having　been　unable　to　be　at　the　funeral。　She　positively　pounced　upon
  him；　and　made　him　sit　on　her　left　hand　（Amalia　Ivanovna　was　on　her
  right）。　In　spite　of　her　continual　anxiety　that　the　dishes　should　be
  passed　round　correctly　and　that　every　one　should　taste　them；　in
  spite　of　the　agonising　cough　which　interrupted　her　every　minute　and
  seemed　to　have　grown　worse　during　the　last　few　days　she　hastened　to
  pour　out　in　a　half　whisper　to　Raskolnikov　all　her　suppressed
  feelings　and　her　just　indignation　at　the　failure　of　the　dinner；
  interspersing　her　remarks　with　lively　and　uncontrollable　laughter　at
  the　expense　of　her　visitors　and　especially　of　her　landlady。
  〃It's　all　that　cuckoo's　fault！　You　know　whom　I　mean？　Her；　her！〃
  Katerina　Ivanovna　nodded　towards　the　landlady。　〃Look　at　her；　she's
  making　round　eyes；　she　feels　that　we　are　talking　about　her　and　can't
  understand。　Pfoo；　the　owl！　Ha…ha！　（Cough…cough…cough。）　And　what　does
  she　put　on　that　cap　for？　（Cough…cough…cough。）　Have　you　noticed　that
  she　wants　every　one　to　consider　that　she　is　patronising　me　and　doing
  me　an　honour　by　being　here？　I　asked　her　like　a　sensible　woman　to
  invite　people；　especially　those　who　knew　my　late　husband；　and　look
  at　the　set　of　fools　she　has　brought！　The　sweeps！　Look　at　that　one　with
  the　spotty　face。　And　those　wretched　Poles；　ha…ha…ha！
  （Cough…cough…cough。）　Not　one　of　them　has　ever　poked　his　nose　in
  here；　I've　never　set　eyes　on　them。　What　have　they　come　here　for；　I　ask
  you？　There　they　sit　in　a　row。　Hey；　Pan！〃　she　cried　suddenly　to　one
  of　them；　〃have　you　tasted　the　pancakes？　Take　some　more！　Have　some
  beer！　Won't　you　have　some　vodka？　Look；　he's　jumped　up　and　is　making
  his　bows；　they　must　be　quite　starved；　poor　things。　Never　mind；　let
  them　eat！　They　don't　make　a　noise；　anyway；　though　I'm　really　afraid
  for　our　landlady's　silver　spoons。。。　Amalia　Ivanovna！〃　she　addressed
  her　suddenly；　almost　aloud；　〃if　your　spoons　should　happen　to　be
  stolen；　I　won't　be　responsible；　I　warn　you！　Ha…ha…ha！〃　She　laughed
  turning　to　Raskolnikov；　and　again　nodding　towards　the　landlady；　in
  high　glee　at　her　sally。　〃She　didn't　understand；　she　didn't
  understand　again！　Look　how　she　sits　with　her　mouth　open！　An　owl；　a
  real　owl！　An　owl　in　new　ribbons；　ha…ha…ha！〃
  Here　her　laugh　turned　again　to　an　insufferable　fit　of　coughing
  that　lasted　five　minutes。　Drops　of　perspiration　stood　out　on　her
  forehead　and　her　handkerchief　was　stained　with　blood。　She　showed
  Raskolnikov　the　blood　in　silence；　and　as　soon　as　she　could　get　her
  breath　began　whispering　to　him　again　with　extreme　animation　and　a
  hectic　flush　on　her　cheeks。
  〃Do　you　know；　I　gave　her　the　most　delicate　instructions；　so　to
  speak；　for　inviting　that　lady　and　her　daughter；　you　understand　of　whom
  I　am　speaking？　It　needed　the　utmost　delicacy；　the　greatest　nicety；　but
  she　has　managed　things　so　that　that　fool；　that　conceited　baggage；　that
  provincial　nonentity；　simply　because　she　is　the　widow　of　a　major；
  and　has　come　to　try　and　get　a　pension　and　to　fray　out　her　skirts　in
  the　government　offices；　because　at　fifty　she　paints　her　face
  （everybody　knows　it）。。。　a　creature　like　that　did　not　think　fit　to
  come；　and　has　not　even　answered　the　invitation；　which　the　most
  ordinary　good　manners　required！　I　can't　understand　why　Pyotr
  Petrovitch　has　not　come！　But　where's　Sonia？　Where　has　she　gone？　Ah；
  there　she　is　at　last！　what　is　it；　Sonia；　where　have　you　been？　It's　odd
  that　even　at　your　father's　funeral　you　should　be　so　unpunctual。　Rodion
  Romanovitch；　make　room　for　her　beside　you。　That's　your　place；　Sonia。。。
  take　what　you　like。　Have　some　of　the　cold　entree　with　jelly；　that's
  the　best。　They'll　bring　the　pancakes　directly。　Have　they　given　the
  children　some？　Polenka；　have　you　got　everything？
  （Cough…cough…cough。）　That's　all　right。　Be　a　good　girl；　Lida；　and；
  Kolya；　don't　fidget　with　your　feet；　sit　like　a　little　gentleman。
  What　are　you　saying；　Sonia？〃
  Sonia　hastened　to　give　her　Pyotr　Petrovitch's　apologies；　trying　to
  speak　loud　enough　for　every　one　to　hear　and　carefully　choosing　the
  most　respectful　phrases　which　she　attributed　to　Pyotr　Petrovitch。
  She　added　that　Pyotr　Petrovitch　had　particularly　told　her　to　say　that；
  as　soon　as　he　possibly　could；　he　would　come　immediately　to　discuss
  business　alone　with　her　and　to　consider　what　could　be　done　for　her；
  &c。；　&c。
  Sonia　knew　that　this　would　comfort　Katerina　Ivanovna；　would
  flatter　her　and　gratify　her　pride。　She　sat　down　beside　Raskolnikov；
  she　made　him　a　hurried　bow；　glancing　curiously　at　him。　But　for　the
  rest　of　the　time　she　seemed　to　avoid　looking　at　him　or　speaking　to
  him。　She　seemed　absent…minded；　though　she　kept　looking　at　Katerina
  Ivanovna；　trying　to　please　her。　Neither　she　nor　Katerina　Ivanovna
  had　been　able　to　get　mourning；　Sonia　was　wearing　dark　brown；　and
  Katerina　Ivanovna　had　on　her　only　dress；　a　dark　striped　cotton　one。
  The　message　from　Pyotr　Petrovitch　was　very　successful。　Listening
  to　Sonia　with　dignity；　Katerina　Ivanovna　inquired　with　equal　dignity
  how　Pyotr　Petrovitch　was；　then　at　once　whispered　almost　aloud　to
  Raskolnikov　that　it　certainly　would　have　been　strange　for　a　man　of
  Pyotr　Petrovitch's　position　and　standing　to　find　himself　in　such
  〃extraordinary　company；〃　in　spite　of　his　devotion　to　her　family　and
  his　old　friendship　with　her　father。
  〃That's　why　I　am　so　grateful　to　you；　Rodion　Romanovitch；　that　you
  have　not　disdained　my　hospitality；　even　in　such　surroundings；〃　she
  added　almost　aloud。　〃But　I　am　sure　that　it　was　only　your　special
  affection　for　my　poor　husband　that　has　made　you　keep　your　promise。〃
  Then　once　more　with　pride　and　dignity　she　scanned　her　visitors；
  and　suddenly　inquired　aloud　across　the　table　of　the　deaf　man：
  〃wouldn't　he　have　some　more　meat；　and　had　he　been　given　some　wine？〃
  The　old　man　made　no　answer　and　for　a　long　while　could　not　understand
  what　he　was　asked；　though　his　neighbours　amused　themselves　by　poking
  and　shaking　him。　He　simply　gazed　about　him　with　his　mouth　open；
  which　only　increased　the　general　mirth。
  〃What　an　imbecile！　Look；　look！　Why　was　he　brought？　But　as　to　Pyotr
  Petrovitch；　I　always　had　confidence　in　him；〃　Katerina　Ivanovna
  continued；　〃and；　of　course；　he　is　not　like。。。〃　with　an　extremely　stern
  face　she　addressed　Amalia　Ivanovna　so　sharply　and　loudly　that　the
  latter　was　quite　disconcerted；　〃not　like　your　dressed　up
  draggletails　whom　my　father　would　not　have　taken　as　cooks　into　his
  kitchen；　and　my　late　husband　would　have　done　them　honour　if　he　had
  invited　them　in　the　goodness　of　his　heart。〃
  〃Yes；　he　was　fond　of　drink；　he　was　fond　of　it；　he　did　drink！〃
  cried　the　commissariat　clerk；　gulping　down　his　twelfth　glass　of　vodka。
  〃My　late　husband　certainly　had　that　weakness；　and　every　one　knows
  it；〃　Katerina　Ivanovna　attacked　him　at　once；　〃but　he　was　a　kind　and
  honourable　man；　who　loved　and　respected　his　family。　The　worst　of　it
  was　his　good　nature　made　him　trust　all　sorts　of　disreputable　people；
  and　he　drank　with　fellows　who　were　not　worth　the　sole　of　his　shoe。
  Would　you　believe　it；　Rodion　Romanovitch；　they　found　a　gingerbread
  cock　in　his　pocket；　he　was　dead　drunk；　but　he　did　not　forget　the
  children！〃
  〃A　cock？　Did　you　say　a　cock？〃　shouted　the　commissariat　clerk。
  Katerina　Ivanovna　did　not　vouchsafe　a　reply。　She　sighed；　lost　in
  thought。
  〃No　doubt　you　think；　like　every　one；　that　I　was　too　severe　with
  him；〃　she　went　on；　addressing　Raskolnikov。　〃But　that's　not　so！　He
  respected　me；　he　respected　me　very　much！　He　was　a　kind…hearted　man！
  And　how　sorry　I　was　for　him　sometimes！　He　would　sit　in　a　corner　and
  look　at　me；　I　used　to　feel　so　sorry　for　him；　I　used　to　want　to　be　kind
  to　him　and　then　would　think　to　mys