CHAPTER IV
At that moment the door was softly opened, and a young girl walked intothe room, looking timidly about her. Everyone turned towards her withsurprise and curiosity. At first sight, Raskolnikov did not recogniseher. It was Sofya Semyonovna Marmeladov. He had seen her yesterday forthe first time, but at such a moment, in such surroundings and in sucha dress, that his memory retained a very different image of her. Now shewas a modestly and poorly-dressed young girl, very young, indeed,almost like a child, with a modest and refined manner, with a candid butsomewhat frightened-looking face. She was wearing a very plain indoordress, and had on a shabby old-fashioned hat, but she still carried aparasol. Unexpectedly finding the room full of people, she was not somuch embarrassed as completely overwhelmed with shyness, like alittle child. She was even about to retreat. "Oh... it's you!" saidRaskolnikov, extremely astonished, and he, too, was confused. He at oncerecollected that his mother and sister knew through Luzhin's letterof "some young woman of notorious behaviour." He had only just beenprotesting against Luzhin's calumny and declaring that he had seen thegirl last night for the first time, and suddenly she had walked in. Heremembered, too, that he had not protested against the expression "ofnotorious behaviour." All this passed vaguely and fleetingly throughhis brain, but looking at her more intently, he saw that the humiliatedcreature was so humiliated that he felt suddenly sorry for her. When shemade a movement to retreat in terror, it sent a pang to his heart.
"I did not expect you," he said, hurriedly, with a look that made herstop. "Please sit down. You come, no doubt, from Katerina Ivanovna.Allow me--not there. Sit here...."
At Sonia's entrance, Razumihin, who had been sitting on one ofRaskolnikov's three chairs, close to the door, got up to allow her toenter. Raskolnikov had at first shown her the place on the sofa whereZossimov had been sitting, but feeling that the sofa which served himas a bed, was too _familiar_ a place, he hurriedly motioned her toRazumihin's chair.
"You sit here," he said to Razumihin, putting him on the sofa.
Sonia sat down, almost shaking with terror, and looked timidly at thetwo ladies. It was evidently almost inconceivable to herself that shecould sit down beside them. At the thought of it, she was so frightenedthat she hurriedly got up again, and in utter confusion addressedRaskolnikov.
"I... I... have come for one minute. Forgive me for disturbing you," shebegan falteringly. "I come from Katerina Ivanovna, and she had no one tosend. Katerina Ivanovna told me to beg you... to be at the service... inthe morning... at Mitrofanievsky... and then... to us... to her...to do her the honour... she told me to beg you..." Sonia stammered andceased speaking.
"I will try, certainly, most certainly," answered Raskolnikov. He,too, stood up, and he, too, faltered and could not finish his sentence."Please sit down," he said, suddenly. "I want to talk to you. You areperhaps in a hurry, but please, be so kind, spare me two minutes," andhe drew up a chair for her.
Sonia sat down again, and again timidly she took a hurried, frightenedlook at the two ladies, and dropped her eyes. Raskolnikov's pale faceflushed, a shudder passed over him, his eyes glowed.
"Mother," he said, firmly and insistently, "this is Sofya SemyonovnaMarmeladov, the daughter of that unfortunate Mr. Marmeladov, who was runover yesterday before my eyes, and of whom I was just telling you."
Pulcheria Alexandrovna glanced at Sonia, and slightly screwed upher eyes. In spite of her embarrassment before Rodya's urgent andchallenging look, she could not deny herself that satisfaction. Douniagazed gravely and intently into the poor girl's face, and scrutinisedher with perplexity. Sonia, hearing herself introduced, tried to raiseher eyes again, but was more embarrassed than ever.
"I wanted to ask you," said Raskolnikov, hastily, "how things werearranged yesterday. You were not worried by the police, for instance?"
"No, that was all right... it was too evident, the cause of death...they did not worry us... only the lodgers are angry."
"Why?"
"At the body's remaining so long. You see it is hot now. So that,to-day, they will carry it to the cemetery, into the chapel, untilto-morrow. At first Katerina Ivanovna was unwilling, but now she seesherself that it's necessary..."
"To-day, then?"
"She begs you to do us the honour to be in the church to-morrow for theservice, and then to be present at the funeral lunch."
"She is giving a funeral lunch?"
"Yes... just a little.... She told me to thank you very much for helpingus yesterday. But for you, we should have had nothing for the funeral."
All at once her lips and chin began trembling, but, with an effort, shecontrolled herself, looking down again.
During the conversation, Raskolnikov watched her carefully. She had athin, very thin, pale little face, rather irregular and angular, with asharp little nose and chin. She could not have been called pretty, buther blue eyes were so clear, and when they lighted up, there was sucha kindliness and simplicity in her expression that one could not helpbeing attracted. Her face, and her whole figure indeed, had anotherpeculiar characteristic. In spite of her eighteen years, she lookedalmost a little girl--almost a child. And in some of her gestures, thischildishness seemed almost absurd.
"But has Katerina Ivanovna been able to manage with such small means?Does she even mean to have a funeral lunch?" Raskolnikov asked,persistently keeping up the conversation.
"The coffin will be plain, of course... and everything will be plain, soit won't cost much. Katerina Ivanovna and I have reckoned it all out, sothat there will be enough left... and Katerina Ivanovna was very anxiousit should be so. You know one can't... it's a comfort to her... she islike that, you know...."
"I understand, I understand... of course... why do you look at my roomlike that? My mother has just said it is like a tomb."
"You gave us everything yesterday," Sonia said suddenly, in reply, in aloud rapid whisper; and again she looked down in confusion. Her lipsand chin were trembling once more. She had been struck at onceby Raskolnikov's poor surroundings, and now these words broke outspontaneously. A silence followed. There was a light in Dounia's eyes,and even Pulcheria Alexandrovna looked kindly at Sonia.
"Rodya," she said, getting up, "we shall have dinner together, ofcourse. Come, Dounia.... And you, Rodya, had better go for a littlewalk, and then rest and lie down before you come to see us.... I amafraid we have exhausted you...."
"Yes, yes, I'll come," he answered, getting up fussily. "But I havesomething to see to."
"But surely you will have dinner together?" cried Razumihin, looking insurprise at Raskolnikov. "What do you mean?"
"Yes, yes, I am coming... of course, of course! And you stay a minute.You do not want him just now, do you, mother? Or perhaps I am taking himfrom you?"
"Oh, no, no. And will you, Dmitri Prokofitch, do us the favour of diningwith us?"
"Please do," added Dounia.
Razumihin bowed, positively radiant. For one moment, they were allstrangely embarrassed.
"Good-bye, Rodya, that is till we meet. I do not like saying good-bye.Good-bye, Nastasya. Ah, I have said good-bye again."
Pulcheria Alexandrovna meant to greet Sonia, too; but it somehow failedto come off, and she went in a flutter out of the room.
But Avdotya Romanovna seemed to await her turn, and following her motherout, gave Sonia an attentive, courteous bow. Sonia, in confusion, gavea hurried, frightened curtsy. There was a look of poignant discomfortin her face, as though Avdotya Romanovna's courtesy and attention wereoppressive and painful to her.
"Dounia, good-bye," called Raskolnikov, in the passage. "Give me yourhand."
"Why, I did give it to you. Have you forgotten?" said Dounia, turningwarmly and awkwardly to him.
"Never mind, give it to me again." And he squeezed her fingers warmly.
Dounia smiled, flushed, pulled her hand away, and went off quite happy.
"Come, that's capital," he said to Sonia, going back and lookingbrightly at her. "God give peace to the dead, the li
ving have still tolive. That is right, isn't it?"
Sonia looked surprised at the sudden brightness of his face. He lookedat her for some moments in silence. The whole history of the dead fatherfloated before his memory in those moments....
*****
"Heavens, Dounia," Pulcheria Alexandrovna began, as soon as they were inthe street, "I really feel relieved myself at coming away--more at ease.How little did I think yesterday in the train that I could ever be gladof that."
"I tell you again, mother, he is still very ill. Don't you see it?Perhaps worrying about us upset him. We must be patient, and much, muchcan be forgiven."
"Well, you were not very patient!" Pulcheria Alexandrovna caught her up,hotly and jealously. "Do you know, Dounia, I was looking at you two. Youare the very portrait of him, and not so much in face as in soul. Youare both melancholy, both morose and hot-tempered, both haughty and bothgenerous.... Surely he can't be an egoist, Dounia. Eh? When I think ofwhat is in store for us this evening, my heart sinks!"
"Don't be uneasy, mother. What must be, will be."
"Dounia, only think what a position we are in! What if Pyotr Petrovitchbreaks it off?" poor Pulcheria Alexandrovna blurted out, incautiously.
"He won't be worth much if he does," answered Dounia, sharply andcontemptuously.
"We did well to come away," Pulcheria Alexandrovna hurriedly broke in."He was in a hurry about some business or other. If he gets out and hasa breath of air... it is fearfully close in his room.... But where isone to get a breath of air here? The very streets here feel like shut-uprooms. Good heavens! what a town!... stay... this side... they willcrush you--carrying something. Why, it is a piano they have got, Ideclare... how they push!... I am very much afraid of that young woman,too."
"What young woman, mother?
"Why, that Sofya Semyonovna, who was there just now."
"Why?"
"I have a presentiment, Dounia. Well, you may believe it or not, butas soon as she came in, that very minute, I felt that she was the chiefcause of the trouble...."
"Nothing of the sort!" cried Dounia, in vexation. "What nonsense, withyour presentiments, mother! He only made her acquaintance the eveningbefore, and he did not know her when she came in."
"Well, you will see.... She worries me; but you will see, you willsee! I was so frightened. She was gazing at me with those eyes. I couldscarcely sit still in my chair when he began introducing her, do youremember? It seems so strange, but Pyotr Petrovitch writes like thatabout her, and he introduces her to us--to you! So he must think a greatdeal of her."
"People will write anything. We were talked about and written about,too. Have you forgotten? I am sure that she is a good girl, and that itis all nonsense."
"God grant it may be!"
"And Pyotr Petrovitch is a contemptible slanderer," Dounia snapped out,suddenly.
Pulcheria Alexandrovna was crushed; the conversation was not resumed.
*****
"I will tell you what I want with you," said Raskolnikov, drawingRazumihin to the window.
"Then I will tell Katerina Ivanovna that you are coming," Sonia saidhurriedly, preparing to depart.
"One minute, Sofya Semyonovna. We have no secrets. You are not in ourway. I want to have another word or two with you. Listen!" he turnedsuddenly to Razumihin again. "You know that... what's his name...Porfiry Petrovitch?"
"I should think so! He is a relation. Why?" added the latter, withinterest.
"Is not he managing that case... you know, about that murder?... Youwere speaking about it yesterday."
"Yes... well?" Razumihin's eyes opened wide.
"He was inquiring for people who had pawned things, and I have somepledges there, too--trifles--a ring my sister gave me as a keepsake whenI left home, and my father's silver watch--they are only worth five orsix roubles altogether... but I value them. So what am I to do now? Ido not want to lose the things, especially the watch. I was quaking justnow, for fear mother would ask to look at it, when we spoke of Dounia'swatch. It is the only thing of father's left us. She would be ill ifit were lost. You know what women are. So tell me what to do. I know Iought to have given notice at the police station, but would it not bebetter to go straight to Porfiry? Eh? What do you think? The mattermight be settled more quickly. You see, mother may ask for it beforedinner."
"Certainly not to the police station. Certainly to Porfiry," Razumihinshouted in extraordinary excitement. "Well, how glad I am. Let us go atonce. It is a couple of steps. We shall be sure to find him."
"Very well, let us go."
"And he will be very, very glad to make your acquaintance. I haveoften talked to him of you at different times. I was speaking of youyesterday. Let us go. So you knew the old woman? So that's it! It is allturning out splendidly.... Oh, yes, Sofya Ivanovna..."
"Sofya Semyonovna," corrected Raskolnikov. "Sofya Semyonovna, this is myfriend Razumihin, and he is a good man."
"If you have to go now," Sonia was beginning, not looking at Razumihinat all, and still more embarrassed.
"Let us go," decided Raskolnikov. "I will come to you to-day, SofyaSemyonovna. Only tell me where you live."
He was not exactly ill at ease, but seemed hurried, and avoided hereyes. Sonia gave her address, and flushed as she did so. They all wentout together.
"Don't you lock up?" asked Razumihin, following him on to the stairs.
"Never," answered Raskolnikov. "I have been meaning to buy a lock forthese two years. People are happy who have no need of locks," he said,laughing, to Sonia. They stood still in the gateway.
"Do you go to the right, Sofya Semyonovna? How did you find me, by theway?" he added, as though he wanted to say something quite different. Hewanted to look at her soft clear eyes, but this was not easy.
"Why, you gave your address to Polenka yesterday."
"Polenka? Oh, yes; Polenka, that is the little girl. She is your sister?Did I give her the address?"
"Why, had you forgotten?"
"No, I remember."
"I had heard my father speak of you... only I did not know your name,and he did not know it. And now I came... and as I had learnt your name,I asked to-day, 'Where does Mr. Raskolnikov live?' I did not know youhad only a room too.... Good-bye, I will tell Katerina Ivanovna."
She was extremely glad to escape at last; she went away looking down,hurrying to get out of sight as soon as possible, to walk the twentysteps to the turning on the right and to be at last alone, and thenmoving rapidly along, looking at no one, noticing nothing, to think, toremember, to meditate on every word, every detail. Never, never had shefelt anything like this. Dimly and unconsciously a whole new world wasopening before her. She remembered suddenly that Raskolnikov meant tocome to her that day, perhaps at once!
"Only not to-day, please, not to-day!" she kept muttering with a sinkingheart, as though entreating someone, like a frightened child. "Mercy! tome... to that room... he will see... oh, dear!"
She was not capable at that instant of noticing an unknown gentleman whowas watching her and following at her heels. He had accompanied her fromthe gateway. At the moment when Razumihin, Raskolnikov, and she stoodstill at parting on the pavement, this gentleman, who was just passing,started on hearing Sonia's words: "and I asked where Mr. Raskolnikovlived?" He turned a rapid but attentive look upon all three, especiallyupon Raskolnikov, to whom Sonia was speaking; then looked back and notedthe house. All this was done in an instant as he passed, and trying notto betray his interest, he walked on more slowly as though waiting forsomething. He was waiting for Sonia; he saw that they were parting, andthat Sonia was going home.
"Home? Where? I've seen that face somewhere," he thought. "I must findout."
At the turning he crossed over, looked round, and saw Sonia coming thesame way, noticing nothing. She turned the corner. He followed her onthe other side. After about fifty paces he crossed over again, overtookher and kept two or three yards behind her.
He was a man about fifty, rather tall and thickly set, w
ith broad highshoulders which made him look as though he stooped a little. He woregood and fashionable clothes, and looked like a gentleman of position.He carried a handsome cane, which he tapped on the pavement at eachstep; his gloves were spotless. He had a broad, rather pleasant facewith high cheek-bones and a fresh colour, not often seen in Petersburg.His flaxen hair was still abundant, and only touched here and there withgrey, and his thick square beard was even lighter than his hair.His eyes were blue and had a cold and thoughtful look; his lips werecrimson. He was a remarkedly well-preserved man and looked much youngerthan his years.
When Sonia came out on the canal bank, they were the only two persons onthe pavement. He observed her dreaminess and preoccupation. On reachingthe house where she lodged, Sonia turned in at the gate; he followedher, seeming rather surprised. In the courtyard she turned to the rightcorner. "Bah!" muttered the unknown gentleman, and mounted the stairsbehind her. Only then Sonia noticed him. She reached the third storey,turned down the passage, and rang at No. 9. On the door was inscribedin chalk, "Kapernaumov, Tailor." "Bah!" the stranger repeated again,wondering at the strange coincidence, and he rang next door, at No. 8.The doors were two or three yards apart.
"You lodge at Kapernaumov's," he said, looking at Sonia and laughing."He altered a waistcoat for me yesterday. I am staying close here atMadame Resslich's. How odd!" Sonia looked at him attentively.
"We are neighbours," he went on gaily. "I only came to town the daybefore yesterday. Good-bye for the present."
Sonia made no reply; the door opened and she slipped in. She felt forsome reason ashamed and uneasy.
*****
On the way to Porfiry's, Razumihin was obviously excited.
"That's capital, brother," he repeated several times, "and I am glad! Iam glad!"
"What are you glad about?" Raskolnikov thought to himself.
"I didn't know that you pledged things at the old woman's, too. And...was it long ago? I mean, was it long since you were there?"
"What a simple-hearted fool he is!"
"When was it?" Raskolnikov stopped still to recollect. "Two or threedays before her death it must have been. But I am not going to redeemthe things now," he put in with a sort of hurried and conspicuoussolicitude about the things. "I've not more than a silver roubleleft... after last night's accursed delirium!"
He laid special emphasis on the delirium.
"Yes, yes," Razumihin hastened to agree--with what was not clear. "Thenthat's why you... were stuck... partly... you know in your delirium youwere continually mentioning some rings or chains! Yes, yes... that'sclear, it's all clear now."
"Hullo! How that idea must have got about among them. Here this man willgo to the stake for me, and I find him delighted at having it _clearedup_ why I spoke of rings in my delirium! What a hold the idea must haveon all of them!"
"Shall we find him?" he asked suddenly.
"Oh, yes," Razumihin answered quickly. "He is a nice fellow, you willsee, brother. Rather clumsy, that is to say, he is a man of polishedmanners, but I mean clumsy in a different sense. He is an intelligentfellow, very much so indeed, but he has his own range of ideas.... Heis incredulous, sceptical, cynical... he likes to impose on people, orrather to make fun of them. His is the old, circumstantial method....But he understands his work... thoroughly.... Last year he cleared up acase of murder in which the police had hardly a clue. He is very, veryanxious to make your acquaintance!"
"On what grounds is he so anxious?"
"Oh, it's not exactly... you see, since you've been ill I happen to havementioned you several times.... So, when he heard about you... aboutyour being a law student and not able to finish your studies, he said,'What a pity!' And so I concluded... from everything together, not onlythat; yesterday Zametov... you know, Rodya, I talked some nonsense onthe way home to you yesterday, when I was drunk... I am afraid, brother,of your exaggerating it, you see."
"What? That they think I am a madman? Maybe they are right," he saidwith a constrained smile.
"Yes, yes.... That is, pooh, no!... But all that I said (and there wassomething else too) it was all nonsense, drunken nonsense."
"But why are you apologising? I am so sick of it all!" Raskolnikov criedwith exaggerated irritability. It was partly assumed, however.
"I know, I know, I understand. Believe me, I understand. One's ashamedto speak of it."
"If you are ashamed, then don't speak of it."
Both were silent. Razumihin was more than ecstatic and Raskolnikovperceived it with repulsion. He was alarmed, too, by what Razumihin hadjust said about Porfiry.
"I shall have to pull a long face with him too," he thought, with abeating heart, and he turned white, "and do it naturally, too. But themost natural thing would be to do nothing at all. Carefully do nothingat all! No, _carefully_ would not be natural again.... Oh, well, weshall see how it turns out.... We shall see... directly. Is it a goodthing to go or not? The butterfly flies to the light. My heart isbeating, that's what's bad!"
"In this grey house," said Razumihin.
"The most important thing, does Porfiry know that I was at the oldhag's flat yesterday... and asked about the blood? I must find that outinstantly, as soon as I go in, find out from his face; otherwise... I'llfind out, if it's my ruin."
"I say, brother," he said suddenly, addressing Razumihin, with a slysmile, "I have been noticing all day that you seem to be curiouslyexcited. Isn't it so?"
"Excited? Not a bit of it," said Razumihin, stung to the quick.
"Yes, brother, I assure you it's noticeable. Why, you sat on your chairin a way you never do sit, on the edge somehow, and you seemed to bewrithing all the time. You kept jumping up for nothing. One moment youwere angry, and the next your face looked like a sweetmeat. You evenblushed; especially when you were invited to dinner, you blushedawfully."
"Nothing of the sort, nonsense! What do you mean?"
"But why are you wriggling out of it, like a schoolboy? By Jove, therehe's blushing again."
"What a pig you are!"
"But why are you so shamefaced about it? Romeo! Stay, I'll tell of youto-day. Ha-ha-ha! I'll make mother laugh, and someone else, too..."
"Listen, listen, listen, this is serious.... What next, you fiend!"Razumihin was utterly overwhelmed, turning cold with horror. "What willyou tell them? Come, brother... foo! what a pig you are!"
"You are like a summer rose. And if only you knew how it suits you; aRomeo over six foot high! And how you've washed to-day--you cleaned yournails, I declare. Eh? That's something unheard of! Why, I do believeyou've got pomatum on your hair! Bend down."
"Pig!"
Raskolnikov laughed as though he could not restrain himself. Solaughing, they entered Porfiry Petrovitch's flat. This is whatRaskolnikov wanted: from within they could be heard laughing as theycame in, still guffawing in the passage.
"Not a word here or I'll... brain you!" Razumihin whispered furiously,seizing Raskolnikov by the shoulder.