such　a　slave　driver？　Ha；　ha！　By　the　way；　do　you　remember；　Rodion
  Romanovitch；　how　a　few　years　ago；　in　those　days　of　beneficent
  publicity；　a　nobleman；　I've　forgotten　his　name；　was　put　to　shame
  everywhere；　in　all　the　papers；　for　having　thrashed　a　German　woman　in
  the　railway　train。　You　remember？　It　was　in　those　days；　that　very
  year　I　believe；　the　'disgraceful　action　of　the　Age'　took　place　（you
  know；　'The　Egyptian　Nights；'　that　public　reading；　you　remember？　The
  dark　eyes；　you　know！　Ah；　the　golden　days　of　our　youth；　where　are
  they？）。　Well；　as　for　the　gentleman　who　thrashed　the　German；　I　feel
  no　sympathy　with　him；　because　after　all　what　need　is　there　for
  sympathy？　But　I　must　say　that　there　are　sometimes　such　provoking
  'Germans'　that　I　don't　believe　there　is　a　progressive　who　could
  quite　answer　for　himself。　No　one　looked　at　the　subject　from　that　point
  of　view　then；　but　that's　the　truly　humane　point　of　view；　I　assure
  you。〃
  After　saying　this；　Svidrigailov　broke　into　a　sudden　laugh　again。
  Raskolnikov　saw　clearly　that　this　was　a　man　with　a　firm　purpose　in　his
  mind　and　able　to　keep　it　to　himself。
  〃I　expect　you've　not　talked　to　any　one　for　some　days？〃　he　asked。
  〃Scarcely　any　one。　I　suppose　you　are　wondering　at　my　being　such　an
  adaptable　man？〃
  〃No；　I　am　only　wondering　at　your　being　too　adaptable　a　man。〃
  〃Because　I　am　not　offended　at　the　rudeness　of　your　questions？　Is
  that　it？　But　why　take　offence？　As　you　asked；　so　I　answered；〃　he
  replied；　with　a　surprising　expression　of　simplicity。　〃You　know；
  there's　hardly　anything　I　take　interest　in；〃　he　went　on；　as　it　were
  dreamily；　〃especially　now；　I've　nothing　to　do。。。。　You　are　quite　at
  liberty　to　imagine　though　that　I　am　making　up　to　you　with　a　motive；
  particularly　as　I　told　you　I　want　to　see　your　sister　about
  something。　But　I'll　confess　frankly；　I　am　very　much　bored。　The　last
  three　days　especially；　so　I　am　delighted　to　see　you。。。。　Don't　be
  angry；　Rodion　Romanovitch；　but　you　seem　to　be　somehow　awfully
  strange　yourself。　Say　what　you　like；　there's　something　wrong　with　you；
  and　now；　too。。。　not　this　very　minute；　I　mean；　but　now；　generally。。。。
  Well；　well；　I　won't；　I　won't；　don't　scowl！　I　am　not　such　a　bear；　you
  know；　as　you　think。〃
  Raskolnikov　looked　gloomily　at　him。
  〃You　are　not　a　bear；　perhaps；　at　all；〃　he　said。　〃I　fancy　indeed　that
  you　are　a　man　of　very　good　breeding；　or　at　least　know　how　on
  occasion　to　behave　like　one。〃
  〃I　am　not　particularly　interested　in　any　one's　opinion；〃
  Svidrigailov　answered；　dryly　and　even　with　a　shade　of　haughtiness；
  〃and　therefore　why　not　be　vulgar　at　times　when　vulgarity　is　such　a
  convenient　cloak　for　our　climate。。。　and　especially　if　one　has　a
  natural　propensity　that　way；〃　he　added；　laughing　again。
  〃But　I've　heard　you　have　many　friends　here。　You　are；　as　they　say；
  'not　without　connections。'　What　can　you　want　with　me；　then；　unless
  you've　some　special　object？〃
  〃That's　true　that　I　have　friends　here；〃　Svidrigailov　admitted；　not
  replying　to　the　chief　point。　〃I've　met　some　already。　I've　been
  lounging　about　for　the　last　three　days；　and　I've　seen　them；　or　they've
  seen　me。　That's　a　matter　of　course。　I　am　well　dressed　and　reckoned　not
  a　poor　man；　the　emancipation　of　the　serfs　hasn't　affected　me；　my
  property　consists　chiefly　of　forests　and　water　meadows。　The　revenue
  has　not　fallen　off；　but。。。　I　am　not　going　to　see　them；　I　was　sick　of
  them　long　ago。　I've　been　here　three　days　and　have　called　on　no　one。。。。
  What　a　town　it　is！　How　has　it　come　into　existence　among　us；　tell　me
  that？　A　town　of　officials　and　students　of　all　sorts。　Yes；　there's　a
  great　deal　I　didn't　notice　when　I　was　here　eight　years　ago；　kicking　up
  my　heels。。。。　My　only　hope　now　is　in　anatomy；　by　Jove；　it　is！〃
  〃Anatomy？〃
  〃But　as　for　these　clubs；　Dussauts；　parades；　or　progress；　indeed；　may
  be…　well；　all　that　can　go　on　without　me；〃　he　went　on；　again　without
  noticing　the　question。　〃Besides；　who　wants　to　be　a　card…sharper？〃
  〃Why；　have　you　been　a　card…sharper　then？〃
  〃How　could　I　help　being？　There　was　a　regular　set　of　us；　men　of　the
  best　society；　eight　years　ago；　we　had　a　fine　time。　And　all　men　of
  breeding；　you　know；　poets；　men　of　property。　And　indeed　as　a　rule　in
  our　Russian　society；　the　best　manners　are　found　among　those　who've
  been　thrashed；　have　you　noticed　that？　I've　deteriorated　in　the
  country。　But　I　did　get　into　prison　for　debt；　through　a　low　Greek　who
  came　from　Nezhin。　Then　Marfa　Petrovna　turned　up；　she　bargained　with
  him　and　bought　me　off　for　thirty　thousand　silver　pieces　（I　owed
  seventy　thousand）。　We　were　united　in　lawful　wedlock　and　she　bore　me
  off　into　the　country　like　a　treasure。　You　know　she　was　five　years
  older　than　I。　She　was　very　fond　of　me。　For　seven　years　I　never　left
  the　country。　And；　take　note；　that　all　my　life　she　held　a　document　over
  me；　the　I。O。U。　for　thirty　thousand　roubles；　so　if　I　were　to　elect　to
  be　restive　about　anything　I　should　be　trapped　at　once！　And　she　would
  have　done　it！　Women　find　nothing　incompatible　in　that。〃
  〃If　it　hadn't　been　for　that；　would　you　have　given　her　the　slip？〃
  〃I　don't　know　what　to　say。　It　was　scarcely　the　document　restrained
  me。　I　didn't　want　to　go　anywhere　else。　Marfa　Petrovna　herself
  invited　me　to　go　abroad；　seeing　I　was　bored；　but　I've　been　abroad
  before；　and　always　felt　sick　there。　For　no　reason；　but　the　sunrise；
  the　bay　of　Naples；　the　sea…　you　look　at　them　and　it　makes　you　sad。
  What's　most　revolting　is　that　one　is　really　sad！　No；　it's　better　at
  home。　Here　at　least　one　blames　others　for　everything　and　excuses
  oneself。　I　should　have　gone　perhaps　on　an　expedition　to　the　North
  Pole；　because　j'ai　le　vin　mauvais　and　hate　drinking；　and　there's
  nothing　left　but　wine。　I　have　tried　it。　But；　I　say；　I've　been　told
  Berg　is　going　up　in　a　great　balloon　next　Sunday　from　the　Yusupov
  Garden　and　will　take　up　passengers　at　a　fee。　Is　it　true？〃
  〃Why；　would　you　go　up？〃
  〃I。。。　No；　oh；　no；〃　muttered　Svidrigailov　really　seeming　to　be　deep
  in　thought。
  〃What　does　he　mean？　Is　he　in　earnest？〃　Raskolnikov　wondered。
  〃No；　the　document　didn't　restrain　me；〃　Svidrigailov　went　on；
  meditatively。　〃It　was　my　own　doing；　not　leaving　the　country；　and
  nearly　a　year　ago　Marfa　Petrovna　gave　me　back　the　document　on　my
  name　day　and　made　me　a　present　of　a　considerable　sum　of　money；　too。
  She　had　a　fortune；　you　know。　'You　see　how　I　trust　you；　Arkady
  Ivanovitch'…　that　was　actually　her　expression。　You　don't　believe　she
  used　it？　But　do　you　know　I　managed　the　estate　quite　decently；　they
  know　me　in　the　neighbourhood。　I　ordered　books；　too。　Marfa　Petrovna
  at　first　approved；　but　afterwards　she　was　afraid　of　my　over…studying。〃
  〃You　seem　to　be　missing　Marfa　Petrovna　very　much？〃
  〃Missing　her？　Perhaps。　Really；　perhaps　I　am。　And；　by　the　way；　do　you
  believe　in　ghosts？〃
  〃What　ghosts？〃
  〃Why；　ordinary　ghosts。〃
  〃Do　you　believe　in　them？〃
  〃Perhaps　not；　pour　vous　plaire。。。。　I　wouldn't　say　no　exactly。〃
  〃Do　you　see　them；　then？〃
  Svidrigailov　looked　at　him　rather　oddly。
  〃Marfa　Petrovna　is　pleased　to　visit　me；〃　he　said；　twisting　his　mouth
  into　a　strange　smile。
  〃How　do　you　mean　'she　is　pleased　to　visit　you'？〃
  〃She　has　been　three　times。　I　saw　her　first　on　the　very　day　of　the
  funeral；　an　hour　after　she　was　bur