第33章

第33章thedoorwasasbeforeopenedatinycrack,andagaintwosharpandsuspiciouseyesstaredathimoutofthedarkness.thenraskolnikovlosthisheadandnearlymadeagreatmistake.

fearingtheoldwomanwouldbefrightenedbytheirbeingalone,andnothopingthatthesightofhimwoulddisarmhersuspicions,hetookholdofthedooranddrewittowardshimtopreventtheoldwomanfromattemptingtoshutitagain.seeingthisshedidnotpullthedoorback,butshedidnotletgothehandlesothathealmostedheroutwithitontothestairs.seeingthatshewasstandinginthedoorwaynotallowinghimtopass,headvancedstraightuponher.shesteppedbackinalarm,triedtosaysomething,butseemedunabletospeakandstaredwithopeneyesathim.

“goodevening,alyonaivanovna,”hebegan,tryingtospeakeasily,buthisvoicewouldnotobeyhim,itbrokeandshook.“ihavecome…ihavebroughtsomething…butwe’dbettercomein…tothelight.…”

andleavingher,hepassedstraightintotheroomuninvited.theoldwomanranafterhim;hertonguewasunloosed.

“goodheavens!whatitis?whoisit?whatdoyouwant?”

“why,alyonaivanovna,youknowme…raskolnikov…here,ibroughtyouthepledgeipromisedtheotherday…”andheheldoutthepledge.

theoldwomanglancedforamomentatthepledge,butatoncestaredintheeyesofheruninvitedvisitor.shelookedintently,maliciouslyandmistrustfully.aminutepassed;heevenfanciedsomethinglikeasneerinhereyes,asthoughshehadalreadyguessedeverything.hefeltthathewaslosinghishead,thathewasalmostfrightened,sofrightenedthatifsheweretolooklikethatandnotsayawordforanotherhalfminute,hethoughthewouldhaverunawayfromher.

“whydoyoulookatmeasthoughyoudidnotknowme?”hesaidsuddenly,alsowithmalice.“takeitifyoulike,ifnoti’llgoelsewhere,iaminahurry.”

hehadnoteventhoughtofsayingthis,butitwassuddenlysaidofitself.theoldwomanrecoveredherself,andhervisitor’sresolutetoneevidentlyrestoredherconfidence.

“butwhy,mygoodsir,allofaminute.…whatisit?”sheasked,lookingatthepledge.

“thesilvercigarettecase;ispokeofitlasttime,youknow.”

sheheldoutherhand.

“buthowpaleyouare,tobesure…andyourhandsaretremblingtoo?haveyoubeenbathing,orwhat?”

“fever,”heansweredabruptly.“youcan’thelpgettingpale…ifyou’venothingtoeat,”headded,withdifficultyarticulatingthewords.

hisstrengthwasfailinghimagain.buthisanswersoundedlikethetruth;theoldwomantookthepledge.

“whatisit?”sheaskedoncemore,scanningraskolnikovintently,andweighingthepledgeinherhand.

“athing…cigarettecase.…silver.…lookatit.”

“itdoesnotseemsomehowlikesilver.…howhehaswrappeditup!”

tryingtountiethestringandturningtothewindow,tothelight(allherwindowswereshut,inspiteofthestiflingheat),shelefthimaltogetherforsomesecondsandstoodwithherbacktohim.heunbuttonedhiscoatandfreedtheaxefromthenoose,butdidnotyettakeitoutaltogether,simplyholdingitinhisrighthandunderthecoat.hishandswerefearfullyweak,hefeltthemeverymomentgrowingmorenumbandmorewooden.hewasafraidhewouldlettheaxeslipandfall.…asuddengiddinesscameoverhim.

“butwhathashetiedituplikethisfor?”theoldwomancriedwithvexationandmovedtowardshim.

hehadnotaminutemoretolose.hepulledtheaxequiteout,swungitwithbotharms,scarcelyconsciousofhimself,andalmostwithouteffort,almostmechanically,broughtthebluntsidedownonherhead.heseemednottousehisownstrengthinthis.butassoonashehadoncebroughttheaxedown,hisstrengthreturnedtohim.

theoldwomanwasasalwaysbareheaded.herthin,lighthair,streakedwithgrey,thicklysmearedwithgrease,wasplaitedinarat’stailandfastenedbyabrokenhorncombwhichstoodoutonthenapeofherneck.asshewassoshort,theblowfellontheverytopofherskull.shecriedout,butveryfaintly,andsuddenlysankallofaheaponthefloor,raisingherhandstoherhead.inonehandshestillheld“thepledge.”thenhedealtheranotherandanotherblowwiththebluntsideandonthesamespot.thebloodgushedasfromanoverturnedglass,thebodyfellback.hesteppedback,letitfall,andatoncebentoverherface;shewasdead.hereyesseemedtobestartingoutoftheirsockets,thebrowandthewholefaceweredrawnandcontortedconvulsively.