Page 390 sur 1294

"Nothing," said Zametov, getting angry, "it's all nonsense!"

Both were silent. After his sudden fit of laughter Raskolnikov

became suddenly thoughtful and melancholy. He put his elbow on

the table and leaned his head on his hand. He seemed to have

completely forgotten Zametov. The silence lasted for some time.

"Why don't you drink your tea? It's getting cold," said Zametov.

"What! Tea? Oh, yes...." Raskolnikov sipped the glass, put a

morsel of bread in his mouth and, suddenly looking at Zametov,

seemed to remember everything and pulled himself together. At the

same moment his face resumed its original mocking expression. He

went on drinking tea.

"There have been a great many of these crimes lately," said

Zametov. "Only the other day I read in the Moscow News that a

whole gang of false coiners had been caught in Moscow. It was a

regular society. They used to forge tickets!"