登陆注册
14885500000055

第55章

“Evidence, indeed! Evidence that was no evidence, and that’s what we have to prove. It was just as they pitched on those fellows, Koch and Pestryakov, at first. Foo! how stupidly it’s all done, it makes one sick, though it’s not one’s business! Pestryakov may be coming to-night. … By the way, Rodya, you’ve heard about the business already; it happened before you were ill, the day before you fainted at the police office while they were talking about it.”

Zossimov looked curiously at Raskolnikov. He did not stir.

“But I say, Razumihin, I wonder at you. What a busybody you are!” Zossimov observed.

“Maybe I am, but we will get him off anyway,” shouted Razumihin, bringing his fist down on the table. “What’s the most offensive is not their lying—one can always forgive lying—lying is a delightful thing, for it leads to truth—what is offensive is that they lie and worship their own lying. … I respect Porfiry, but … What threw them out at first? The door was locked, and when they came back with the porter it was open. So it followed that Koch and Pestryakov were the murderers—that was their logic!”

“But don’t excite yourself; they simply detained them, they could not help that. … And, by the way, I’ve met that man Koch. He used to buy unredeemed pledges from the old woman? Eh?”

“Yes, he is a swindler. He buys up bad debts, too. He makes a profession of it. But enough of him! Do you know what makes me angry? It’s their sickening rotten, petrified routine. … And this case might be the means of introducing a new method. One can show from the psychological data alone how to get on the track of the real man. ‘We have facts,’ they say. But facts are not everything—at least half the business lies in how you interpret them!”

“Can you interpret them, then?”

“Anyway, one can’t hold one’s tongue when one has a feeling, a tangible feeling, that one might be a help if only. … Eh! Do you know the details of the case?”

“I am waiting to hear about the painter.”

“Oh, yes! Well, here’s the story. Early on the third day after the murder, when they were still dandling Koch and Pestryakov—though they accounted for every step they took and it was as plain as a pikestaff—an unexpected fact turned up. A peasant called Dushkin, who keeps a dram-shop facing the house, brought to the police office a jeweller’s case containing some gold ear-rings, and told a long rigamarole. ‘The day before yesterday, just after eight o’clock’—mark the day and the hour!—’a journeyman house-painter, Nikolay, who had been in to see me already that day, brought me this box of gold ear-rings and stones, and asked me to give him two roubles for them. When I asked him where he got them, he said that he picked them up in the street. I did not ask him anything more.’ I am telling you Dushkin’s story. ‘I gave him a note’—a rouble that is—’for I thought if he did not pawn it with me he would with another. It would all come to the same thing—he’d spend it on drink, so the thing had better be with me. The further you hide it the quicker you will find it, and if anything turns up, if I hear any rumours, I’ll take it to the police.’ Of course, that’s all taradiddle; he lies like a horse, for I know this Dushkin, he is a pawnbroker and a receiver of stolen goods, and he did not cheat Nikolay out of a thirty-rouble trinket in order to give it to the police. He was simply afraid. But no matter, to return to Dushkin’s story. ‘I’ve known this peasant, Nikolay Dementyev, from a child; he comes from the same province and district of Zaraisk, we are both Ryazan men. And though Nikolay is not a drunkard, he drinks, and I knew he had a job in that house, painting work with Dmitri, who comes from the same village, too. As soon as he got the rouble he changed it, had a couple of glasses, took his change and went out. But I did not see Dmitri with him then. And the next day I heard that someone had murdered Alyona Ivanovna and her sister, Lizaveta Ivanovna, with an axe. I knew them, and I felt suspicious about the ear-rings at once, for I knew the murdered woman lent money on pledges. I went to the house, and began to make careful inquiries without saying a word to anyone. First of all I asked, “Is Nikolay here?” Dmitri told me that Nikolay had gone off on the spree; he had come home at daybreak drunk, stayed in the house about ten minutes, and went out again. Dmitri didn’t see him again and is finishing the job alone. And their job is on the same staircase as the murder, on the second floor. When I heard all that I did not say a word to anyone’—that’s Dushkin’s tale—’but I found out what I could about the murder, and went home feeling as suspicious as ever. And at eight o’clock this morning’— that was the third day, you understand—’I saw Nikolay coming in, not sober, though not to say very drunk—he could understand what was said to him. He sat down on the bench and did not speak. There was only one stranger in the bar and a man I knew asleep on a bench and our two boys. “Have you seen Dmitri?” said I. “No, I haven’t,” said he. “And you’ve not been here either?” “Not since the day before yesterday,” said he. “And where did you sleep last night?” “In Peski, with the Kolomensky men.” “And where did you get those ear-rings?” I asked. “I found them in the street,” and the way he said it was a bit queer; he did not look at me. “Did you hear what happened that very evening, at that very hour, on that same staircase?” said I. “No,” said he, “I had not heard,” and all the while he was listening, his eyes were staring out of his head and he turned as white as chalk. I told him all about it and he took his hat and began getting up. I wanted to keep him. “Wait a bit, Nikolay,” said I, “won’t you have a drink?” And I signed to the boy to hold the door, and I came out from behind the bar; but he darted out and down the street to the turning at a run. I have not seen him since. Then my doubts were at an end—it was his doing, as clear as could be. …’”

“I should think so,” said Zossimov.

同类推荐
  • 四符

    四符

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 锦衣志

    锦衣志

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 大树紧那罗王所问经

    大树紧那罗王所问经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 淳熙严州图经

    淳熙严州图经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 南天痕

    南天痕

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 将军农妃要种田

    将军农妃要种田

    "娘家倒台,夫家也跟着倒霉,心狠手辣的婆婆竟要致孤儿寡母俩于死地。原主死里逃生,她一朝穿越,扛着一把锄头种地去!安稳日子没多久,战争居然爆发了!“你的国家欠了多少账,大不了我种地来还就是了。”因此,这是一个地主婆让自家将军一步一步“解战袍”的故事。"
  • 女总裁之贴身坏蛋

    女总裁之贴身坏蛋

    失忆韦大宝携一本御女心经投靠20岁女总裁,而后警花校花又相继来袭,甚至连狐狸精也来了,是在是受不鸟的韦大宝只有修炼御女心经来抗衡这些妖精;脱下衣服,他是持久之王;穿上衣服,他是好战之皇;左手黑道,右手尤物:碰我左右手,把你打成狗。
  • 佛门护花高手

    佛门护花高手

    一个乡村少年,身怀不世神功,纵横都市,追天逐地,何人能挡!我欲乘风,上九霄云外,我欲争锋,获无上神位!
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 神之降临

    神之降临

    东方家族的明争暗斗,整个大陆笼罩在阴云密布的纷争下,一个天才,开始了他的热血之旅。
  • 废材嫡妃

    废材嫡妃

    杀她爹娘,抢她的身份,毁她的脸,还想要她的命!她都不在乎,等她绝地逆袭,华丽归来,定要将世人欠她的,都还回来!
  • 龙皇异界游

    龙皇异界游

    这是一个不为人知的地方,里面有着许多超越地球科技的现代设备,这里灵气充裕,有缘人方可发现。这里还有不知名的法阵,这里就是——诸神之墓。
  • 我的24岁校花老婆

    我的24岁校花老婆

    一个普通的三无男人与美丽校花之间发生的种种......
  • 我是异魂师

    我是异魂师

    叶枫是个平凡渺小的人,上学时不如意,毕业了混不好,枯燥的生活让他无比迷茫。然而,一切都在接到一条手机信息后改变了……我要做最强,只因我不甘平凡!
  • 璃心穹琐倾

    璃心穹琐倾

    绝色面容,一笑倾城。从废物摆脱上演完美逆袭!清冷的眸子,张扬的红发。她,当今世纪的天才杀手,武功高强无人能敌,面容清秀绝色倾城,翻手为云覆手为雨!当天才杀手撞上废物庶女,月色之下邂逅妖孽美男,从此上天堂入地狱,一生相伴!