his　door　was　flung　open　and　a　man　whom　he　had　never　seen　stood　in
  the　doorway　watching　him　intently。
  Raskolnikov　had　hardly　opened　his　eyes　and　he　instantly　closed
  them　again。　He　lay　on　his　back　without　stirring。
  〃Is　it　still　a　dream？〃　he　wondered　and　again　raised　his　eyelids
  hardly　perceptibly；　the　stranger　was　standing　in　the　same　place；　still
  watching　him。
  He　stepped　cautiously　into　the　room；　carefully　closing　the　door
  after　him；　went　up　to　the　table；　paused　a　moment；　still　keeping　his
  eyes　on　Raskolnikov　and　noiselessly　seated　himself　on　the　chair　by　the
  sofa；　he　put　his　hat　on　the　floor　beside　him　and　leaned　his　hands　on
  his　cane　and　his　chin　on　his　hands。　It　was　evident　that　he　was
  prepared　to　wait　indefinitely。　As　far　as　Raskolnikov　could　make　out
  from　his　stolen　glances；　he　was　a　man　no　longer　young；　stout；　with　a
  full；　fair；　almost　whitish　beard。
  Ten　minutes　passed。　It　was　still　light；　but　beginning　to　get　dusk。
  There　was　complete　stillness　in　the　room。　Not　a　sound　came　from　the
  stairs。　Only　a　big　fly　buzzed　and　fluttered　against　the　window　pane。
  It　was　unbearable　at　last。　Raskolnikov　suddenly　got　up　and　sat　on
  the　sofa。
  〃Come；　tell　me　what　you　want。〃
  〃I　knew　you　were　not　asleep；　but　only　pretending；〃　the　stranger
  answered　oddly；　laughing　calmly。　〃Arkady　Ivanovitch　Svidrigailov；
  allow　me　to　introduce　myself。。。。〃
  PART　FOUR
  Chapter　One
  〃CAN　this　be　still　a　dream？〃　Raskolnikov　thought　once　more。
  He　looked　carefully　and　suspiciously　at　the　unexpected　visitor。
  〃Svidrigailov！　What　nonsense！　It　can't　be！〃　he　said　at　last　aloud　in
  bewilderment。
  His　visitor　did　not　seem　at　all　surprised　at　this　exclamation。
  〃I've　come　to　you　for　two　reasons。　In　the　first　place；　I　wanted　to
  make　your　personal　acquaintance；　as　I　have　already　heard　a　great
  deal　about　you　that　is　interesting　and　flattering；　secondly；　I　cherish
  the　hope　that　you　may　not　refuse　to　assist　me　in　a　matter　directly
  concerning　the　welfare　of　your　sister；　Avdotya　Romanovna。　For
  without　your　support　she　might　not　let　me　come　near　her　now；　for　she
  is　prejudiced　against　me；　but　with　your　assistance　I　reckon　on。。。〃
  〃You　reckon　wrongly；〃　interrupted　Raskolnikov。
  〃They　only　arrived　yesterday；　may　I　ask　you？〃
  Raskolnikov　made　no　reply。
  〃It　was　yesterday；　I　know。　I　only　arrived　myself　the　day　before。
  Well；　let　me　tell　you　this；　Rodion　Romanovitch；　I　don't　consider　it
  necessary　to　justify　myself；　but　kindly　tell　me　what　was　there
  particularly　criminal　on　my　part　in　all　this　business；　speaking
  without　prejudice；　with　common　sense？〃
  Raskolnikov　continued　to　look　at　him　in　silence。
  〃That　in　my　own　house　I　persecuted　a　defenceless　girl　and
  'insulted　her　with　my　infamous　proposals'…　is　that　it？　（I　am
  anticipating　you。）　But　you've　only　to　assume　that　I；　too；　am　a　man
  et　nihil　humanum。。。　in　a　word；　that　I　am　capable　of　being　attracted
  and　falling　in　love　（which　does　not　depend　on　our　will）；　then
  everything　can　be　explained　in　the　most　natural　manner。　The　question
  is；　am　I　a　monster；　or　am　I　myself　a　victim？　And　what　if　I　am　a
  victim？　In　proposing　to　the　object　of　my　passion　to　elope　with　me　to
  America　or　Switzerland；　I　may　have　cherished　the　deepest　respect　for
  her；　and　may　have　thought　that　I　was　promoting　our　mutual　happiness！
  Reason　is　the　slave　of　passion；　you　know；　why；　probably；　I　was　doing
  more　harm　to　myself　than　any　one！〃
  〃But　that's　not　the　point；〃　Raskolnikov　interrupted　with　disgust。
  〃It's　simply　that　whether　you　are　right　or　wrong；　we　dislike　you。　We
  don't　want　to　have　anything　to　do　with　you。　We　show　you　the　door。　Go
  out！〃
  Svidrigailov　broke　into　a　sudden　laugh。
  〃But　you're。。。　but　there's　no　getting　round　you；〃　he　said；
  laughing　in　the　frankest　way。　〃I　hoped　to　get　round　you；　but　you
  took　up　the　right　line　at　once！〃
  〃But　you　are　trying　to　get　round　me　still！〃
  〃What　of　it？　What　of　it？〃　cried　Svidrigailov；　laughing　openly。
  〃But　this　is　what　the　French　call　bonne　guerre；　and　the　most
  innocent　form　of　deception！。。。　But　still　you　have　interrupted　me；
  one　way　or　another；　I　repeat　again：　there　would　never　have　been　any
  unpleasantness　except　for　what　happened　in　the　garden。　Marfa
  Petrovna。。。〃
  〃You　have　got　rid　of　Marfa　Petrovna；　too；　so　they　say？〃
  Raskolnikov　interrupted　rudely。
  〃Oh；　you've　heard　that；　too；　then？　You'd　be　sure　to；　though。。。。
  But　as　for　your　question；　I　really　don't　know　what　to　say；　though　my
  own　conscience　is　quite　at　rest　on　that　score。　Don't　suppose　that　I　am
  in　any　apprehension　about　it。　All　was　regular　and　in　order；　the
  medical　inquiry　diagnosed　apoplexy　due　to　bathing　immediately　after
  a　heavy　dinner　and　a　bottle　of　wine；　and　indeed　it　could　have　proved
  nothing　else。　But　I'll　tell　you　what　I　have　been　thinking　to　myself　of
  late；　on　my　way　here　in　the　train；　especially：　didn't　I　contribute
  to　all　that。。。　calamity；　morally；　in　a　way；　by　irritation　or　something
  of　the　sort。　But　I　came　to　the　conclusion　that　that；　too；　was　quite
  out　of　the　question。〃
  Raskolnikov　laughed。
  〃I　wonder　you　trouble　yourself　about　it！〃
  〃But　what　are　you　laughing　at？　Only　consider；　I　struck　her　just
  twice　with　a　switch…　there　were　no　marks　even。。。　don't　regard　me　as
  a　cynic；　please；　I　am　perfectly　aware　how　atrocious　it　was　of　me　and
  all　that；　but　I　know　for　certain；　too；　that　Marfa　Petrovna　was　very
  likely　pleased　at　my；　so　to　say；　warmth。　The　story　of　your　sister
  had　been　wrung　out　to　the　last　drop；　for　the　last　three　days　Marfa
  Petrovna　had　been　forced　to　sit　at　home；　she　had　nothing　to　show
  herself　with　in　the　town。　Besides；　she　had　bored　them　so　with　that
  letter　（you　heard　about　her　reading　the　letter）。　And　all　of　a　sudden
  those　two　switches　fell　from　heaven！　Her　first　act　was　to　order　the
  carriage　to　be　got　out。。。。　Not　to　speak　of　the　fact　that　there　are
  cases　when　women　are　very；　very　glad　to　be　insulted　in　spite　of　all
  their　show　of　indignation。　There　are　instances　of　it　with　every　one；
  human　beings　in　general；　indeed；　greatly　love　to　be　insulted；　have　you
  noticed　that？　But　it's　particularly　so　with　women。　One　might　even
  say　it's　their　only　amusement。〃
  At　one　time　Raskolnikov　thought　of　getting　up　and　walking　out　and　so
  finishing　the　interview。　But　some　curiosity　and　even　a　sort　of
  prudence　made　him　linger　for　a　moment。
  〃You　are　fond　of　fighting？〃　he　asked　carelessly。
  〃No；　not　very；〃　Svidrigailov　answered；　calmly。　〃And　Marfa　Petrovna
  and　I　scarcely　ever　fought。　We　lived　very　harmoniously；　and　she　was
  always　pleased　with　me。　I　only　used　the　whip　twice　in　all　our　seven
  years　（not　counting　a　third　occasion　of　a　very　ambiguous　character）。
  The　first　time；　two　months　after　our　marriage；　immediately　after　we
  arrived　in　the　country；　and　the　last　time　was　that　of　which　we　are
  speaking。　Did　you　suppose　I　was　such　a　monster；　such　a　reactionary；
  such　a　slave　driver？　Ha；　ha！　By　the　way；　do　you　remember；　Rodion
  Romanovitch；　how　a　few　years