crime and punishment(罪与罚)-第141章
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distress）。 You see； honoured sir； these orphans of good family… I
might even say of aristocratic connections… and that wretch of a
general sat eating grouse。。。 and stamped at my disturbing him。 'Your
excellency；' I said； 'protect the orphans； for you knew my late
husband； Semyon Zaharovitch； and on the very day of his death the
basest of scoundrels slandered his only daughter。'。。。 That policeman
again！ Protect me；〃 she cried to the official。 〃Why is that
policeman edging up to me？ We have only just run away from one of
them。 What do you want； fool？〃
〃It's forbidden in the streets。 You mustn't make a disturbance。〃
〃It's you're making a disturbance。 It's just the same as if I were
grinding an organ。 What business is it of yours？〃
〃You have to get a licence for an organ； and you haven't got one；
and in that way you collect a crowd。 Where do you lodge？〃
〃What； a license？〃 wailed Katerina Ivanovna。 〃I buried my husband
to…day。 What need of a license？〃
〃Calm yourself； madam； calm yourself；〃 began the official。 〃Come
along； I will escort you。。。。 This is no place for you in the crowd。
You are ill。〃
〃Honoured sir； honoured sir； you don't know；〃 screamed Katerina
Ivanovna。 〃We are going to the Nevsky。。。。 Sonia； Sonia！ Where is
she？ She is crying too！ What's the matter with you all？ Kolya； Lida；
where are you going？〃 she cried suddenly in alarm。 〃Oh； silly
children！ Kolya； Lida； where are they off to？。。。〃
Kolya and Lida； scared out of their wits by the crowd； and their
mother's mad pranks； suddenly seized each other by the hand； and ran
off at the sight of the policeman who wanted to take them away
somewhere。 Weeping and wailing； poor Katerina Ivanovna ran after them。
She was a piteous and unseemly spectacle； as she ran； weeping and
panting for breath。 Sonia and Polenka rushed after them。
〃Bring them back； bring them back； Sonia！ Oh stupid； ungrateful
children！。。。 Polenka！ catch them。。。。 It's for your sakes I。。。〃
She stumbled as she ran and fell down。
〃She's cut herself； she's bleeding！ Oh； dear！〃 cried Sonia；
bending over her。
All ran up and crowded round。 Raskolnikov and Lebeziatnikov were the
first at her side； the official too hastened up； and behind him the
policeman who muttered； 〃Bother！〃 with a gesture of impatience；
feeling that the job was going to be a troublesome one。
〃Pass on！ Pass on！〃 he said to the crowd that pressed forward。
〃She's dying；〃 some one shouted。
〃She's gone out of her mind；〃 said another。
〃Lord have mercy upon us；〃 said a woman； crossing herself。 〃Have
they caught the little girl and the boy？ They're being brought back；
the elder one's got them。。。。 Ah； the naughty imps！〃
When they examined Katerina Ivanovna carefully； they saw that she
had not cut herself against a stone； as Sonia thought； but that the
blood that stained the pavement red was from her chest。
〃I've seen that before；〃 muttered the official to Raskolnikov and
Lebeziatnikov； 〃that's consumption； the blood flows and chokes the
patient。 I saw the same thing with a relative of my own not long
ago。。。 nearly a pint of blood； all in a minute。。。。 What's to be done
though？ She is dying。〃
〃This way； this way； to my room！〃 Sonia implored。 〃I live here！。。。
See； that house； the second from here。。。。 Come to me； make haste；〃 she
turned from one to the other。 〃Send for the doctor！ Oh； dear！〃
Thanks to the official's efforts； this plan was adopted； the
policeman even helping to carry Katerina Ivanovna。 She was carried
to Sonia's room； almost unconscious； and laid on the bed。 The blood
was still flowing； but she seemed to be coming to herself。
Raskolnikov； Lebeziatnikov； and the official accompanied Sonia into
the room and were followed by the policeman； who first drove back
the crowd which followed to the very door。 Polenka came in holding
Kolya and Lida； who were trembling and weeping。 Several persons came
in too from the Kapernaumovs' room； the landlord； a lame one…eyed
man of strange appearance with whiskers and hair that stood up like
a brush； his wife； a woman with an everlastingly scared expression；
and several open…mouthed children with wonder…struck faces。 Among
these； Svidrigailov suddenly made his appearance。 Raskolnikov looked
at him with surprise； not understanding where he had come from and not
having noticed him in the crowd。 A doctor and priest wore spoken of。
The official whispered to Raskolnikov that he thought it was too
late now for the doctor； but he ordered him to be sent for。
Kapernaumov ran himself。
Meanwhile Katerina Ivanovna had regained her breath。 The bleeding
ceased for a time。 She looked with sick but intent and penetrating
eyes at Sonia； who stood pale and trembling； wiping the sweat from her
brow with a handkerchief。 At last she asked to be raised。 They sat her
up on the bed； supporting her on both sides。
〃Where are the children？〃 she said in a faint voice。 〃You've brought
them； Polenka？ Oh the sillies！ Why did you run away。。。。 Och！〃
Once more her parched lips were covered with blood。 She moved her
eyes； looking about her。
〃So that's how you live； Sonia！ Never once have I been in your
room。〃
She looked at her with a face of suffering。
〃We have been your ruin； Sonia。 Polenka； Lida； Kolya； come here！
Well； here they are； Sonia； take them all！ I hand them over to you；
I've had enough！ The ball is over。 （Cough！） Lay me down； let me die in
peace。〃
They laid her back on the pillow。
〃What； the priest？ I don't want him。 You haven't got a rouble to
spare。 I have no sins。 God must forgive me without that。 He knows
how I have suffered。。。。 And if He won't forgive me； I don't care！〃
She sank more and more into uneasy delirium。 At times she shuddered；
turned her eyes from side to side； recognised every one for a
minute； but at once sank into delirium again。 Her breathing was hoarse
and difficult； there was a sort of rattle in her throat。
〃I said to him； your excellency；〃 she ejaculated； gasping after each
word。 〃That Amalia Ludwigovna； ah！ Lida； Kolya； hands on your hips；
make haste！ Glissez； glissez！ pas de basque！ Tap with your heels； be a
graceful child！
…
Du hast Diamanten und Perlen
…
What next？ That's the thing to sing。
…
