crime and punishment(罪与罚)-第85章
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ugliness and stupidity in it；' and they explain it all as stupidity！
That's why they so dislike the living process of life； they don't want
a living soul！ The living soul demands life； the soul won't obey the
rules of mechanics； the soul is an object of suspicion； the soul is
retrograde！ But what they want though it smells of death and can be
made of India…rubber； at least is not alive； has no will； is servile
and won't revolt！ And it comes in the end to their reducing everything
to the building of walls and the planning of rooms and passages in a
phalanstery！ The phalanstery is ready； indeed； but your human nature
is not ready for the phalanstery… it wants life； it hasn't completed
its vital process； it's too soon for the graveyard！ You can't skip
over nature by logic。 Logic presupposes three possibilities； but there
are millions！ Cut away a million； and reduce it all to the question of
comfort！ That's the easiest solution of the problem！ It's
seductively clear and you musn't think about it。 That's the great
thing； you mustn't think！ The whole secret of life in two pages of
print！〃
〃Now he is off； beating the drum！ Catch hold of him； do！〃 laughed
Porfiry。 〃Can you imagine；〃 he turned to Raskolnikov； 〃six people
holding forth like that last night； in one room； with punch as a
preliminary！ No； brother； you are wrong； environment accounts for a
great deal in crime； I can assure you of that。〃
〃Oh； I know it does； but just tell me： a man of forty violates a
child of ten； was it environment drove him to it？〃
〃Well； strictly speaking； it did；〃 Porfiry observed with
noteworthy gravity； 〃a crime of that nature may be very well
ascribed to the influence of environment。〃
Razumihin was almost in a frenzy。 〃Oh； if you like；〃 he roared。
〃I'll prove to you that your white eyelashes may very well be ascribed
to the Church of Ivan the Great's being two hundred and fifty feet
high； and I will prove it clearly； exactly； progressively； and even
with a Liberal tendency！ I undertake to！ Will you bet on it？〃
〃Done！ Let's hear； please； how he will prove it！〃
〃He is always humbugging； confound him；〃 cried Razumihin； jumping up
and gesticulating。 〃What's the use of talking to you！ He does all that
on purpose； you don't know him； Rodion！ He took their side
yesterday； simply to make fools of them。 And the things he said
yesterday！ And they were delighted！ He can keep it up for a
fortnight together。 Last year he persuaded us that he was going into a
monastery： he stuck to it for two months。 Not long ago he took it into
his head to declare he was going to get married； that he had
everything ready for the wedding。 He ordered new clothes indeed。 We
all began to congratulate him。 There was no bride； nothing； all pure
fantasy！〃
〃Ah； you are wrong！ I got the clothes before。 It was the new clothes
in fact that made me think of taking you in。〃
〃Are you such a good dissembler？〃 Raskolnikov asked carelessly。
〃You wouldn't have supposed it； eh？ Wait a bit； I shall take you in；
too。 Ha…ha…ha！ No； I'll tell you the truth。 All these questions
about crime； environment； children； recall to my mind an article of
yours which interested me at the time。 'On Crime'。。。 or something of
the sort； I forget the title； I read it with pleasure two months ago
in the Periodical Review。〃
〃My article？ In the Periodical Review？〃 Raskolnikov asked in
astonishment。 〃I certainly did write an article upon a book six months
ago when I left the university； but I sent it to the Weekly Review。〃
〃But it came out in the Periodical。〃
〃And the Weekly Review ceased to exist； so that's why it wasn't
printed at the time。〃
〃That's true； but when it ceased to exist； the Weekly Review was
amalgamated with the Periodical； and so your article appeared two
months ago in the latter。 Didn't you know？〃
Raskolnikov had not known。
〃Why； you might get some money out of them for the article！ What a
strange person you are！ You lead such a solitary life that you know
nothing of matters that concern you directly。 It's a fact； I assure
you。〃
〃Bravo； Rodya！ I knew nothing about it either！〃 cried Razumihin。
〃I'll run to…day to the reading…room and ask for the number。 Two
months ago？ What was the date？ It doesn't matter though； I will find
it。 Think of not telling us！〃
〃How did you find out that the article was mine？ It's only signed
with an initial。〃
〃I only learnt it by chance； the other day。 Through the editor； I
know him。。。。 I was very much interested。〃
〃It analysed； if I remember； the psychology of a criminal before and
after the crime。〃
〃Yes； and you maintained that the perpetration of a crime is
always accompanied by illness。 Very； very original； but。。。 it was
not that part of your article that interested me so much； but an
idea at the end of the article which I regret to say you merely
suggested without working it out clearly。 There is； if you
recollect； a suggestion that there are certain persons who can。。。 that
is； not precisely are able to； but have a perfect right to commit
breaches of morality and crimes； and that the law is not for them。〃
Raskolnikov smiled at the exaggerated and intentional distortion
of his idea。
〃What？ What do you mean？ A right to crime？ But not because of the
influence of environment？〃 Razumihin inquired with some alarm even。
〃No； not exactly because of it；〃 answered Porfiry。 〃In his article
all men are divided into 'ordinary' and 'extraordinary。' Ordinary
men have to live in submission； have no right to transgress the law；
because； don't you see； they are ordinary。 But extraordinary men
have a right to commit any crime and to transgress the law in any way；
just because they are extraordinary。 That was your idea； if I am not
mistaken？〃
〃What do you mean？ That can't be right？〃 Razumihin muttered in
bewilderment。
Raskolnikov smiled again。 He saw the point at once； and knew where
they wanted to drive him。 He decided to take up the challenge。
〃That wasn't quite my contention；〃 he began simply and modestly。
〃Yet I admit that you have stated it almost correctly； perhaps； if you
like； perfectly so。〃 （It almost gave him pleasure to admit this。） 〃The
only difference is that I don't contend that extraordinary people
are always bound to commit breaches of morals； as you call it。 In
fact； I doubt whether such an argument could be published。 I simply
hinted that an 'extraord
