he　liked　all　these　surroundings：　in　such　darkness　even　the　most
  inquisitive　eyes　were　not　to　be　dreaded。
  〃If　I　am　so　scared　now；　what　would　it　be　if　it　somehow　came　to
  pass　that　I　were　really　going　to　do　it？〃　he　could　not　help　asking
  himself　as　he　reached　the　fourth　storey。　There　his　progress　was　barred
  by　some　porters　who　were　engaged　in　moving　furniture　out　of　a　flat。　He
  knew　that　the　flat　had　been　occupied　by　a　German　clerk　in　the　civil
  service；　and　his　family。　This　German　was　moving　out　then；　and　so　the
  fourth　floor　on　this　staircase　would　be　untenanted　except　by　the　old
  woman。　〃That's　a　good　thing　anyway；〃　he　thought　to　himself；　as　he　rang
  the　bell　of　the　old　woman's　flat。　The　bell　gave　a　faint　tinkle　as
  though　it　were　made　of　tin　and　not　of　copper。　The　little　flats　in　such
  houses　always　have　bells　that　ring　like　that。　He　had　forgotten　the
  note　of　that　bell；　and　now　its　peculiar　tinkle　seemed　to　remind　him　of
  something　and　to　bring　it　clearly　before　him。。。。　He　started；　his
  nerves　were　terribly　overstrained　by　now。　In　a　little　while；　the
  door　was　opened　a　tiny　crack：　the　old　woman　eyed　her　visitor　with
  evident　distrust　through　the　crack；　and　nothing　could　be　seen　but
  her　little　eyes；　glittering　in　the　darkness。　But；　seeing　a　number　of
  people　on　the　landing；　she　grew　bolder；　and　opened　the　door　wide。
  The　young　man　stepped　into　the　dark　entry；　which　was　partitioned　off
  from　the　tiny　kitchen。　The　old　woman　stood　facing　him　in　silence　and
  looking　inquiringly　at　him。　She　was　a　diminutive；　withered　up　old
  woman　of　sixty；　with　sharp　malignant　eyes　and　a　sharp　little　nose。　Her
  colourless；　somewhat　grizzled　hair　was　thickly　smeared　with　oil；　and
  she　wore　no　kerchief　over　it。　Round　her　thin　long　neck；　which　looked
  like　a　hen's　leg；　was　knotted　some　sort　of　flannel　rag；　and；　in
  spite　of　the　heat；　there　hung　flapping　on　her　shoulders；　a　mangy　fur
  cape；　yellow　with　age。　The　old　woman　coughed　and　groaned　at　every
  instant。　The　young　man　must　have　looked　at　her　with　a　rather
  peculiar　expression；　for　a　gleam　of　mistrust　came　into　her　eyes　again。
  〃Raskolnikov；　a　student；　I　came　here　a　month　ago；〃　the　young　man
  made　haste　to　mutter；　with　a　half　bow；　remembering　that　he　ought　to　be
  more　polite。
  〃I　remember；　my　good　sir；　I　remember　quite　well　your　coming　here；〃
  the　old　woman　said　distinctly；　still　keeping　her　inquiring　eyes　on　his
  face。
  〃And　here。。。　I　am　again　on　the　same　errand；〃　Raskolnikov
  continued；　a　little　disconcerted　and　surprised　at　the　old　woman's
  mistrust。　〃Perhaps　she　is　always　like　that　though；　only　I　did　not
  notice　it　the　other　time；〃　he　thought　with　an　uneasy　feeling。
  The　old　woman　paused；　as　though　hesitating；　then　stepped　on　one
  side；　and　pointing　to　the　door　of　the　room；　she　said；　letting　her
  visitor　pass　in　front　of　her：
  〃Step　in；　my　good　sir。〃
  The　little　room　into　which　the　young　man　walked；　with　yellow　paper
  on　the　walls；　geraniums　and　muslin　curtains　in　the　windows；　was
  brightly　lighted　up　at　that　moment　by　the　setting　sun。
  〃So　the　sun　will　shine　like　this　then　too！〃　flashed　as　it　were　by
  chance　through　Raskolnikov's　mind；　and　with　a　rapid　glance　he
  scanned　everything　in　the　room；　trying　as　far　as　possible　to　notice
  and　remember　its　arrangement。　But　there　was　nothing　special　in　the
  room。　The　furniture；　all　very　old　and　of　yellow　wood；　consisted　of　a
  sofa　with　a　huge　bent　wooden　back；　an　oval　table　in　front　of　the　sofa；
  a　dressing…table　with　a　looking…glass　fixed　on　it　between　the　windows；
  chairs　along　the　walls　and　two　or　three　half…penny　prints　in　yellow
  frames；　representing　German　damsels　with　birds　in　their　hands…　that
  was　all。　In　the　corner　a　light　was　burning　before　a　small　ikon。
  Everything　was　very　clean；　the　floor　and　the　furniture　were　brightly
  polished；　everything　shone。
  〃Lizaveta's　work；〃　thought　the　young　man。　There　was　not　a　speck　of
  dust　to　be　seen　in　the　whole　flat。
  〃It's　in　the　houses　of　spiteful　old　widows　that　one　finds　such
  cleanliness；〃　Raskolnikov　thought　again；　and　he　stole　a　curious　glance
  at　the　cotton　curtain　over　the　door　leading　into　another　tiny　room；　in
  which　stood　the　old　woman's　bed　and　chest　of　drawers　and　into　which　he
  had　never　looked　before。　These　two　rooms　made　up　the　whole　flat。
  〃What　do　you　want？〃　the　old　woman　said　severely；　coming　into　the
  room　and；　as　before；　standing　in　front　of　him　so　as　to　look　him
  straight　in　the　face。
  〃I've　brought　something　to　pawn　here；〃　and　he　drew　out　of　his　pocket
  an　old…fashioned　flat　silver　watch；　on　the　back　of　which　was
  engraved　a　globe；　the　chain　was　of　steel。
  〃But　the　time　is　up　for　your　last　pledge。　The　month　was　up　the　day
  before　yesterday。〃
  〃I　will　bring　you　the　interest　for　another　month；　wait　a　little。〃
  〃But　that's　for　me　to　do　as　I　please；　my　good　sir；　to　wait　or　to
  sell　your　pledge　at　once。〃
  〃How　much　will　you　give　me　for　the　watch；　Alyona　Ivanovna？〃
  〃You　come　with　such　trifles；　my　good　sir；　it's　scarcely　worth
  anything。　I　gave　you　two　roubles　last　time　for　your　ring　and　one　could
  buy　it　quite　new　at　a　jeweler's　for　a　rouble　and　a　half。〃
  〃Give　me　four　roubles　for　it；　I　shall　redeem　it；　it　was　my　father's。
  I　shall　be　getting　some　money　soon。〃
  〃A　rouble　and　a　half；　and　interest　in　advance；　if　you　like！〃
  〃A　rouble　and　a　half！〃　cried　the　young　man。
  〃Please　yourself〃…　and　the　old　woman　handed　him　back　the　watch。
  The　young　man　took　it；　and　was　so　angry　that　he　was　on　the　point　of
  going　away；　but　checked　himself　at　once；　remembering　that　there　was
  nowhere　else　he　could　go；　and　that　he　had　had　another　object　also　in
  coming。
  〃Hand　it　over；〃　he　said　roughly。
  The　old　woman　fumbled　in　her　pocket　for　her　keys；　and　disappeared
  behind　the　curtain　into　the　other　room。　The　young　man；　left　standing
  alone　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　listened　inquisitively；　thinking。
  He　could　hear　her　unlocking　the　chest　of　drawers。
  〃It　must　be　the　top　drawer；〃　he　reflected。　〃So　she　carries　the
  keys　in　a　pocket　on　the　right。　All　in　one　bunch　on　a　steel　ring。。。。
  And　there's　one　key　there；　three　times　as　big　as　all　the　others；
  with　deep　notches；　that　can't　be　the　key　of　the　chest　of　drawers。。。
  then　there　must　be　some　other　chest　or　strong…box。。。　that's　worth
  knowing。　Strong…boxes　always　have　keys　like　that。。。　but　how
  degrading　it　all　is。〃
  The　old　woman　came　back。
  〃Here；　sir：　as　we　say　ten　copecks　the　rouble　a　month；　so　I　must　take
  fifteen　copecks　from　a　rouble　and　a　half　for　the　month　in　advance。　But
  for　the　two　roubles　I　lent　you　before；　you　owe　me　now　twenty　copecks
  on　the　same　reckoning　in　advance。　That　makes　thirty…five　copecks
  altogether。　So　I　must　give　you　a　rouble　and　fifteen　copecks　for　the
  watch。　Here　it　is。〃
  〃What！　only　a　rouble　and　fifteen　copecks　now！〃
  〃Just　so。〃
  The　young　man　did　not　dispute　it　and　took　the　money。　He　looked　at
  the　old　woman；　and　was　in　no　hurry　to　get　away；　as　though　there　was
  still　something　he　wanted　to　say　or　to　do；　but　he　did　not　himself
  quite　know　what。
  〃I　may　be　bringing　you　something　else　in　a　day　or　two；　Alyona
  Ivanovna…　a　valuable　thing…　silver…　a　cigarette　box；　as　soon　as　I
  get　it　back　from　a　friend。。。〃　he　broke　off　in　confusion。
  〃Well；　we　will　talk　about　it　the