it was nearly eight o'clock. the two young men hurried to bakaleyev's, to arrive before luzhin.

"why, who was that?" asked razumihin, as soon as they were in the street.

"it was svidrigailov, that landowner in whose house my sister was insulted when she was their governess. through his persecuting her with his attentions, she was turned out by his wife, marfa petrovna. this marfa petrovna begged dounia's forgiveness afterwards, and she's just died suddenly. it was of her we were talking this morning. i don't know why i'm afraid of that man. he came here at once after his wife's funeral. he is very strange, and is determined on doing something. . . . we must guard dounia from him . . . that's what i wanted to tell you, do you hear?"

"guard her! what can he do to harm avdotya romanovna? thank you, rodya, for speaking to me like that. . . . we will, we will guard her. where does he live?"

"i don't know."

"why didn't you ask? what a pity! i'll find out, though."

"did you see him?" asked raskolnikov after a pause.

"yes, i noticed him, i noticed him well."

"you did really see him? you saw him clearly?" raskolnikov insisted.

"yes, i remember him perfectly, i should know him in a thousand; i have a good memory for faces."

they were silent again.

"hm! . . . that's all right," muttered raskolnikov. "do you know, i fancied . . . i keep thinking that it may have been an hallucination."

"what do you mean? i don't understand you."

"well, you all say," raskolnikov went on, twisting his mouth into a smile, "that i am mad. i thought just now that perhaps i really am mad, and have only seen a phantom."

"what do you mean?"

"why, who can tell? perhaps i am really mad, and perhaps everything that happened all these days may be only imagination."

"ach, rodya, you have been upset again! . . . but what did he say, what did he come for?"

raskolnikov did not answer. razumihin thought a minute.

"now let me tell you my story," he began, "i came to you, you were asleep. then we had dinner and then i went to porfiry's, zametov was still with him. i tried to begin, but it was no use. i couldn't speak in the right way. they don't seem to understand and can't understand, but are not a bit ashamed. i drew porfiry to the window, and began talking to him, but it was still no use. he looked away and i looked away. at last i shook my fist in his ugly face, and told him as a cousin i'd brain him. he merely looked at me, i cursed and came away. that was all. it was very stupid. to zametov i didn't say a word. but, you see, i thought i'd made a mess of it, but as i went downstairs a brilliant idea struck me: why should we trouble? of course if you were in any danger or anything, but why need you care? you needn't care a hang for them. we shall have a laugh at them afterwards, and if i were in your place i'd mystify them more than ever. how ashamed they'll be afterwards! hang them! we can thrash them afterwards, but let's laugh at them now!"

"to be sure," answered raskolnikov. "but what will you say to-morrow?" he thought to himself. strange to say, till that moment it had never occurred to him to wonder what razumihin would think when he knew. as he thought it, raskolnikov looked at him. razumihin's account of his visit to porfiry had very little interest for him, so much had come and gone since then.

in the corridor they came upon luzhin; he had arrived punctually at eight, and was looking for the number, so that all three went in together without greeting or looking at one another. the young men walked in first, while pyotr petrovitch, for good manners, lingered a little in the passage, taking off his coat. pulcheria alexandrovna came forward at once to greet him in the doorway, dounia was welcoming her brother. pyotr petrovitch walked in and quite amiably, though with redoubled dignity, bowed to the ladies. he looked, however, as though he were a little put out and could not yet recover himself. pulcheria alexandrovna, who seemed also a little embarrassed, hastened to make them all sit down at the round table where a samovar was boiling. dounia and luzhin were facing one another on opposite sides of the table. razumihin and raskolnikov were facing pulcheria alexandrovna, razumihin was next to luzhin and raskolnikov was beside his sister.

a moment's silence followed. pyotr petrovitch deliberately drew out a cambric handkerchief reeking of scent and blew his nose with an air of a benevolent man who felt himself slighted, and was firmly resolved to insist on an explanation. in the passage the idea had occurred to him to keep on his overcoat and walk away, and so give the two ladies a sharp and emphatic lesson and make them feel the gravity of the position. but he could not bring himself to do this. besides, he could not endure uncertainty, and he wanted an explanation: if his request had been so openly disobeyed, there was something behind it, and in that case it was better to find it out beforehand; it rested with him to punish them and there would always be time for that.

"i trust you had a favourable journey," he inquired officially of pulcheria alexandrovna.

"oh, very, pyotr petrovitch."

"i am gratified to hear it. and avdotya romanovna is not over-fatigued either?"

"i am young and strong, i don't get tired, but it was a great strain for mother," answered dounia.

"that's unavoidable! our national railways are of terrible length. 'mother russia,' as they say, is a vast country. . . . in spite of all my desire to do so, i was unable to meet you yesterday. but i trust all passed off without inconvenience?"

"oh, no, pyotr petrovitch, it was all terribly disheartening," pulcheria alexandrovna hastened to declare with peculiar intonation, "and if dmitri prokofitch had not been sent us, i really believe by god himself, we should have been utterly lost. here, he is! dmitri prokofitch razumihin," she added, introducing him to luzhin.

"i had the pleasure . . . yesterday," muttered pyotr petrovitch with a hostile glance sidelong at razumihin; then he scowled and was silent.

pyotr petrovitch belonged to that class of persons, on the surface very polite in society, who make a great point of punctiliousness, but who, directly they are crossed in anything, are completely disconcerted, and become more like sacks of flour than elegant and lively men of society. again all was silent; raskolnikov was obstinately mute, avdotya romanovna was unwilling to open the conversation too soon. razumihin had nothing to say, so pulcheria alexandrovna was anxious again.

"marfa petrovna is dead, have you heard?" she began having recourse to her leading item of conversation.

"to be sure, i heard so. i was immediately informed, and i have come to make you acquainted with the fact that arkady ivanovitch svidrigailov set off in haste for petersburg immediately after his wife's funeral. so at least i have excellent authority for believing."

"to petersburg? here?" dounia asked in alarm and looked at her mother.

"yes, indeed, and doubtless not without some design, having in view the rapidity of his departure, and all the circumstances preceding it."

"good heavens! won't he leave dounia in peace even here?" cried pulcheria alexandrovna.

"i imagine that neither you nor avdotya romanovna have any grounds for uneasiness, unless, of course, you are yourselves desirous of getting into communication with him. for my part i am on my guard, and am now discovering where he is lodging."

"oh, pyotr petrovitch, you would not believe what a fright you have given me," pulcheria alexandrovna went on: "i've only seen him twice, but i thought him terrible, terrible! i am convinced that he was the cause of marfa petrovna's death."

"it's impossible to be certain about that. i have precise information. i do not dispute that he may have contributed to accelerate the course of events by the moral influence, so to say, of the affront; but as to the general conduct and moral characteristics of that personage, i am in agreement with you. i do not know whether he is well off now, and precisely what marfa petrovna left him; this will be known to me within a very short period; but no doubt here in petersburg, if he has any pecuniary resources, he will relapse at once into his old ways. he is the most depraved, and abjectly vicious specimen of that class of men. i have considerable reason to believe that marfa petrovna, who was so unfortunate as to fall in love with him and to pay his debts eight years ago, was of service to him also in another way. solely by her exertions and sacrifices, a criminal charge, involving an element of fantastic and homicidal brutality for which he might well have been sentenced to siberia, was hushed up. that's the sort of man he is, if you care to know."

"good heavens!" cried pulcheria alexandrovna. raskolnikov listened attentively.

"are you speaking the truth when you say that you have good evidence of this?" dounia asked sternly and emphatically.

"i only repeat what i was told in secret by marfa petrovna. i must observe that from the legal point of view the case was far from clear. there was, and i believe still is, living here a woman called resslich, a foreigner, who lent small sums of money at interest, and did other commissions, and with this woman svidrigailov had for a long while close and mysterious relations. she had a relation, a niece i believe, living with her, a deaf and dumb girl of fifteen, or perhaps not more than fourteen. resslich hated this girl, and grudged her every crust; she used to beat her mercilessly. one day the girl was found hanging in the garret. at the inquest the verdict was suicide. after the usual proceedings the matter ended, but, later on, information was given that the child had been . . . cruelly outraged by svidrigailov. it is true, this was not clearly established, the information was given by another german woman of loose character whose word could not be trusted; no statement was actually made to the police, thanks to marfa petrovna's money and exertions; it did not get beyond gossip. and yet the story is a very significant one. you heard, no doubt, avdotya romanovna, when you were with them the story of the servant philip who died of ill treatment he received six years ago, before the abolition of serfdom."

"i heard, on the contrary, that this philip hanged himself."

"quite so, but what drove him, or rather perhaps disposed him, to suicide was the systematic persecution and severity of mr. svidrigailov."

"i don't know that," answered dounia, dryly. "i only heard a queer story that philip was a sort of hypochondriac, a sort of domestic philosopher, the servants used to say, 'he read himself silly,' and that he hanged himself partly on account of mr. svidrigailov's mockery of him and not his blows. when i was there he behaved well to the servants, and they were actually fond of him, though they certainly did blame him for philip's death."

"i perceive, avdotya romanovna, that you seem disposed to undertake his defence all of a sudden," luzhin observed, twisting his lips into an ambiguous smile, "there's no doubt that he is an astute man, and insinuating where ladies are concerned, of which marfa petrovna, who has died so strangely, is a terrible instance. my only desire has been to be of service to you and your mother with my advice, in view of the renewed efforts which may certainly be anticipated from him. for my part it's my firm conviction, that he will end in a debtor's prison again. marfa petrovna had not the slightest intention of settling anything substantial on him, having regard for his children's interests, and, if she left him anything, it would only be the merest sufficiency, something insignificant and ephemeral, which would not last a year for a man of his habits."

"pyotr petrovitch, i beg you," said dounia, "say no more of mr. svidrigailov. it makes me miserable."

"he has just been to see me," said raskolnikov, breaking his silence for the first time.

there were exclamations from all, and they all turned to him. even pyotr petrovitch was roused.

"an hour and a half ago, he came in when i was asleep, waked me, and introduced himself," raskolnikov continued. "he was fairly cheerful and at ease, and quite hopes that we shall become friends. he is particularly anxious, by the way, dounia, for an interview with you, at which he asked me to assist. he has a proposition to make to you, and he told me about it. he told me, too, that a week before her death marfa petrovna left you three thousand roubles in her will, dounia, and that you can receive the money very shortly."

"thank god!" cried pulcheria alexandrovna, crossing herself. "pray for her soul, dounia!"

"it's a fact!" broke from luzhin.

"tell us, what more?" dounia urged raskolnikov.

"then he said that he wasn't rich and all the estate was left to his children who are now with an aunt, then that he was staying somewhere not far from me, but where, i don't know, i didn't ask. . . ."

"but what, what does he want to propose to dounia?" cried pulcheria alexandrovna in a fright. "did he tell you?"

"yes."

"what was it?"

"i'll tell you afterwards."

raskolnikov ceased speaking and turned his attention to his tea.

pyotr petrovitch looked at his watch.

"i am compelled to keep a business engagement, and so i shall not be in your way," he added with an air of some pique and he began getting up.

"don't go, pyotr petrovitch," said dounia, "you intended to spend the evening. besides, you wrote yourself that you wanted to have an explanation with mother."

"precisely so, avdotya romanovna," pyotr petrovitch answered impressively, sitting down again, but still holding his hat. "i certainly desired an explanation with you and your honoured mother upon a very important point indeed. but as your brother cannot speak openly in my presence of some proposals of mr. svidrigailov, i, too, do not desire and am not able to speak openly . . . in the presence of others . . . of certain matters of the greatest gravity. moreover, my most weighty and urgent request has been disregarded. . . ."

assuming an aggrieved air, luzhin relapsed into dignified silence.

"your request that my brother should not be present at our meeting was disregarded solely at my instance," said dounia. "you wrote that you had been insulted by my brother; i think that this must be explained at once, and you must be reconciled. and if rodya really has insulted you, then he /should/ and /will/ apologise."

pyotr petrovitch took a stronger line.

"there are insults, avdotya romanovna, which no goodwill can make us forget. there is a line in everything which it is dangerous to overstep; and when it has been overstepped, there is no return."

"that wasn't what i was speaking of exactly, pyotr petrovitch," dounia interrupted with some impatience. "please understand that our whole future depends now on whether all this is explained and set right as soon as possible. i tell you frankly at the start that i cannot look at it in any other light, and if you have the least regard for me, all this business must be ended to-day, however hard that may be. i repeat that if my brother is to blame he will ask your forgiveness."

"i am surprised at your putting the question like that," said luzhin, getting more and more irritated. "esteeming, and so to say, adoring you, i may at the same time, very well indeed, be able to dislike some member of your family. though i lay claim to the happiness of your hand, i cannot accept duties incompatible with . . ."

"ah, don't be so ready to take offence, pyotr petrovitch," dounia interrupted with feeling, "and be the sensible and generous man i have always considered, and wish to consider, you to be. i've given you a great promise, i am your betrothed. trust me in this matter and, believe me, i shall be capable of judging impartially. my assuming the part of judge is as much a surprise for my brother as for you. when i insisted on his coming to our interview to-day after your letter, i told him nothing of what i meant to do. understand that, if you are not reconciled, i must choose between you--it must be either you or he. that is how the question rests on your side and on his. i don't want to be mistaken in my choice, and i must not be. for your sake i must break off with my brother, for my brother's sake i must break off with you. i can find out for certain now whether he is a brother to me, and i want to know it; and of you, whether i am dear to you, whether you esteem me, whether you are the husband for me."

"avdotya romanovna," luzhin declared huffily, "your words are of too much consequence to me; i will say more, they are offensive in view of the position i have the honour to occupy in relation to you. to say nothing of your strange and offensive setting me on a level with an impertinent boy, you admit the possibility of breaking your promise to me. you say 'you or he,' showing thereby of how little consequence i am in your eyes . . . i cannot let this pass considering the relationship and . . . the obligations existing between us."

"what!" cried dounia, flushing. "i set your interest beside all that has hitherto been most precious in my life, what has made up the /whole/ of my life, and here you are offended at my making too /little/ account of you."

raskolnikov smiled sarcastically, razumihin fidgeted, but pyotr petrovitch did not accept the reproof; on the contrary, at every word he became more persistent and irritable, as though he relished it.

"love for the future partner of your life, for your husband, ought to outweigh your love for your brother," he pronounced sententiously, "and in any case i cannot be put on the same level. . . . although i said so emphatically that i would not speak openly in your brother's presence, nevertheless, i intend now to ask your honoured mother for a necessary explanation on a point of great importance closely affecting my dignity. your son," he turned to pulcheria alexandrovna, "yesterday in the presence of mr. razsudkin (or . . . i think that's it? excuse me i have forgotten your surname," he bowed politely to razumihin) "insulted me by misrepresenting the idea i expressed to you in a private conversation, drinking coffee, that is, that marriage with a poor girl who has had experience of trouble is more advantageous from the conjugal point of view than with one who has lived in luxury, since it is more profitable for the moral character. your son intentionally exaggerated the significance of my words and made them ridiculous, accusing me of malicious intentions, and, as far as i could see, relied upon your correspondence with him. i shall consider myself happy, pulcheria alexandrovna, if it is possible for you to convince me of an opposite conclusion, and thereby considerately reassure me. kindly let me know in what terms precisely you repeated my words in your letter to rodion romanovitch."

"i don't remember," faltered pulcheria alexandrovna. "i repeated them as i understood them. i don't know how rodya repeated them to you, perhaps he exaggerated."

"he could not have exaggerated them, except at your instigation."

"pyotr petrovitch," pulcheria alexandrovna declared with dignity, "the proof that dounia and i did not take your words in a very bad sense is the fact that we are here."

"good, mother," said dounia approvingly.

"then this is my fault again," said luzhin, aggrieved.

"well, pyotr petrovitch, you keep blaming rodion, but you yourself have just written what was false about him," pulcheria alexandrovna added, gaining courage.

"i don't remember writing anything false."

"you wrote," raskolnikov said sharply, not turning to luzhin, "that i gave money yesterday not to the widow of the man who was killed, as was the fact, but to his daughter (whom i had never seen till yesterday). you wrote this to make dissension between me and my family, and for that object added coarse expressions about the conduct of a girl whom you don't know. all that is mean slander."

"excuse me, sir," said luzhin, quivering with fury. "i enlarged upon your qualities and conduct in my letter solely in response to your sister's and mother's inquiries, how i found you, and what impression you made on me. as for what you've alluded to in my letter, be so good as to point out one word of falsehood, show, that is, that you didn't throw away your money, and that there are not worthless persons in that family, however unfortunate."

"to my thinking, you, with all your virtues, are not worth the little finger of that unfortunate girl at whom you throw stones."

"would you go so far then as to let her associate with your mother and sister?"

"i have done so already, if you care to know. i made her sit down to-day with mother and dounia."

"rodya!" cried pulcheria alexandrovna. dounia crimsoned, razumihin knitted his brows. luzhin smiled with lofty sarcasm.

"you may see for yourself, avdotya romanovna," he said, "whether it is possible for us to agree. i hope now that this question is at an end, once and for all. i will withdraw, that i may not hinder the pleasures of family intimacy, and the discussion of secrets." he got up from his chair and took his hat. "but in withdrawing, i venture to request that for the future i may be spared similar meetings, and, so to say, compromises. i appeal particularly to you, honoured pulcheria alexandrovna, on this subject, the more as my letter was addressed to you and to no one else."

pulcheria alexandrovna was a little offended.

"you seem to think we are completely under your authority, pyotr petrovitch. dounia has told you the reason your desire was disregarded, she had the best intentions. and indeed you write as though you were laying commands upon me. are we to consider every desire of yours as a command? let me tell you on the contrary that you ought to show particular delicacy and consideration for us now, because we have thrown up everything, and have come here relying on you, and so we are in any case in a sense in your hands."

"that is not quite true, pulcheria alexandrovna, especially at the present moment, when the news has come of marfa petrovna's legacy, which seems indeed very apropos, judging from the new tone you take to me," he added sarcastically.

"judging from that remark, we may certainly presume that you were reckoning on our helplessness," dounia observed irritably.

"but now in any case i cannot reckon on it, and i particularly desire not to hinder your discussion of the secret proposals of arkady ivanovitch svidrigailov, which he has entrusted to your brother and which have, i perceive, a great and possibly a very agreeable interest for you."

"good heavens!" cried pulcheria alexandrovna.

razumihin could not sit still on his chair.

"aren't you ashamed now, sister?" asked raskolnikov.

"i am ashamed, rodya," said dounia. "pyotr petrovitch, go away," she turned to him, white with anger.

pyotr petrovitch had apparently not at all expected such a conclusion. he had too much confidence in himself, in his power and in the helplessness of his victims. he could not believe it even now. he turned pale, and his lips quivered.

"avdotya romanovna, if i go out of this door now, after such a dismissal, then, you may reckon on it, i will never come back. consider what you are doing. my word is not to be shaken."

"what insolence!" cried dounia, springing up from her seat. "i don't want you to come back again."

"what! so that's how it stands!" cried luzhin, utterly unable to the last moment to believe in the rupture and so completely thrown out of his reckoning now. "so that's how it stands! but do you know, avdotya romanovna, that i might protest?"

"what right have you to speak to her like that?" pulcheria alexandrovna intervened hotly. "and what can you protest about? what rights have you? am i to give my dounia to a man like you? go away, leave us altogether! we are to blame for having agreed to a wrong action, and i above all. . . ."

"but you have bound me, pulcheria alexandrovna," luzhin stormed in a frenzy, "by your promise, and now you deny it and . . . besides . . . i have been led on account of that into expenses. . . ."

this last complaint was so characteristic of pyotr petrovitch, that raskolnikov, pale with anger and with the effort of restraining it, could not help breaking into laughter. but pulcheria alexandrovna was furious.

"expenses? what expenses? are you speaking of our trunk? but the conductor brought it for nothing for you. mercy on us, we have bound you! what are you thinking about, pyotr petrovitch, it was you bound us, hand and foot, not we!"

"enough, mother, no more please," avdotya romanovna implored. "pyotr petrovitch, do be kind and go!"

"i am going, but one last word," he said, quite unable to control himself. "your mamma seems to have entirely forgotten that i made up my mind to take you, so to speak, after the gossip of the town had spread all over the district in regard to your reputation. disregarding public opinion for your sake and reinstating your reputation, i certainly might very well reckon on a fitting return, and might indeed look for gratitude on your part. and my eyes have only now been opened! i see myself that i may have acted very, very recklessly in disregarding the universal verdict. . . ."

"does the fellow want his head smashed?" cried razumihin, jumping up.

"you are a mean and spiteful man!" cried dounia.

"not a word! not a movement!" cried raskolnikov, holding razumihin back; then going close up to luzhin, "kindly leave the room!" he said quietly and distinctly, "and not a word more or . . ."

pyotr petrovitch gazed at him for some seconds with a pale face that worked with anger, then he turned, went out, and rarely has any man carried away in his heart such vindictive hatred as he felt against raskolnikov. him, and him alone, he blamed for everything. it is noteworthy that as he went downstairs he still imagined that his case was perhaps not utterly lost, and that, so far as the ladies were concerned, all might "very well indeed" be set right again.

已经差不多八点钟了；他们两人匆匆往巴卡列耶夫的旅馆走去，要在卢任到来之前赶到那里。

“喂，刚刚来的这个人是谁？”刚一来到街上，拉祖米欣就问。“这是斯维德里盖洛夫，就是我妹妹在他们家作家庭教师的时候，受过他们侮辱的那个地主。因为他追求她，她让他的妻子玛尔法·彼特罗芙娜给赶了出来。后来这个玛尔法·彼特罗芙娜请求杜尼娅原谅她，现在她突然死了。不久前我们还谈起过她。不知为什么，我对这个人很害怕。他埋葬了妻子以后，立刻就到这儿来了。他这个人很怪，而且不知已经作出了什么决定……他好像知道一件什么事情……得保护杜尼娅，防备着他……我想告诉你的就是这一点，你听到吗？”

“保护！他能怎么着跟阿芙多季娅·罗曼诺芙娜过不去呢？好吧，罗佳，你跟我这样说，我要谢谢你……我们，我们一定会保护她！……他住在哪儿？”

“不知道。”

“你为什么不问呢？唉，可惜！不过，我会打听出来的。”

“你看到他了？”沉默了一会儿以后，拉斯科利尼科夫问。

“嗯，是的，看到了；清清楚楚地看到了。”

“你的确看见了？看清楚了？”拉斯科利尼科夫坚持地问。

“嗯，是的，我清清楚楚记得他；在一千人里面我也能认出他来，我记性好，别人的模样儿，只要我看见过，就忘不了。”

大家又都不说话了。

“嗯哼……这就是了……”拉斯科利尼科夫含糊不清地说。“其实，你要知道……我曾经认为……我一直觉得……这可能是幻想。”

“你指的是什么？我不完全理解你的意思。”

“你们都说，”拉斯科利尼科夫撇撇嘴笑了，接着说下去，“你们都说我是疯子；现在我也好像觉得，说不定我真是个疯子，我只不过是看到了一个幽灵！”

“你这是怎么了？”

“谁知道呢！也许我当真是个疯子，一切，这些天来所发生的一切，说不定都只不过是我想象中的事……”

“唉，罗佳！你的情绪又让他们给弄坏了！……他到底说了些什么？他来干什么？”

拉斯科利尼科夫不回答，拉祖米欣稍想了一下。

“好，你听我给你解释一下，”他开始说。“我到你这儿来过，你在睡觉。后来我们吃过午饭，我去找波尔菲里。扎苗托夫一直还在他那里。我本想跟波尔菲里谈谈，可是毫无结果。我一直没能一本正经地和他谈。他们好像不懂，不理解，可是根本没有显得惊惶失措。我把波尔菲里拉到窗前，开始跟他谈，可是不知为什么，结果还是不像我所想的那样：他不看着我，我也不看着他。最后我对着他的脸扬起拳头，说，作为亲戚，我要打烂他的脸。他只是看了我一眼。我啐了口唾沫，走了，这就是一切。非常愚蠢。跟扎苗托夫，我一句话也没说。不过，你要知道：我想，我做得不对头，下楼去的时候，忽然产生了一个想法，我忽然想：我们操的哪份儿心？如果你有危险，或者有什么诸如此类的情况，那当然了。可是这关你什么事！这和你毫不相干，那么你就别睬他们；以后我们会嘲笑他们的，要是我处在你的地位上，我还要故弄玄虚，愚弄他们呢。以后他们会多么难为情啊！去他们的；以后也可以揍他们一顿，可现在，笑笑也就算了！”

“当然是这样了！”拉斯科利尼科夫回答。“可明天你会怎么说呢？”他心中暗想。怪事，直到现在他还连一次也没想过：“等到拉祖米欣知道了的时候，他会怎么想呢？”想到这里，拉斯科利尼科夫凝神仔细看了看他。拉祖米欣现在所说的去会见波尔菲里的情况，他已经不怎么感兴趣了，因为从那时起有些情况已经变了，而且出现了那么多新情况！……

在走廊上他们碰到了卢任；他正八点钟到达这里，正在寻找房号，所以他们三个人是一起进去的，不过谁也没看谁，也没有互相打个招呼。两个年轻人走到前面去了，为了礼貌的关系，彼得·彼特罗维奇在前室里稍耽搁了一下，脱掉了大衣。普莉赫里娅·亚历山德罗芙娜立刻到门口来迎接他们。

杜尼娅向哥哥问好。

彼得·彼特罗维奇进来后，向两位妇女点头行礼，态度相当客气，虽说也显得加倍神气。不过看上去他似乎有点儿不知所措，还没想出应付这个局面的办法。普莉赫里娅·亚历山德罗芙娜也好像很窘，立刻急急忙忙请大家在圆桌边坐，桌上的茶炊已经在沸腾了。杜尼娅和卢任面对面坐在桌子两端。拉祖米欣和拉斯科利尼科夫坐在普莉赫里娅·亚历山德罗芙娜对面，——拉祖米欣靠近卢任，拉斯科利尼科夫坐在妹妹身边。

有一瞬间，大家都默默无言，彼得·彼特罗维奇不慌不忙地掏出一块有一股香水味的麻纱手帕，擤了擤鼻涕，虽然很有风度，但那样子还是让人感到，他的尊严有点儿受到了伤害，并且决定要求作出解释。还在前室里的时候，他就产生了这样的想法：不脱大衣，立刻就走，用这种方式严厉地惩罚这两位妇女，给她们留下深刻的印象，让她们一下子就能感觉到这一切的后果。可是他没拿定主意。而且这个人不喜欢不明不白，这是需要解释清楚的：既然他的命令这样公然遭到违抗，这就是说，一定有什么原因，所以最好是先了解清楚；要惩罚，时间总是有的，而且这掌握在他的手里。

“我希望，你们旅途平安吧？”他一本正经地对普莉赫里娅·亚历山德罗芙娜说。

“谢天谢地，彼得·彼特罗维奇。”

“我很高兴。阿芙多季娅·罗曼诺芙娜也不感到劳累？”

“我年轻，强壮，不觉得累，妈妈却很累了，”杜涅奇卡回答。

“有什么办法呢；我们国家的道路很长嘛。所谓的‘俄罗斯母亲’真是伟大啊……虽然我很想去接你们，可是昨天怎么也没能赶去。不过，我希望没遇到什么麻烦吧？”

“啊，不，彼得·彼特罗维奇，我们真是不知所措了，”普莉赫里娅·亚历山德罗芙娜赶紧用一种特殊的语气声明，“昨天要不是上帝亲自给我们派来了德米特里·普罗科菲伊奇，我们简直就毫无办法。那就是他，德米特里·普罗科菲伊奇·拉祖米欣，”她补充说，把他介绍给卢任。

“那还用说，昨天……已经有幸认识了，”卢任含糊不清地说，怀着敌意斜着眼睛瞟了拉祖米欣一眼，然后皱起眉头，不作声了。一般说，彼得·彼特罗维奇属于这样一类人，在交际场合表面上异常客气，也特别希望别人对他彬彬有礼，但是如果稍有什么不合他们的心意，立刻就会失去那套交际应酬的本事，与其说变得像个毫不拘束、使交际场合显得活跃起来的英雄，倒不如说变得像一袋面粉1。大家又都沉默了：拉斯科利尼科夫执拗地一声不响，不到时候，阿芙多季娅·罗曼诺芙娜也不想打破沉默，拉祖米欣无话可说，所以普莉赫里娅·亚历山德罗芙娜又感到不安了。

--------

1意思是：呆头呆脑，举止笨拙。

“玛尔法·彼特罗芙娜过世了，您听说了吗，”她开口说，又使出她最主要的这一招来。

“当然听说了。我最先得到了这个消息，现在甚至要来通知你们，阿尔卡季·伊万诺维奇·斯维德里盖洛夫安葬了妻子以后，就立刻匆匆赶到彼得堡来了。至少根据我得到的最可靠的消息，他是到这儿来了。”

“来彼得堡？到这儿来？”杜涅奇卡不安地问，和母亲互相使了个眼色。

“的确是的，如果注意到他来得匆忙，以及以前的各种情况，那么他此行当然不会没有目的。”

“上帝啊！难道在这儿他也要让杜涅奇卡不得安宁吗？”普莉赫里娅·亚历山德罗芙娜突然叫喊起来。

“我觉得，用不着特别担心，无论是您，还是阿芙多季娅·罗曼诺芙娜，当然啦，只要你们自己不想跟他发生任何关系的话。至于我嘛，我在监视他，现在正在打听，他住在哪儿……”

“哎哟，彼得·彼特罗维奇，您不会相信的，刚才您把我吓成了什么样子！”普莉赫里娅·亚历山德罗芙娜接下去说。

“我总共只见过他两次，我觉得他真可怕，可怕！我相信，玛尔法·彼特罗芙娜就是叫他害死的。”

“还不能就下这样的结论。我有可靠的消息。我不想争辩，可以这样说吧，可能他的侮辱对她精神上产生了影响，从而加速了她的死亡；至于说到这个人的所作所为，以及他的道德品质，我同意您的看法。我不知道，现在他是不是富有，玛尔法·彼特罗芙娜到底给他留下了多少财产；关于这一点，在最短期间内我就会知道；不过，在这里，在彼得堡，即使他只有一点儿钱，当然也一定会立刻故态复萌的。在所有这类人当中，他这个人最没有道德观念，腐化堕落已经达到了不可救药的地步！我有相当充分的根据认为，不幸如此深深爱上他的玛尔法·彼特罗芙娜，八年前替他还债、把他从狱中赎出来的玛尔法·彼特罗芙娜，还在另一件事情上帮助过他：全靠她多方奔走，并不惜作出牺牲，才把一件刑事案从一开始就压了下去，这是一件非常残暴，而且十分离奇的凶杀案，为了这件凶杀案，他很可能，很有可能给流放到西伯利亚去。

如果你们想知道的话，他就是一个这样的人。”

“哎哟，上帝啊！”普莉赫里娅·亚历山德罗芙娜高声惊呼。拉斯科利尼科夫全神贯注地听着。

“您说，您有可靠的根据，这是真的吗？”杜尼娅严峻而庄重地问。

“我说的只是我亲自从已故的玛尔法·彼特罗芙娜那里听说的，是她秘密告诉我的。必须指出，从法律观点来看，这个案件是十分可疑的。从前这儿有个姓列斯莉赫的外国女人，好像现在她还住在这儿，是个放小额高利贷的女人，还做别的生意。好久以来斯维德里盖洛夫先生就和这个女人有某种十分亲密而又神秘的关系。她家里住着她的一个远房亲戚，好像是她侄女，一个又聋又哑的十五岁的小姑娘，甚至只有十四岁；这个列斯莉赫非常恨她，为了每一小块面包都要责骂她；甚至惨无人道地毒打她。有一次发现她在顶楼上吊死了。法院判定她是自杀。经过通常的程序，这个案子就这样了结了，但是后来有人告密，说这个孩子……遭受过斯维德里盖洛夫残暴的凌辱。诚然，这一切都很可疑，告密的是另一个臭名昭著的德国女人，她的话没人相信；由于玛尔法·彼特罗芙娜多方奔走，还花了些钱，实际上告密没有受理；仅仅被当作流言蜚语。然而这个流言是意味深长的。阿芙多季娅·罗曼诺芙娜，您当然也听说过一个叫菲利普的人的事吧，他是六年前，还在农奴制时期给活活折磨死的。”

“我听到的恰恰相反，说这个菲利普是自缢身亡的。”

“的确是这样，不过是被迫的，或者不如说，是斯维德里盖洛夫先生经常不断地迫害和处罚才使他遭到了横死。”

“这我不知道，”杜尼娅冷冷地回答，“我只听到过一个很奇怪的故事，说这个菲利普是个害忧郁症的人，是个家庭哲学家，人们都说，他‘看书看得太多，把脑子看糊涂了’，说他上吊多半是由于受到斯维德里盖洛夫先生的嘲笑，而不是由于受到他的鞭打。当着我的面，他待仆人都很好，仆人们甚至都喜欢他，虽说确实也都把菲利普的死归罪于他。”

“我看得出来，阿芙多季娅·罗曼诺芙娜，您突然开始倾向于为他辩解了，”卢任撇着嘴说，嘴角上露出具有双重含意的微笑。“的确，他是个很狡猾的人，对女人也很有魅力，死得这么奇怪的玛尔法·彼特罗芙娜就是一个可悲的例子。鉴于他无疑又有什么新的企图，我只不过想对您和令堂提出自己的忠告而已。至于说到我，我坚信，这个人无疑又会给送进债户拘留所去。玛尔法·彼特罗芙娜考虑到孩子们的利益，永远不会，也绝对不会有把任何财产留给他的意思，即使给他留下了点儿什么，也只是最必需的、不值钱的、仅供他暂时使用的东西，像他那样挥霍惯了的人，连一年也不够用的。”

“彼得·彼特罗维奇，我请求您，”杜尼娅说，“别再谈斯维德里盖洛夫先生的事了。这让我感到厌倦。”

“他刚才去过我那儿，”拉斯科利尼科夫突然说，第一次打破了沉默。

他的话震惊了四座，大家都高声惊呼，转过脸来看着他。

就连彼得·彼特罗维奇也激动不安起来。

“一个半钟头以前，在我睡觉的时候，他进来了，叫醒了我，作了自我介绍，”拉斯科利尼科夫接着说下去。 “他相当随便，相当快乐，满怀希望，想跟我交朋友。顺带说一声，杜尼娅，他一再请求，要跟你见面，还要我从中帮忙。他对你有个建议；建议的内容，他已经告诉了我。此外他还肯定地对我说，玛尔法·彼特罗芙娜在死前一个星期立下遗嘱，要送给你三千卢布，而且在最短期间内你就可以得到这笔钱了。”

“谢天谢地！”普莉赫里娅·亚历山德罗芙娜高声说，并且画了个十字。“为她祈祷吧，杜尼娅，为她祈祷吧！”

“这的确是真的，”卢任脱口而出。

“嗯—嗯，后来呢？”杜涅奇卡催促说。

“后来他说，他自己并不富有，所有田产都留给他的孩子们了，现在他们住在姨母那里。后来还说，他就住在离我那儿不远的一个地方，可到底是哪里？我不知道，我没回……”

“不过他向杜尼娅提出的是什么，是什么建议呢？”十分惊慌的普莉赫里娅·亚历山德罗芙娜问。“他对你说了吗？”

“是的，说了。”

“是什么呢？”

“以后再说，”拉斯科利尼科夫不作声了，开始喝他的茶。

彼得·彼特罗维奇掏出表来，看了看。

“我有点儿事，必须去办，那么就不妨碍你们了，”他补上一句，那神情稍有点儿像是受了委屈的样子，说着从椅子上站了起来。

“请您别走，彼得·彼特罗维奇，”杜尼娅说，“您不是想在这儿度过一个晚上吗。况且您信上还说，有件事情想要和妈妈说清楚呢。”

“的确是这样，阿芙多季娅·罗曼诺芙娜，”彼得·彼特罗维奇威严地说，又坐到椅子上，不过一直还把帽子拿在手里，“我的确想和您，也和尊敬的令堂说清楚，我要谈的甚至是非常重要的问题。不过正像令兄不能当着我的面说明斯维德里盖洛夫先生的建议一样，所以我不愿，也不能……当着别人的面……来谈这些非常、非常重要的问题。何况我那个主要的和恳切的请求未能得到遵守……”

卢任作出一副痛心的样子，意味深长地不作声了。

“您要求我们见面的时候我哥哥不要在场，只不过因为我坚持，这个要求才没有照办，”杜尼娅说。“您在信上说，您受了我哥哥的侮辱；我认为这需要立刻解释清楚，你们应该言归于好。如果罗佳当真侮辱了您，他理应而且将会向您道歉。”

彼得·彼特罗维奇立刻变得态度傲慢起来。

“有一些侮辱，阿芙多季娅·罗曼诺芙娜，即使想要忘记，也是忘不了的。一切都有个界限，越过这个界限是危险的；因为一旦越过，就不可能再退回去了。”

“我对您说的，其实并不是指的这个，彼得·彼特罗维奇，”杜尼娅稍有点儿不耐烦地打断了他，“您要明白，现在，您的未来完全取决于这一切能不能尽快解释清楚和顺利解决。我从一开始就十分坦率地说，对这件事我不能有别的看法，如果您对我哪怕多少有一点儿珍惜的意思，那么即使很难，这件事也必须在今天结束。我对您再说一遍，如果我哥哥错了，他会向您道歉的。”

“阿芙多季娅·罗曼诺芙娜，您这样提出问题，使我感到惊讶，”卢任越来越恼怒了。“我珍惜您，也可以说我热爱您，但同时也完全，完全可以不喜欢府上的某一个成员。我希望有幸和您结为百年之好，但是不能同时接受我不同意的义务……”

“唉，请不要斤斤计较，抱怨不休了，彼得·彼特罗维奇，”杜尼娅很动感情地打断了他，“我一向认为，也希望能把您看作一个聪明和高尚的人，请您不要破坏您在我心目中的形象吧。我已经郑重地应允了您的求婚，我是您的未婚妻；这件事您就信托给我吧，请您相信，我一定能作出不偏不倚的判断。我自愿充当评判人，不但对您，对我哥哥也同样是一件出乎意外的事。接到您的信以后，我邀请他今天一定来参加我们的会见，当时并没有向他透露过我心中的想法。您要明白，如果你们不能言归于好，那么我就必须在你们之间作出抉择：要么选择您，要么选择他。无论是对于他，还是对于您，问题都是这样提出来的。我不愿，也不应作出错误的选择。为了您，我不得不和哥哥决裂；为了哥哥，我不得不和您决裂。现在我想知道，也必然能够知道：他是不是我的哥哥？而对您来说，问题是：您是不是重视我，珍惜我，您是不是我的丈夫？”

“阿芙多季娅·罗曼诺芙娜，”卢任说，感到不快而且惊讶，“对我来说，您的话实在太重要了，鉴于您我的关系中我有幸所处的地位，说得严重些，这些话甚至是对我的侮辱。至于您那含有侮辱性的、奇怪的对比，竟把我和一个……傲慢的青年人相提并论，这我就不去说它了，您说了这些话，也就是表示，您有可能破坏对我的诺言。您说：‘要么选择您，要么选择他’，可见您是想用这些话向我表示，对于您来说，我是多么无足轻重……由于我们之间业已存在的关系和……

义务，这是我不能容许的”。

“怎么！”杜尼娅脸突然红了，“我们您的利益看得与我生命中至今所珍贵的一切同样重要，看得与直到现在构成我整个生命的一切同样重要，可您却突然觉得受到了侮辱，认为我贬低了您！”

拉斯科利尼科夫一声不响，讥讽地微微一笑，拉祖米欣不由得颤栗了一下；但是彼得·彼特罗维奇不接受杜尼娅的反驳；恰恰相反，他越说越气，他的每一句话也越来越惹人厌烦了，就好像他对这场争论发生了兴趣似的。

“对未来的生活伴侣、对丈夫的爱，应当高于对兄弟的爱，”他以教训的口吻说，“无论如何我不能和他处于同等地位……虽然不久前我曾坚持，有令兄在场，我不愿，也不能说明我来的目的，但是有一个对我十分重要、而且带有侮辱性的问题，现在我想请尊敬的令堂就此作出必要的解释。令郎，”他对普莉赫里娅·亚历山德罗芙娜说，“昨天当着拉苏德金先生的面（或者……好像是这样吧？对不起，我忘记了您贵姓，”他客气地向拉祖米欣点点头），侮辱我，曲解了那次喝咖啡的时候我和您私下里谈话的意思，当时我是说，与一个经受过生活苦难的贫穷姑娘结婚，照我看，就夫妻关系来说，比与一个过惯富裕生活的姑娘结婚较为有益，因为这在道义上更为有利。令郎却蓄意夸大这句话的含意，把它夸张到了荒谬的程度，责备我用心险恶，而照我看，他所依据的就是您给他的那封信。如果您，普莉赫里娅·亚历山德罗芙娜，能够说服我放弃这个不好的想法，使我完全放心，我将认为自己是很幸福的。请您告诉我，在您给罗季昂·罗曼诺维奇的信里，您究竟是用什么词汇来转述我那句话的？”

“我记不得了，”普莉赫里娅·亚历山德罗芙娜感到不知所措了，“我是照我所理解的那样转告他的。我不知道罗佳是怎么对您说的……也许，是他把什么话夸大了。”

“没有您授意，他不可能夸大。”

“彼得·彼特罗维奇，”普莉赫里娅·亚历山德罗芙娜庄重地说，“现在我们在这里，这就足以证明，我和杜尼娅并没有把您的话想到很坏的方面去。”

“说得好，妈妈！”杜尼娅赞同地说。

“这么说，这也怪我了！”卢任委屈地说。

“您瞧，彼得·彼特罗维奇，您一直在怪罪罗季昂，可是不久前您在信上说到他的那些话，也不是实情，”普莉赫里娅·亚历山德罗芙娜鼓起勇气，补充说。

“我不记得在信上写过任何不是实情的话。”

“您在信上说，”拉斯科利尼科夫很不客气地说，并没朝卢任转过脸去，“我昨天不是把钱送给了被马踩死的那个人的寡妇，——事实的确是这样，——而是把钱送给了他的女儿（在昨天以前我从来没见过她）。您写这些，是想让我和亲人发生争吵，为了达到这个目的，您还用卑鄙的语言补上一句，谈论一个您不认识的少女的品德。这一切都是诽谤和下流的行为。”

“请原谅，先生，”卢任气得发抖，回答说：“我在我的信上谈到您的品质和行为，只不过是应令妹和令堂的请求，她们请求我，把我见到您的情况以及您给我的印象都写信告诉她们。至于您提出来的、我信上写的那些话，您哪怕能找出一句不符合事实吗，也就是说，您没有浪费饯，而且在那个家庭里，虽说是不幸的家庭里，找不出一个不体面的人吗？”

“可是照我看，您，连同您的全部体面，也抵不上您诋毁的这个不幸的姑娘的一个小指头。”

“那么，您决定要让她与令堂和令妹交往吗？”

“我已经这样做了，如果您想知道的话。今天我已经让她与妈妈和杜尼娅坐在一起了。”

“罗佳！”普莉赫里娅·亚历山德罗芙娜突然喊了一声。

杜涅奇卡脸红了；拉祖米欣皱了皱眉。卢任讥讽而又高傲地微微一笑。

“您自己也看到了，阿芙多季娅·罗曼诺芙娜，”他说，“这有可能和解吗？现在我希望，这件事已经一劳永逸地结束了，也解释清楚了。我这就走，以免妨碍你们亲人继续欢聚，谈一谈你们之间的秘密（他从椅子上站起来，拿起帽子）。不过临走前，恕我冒昧地说一句，希望今后能避免类似的会见，也可以说是妥协。我特别请求您，尊敬的普莉赫里娅·亚历山德罗芙娜，注意这一点，特别是因为，我的信是写给您本人，而不是写给别人的。”

普莉赫里娅·亚历山德罗芙娜有点儿见怪了。

“您好像认为，完全有权让我们听从您的支配，彼得·彼特罗维奇。杜尼娅已经说出了为什么没有实现您的愿望的原因：她是一片好心。难道我们得把您的每个愿望都当作命令吗？我要告诉您的恰恰相反，现在您应当对我们特别客气，特别体谅我们，因为我们丢下了一切，而且信任您，才来到了这里，所以我们本来就已经几乎是受您支配了。”

“这不完全符合实际，普莉赫里娅·亚历山德罗芙娜，尤其是目前，已经把玛尔法·彼特罗芙娜遗赠三千卢布的事通知你们以后，根据您从来没有过的和我说话的语气来看，大概这笔钱来得正是时候，”他恶毒地补上一句。

“根据这句话来看，的确可以认为，您是把希望寄托在我们无依无靠上了，”杜尼娅气愤地说。

“不过至少现在我是不能抱这样的希望了，而且我尤其不愿妨碍你们听听阿尔卡季·伊万诺维奇·斯维德里盖洛夫委托令兄转达的秘密建议，而且我看得出来，这些建议对您具有重大的，也许是让您十分高兴的意义。”

“哎呀，我的天哪！”普莉赫里娅·亚历山德罗芙娜高声惊呼。

拉祖米欣在椅子上坐不住了。

“现在你不觉得可耻吗，妹妹？”拉斯科利尼科夫问。

“可耻，罗佳，”杜尼娅说。“彼得·彼特罗维奇，您出去！”

她对他说，气得脸都发白了。

彼得·彼特罗维奇大概完全没料到会有这样的结局。他太相信自己，太相信自己的权力，也太相信他的牺牲品处于完全无依无靠的境地了。就是现在，他也不相信事情会闹到这个地步。他脸色发白，嘴唇发抖。

“阿芙多季娅·罗曼诺芙娜，如果听到您这样的临别赠言，——请您考虑到这一点，——我现在就从这道房门出去的话，我就永远不会回来了。请您好好地想一想吧！我说的话是决不反悔的。”

“多么蛮横无礼！”杜尼娅霍地从座位上站起来，高声说：

“我也不希望您回来！”

“怎么？原来是——这样！”卢任突然高声叫嚷起来，直到最后一瞬间，他还完全不相信会是这样的结局，因此现在完全不知所措了，“原来是这样吗！不过，您要知道，阿芙多季娅·罗曼诺芙娜，我也可以提出抗议的。”

“您有什么权利可以和她这样说话！”普莉赫里娅·亚历山德罗芙娜激动地袒护女儿，“您能提出什么抗议？您有什么权利？哼，我会把我的杜尼娅嫁给您这样的人吗？您请走吧，完全离开我们吧！是我们自己错了，竟做了这样一件错事，尤其是我……”

“不过，普莉赫里娅·亚历山德罗芙娜，”卢任气得发狂，焦急地说：“您用许下的诺言把我束缚住了，现在却要否认自己的话……而且，还有……还有，可以这么说吧，由于这件事，我还花了一笔钱……”

这最后一句怨言完全暴露了彼得·彼特罗维奇的本性，拉斯科利尼科夫本来气得脸色发白，努力压制着自己的怒火，听到这句话却突然忍不住了——哈哈大笑起来。但普莉赫里娅·亚历山德罗芙娜失去了自制：

“您花了一笔钱？花了什么钱？您说的是不是给我们托运箱子的事？要知道，那是列车员免费替您托运的。上帝呀，倒是我们束缚了您！您好好想想吧，彼得·彼特罗维奇，是您束缚了我们的手脚，而不是我们束缚了您！”

“够了，妈妈，请别说了，够了！”阿芙多季娅·罗曼诺芙娜请求说。“彼得·彼特罗维奇，请吧，您请走吧！”

“我这就走，不过还有最后一句话，就只一句话！”他说，已经几乎完全控制不住自己了，“令堂似乎完全忘记了，可以这么说吧，我是在有损您名誉的流言蛮语闹得满城风雨以后，才决定娶您的，为了您，我不顾社会舆论，而且恢复了您的名誉，当然，我完全，完全可以指望得到您的报答，甚至可以要求得到您的感谢……只是到现在我的眼睛才算睁开了！

我自己也看出，我不顾公众的意见，也许是做得太轻率了……”

“他是不是有两个脑袋！”拉祖米欣大喊一声，从椅子上跳起来，已经打算收拾他了。

“您是个卑鄙和恶毒的人！”杜尼娅说。

“一句话别说！也别动手！”拉斯科利尼科夫高声喊，制止住拉祖米欣；然后走到卢任面前，几乎挨到他身上：“请您出去！”他轻轻地、清清楚楚地说，“别再说一句话，不然……”

彼得·彼特罗维奇对着他看了几秒钟，脸上没有一点血色，气得扭歪了脸，然后转身走了出去，当然，很少会有人像这个人痛恨拉斯科利尼科夫那样，心中对别人怀有那么多恶毒的憎恨。他把一切都归罪于拉斯科利尼科夫，完全归罪于他一个人。值得注意的是，已经下楼的时候，卢任还一直在想，事情也许还没完全失去希望，如果单单是那两个妇女，事情甚至是“完全、完全”能够好转的。