under western eyes-第9节

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There　was　a　coal　fire　in　an　English　grate；　Razumov　had　never

before　seen　such　a　fire；　and　the　silence　of　the　room　was　like　the

silence　of　the　grave；　perfect；　measureless；　for　even　the　clock　on

the　mantelpiece　made　no　sound。　　Filling　a　corner；　on　a　black

pedestal；　stood　a　quarter…life…size　smooth…limbed　bronze　of　an

adolescent　figure；　running。　　The　Prince　observed　in　an　undertone…



〃Spontini's。　　'Flight　of　Youth。'　　Exquisite。〃



〃Admirable；〃　assented　Razumov　faintly。



They　said　nothing　more　after　this；　the　Prince　silent　with　his

grand　air；　Razumov　staring　at　the　statue。　　He　was　worried　by　a

sensation　resembling　the　gnawing　of　hunger。



He　did　not　turn　when　he　heard　an　inner　door　fly　open；　and　a　quick

footstep；　muffled　on　the　carpet。



The　Prince's　voice　immediately　exclaimed；　thick　with　excitement



〃We　have　got　him_ce　miserable。_　　A　worthy　young　man　came　to　me

No！　　It's　incredible。　。　。〃



Razumov　held　his　breath　before　the　bronze　as　if　expecting　a

crash。　　Behind　his　back　a　voice　he　had　never　heard　before

insisted　politely



〃_Asseyez…vous　donc_。〃



The　Prince　almost　shrieked；　〃_Mais　comprenez…vous；　mon　cher！

L'assassin！_　　the　murderer　we　have　got　him。　。　。〃



Razumov　spun　round。　　The　General's　smooth　big　cheeks　rested　on

the　stiff　collar　of　his　uniform。　　He　must　have　been　already

looking　at　Razumov；　because　that　last　saw　the　pale　blue　eyes

fastened　on　him　coldly。



The　Prince　from　a　chair　waved　an　impressive　hand。



〃This　is　a　most　honourable　young　man　whom　Providence

itself。　。　。Mr。　Razumov。〃



The　General　acknowledged　the　introduction　by　frowning　at　Razumov；

who　did　not　make　the　slightest　movement。



Sitting　down　before　his　desk　the　General　listened　with　compressed　lips。

It　was　impossible　to　detect　any　sign　of　emotion　on　his　face。



Razumov　watched　the　immobility　of　the　fleshy　profile。　　But　it

lasted　only　a　moment；　till　the　Prince　had　finished；　and　when　the

General　turned　to　the　providential　young　man；　his　florid

complexion；　the　blue；　unbelieving　eyes　and　the　bright　white　flash

of　an　automatic　smile　had　an　air　of　jovial；　careless　cruelty。　　He

expressed　no　wonder　at　the　extraordinary　storyno　pleasure　or

excitementno　incredulity　either。　　He　betrayed　no　sentiment

whatever。　　Only　with　a　politeness　almost　deferential　suggested

that　〃the　bird　might　have　flown　while　Mr。Mr。　Razumov　was

running　about　the　streets。〃



Razumov　advanced　to　the　middle　of　the　room　and　said；　〃The　door　is

locked　and　I　have　the　key　in　my　pocket。〃



His　loathing　for　the　man　was　intense。　　It　had　come　upon　him　so

unawares　that　he　felt　he　had　not　kept　it　out　of　his　voice。　　The

General　looked　up　at　him　thoughtfully；　and　Razumov　grinned。



All　this　went　over　the　head　of　Prince　K　…seated　in　a　deep

armchair；　very　tired　and　impatient。



〃A　student　called　Haldin；〃　said　the　General　thoughtfully。



Razumov　ceased　to　grin。



〃That　is　his　name；〃　he　said　unnecessarily　loud。　　〃Victor

Victorovitch　Haldina　student。〃



The　General　shifted　his　position　a　little。



〃How　is　he　dressed？　　Would　you　have　the　goodness　to　tell　me？〃



Razumov　angrily　described　Haldin's　clothing　in　a　few　jerky　words。

The　General　stared　all　the　time；　then　addressing　the　Prince



〃We　were　not　without　some　indications；〃　he　said　in　French。　　〃A

good　woman　who　was　in　the　street　described　to　us　somebody　wearing

a　dress　of　the　sort　as　the　thrower　of　the　second　bomb。　　We　have

detained　her　at　the　Secretariat；　and　every　one　in　a　Tcherkess

coat　we　could　lay　our　hands　on　has　been　brought　to　her　to　look

at。　　She　kept　on　crossing　herself　and　shaking　her　head　at　them。

It　was　exasperating。　。　。　。〃　　He　turned　to　Razumov；　and　in

Russian；　with　friendly　reproach



〃Take　a　chair；　Mr。　Razumovdo。　　Why　are　you　standing？〃



Razumov　sat　down　carelessly　and　looked　at　the　General。



〃This　goggle…eyed　imbecile　understands　nothing；〃　he　thought。



The　Prince　began　to　speak　loftily。



〃Mr。　Razumov　is　a　young　man　of　conspicuous　abilities。　　I　have　it

at　heart　that　his　future　should　not。　。　。　。〃



〃Certainly；〃　interrupted　the　General；　with　a　movement　of　the

hand。　　〃Has　he　any　weapons　on　him；　do　you　think；　Mr。　Razumov？〃



The　General　employed　a　gentle　musical　voice。　　Razumov　answered

with　suppressed　irritation



〃No。　　But　my　razors　are　lying　aboutyou　understand。〃



The　General　lowered　his　head　approvingly。



〃Precisely。〃



Then　to　the　Prince；　explaining　courteously



〃We　want　that　bird　alive。　　It　will　be　the　devil　if　we　can't　make

him　sing　a　little　before　we　are　done　with　him。〃



The　grave…like　silence　of　the　room　with　its　mute　clock　fell　upon

the　polite　modulations　of　this　terrible　phrase。　　The　Prince；

hidden　in　the　chair；　made　no　sound。



The　General　unexpectedly　developed　a　thought。



〃Fidelity　to　menaced　institutions　on　which　depend　the　safety　of　a

throne　and　of　a　people　is　no　child's　play。　　We　know　that；　_mon

Prince；_　and_tenez_〃he　went　on　with　a　sort　of　flattering

harshness；　〃Mr。　Razumov　here　begins　to　understand　that　too。〃



His　eyes　which　he　turned　upon　Razumov　seemed　to　be　starting　out

of　his　head。　　This　grotesqueness　of　aspect　no　longer　shocked

Razumov。　　He　said　with　gloomy　conviction



〃Haldin　will　never　speak。〃



〃That　remains　to　be　seen；〃　muttered　the　General。



〃I　am　　certain；〃　insisted　Razumov。　　〃A　man　like　this　never

speaks。　。　。　。　　Do　you　imagine　that　I　am　here　from　fear？〃　he　added

violently。　　He　felt　ready　to　stand　by　his　opinion　of　Haldin　to

the　last　extremity。



〃Certainly　not；〃　protested　the　General；　with　great　simplicity　of

tone。　　〃And　I　don't　mind　telling　you；　Mr。　Razumov；　that　if　he　had

not　come　with　his　tale　to　such　a　staunch　and　loyal　Russian　as

you；　he　would　have　disappeared　like　a　stone　in　the　water　。　。　。

which　would　have　had　a　detestable　effect；〃　he　added；　with　a

bright；　cruel　smile　under　his　stony　stare。　　〃So　you　see；　there

can　be　no　suspicion　of　any　fear　here。〃



The　Prince　intervened；　looking　at　Razumov　round　the　back　of　the

armchair。



〃Nobody　doubts　the　moral　soundness　of　your　action。　　Be　at　ease　in

that　respect；　pray。〃



He　turned　to　the　General　uneasily。



〃That's　why　I　am　here。　　You　may　be　surprised　why　I　should　。　。　。〃



The　General　hastened　to　interrupt。



〃Not　at　all。　　Extremely　natural。　　You　saw　the　importance。　。　。



〃Yes；〃　broke　in　the　Prince。　　〃And　I　venture　to　ask　insistently

that　mine　and　Mr。　Razumov's　intervention　should　not　become

public。　　He　is　a　young　man　of　promiseof　remarkable　aptitudes。〃



〃I　haven't　a　doubt　of　it；〃　murmured　the　General。　　〃He　inspires

confidence。〃



〃All　sorts　of　pernicious　views　are　so　widespread　nowadaysthey

taint　such　unexpected　quartersthat；　monstrous　as　it　seems；　he

might　suffer。　。　。　。　　His　studies。　。　。　。　　His。　。　。〃



The　General；　with　his　elbows　on　the　desk；　took　his　head　between

his　hands。



〃Yes。　　Yes。　　I　am　thinking　it　out。　。　。　。　　How　long　is　it　since

you　left　him　at　your　rooms；　Mr。　Razumov？〃



Razumov　mentioned　the　hour　which　nearly　corresponded　with　the

time　of　his　distracted　flight　from　the　big　slum　house。　　He　had

made　up　his　mind　to　keep　Ziemianitch　out　of　the　affair

completely。　　To　mention　him　at　all　would　mean　imprisonment　for

the　〃bright　soul；〃　perhaps　cruel　floggings；　and　in　the　end　a

journey　to　　Siberia　in　chains。　　Razumov；　who　had　beaten

Ziemianitch；　felt　for　him　now　a　vague；　remorseful　tenderness。



The　General；giving　way　for　the　first　time　to　his　secret

sentiments；　exclaimed　contemptuously



〃And　you　say　he　came　in　to　make　you　this　confidence　like

thisfor　nothing_a　propos　des　bottes_。〃



Razumov　felt　danger　in　the　air。　　The　merciless　suspicion　　of

despotism　had　spoken　openly　at　last。　　Sudden　fear　sealed

Razumov's　lips。　　The　silence　of　the　room　resembled　now　the

silence　of　a　deep　dungeon；　where　time　does　not　count；　and　a

suspect　person　is　sometimes　forgotten　for　ever。　　But　the　Prince

came　to　the　rescue。



〃Providence　itself　has　led　the　wretch　in　a　moment　of　mental

aberration　to　seek　Mr。　Razumov　on　the　strength　of　some　old；

utterly　misinterpreted　exchange　of　ideassome　sort　of　idle

speculative　conversationmonths　agoI　am　toldand　completely

forgotten　till　now　by　Mr。　Razumov。〃



〃Mr。　Razumov；〃　queried　the　General　meditatively；　after　a　short

silence；　〃do　you　often　indulge　in　speculative　conversation？〃



〃No；　Excellency；〃　answered　Razumov；　coolly；　in　a　sudden　access　of

self…confidence。　　〃I　am　a　man　of　deep　convictions。　　Crude

opinions　are　in　the　air。　　They　are　not　always　worth　combating。

But　even　the　silent　contempt　of　a　serious　mind　may　be

misinterpreted　by　headlong　utopists。〃



The　General　stared　from　between　his　hands。　　Prince　K…

murmured



〃A　serious　young　man。　　_Un　esprit　superieur_。〃



〃I　see　that；　_mon　cher　Prince_；〃　　said　the　General。　〃Mr。　Razumov

is　quite　safe　with　me。　　I　am　interested　in　him。　　He　has；　it

seems；　the　great　and　useful　quality　of　inspiring　confide