crime and punishment(罪与罚)-第153章
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accuse you so directly。 Seeing that for such direct accusation
before witnesses； if false or even mistaken； I should myself in a
certain sense be made responsible； I am aware of that。 This morning
I changed for my own purposes several five per cent。 securities for
the sum of approximately three thousand roubles。 The account is
noted down in my pocket…book。 On my return home I proceeded to count
the money；… as Mr。 Lebeziatnikov will bear witness… and after counting
two thousand three hundred roubles I put the rest in my pocket…book in
my coat pocket。 About five hundred roubles remained on the table and
among them three notes of a hundred roubles each。 At that moment you
entered （at my invitation）… and all the time you were present you were
exceedingly embarrassed； so that three times you jumped up in the
middle of the conversation and tried to make off。 Mr。 Lebeziatnikov
can bear witness to this。 You yourself； mademoiselle； probably will
not refuse to confirm my statement that I invited you through Mr。
Lebeziatnikov； solely in order to discuss with you the hopeless and
destitute position of your relative； Katerina Ivanovna （whose dinner I
was unable to attend）； and the advisability of getting up something of
the nature of a subscription； lottery or the like； for her benefit。
You thanked me and even shed tears。 I describe all this as it took
place； primarily to recall it to your mind and secondly to show you
that not the slightest detail has escaped my recollection。 Then I took
a ten…rouble note from the table and handed it to you by way of
first instalment on my part for the benefit of your relative。 Mr。
Lebeziatnikov saw all this。 Then I accompanied you to the door；… you
being still in the same state of embarrassment… after which； being
left alone with Mr。 Lebeziatnikov I talked to him for ten minutes；…
then Mr。 Lebeziatnikov went out and I returned to the table with the
money lying on it； intending to count it and to put it aside； as I
proposed doing before。 To my surprise one hundred…rouble note had
disappeared。 Kindly consider the position。 Mr。 Lebeziatnikov I
cannot suspect。 I am ashamed to allude to such a supposition。 I cannot
have made a mistake in my reckoning； for the minute before your
entrance I had finished my accounts and found the total correct。 You
will admit that recollecting your embarrassment； your eagerness to get
away and the fact that you kept your hands for some time on the table；
and taking into consideration your social position and the habits
associated with it； I was； so to say； with horror and positively
against my will； compelled to entertain a suspicion… a cruel； but
justifiable suspicion！ I will add further and repeat that in spite
of my positive conviction； I realise that I run a certain risk in
making this accusation； but as you see； I could not let it pass。 I
have taken action and I will tell you why： solely； madam； solely；
owing to your black ingratitude！ Why！ I invite you for the benefit
of your destitute relative； I present you with my donation of ten
roubles and you； on the spot； repay me for all that with such an
action。 It is too bad！ You need a lesson。 Reflect！ Moreover； like a
true friend I beg you… and you could have no better friend at this
moment… think what you are doing； otherwise I shall be immovable！
Well； what do you say？〃
〃I have taken nothing；〃 Sonia whispered in terror； 〃you gave me
ten roubles； here it is； take it。〃
Sonia pulled her handkerchief out of her pocket； untied a corner
of it； took out the ten rouble note and gave it to Luzhin。
〃And the hundred roubles you do not confess to taking？〃 he
insisted reproachfully； not taking the note。
Sonia looked about her。 All were looking at her with such awful；
stern； ironical； hostile eyes。 She looked at Raskolnikov。。。 he stood
against the wall； with his arms crossed； looking at her with glowing
eyes。
〃Good God！〃 broke from Sonia。
〃Amalia Ivanovna； we shall have to send word to the police and
therefore I humbly beg you meanwhile to send for the house porter；〃
Luzhin said softly and even kindly。
〃Gott der barmherzige！ I knew she was the thief；〃 cried Amalia
Ivanovna； throwing up her hands。
〃You knew it？〃 Luzhin caught her up； 〃then I suppose you had some
reason before this for thinking so。 I beg you； worthy Amalia Ivanovna；
to remember your words which have been uttered before witnesses。〃
There was a buzz of loud conversation on all sides。 All were in
movement。
〃What！〃 cried Katerina Ivanovna； suddenly realising the position；
and she rushed at Luzhin。 〃What！ You accuse her of stealing？ Sonia？
Ah； the wretches； the wretches！〃
And running to Sonia she flung her wasted arms round her and held
her as in a vise。
〃Sonia！ how dared you take ten roubles from him？ Foolish girl！
Give it to me！ Give me the ten roubles at once… here！
And snatching the note from Sonia； Katerina Ivanovna crumpled it
up and flung it straight into Luzhin's face。 It hit him in the eye and
fell on the ground。 Amalia Ivanovna hastened to pick it up。 Pyotr
Petrovitch lost his temper。
〃Hold that mad woman！〃 he shouted。
At that moment several other persons； besides Lebeziatnikov；
appeared in the doorway； among them the two ladies。
〃What！ Mad？ Am I mad？ Idiot！〃 shrieked Katerina Ivanovna。 〃You are
an idiot yourself； pettifogging lawyer； base man！ Sonia； Sonia take
his money！ Sonia a thief！ Why； she'd give away her last penny！〃 and
Katerina Ivanovna broke into hysterical laughter。 〃Did you ever see
such an idiot？〃 she turned from side to side。 〃And you too？〃 she
suddenly saw the landlady； 〃and you too； sausage eater； you declare
that she is a thief； you trashy Prussian hen's leg in a crinoline！ She
hasn't been out of this room： she came straight from you； you
wretch； and sat down beside me； every one saw her。 She sat here； by
Rodion Romanovitch。 Search her！ Since she's not left the room； the
money would have to be on her！ Search her； search her！ But if you
don't find it； then excuse me； my dear fellow； you'll answer for it！
I'll go to our Sovereign； to our Sovereign； to our gracious Tsar
himself； and throw myself at his feet； to…day； this minute！ I am alone
in the world！ They would let me in！ Do you think they wouldn't？ You're
wrong； I will get in！ I will get in！ You reckoned on her meekness！ You
relied upon that！ But I am not so submissive； let me tell you！
You've gone too far yourself。 Search her； search her！〃
And Katerina Ivanovna in a frenzy shook Luzhin and dragged him
towards Sonia。
〃I am ready； I'll be responsible。。。 but calm yourself； madam； calm
yourself。 I see that you
