Pagina 354 de 1294

There was no doubt about Pyotr Petrovitch's being offended this

time, but he said nothing. He made a violent effort to understand

what it all meant. There was a moment's silence.

Meanwhile Raskolnikov, who had turned a little towards him when

he answered, began suddenly staring at him again with marked

curiosity, as though he had not had a good look at him yet, or as

though something new had struck him; he rose from his pillow on

purpose to stare at him. There certainly was something peculiar

in Pyotr Petrovitch's whole appearance, something which seemed to

justify the title of "fiance" so unceremoniously applied to him.

In the first place, it was evident, far too much so indeed, that

Pyotr Petrovitch had made eager use of his few days in the

capital to get himself up and rig himself out in expectation of

his betrothed--a perfectly innocent and permissible proceeding,

indeed. Even his own, perhaps too complacent, consciousness of

the agreeable improvement in his appearance might have been

forgiven in such circumstances, seeing that Pyotr Petrovitch had

taken up the role of fiance.