登陆注册
4771600000204

第204章

Again the same rubbish, the same eggshells lying about on the spiral stairs, again the open doors of the flats, again the same kitchens and the same fumes and stench coming from them. Raskolnikov had not been here since that day. His legs were numb and gave way under him, but still they moved forward. He stopped for a moment to take breath, to collect himself, so as to enter like a man. “But why? what for?” he wondered, reflecting. “If I must drink the cup what difference does it make? The more revolting the better.” He imagined for an instant the figure of the “explosive lieutenant,” Ilya Petrovitch. Was he actually going to him? Couldn’t he go to someone else? To Nikodim Fomitch? Couldn’t he turn back and go straight to Nikodim Fomitch’s lodgings? At least then it would be done privately. … No, no! To the “explosive lieutenant”! If he must drink it, drink it off at once.

Turning cold and hardly conscious, he opened the door of the office. There were very few people in it this time—only a house porter and a peasant. The doorkeeper did not even peep out from behind his screen. Raskolnikov walked into the next room. “Perhaps I still need not speak,” passed through his mind. Some sort of clerk not wearing a uniform was settling himself at a bureau to write. In a corner another clerk was seating himself. Zametov was not there, nor, of course, Nikodim Fomitch.

“No one in?” Raskolnikov asked, addressing the person at the bureau.

“Whom do you want?”

“A-ah! Not a sound was heard, not a sight was seen, but I scent the Russian … how does it go on in the fairy tale … I’ve forgotten! ‘At your service!’” a familiar voice cried suddenly.

Raskolnikov shuddered. The Explosive Lieutenant stood before him. He had just come in from the third room. “It is the hand of fate,” thought Raskolnikov. “Why is he here?”

“You’ve come to see us? What about?” cried Ilya Petrovitch. He was obviously in an exceedingly good humour and perhaps a trifle exhilarated. “If it’s on business you are rather early.1 It’s only a chance that I am here … however I’ll do what I can. I must admit, I … what is it, what is it? Excuse me. …”

“Raskolnikov.”

“Of course, Raskolnikov. You didn’t imagine I’d forgotten? Don’t think I am like that … Rodion Ro—Ro—Rodionovitch, that’s it, isn’t it?”

“Rodion Romanovitch.”

“Yes, yes, of course, Rodion Romanovitch! I was just getting at it. I made many inquiries about you. I assure you I’ve been genuinely grieved since that … since I behaved like that … it was explained to me afterwards that you were a literary man … and a learned one too … and so to say the first steps … Mercy on us! What literary or scientific man does not begin by some originality of conduct! My wife and I have the greatest respect for literature, in my wife it’s a genuine passion! Literature and art! If only a man is a gentleman, all the rest can be gained by talents, learning, good sense, genius. As for a hat—well, what does a hat matter? I can buy a hat as easily as I can a bun; but what’s under the hat, what the hat covers, I can’t buy that! I was even meaning to come and apologise to you, but thought maybe you’d … But I am forgetting to ask you, is there anything you want really? I hear your family have come?”

“Yes, my mother and sister.”

“I’ve even had the honour and happiness of meeting your sister—a highly cultivated and charming person. I confess I was sorry I got so hot with you. There it is! But as for my looking suspiciously at your fainting fit—that affair has been cleared up splendidly! Bigotry and fanaticism! I understand your indignation. Perhaps you are changing your lodging on account of your family’s arriving?”

“No, I only looked in … I came to ask … I thought that I should find Zametov here.”

“Oh, yes! Of course, you’ve made friends, I heard. Well, no, Zametov is not here. Yes, we’ve lost Zametov. He’s not been here since yesterday … he quarrelled with everyone on leaving … in the rudest way. He is a feather-headed youngster, that’s all; one might have expected something from him, but there, you know what they are, our brilliant young men. He wanted to go in for some examination, but it’s only to talk and boast about it, it will go no further than that. Of course it’s a very different matter with you or Mr. Razumihin there, your friend. Your career is an intellectual one and you won’t be deterred by failure. For you, one may say, all the attractions of life nihil est—you are an ascetic, a monk, a hermit! … A book, a pen behind your ear, a learned research—that’s where your spirit soars! I am the same way myself. … Have you read Livingstone’s Travels?”

“No.”

“Oh, I have. There are a great many Nihilists about nowadays, you know, and indeed it is not to be wondered at. What sort of days are they? I ask you. But we thought … you are not a Nihilist of course? Answer me openly, openly!”

“N-no …”

“Believe me, you can speak openly to me as you would to yourself! Official duty is one thing but … you are thinking I meant to say friendship is quite another? No, you’re wrong! It’s not friendship, but the feeling of a man and a citizen, the feeling of humanity and of love for the Almighty. I may be an official, but I am always bound to feel myself a man and a citizen. … You were asking about Zametov. Zametov will make a scandal in the French style in a house of bad reputation, over a glass of champagne … that’s all your Zametov is good for! While I’m perhaps, so to speak, burning with devotion and lofty feelings, and besides I have rank, consequence, a post! I am married and have children, I fulfil the duties of a man and a citizen, but who is he, may I ask? I appeal to you as a man ennobled by education … Then these midwives, too, have become extraordinarily numerous.”

Raskolnikov raised his eyebrows inquiringly. The words of Ilya Petrovitch, who had obviously been dining, were for the most part a stream of empty sounds for him. But some of them he understood. He looked at him inquiringly, not knowing how it would end.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 诛天大帝传

    诛天大帝传

    【热血玄幻】“天道有则,不可杀人也,违者必诛。”——天道大陆之天则。祁然意外来到天道大陆,本想平凡的度过余生,怎奈天则的存在,从此踏上一条披荆斩棘之路。“天堂也好,地狱也罢,都只是我祁然脚下的路,怎就踏不得!天道不公,我便掀翻这天。”——祁然。
  • 斗破苍穹之最穿越系统

    斗破苍穹之最穿越系统

    主角被系统带到斗破苍穹的世界。但是主角发现,系统所穿越的世界有些不一样。斗破苍穹一万年前竟然有一头超级巨龙!隐界竟然还有凤凰一族!五行大帝又是什么鬼?这和我所认识的不一样!每一个世界都有不为人知的秘密!主角一步步揭开,还有,系统的目地!斗破苍穹、斗罗大陆、超神学院、爱情公寓、迪加奥特曼、诛仙、狐妖小红娘、火影忍者、海贼王……无尽的位面穿越。无尽的秘密!
  • 捉捕野人行动

    捉捕野人行动

    作家白志高热爱生活,因为生活已经开始热爱他了。他告诉同事,本月他将结束单身生活,和阜宁市最美的姑娘结婚。阜宁市最美的姑娘叫刘小麦,是《荒诞》杂志的编辑。白志高所在的作家协会的作家们都认识她,因为她的小说《B市最美的姑娘》,曾引起过轰动。小说的内容很简单,是写B市举行一次选美大赛,冠军小姐是有过吸毒史的小姐,现在已经戒掉了。
  • 不负朝夕

    不负朝夕

    众人皆知,他宋遇卿是顶顶有才华的人,年少就成名,虽说有家里长辈的名望为引,但他自己也确实是杰出的后生。年少时期的锋芒到如今气势内敛,他用了十五年的时间,他身边一直无人相伴,传闻是因为一位名叫温忆君的女性,只是直到属于宋遇卿的传奇落幕,众人也不知“遇卿忆君”是怎样一段故事。唯有自小与宋遇卿长大的范如明白,这个在外人看来不可一世的男人不过是一个求而不得的可怜虫罢了,纵使误会万千,到如今也只是:珊瑚百尺珠千斛,难换罗敷未嫁身。宋遇卿落寞逝世,再睁眼却发现重回少年时期,那个还没有遇到温忆君的时候,他不会再放手了,有误会就解开,有无奈就打破,有困难就迎头直上,这一生,他不愿意再仅仅只是遇卿。
  • 云家三小姐

    云家三小姐

    文文半价中~~~~★她是来自二十一世纪的超强特工,情报刺探,卧底刺杀,无所不能。生性淡薄,绝情弃爱,却因同伴的背叛莫名穿越到了轩辕王朝,天下第一首富的云府内。从此,她便是云家三小姐。云家极其不受宠的三小姐,因为她的母亲,只是个卑贱的青楼女子。★他是战场上不败的神话,是战场上的夺命修罗,是人人敬而远之的绝代战神。天资风仪,惊采绝艳的他,冷酷无情。嗜血成性的他,却因深爱之人的背叛而关上了心的窗户。对她....却是从厌恶到深爱,到刻骨铭心。她的柔情刻骨,换得了他豪情万丈,一丝只为她的柔情。他说:“等国家安定,我们便卸甲归田。从此倚楼听风雨,淡看江湖路。手捧香茗,一缕阳光,度过此生。有你,便是此生足矣。”★他是西域幻影门门主,生性风流,放荡形骸,视女人于无物。自持傲物的他,野心勃勃,却因此遇上了这一世让他输得彻底,痛得撕心的女人。明知为敌,却还是义无反顾地爱上了。哪怕,付出的是生命!只因,他爱她。那一切,便是值了。极富野心的他说:“什么狗屁统一,统统比不上她的一颦一笑。他要的,是她的心。若能得到她的心,不,她的回眸一笑,便是失了这天下又何妨?”★他不求王侯,但求自由,却偏偏落在帝王之家。奈何随心所欲的心依然不被束缚,他从来都是无拘无束,随心所欲。而她却成了他的牵绊。他为她一身戎装血染战场,而她对他终究只是感激无旁情。他说:“烟儿,只要你回眸,便会看到,我永远在你身后,从不曾离开。”★他君子如玉,温文尔雅,江湖人称玉箫公子,温文儒雅的笑容下隐藏的又是怎样的心绪?他说:“只要你想的,我便是赔上性命,也定会成全与你。只望,烟儿别忘记,有个名叫君莫尘的男子,永远爱着你。便足矣。”今古河山无定拒。画角声中,牧马频来去。满目荒凉谁可语?西风吹老丹枫树。从前幽怨应无数。铁马金戈,青冢黄昏路。一往情深深几许?深山夕照深秋雨她为她爱的人抛却女红妆,一把龙吟剑,一匹踏雪马,一个纤弱的白色身影,她征服了战场,征服了他们的心。“烨,就让我带着你的龙吟剑替你守护这片江山吧!我要让侵入者后悔这一行。”此时的她依然淡漠,眼中却多了一丝恨,一丝狠,一丝冷冽。一花一世界,一叶一追寻。一曲一场叹,一生为一人。也许这就是对云烟最好的诠释。云烟,如歌般美好,只有珍惜她、爱护她的人,才会得到她的真诚相待。烟,捉不到,看不透。云烟就如这烟一般神秘。她的身份,不过只有寥寥数人知。
  • 小美后

    小美后

    (本文更新稳定,放心收藏。)一只神奇的小白狗,带来一次热爱宠物的小美女的神奇的穿越。有会说话的鸟儿,有日行千里的白龙驹,有爱宠之人,也有利用宠物之人。有儒雅的商界奇才,有身份显贵的太子,有嗜血的国王,都不肯轻易放手。是不是这颗心,终要交付?
  • 奇幻言情短篇集

    奇幻言情短篇集

    该书用生动的文字记录了一个个感人离奇的美丽爱情故事,将人们对爱情的向往想象成充满奇迹的生命。
  • 拉·封丹寓言

    拉·封丹寓言

    《拉·封丹寓言》是世界上最早的诗体寓言集,是继《伊索寓言》之后,又一部经典寓言名著。拉·封丹的寓言大多取材于古希腊、罗马和古印度的寓言,以及中世纪和17世纪的民间故事,成功地塑造了贵族、教士、法官、商人、医生和农民等典型形象,涉及各个阶层和行业,深刻描绘了人间百态,因此是一面生动反映17世纪法国社会生活的镜子。一位法国作家曾打过这样一个美丽的比喻:“拉·封丹的寓言像一篮樱桃,如果我们要最美的,篮子就空了。”
  • 龙猿吞天诀

    龙猿吞天诀

    自古以来,数之不清的修炼体系渊源流传,修练功法玄妙而繁杂,众多修炼者无不为了长生不老,永存于世的修炼目标努力。一名失了先天元气的少年,踏万般坎坷,闯千般关隘,在灵墟崛起,拨重重迷雾,揭开一段被掩埋的古史。古道扬尘经磨练,万千妙法逆苍穹,光怪陆离尽神秘,壮志踏云荡胸怀。带你君临天下,许我四海为家。
  • 24节气与养生(新世纪新生活百科全书)

    24节气与养生(新世纪新生活百科全书)

    为了深入探讨二十四节气与人的健康的关系,我们精心编著了此书,力求通俗易懂,贴近生活,实用性强。随着生活水平的提高,人们的养生保健要求越来越强烈,而养生保健的发展趋势表明,自保自疗是最好的养生保健方式。它不仅能有效地保障人的生命健康,而且还可以降低养生保健的成本、节省费用。根据二十四节气进行养生保健,正是一种符合时代潮流的自保自疗方法。愿这本书能为您的健康保驾护航。