his　arm　away。
  Several　persons　crowded　inquisitively　into　the　doorway。　Some　of　them
  tried　to　get　in。　All　this　took　place　almost　instantaneously。
  〃Go　away；　it's　too　soon！　Wait　till　you　are　sent　for！。。。　Why　have　you
  brought　him　so　soon？〃　Porfiry　Petrovitch　muttered；　extremely
  annoyed；　and　as　it　were　thrown　out　of　his　reckoning。
  But　Nikolay　suddenly　knelt　down。
  〃What's　the　matter？〃　cried　Porfiry；　surprised。
  〃I　am　guilty！　Mine　is　the　sin！　I　am　the　murderer；〃　Nikolay
  articulated　suddenly；　rather　breathless；　but　speaking　fairly　loudly。
  For　ten　seconds　there　was　silence　as　though　all　had　been　struck
  dumb；　even　the　warder　stepped　back；　mechanically　retreated　to　the
  door；　and　stood　immovable。
  〃What　is　it？〃　cried　Porfiry　Petrovitch；　recovering　from　his
  momentary　stupefaction。
  〃I　am　the　murderer；〃　repeated　Nikolay；　after　a　brief　pause。
  〃What。。。　you。。。　what。。。　whom　did　you　kill？〃　Porfiry　Petrovitch　was
  obviously　bewildered。
  Nikolay　again　was　silent　for　a　moment。
  〃Alyona　Ivanovna　and　her　sister　Lizaveta　Ivanovna；　I。。。　killed。。。
  with　an　axe。　Darkness　came　over　me；〃　he　added　suddenly；　and　was
  again　silent。
  He　still　remained　on　his　knees。　Porfiry　Petrovitch　stood　for　some
  moments　as　though　meditating；　but　suddenly　roused　himself　and　waved
  back　the　uninvited　spectators。　They　instantly　vanished　and　closed
  the　door。　Then　he　looked　towards　Raskolnikov；　who　was　standing　in
  the　corner；　staring　wildly　at　Nikolay；　and　moved　towards　him；　but
  stopped　short；　looked　from　Nikolay　to　Raskolnikov　and　then　again　at
  Nikolay；　and　seeming　unable　to　restrain　himself　darted　at　the　latter。
  〃You're　in　too　great　a　hurry；〃　he　shouted　at　him；　almost　angrily。　〃I
  didn't　ask　you　what　came　over　you。。。。　Speak；　did　you　kill　them？〃
  〃I　am　the　murderer。。。。　I　want　to　give　evidence；〃　Nikolay　pronounced。
  〃Ach！　What　did　you　kill　them　with？〃
  〃An　axe。　I　had　it　ready。〃
  〃Ach；　he　is　in　a　hurry！　Alone？〃
  Nikolay　did　not　understand　the　question。
  〃Did　you　do　it　alone？〃
  〃Yes；　alone。　And　Mitka　is　not　guilty　and　had　no　share　in　it。〃
  〃Don't　be　in　a　hurry　about　Mitka！　A…ach！　How　was　it　you　ran
  downstairs　like　that　at　the　time？　The　porters　met　you　both！〃
  〃It　was　to　put　them　off　the　scent。。。　I　ran　after　Mitka；〃　Nikolay
  replied　hurriedly；　as　though　he　had　prepared　the　answer。
  〃I　knew　it！〃　cried　Porfiry；　with　vexation。　〃It's　not　his　own　tale　he
  is　telling；〃　he　muttered　as　though　to　himself；　and　suddenly　his　eyes
  rested　on　Raskolnikov　again。
  He　was　apparently　so　taken　up　with　Nikolay　that　for　a　moment　he
  had　forgotten　Raskolnikov。　He　was　a　little　taken　aback。
  〃My　dear　Rodion　Romanovitch；　excuse　me！〃　he　flew　up　to　him；　〃this
  won't　do；　I'm　afraid　you　must　go。。。　it's　no　good　your　staying。。。　I
  will。。。　　you　see；　what　a　surprise！。。。　Good…bye！〃
  And　taking　him　by　the　arm；　he　showed　him　to　the　door。
  〃I　suppose　you　didn't　expect　it？〃　said　Raskolnikov　who；　though　he
  had　not　yet　fully　grasped　the　situation；　had　regained　his　courage。
  〃You　did　not　expect　it　either；　my　friend。　See　how　your　hand　is
  trembling！　He…he！〃
  〃You're　trembling；　too；　Porfiry　Petrovitch！〃
  〃Yes；　I　am；　I　didn't　expect　it。〃
  They　were　already　at　the　door；　Porfiry　was　impatient　for　Raskolnikov
  to　be　gone。
  〃And　your　little　surprise；　aren't　you　going　to　show　it　to　me？〃
  Raskolnikov　said；　sarcastically。
  〃Why；　his　teeth　are　chattering　as　he　asks；　he…he！　You　are　an
  ironical　person！　Come；　till　we　meet！〃
  〃I　believe　we　can　say　good…bye！〃
  〃That's　in　God's　hands；〃　muttered　Porfiry；　with　an　unnatural　smile。
  As　he　walked　through　the　office；　Raskolnikov　noticed　that　many
  people　were　looking　at　him。　Among　them　he　saw　the　two　porters　from　the
  house；　whom　he　had　invited　that　night　to　the　police　station。　They
  stood　there　waiting。　But　he　was　no　sooner　on　the　stairs　than　he
  heard　the　voice　of　Porfiry　Petrovitch　behind　him。　Turning　round；　he
  saw　the　latter　running　after　him；　out　of　breath。
  〃One　word；　Rodion　Romanovitch；　as　to　all　the　rest；　it's　in　God's
  hands；　but　as　a　matter　of　form　there　are　some　questions　I　shall　have
  to　ask　you。。。　so　we　shall　meet　again；　shan't　we？〃
  And　Porfiry　stood　still；　facing　him　with　a　smile。
  〃Shan't　we？〃　he　added　again。
  He　seemed　to　want　to　say　something　more；　but　could　not　speak　out。
  〃You　must　forgive　me；　Porfiry　Petrovitch；　for　what　has　just
  passed。。。　I　lost　my　temper；〃　began　Raskolnikov；　who　had　so　far
  regained　his　courage　that　he　felt　irresistibly　inclined　to　display　his
  coolness。
  〃Don't　mention　it；　don't　mention　it；〃　Porfiry　replied；　almost
  gleefully。　〃I　myself；　too。。。　I　have　a　wicked　temper；　I　admit　it！　But
  we　shall　meet　again。　If　it's　God's　will；　we　may　see　a　great　deal　of
  one　another。〃
  〃And　will　get　to　know　each　other　through　and　through？〃　added
  Raskolnikov。
  〃Yes；　know　each　other　through　and　through；〃　assented　Porfiry
  Petrovitch；　and　he　screwed　up　his　eyes；　looking　earnestly　at
  Raskolnikov。　〃Now　you're　going　to　a　birthday　party？〃
  〃To　a　funeral。〃
  〃Of　course；　the　funeral！　Take　care　of　yourself；　and　get　well。〃
  〃I　don't　know　what　to　wish　you；〃　said　Raskolnikov；　who　had　begun
  to　descend　the　stairs；　but　looked　back　again。　〃I　should　like　to　wish
  you　success；　but　your　office　is　such　a　comical　one。〃
  〃Why　comical？〃　Porfiry　Petrovitch　had　turned　to　go；　but　he　seemed　to
  prick　up　his　ears　at　this。
  〃Why；　how　you　must　have　been　torturing　and　harassing　that　poor
  Nikolay　psychologically；　after　your　fashion；　till　he　confessed！　You
  must　have　been　at　him　day　and　night；　proving　to　him　that　he　was　the
  murderer；　and　now　that　he　has　confessed；　you'll　begin　vivisecting
  him　again。　'You　are　lying；'　you'll　say。　'You　are　not　the　murderer！　You
  can't　be！　It's　not　your　own　tale　you　are　telling！'　You　must　admit　it's
  a　comical　business！〃
  〃He…he…he！　You　noticed　then　that　I　said　to　Nikolay　just　now　that
  it　was　not　his　own　tale　he　was　telling？〃
  〃How　could　I　help　noticing　it！〃
  〃He…he！　You　are　quick…witted。　You　notice　everything！　You've　really　a
  playful　mind！　And　you　always　fasten　on　the　comic　side。。。　he…he！　They
  say　that　was　the　marked　characteristic　of　Gogol；　among　the　writers。〃
  〃Yes；　of　Gogol。〃
  〃Yes；　of　Gogol。。。。　I　shall　look　forward　to　meeting　you。〃
  〃So　shall　I。〃
  Raskolnikov　walked　straight　home。　He　was　so　muddled　and　bewildered
  that　on　getting　home　he　sat　for　a　quarter　of　an　hour　on　the　sofa；
  trying　to　collect　his　thoughts。　He　did　not　attempt　to　think　about
  Nikolay；　he　was　stupefied；　he　felt　that　his　confession　was　something
  inexplicable；　amazing…　something　beyond　his　understanding。　But
  Nikolay's　confession　was　an　actual　fact。　The　consequences　of　this　fact
  were　clear　to　him　at　once；　its　fal