crime and punishment(罪与罚)-第110章
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he took the paper and looked at it。 〃Yes； it's all right。 Nothing more
is needed；〃 he declared with the same rapidity and he laid the paper
on the table。
A minute later when he was talking of something else he took it from
the table and put it on his bureau。
〃I believe you said yesterday you would like to question me。。。
formally。。。 about my acquaintance with the murdered woman？〃
Raskolnikov was beginning again。 〃Why did I put in 'I believe'〃 passed
through his mind in a flash。 〃Why am I so uneasy at having put in that
'I believe'？〃 came in a second flash。 And he suddenly felt that his
uneasiness at the mere contact with Porfiry； at the first words； at
the first looks； had grown in an instant to monstrous proportions； and
that this was fearfully dangerous。 His nerves were quivering； his
emotion was increasing。 〃It's bad； it's bad！ I shall say too much
again。〃
〃Yes； yes； yes！ There's no hurry； there's no hurry；〃 muttered
Porfiry Petrovitch； moving to and fro about the table without any
apparent aim； as it were making dashes towards the window； the
bureau and the table； at one moment avoiding Raskolnikov's
suspicious glance； then again standing still and looking him
straight in the face。
His fat round little figure looked very strange； like a ball rolling
from one side to the other and rebounding back。
〃We've plenty of time。 Do you smoke？ have you your own？ Here； a
cigarette！〃 he went on； offering his visitor a cigarette。 〃You know
I am receiving you here； but my own quarters are through there； you
know； my government quarters。 But I am living outside for the time；
I had to have some repairs done here。 It's almost finished now。。。。
Government quarters； you know； are a capital thing。 Eh； what do you
think？〃
〃Yes； a capital thing；〃 answered Raskolnikov； looking at him
almost ironically。
〃A capital thing； a capital thing；〃 repeated Porfiry Petrovitch；
as though he had just thought of something quite different。 〃Yes； a
capital thing；〃 he almost shouted at last； suddenly staring at
Raskolnikov and stopping short two steps from him。
This stupid repetition was too incongruous in its ineptitude with
the serious； brooding and enigmatic glance he turned upon his visitor。
But this stirred Raskolnikov's spleen more than ever and he could
not resist an ironical and rather incautious challenge。
〃Tell me； please；〃 he asked suddenly； looking almost insolently at
him and taking a kind of pleasure in his own insolence。 〃I believe
it's a sort of legal rule； a sort of legal tradition… for all
investigating lawyers… to begin their attack from afar； with a
trivial； or at least an irrelevant subject； so as to encourage； or
rather； to divert the man they are cross…examining； to disarm his
caution and then all at once to give him an unexpected knockdown
blow with some fatal question。 Isn't that so？ It's a sacred tradition；
mentioned； I fancy； in all the manuals of the art？〃
〃Yes； yes。。。。 Why； do you imagine that was why I spoke about
government quarters。。。 eh？〃
And as he said this Porfiry Petrovitch screwed up his eyes and
winked； a good…humoured； crafty look passed over his face。 The
wrinkles on his forehead were smoothed out； his eyes contracted； his
features broadened and he suddenly went off into a nervous prolonged
laugh； shaking all over and looking Raskolnikov straight in the
face。 The latter forced himself to laugh； too； but when Porfiry；
seeing that he was laughing； broke into such a guffaw that he turned
almost crimson； Raskolnikov's repulsion overcame all precaution； he
left off laughing； scowled and stared with hatred at Porfiry；
keeping his eyes fixed on him while his intentionally prolonged
laughter lasted。 There was lack of precaution on both sides；
however； for Porfiry Petrovitch seemed to be laughing in his visitor's
face and to be very little disturbed at the annoyance with which the
visitor received it。 The latter fact was very significant in
Raskolnikov's eyes： he saw that Porfiry Petrovitch had not been
embarrassed just before either； but that he； Raskolnikov； had
perhaps fallen into a trap； that there must be something； some
motive here unknown to him； that； perhaps； everything was in readiness
and in another moment would break upon him。。。
He went straight to the point at once； rose from his seat and took
his cap。
〃Porfiry Petrovitch；〃 he began resolutely； though with
considerable irritation； 〃yesterday you expressed a desire that I
should come to you for some inquiries （he laid special stress on the
word 'inquiries'）。 I have come and； if you have anything to ask me；
ask it； and if not； allow me to withdraw。 I have no time to
spare。。。。 I have to be at the funeral of that man who was run over； of
whom you。。。 know also；〃 he added； feeling angry at once at having made
this addition and more irritated at his anger； 〃I am sick of it all；
do you hear； and have long been。 It's partly what made me ill。 In
short；〃 he shouted； feeling that the phrase about his illness was
still more out of place； 〃in short； kindly examine me or let me go； at
once。 And if you must examine me； do so in the proper form！ I will not
allow you to do so otherwise； and so meanwhile； good…bye； as we have
evidently nothing to keep us now。〃
〃Good heavens！ What do you mean？ What shall I question you about？〃
cackled Porfiry Petrovitch with a change of tone； instantly leaving
off laughing。 〃Please don't disturb yourself；〃 he began fidgeting from
place to place and fussily making Raskolnikov sit down。 〃There's no
hurry； there's no hurry； it's all nonsense。 Oh； no； I'm very glad
you've come to see me at last。。。 I look upon you simply as a
visitor。 And as for my confounded laughter； please excuse it； Rodion
Romanovitch。 Rodion Romanovitch？ That is your name？。。。 It's my nerves；
you tickled me so with your witty observation； I assure you； sometimes
I shake with laughter like an India…rubber ball for half an hour at
a time。。。。 I'm often afraid of an attack of paralysis。 Do sit down。
Please do； or I shall think you are angry。。。〃
Raskolnikov did not speak； he listened； watching him； still frowning
angrily。 He did sit down； but still held his cap。
〃I must tell you one thing about myself； my dear Rodion
Romanovitch；〃 Porfiry Petrovitch continued； moving about the room
and again avoiding his visitor's eyes。 〃You see； I'm a bachelor； a man
of no consequence and not used to society； besides； I have nothing
before me； I'm set； I'm running to seed and。。。 and have you noticed；
Rodion Romanovitch； that in our Petersburg circles； if two clever
men meet who are not int
