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！
emotion was increasing。 〃It's bad； it's bad！ I shall say too much
again。〃
〃Yes； yes； yes！ There's no hurry； there's no hurry；〃 muttered
Porfiry Petrovitch； moving to and fro about the table without any
apparent aim； as it were making dashes towards the window； the
bureau and the table； at one moment avoiding Raskolnikov's
suspicious glance； then again standing still and looking him
straight in the face。
His fat round little figure looked very strange； like a ball rolling
from one side to the other and rebounding back。
〃We've plenty of time。 Do you smoke？ have you your own？ Here； a
cigarette！〃 he went on； offering his visitor a cigarette。 〃You know
I am receiving you here； but my own quarters are through there； you
know； my government quarters。 But I am living outside for the time；
I had to have some repairs done here。 It's almost finished now。。。。
Government quarters； you know； are a capital thing。 Eh； what do you
think？〃
〃Yes； a capital thing；〃 answered Raskolnikov； looking at him
almost ironically。
〃A capital thing； a capital thing；〃 repeated Porfiry Petrovitch；
as though he had just thought of something quite different。 〃Yes； a
capital thing；〃 he almost shouted at last； suddenly staring at
Raskolnikov and stopping short two steps from him。
This stupid repetition was too incongruous in its ineptitude with
the serious； brooding and enigmatic glance he turned upon his visitor。
But this stirred Raskolnikov's spleen more than ever and he could
not resist an ironical and rather incautious challenge。
〃Tell me； please；〃 he asked suddenly； looking almost insolently at
him and taking a kind of pleasure in his own insolence。 〃I believe
it's a sort of legal rule； a sort of legal tradition… for all
investigating lawyers… to begin their attack from afar； with a
trivial； or at least an irrelevant subject； so as to encourage； or
rather； to divert the man they are cross…examining； to disarm his
caution and then all at once to give him an unexpected knockdown
blow with some fatal question。 Isn't that so？ It's a sacred tradition；
mentioned； I fancy； in all the manuals of the art？〃
〃Yes； yes。。。。 Why； do you imagine that was why I spoke about
government quarters。。。 eh？〃
And as he said this Porfiry Petrovitch screwed up his eyes and
winked； a good…humoured； crafty look passed over his face。 The
wrinkles on his forehead were smoothed out； his eyes contracted； his
features broadened and he suddenly went off into a nervous prolonged
laugh； shaking all over and looking Raskolnikov straight in the
face。 The latter forced himself to laugh； too； but when Porfiry；
seeing that he was laughing； broke into such a guffaw that he turned
almost crimson； Raskolnikov's repulsion overcame all precaution； he
left off laughing； scowled and stared with hatred at Porfiry；
keeping his eyes fixed on him while his intentionally prolonged
laughter lasted。 There was lack of precaution on both sides；
however； for Porfiry Petrovitch seemed to be laughing in his visitor's
face and to be very little disturbed at the annoyance with which the
visitor received it。 The latter fact was very significant in
Raskolnikov's eyes： he saw that Porfiry Petrovitch had not been
embarrassed just before either； but that he； Raskolnikov； had
perhaps fallen into a trap； that there must be something； some
motive here unknown to him； that； perhaps； everything was in readiness
and in another moment would break upon him。。。
He went straight to the point at once； rose from his seat and took
his cap。
〃Porfiry Petrovitch；〃 he began resolutely； though with
considerable irritation； 〃yesterday you expressed a desire that I
should come to you for some inquiries （he laid special stress on the
word 'inquiries'）。 I have come and； if you have anything to ask me；
ask it； and if not； allow me to withdraw。 I have no time to
spare。。。。 I have to be at the funeral of that man who was run over； of
whom you。。。 know also；〃 he added； feeling angry at once at having made
this addition and more irritated at his anger； 〃I am sick of it all；
do you hear； and have long been。 It's partly what made me ill。 In
short；〃 he shouted； feeling that the phrase about his illness was
still more out of place； 〃in short； kindly examine me or let me go； at
once。 And if you must examine me； do so in the proper form！ I will not
allow you to do so otherwise； and so meanwhile； good…bye； as we have
evidently nothing to keep us now。〃
〃Good heavens！ What do you mean？ What shall I question you about？〃
cackled Porfiry Petrovitch with a change of tone； instantly leaving
off laughing。 〃Please don't disturb yourself；〃 he began fidgeting from
place to place and fussily making Raskolnikov sit down。 〃There's no
hurry； there's no hurry； it's all nonsense。 Oh； no； I'm very glad
you've come to see me at last。。。 I look upon you simply as a
visitor。 And as for my confounded laughter； please excuse it； Rodion
Romanovitch。 Rodion Romanovitch？ That is your name？。。。 It's my nerves；
you tickled me so with your witty observation； I assure you； sometimes
I shake with laughter like an India…rubber ball for half an hour at
a time。。。。 I'm often afraid of an attack of paralysis。 Do sit down。
Please do； or I shall think you are angry。。。〃
Raskolnikov did not speak； he listened； watching him； still frowning
angrily。 He did sit down； but still held his cap。
〃I must tell you one thing about myself； my dear Rodion
Romanovitch；〃 Porfiry Petrovitch continued； moving about the room
and again avoiding his visitor's eyes。 〃You see； I'm a bachelor； a man
of no consequence and not used to society； besides； I have nothing
before me； I'm set； I'm running to seed and。。。 and have you noticed；
Rodion Romanovitch； that in our Petersburg circles； if two clever
men meet who are not intimate； but respect each other； like you and
me； it takes them half an hour before they can find a subject for
conversation… they are dumb； they sit opposite each other and feel
awkward。 Every one has subjects of conversation； ladies for
instance。。。 people in high society always have their subjects of
conversation； c'est de rigueur； but people of the middle sort like us；
thinking people that is； are always tongue…tied and awkward。 What is
the reason of it？ Whether it is the lack of public interest； or
whether it is we are so honest we don't want to deceive one another； I
don't know。 What do you think？ Do put down your cap； it looks as if
you were just going； it makes me uncomfortable。。。 I am so
delighted。。。〃
Raskolnikov put down his cap and continued listening in silence with
a serious frowning face to the vague and empty chatter of Porfiry
Petrovitch。 〃Does he really want to distract my attention with his
silly babble？〃
〃I can't offer you coffee here； but why not spend five minutes
with a friend；〃 Porfiry pattered on； 〃and you know all these
official duties。。。 please don't mind my running up and down； excuse
it； my dear fellow； I am very much afraid of offending you； but
exercise is absolutely indispensable for me。 I'm always sitting and so
glad to be moving about for five minutes。。。 I suffer from my sedentary
life。。。 I always intend to join a gymnasium； they say that officials
of all ranks； even Privy Councillors may be seen skipping gaily there；
there you have it； modern science。。。 yes； yes。。。。 But as for my duties
here； inquiries and all such formalities。。。 you mentioned inquiries
yourself just now。。。 I assure you