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！
〃Just come to；〃 echoed the man again； with a smile。
〃And who are you？〃 Razumihin asked； suddenly addressing him。 〃My
name is Vrazumihin； at your service； not Razumihin； as I am always
called； but Vrazumihin； a student and gentleman； and he is my
friend。 And who are you？〃
〃I am the messenger from our office； from the merchant Shelopaev；
and I've come on business。〃
〃Please sit down。〃 Razumihin seated himself on the other side of the
table。 〃It's a good thing you've come to； brother；〃 he went on to
Raskolnikov。 〃For the last four days you have scarcely eaten or
drunk anything。 We had to give you tea in spoonfuls。 I brought
Zossimov to see you twice。 You remember Zossimov？ He examined you
carefully and said at once it was nothing serious… something seemed to
have gone to your head。 Some nervous nonsense； the result of bad
feeding； he says you have not had enough beer and radish； but it's
nothing much； it will pass and you will be all right。 Zossimov is a
first…rate fellow！ He is making quite a name。 Come； I won't keep you；〃
he said； addressing the man again。 〃Will you explain what you want？
You must know； Rodya； this is the second time they have sent from
the office； but it was another man last time； and I talked to him。 Who
was it came before？〃
〃That was the day before yesterday； I venture to say； if you please；
sir。 That was Alexey Semyonovitch； he is in our office； too。〃
〃He was more intelligent than you； don't you think so？〃
〃Yes； indeed； sir； he is of more weight than I am。〃
〃Quite so； go on。〃
〃At your mamma's request； through Afanasy Ivanovitch Vahrushin； of
whom I presume you have heard more than once； a remittance is sent
to you from our office；〃 the man began； addressing Raskolnikov。 〃If
you are in an intelligible condition； I've thirty…five roubles to
remit to you； as Semyon Semyonovitch has received from Afanasy
Ivanovitch at your mamma's request instructions to that effect； as
on previous occasions。 Do you know him； sir？〃
〃Yes； I remember。。。 Vahrushin；〃 Raskolnikov said dreamily。
〃You hear； he knows Vahrushin；〃 cried Razumihin。 〃He is in 'an
intelligible condition'！ And I see you are an intelligent man too。
Well； it's always pleasant to hear words of wisdom。〃
〃That's the gentleman； Vahrushin； Afanasy Ivanovitch。 And at the
request of your mamma； who has sent you a remittance once before in
the same manner through him； he did not refuse this time also； and
sent instructions to Semyon Semyonovitch some days since to hand you
thirty…five roubles in the hope of better to come。〃
〃That 'hoping for better to come' is the best thing you've said；
though 'your mamma' is not bad either。 Come then； what do you say？
Is he fully conscious； eh？〃
〃That's all right。 If only he can sign this little paper。〃
〃He can scrawl his name。 Have you got the book？〃
〃Yes； here's the book。〃
〃Give it to me。 Here； Rodya； sit up。 I'll hold you。 Take the pen and
scribble 'Raskolnikov' for him。 For just now； brother； money is
sweeter to us than treacle。〃
〃I don't want it；〃 said Raskolnikov； pushing away the pen。
〃Not want it？〃
〃I won't sign it。〃
〃How the devil can you do without signing it？〃
〃I don't want。。。 the money。〃
〃Don't want the money！ Come； brother； that's nonsense； I bear
witness。 Don't trouble； please； it's only that he is on his travels
again。 But that's pretty common with him at all times though。。。。 You
are a man of judgment and we will take him in hand； that is； more
simply； take his hand and he will sign it。 Here。〃
〃But I can come another time。〃
〃No； no。 Why should we trouble you？ You are a man of judgment。。。。
Now； Rodya； don't keep your visitor； you see he is waiting；〃 and he
made ready to hold Raskolnikov's hand in earnest。
〃Stop； I'll do it alone；〃 said the latter； taking the pen and
signing his name。
The messenger took out the money and went away。
〃Bravo！ And now； brother； are you hungry？〃
〃Yes；〃 answered Raskolnikov。
〃Is there any soup？〃
〃Some of yesterday's；〃 answered Nastasya； who was still standing
there。
〃With potatoes and rice in it？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃I know it by heart。 Bring soup and give us some tea。〃
〃Very well。〃
Raskolnikov looked at all this with profound astonishment and a
dull； unreasoning terror。 He made up his mind to keep quiet and see
what would happen。 〃I believe I am not wandering。 I believe it's
reality；〃 he thought。
In a couple of minutes Nastasya returned with the soup； and
announced that the tea would be ready directly。 With the soup she
brought two spoons； two plates； salt； pepper； mustard for the beef；
and so on。 The table was set as it had not been for a long time。 The
cloth was clean。
〃It would not be amiss； Nastasya； if Praskovya Pavlovna were to send
us up a couple of bottles of beer。 We could empty them。〃
〃Well； you are a cool hand；〃 muttered Nastasya； and she departed
to carry out his orders。
Raskolnikov still gazed wildly with strained attention。 Meanwhile
Razumihin sat down on the sofa beside him； as clumsily as a bear put
his left arm round Raskolnikov's head； although he was able to sit up；
and with his right hand gave him a spoonful of soup； blowing on it
that it might not burn him。 But the soup was only just warm。
Raskolnikov swallowed one spoonful greedily； then a second； then a
third。 But after giving him a few more spoonfuls of soup； Razumihin
suddenly stopped； and said that he must ask Zossimov whether he
ought to have more。
Nastasya came in with two bottles of beer。
〃And will you have tea？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Cut along； Nastasya； and bring some tea； for tea we may venture
on without the faculty。 But here is the beer！〃 He moved back to his
chair； pulled the soup and meat in front of him； and began eating as
though he had not touched food for three days。
〃I must tell you； Rodya； I dine like this here every day now；〃 he
mumbled with his mouth full of beef； 〃and it's all Pashenka； your dear
little landlady； who sees to that； she loves to do anything for me。
I don't ask for it； but； of course； I don't object。 And here's
Nastasya with the tea。 She is a quick girl。 Nastasya； my dear； won't
you have some beer？〃
〃Get along with your nonsense！〃
〃A cup of tea； then？〃
〃A cup of tea； maybe。〃
〃Pour it out。 Stay； I'll pour it out myself。 Sit down。〃
He poured out two cups； left his dinner； and sat on the sofa
again。 As before； he put his left arm round the sick man's head；
raised him up and gave him tea in spoonfuls； again blowing each
spoonful steadily and earnestly； a