第28章

第28章lateronraskolnikovhappenedtofindoutwhythehucksterandhiswifehadinvitedlizaveta.itwasaveryordinarymatterandtherewasnothingexceptionalaboutit.afamilywhohadcometothetownandbeenreducedtopovertyweresellingtheirhouseholdgoodsandclothes,allwomen’sthings.asthethingswouldhavefetchedlittleinthemarket,theywerelookingforadealer.thiswaslizaveta’sbusiness.sheundertooksuchjobsandwasfrequentlyemployed,asshewasveryhonestandalwaysfixedafairpriceandstucktoit.shespokeasarulelittleand,aswehavesaidalready,shewasverysubmissiveandtimid.

butraskolnikovhadbecomesuperstitiousoflate.thetracesofsuperstitionremainedinhimlongafter,andwerealmostineradicable.andinallthishewasalwaysafterwardsdisposedtoseesomethingstrangeandmysterious,asitwere,thepresenceofsomepeculiarinfluencesandcoincidences.inthepreviouswinterastudentheknewcalledpokorev,whohadleftforharkov,hadchancedinconversationtogivehimtheaddressofalyonaivanovna,theoldpawnbroker,incasehemightwanttopawnanything.foralongwhilehedidnotgotoher,forhehadlessonsandmanagedtogetalongsomehow.sixweeksagohehadrememberedtheaddress;hehadtwoarticlesthatcouldbepawned:hisfather’soldsilverwatchandalittlegoldringwiththreeredstones,apresentfromhissisteratparting.hedecidedtotakethering.whenhefoundtheoldwomanhehadfeltaninsurmountablerepulsionforheratthefirstglance,thoughheknewnothingspecialabouther.hegottworoublesfromherandwentintoamiserablelittletavernonhiswayhome.heaskedfortea,satdownandsankintodeepthought.astrangeideawaspeckingathisbrainlikeachickenintheegg,andvery,verymuchabsorbedhim.

almostbesidehimatthenexttabletherewassittingastudent,whomhedidnotknowandhadneverseen,andwithhimayoungofficer.theyhadplayedagameofbilliardsandbegandrinkingtea.allatonceheheardthestudentmentiontotheofficerthepawnbrokeralyonaivanovnaandgivehimheraddress.thisofitselfseemedstrangetoraskolnikov;hehadjustcomefromherandhereatonceheheardhername.ofcourseitwasachance,buthecouldnotshakeoffaveryextraordinaryimpression,andheresomeoneseemedtobespeakingexpresslyforhim;thestudentbegantellinghisfriendvariousdetailsaboutalyonaivanovna.

“sheisfirst-rate,”hesaid.“youcanalwaysgetmoneyfromher.sheisasrichasajew,shecangiveyoufivethousandroublesatatimeandsheisnotabovetakingapledgeforarouble.lotsofourfellowshavehaddealingswithher.butsheisanawfuloldharpy.…”

andhebegandescribinghowspitefulanduncertainshewas,howifyouwereonlyadaylatewithyourinterestthepledgewaslost;howshegaveaquarterofthevalueofanarticleandtookfiveandevensevenpercentamonthonitandsoon.thestudentchatteredon,sayingthatshehadasisterlizaveta,whomthewretchedlittlecreaturewascontinuallybeating,andkeptincompletebondagelikeasmallchild,thoughlizavetawasatleastsixfeethigh.

“there’saphenomenonforyou,”criedthestudentandhelaughed.

theybegantalkingaboutlizaveta.thestudentspokeaboutherwithapeculiarrelishandwascontinuallylaughingandtheofficerlistenedwithgreatinterestandaskedhimtosendlizavetatodosomemendingforhim.raskolnikovdidnotmissawordandlearnedeverythingabouther.lizavetawasyoungerthantheoldwomanandwasherhalf-sister,beingthechildofadifferentmother.shewasthirty-five.sheworkeddayandnightforhersister,andbesidesdoingthecookingandthewashing,shedidsewingandworkedasacharwomanandgavehersisterallsheearned.shedidnotdaretoacceptanorderorjobofanykindwithouthersister’spermission.theoldwomanhadalreadymadeherwill,andlizavetaknewofit,andbythiswillshewouldnotgetafarthing;nothingbutthemovables,chairsandsoon;allthemoneywaslefttoamonasteryintheprovinceofn——,thatprayersmightbesaidforherinperpetuity.lizavetawasoflowerrankthanhersister,unmarriedandawfullyuncouthinappearance,remarkablytallwithlongfeetthatlookedasiftheywerebentoutwards.shealwaysworebatteredgoatskinshoes,andwascleaninherperson.whatthestudentexpressedmostsurpriseandamusementaboutwasthefactthatlizavetawascontinuallywithchild.

“butyousaysheishideous?”observedtheofficer.

“yes,sheissodark-skinnedandlookslikeasoldierdressedup,butyouknowsheisnotatallhideous.shehassuchagood-naturedfaceandeyes.strikinglyso.andtheproofofitisthatlotsofpeopleareattractedbyher.sheissuchasoft,gentlecreature,readytoputupwithanything,alwayswilling,willingtodoanything.andhersmileisreallyverysweet.”

“youseemtofindherattractiveyourself,”laughedtheofficer.

“fromherqueerness.no,i’lltellyouwhat.icouldkillthatdamnedoldwomanandmakeoffwithhermoney,iassureyou,withoutthefaintestconscience-prick,”thestudentaddedwithwarmth.theofficerlaughedagainwhileraskolnikovshuddered.howstrangeitwas!

“listen,iwanttoaskyouaseriousquestion,”thestudentsaidhotly.“iwasjokingofcourse,butlookhere;ononesidewehaveastupid,senseless,worthless,spiteful,ailing,horridoldwoman,notsimplyuselessbutdoingactualmischief,whohasnotanideawhatsheislivingforherself,andwhowilldieinadayortwoinanycase.youunderstand?youunderstand?”

“yes,yes,iunderstand,”answeredtheofficer,watchinghisexcitedcompanionattentively.