It　was　nearly　an　hour　later　when　they　heard　footsteps　in　the
  corridor　and　another　knock　at　the　door。　Both　women　waited　this　time
  completely　relying　on　Razumihin's　promise；　he　actually　had　succeeded
  in　bringing　Zossimov。　Zossimov　had　agreed　at　once　to　desert　the
  drinking　party　to　go　to　Raskolnikov's；　but　he　came　reluctantly　and
  with　the　greatest　suspicion　to　see　the　ladies；　mistrusting　Razumihin
  in　his　exhilarated　condition。　But　his　vanity　was　at　once　reassured　and
  flattered；　he　saw　that　they　were　really　expecting　him　as　an　oracle。　He
  stayed　just　ten　minutes　and　succeeded　in　completely　convincing　and
  comforting　Pulcheria　Alexandrovna。　He　spoke　with　marked　sympathy；
  but　with　the　reserve　and　extreme　seriousness　of　a　young　doctor　at　an
  important　consultation。　He　did　not　utter　a　word　on　any　other　subject
  and　did　not　display　the　slightest　desire　to　enter　into　more　personal
  relations　with　the　two　ladies。　Remarking　at　his　first　entrance　the
  dazzling　beauty　of　Avdotya　Romanovna；　he　endeavoured　not　to　notice　her
  at　all　during　his　visit　and　addressed　himself　solely　to　Pulcheria
  Alexandrovna。　All　this　gave　him　extraordinary　inward　satisfaction。
  He　declared　that　he　thought　the　invalid　at　this　moment　going　on　very
  satisfactorily。　According　to　his　observations　the　patient's　illness
  was　due　partly　to　his　unfortunate　material　surroundings　during　the
  last　few　months；　but　it　had　partly　also　a　moral　origin；　〃was　so　to
  speak　the　product　of　several　material　and　moral　influences；　anxieties；
  apprehensions；　troubles；　certain　ideas。。。　and　so　on。〃　Noticing
  stealthily　that　Avdotya　Romanovna　was　following　his　words　with　close
  attention；　Zossimov　allowed　himself　to　enlarge　on　this　theme。　On
  Pulcheria　Alexandrovna's　anxiously　and　timidly　inquiring　as　to　〃some
  suspicion　of　insanity；〃　he　replied　with　a　composed　and　candid　smile
  that　his　words　had　been　exaggerated；　that　certainly　the　patient　had
  some　fixed　idea；　something　approaching　a　monomania…　he；　Zossimov；
  was　now　particularly　studying　this　interesting　branch　of　medicine…　but
  that　it　must　be　recollected　that　until　to…day　the　patient　had　been
  in　delirium　and。。。　and　that　no　doubt　the　presence　of　his　family
  would　have　a　favourable　effect　on　his　recovery　and　distract　his
  mind；　〃if　only　all　fresh　shocks　can　be　avoided；〃　he　added
  significantly。　Then　he　got　up；　took　leave　with　an　impressive　and
  affable　bow；　while　blessings；　warm　gratitude；　and　entreaties　were
  showered　upon　him；　and　Avdotya　Romanovna　spontaneously　offered　her
  hand　to　him。　He　went　out　exceedingly　pleased　with　his　visit　and
  still　more　so　with　himself。
  〃We'll　talk　to…morrow；　go　to　bed　at　once！〃　Razumihin　said　in
  conclusion；　following　Zossimov　out。　〃I'll　be　with　you　to…morrow
  morning　as　early　as　possible　with　my　report。〃
  〃That's　a　fetching　little　girl；　Avdotya　Romanovna；〃　remarked
  Zossimov；　almost　licking　his　lips　as　they　both　came　out　into　the
  street。
  〃Fetching？　You　said　fetching？〃　roared　Razumihin　and　he　flew　at
  Zossimov　and　seized　him　by　the　throat。　〃If　you　ever　dare。。。　Do　you
  understand？　Do　you　understand？〃　he　shouted；　shaking　him　by　the
  collar　and　squeezing　him　against　the　wall。　〃Do　you　hear？〃
  〃Let　me　go；　you　drunken　devil；〃　said　Zossimov；　struggling　and　when
  he　had　let　him　go；　he　stared　at　him　and　went　off　into　a　sudden　guffaw。
  Razumihin　stood　facing　him　in　gloomy　and　earnest　reflection。
  〃Of　course；　I　am　an　ass；〃　he　observed；　sombre　as　a　storm　cloud；　〃but
  still。。。　you　are　another。〃
  〃No；　brother；　not　at　all　such　another。　I　am　not　dreaming　of　any
  folly。〃
  They　walked　along　in　silence　and　only　when　they　were　close　to
  Raskolnikov's　lodgings；　Razumihin　broke　the　silence　in　considerable
  anxiety。
  〃Listen；〃　he　said；　〃you're　a　first…rate　fellow；　but　among　your　other
  failings；　you're　a　loose　fish；　that；　I　know；　and　a　dirty　one；　too。　You
  are　a　feeble；　nervous　wretch；　and　a　mass　of　whims；　you're　getting
  fat　and　lazy　and　can't　deny　yourself　anything…　and　I　call　that　dirty
  because　it　leads　on　straight　into　the　dirt。　You've　let　yourself　get　so
  slack　that　I　don't　know　how　it　is　you　are　still　a　good；　even　a　devoted
  doctor。　You…　a　doctor…　sleep　on　a　feather　bed　and　get　up　at　night　to
  your　patients！　In　another　three　or　four　years　you　won't　get　up　for
  your　patients。。。　But　hang　it　all；　that's　not　the　point！。。。　You　are
  going　to　spend　to…night　in　the　landlady's　flat　here。　（Hard　work　I've
  had　to　persuade　her！）　And　I'll　be　in　the　kitchen。　So　here's　a　chance
  for　you　to　get　to　know　her　better。。。。　It's　not　as　you　think！　There's
  not　a　trace　of　anything　of　the　sort；　brother。。。！〃
  〃But　I　don't　think！〃
  〃Here　you　have　modesty；　brother；　silence；　bashfulness；　a　savage
  virtue。。。　and　yet　she's　sighing　and　melting　like　wax；　simply
  melting！　Save　me　from　her；　by　all　that's　unholy！　She's　most
  prepossessing。。。　I'll　repay　you；　I'll　do　anything。。。。〃
  Zossimov　laughed　more　violently　than　ever。
  〃Well；　you　are　smitten！　But　what　am　I　to　do　with　her？〃
  〃It　won't　be　much　trouble；　I　assure　you。　Talk　any　rot　you　like　to
  her；　as　long　as　you　sit　by　her　and　talk。　You're　a　doctor；　too；　try
  curing　her　of　something。　I　swear　you　won't　regret　it。　She　has　a　piano；
  and　you　know；　I　strum　a　little。　I　have　a　song　there；　a　genuine　Russian
  one：　'I　shed　hot　tears。'　She　likes　the　genuine　article…　and　well；　it
  all　began　with　that　song；　Now　you're　a　regular　performer；　a　maitre；
  a　Rubinstein。。。。　I　assure　you；　you　won't　regret　it！〃
  〃But　have　you　made　her　some　promise？　Something　signed？　A　promise
  of　marriage；　perhaps？〃
  〃Nothing；　nothing；　absolutely　nothing　of　the　kind！　Besides　she　is
  not　that　sort　at　all。。。。　Tchebarov　tried　that。。。。〃
  〃Well；　then；　drop　her！〃
  〃But　I　can't　drop　her　like　that！〃
  〃Why　can't　you？〃
  〃Well；　I　can't；　that's　all　about　it！　There's　an　element　of
  attraction　here；　brother。〃
  〃Then　why　have　you　fascinated　her？〃
  〃I　haven't　fascinated　her；　perhaps；　I　was　fascinated　myself　in　my
  folly。　But　she　won't　care　a　straw　whether　it's　you　or　I；　so　long　as
  somebody　sits　beside　her；　sighing。。。。　I　can't　explain　the　position；
  brother。。。　look　here；　you　are　good　at　mathematics；　and　working　at　it
  now。。。　begin　teaching　her　the　integral　calculus；　upon　my　soul；　I'm　not
  joking。　I'm　in　earnest；　it'll　be　just　the　same　to　her。　She　will　gaze
  at　you　and　sigh　for　a　whole　year　together。　I　talked　to　her　once　for
  two　days　at　a　time　about　the　Prussian　House　of　Lords　（for　one　must
  talk　of　something）…　she　just　sighed　and　perspired！　And　you　mustn't
  talk　of　love…　she's　bashful　to　hysterics…　but　just　let　her　see　you
  can't　tear　yourself　away…　that's　enough。　It's　fearfully　comfortable；
  you're　quite　at　home；　you　can　read；　sit；　lie　about；　write。　You　may
  even　venture　on　a　kiss；　if　you're　careful。〃
  〃But　what　do　I　want　with　her？〃
  〃Ach；　I　can't　make　you　understand！　You　see；　you　are　made　for　each
  other！　I　have　often　been　reminded　of　you！。。。　You'll　come　to　it　in
  the　end！　So　does　it　matter　whether　it's　sooner　or　later？　There's　the
  featherbed　element　here；　brother；…　ach！　and　not　only　that！　There's
  an　attraction　here…　here　you　have　the　end　of　the　world；　an
  anchorage；　a　quiet　haven；　the　navel　of　the　earth；　the　three　fishes
  that　are　the　foundation　of　the　world；　the　essence　of　pancakes；　of
  savoury　fish…pies；　of　the　evening　samovar；　of　soft　sighs　and　warm
  shawls；　and　hot　stoves　to　sleep　on…　as　snug　as　though　you　were　dead；
  and　yet　you're　alive…　the　advantag