按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
the moment when she seemed to be abandoned by every one； to show those
〃wretched contemptible lodgers〃 that she knew 〃how to do things； how
to entertain〃 and that she had been brought up 〃in a genteel； she
might almost say aristocratic colonel's family〃 and had not been meant
for sweeping floors and washing the children's rags at night。 Even the
poorest and most broken…spirited people are sometimes liable to
these paroxysms of pride and vanity which take the form of an
irresistible nervous craving。 And Katerina Ivanovna was not
broken…spirited； she might have been killed by circumstance； but her
spirit could not have been broken； that is； she could not have been
intimidated； her will could not be crushed。 Moreover Sonia had said
with good reason that her mind was unhinged。 She could not be said
to be insane； but for a year past she had been so harassed that her
mind might well be overstrained。 The later stages of consumption are
apt； doctors tell us； to affect the intellect。
There was no great variety of wines； nor was there Madeira； but wine
there was。 There was vodka； rum and Lisbon wine； all of the poorest
quality but in sufficient quantity。 Besides the traditional rice and
honey； there were three or four dishes； one of which consisted of
pancakes； all prepared in Amalia Ivanovna's kitchen。 Two samovars were
boiling； that tea and punch might be offered after dinner。 Katerina
Ivanovna had herself seen to purchasing the provisions； with the
help of one of the lodgers； an unfortunate little Pole who had somehow
been stranded at Madame Lippevechsel's。 He promptly put himself at
Katerina Ivanovna's disposal and had been all that morning and all the
day before running about as fast as his legs could carry him； and very
anxious that every one should be aware of it。 For every trifle he
ran to Katerina Ivanovna； even hunting her out at the bazaar； at every
instant called her 〃Pani。〃 She was heartily sick of him before the
end； though she had declared at first that she could not have got on
without this 〃serviceable and magnanimous man。〃 It was one of Katerina
Ivanovna's characteristics to paint every one she met in the most
glowing colours。 Her praises were so exaggerated as sometimes to be
embarrassing； she would invent various circumstances to the credit
of her new acquaintance and quite genuinely believe in their
reality。 Then all of a sudden she would be disillusioned and would
rudely and contemptuously repulse the person she had only a few
hours before been literally adoring。 She was naturally of a gay；
lively and peace…loving disposition； but from continual failures and
misfortunes she had come to desire so keenly that all should live in
peace and joy and should not dare to break the peace； that the
slightest jar； the smallest disaster reduced her almost to frenzy； and
she would pass in an instant from the brightest hopes and fancies to
cursing her fate and raving； and knocking her head against the wall。
Amalia Ivanovna； too； suddenly acquired extraordinary importance
in Katerina Ivanovna's eyes and was treated by her with
extraordinary respect； probably only because Amalia Ivanovna had
thrown herself heart and soul into the preparations。 She had
undertaken to lay the table； to provide the linen； crockery； &c。；
and to cook the dishes in her kitchen； and Katerina Ivanovna had
left it all in her hands and gone herself to the cemetery。
Everything had been well done。 Even the tablecloth was nearly clean；
the crockery； knives； forks and glasses were； of course； of all shapes
and patterns； lent by different lodgers； but the table was properly
laid at the time fixed； and Amalia Ivanovna； feeling she had done
her work well； had put on a black silk dress and a cap with new
mourning ribbons and met the returning party with some pride。 This
pride； though justifiable； displeased Katerina Ivanovna for some
reason： 〃as though the table could not have been laid except by Amalia
Ivanovna！〃 She disliked the cap with new ribbons； too。 〃Could she be
stuck up； the stupid German； because she was mistress of the house；
and had consented as a favour to help her poor lodgers！ As a favour！
Fancy that！ Katerina Ivanovna's father who had been a colonel and
almost a governor had sometimes had the table set for forty persons；
and then any one like Amalia Ivanovna； or rather Ludwigovna； would not
have been allowed into the kitchen。〃
Katerina Ivanovna； however； put off expressing her feelings for
the time and contented herself with treating her coldly； though she
decided inwardly that she would certainly have to put Amalia
Ivanovna down and set her in her proper place； for goodness only
knew what she was fancying herself。 Katerina Ivanovna was irritated
too by the fact that hardly any of the lodgers invited had come to the
funeral； except the Pole who had just managed to run into the
cemetery； while to the memorial dinner the poorest and most
insignificant of them had turned up； the wretched creatures； many of
them not quite sober。 The older and more respectable of them all； as
if by common consent； stayed away。 Pyotr Petrovitch Luzhin； for
instance； who might be said to be the most respectable of all the
lodgers； did not appear； though Katerina Ivanovna had the evening
before told all the world； that is Amalia Ivanovna； Polenka； Sonia and
the Pole； that he was the most generous； noble…hearted man with a
large property and vast connections； who had been a friend of her
first husband's； and a guest in her father's house； and that he had
promised to use all his influence to secure her a considerable
pension。 It must be noted that when Katerina Ivanovna exalted any
one's connections and fortune； it was without any ulterior motive；
quite disinterestedly； for the mere pleasure of adding to the
consequence of the person praised。 Probably 〃taking his cue〃 from
Luzhin； 〃that contemptible wretch Lebeziatnikov had not turned up
either。 What did he fancy himself？ He was only asked out of kindness
and because he was sharing the same room with Pyotr Petrovitch and was
a friend of his； so that it would have been awkward not to invite
him。〃
Among those who failed to appear were 〃the genteel lady and her
old…maidish daughter；〃 who had only been lodgers in the house for
the last fortnight； but had several times complained of the noise
and uproar in Katerina Ivanovna's room； especially when Marmeladov had
come back drunk。 Katerina Ivanovna heard this from Amalia Ivanovna
who； quarrelling with Katerina Ivanovna； and threatening to turn the
whole family out of doors； had shouted at her that they 〃were not
worth the foot〃 of the honourable lodgers whom they were disturbing。
Katerina Ivanovna determined now to invite this lady and her daughter；
〃whose foot she was not worth；〃 and who had turned away haughtily when
she casually met them； so that they might know that 〃she was more
noble in her thoughts and feelings and did not harbour malice；〃 and
might see that she was not accustomed to her way of living。 She had
proposed to make this clear to them at dinner with allusions to her
late father's governorship； and also at the same time to hint that
it was exceedingly stupid of them to turn away on meeting her。 The fat
colonel…major （he was really a discharged officer of low rank） was
also absent； but it appeared that he had been 〃not himself〃 for the
last two days。 The party consisted of the Pole； a wretched looking
clerk with a spotty face and a greasy coat； who had not a word to
say for himself； and smelt abominably； a deaf and almost blind old man
who had once been in the post office and who had been from
immemorial ages maintained by some one at Amalia Ivanovna's。
A retired clerk of the commissariat department came； too； he was
drunk； had a loud and most unseemly laugh and only fancy… was
without a waistcoat！ One of the visitors sat straight down to the
table without even greeting Kateri