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man；〃 as Pulcheria Alexandrovna Raskolnikov called him that evening in
conversation with Dounia。
PART THREE
Chapter One
RASKOLNIKOV got up； and sat down on the sofa。 He waved his hand
weakly to Razumihin to cut short the flow of warm and incoherent
consolations he was addressing to his mother and sister； took them
both by the hand and for a minute or two gazed from one to the other
without speaking。 His mother was alarmed by his expression。 It
revealed an emotion agonisingly poignant； and at the same time
something immovable； almost insane。 Pulcheria Alexandrovna began to
cry。
Avdotya Romanovna was pale； her hand trembled in her brother's。
〃Go home。。。 with him；〃 he said in a broken voice； pointing to
Razumihin； 〃good…bye till to…morrow； to…morrow everything。。。 Is it
long since you arrived？〃
〃This evening； Rodya；〃 answered Pulcheria Alexandrovna； 〃the train
was awfully late。 But； Rodya； nothing would induce me to leave you
now！ I will spend the night here； near you。。。〃
〃Don't torture me！〃 he said with a gesture of irritation。
〃I will stay with him；〃 cried Razumihin； 〃I won't leave him for a
moment。 Bother all my visitors！ Let them rage to their hearts'
content！ My uncle is presiding there。〃
〃How； how can I thank you！〃 Pulcheria Alexandrovna was beginning；
once more pressing Razumihin's hands； but Raskolnikov interrupted
her again。
〃I can't have it！ I can't have it！〃 he repeated irritably； 〃don't
worry me！ Enough； go away。。。 I can't stand it！〃
〃Come； mamma； come out of the room at least for a minute；〃 Dounia
whispered in dismay； 〃we are distressing him； that's evident。〃
〃Mayn't I look at him after three years？〃 wept Pulcheria
Alexandrovna。
〃Stay；〃 he stopped them again； 〃you keep interrupting me； and my
ideas get muddled。。。。 Have you seen Luzhin？〃
〃No； Rodya； but he knows already of our arrival。 We have heard；
Rodya； that Pyotr Petrovitch was so kind as to visit you today；〃
Pulcheria Alexandrovna added somewhat timidly。
〃Yes。。。 he was so kind。。。 Dounia； I promised Luzhin I'd throw him
downstairs and told him to go to hell。。。。〃
〃Rodya； what are you saying！ Surely； you don't mean to tell us。。。〃
Pulcheria Alexandrovna began in alarm； but she stopped； looking at
Dounia。
Avdotya Romanovna was looking attentively at her brother； waiting
for what would come next。 Both of them had heard of the quarrel from
Nastasya； so far as she had succeeded in understanding and reporting
it； and were in painful perplexity and suspense。
〃Dounia；〃 Raskolnikov continued with an effort； 〃I don't want that
marriage； so at the first opportunity to…morrow you must refuse
Luzhin； so that we may never hear his name again。〃
〃Good Heavens！〃 cried Pulcheria Alexandrovna。
〃Brother； think what you are saying！〃 Avdotya Romanovna began
impetuously； but immediately checked herself。 〃You are not fit to talk
now； perhaps； you are tired；〃 she added gently。
〃You think I am delirious？ No。。。 You are marrying Luzhin for my
sake。 But I won't accept the sacrifice。 And so write a letter before
to…morrow； to refuse him。。。 Let me read it in the morning and that
will be the end of it！〃
〃That I can't do！〃 the girl cried； offended； 〃what right have
you。。。〃
〃Dounia； you are hasty； too； be quiet； to…morrow。。。 Don't you
see。。。〃 the mother interposed in dismay。 〃Better come away！〃
〃He is raving；〃 Razumihin cried tipsily； 〃or how would he dare！
To…morrow all this nonsense will be over。。。 to…day he certainly did
drive him away。 That was so。 And Luzhin got angry； too。。。 He made
speeches here； wanted to show off his learning and he went out
crest…fallen。。。。〃
〃Then it's true？〃 cried Pulcheria Alexandrovna。
〃Good…bye till to…morrow； brother；〃 said Dounia compassionately…
〃let us go； mother。。。 Good…bye； Rodya。〃
〃Do you hear； sister；〃 he repeated after them； making a last effort；
〃I am not delirious； this marriage is… an infamy。 Let me act like a
scoundrel； but you mustn't。。。 one is enough。。。 and though I am a
scoundrel； I wouldn't own such a sister。 It's me or Luzhin！ Go
now。。。。〃
〃But you're out of your mind！ Despot！〃 roared Razumihin； but
Raskolnikov did not and perhaps could not answer。 He lay down on the
sofa； and turned to the wall； utterly exhausted。 Avdotya Romanovna
looked with interest at Razumihin； her black eyes flashed； Razumihin
positively started at her glance。
Pulcheria Alexandrovna stood overwhelmed。
〃Nothing would induce me to go；〃 she whispered in despair to
Razumihin。 〃I will stay somewhere here。。。 escort Dounia home。〃
〃You'll spoil everything；〃 Razumihin answered in the same whisper；
losing patience… 〃come out on to the stairs； anyway。 Nastasya； show
a light！ I assure you；〃 he went on in a half whisper on the stairs…
〃that he was almost beating the doctor and me this afternoon！ Do you
understand？ The doctor himself！ Even he gave way and left him； so as
not to irritate him。 I remained downstairs on guard； but he dressed at
once and slipped off。 And he will slip off again if you irritate
him； at this time of night； and will do himself some mischief。。。。〃
〃What are you saying？〃
〃And Avdotya Romanovna can't possibly be left in those lodgings
without you。 Just think where you are staying！ That blackguard Pyotr
Petrovitch couldn't find you better lodgings。。。 But you know I've
had a little to drink； and that's what makes me。。。 swear； don't mind
it。。。。〃
〃But I'll go to the landlady here；〃 Pulcheria Alexandrovna insisted；
〃Ill beseech her to find some corner for Dounia and me for the
night。 I can't leave him like that； I cannot！〃
This conversation took place on the landing just before the
landlady's door。 Nastasya lighted them from a step below。 Razumihin
was in extraordinary excitement。 Half an hour earlier； while he was
bringing Raskolnikov home； he had indeed talked too freely； but he was
aware of it himself； and his head was clear in spite of the vast
quantities he had imbibed。 Now he was in a state bordering on ecstasy；
and all that he had drunk seemed to fly to his head with redoubled
effect。 He stood with the two ladies； seizing both by their hands；
persuading them； and giving them reasons with astonishing plainness of
speech； and at almost every word he uttered； probably to emphasize his
arguments； he squeezed their hands painfully as in a vise。 He stared
at Avdotya Romanovna without the least regard for good manners。 They
sometimes pulled their hands out of his huge bony paws； but far from
noticing what was the matter； he drew them all the closer to him。 If
they'd told him to jump head foremost from the staircase； he would
have done it without thought or hesitation in their service。 Though
Pulcheria Alexandrovna felt that the young man was really too
eccentric and pinched her hand too much； in her anxiety over her Rodya
she looked on his presence as