CHAPTER III
"Pyotr Petrovitch," she cried, "protect me... you at least! Make thisfoolish woman understand that she can't behave like this to a lady inmisfortune... that there is a law for such things.... I'll go to thegovernor-general himself.... She shall answer for it.... Remembering myfather's hospitality protect these orphans."
"Allow me, madam.... Allow me." Pyotr Petrovitch waved her off. "Yourpapa as you are well aware I had not the honour of knowing" (someonelaughed aloud) "and I do not intend to take part in your everlastingsquabbles with Amalia Ivanovna.... I have come here to speak of my ownaffairs... and I want to have a word with your stepdaughter, Sofya...Ivanovna, I think it is? Allow me to pass."
Pyotr Petrovitch, edging by her, went to the opposite corner where Soniawas.
Katerina Ivanovna remained standing where she was, as thoughthunderstruck. She could not understand how Pyotr Petrovitch could denyhaving enjoyed her father's hospitality. Though she had invented itherself, she believed in it firmly by this time. She was struck tooby the businesslike, dry and even contemptuous menacing tone of PyotrPetrovitch. All the clamour gradually died away at his entrance. Notonly was this "serious business man" strikingly incongruous with therest of the party, but it was evident, too, that he had come upon somematter of consequence, that some exceptional cause must have brought himand that therefore something was going to happen. Raskolnikov, standingbeside Sonia, moved aside to let him pass; Pyotr Petrovitch did notseem to notice him. A minute later Lebeziatnikov, too, appeared in thedoorway; he did not come in, but stood still, listening with markedinterest, almost wonder, and seemed for a time perplexed.
"Excuse me for possibly interrupting you, but it's a matter ofsome importance," Pyotr Petrovitch observed, addressing the companygenerally. "I am glad indeed to find other persons present. AmaliaIvanovna, I humbly beg you as mistress of the house to pay carefulattention to what I have to say to Sofya Ivanovna. Sofya Ivanovna,"he went on, addressing Sonia, who was very much surprised and alreadyalarmed, "immediately after your visit I found that a hundred-roublenote was missing from my table, in the room of my friend Mr.Lebeziatnikov. If in any way whatever you know and will tell us whereit is now, I assure you on my word of honour and call all present towitness that the matter shall end there. In the opposite case I shall becompelled to have recourse to very serious measures and then... you mustblame yourself."
Complete silence reigned in the room. Even the crying children werestill. Sonia stood deadly pale, staring at Luzhin and unable to say aword. She seemed not to understand. Some seconds passed.
"Well, how is it to be then?" asked Luzhin, looking intently at her.
"I don't know.... I know nothing about it," Sonia articulated faintly atlast.
"No, you know nothing?" Luzhin repeated and again he paused for someseconds. "Think a moment, mademoiselle," he began severely, but still,as it were, admonishing her. "Reflect, I am prepared to give you timefor consideration. Kindly observe this: if I were not so entirelyconvinced I should not, you may be sure, with my experience venture toaccuse you so directly. Seeing that for such direct accusation beforewitnesses, if false or even mistaken, I should myself in a certain sensebe made responsible, I am aware of that. This morning I changed formy own purposes several five-per-cent securities for the sum ofapproximately three thousand roubles. The account is noted down in mypocket-book. On my return home I proceeded to count the money--as Mr.Lebeziatnikov will bear witness--and after counting two thousand threehundred roubles I put the rest in my pocket-book in my coat pocket.About five hundred roubles remained on the table and among them threenotes of a hundred roubles each. At that moment you entered (at myinvitation)--and all the time you were present you were exceedinglyembarrassed; so that three times you jumped up in the middle of theconversation and tried to make off. Mr. Lebeziatnikov can bear witnessto this. You yourself, mademoiselle, probably will not refuse to confirmmy statement that I invited you through Mr. Lebeziatnikov, solely inorder to discuss with you the hopeless and destitute position of yourrelative, Katerina Ivanovna (whose dinner I was unable to attend),and the advisability of getting up something of the nature of asubscription, lottery or the like, for her benefit. You thanked me andeven shed tears. I describe all this as it took place, primarily torecall it to your mind and secondly to show you that not the slightestdetail has escaped my recollection. Then I took a ten-rouble note fromthe table and handed it to you by way of first instalment on my partfor the benefit of your relative. Mr. Lebeziatnikov saw all this. ThenI accompanied you to the door--you being still in the same state ofembarrassment--after which, being left alone with Mr. Lebeziatnikov Italked to him for ten minutes--then Mr. Lebeziatnikov went out and Ireturned to the table with the money lying on it, intending to countit and to put it aside, as I proposed doing before. To my surprise onehundred-rouble note had disappeared. Kindly consider the position.Mr. Lebeziatnikov I cannot suspect. I am ashamed to allude to sucha supposition. I cannot have made a mistake in my reckoning, for theminute before your entrance I had finished my accounts and found thetotal correct. You will admit that recollecting your embarrassment, youreagerness to get away and the fact that you kept your hands for sometime on the table, and taking into consideration your social positionand the habits associated with it, I was, so to say, with horror andpositively against my will, _compelled_ to entertain a suspicion--acruel, but justifiable suspicion! I will add further and repeat that inspite of my positive conviction, I realise that I run a certain risk inmaking this accusation, but as you see, I could not let it pass. I havetaken action and I will tell you why: solely, madam, solely, owingto your black ingratitude! Why! I invite you for the benefit of yourdestitute relative, I present you with my donation of ten roubles andyou, on the spot, repay me for all that with such an action. It is toobad! You need a lesson. Reflect! Moreover, like a true friend I begyou--and you could have no better friend at this moment--think what youare doing, otherwise I shall be immovable! Well, what do you say?"
"I have taken nothing," Sonia whispered in terror, "you gave me tenroubles, here it is, take it."
Sonia pulled her handkerchief out of her pocket, untied a corner of it,took out the ten-rouble note and gave it to Luzhin.
"And the hundred roubles you do not confess to taking?" he insistedreproachfully, not taking the note.
Sonia looked about her. All were looking at her with such awful, stern,ironical, hostile eyes. She looked at Raskolnikov... he stood againstthe wall, with his arms crossed, looking at her with glowing eyes.
"Good God!" broke from Sonia.
"Amalia Ivanovna, we shall have to send word to the police and thereforeI humbly beg you meanwhile to send for the house porter," Luzhin saidsoftly and even kindly.
"_Gott der Barmherzige_! I knew she was the thief," cried AmaliaIvanovna, throwing up her hands.
"You knew it?" Luzhin caught her up, "then I suppose you had some reasonbefore this for thinking so. I beg you, worthy Amalia Ivanovna, toremember your words which have been uttered before witnesses."
There was a buzz of loud conversation on all sides. All were inmovement.
"What!" cried Katerina Ivanovna, suddenly realising the position, andshe rushed at Luzhin. "What! You accuse her of stealing? Sonia? Ah, thewretches, the wretches!"
And running to Sonia she flung her wasted arms round her and held her asin a vise.
"Sonia! how dared you take ten roubles from him? Foolish girl! Give itto me! Give me the ten roubles at once--here!"
And snatching the note from Sonia, Katerina Ivanovna crumpled it up andflung it straight into Luzhin's face. It hit him in the eye and fellon the ground. Amalia Ivanovna hastened to pick it up. Pyotr Petrovitchlost his temper.
"Hold that mad woman!" he shouted.
At that moment several other persons, besides Lebeziatnikov, appeared inthe doorway, among them the two ladies.
"What! Mad? Am I mad? Idiot!" shrieked Katerina Ivanovna. "You are anidiot yourself, pettifogging lawyer, base man! Sonia, Sonia take his
money! Sonia a thief! Why, she'd give away her last penny!" and KaterinaIvanovna broke into hysterical laughter. "Did you ever see such anidiot?" she turned from side to side. "And you too?" she suddenly sawthe landlady, "and you too, sausage eater, you declare that she is athief, you trashy Prussian hen's leg in a crinoline! She hasn't beenout of this room: she came straight from you, you wretch, and sat downbeside me, everyone saw her. She sat here, by Rodion Romanovitch. Searchher! Since she's not left the room, the money would have to be on her!Search her, search her! But if you don't find it, then excuse me, mydear fellow, you'll answer for it! I'll go to our Sovereign, to ourSovereign, to our gracious Tsar himself, and throw myself at his feet,to-day, this minute! I am alone in the world! They would let me in! Doyou think they wouldn't? You're wrong, I will get in! I will get in!You reckoned on her meekness! You relied upon that! But I am not sosubmissive, let me tell you! You've gone too far yourself. Search her,search her!"
And Katerina Ivanovna in a frenzy shook Luzhin and dragged him towardsSonia.
"I am ready, I'll be responsible... but calm yourself, madam, calmyourself. I see that you are not so submissive!... Well, well, but as tothat..." Luzhin muttered, "that ought to be before the police... thoughindeed there are witnesses enough as it is.... I am ready.... But inany case it's difficult for a man... on account of her sex.... But withthe help of Amalia Ivanovna... though, of course, it's not the way to dothings.... How is it to be done?"
"As you will! Let anyone who likes search her!" cried Katerina Ivanovna."Sonia, turn out your pockets! See! Look, monster, the pocket is empty,here was her handkerchief! Here is the other pocket, look! D'you see,d'you see?"
And Katerina Ivanovna turned--or rather snatched--both pockets insideout. But from the right pocket a piece of paper flew out and describinga parabola in the air fell at Luzhin's feet. Everyone saw it, severalcried out. Pyotr Petrovitch stooped down, picked up the paper in twofingers, lifted it where all could see it and opened it. It was ahundred-rouble note folded in eight. Pyotr Petrovitch held up the noteshowing it to everyone.
"Thief! Out of my lodging. Police, police!" yelled Amalia Ivanovna."They must to Siberia be sent! Away!"
Exclamations arose on all sides. Raskolnikov was silent, keeping hiseyes fixed on Sonia, except for an occasional rapid glance at Luzhin.Sonia stood still, as though unconscious. She was hardly able to feelsurprise. Suddenly the colour rushed to her cheeks; she uttered a cryand hid her face in her hands.
"No, it wasn't I! I didn't take it! I know nothing about it," she criedwith a heartrending wail, and she ran to Katerina Ivanovna, who claspedher tightly in her arms, as though she would shelter her from all theworld.
"Sonia! Sonia! I don't believe it! You see, I don't believe it!" shecried in the face of the obvious fact, swaying her to and fro in herarms like a baby, kissing her face continually, then snatching at herhands and kissing them, too, "you took it! How stupid these people are!Oh dear! You are fools, fools," she cried, addressing the whole room,"you don't know, you don't know what a heart she has, what a girl sheis! She take it, she? She'd sell her last rag, she'd go barefoot to helpyou if you needed it, that's what she is! She has the yellow passportbecause my children were starving, she sold herself for us! Ah, husband,husband! Do you see? Do you see? What a memorial dinner for you!Merciful heavens! Defend her, why are you all standing still? RodionRomanovitch, why don't you stand up for her? Do you believe it, too? Youare not worth her little finger, all of you together! Good God! Defendher now, at least!"
The wail of the poor, consumptive, helpless woman seemed to produce agreat effect on her audience. The agonised, wasted, consumptive face,the parched blood-stained lips, the hoarse voice, the tears unrestrainedas a child's, the trustful, childish and yet despairing prayer for helpwere so piteous that everyone seemed to feel for her. Pyotr Petrovitchat any rate was at once moved to _compassion_.
"Madam, madam, this incident does not reflect upon you!" he criedimpressively, "no one would take upon himself to accuse you of being aninstigator or even an accomplice in it, especially as you have provedher guilt by turning out her pockets, showing that you had no previousidea of it. I am most ready, most ready to show compassion, if poverty,so to speak, drove Sofya Semyonovna to it, but why did you refuse toconfess, mademoiselle? Were you afraid of the disgrace? The first step?You lost your head, perhaps? One can quite understand it.... But howcould you have lowered yourself to such an action? Gentlemen," headdressed the whole company, "gentlemen! Compassionate and, so to say,commiserating these people, I am ready to overlook it even now in spiteof the personal insult lavished upon me! And may this disgrace be alesson to you for the future," he said, addressing Sonia, "and I willcarry the matter no further. Enough!"
Pyotr Petrovitch stole a glance at Raskolnikov. Their eyes met, and thefire in Raskolnikov's seemed ready to reduce him to ashes. MeanwhileKaterina Ivanovna apparently heard nothing. She was kissing and huggingSonia like a madwoman. The children, too, were embracing Sonia onall sides, and Polenka--though she did not fully understand what waswrong--was drowned in tears and shaking with sobs, as she hid her prettylittle face, swollen with weeping, on Sonia's shoulder.
"How vile!" a loud voice cried suddenly in the doorway.
Pyotr Petrovitch looked round quickly.
"What vileness!" Lebeziatnikov repeated, staring him straight in theface.
Pyotr Petrovitch gave a positive start--all noticed it and recalled itafterwards. Lebeziatnikov strode into the room.
"And you dared to call me as witness?" he said, going up to PyotrPetrovitch.
"What do you mean? What are you talking about?" muttered Luzhin.
"I mean that you... are a slanderer, that's what my words mean!"Lebeziatnikov said hotly, looking sternly at him with his short-sightedeyes.
He was extremely angry. Raskolnikov gazed intently at him, as thoughseizing and weighing each word. Again there was a silence. PyotrPetrovitch indeed seemed almost dumbfounded for the first moment.
"If you mean that for me,..." he began, stammering. "But what's thematter with you? Are you out of your mind?"
"I'm in my mind, but you are a scoundrel! Ah, how vile! I have heardeverything. I kept waiting on purpose to understand it, for I must owneven now it is not quite logical.... What you have done it all for Ican't understand."
"Why, what have I done then? Give over talking in your nonsensicalriddles! Or maybe you are drunk!"
"You may be a drunkard, perhaps, vile man, but I am not! I never touchvodka, for it's against my convictions. Would you believe it, he, hehimself, with his own hands gave Sofya Semyonovna that hundred-roublenote--I saw it, I was a witness, I'll take my oath! He did it, he!"repeated Lebeziatnikov, addressing all.
"Are you crazy, milksop?" squealed Luzhin. "She is herself beforeyou--she herself here declared just now before everyone that I gave heronly ten roubles. How could I have given it to her?"
"I saw it, I saw it," Lebeziatnikov repeated, "and though it is againstmy principles, I am ready this very minute to take any oath you likebefore the court, for I saw how you slipped it in her pocket. Onlylike a fool I thought you did it out of kindness! When you were sayinggood-bye to her at the door, while you held her hand in one hand, withthe other, the left, you slipped the note into her pocket. I saw it, Isaw it!"
Luzhin turned pale.
"What lies!" he cried impudently, "why, how could you, standing by thewindow, see the note? You fancied it with your short-sighted eyes. Youare raving!"
"No, I didn't fancy it. And though I was standing some way off, I sawit all. And though it certainly would be hard to distinguish a note fromthe window--that's true--I knew for certain that it was a hundred-roublenote, because, when you were going to give Sofya Semyonovna ten roubles,you took up from the table a hundred-rouble note (I saw it because Iwas standing near then, and an idea struck me at once, so that I did notforget you had it in your hand). You folded it and kept it in your handall the time. I didn't think of it again until, when you were gettingup, you
changed it from your right hand to your left and nearly droppedit! I noticed it because the same idea struck me again, that you meantto do her a kindness without my seeing. You can fancy how I watched youand I saw how you succeeded in slipping it into her pocket. I saw it, Isaw it, I'll take my oath."
Lebeziatnikov was almost breathless. Exclamations arose on all handschiefly expressive of wonder, but some were menacing in tone. They allcrowded round Pyotr Petrovitch. Katerina Ivanovna flew to Lebeziatnikov.
"I was mistaken in you! Protect her! You are the only one to take herpart! She is an orphan. God has sent you!"
Katerina Ivanovna, hardly knowing what she was doing, sank on her kneesbefore him.
"A pack of nonsense!" yelled Luzhin, roused to fury, "it's all nonsenseyou've been talking! 'An idea struck you, you didn't think, younoticed'--what does it amount to? So I gave it to her on the sly onpurpose? What for? With what object? What have I to do with this...?"
"What for? That's what I can't understand, but that what I am tellingyou is the fact, that's certain! So far from my being mistaken, youinfamous criminal man, I remember how, on account of it, a questionoccurred to me at once, just when I was thanking you and pressingyour hand. What made you put it secretly in her pocket? Why you did itsecretly, I mean? Could it be simply to conceal it from me, knowing thatmy convictions are opposed to yours and that I do not approve of privatebenevolence, which effects no radical cure? Well, I decided that youreally were ashamed of giving such a large sum before me. Perhaps,too, I thought, he wants to give her a surprise, when she finds a wholehundred-rouble note in her pocket. (For I know, some benevolent peopleare very fond of decking out their charitable actions in that way.) Thenthe idea struck me, too, that you wanted to test her, to see whether,when she found it, she would come to thank you. Then, too, that youwanted to avoid thanks and that, as the saying is, your right handshould not know... something of that sort, in fact. I thought of somany possibilities that I put off considering it, but still thought itindelicate to show you that I knew your secret. But another idea struckme again that Sofya Semyonovna might easily lose the money before shenoticed it, that was why I decided to come in here to call her out ofthe room and to tell her that you put a hundred roubles in her pocket.But on my way I went first to Madame Kobilatnikov's to take them the'General Treatise on the Positive Method' and especially to recommendPiderit's article (and also Wagner's); then I come on here and what astate of things I find! Now could I, could I, have all these ideas andreflections if I had not seen you put the hundred-rouble note in herpocket?"
When Lebeziatnikov finished his long-winded harangue with the logicaldeduction at the end, he was quite tired, and the perspiration streamedfrom his face. He could not, alas, even express himself correctlyin Russian, though he knew no other language, so that he was quiteexhausted, almost emaciated after this heroic exploit. But his speechproduced a powerful effect. He had spoken with such vehemence, with suchconviction that everyone obviously believed him. Pyotr Petrovitch feltthat things were going badly with him.
"What is it to do with me if silly ideas did occur to you?" he shouted,"that's no evidence. You may have dreamt it, that's all! And I tell you,you are lying, sir. You are lying and slandering from some spite againstme, simply from pique, because I did not agree with your free-thinking,godless, social propositions!"
But this retort did not benefit Pyotr Petrovitch. Murmurs of disapprovalwere heard on all sides.
"Ah, that's your line now, is it!" cried Lebeziatnikov, "that'snonsense! Call the police and I'll take my oath! There's only one thingI can't understand: what made him risk such a contemptible action. Oh,pitiful, despicable man!"
"I can explain why he risked such an action, and if necessary, I, too,will swear to it," Raskolnikov said at last in a firm voice, and hestepped forward.
He appeared to be firm and composed. Everyone felt clearly, from thevery look of him that he really knew about it and that the mystery wouldbe solved.
"Now I can explain it all to myself," said Raskolnikov, addressingLebeziatnikov. "From the very beginning of the business, I suspectedthat there was some scoundrelly intrigue at the bottom of it. I beganto suspect it from some special circumstances known to me only, whichI will explain at once to everyone: they account for everything. Yourvaluable evidence has finally made everything clear to me. I beg all,all to listen. This gentleman (he pointed to Luzhin) was recentlyengaged to be married to a young lady--my sister, Avdotya RomanovnaRaskolnikov. But coming to Petersburg he quarrelled with me, the daybefore yesterday, at our first meeting and I drove him out of my room--Ihave two witnesses to prove it. He is a very spiteful man.... The daybefore yesterday I did not know that he was staying here, in your room,and that consequently on the very day we quarrelled--the day beforeyesterday--he saw me give Katerina Ivanovna some money for the funeral,as a friend of the late Mr. Marmeladov. He at once wrote a note tomy mother and informed her that I had given away all my money, notto Katerina Ivanovna but to Sofya Semyonovna, and referred in a mostcontemptible way to the... character of Sofya Semyonovna, that is,hinted at the character of my attitude to Sofya Semyonovna. All this youunderstand was with the object of dividing me from my mother and sister,by insinuating that I was squandering on unworthy objects the moneywhich they had sent me and which was all they had. Yesterday evening,before my mother and sister and in his presence, I declared that I hadgiven the money to Katerina Ivanovna for the funeral and not to SofyaSemyonovna and that I had no acquaintance with Sofya Semyonovna and hadnever seen her before, indeed. At the same time I added that he,Pyotr Petrovitch Luzhin, with all his virtues, was not worth SofyaSemyonovna's little finger, though he spoke so ill of her. To hisquestion--would I let Sofya Semyonovna sit down beside my sister, Ianswered that I had already done so that day. Irritated that my motherand sister were unwilling to quarrel with me at his insinuations, hegradually began being unpardonably rude to them. A final rupture tookplace and he was turned out of the house. All this happened yesterdayevening. Now I beg your special attention: consider: if he had nowsucceeded in proving that Sofya Semyonovna was a thief, he wouldhave shown to my mother and sister that he was almost right in hissuspicions, that he had reason to be angry at my putting my sister ona level with Sofya Semyonovna, that, in attacking me, he was protectingand preserving the honour of my sister, his betrothed. In fact he mighteven, through all this, have been able to estrange me from my family,and no doubt he hoped to be restored to favour with them; to say nothingof revenging himself on me personally, for he has grounds for supposingthat the honour and happiness of Sofya Semyonovna are very precious tome. That was what he was working for! That's how I understand it. That'sthe whole reason for it and there can be no other!"
It was like this, or somewhat like this, that Raskolnikov wound up hisspeech which was followed very attentively, though often interrupted byexclamations from his audience. But in spite of interruptions he spokeclearly, calmly, exactly, firmly. His decisive voice, his tone ofconviction and his stern face made a great impression on everyone.
"Yes, yes, that's it," Lebeziatnikov assented gleefully, "that must beit, for he asked me, as soon as Sofya Semyonovna came into our room,whether you were here, whether I had seen you among Katerina Ivanovna'sguests. He called me aside to the window and asked me in secret. It wasessential for him that you should be here! That's it, that's it!"
Luzhin smiled contemptuously and did not speak. But he was very pale. Heseemed to be deliberating on some means of escape. Perhaps he would havebeen glad to give up everything and get away, but at the moment thiswas scarcely possible. It would have implied admitting the truth ofthe accusations brought against him. Moreover, the company, which hadalready been excited by drink, was now too much stirred to allow it. Thecommissariat clerk, though indeed he had not grasped the whole position,was shouting louder than anyone and was making some suggestions veryunpleasant to Luzhin. But not all those present were drunk; lodgers camein from all the rooms. The three Poles were tremendously excitedand were cont
inually shouting at him: "The _pan_ is a _lajdak_!" andmuttering threats in Polish. Sonia had been listening with strainedattention, though she too seemed unable to grasp it all; she seemed asthough she had just returned to consciousness. She did not take hereyes off Raskolnikov, feeling that all her safety lay in him. KaterinaIvanovna breathed hard and painfully and seemed fearfully exhausted.Amalia Ivanovna stood looking more stupid than anyone, with her mouthwide open, unable to make out what had happened. She only saw that PyotrPetrovitch had somehow come to grief.
Raskolnikov was attempting to speak again, but they did not let him.Everyone was crowding round Luzhin with threats and shouts of abuse.But Pyotr Petrovitch was not intimidated. Seeing that his accusation ofSonia had completely failed, he had recourse to insolence:
"Allow me, gentlemen, allow me! Don't squeeze, let me pass!" he said,making his way through the crowd. "And no threats, if you please! Iassure you it will be useless, you will gain nothing by it. On thecontrary, you'll have to answer, gentlemen, for violently obstructingthe course of justice. The thief has been more than unmasked, and Ishall prosecute. Our judges are not so blind and... not so drunk, andwill not believe the testimony of two notorious infidels, agitators, andatheists, who accuse me from motives of personal revenge which they arefoolish enough to admit.... Yes, allow me to pass!"
"Don't let me find a trace of you in my room! Kindly leave at once, andeverything is at an end between us! When I think of the trouble I'vebeen taking, the way I've been expounding... all this fortnight!"
"I told you myself to-day that I was going, when you tried to keep me;now I will simply add that you are a fool. I advise you to see a doctorfor your brains and your short sight. Let me pass, gentlemen!"
He forced his way through. But the commissariat clerk was unwilling tolet him off so easily: he picked up a glass from the table, brandishedit in the air and flung it at Pyotr Petrovitch; but the glass flewstraight at Amalia Ivanovna. She screamed, and the clerk, overbalancing,fell heavily under the table. Pyotr Petrovitch made his way to his roomand half an hour later had left the house. Sonia, timid by nature, hadfelt before that day that she could be ill-treated more easily thananyone, and that she could be wronged with impunity. Yet till thatmoment she had fancied that she might escape misfortune by care,gentleness and submissiveness before everyone. Her disappointment wastoo great. She could, of course, bear with patience and almost withoutmurmur anything, even this. But for the first minute she felt it toobitter. In spite of her triumph and her justification--when her firstterror and stupefaction had passed and she could understand it allclearly--the feeling of her helplessness and of the wrong done to hermade her heart throb with anguish and she was overcome with hystericalweeping. At last, unable to bear any more, she rushed out of the roomand ran home, almost immediately after Luzhin's departure. When amidstloud laughter the glass flew at Amalia Ivanovna, it was more than thelandlady could endure. With a shriek she rushed like a fury at KaterinaIvanovna, considering her to blame for everything.
"Out of my lodgings! At once! Quick march!"
And with these words she began snatching up everything she could layher hands on that belonged to Katerina Ivanovna, and throwing it on thefloor. Katerina Ivanovna, pale, almost fainting, and gasping for breath,jumped up from the bed where she had sunk in exhaustion and darted atAmalia Ivanovna. But the battle was too unequal: the landlady waved heraway like a feather.
"What! As though that godless calumny was not enough--this vile creatureattacks me! What! On the day of my husband's funeral I am turned out ofmy lodging! After eating my bread and salt she turns me into the street,with my orphans! Where am I to go?" wailed the poor woman, sobbing andgasping. "Good God!" she cried with flashing eyes, "is there no justiceupon earth? Whom should you protect if not us orphans? We shall see!There is law and justice on earth, there is, I will find it! Wait a bit,godless creature! Polenka, stay with the children, I'll come back. Waitfor me, if you have to wait in the street. We will see whether there isjustice on earth!"
And throwing over her head that green shawl which Marmeladov hadmentioned to Raskolnikov, Katerina Ivanovna squeezed her way through thedisorderly and drunken crowd of lodgers who still filled the room, and,wailing and tearful, she ran into the street--with a vague intentionof going at once somewhere to find justice. Polenka with the two littleones in her arms crouched, terrified, on the trunk in the corner of theroom, where she waited trembling for her mother to come back. AmaliaIvanovna raged about the room, shrieking, lamenting and throwingeverything she came across on the floor. The lodgers talkedincoherently, some commented to the best of their ability on what hadhappened, others quarrelled and swore at one another, while othersstruck up a song....
"Now it's time for me to go," thought Raskolnikov. "Well, SofyaSemyonovna, we shall see what you'll say now!"
And he set off in the direction of Sonia's lodgings.