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〃But I。。。 am not in debt to any one！〃
〃That's not our business。 Here； an I。O。U。 for a hundred and
fifteen roubles； legally attested； and due for payment； has been
brought us for recovery； given by you to the widow of the assessor
Zarnitsyn； nine months ago； and paid over by the widow Zarnitsyn to
one Mr。 Tchebarov。 We therefore summon you hereupon。〃
〃But she is my landlady！〃
〃And what if she is your landlady？〃
The head clerk looked at him with a condescending smile of
compassion； and at the same time with a certain triumph； as at a
novice under fire for the first time… as though he would say： 〃Well；
how do you feel now？〃 But what did he care now for an I。O。U。； for a
writ of recovery！ Was that worth worrying about now； was it worth
attention even！ He stood； he read； he listened； he answered； he even
asked questions himself； but all mechanically。 The triumphant sense of
security； of deliverance from overwhelming danger； that was what
filled his whole soul that moment without thought for the future；
without analysis； without suppositions or surmises； without doubts and
without questioning。 It was an instant of full； direct； purely
instinctive joy。 But at that very moment something like a thunderstorm
took place in the office。 The assistant superintendent； still shaken
by Raskolnikov's disrespect； still fuming and obviously anxious to
keep up his wounded dignity； pounced on the unfortunate smart lady；
who had been gazing at him ever since he came in with an exceedingly
silly smile。
〃You shameful hussy！〃 he shouted suddenly at the top of his voice。
（The lady in mourning had left the office。） 〃What was going on at your
house last night？ Eh！ A disgrace again； you're a scandal to the
whole street。 Fighting and drinking again。 Do you want the house of
correction？ Why； I have warned you ten times over that I would not let
you off the eleventh！ And here you are again； again； you。。。 you。。。！〃
The paper fell out of Raskolnikov's hands； and he looked wildly at
the smart lady who was so unceremoniously treated。 But he soon saw
what it meant； and at once began to find positive amusement in the
scandal。 He listened with pleasure； so that he longed to laugh and
laugh。。。 all his nerves were on edge。
〃Ilya Petrovitch！〃 the head clerk was beginning anxiously； but
stopped short； for he knew from experience that the enraged
assistant could not be stopped except by force。
As for the smart lady； at first she positively trembled before the
storm。 But strange to say； the more numerous and violent the terms
of abuse became； the more amiable she looked； and the more seductive
the smiles she lavished on the terrible assistant。 She moved uneasily；
and curtsied incessantly； waiting impatiently for a chance of
putting in her word； and at last she found it。
〃There was no sort of noise or fighting in my house； Mr。 Captain；〃
she pattered all at once； like peas dropping； speaking Russian
confidently； though with a strong German accent； 〃and no sort of
scandal； and his honour came drunk； and it's the whole truth I am
telling； Mr。 Captain； and I am not to blame。。。。 Mine is an
honourable house； Mr。 Captain； and honourable behaviour； Mr。
Captain； and I always； always dislike any scandal myself。 But he
came quite tipsy； and asked for three bottles again； and then he
lifted up one leg； and began playing the pianoforte with one foot； and
that is not at all right in an honourable house； and he ganz broke the
piano； and it was very bad manners indeed and I said so。 And he took
up a bottle and began hitting every one with it。 And then I called the
porter； and Karl came； and he took Karl and hit him in the eye； and he
hit Henriette in the eye； too； and gave me five slaps on the cheek。
And it was so ungentlemanly in an honourable house； Mr。 Captain； and I
screamed。 And he opened the window over the canal； and stood in the
window； squealing like a little pig； it was a disgrace。 The idea of
squealing like a little pig at the window into the street！ Fie upon
him！ And Karl pulled him away from the window by his coat； and it is
true； Mr。 Captain； he tore sein Rock。 And then he shouted that man
muss pay him fifteen roubles damages。 And I did pay him； Mr。
Captain； five roubles for sein Rock。 And he is an ungentlemanly
visitor and caused all the scandal。 'I will show you up；' he said；
'for I can write to all the papers about you。'〃
〃Then he was an author？〃
〃Yes； Mr。 Captain； and what an ungentlemanly visitor in an
honourable house。。。。〃
〃Now then！ Enough！ I have told you already。。。〃
〃Ilya Petrovitch！〃 the head clerk repeated significantly。
The assistant glanced rapidly at him； the head clerk slightly
shook his head。
〃。。。 So I tell you this； most respectable Luise Ivanovna； and I tell
it you for the last time；〃 the assistant went on。 〃If there is a
scandal in your honourable house once again； I will put you yourself
in the lock…up； as it is called in polite society。 Do you hear？ So a
literary man； an author took five roubles for his coat…tail in an
'honourable house'？ A nice set； these authors！〃
And he cast a contemptuous glance at Raskolnikov。 〃There was a
scandal the other day in a restaurant； too。 An author had eaten his
dinner and would not pay； 'I'll write a satire on you；' says he。 And
there was another of them on a steamer last week used the most
disgraceful language to the respectable family of a civil
councillor； his wife and daughter。 And there was one of them turned
out of a confectioner's shop the other day。 They are like that；
authors； literary men； students； town…criers。。。 Pfoo！ You get along！ I
shall look in upon you myself one day。 Then you had better be careful！
Do you hear？〃
With hurried deference； Luise Ivanovna fell to curtsying in all
directions； and so curtsied herself to the door。 But at the door；
she stumbled backwards against a good…looking officer with a fresh；
open face and splendid thick fair whiskers。 This was the
superintendent of the district himself； Nikodim Fomitch。 Luise
Ivanovna made haste to curtsy almost to the ground； and with mincing
little steps； she fluttered out of the office。
〃Again thunder and lightning… a hurricane！〃 said Nikodim Fomitch
to Ilya Petrovitch in a civil and friendly tone。 〃You are aroused
again； you are fuming again！ I heard it on the stairs！〃
〃Well； what then！〃 Ilya Petrovitch drawled with gentlemanly
nonchalance； and he walked with some papers to another table； with a
jaunty swing of his shoulders at each step。 〃Here； if you will
kindly look： an author； or a student； has been one at least； does
not pay his debts； has given an I。O。U。； won't clear out of his room；
and complaints are constantly being lodged against him； and here he
has been pleased to make a protest against my smoking in his presence！
He behaves like a cad himself； and just look at him； please。 Here's
the gentleman； and very attractive he is！〃
〃Poverty is not a vice； my friend； but we know you go off like
powder； you can't bear a slight； I daresay you took offence at
something and went too far yourself；〃 continued Nikodim Fomitch；
turning affably to Raskolnikov。 〃But you were wrong there； he is a
capital fellow； I assure you； but explosive； explosive！ He gets hot；
fires up； boils over； and no stopping him！ And then it's all over！ And
at the bottom he's a heart of gold！ His nickname in the regiment was
the Explosive Lieutenant。。。。〃
〃And what a regiment it was； too