第24章

第24章raskolnikovhadafearfuldream.hedreamthewasbackinhischildhoodinthelittletownofhisbirth.hewasachildaboutsevenyearsold,walkingintothecountrywithhisfatherontheeveningofaholiday.itwasagreyandheavyday,thecountrywasexactlyasherememberedit;indeedherecalleditfarmorevividlyinhisdreamthanhehaddoneinmemory.thelittletownstoodonalevelflatasbareasthehand,notevenawillownearit;onlyinthefardistance,acopselay,adarkblurontheveryedgeofthehorizon.afewpacesbeyondthelastmarketgardenstoodatavern,abigtavern,whichhadalwaysarousedinhimafeelingofaversion,evenoffear,whenhewalkedbyitwithhisfather.therewasalwaysacrowdthere,alwaysshouting,laughterandabuse,hideoushoarsesingingandoftenfighting.drunkenandhorrible-lookingfigureswerehangingaboutthetavern.heusedtoclingclosetohisfather,tremblingalloverwhenhemetthem.nearthetaverntheroadbecameadustytrack,thedustofwhichwasalwaysblack.itwasawindingroad,andaboutahundredpacesfurtheron,itturnedtotherighttothegraveyard.inthemiddleofthegraveyardstoodastonechurchwithagreencupolawhereheusedtogotomasstwoorthreetimesayearwithhisfatherandmother,whenaservicewasheldinmemoryofhisgrandmother,whohadlongbeendead,andwhomhehadneverseen.ontheseoccasionstheyusedtotakeonawhitedishtiedupinatablenapkinaspecialsortofricepuddingwithraisinsstuckinitintheshapeofacross.helovedthatchurch,theold-fashioned,unadornedikonsandtheoldpriestwiththeshakinghead.nearhisgrandmother’sgrave,whichwasmarkedbyastone,wasthelittlegraveofhisyoungerbrotherwhohaddiedatsixmonthsold.hedidnotrememberhimatall,buthehadbeentoldabouthislittlebrother,andwheneverhevisitedthegraveyardheusedreligiouslyandreverentlytocrosshimselfandtobowdownandkissthelittlegrave.andnowhedreamtthathewaswalkingwithhisfatherpastthetavernonthewaytothegraveyard;hewasholdinghisfather’shandandlookingwithdreadatthetavern.apeculiarcircumstanceattractedhisattention:thereseemedtobesomekindoffestivitygoingon,therewerecrowdsofgailydressedtownspeople,peasantwomen,theirhusbands,andriff-raffofallsorts,allsingingandallmoreorlessdrunk.neartheentranceofthetavernstoodacart,butastrangecart.itwasoneofthosebigcartsusuallydrawnbyheavycart-horsesandladenwithcasksofwineorotherheavygoods.healwayslikedlookingatthosegreatcart-horses,withtheirlongmanes,thicklegs,andslowevenpace,drawingalongaperfectmountainwithnoappearanceofeffort,asthoughitwereeasiergoingwithaloadthanwithoutit.butnow,strangetosay,intheshaftsofsuchacarthesawathinlittlesorrelbeast,oneofthosepeasants’nagswhichhehadoftenseenstrainingtheirutmostunderaheavyloadofwoodorhay,especiallywhenthewheelswerestuckinthemudorinarut.andthepeasantswouldbeatthemsocruelly,sometimesevenaboutthenoseandeyes,andhefeltsosorry,sosorryforthemthathealmostcried,andhismotheralwaysusedtotakehimawayfromthewindow.allofasuddentherewasagreatuproarofshouting,singingandthebalalaika,andfromthetavernanumberofbigandverydrunkenpeasantscameout,wearingredandblueshirtsandcoatsthrownovertheirshoulders.

“getin,getin!”shoutedoneofthem,ayoungthick-neckedpeasantwithafleshyfaceredasacarrot.“i’lltakeyouall,getin!”

butatoncetherewasanoutbreakoflaughterandexclamationsinthecrowd.

“takeusallwithabeastlikethat!”

“why,mikolka,areyoucrazytoputanaglikethatinsuchacart?”

“andthismareistwentyifsheisaday,mates!”

“getin,i’lltakeyouall,”mikolkashoutedagain,leapingfirstintothecart,seizingthereinsandstandingstraightupinfront.“thebayhasgonewithmatvey,”heshoutedfromthecart—“andthisbrute,mates,isjustbreakingmyheart,ifeelasificouldkillher.she’sjusteatingherheadoff.getin,itellyou!i’llmakehergallop!she’llgallop!”andhepickedupthewhip,preparinghimselfwithrelishtoflogthelittlemare.

“getin!comealong!”thecrowdlaughed.“d’youhear,she’llgallop!”

“gallopindeed!shehasnothadagallopinherforthelasttenyears!”

“she’lljogalong!”

“don’tyoumindher,mates,bringawhipeachofyou,getready!”

“allright!giveittoher!”

theyallclamberedintomikolka’scart,laughingandmakingjokes.sixmengotinandtherewasstillroomformore.theyhauledinafat,rosy-cheekedwoman.shewasdressedinredcotton,inapointed,beadedheaddressandthickleathershoes;shewascrackingnutsandlaughing.thecrowdroundthemwaslaughingtooandindeed,howcouldtheyhelplaughing?thatwretchednagwastodragallthecartloadofthematagallop!twoyoungfellowsinthecartwerejustgettingwhipsreadytohelpmikolka.withthecryof“now,”themareedwithallhermight,butfarfromgalloping,couldscarcelymoveforward;sheledwithherlegs,gaspingandshrinkingfromtheblowsofthethreewhipswhichwereshowereduponherlikehail.thelaughterinthecartandinthecrowdwasredoubled,butmikolkaflewintoarageandfuriouslythrashedthemare,asthoughhesupposedshereallycouldgallop.

“letmegetin,too,mates,”shoutedayoungmaninthecrowdwhoseappetitewasaroused.

“getin,allgetin,”criedmikolka,“shewilldrawyouall.i’llbeathertodeath!”andhethrashedandthrashedatthemare,besidehimselfwithfury.

“father,father,”hecried,“father,whataretheydoing?father,theyarebeatingthepoorhorse!”