Pagina 698 van 1294

Pyotr Petrovitch belonged to that class of persons, on the

surface very polite in society, who make a great point of

punctiliousness, but who, directly they are crossed in anything,

are completely disconcerted, and become more like sacks of flour

than elegant and lively men of society. Again all was silent;

Raskolnikov was obstinately mute, Avdotya Romanovna was unwilling

to open the conversation too soon. Razumihin had nothing to say,

so Pulcheria Alexandrovna was anxious again.

"Marfa Petrovna is dead, have you heard?" she began having

recourse to her leading item of conversation.

"To be sure, I heard so. I was immediately informed, and I have

come to make you acquainted with the fact that Arkady Ivanovitch

Svidrigailov set off in haste for Petersburg immediately after

his wife's funeral. So at least I have excellent authority for

believing."

"To Petersburg? here?" Dounia asked in alarm and looked at her

mother.