crime and punishment(罪与罚)-第50章
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little has been done； the time has been but short； of means I will not
speak。 It's my personal view； if you care to know； that something
has been accomplished already。 New valuable ideas； new valuable
works are circulating in the place of our old dreamy and romantic
authors。 Literature is taking a maturer form； many injurious prejudice
have been rooted up and turned into ridicule。。。。 In a word； we have
cut ourselves off irrevocably from the past； and that； to my thinking；
is a great thing。。。〃
〃He's learnt it by heart to show off Raskolnikov pronounced
suddenly。
〃What？〃 asked Pyotr Petrovitch； not catching his words； but he
received no reply。
〃That's all true；〃 Zossimov hastened to interpose。
〃Isn't it so？〃 Pyotr Petrovitch went on； glancing affably at
Zossimov。 〃You must admit；〃 he went on； addressing Razumihin with a
shade of triumph and superciliousness… he almost added 〃young man〃…
〃that there is an advance； or； as they say now； progress in the name
of science and economic truth。。。〃
〃A commonplace。〃
〃No； not a commonplace！ Hitherto； for instance； if I were told；
'love thy neighbour；' what came of it？〃 Pyotr Petrovitch went on；
perhaps with excessive haste。 〃It came to my tearing my coat in half
to share with my neighbour and we both were left half naked。 As a
Russian proverb has it； 'catch several hares and you won't catch one。'
Science now tells us； love yourself before all men； for everything
in the world rests on self…interest。 You love yourself and manage your
own affairs properly and your coat remains whole。 Economic truth
adds that the better private affairs are organised in society… the
more whole coats； so to say… the firmer are its foundations and the
better is the common welfare organised too。 Therefore； in acquiring
wealth solely and exclusively for myself； I am acquiring so to
speak； for all； and helping to bring to pass my neighbour's getting
a little more than a torn coat； and that not from private； personal
liberality； but as a consequence of the general advance。 The idea is
simple； but unhappily it has been a long time reaching us； being
hindered by idealism and sentimentality。 And yet it would seem to want
very little wit to perceive it。。。〃
〃Excuse me； I've very little wit myself；〃 Razumihin cut in
sharply； 〃and so let us drop it。 I began this discussion with an
object； but I've grown so sick during the last three years of this
chattering to amuse oneself； of this incessant flow of commonplaces；
always the same； that； by Jove； I blush even when other people talk
like that。 You are in a hurry； no doubt； to exhibit your acquirements；
and I don't blame you； that's quite pardonable。 I only wanted to
find out what sort of man you are； for so many unscrupulous people
have got hold of the progressive cause of late and have so distorted
in their own interests everything they touched； that the whole cause
has been dragged in the mire。 That's enough！〃
〃Excuse me； sir；〃 said Luzhin； affronted； and speaking with
excessive dignity。 〃Do you mean to suggest so unceremoniously that I
too。。。〃
〃Oh； my dear sir。。。 how could I？。。。 Come； that's enough；〃
Razumihin concluded； and he turned abruptly to Zossimov to continue
their previous conversation。
Pyotr Petrovitch had the good sense to accept the disavowal。 He made
up his mind to take leave in another minute or two。
〃I trust our acquaintance；〃 he said； addressing Raskolnikov； 〃may；
upon your recovery and in view of the circumstances of which you are
aware； become closer。。。。 Above all； I hope for your return to
health。。。〃
Raskolnikov did not even turn his head。 Pyotr Petrovitch began
getting up from his chair。
〃One of her customers must have killed her；〃 Zossimov declared
positively。
〃Not a doubt of it；〃 replied Razumihin。 〃Porfiry doesn't give his
opinion； but is examining all who have left pledges with her there。〃
〃Examining them？〃 Raskolnikov asked aloud。
〃Yes。 What then？〃
〃Nothing。〃
〃How does he get hold of them？〃 asked Zossimov。
〃Koch has given the names of some of them； other names are on the
wrappers of the pledges and some have come forward of themselves。〃
〃It must have been a cunning and practised ruffian！ The boldness
of it！ The coolness！〃
〃That's just what it wasn't！〃 interposed Razumihin。 〃That's what
throws you all off the scent。 But I maintain that he is not cunning；
nor practised； and probably this was his first crime！ The
supposition that it was a calculated crime and a cunning criminal
doesn't work。 Suppose him to have been inexperienced； and it's clear
that it was only a chance that saved him… and chance may do
anything。 Why； he did not foresee obstacles； perhaps！ And how did he
set to work？ He took jewels worth ten or twenty roubles； stuffing
his pockets with them； ransacked the old woman's trunk； her rags…
and they found fifteen hundred roubles； besides notes； in a box in the
top drawer of the chest！ He did not know how to rob； he could only
murder。 It was his first crime； I assure you； his first crime； he lost
his head。 And he got off more by luck than good counsel！〃
〃You are talking of the murder of the old pawnbroker； I believe？〃
Pyotr Petrovitch put in； addressing Zossimov。 He was standing； hat and
gloves in hand； but before departing he felt disposed to throw off a
few more intellectual phrases。 He was evidently anxious to make a
favourable impression and his vanity overcame his prudence。
〃Yes。 You've heard of it？〃
〃Oh； yes； being in the neighbourhood。〃
〃Do you know the details？〃
〃I can't say that； but another circumstance interests me in the
case… the whole question； so to say。 Not to speak of the fact that
crime has been greatly on the increase among the lower classes
during the last five years； not to speak of the cases of robbery and
arson everywhere； what strikes me as the strangest thing is that in
the higher classes； too； crime is increasing proportionately。 In one
place one hears of a student's robbing the mail on the high road； in
another place people of good social position forge false banknotes； in
Moscow of late a whole gang has been captured who used to forge
lottery tickets； and one of the ringleaders was a lecturer in
universal history； then our secretary abroad was murdered from some
obscure motive of gain。。
