crime and punishment(罪与罚)-第126章
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〃Allow me to ask what are you alluding to；〃 began the clerk； 〃that
is to say； whose。。。 about whom。。。 did you say just now。。。 But I
don't care！ That's nonsense！ Widow！ I forgive you。。。。 Pass！〃
And he took another drink of vodka。
Raskolnikov sat in silence； listening with disgust。 He only ate from
politeness； just tasting the food that Katerina Ivanovna was
continually putting on his plate； to avoid hurting her feelings。 He
watched Sonia intently。 But Sonia became more and more anxious and
distressed； she； too； foresaw that the dinner would not end peaceably；
and saw with terror Katerina Ivanovna's growing irritation。 She knew
that she； Sonia； was the chief reason for the 'genteel' ladies'
contemptuous treatment of Katerina Ivanovna's invitation。 She had
heard from Amalia Ivanovna that the mother was positively offended
at the invitation and had asked the question： 〃how could she let her
daughter sit down beside that young person？〃 Sonia had a feeling
that Katerina Ivanovna had already heard this and an insult to Sonia
meant more to Katerina Ivanovna than an insult to herself； her
children； or her father； Sonia knew that Katerina Ivanovna would not
be satisfied now； 〃till she had shown those draggletails that they
were both。。。〃 To make matters worse some one passed Sonia； from the
other end of the table； a plate with two hearts pierced with an arrow；
cut out of black bread。 Katerina Ivanovna flushed crimson and at
once said aloud across the table that the man who sent it was 〃a
drunken ass！〃
Amalia Ivanovna was foreseeing something amiss； and at the same time
deeply wounded by Katerina Ivanovna's haughtiness； and to restore
the good…humour of the company and raise herself in their esteem she
began； apropos of nothing； telling a story about an acquaintance of
hers 〃Karl from the chemist's；〃 who was driving one night in a cab；
and that 〃the cabman wanted him to kill； and Karl very much begged him
not to kill； and wept and clasped hands； and frightened and from
fear pierced his heart。〃 Though Katerina Ivanovna smiled； she observed
at once that Amalia Ivanovna ought not to tell anecdotes in Russian；
the latter was still more offended； and she retorted that her 〃Vater
aus Berlin was a very important man； and always went with his hands in
pockets。〃 Katerina Ivanovna could not restrain herself and laughed
so much that Amalia Ivanovna lost patience and could scarcely
control herself。
〃Listen to the owl！〃 Katerina Ivanovna whispered at once； her
good…humour almost restored； 〃she meant to say he kept his hands in
his pockets； but she said he put his hands in people's pockets。
（Cough…cough。） And have you noticed； Rodion Romanovitch； that all
these Petersburg foreigners； the Germans especially； are all
stupider than we！ Can you fancy any one of us telling how 'Karl from
the chemist's pierced his heart from fear' and that the idiot
instead of punishing the cabman； 'clasped his hands and wept； and much
begged。' Ah； the fool！ And you know she fancies it's very touching and
does not suspect how stupid she is！ To my thinking that drunken
commissariat clerk is a great deal cleverer； anyway one can see that
he has addled his brains with drink； but you know； these foreigners
are always so well behaved and serious。。。。 Look how she sits
glaring！ She is angry； ha…ha！ （Cough…cough…cough。）〃
Regaining her good…humour； Katerina Ivanovna began at once telling
Raskolnikov that when she had obtained her pension； she intended to
open a school for the daughters of gentlemen in her native town
T___。 This was the first time she had spoken to him of the project；
and she launched out into the most alluring details。 It suddenly
appeared that Katerina Ivanovna had in her hands the very
certificate of honour of which Marmeladov had spoken to Raskolnikov in
the tavern； when he told him that Katerina Ivanovna； his wife； had
danced the shawl dance before the governor and other great
personages on leaving school。 This certificate of honour was obviously
intended now to prove Katerina Ivanovna's right to open a
boarding…school； but she had armed herself with it chiefly with the
object of overwhelming 〃those two stuck…up draggletails〃 if they
came to the dinner； and proving incontestably that Katerina Ivanovna
was of the most noble； 〃she might even say aristocratic family； a
colonel's daughter and was far superior to certain adventuresses who
have been so much to the fore of late。〃 The certificate of honour
immediately passed into the hands of the drunken guests； and
Katerina Ivanovna did not try to retain it； for it actually
contained the statement en toutes lettres； that her father was of
the rank of a major； and also a companion of an order； so that she
really was almost the daughter of a colonel。
Warming up； Katerina Ivanovna proceeded to enlarge on the peaceful
and happy life they would lead in T___； on the gymnasium teachers whom
she would engage to give lessons in her boarding…school； one a most
respectable old Frenchman； one Mangot； who had taught Katerina
Ivanovna herself in old days and was still living in T___； and would
no doubt teach in her school on moderate terms。 Next she spoke of
Sonia who would go with her to T___ and help her in all her plans。
At this some one at the further end of the table gave a sudden guffaw。
Though Katerina Ivanovna tried to appear to be disdainfully
unaware of it； she raised her voice and began at once speaking with
conviction of Sonia's undoubted ability to assist her； of 〃her
gentleness； patience； devotion； generosity and good education；〃
tapping Sonia on the cheek and kissing her warmly twice。 Sonia flushed
crimson； and Katerina Ivanovna suddenly burst into tears；
immediately observing that she was 〃nervous and silly； that she was
too much upset； that it was time to finish； and as the dinner was
over； it was time to hand round the tea。〃
At that moment； Amalia Ivanovna； deeply aggrieved at taking no
part in the conversation； and not being listened to； made one last
effort； and with secret misgivings ventured on an exceedingly deep and
weighty observation； that 〃in the future boarding…school she would
have to pay particular attention to die Wasche； and that there
certainly must be a good Dame to look after the linen； and secondly
that the young ladies must not novels at night read。〃
Katerina Ivanovna； who certainly was upset and very tired； as well
as heartily sick of the dinner； at once cut short Amalia Ivanovna；
saying 〃she knew nothing about it and was talking nonsense； that it
was the business of the laundry maid； and not of the directress of a
high…class boarding…school to look after die Wasche； and as for
novel reading； that was simply rudeness； and she begged her to be
silent。〃 Amalia Ivanovna fired up and getting angry observed that
she only 〃meant her good；〃 and that 〃she had meant her very good；〃 and
that 〃it was long since
