"pyotr petrovitch," she cried, "protect me . . . you at least! make this foolish woman understand that she can't behave like this to a lady in misfortune . . . that there is a law for such things. . . . i'll go to the governor-general himself. . . . she shall answer for it. . . . remembering my father's hospitality protect these orphans."
"allow me, madam. . . . allow me." pyotr petrovitch waved her off. "your papa as you are well aware i had not the honour of knowing" (someone laughed aloud) "and i do not intend to take part in your everlasting squabbles with amalia ivanovna. . . . i have come here to speak of my own affairs . . . and i want to have a word with your stepdaughter, sofya . . . ivanovna, i think it is? allow me to pass."
pyotr petrovitch, edging by her, went to the opposite corner where sonia was.
katerina ivanovna remained standing where she was, as though thunderstruck. she could not understand how pyotr petrovitch could deny having enjoyed her father's hospitility. though she had invented it herself, she believed in it firmly by this time. she was struck too by the businesslike, dry and even contemptuous menacing tone of pyotr petrovitch. all the clamour gradually died away at his entrance. not only was this "serious business man" strikingly incongruous with the rest of the party, but it was evident, too, that he had come upon some matter of consequence, that some exceptional cause must have brought him and that therefore something was going to happen. raskolnikov, standing beside sonia, moved aside to let him pass; pyotr petrovitch did not seem to notice him. a minute later lebeziatnikov, too, appeared in the doorway; he did not come in, but stood still, listening with marked interest, almost wonder, and seemed for a time perplexed.
"excuse me for possibly interrupting you, but it's a matter of some importance," pyotr petrovitch observed, addressing the company generally. "i am glad indeed to find other persons present. amalia ivanovna, i humbly beg you as mistress of the house to pay careful attention to what i have to say to sofya ivanovna. sofya ivanovna," he went on, addressing sonia, who was very much surprised and already alarmed, "immediately after your visit i found that a hundred-rouble note was missing from my table, in the room of my friend mr. lebeziatnikov. if in any way whatever you know and will tell us where it is now, i assure you on my word of honour and call all present to witness that the matter shall end there. in the opposite case i shall be compelled to have recourse to very serious measures and then . . . you must blame yourself."
complete silence reigned in the room. even the crying children were still. sonia stood deadly pale, staring at luzhin and unable to say a word. she seemed not to understand. some seconds passed.
"well, how is it to be then?" asked luzhin, looking intently at her.
"i don't know. . . . i know nothing about it," sonia articulated faintly at last.
"no, you know nothing?" luzhin repeated and again he paused for some seconds. "think a moment, mademoiselle," he began severely, but still, as it were, admonishing her. "reflect, i am prepared to give you time for consideration. kindly observe this: if i were not so entirely convinced i should not, you may be sure, with my experience venture to 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, everyone 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 are not so submissive! . . . well, well, but as to that . . ." luzhin muttered, "that ought to be before the police . . . though indeed there are witnesses enough as it is. . . . i am ready. . . . but in any case it's difficult for a man . . . on account of her sex. . . . but with the help of amalia ivanovna . . . though, of course, it's not the way to do things. . . . how is it to be done?"
"as you will! let anyone who likes search her!" cried katerina ivanovna. "sonia, turn out your pockets! see! look, monster, the pocket is empty, here was her handkerchief! here is the other pocket, look! d'you see, d'you see?"
and katerina ivanovna turned--or rather snatched--both pockets inside out. but from the right pocket a piece of paper flew out and describing a parabola in the air fell at luzhin's feet. everyone saw it, several cried out. pyotr petrovitch stooped down, picked up the paper in two fingers, lifted it where all could see it and opened it. it was a hundred-rouble note folded in eight. pyotr petrovitch held up the note showing it to everyone.
"thief! out of my lodging. police, police!" yelled amalia ivanovna. "they must to siberia be sent! away!"
exclamations arose on all sides. raskolnikov was silent, keeping his eyes fixed on sonia, except for an occasional rapid glance at luzhin. sonia stood still, as though unconscious. she was hardly able to feel surprise. suddenly the colour rushed to her cheeks; she uttered a cry and hid her face in her hands.
"no, it wasn't i! i didn't take it! i know nothing about it," she cried with a heartrending wail, and she ran to katerina ivanovna, who clasped her tightly in her arms, as though she would shelter her from all the world.
"sonia! sonia! i don't believe it! you see, i don't believe it!" she cried in the face of the obvious fact, swaying her to and fro in her arms like a baby, kissing her face continually, then snatching at her hands and kissing them, too, "you took it! how stupid these people are! oh dear! you are fools, fools," she cried, addressing the whole room, "you don't know, you don't know what a heart she has, what a girl she is! she take it, she? she'd sell her last rag, she'd go barefoot to help you if you needed it, that's what she is! she has the yellow passport because my children were starving, she sold herself for us! ah, husband, husband! do you see? do you see? what a memorial dinner for you! merciful heavens! defend her, why are you all standing still? rodion romanovitch, why don't you stand up for her? do you believe it, too? you are not worth her little finger, all of you together! good god! defend her now, at least!"
the wail of the poor, consumptive, helpless woman seemed to produce a great effect on her audience. the agonised, wasted, consumptive face, the parched blood-stained lips, the hoarse voice, the tears unrestrained as a child's, the trustful, childish and yet despairing prayer for help were so piteous that everyone seemed to feel for her. pyotr petrovitch at any rate was at once moved to /compassion/.
"madam, madam, this incident does not reflect upon you!" he cried impressively, "no one would take upon himself to accuse you of being an instigator or even an accomplice in it, especially as you have proved her guilt by turning out her pockets, showing that you had no previous idea of it. i am most ready, most ready to show compassion, if poverty, so to speak, drove sofya semyonovna to it, but why did you refuse to confess, mademoiselle? were you afraid of the disgrace? the first step? you lost your head, perhaps? one can quite understand it. . . . but how could you have lowered yourself to such an action? gentlemen," he addressed the whole company, "gentlemen! compassionate and, so to say, commiserating these people, i am ready to overlook it even now in spite of the personal insult lavished upon me! and may this disgrace be a lesson to you for the future," he said, addressing sonia, "and i will carry the matter no further. enough!"
pyotr petrovitch stole a glance at raskolnikov. their eyes met, and the fire in raskolnikov's seemed ready to reduce him to ashes. meanwhile katerina ivanovna apparently heard nothing. she was kissing and hugging sonia like a madwoman. the children, too, were embracing sonia on all sides, and polenka--though she did not fully understand what was wrong--was drowned in tears and shaking with sobs, as she hid her pretty little face, swollen with weeping, on sonia's shoulder.
"how vile!" a loud voice cried suddenly in the doorway.
pyotr petrovitch looked round quickly.
"what vileness!" lebeziatnikov repeated, staring him straight in the face.
pyotr petrovitch gave a positive start--all noticed it and recalled it afterwards. lebeziatnikov strode into the room.
"and you dared to call me as witness?" he said, going up to pyotr petrovitch.
"what do you mean? what are you talking about?" muttered luzhin.
"i mean that you . . . are a slanderer, that's what my words mean!" lebeziatnikov said hotly, looking sternly at him with his short- sighted eyes.
he was extremely angry. raskolnikov gazed intently at him, as though seizing and weighing each word. again there was a silence. pyotr petrovitch indeed seemed almost dumbfounded for the first moment.
"if you mean that for me, . . ." he began, stammering. "but what's the matter with you? are you out of your mind?"
"i'm in my mind, but you are a scoundrel! ah, how vile! i have heard everything. i kept waiting on purpose to understand it, for i must own even now it is not quite logical. . . . what you have done it all for i can't understand."
"why, what have i done then? give over talking in your nonsensical riddles! or maybe you are drunk!"
"you may be a drunkard, perhaps, vile man, but i am not! i never touch vodka, for it's against my convictions. would you believe it, he, he himself, with his own hands gave sofya semyonovna that hundred-rouble note--i saw it, i was a witness, i'll take my oath! he did it, he!" repeated lebeziatnikov, addressing all.
"are you crazy, milksop?" squealed luzhin. "she is herself before you --she herself here declared just now before everyone that i gave her only ten roubles. how could i have given it to her?"
"i saw it, i saw it," lebeziatnikov repeated, "and though it is against my principles, i am ready this very minute to take any oath you like before the court, for i saw how you slipped it in her pocket. only like a fool i thought you did it out of kindness! when you were saying good-bye to her at the door, while you held her hand in one hand, with the other, the left, you slipped the note into her pocket. i saw it, i saw it!"
luzhin turned pale.
"what lies!" he cried impudently, "why, how could you, standing by the window, see the note? you fancied it with your short-sighted eyes. you are raving!"
"no, i didn't fancy it. and though i was standing some way off, i saw it all. and though it certainly would be hard to distinguish a note from the window--that's true--i knew for certain that it was a hundred-rouble note, because, when you were going to give sofya semyonovna ten roubles, you took up from the table a hundred-rouble note (i saw it because i was standing near then, and an idea struck me at once, so that i did not forget you had it in your hand). you folded it and kept it in your hand all the time. i didn't think of it again until, when you were getting up, you changed it from your right hand to your left and nearly dropped it! i noticed it because the same idea struck me again, that you meant to do her a kindness without my seeing. you can fancy how i watched you and i saw how you succeeded in slipping it into her pocket. i saw it, i saw it, i'll take my oath."
lebeziatnikov was almost breathless. exclamations arose on all hands chiefly expressive of wonder, but some were menacing in tone. they all crowded round pyotr petrovitch. katerina ivanovna flew to lebeziatnikov.
"i was mistaken in you! protect her! you are the only one to take her part! she is an orphan. god has sent you!"
katerina ivanovna, hardly knowing what she was doing, sank on her knees before him.
"a pack of nonsense!" yelled luzhin, roused to fury, "it's all nonsense you've been talking! 'an idea struck you, you didn't think, you noticed'--what does it amount to? so i gave it to her on the sly on purpose? what for? with what object? what have i to do with this . . .?"
"what for? that's what i can't understand, but that what i am telling you is the fact, that's certain! so far from my being mistaken, you infamous criminal man, i remember how, on account of it, a question occurred to me at once, just when i was thanking you and pressing your hand. what made you put it secretly in her pocket? why you did it secretly, i mean? could it be simply to conceal it from me, knowing that my convictions are opposed to yours and that i do not approve of private benevolence, which effects no radical cure? well, i decided that you really were ashamed of giving such a large sum before me. perhaps, too, i thought, he wants to give her a surprise, when she finds a whole hundred-rouble note in her pocket. (for i know, some benevolent people are very fond of decking out their charitable actions in that way.) then the idea struck me, too, that you wanted to test her, to see whether, when she found it, she would come to thank you. then, too, that you wanted to avoid thanks and that, as the saying is, your right hand should not know . . . something of that sort, in fact. i thought of so many possibilities that i put off considering it, but still thought it indelicate to show you that i knew your secret. but another idea struck me again that sofya semyonovna might easily lose the money before she noticed it, that was why i decided to come in here to call her out of the room and to tell her that you put a hundred roubles in her pocket. but on my way i went first to madame kobilatnikov's to take them the 'general treatise on the positive method' and especially to recommend piderit's article (and also wagner's); then i come on here and what a state of things i find! now could i, could i, have all these ideas and reflections if i had not seen you put the hundred-rouble note in her pocket?"
when lebeziatnikov finished his long-winded harangue with the logical deduction at the end, he was quite tired, and the perspiration streamed from his face. he could not, alas, even express himself correctly in russian, though he knew no other language, so that he was quite exhausted, almost emaciated after this heroic exploit. but his speech produced a powerful effect. he had spoken with such vehemence, with such conviction that everyone obviously believed him. pyotr petrovitch felt that things were going badly with him.
"what is it to do with me if silly ideas did occur to you?" he shouted, "that's no evidence. you may have dreamt it, that's all! and i tell you, you are lying, sir. you are lying and slandering from some spite against me, simply from pique, because i did not agree with your free-thinking, godless, social propositions!"
but this retort did not benefit pyotr petrovitch. murmurs of disapproval were heard on all sides.
"ah, that's your line now, is it!" cried lebeziatnikov, "that's nonsense! call the police and i'll take my oath! there's only one thing i can't understand: what made him risk such a contemptible action. oh, pitiful, despicable man!"
"i can explain why he risked such an action, and if necessary, i, too, will swear to it," raskolnikov said at last in a firm voice, and he stepped forward.
he appeared to be firm and composed. everyone felt clearly, from the very look of him that he really knew about it and that the mystery would be solved.
"now i can explain it all to myself," said raskolnikov, addressing lebeziatnikov. "from the very beginning of the business, i suspected that there was some scoundrelly intrigue at the bottom of it. i began to suspect it from some special circumstances known to me only, which i will explain at once to everyone: they account for everything. your valuable evidence has finally made everything clear to me. i beg all, all to listen. this gentleman (he pointed to luzhin) was recently engaged to be married to a young lady--my sister, avdotya romanovna raskolnikov. but coming to petersburg he quarrelled with me, the day before yesterday, at our first meeting and i drove him out of my room --i have two witnesses to prove it. he is a very spiteful man. . . . the day before yesterday i did not know that he was staying here, in your room, and that consequently on the very day we quarrelled--the day before yesterday--he saw me give katerina ivanovna some money for the funeral, as a friend of the late mr. marmeladov. he at once wrote a note to my mother and informed her that i had given away all my money, not to katerina ivanovna but to sofya semyonovna, and referred in a most contemptible way to the . . . character of sofya semyonovna, that is, hinted at the character of my attitude to sofya semyonovna. all this you understand was with the object of dividing me from my mother and sister, by insinuating that i was squandering on unworthy objects the money which they had sent me and which was all they had. yesterday evening, before my mother and sister and in his presence, i declared that i had given the money to katerina ivanovna for the funeral and not to sofya semyonovna and that i had no acquaintance with sofya semyonovna and had never seen her before, indeed. at the same time i added that he, pyotr petrovitch luzhin, with all his virtues, was not worth sofya semyonovna's little finger, though he spoke so ill of her. to his question--would i let sofya semyonovna sit down beside my sister, i answered that i had already done so that day. irritated that my mother and sister were unwilling to quarrel with me at his insinuations, he gradually began being unpardonably rude to them. a final rupture took place and he was turned out of the house. all this happened yesterday evening. now i beg your special attention: consider: if he had now succeeded in proving that sofya semyonovna was a thief, he would have shown to my mother and sister that he was almost right in his suspicions, that he had reason to be angry at my putting my sister on a level with sofya semyonovna, that, in attacking me, he was protecting and preserving the honour of my sister, his betrothed. in fact he might even, through all this, have been able to estrange me from my family, and no doubt he hoped to be restored to favour with them; to say nothing of revenging himself on me personally, for he has grounds for supposing that the honour and happiness of sofya semyonovna are very precious to me. that was what he was working for! that's how i understand it. that's the whole reason for it and there can be no other!"
it was like this, or somewhat like this, that raskolnikov wound up his speech which was followed very attentively, though often interrupted by exclamations from his audience. but in spite of interruptions he spoke clearly, calmly, exactly, firmly. his decisive voice, his tone of conviction and his stern face made a great impression on everyone.
"yes, yes, that's it," lebeziatnikov assented gleefully, "that must be it, for he asked me, as soon as sofya semyonovna came into our room, whether you were here, whether i had seen you among katerina ivanovna's guests. he called me aside to the window and asked me in secret. it was essential for him that you should be here! that's it, that's it!"
luzhin smiled contemptuously and did not speak. but he was very pale. he seemed to be deliberating on some means of escape. perhaps he would have been glad to give up everything and get away, but at the moment this was scarcely possible. it would have implied admitting the truth of the accusations brought against him. moreover, the company, which had already been excited by drink, was now too much stirred to allow it. the commissariat clerk, though indeed he had not grasped the whole position, was shouting louder than anyone and was making some suggestions very unpleasant to luzhin. but not all those present were drunk; lodgers came in from all the rooms. the three poles were tremendously excited and were continually shouting at him: "the /pan/ is a /lajdak/!" and muttering threats in polish. sonia had been listening with strained attention, though she too seemed unable to grasp it all; she seemed as though she had just returned to consciousness. she did not take her eyes off raskolnikov, feeling that all her safety lay in him. katerina ivanovna breathed hard and painfully and seemed fearfully exhausted. amalia ivanovna stood looking more stupid than anyone, with her mouth wide open, unable to make out what had happened. she only saw that pyotr petrovitch had somehow come to grief.
raskolnikov was attempting to speak again, but they did not let him. everyone was crowding round luzhin with threats and shouts of abuse. but pyotr petrovitch was not intimidated. seeing that his accusation of sonia had completely failed, he had recourse to insolence:
"allow me, gentlemen, allow me! don't squeeze, let me pass!" he said, making his way through the crowd. "and no threats, if you please! i assure you it will be useless, you will gain nothing by it. on the contrary, you'll have to answer, gentlemen, for violently obstructing the course of justice. the thief has been more than unmasked, and i shall prosecute. our judges are not so blind and . . . not so drunk, and will not believe the testimony of two notorious infidels, agitators, and atheists, who accuse me from motives of personal revenge which they are foolish enough to admit. . . . yes, allow me to pass!"
"don't let me find a trace of you in my room! kindly leave at once, and everything is at an end between us! when i think of the trouble i've been taking, the way i've been expounding . . . all this fortnight!"
"i told you myself to-day that i was going, when you tried to keep me; now i will simply add that you are a fool. i advise you to see a doctor for your brains and your short sight. let me pass, gentlemen!"
he forced his way through. but the commissariat clerk was unwilling to let him off so easily: he picked up a glass from the table, brandished it in the air and flung it at pyotr petrovitch; but the glass flew straight at amalia ivanovna. she screamed, and the clerk, overbalancing, fell heavily under the table. pyotr petrovitch made his way to his room and half an hour later had left the house. sonia, timid by nature, had felt before that day that she could be ill- treated more easily than anyone, and that she could be wronged with impunity. yet till that moment she had fancied that she might escape misfortune by care, gentleness and submissiveness before everyone. her disappointment was too great. she could, of course, bear with patience and almost without murmur anything, even this. but for the first minute she felt it too bitter. in spite of her triumph and her justification--when her first terror and stupefaction had passed and she could understand it all clearly--the feeling of her helplessness and of the wrong done to her made her heart throb with anguish and she was overcome with hysterical weeping. at last, unable to bear any more, she rushed out of the room and ran home, almost immediately after luzhin's departure. when amidst loud laughter the glass flew at amalia ivanovna, it was more than the landlady could endure. with a shriek she rushed like a fury at katerina ivanovna, considering her to blame for everything.
"out of my lodgings! at once! quick march!"
and with these words she began snatching up everything she could lay her hands on that belonged to katerina ivanovna, and throwing it on the floor. katerina ivanovna, pale, almost fainting, and gasping for breath, jumped up from the bed where she had sunk in exhaustion and darted at amalia ivanovna. but the battle was too unequal: the landlady waved her away like a feather.
"what! as though that godless calumny was not enough--this vile creature attacks me! what! on the day of my husband's funeral i am turned out of my lodging! after eating my bread and salt she turns me into the street, with my orphans! where am i to go?" wailed the poor woman, sobbing and gasping. "good god!" she cried with flashing eyes, "is there no justice upon earth? whom should you protect if not us orphans? we shall see! there is law and justice on earth, there is, i will find it! wait a bit, godless creature! polenka, stay with the children, i'll come back. wait for me, if you have to wait in the street. we will see whether there is justice on earth!"
and throwing over her head that green shawl which marmeladov had mentioned to raskolnikov, katerina ivanovna squeezed her way through the disorderly and drunken crowd of lodgers who still filled the room, and, wailing and tearful, she ran into the street--with a vague intention of going at once somewhere to find justice. polenka with the two little ones in her arms crouched, terrified, on the trunk in the corner of the room, where she waited trembling for her mother to come back. amalia ivanovna raged about the room, shrieking, lamenting and throwing everything she came across on the floor. the lodgers talked incoherently, some commented to the best of their ability on what had happened, others quarrelled and swore at one another, while others struck up a song. . . .
"now it's time for me to go," thought raskolnikov. "well, sofya semyonovna, we shall see what you'll say now!"
and he set off in the direction of sonia's lodgings.
“彼得·彼特罗维奇！”她大声喊，“您可要保护我们啊！请您告诉这个愚蠢的贱货，让她知道，可不能这样对待一个遭到不幸的高贵的太太，这可是犯法的……我要去见总督大人……她要负责……您可要记住先父对您的款待，保护我们这些孤儿。”
“对不起，太太……对不起，对不起，太太，”彼得·彼特罗维奇挥手躲开，“您也知道，我根本没有荣幸认识令尊……对不起，太太！（有人哈哈大笑起来）我也不想卷到您和阿玛莉娅·伊万诺芙娜接连不断的争吵中去……我来是为了我自己的事情……想要立刻和您的继女索菲娅……伊万诺芙娜……好像是这样称呼吧？想要和她说说清楚。请让我进去……”
于是彼得·彼特罗维奇侧着身子绕过卡捷琳娜·伊万诺芙娜，往对面角落里走去，索尼娅就站在那里。
卡捷琳娜·伊万诺芙娜一动不动地站在那里，仿佛五雷轰顶，一下子呆住了。她不能理解，彼得·彼特罗维奇怎么能否认曾经受过她爸爸的款待。既然她臆造了这种款待，自己对此已经深信不疑。彼得·彼特罗维奇那种打官腔似的、冷冰冰的、甚至充满轻蔑意味的威胁语气也使她大为震惊。然而他一出现，不知怎的大家都渐渐安静下来了。此外，这个“精明能干、神情严肃”的人与这儿的这伙人实在太不协调，他们之间的差别实在太显著了，不仅如此，而且可以看出，他到这里来是有什么很重要的事情，大概是有什么很不寻常的原因才使他来到这伙人中间，可见马上就会发生什么事情，一定会出事。站在索尼娅身旁的拉斯科利尼科夫走开了，让他过去；彼得·彼特罗维奇好像根本没看到他。过了一会儿，列别贾特尼科夫也在门口出现了；他没进屋里来，不过也怀着某种特殊的好奇心，几乎是带着惊讶的神情站到门口；他在留心倾听，不过好像好久都弄不明白，这是怎么回事。
“对不起，我也许打断了大家的谈话，不过我的事情相当重要，”彼得·彼特罗维奇说，似乎这话是对大家，而不是特别对某一个人说的，“大家都在这儿，对此我甚至感到高兴。阿玛莉娅·伊万诺芙娜，我极诚恳地恳求您，以房东的身份，注意听着我和索菲娅·伊万诺芙娜下面的谈话。索菲娅·伊万诺芙娜，”他直接对异常惊讶、而且事先就已经感到害怕的索尼娅接着说，“在我的朋友安德烈·谢苗诺维奇·列别贾特尼科夫屋里，刚才您来过以后，我的一张一百卢布的钞票从我的桌子上不翼而飞了。如果您不论以任何方式知道它现在在什么地方，并且告诉我们，那么我以人格担保，并请大家作证，这件事情就算了结了。不然的话，我将不得不采取十分严厉的措施，到那时……就只能怨您自己了！”
屋里鸦雀无声，一片寂静。就连正在哭着的孩子们也住了声。索尼娅站在那里，脸色白得像死人一样，看着卢任，什么也不能回答。她似乎还没听懂。几秒钟过去了。
“嗯，那么怎么样？”卢任凝神注视着她，问。
“我不知道……我什么也不知道……”最后索尼娅用微弱的声音说。
“不知道？您不知道？”卢任追问，又沉默了几秒种。“您想想看，小姐，”他严厉地说，不过好像仍然是劝说的口吻，“好好考虑考虑，我同意再给您一些考虑的时间。您要明白，如果我不是这样深信不疑，当然，凭我的经验，我决不会冒险这样直截了当地归罪于您；因为像这样直截了当公开指控别人，然而是诬告，或者甚至只不过是弄错了，在某种意义上，我是要负责的。这一点我是知道的。因为需要，今天早上我把几张五厘债券兑换成现款，票面总额是三千卢布。这笔帐已经记在了我的皮夹子里。回家以后，——安德烈·谢苗诺维奇可以作证——我开始数钱，点出两千三百卢布，放进皮夹子里，又把皮夹子装到了常礼服侧面的口袋里。桌子上还剩下大约五百卢布现钞，其中有三张票面是一百卢布的。就在这时候，您来了（是我请您来的）——后来您在我那儿的这段时间里，一直很窘，谈话中间，您甚至曾三次站起来，不知为什么急于要走，尽管我们的谈话还没结束。对这一切安德烈·谢苗诺维奇都可以作证。小姐，您自己大概也不会否认，不能不说，我通过安德烈·谢苗诺维奇把您请去，唯一目的是为了和您谈谈您的亲属卡捷琳娜·伊万诺芙娜孤苦伶仃、无依无靠的处境（我不能来她这里参加酬客宴），而且商量一下，看能不能做点儿什么对她有益的事情，譬如募捐、抽彩或者其他这一类的事情。您向我道谢，甚至落泪了（我把这些情况原原本本都说出来，第一，是为了提醒您，第二，是为了让您明白，就连最小的细节我也没有忘记）。随后我从桌子上拿了一张十卢布的钞票，以我个人的名义送给了您，作为对您亲属的第一次帮助。这一切安德烈·谢苗诺维奇都看见了。随后我把您送到了房门口，您一直还是那么窘，——在这以后，就只剩下了我和安德烈·谢苗诺维奇两个人，我和他谈了大约十来分钟，安德烈·谢苗诺维奇出去了，我又转身回到放着钞票的桌子跟前，想把钱点一点，照我早先打算的那样，把它们另外放着。使我大吃一惊的是，其中一张一百卢布的票子不见了。请您想想看：无论如何，对安德烈·谢苗诺维奇我是决不能怀疑的；就连作这样的猜测，我也感到可耻。我数错了，这也不可能；因为在您来以前一分钟，我点完以后，发觉总数是正确的。您自己也应该同意，我回想起您的窘态，回想起您急于要走，回想起您有一会儿曾经把双手都放在桌子上；而且考虑到您的社会地位，以及与这种地位有连带关系的习惯，我，可以说是惊恐地，甚至是违反自己的意志，不得不对您产生怀疑，——当然，这怀疑是无情的，不过也是公正的！我要补充一句，再说一遍，尽管我对此深信不疑，可是我也明白，我现在提出的指控，对我来说还是有某种冒险成分。不过。您可以看得出来，我不会就此罢休；我要追查到底，把事情弄个水落石出，而且我要告诉您，这是为了什么：小姐，唯一的原因就是您忘恩负义！怎么？我请您去，是为了您那位极端贫困的亲属的利益，我向您表示，愿意提供力所能及的帮助，周济您十个卢布，您却立刻以这样的行为来报答我！不，这太不像话了！必须给予教训。请您好好考虑考虑；而且，作为您真正的朋友，我请求您（因为在目前您不可能有更好的朋友了），好好想想吧！
不然的话，我可是铁面无情的！嗯，怎么样？”
“我什么也没拿您的，”索尼娅恐惧地低声说，“您给了我十个卢布，这就是的，您拿回去吧。”索尼娅从口袋里掏出一块小手帕，找到上面打的那个结，把它解开，取出那张十卢布的钞票，递给卢任。
“另外那一百卢布，您却不承认吗？”他责备地坚持说，没有收下这张钞票。
索尼娅朝四下里望了望。大家都在瞅着她，他们的脸都那么可怕，那么严厉，带着嘲讽和憎恨的神情。她朝拉斯科利尼科夫看了一眼，……他站在墙边，双手交叉，抱在胸前，目光炯炯，正在看着她。
“噢，上帝啊！”索尼娅突然喊了一声。
“阿玛莉娅·伊万诺芙娜，应当报告警察，所以，我诚恳地恳求您，先打发人去把管院子的找来，”卢任轻轻地，甚至是温和地说。
“戈特·德尔·巴尔姆海尔齐格1！我本来就知道，她常偷东西！”阿玛莉娅·伊万诺芙娜把双手一拍。
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1德文（gottderbarmherzige）的音译，“仁慈的上帝”之意。
“您本来就知道吗？”卢任接过话茬说，“这么说，以前您就已经至少有某些根据可以作出这样的结论了。尊敬的阿玛莉娅·伊万诺芙娜，请您记住您说过的话，其实，证人们也都听见了。”
突然四下里都高声议论起来。人们都騷动起来了。
“怎—么！”卡捷琳娜·伊万诺芙娜清醒了过来，突然大喊一声，好像失去自制，朝卢任猛扑过去，“怎么！您指控她偷窃？索尼娅偷钱？啊，你们这些卑鄙的家伙，卑鄙的家伙！”于是她跑到索尼娅跟前，用两条干瘦的手臂紧紧抱住索尼娅，就好像把她夹在老虎钳里。
“索尼娅！你怎么竟敢收下他的十个卢布！噢，傻丫头！
把钱拿来！立刻把这十个卢布拿来——这就是！”
卡捷琳娜·伊万诺芙娜从索尼娅手里夺过那张钞票，攥在手里，把它揉作一团，一挥手，对准卢任的脸用力扔了过去。纸团正打中眼睛，弹开，掉到了地板上。阿玛莉娅·伊万诺芙娜赶紧跑过去把钱拾起来。彼得·彼特罗维奇勃然大怒。
“请大家拦住这个疯女人！”他大声叫喊。
这时房门口列别贾特尼科夫身旁又出现了几个人，从外地来的那母女两个也在他们当中往屋里张望。
“怎么！疯女人？我是疯女人？傻—瓜！”卡捷琳娜·伊万诺芙娜尖声叫喊。“你自己是个傻瓜，讼棍，卑鄙的小人！索尼娅，索尼娅会拿他的钱！索尼娅会是个贼！哼，她还会揍你呢，傻瓜！”卡捷琳娜·伊万诺芙娜歇斯底里地哈哈大笑起来。“你们看到过傻瓜吗？”她一会儿跑到这边，一会儿跑到那边，指着卢任，让大家看看他。“怎么！你也这么说吗？”她看到了女房东，“你这个卖香肠的，1你也学他的样，证明她‘偷东西’，你这个下流货，你这个穿钟式裙的普鲁士母鸡腿！啊，你们！啊，你们！她从你这个卑鄙的家伙那一回来，就立刻坐到罗季昂·罗曼诺维奇身边，再没从这间屋里出去过！……你们搜搜她身上好了！既然她哪里也没去过，可见钱应该在她身上！你搜吧，搜啊，搜啊！不过如果你搜不出来，那可就对不起了，亲爱的，你就得负责！我要去见皇上，去见皇上，去见仁慈的沙皇本人，我要扑到他的脚下，马上就去，今天就去！我可是个无依无靠的人啊！会让我进去的！你以为，不会让我进去吗？你胡说，我一定能进去！一定能进去！你认为她性情温顺，可以任人欺侮吗？你是指望这一点吗？可是我，老兄，我可是不好惹的！你失算了！你搜啊，搜啊，喂，搜啊！”
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1在彼得堡卖香肠的几乎都是德国人，所以骂德国人的时候，都管他们叫“卖香肠的”。
说着，卡捷琳娜·伊万诺芙娜发狂地去拉卢任，把他推到索尼娅跟前。
“我愿意负责……不过，请您安静下来，太太，请您安静下来！我看得太清楚了，您是不好惹的！……这……这……这该怎么办呢？”卢任喃喃地说。“这应该有警察在场……不过现在证人已经足够多了……我愿意……不过男人到底不方便……因为性别的关系……如果有阿玛莉娅·伊万诺芙娜帮忙……不过还是不该这么做……这可怎么办呢？”
“随便什么人！谁愿意，就让谁来搜！”卡捷琳娜·伊万诺芙娜高声叫喊，“索尼娅，把口袋儿翻过来让他们看看！看哪，看哪！你瞧，恶棍，口袋儿是空的，这儿有块小手帕，口袋儿是空的，看到了吧！这是另一个口袋儿，看吧，看吧！看到了吧！看到了吧！”
与其说卡捷琳娜·伊万诺芙娜是把口袋儿翻过来的，不如说她是一个接着一个，把两个口袋儿全都拉了出来，但是从第二个，也就是右边的口袋儿里突然跳出一张钞票，在空中画了一条抛物线，掉到了卢任的脚边。这情景大家都看到了；许多人惊叫了一声。彼得·彼特罗维奇弯下腰，用两个手指从地板上拾起这张钞票，举起来让大家看看，然后把它打开了。这是一张折作八层的一百卢布的钞票。彼得·彼特罗维奇用手举着钞票，向四周转了一圈，让大家看看这张票子。
“小偷儿！从这儿滚出去！警察，警察！”阿玛莉娅·伊万诺芙娜高声喊叫起来，“得把她们流放到西伯利亚去！滚！”
四面八方飞来一片惊呼声。拉斯科利尼科夫一声不响，一直目不转睛地看着索尼娅，偶尔，然而是很快地把目光转向卢任。索尼娅仍然失魂落魄似地在原地站着：她甚至几乎不感到惊讶。突然她满脸绯红；惊叫一声，用双手捂住了脸。
“不，这不是我！我没拿！我不知道！”她用裂人心肺的声音惊呼，扑到卡捷琳娜·伊万诺芙娜身边。卡捷琳娜·伊万诺芙娜一把抱住她，把她紧紧搂在胸前，像似想用自己的胸膛保护她，不让别人欺侮她。
“索尼娅！索尼娅！我不信！你要知道，我不相信！”卡捷琳娜·伊万诺芙娜大声喊（尽管事情是如此明显），抱着她，像摇小孩儿那样摇她，没完没了地吻她，抓住她的双手，拚命地狂吻。“说你偷钱！这是多蠢的蠢人！噢，上帝啊！你们是愚蠢的，愚蠢的，”她对所有的人叫喊，“你们还不知道，不知道她有一颗多好的心，不知道她是一个多好的姑娘！她会偷钱，她！可她会把自己最后一件连衫裙脱下来，光着脚去把它卖掉，把钱送给你们，如果你们需要的话，她就是这样的一个人！因为我的孩子挨饿，她甚至去领了黄色执照，为了我们出卖了自己！……唉，死鬼呀，死鬼！唉，死鬼呀，死鬼！你看到了吗？看到了吗？这就是给你办的酬客宴！上帝啊！您要保护她呀，您为什么一直站着！罗季昂·罗曼诺维奇！您为什么不为她辩护？莫非您也相信了不成？你们都抵不上她的一个小指头，你们大家，大家，大家，所有的人！上帝啊！您可要保护她呀！”
可怜的、害肺病的、孤苦伶仃的卡捷琳娜·伊万诺芙娜的哭声似乎深深感动了所有在场的人。在这张因为痛苦而变得很难看的、害肺病的憔悴的脸上，在这两片干裂而且凝结着血迹的嘴唇上，在这嘶哑的叫喊中，在这好似孩子啼哭的、抽噎的哭声里，在这像孩子样轻信、同时又充满绝望、寻求保护的哀告中，可以看出，可以听出，她是多么不幸，多么痛苦，似乎大家对这个可怜的妇人都产生了怜悯之心。至少彼得·彼特罗维奇立刻表示怜悯了。
“太太！太太！”他用给人留下深刻印象的声音高声说，“这事与您无关！谁也不会指控您是教唆者和同谋者，何况罪证还是您发现的，是您把口袋翻了过来：可见您毫不知情。我非常、非常惋惜，如果，可以这么说吧，如果是贫穷促使索菲娅·谢苗诺芙娜这样做的，不过，小姐，您为什么不肯承认呢？害怕羞辱吗？是第一次干这种事？也许是不知所措了？这是当然的，完全可以理解……然而，为什么要干这种事呢！先生们！”他对所有在场的人们说，“先生们！我可怜她，而且，可以这么说吧，深深同情她，大概，我也愿意宽恕她，就连现在也愿宽恕她，尽管我个人受到了侮辱。小姐，但愿现在的耻辱能成为您今后的教训，”他对索尼娅说， “我不再追究了，事情就这样完了，结束了。够了！”
彼得·彼特罗维奇斜着眼睛看了看拉斯科利尼科夫。他们的目光碰到了一起。拉斯科利尼科夫燃烧着怒火的目光似乎要把他烧成灰烬。然而卡捷琳娜·伊万诺芙娜好像再没有听到什么：她发疯似地抱着索尼娅，吻她。孩子们也用自己的小手从四面抱住索尼娅，看来波列奇卡还不完全懂得这是怎么回事，却泪痕满面、抽抽搭搭地哭着，把她那哭肿了的、很好看的小脸俯在索尼娅的肩上。
“这是多么卑鄙！”突然门口传来一声响亮的呼喊。
彼得·彼特罗维奇很快回头一看。
“多么卑鄙！”列别贾特尼科夫又说了一遍，凝神注视着他的眼睛。
彼得·彼特罗维奇甚至好像颤抖了一下。大家都看到了。（后来大家都记起了这一点。）列别贾特尼科夫一步走进屋里。
“您竟敢让我作证吗？”他走到彼得·彼特罗维奇跟前，说。
“这是什么意思，安德烈·谢苗诺维奇？您说的是什么？”
卢任含糊不清地说。
“这意思就是，您……是诬陷者，这就是我的话的意思！”列别贾特尼科夫激动地说，用他那双近视眼严厉地瞅着他。列别贾特尼科夫极为气愤。拉斯科利尼科夫一直拿眼睛盯着他，仿佛立刻理解了他的意思，并且在掂量着他说的每一句话。又是一阵沉默。彼得·彼特罗维奇甚至几乎惊慌失措了，特别是在最初一瞬间。
“如果您这是对我说话……”他结结巴巴地说，“您这是怎么了？您精神正常吗？”
“我精神倒是正常的，您却未必……骗子！啊，这多卑鄙！我一直在听着，我故意等着，为的是把一切都弄明白，因为，老实说，就是到现在，这件事也还不完全合乎逻辑……可是您为什么要这样做呢——我不明白。”
“可我做什么了！您别再胡说八道，莫名其妙地只作暗示了！还是您喝醉了呢？”
“是您，这个卑鄙的家伙，也许喝醉了，我可没喝醉！我从来不喝伏特加，因为这违背我的信念！你们信不信，是他，是他亲手把这张一百卢布的钞票送给索菲娅·谢苗诺芙娜的，——我看见了，我可以作证，我发誓！是他，是他！”列别贾特尼科夫对着大家，对着每一个人重复说。
“您这个乳臭小儿，您是不是疯了？”卢任尖声叫喊，“她本人就在这儿，就站在您面前，她就在这儿，刚刚当着大家的面证实，除了十个卢布，她没从我这儿得到过任何东西。既然如此，我怎么会又给了她一百卢布呢？”
“我看到了，我看到了！”列别贾特尼科夫高声叫喊着证明说，“虽然这违反我的信念，不过我愿意现在就在法庭上宣誓，随便起什么誓都行，因为我看到了您是怎样偷偷地把钱塞给她的！只是我这个傻瓜，还以为您把钱塞给她是做好事呢！在房门口和她告别的时候，当她转过身来，您用一只手和她握手的时候，您用另一只手，用左手偷偷地把钞票塞进了她的口袋里。我看见了！我看见了！”
卢任的脸发白了。
“您胡说些什么！”他粗暴无礼地高声叫嚷，“您站在窗前，怎么能看清钞票呢！您眼睛高度近视……这准是您的错觉。您是在说胡话！”
“不，不是错觉！虽然我站得远，可是我什么，什么都看见了，虽然从窗前的确很难看清钞票，——这您说得不错，——可是由于一个特殊情况，我确实知道，这正是一张一百卢布的钞票，因为您把那张十卢布的钞票交给索菲娅·谢苗诺芙娜的时候，我亲眼看到，当时您还从桌子上拿了一张一百卢布的钞票（这我看到了，因为那时候我站得离您很近，因为我立刻产生了一个想法，所以我没有忘记您手里拿着一张钞票）。您把那张钞票叠起来，一直攥在手里。以后我本来又忘记了，可是当您站起来的时候，把这张钞票从右手放到左手里，差点儿没把它丢掉；于是我又立刻想起来了，因为这时候我又产生了那个想法，就是说，您想不让我知道，悄悄地把钱送给她。可以想象得出，当时我是怎样注视着您，——果然看到，您偷偷地把那张钞票塞进了她的口袋。我看到，看到了，我可以起誓！”
列别贾特尼科夫几乎喘不过气来了。四面八方发出各种不同的感叹声，多半是表示惊讶的；但也有含有威胁意味的呼喊。大家都往彼得·彼特罗维奇跟前挤去。卡捷琳娜·伊万诺芙娜向列别贾特尼科夫跑了过去。
“安德烈·谢苗诺维奇！我把您看错了！您保护了她！只有您一个人保护她！她无依无靠，是上帝派您来保护她的！安德烈·谢苗诺维奇，亲爱的，我的爷啊！”
卡捷琳娜·伊万诺芙娜几乎不知道自己在做什么，扑通一声跪倒在他的面前。
“荒唐！”气得发狂的卢任拼命号叫，“您一直在胡说八道，先生。‘我忘了，我想起来了，我忘了’——这算什么！这么说，是我故意偷偷塞给她的了？为什么？有什么目的？我和这个……女人有什么关系？”
“为什么？正是这一点连我自己也弄不明白，可我说的是千真万确的事实，这是毫无疑问的！我决没弄错，您这个卑鄙的罪人，正是因为我记得，当时，就是在我感谢您，和您握手的时候，就是为了这个，我脑子里立刻产生了这样一个问题。您究竟为什么要把钱偷偷地塞进她的口袋？也就是说，究竟为什么要偷偷地塞进去？难道仅仅是因为，您知道我的信念和您的信念完全相反，知道我否定不能从根本上解决任何问题的个人慈善行为，所以想瞒着我吗？我还以为，您当真是不好意思当着我的面送给她这么一大笔钱，此外，我想，也许您是想送给她一件意外的礼物，等她在自己口袋里发现整整一百卢布的时候，让她大吃一惊吧。（因为有些慈善家很喜欢这样做，好让人永远感恩戴德；这我是知道的。）后来我又想，您是想试试她，也就是说，看她发现了这些钱以后，会不会来感谢您！后来我还想，您也许是避免别人向您道谢，就像俗话所说的，让右手不知道，是不是这么说的，……总而言之，大概就是这么着吧……唉，当时我想得可多了，所以我决定把这一切留待以后再细细考虑，不过还是认为，在您面前把事情说穿，说我知道这个秘密，是很不恰当的。可是我头脑里立刻又产生了一个问题：索菲娅·谢苗诺芙娜发现这张钞票以前，说不定会把这钱弄丢了的；所以我决定来这里，把她叫出来，告诉她，有人往她口袋里放了一百卢布。我顺便先到科贝利亚特尼科夫太太家去了一下，给他们带去一本《实证法概论》1，特别向他们推荐皮德里特2的一篇文章（不过也推荐了瓦格纳3的文章）；然后再来这里，可这里发生了什么事啊！如果我不是的确看到您把一百卢布放进她的口袋里，我会，我会有这些想法和推断吗？”
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1《实证法概论》是一本译成俄文的自然科学论文集，于一八六六年出版。
2特·皮德里特（一八二六——一九一二），德国作家，医生。
3阿·瓦格纳（一八三五——一九一七），德国经济学家，社会学家。
安德烈·谢苗诺维奇结束了他那啰里啰嗦的冗长议论，最后作出如此合乎逻辑的结论，这时他已经累坏了，甚至从脸上淌下了汗水。可惜，就是说俄语，他也不会有条有理地表达自己的意思（可是他又不懂任何别的语言），所以他一下子感到全身已经精疲力竭，在建立了这一律师的功勋以后，好像连面容也消瘦了。然而他的话却产生了异常强烈的效应。他说得那么激昂慷慨，又那么有说服力，看来，大家都相信了。
彼得·彼特罗维奇感觉到事情不妙。
“您头脑里产生了一些什么愚蠢问题，这和我有什么关系，”他高声叫嚷，“这不是证据！这一切可能都是您的梦呓，就是这么回事！不过我告诉您，您是说谎，先生！您说谎，您诽谤，这是因为您怀恨我，确切地说，就是因为我不同意您那些自由思想的、无神论的主张，所以对我怀恨在心，就是这么回事！”
但是这个花招并没有给彼得·彼特罗维奇带来什么好处。恰恰相反，只听到四面八方都传来不满的低语声。
“哼，你扯到哪里去了！”列别贾特尼科夫大声叫喊。“你胡说！你去叫警察来，我发誓！只有一点我弄不懂：他是为了什么冒险干出这种卑鄙的事来！噢，卑鄙无耻的小人！”
“我可以说明他为什么竟敢冒险做出这种事来，如果需要，我可以起誓！”拉斯科利尼科夫终于用坚定的声音说，并且走到前面来了。
看来他坚决而又沉着。只要朝他看上一眼，大家就都明白，他当真知道这是怎么回事，事情就要真相大白了。
“现在我心里完全明白了，”拉斯科利尼科夫直接对着列别贾特尼科夫接下去说。“从事情一开始，我就已经怀疑这里面有什么卑鄙的诡计；我所以产生怀疑，是由于只有我一个人知道的某些特殊情况，我这就要把这些情况告诉大家：问题全在这里！您，安德烈·谢苗诺维奇，您宝贵的证词使我彻底弄清了这是怎么回事。我请大家，请大家都注意听着：这位先生（他指指卢任）不久前曾经向一位少女求婚，确切地说，就是曾向舍妹阿芙多季娅·罗曼诺芙娜·拉斯科利尼科娃求婚。但是来到彼得堡以后，前天，在我们第一次见面的时候，他就和我争吵起来，我把他从自己屋里赶了出去，这件事有两位证人。这个人非常恶毒……前天我还不知道他住在这幢房子里，就住在您安德烈·谢苗诺维奇那里，所以，就在我和他发生争吵的那天，也就是前天，他曾经看到，我作为已故的马尔梅拉多夫先生的朋友，把一些钱送给了他的夫人卡捷琳娜·伊万诺芙娜，用来安葬我的亡友。他立刻给家母写了一封短简，告诉她，说我把所有的钱不是送给了卡捷琳娜·伊万诺芙娜，而是送给了索菲娅·谢苗诺芙娜，同时还用最卑鄙的语言提到……索菲娅·谢苗诺芙娜的品行，也就是对我和索菲娅·谢苗诺芙娜的关系的性质作了某些暗示。你们要明白，这一切的目的就是要离间我们母子和兄妹，让她们相信，为了不正当的目的，我把她们用来帮助我的仅有的一些钱全都挥霍掉了。昨天晚上，当着家母和舍妹的面，他也在场，我说明了事情的真相，证明我是把钱交给卡捷琳娜·伊万诺芙娜，作为丧葬费用，而不是交给了索菲娅·谢苗诺芙娜，而且前天我甚至还不认识索菲娅·谢苗诺芙娜，连她的面都没见过。同时我还补充说，他，彼得·彼特罗维奇·卢任，连同他的全部身价，还抵不上他如此恶意诋毁的索菲娅·谢苗诺芙娜的一个小指头。对于他提出的我是不是会让索菲娅·谢苗诺芙娜和舍妹坐在一起的问题，我回答说，就在那天，我已经这样做了。家母和舍妹不愿听信他的诽谤，不愿和我争吵，为此他十分恼怒，跟她们你一言我一语地顶了起来，对她们说了些不可原谅的粗暴无礼的话。发生了无可挽回的决裂，他被赶了出来。这都是昨天晚上的事。现在请大家特别注意：你们要知道，如果现在他的陰谋得逞，证明索菲娅·谢苗诺芙娜是个贼，那么首先，他就可以向舍妹和家母证明，他对她的怀疑几乎是对的；为了我把舍妹和索菲娅·苗谢诺芙娜放在同等地位，他感到气愤，也是对的；可见，他攻击我，就是保护了，预先保护了舍妹、也就是他的未婚妻的名誉。总之，通过这一切，他甚至可以重新离间我和亲人们的关系，而且，当然啦，他还希望能再次博得她们的好感。至于他向我个人报了仇，那我就不去说它了，因为他有理由认为，索菲娅·谢苗诺芙娜的名誉和幸福，对我来说是十分宝贵的。这就是他的全部打算！对这件事，我就是这样理解的！这就是他这样做的全部动机，不可能有别的原因！”
拉斯科利尼科夫这样，或者几乎是这样结束了自己的话，他的话不时被聚精会神听着的人们的惊叹声打断。但尽管不时被打断，他却说得尖锐，沉着，准确，清楚，而且坚决。他那尖锐的声音，令人信服的语调，严肃的面部表情，对大家产生了异常强烈的感染力。
“是这样，是这样，是这么回事！”列别贾特尼科夫欣喜若狂地证实他的看法。“一定是这样的，因为索菲娅·谢苗诺芙娜一进我们的房间，他就问我：‘您在不在这儿？我是不是在卡捷琳娜·伊万诺芙娜的客人们当中看到了您？’为此，他把我叫到窗前，在那里悄悄地问我。可见他一定需要您在这里！是这样的，完全是这么回事！”
卢任一声不响，轻蔑地微笑着。不过他的脸色十分苍白。似乎他是在考虑怎样脱身。也许他倒很高兴丢开这一切，一走了之，但在目前，这几乎是不可能的；这意味着直接承认对他的指控完全正确，承认他确实诬陷了索菲娅·谢苗诺芙娜。何况本来已经喝得微带醉意的客人们，现在实在是太激动了。那个退休的军需官虽然不完全明白是怎么回事，却叫喊得最响，提出要采取某些会让卢