Lebeziatnikov　was　not　merely　a　commonplace　simpleton；　but；　perhaps；
  a　liar；　too；　and　that　he　had　no　connections　of　any　consequence　even　in
  his　own　circle；　but　had　simply　picked　things　up　third…hand；　and　that
  very　likely　he　did　not　even　know　much　about　his　own　work　of
  propaganda；　for　he　was　in　too　great　a　muddle。　A　fine　person　he　would
  be　to　show　any　one　up！　It　must　be　noted；　by　the　way；　that　Pyotr
  Petrovitch　had　during　those　ten　days　eagerly　accepted　the　strangest
  praise　from　Andrey　Semyonovitch；　he　had　not　protested；　for　instance；
  when　Andrey　Semyonovitch　belauded　him　for　being　ready　to　contribute　to
  the　establishment　of　the　new　〃commune；〃　or　to　abstain　from　christening
  his　future　children；　or　to　acquiesce　if　Dounia　were　to　take　a　lover
  a　month　after　marriage；　and　so　on。　Pyotr　Petrovitch　so　enjoyed　hearing
  his　own　praises　that　he　did　not　disdain　even　such　virtues　when　they
  were　attributed　to　him。
  Pyotr　Petrovitch　had　had　occasion　that　morning　to　realise　some
  five　per　cent。　bonds　and　now　he　sat　down　to　the　table　and　counted　over
  bundles　of　notes。　Andrey　Semyonovitch　who　hardly　ever　had　any　money
  walked　about　the　room　pretending　to　himself　to　look　at　all　those
  bank　notes　with　indifference　and　even　contempt。　Nothing　would　have
  convinced　Pyotr　Petrovitch　that　Andrey　Semyonovitch　could　really
  look　on　the　money　unmoved；　and　the　latter；　on　his　side；　kept
  thinking　bitterly　that　Pyotr　Petrovitch　was　capable　of　entertaining
  such　an　idea　about　him　and　was；　perhaps；　glad　of　the　opportunity　of
  teasing　his　young　friend　by　reminding　him　of　his　inferiority　and　the
  great　difference　between　them。
  He　found　him　incredibly　inattentive　and　irritable；　though　he；　Andrey
  Semyonovitch；　began　enlarging　on　his　favourite　subject；　the　foundation
  of　a　new　special　〃commune。〃　The　brief　remarks　that　dropped　from
  Pyotr　Petrovitch　between　the　clicking　of　the　beads　on　the　reckoning
  frame　betrayed　unmistakable　and　discourteous　irony。　But　the　〃humane〃
  Andrey　Semyonovitch　ascribed　Pyotr　Petrovitch's　ill…humour　to　his
  recent　breach　with　Dounia　and　he　was　burning　with　impatience　to
  discourse　on　that　theme。　He　had　something　progressive　to　say　on　the
  subject　which　might　console　his　worthy　friend　and　〃could　not　fail〃
  to　promote　his　development。
  〃There　is　some　sort　of　festivity　being　prepared　at　that。。。　at　the
  widow's；　isn't　there？〃　Pyotr　Petrovitch　asked　suddenly；　interrupting
  Andrey　Semyonovitch　at　the　most　interesting　passage。
  〃Why；　don't　you　know？　Why；　I　was　telling　you　last　night　what　I　think
  about　all　such　ceremonies。　And　she　invited　you　too；　I　heard。　You
  were　talking　to　her　yesterday。。。〃
  〃I　should　never　have　expected　that　beggarly　fool　would　have　spent　on
  this　feast　all　the　money　she　got　from　that　other　fool；　Raskolnikov。
  I　was　surprised　just　now　as　I　came　through　at　the　preparations
  there；　the　wines！　Several　people　are　invited。　It's　beyond　everything！〃
  continued　Pyotr　Petrovitch；　who　seemed　to　have　some　object　in　pursuing
  the　conversation。　〃What？　You　say　I　am　asked　too？　When　was　that？　I
  don't　remember。　But　I　shan't　go。　Why　should　I？　I　only　said　a　word　to
  her　in　passing　yesterday　of　the　possibility　of　her　obtaining　a
  year's　salary　as　a　destitute　widow　of　a　government　clerk。　I　suppose
  she　has　invited　me　on　that　account；　hasn't　she？　He…he…he！〃
  〃I　don't　intend　to　go　either；〃　said　Lebeziatnikov。
  〃I　should　think　not；　after　giving　her　a　thrashing！　You　might　well
  hesitate；　he…he！〃
  〃Who　thrashed？　Whom？〃　cried　Lebeziatnikov；　flustered　and　blushing。
  〃Why；　you　thrashed　Katerina　Ivanovna　a　month　ago。　I　heard　so
  yesterday。。。　so　that's　what　your　convictions　amount　to。。。　and　the
  woman　question；　too；　wasn't　quite　sound；　he…he…he！〃　and　Pyotr
  Petrovitch；　as　though　comforted；　went　back　to　clicking　his　beads。
  〃It's　all　slander　and　nonsense！〃　cried　Lebeziatnikov；　who　was　always
  afraid　of　allusions　to　the　subject。　〃It　was　not　like　that　at　all；　it
  was　quite　different。　You've　heard　it　wrong；　it's　a　libel。　I　was　simply
  defending　myself。　She　rushed　at　me　first　with　her　nails；　she　pulled
  out　all　my　whiskers。。。。　It's　permissable　for　any　one　I　should　hope
  to　defend　himself　and　I　never　allow　any　one　to　use　violence　to　me　on
  principle；　for　it's　an　act　of　despotism。　What　was　I　to　do？　I　simply
  pushed　her　back。〃
  〃He…he…he！〃　Luzhin　went　on　laughing　maliciously。
  〃You　keep　on　like　that　because　you　are　out　of　humour　yourself。。。。
  But　that's　nonsense　and　it　has　nothing；　nothing　whatever　to　do　with
  the　woman　question！　You　don't　understand；　I　used　to　think；　indeed；
  that　if　women　are　equal　to　men　in　all　respects　even　in　strength　（as　is
  maintained　now）　there　ought　to　be　equality　in　that；　too。　Of　course；
  I　reflected　afterwards　that　such　a　question　ought　not　really　to　arise；
  for　there　ought　not　to　be　fighting　and　in　the　future　society；　fighting
  is　unthinkable。。。　and　that　it　would　be　a　queer　thing　to　seek　for
  equality　in　fighting。　I　am　not　so　stupid。。。　though；　of　course；　there
  is　fighting。。。　there　won't　be　later；　but　at　present　there　is。。。
  confound　it！　How　muddled　one　gets　with　you！　It's　not　on　that　account
  that　I　am　not　going。　I　am　not　going　on　principle；　not　to　take　part
  in　the　revolting　convention　of　memorial　dinners；　that's　why！　Though；
  of　course；　one　might　go　to　laugh　at　it。。。。　I　am　sorry　there　won't　be
  any　priests　at　it。　I　should　certainly　go　if　there　were。〃
  〃Then　you　would　sit　down　at　another　man's　table　and　insult　it　and
  those　who　invited　you。　Eh？〃
  〃Certainly　not　insult；　but　protest。　I　should　do　it　with　a　good
  object。　I　might　indirectly　assist　the　cause　of　enlightenment　and
  propaganda。　It's　a　duty　of　every　man　to　work　for　enlightenment　and
  propaganda　and　the　more　harshly；　perhaps；　the　better。　I　might　drop　a
  seed；　an　idea。。。。　And　something　might　grow　up　from　that　seed。　How
  should　I　be　insulting　them？　They　might　be　offended　at　first；　but
  afterwards　they'd　see　I'd　done　them　a　service。　You　know；　Terebyeva
  （who　is　in　the　community　now）　was　blamed　because　when　she　left　her
  family　and。。。　devoted。。。　herself；　she　wrote　to　her　father　and　mother
  that　she　wouldn't　go　on　living　conventionally　and　was　entering　on　a
  free　marriage　and　it　was　said　that　that　was　too　harsh；　that　she
  might　have　spared　them　and　have　written　more　kindly。　I　think　that's
  all　nonsense　and　there's　no　need　of　softness；　on　the　contrary；
  what's　wanted　is　protest。　Varents　had　been　married　seven　years；　she
  abandoned　her　two　children；　she　told　her　husband　straight　out　in　a
  letter：　'I　have　realised　that　I　cannot　be　happy　with　you。　I　can
  never　forgive　you　that　you　have　deceived　me　by　concealing　from　me　that
  there　is　another　organisation　of　society　by　means　of　the
  communities。　I　have　only　lately　learned　it　from　a　great…hearted　man　to
  whom　I　have　given　myself　and　with　whom　I　am　establishing　a
  community。　I　speak　plainly　because　I　consider　it　dishonest　to
  deceive　you。　Do　as　you　think　best。　Do　not　hope　to　get　me　back；　you　are
  too　late。　I　hope　you　will　be　happy。'　That's　how　letters　like　that
  ought　to　be　written！〃
  〃Is　that　Terebyeva　the　one　you　said　had　made　a　third　free　marriage？〃
  〃No；　it's　only　the　second；　really！　But　what　if　it　were　the　fourth；
  what　if　it　were　the　fifteenth；　that's　all　nonsense！　And　if　ever　I
  regretted　the　death　of　my　father　and　mother；　it　is　now；　and　I
  sometimes　think　if　my　parents　were　living　what　a　protest　I　would
  have　aimed　at　them！　I　would　have　done　something　on　purpose。。。　I
  would　have　shown　them！　I　would　have　astonished　them！　I　am　really　sorry
  there　is　no　one！〃
  〃To　surprise！　He…he！　Well；　be　that　as　you　will；〃　Pyotr　Petrovitch
  interrupted；　〃but　tell　me　this；　do　you　know　the　dead　man's　daughter；
  the　delicate…looking　little　thing？