inal at the moment of his deed."

"Yes, and you strove to prove that a criminal, at such a moment, is
always, mentally, more or less unhinged. That point of view is a very
original one, but it was not this part of your article which most
interested me. I was particularly struck by an idea at the end of the
article, and which, unfortunately, you have touched upon too
cursorily. In a word, if you remember, you maintained that there are
men in existence who can, or more accurately, who have an absolute
right to commit all kinds of wicked and criminal acts--men for whom,
to a certain extent, laws do not exist."

"Is it not very likely that some coming Napoleon did for Alena
Ivanovna last week?" suddenly blustered Zametoff from his corner.

Without saying a word, Raskolnikoff fixed on Porphyrius a firm and
penetrating glance. Raskolnikoff was beginning to look sullen. He
seemed to have been suspecting something for some time past. He looked
round him with an irritable air. For a moment there was an ominous
silence. Raskolnikoff was getting ready to go.

"What, are you off already?" asked Porphyrius, kindly offering the
young man his hand with extreme affability. "I am delighted to have
made your acquaintance. And as for your application, don't be uneasy
about it. Write in the way I suggested. Or, perhaps, you had better do
this. Come and see me before long--to-morrow, if you like. I shall be
here without fail at eleven o'clock. We can make everything
right--we'll have a chat--and as you were one of the last that went
_there_, you might be able to give some further particulars?" he
added, with his friendly smile.

"Do you wish to examine me formally?" Raskolnikoff inquired, in an
uncomfortable tone.

"Why should I? Such a thing is out of the question. You have
misunderstood me. I ought to tell you that I manage to make the most
of every opportunity. I have already had a chat with every single
person that has been in the habit of pledging things with the old
woman--several have given me very useful information--and as you
happen to be the last one--By the by," he exclaimed, with sudden
pleasure, "how lucky I am thinking about it, I was really going to
forget it!" (Saying which he turned to Razoumikhin.) "You were almost
stunning my ears, the other day, talking about Mikolka. Well, I am
certain, quite certain, as to his innocence," he went on, once more
addressing himself to Raskolnikoff. "But what was to be done? It has