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！
against the white pillow。 There he was； lying flat on his back。
Razumov thought suddenly； 〃I have walked over his chest。〃
He continued to stare till the match burnt itself out； then
struck another and lit the lamp in silence without looking
towards the bed any more。 He had turned his back on it and was
hanging his coat on a peg when he heard Haldin sigh profoundly；
then ask in a tired voice
〃Well！ And what have you arranged？〃
The emotion was so great that Razumov was glad to put his hands
against the wall。 A diabolical impulse to say； 〃I have given you
up to the police；〃 frightened him exceedingly。 But he did not
say that。 He said； without turning round； in a muffled voice
〃It's done。〃
Again he heard Haldin sigh。 He walked to the table； sat down
with the lamp before him； and only then looked towards the bed。
In the distant corner of the large room far away from the lamp；
which was small and provided with a very thick china shade；
Haldin appeared like a dark and elongated shaperigid with the
immobility of death。 This body seemed to have less substance
than its own phantom walked over by Razumov in the street white
with snow。 It was more alarming in its shadowy； persistent
reality than the distinct but vanishing illusion。
Haldin was heard again。
〃You must have had a walksuch a walk。 。 。〃 he murmured
deprecatingly。〃 This weather。 。 。〃
Razumov answered with energy
〃Horrible walk。 。 。 。 A nightmare of a walk。〃
He shuddered audibly。 Haldin sighed once more； then
〃And so you have seen Ziemianitchbrother？〃
〃I've seen him。〃
Razumov； remembering the time he had spent with the Prince；
thought it prudent to add； 〃I had to wait some time。〃
〃A charactereh？ It's extraordinary what a sense of the
necessity of freedom there is in that man。 And he has sayings
toosimple； to the point； such as only the people can invent in
their rough sagacity。 A character that。 。 。〃
〃I； you understand； haven't had much opportunity。 。 。〃 Razumov
muttered through his teeth。
Haldin continued to stare at the ceiling。
〃You see； brother； I have been a good deal in that house of
late。 I used to take there booksleaflets。 Not a few of the
poor people who live there can read。 And； you see； the guests
for the feast of freedom must be sought for in byways and hedges。
The truth is； I have almost lived in that house of late。 I slept
sometimes in the stable。 There is a stable。 。 。〃
〃That's where I had my interview with Ziemianitch；〃 interrupted
Razumov gently。 A mocking spirit entered into him and he added；
〃It was satisfactory in a sense。 I came away from it much relieved。〃
〃Ah！ he's a fellow；〃 went on Haldin； talking slowly at the
ceiling。 〃I came to know him in that way； you see。 For some
weeks now； ever since I resigned myself to do what had to be
done； I tried to isolate myself。 I gave up my rooms。 What was
the good of exposing a decent widow woman to the risk of being
worried out of her mind by the police？ I gave up seeing any of
our comrades。 。 。〃
Razumov drew to himself a half…sheet of paper and began to trace
lines on it with a pencil。
〃Upon my word；〃 he thought angrily； 〃he seems to have thought of
everybody's safety but mine。〃
Haldin was talking on。
〃This morningah！ this morningthat was different。 How can I
explain to you？ Before the deed was done I wandered at night and
lay hid in the day； thinking it out； and I felt restful。
Sleepless but restful。 What was there for me to torment myself
about？ But this morningafter！ Then it was that I became
restless。 I could not have stopped in that big house full of
misery。 The miserable of this world can't give you peace。
Then when that silly caretaker began to shout； I said to myself；
'There is a young man in this town head and shoulders above
common prejudices。'〃
〃Is he laughing at mei？〃 。Razumov asked himself； going on with
his aimless drawing of triangles and squares。 And suddenly he
thought： 〃My behaviour must appear to him strange。 Should he
take fright at my manner and rush off somewhere I shall be
undone completely。 That infernal General。 。 。〃
He dropped the pencil and turned abruptly towards the bed with
the shadowy figure extended full length on itso much more
indistinct than the one over whose breast he had walked without
faltering。 Was this； too； a phantom？
The silence had lasted a long time。 〃He is no longer here；〃 was
the thought against which Razumov struggled desperately； quite
frightened at its absurdity。 〃He is already gone and this。 。 。
only。 。 。〃
He could resist no longer。 He sprang to his feet； saying aloud；
〃I am intolerably anxious；〃 and in a few headlong strides stood
by the side of the bed。 His hand fell lightly on Haldin's
shoulder； and directly he felt its reality he was beset by an
insane temptation to grip that exposed throat and squeeze the
breath out of that body； lest it should escape his custody；
leaving only a phantom behind。
Haldin did not stir a limb； but his overshadowed eyes moving a
little gazed upwards at Razumov with wistful gratitude for this
manifestation of feeling。
Razumov turned away and strode up and down the room。 〃It would
have been possibly a kindness；〃 he muttered to himself； and was
appalled by the nature of that apology for a murderous intention
his mind had found somewhere within him。 And all the same he
could not give it up。 He became lucid about it。 〃What can he
expecti？〃 he thought。 〃The halterin the end。 And I。 。 。〃
This argument was interrupted by Haldin's voice。
〃Why be anxious for me？ They can kill my body； but they cannot
exile my soul from this world。 I tell you whatI believe in
this world so much that I cannot conceive eternity otherwise than
as a very long life。 That is perhaps the reason I am so
ready to die。〃
〃H'm；〃muttered Razumov；and biting hislower lip he continued to
walk up and down and to carry on his strange argument。
Yes； to a man in such a situationof course it would be an act
of kindness。 The question； however； was not how to be kind； but
how to be firm。 He was a slippery customer
〃I too； Victor Victorovitch； believe in this world of ours；〃 he
said with force。 〃I too； while I live。 。 。 。 But you seem
determined to haunt it。 You can't seriously。 。 。mean〃
The voice of the motionless Haldin began
〃Haunt it！ Truly； the oppressors of thought which quickens the
world； the destroyers of souls which aspire to perfection of
human dignity； they shall be haunted。 As to the destroyers of my
mere body； I have forgiven them beforehand。〃
Razumov had stopped apparently to listen； but at the same time he
was observing his own sensations。 He was vexed with himself for
attaching so much importance to what Haldin said。
〃The fellow's mad；〃 he thought firmly； but this opinion did not
mollify him t