their　arms；　policemen；　and　persons　of　all　sorts　and　both　sexes。　The
  door　of　the　office；　too；　stood　wide　open。　Peasants　stood　waiting
  within。　There；　too；　the　heat　was　stifling　and　there　was　a　sickening
  smell　of　fresh　paint　and　stale　oil　from　the　newly　decorated　rooms。
  After　waiting　a　little；　he　decided　to　move　forward　into　the　next
  room。　All　the　rooms　were　small　and　low…pitched。　A　fearful　impatience
  drew　him　on　and　on。　No　one　paid　attention　to　him。　In　the　second　room
  some　clerks　sat　writing；　dressed　hardly　better　than　he　was；　and　rather
  a　queer…looking　set。　He　went　up　to　one　of　them。
  〃What　is　it？〃
  He　showed　the　notice　he　had　received。
  〃You　are　a　student？〃　the　man　asked；　glancing　at　the　notice。
  〃Yes；　formerly　a　student。〃
  The　clerk　looked　at　him；　but　without　the　slightest　interest。　He
  was　a　particularly　unkempt　person　with　the　look　of　a　fixed　idea　in　his
  eye。
  〃There　would　be　no　getting　anything　out　of　him；　because　he　has　no
  interest　in　anything；〃　thought　Raskolnikov。
  〃Go　in　there　to　the　head　clerk；〃　said　the　clerk；　pointing　towards
  the　furthest　room。
  He　went　into　that　room…　the　fourth　in　order；　it　was　a　small　room　and
  packed　full　of　people；　rather　better　dressed　than　in　the　outer
  rooms。　Among　them　were　two　ladies。　One；　poorly　dressed　in　mourning；
  sat　at　the　table　opposite　the　chief　clerk；　writing　something　at　his
  dictation。　The　other；　a　very　stout；　buxom　woman　with　a　purplish…red；
  blotchy　face；　excessively　smartly　dressed　with　a　brooch　on　her　bosom
  as　big　as　a　saucer；　was　standing　on　one　side；　apparently　waiting　for
  something。　Raskolnikov　thrust　his　notice　upon　the　head　clerk。　The
  latter　glanced　at　it；　said：　〃Wait　a　minute；〃　and　went　on　attending
  to　the　lady　in　mourning。
  He　breathed　more　freely。　〃It　can't　be　that！〃
  By　degrees　he　began　to　regain　confidence；　he　kept　urging　himself
  to　have　courage　and　be　calm。
  〃Some　foolishness；　some　trifling　carelessness；　and　I　may　betray
  myself！　Hm。。。　it's　a　pity　there's　no　air　here；〃　he　added；　〃it's
  stifling。。。。　It　makes　one's　head　dizzier　than　ever。。。　and　one's　mind
  too。。。〃
  He　was　conscious　of　a　terrible　inner　turmoil。　He　was　afraid　of
  losing　his　self…control；　he　tried　to　catch　at　something　and　fix　his
  mind　on　it；　something　quite　irrelevant；　but　he　could　not　succeed　in
  this　at　all。　Yet　the　head　clerk　greatly　interested　him；　he　kept　hoping
  to　see　through　him　and　guess　something　from　his　face。
  He　was　a　very　young　man；　about　two　and　twenty；　with　a　dark　mobile
  face　that　looked　older　than　his　years。　He　was　fashionably　dressed
  and　foppish；　with　his　hair　parted　in　the　middle；　well　combed　and
  pomaded；　and　wore　a　number　of　rings　on　his　well…scrubbed　fingers　and　a
  gold　chain　on　his　waistcoat。　He　said　a　couple　of　words　in　French　to
  a　foreigner　who　was　in　the　room；　and　said　them　fairly　correctly。
  〃Luise　Ivanovna；　you　can　sit　down；〃　he　said　casually　to　the
  gaily…dressed；　purple…faced　lady；　who　was　still　standing　as　though　not
  venturing　to　sit　down；　though　there　was　a　chair　beside　her。
  〃Ich　danke；〃　said　the　latter；　and　softly；　with　a　rustle　of　silk
  she　sank　into　the　chair。　Her　light　blue　dress　trimmed　with　white
  lace　floated　about　the　table　like　an　air…balloon　and　filled　almost
  half　the　room。　She　smelt　of　scent。　But　she　was　obviously　embarrassed
  at　filling　half　the　room　and　smelling　so　strongly　of　scent；　and　though
  her　smile　was　impudent　as　well　as　cringing；　it　betrayed　evident
  uneasiness。
  The　lady　in　mourning　had　done　at　last；　and　got　up。　All　at　once；　with
  some　noise；　an　officer　walked　in　very　jauntily；　with　a　peculiar
  swing　of　his　shoulders　at　each　step。　He　tossed　his　cockaded　cap　on　the
  table　and　sat　down　in　an　easy…chair。　The　small　lady　positively　skipped
  from　her　seat　on　seeing　him；　and　fell　to　curtsying　in　a　sort　of
  ecstasy；　but　the　officer　took　not　the　smallest　notice　of　her；　and
  she　did　not　venture　to　sit　down　again　in　his　presence。　He　was　the
  assistant　superintendent。　He　had　a　reddish　moustache　that　stood　out
  horizontally　on　each　side　of　his　face；　and　extremely　small　features；
  expressive　of　nothing　much　except　a　certain　insolence。　He　looked
  askance　and　rather　indignantly　at　Raskolnikov；　he　was　so　very　badly
  dressed；　and　in　spite　of　his　humiliating　position；　his　bearing　was
  by　no　means　in　keeping　with　his　clothes。　Raskolnikov　had　unwarily
  fixed　a　very　long　and　direct　look　on　him；　so　that　he　felt　positively
  affronted。
  〃What　do　you　want？〃　he　shouted；　apparently　astonished　that　such　a
  ragged　fellow　was　not　annihilated　by　the　majesty　of　his　glance。
  〃I　was　summoned。。。　by　a　notice。。。〃　Raskolnikov　faltered。
  〃For　the　recovery　of　money　due；　from　the　student；〃　the　head　clerk
  interfered　hurriedly；　tearing　himself　from　his　papers。　〃Here！〃　and
  he　flung　Raskolnikov　a　document　and　pointed　out　the　place。　〃Read
  that！〃
  〃Money？　What　money？〃　thought　Raskolnikov；　〃but。。。　then。。。　it's
  certainly　not　that。〃
  And　he　trembled　with　joy。　He　felt　sudden　intense　indescribable
  relief。　A　load　was　lifted　from　his　back。
  〃And　pray；　what　time　were　you　directed　to　appear；　sir？〃　shouted
  the　assistant　superintendent；　seeming　for　some　unknown　reason　more　and
  more　aggrieved。　〃You　are　told　to　come　at　nine；　and　now　it's　twelve！〃
  〃The　notice　was　only　brought　me　a　quarter　of　an　hour　ago；〃
  Raskolnikov　answered　loudly　over　his　shoulder。　To　his　own　surprise　he；
  too；　grew　suddenly　angry　and　found　a　certain　pleasure　in　it。　〃And　it's
  enough　that　I　have　come　here　ill　with　fever。〃
  〃Kindly　refrain　from　shouting！〃
  〃I'm　not　shouting；　I'm　speaking　very　quietly；　it's　you　who　are
  shouting　at　me。　I'm　a　student；　and　allow　no　one　to　shout　at　me。〃
  The　assistant　superintendent　was　so　furious　that　for　the　first
  minute　he　could　only　splutter　inarticulately。　He　leaped　up　from　his
  seat。
  〃Be　silent！　You　are　in　a　government　office。　Don't　be　impudent；　sir！〃
  〃You're　in　a　government　office；　too；〃　cried　Raskolnikov；　〃and　you're
  smoking　a　cigarette　as　well　as　shouting；　so　you　are　showing　disrespect
  to　all　of　us。〃
  He　felt　an　indescribable　satisfaction　at　having　said　this。
  The　head　clerk　looked　at　him　with　a　smile。　The　angry　assistant
  superintendent　was　obviously　disconcerted。
  〃That's　not　your　business！〃　he　shouted　at　last　with　unnatural
  loudness。　〃Kindly　make　the　declaration　demanded　of　you。　Show　him。
  Alexandr　Grigorievitch。　There　is　a　complaint　against　you！　You　don't
  pay　your　debts！　You're　a　fine　bird！〃
  But　Raskolnikov　was　not　listening　now；　he　had　eagerly　clutched　at
  the　paper；　in　haste　to　find　an　explanation。　He　read　it　once；　and　a
  second　time；　and　still　did　not　understand。
  〃What　is　this？〃　he　asked　the　head　clerk。
  〃It　is　for　the　recovery　of　money　on　an　I。O。U。；　a　writ。　You　must
  either　pay　it；　with　all　expenses；　costs　and　so　on；　or　give　a　written
  declaration　when　you　can　pay　it；　and　at　the　same　time　an　undertaking
  not　to　leave　the　capital　without　payment；　and　nor　to　sell　or　conceal
  your　property。　The　creditor　is　at　liberty　to　sell　your　property；　and
  proceed　against　you　according　to　the　law。〃
  〃But　I。。。　am　not　in　debt　to　any　one！〃
  〃That's　not　our　business。　Here；