldnotpossiblybelongtothechestofdrawers(onhislastvisitthishadstruckhim),buttosomestrongbox,andthateverythingperhapswashiddeninthatbox.heleftthechestofdrawers,andatoncefeltunderthebedstead,knowingthatoldwomenusuallykeepboxesundertheirbeds.andsoitwas;therewasagood-sizedboxunderthebed,atleastayardinlength,withanarchedlidcoveredwithredleatherandstuddedwithsteelnails.thenotchedkeyfittedatonceandunlockedit.atthetop,underawhitesheet,wasacoatofredbrocadelinedwithhareskin;underitwasasilkdress,thenashawlanditseemedasthoughtherewasnothingbelowbutclothes.thefirstthinghedidwastowipehisblood-stainedhandsontheredbrocade.“it’sred,andonredbloodwillbelessnoticeable,”thethoughtpassedthroughhismind;thenhesuddenlycametohimself.“goodgod,amigoingoutofmysenses?”hethoughtwithterror.

butnosoonerdidhetouchtheclothesthanagoldwatchslippedfromunderthefurcoat.hemadehastetoturnthemallover.thereturnedouttobevariousarticlesmadeofgoldamongtheclothes—probablyallpledges,unredeemedorwaitingtoberedeemed—bracelets,chains,ear-rings,pinsandsuchthings.somewereincases,otherssimplywrappedinnewspaper,carefullyandexactlyfolded,andtiedroundwithtape.withoutanydelay,hebeganfillingupthepocketsofhistrousersandovercoatwithoutexaminingorundoingtheparcelsandcases;buthehadnottimetotakemany.…

hesuddenlyheardstepsintheroomwheretheoldwomanlay.hestoppedshortandwasstillasdeath.butallwasquiet,soitmusthavebeenhisfancy.allatoncehehearddistinctlyafaintcry,asthoughsomeonehadutteredalowbrokenmoan.thenagaindeadsilenceforaminuteortwo.hesatsquattingonhisheelsbytheboxandwaitedholdinghisbreath.suddenlyhejumpedup,seizedtheaxeandranoutofthebedroom.