crime and punishment(罪与罚)-第58章
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enthusiastically； 〃except father and mother； there's everything！〃
〃Except them； there's everything to be found； my boy；〃 the elder
declared sententiously。
Raskolnikov got up and walked into the other room where the strong
box； the bed； and the chest of drawers had been； the room seemed to
him very tiny without furniture in it。 The paper was the same； the
paper in the corner showed where the case of ikons had stood。 He
looked at it and went to the window。 The elder workman looked at him
askance。
〃What do you want？〃 he asked suddenly。
Instead of answering Raskolnikov went into the passage and pulled
the bell。 The same bell； the same cracked note。 He rang it a second
and a third time； he listened and remembered。 The hideous and
agonisingly fearful sensation he had felt then began to come back more
and more vividly。 He shuddered at every ring and it gave him more
and more satisfaction。
〃Well； what do you want？ Who are you？〃 the workman shouted； going
out to him。 Raskolnikov went inside again。
〃I want to take a flat；〃 he said。 〃I am looking round。〃
〃It's not the time to look at rooms at night！ and you ought to
come up with the porter。〃
〃The floors have been washed； will they be painted？〃 Raskolnikov
went on。 〃Is there no blood？〃
〃What blood？〃
〃Why； the old woman and her sister were murdered here。 There was a
perfect pool there。〃
〃But who are you？〃 the workman cried； uneasy。
〃Who am I？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃You want to know？ Come to the police station； I'll tell you。〃
The workmen looked at him in amazement。
〃It's time for us to go； we are late。 Come along； Alyoshka。 We
must lock up；〃 said the elder workman。
〃Very well； come along；〃 said Raskolnikov indifferently； and going
out first； he went slowly downstairs。 〃Hey； porter；〃 he cried in the
gateway。
At the entrance several people were standing； staring at the
passers…by； the two porters； a peasant woman； a man in a long coat and
a few others。 Raskolnikov went straight up to them。
〃What do you want？〃 asked one of the porters。
〃Have you been to the police office？〃
〃I've just been there。 What do you want？〃
〃Is it open？〃
〃Of course。〃
〃Is the assistant there？〃
〃He was there for a time。 What do you want？〃
Raskolnikov made no reply； but stood beside them lost in thought。
〃He's been to look at the flat；〃 said the elder workman； coming
forward。
〃Which flat？〃
〃Where we are at work。 'Why have you washed away the blood？' says
he。 'There has been a murder here；' says he； 'and I've come to take
it。' And he began ringing at the bell； all but broke it。 'Come to
the police station；' says he。 'I'll tell you everything there。' He
wouldn't leave us。〃
The porter looked at Raskolnikov； frowning and perplexed。
〃Who are you？〃 he shouted as impressively as he could。
〃I am Rodion Romanovitch Raskolnikov； formerly a student； I live
in Shil's house； not far from here； flat Number 14； ask the porter； he
knows me。〃 Raskolnikov said all this in a lazy； dreamy voice； not
turning round； but looking intently into the darkening street。
〃Why have you been to the flat？〃
〃To look at it。〃
〃What is there to look at？〃
〃Take him straight to the police station；〃 the man in the long
coat jerked in abruptly。
Raskolnikov looked intently at him over his shoulder and said in the
same slow； lazy tone：
〃Come along。〃
〃Yes； take him；〃 the man went on more confidently。 〃Why was he going
into that； what's in his mind； eh？〃
〃He's not drunk； but God knows what's the matter with him；〃 muttered
the workman。
〃But what do you want？〃 the porter shouted again； beginning to get
angry in earnest… 〃Why are you hanging about？〃
〃You funk the police station then？〃 said Raskolnikov jeeringly。
〃How funk it？ Why are you hanging about？〃
〃He's a rogue！〃 shouted the peasant woman。
〃Why waste time talking to him？〃 cried the other porter； a huge
peasant in a full open coat and with keys on his belt。 〃Get along！
He is a rogue and no mistake。 Get along！〃
And seizing Raskolnikov by the shoulder he flung him into the
street。 He lurched forward； but recovered his footing； looked at the
spectators in silence and walked away。
〃Strange man！〃 observed the workman。
〃There are strange folks about nowadays；〃 said the woman。
〃You should have taken him to the police station all the same；〃 said
the man in the long coat。
〃Better have nothing to do with him；〃 decided the big porter。 〃A
regular rogue！ Just what he wants； you may be sure； but once take
him up； you won't get rid of him。。。。 We know the sort！〃
〃Shall I go there or not？〃 thought Raskolnikov； standing in the
middle of the thoroughfare at the cross roads； and he looked about
him； as though expecting from some one a decisive word。 But no sound
came； all was dead and silent like the stones on which he walked； dead
to him； to him alone。。。。 All at once at the end of the street； two
hundred yards away； in the gathering dusk he saw a crowd and heard
talk and shouts。 In the middle of the crowd stood a carriage。。。。 A
light gleamed in the middle of the street。 〃What is it？〃 Raskolnikov
turned to the right and went up to the crowd。 He seemed to clutch at
everything and smiled coldly when he recognised it； for he had fully
made up his mind to go to the police station and knew that it would
all soon be over。
Chapter Seven
AN ELEGANT carriage
