s form? You know as I do that in many cases
the form means nothing at all. Occasionally a simple conversation, a
friendly interview, brings about a more certain result. The practice
or form will never die out--I can vouch for that; but what, after all,
is the form, I ask once more? You can't compel an examining magistrate
to be hampered or bound by it everlastingly. His duty or method is, in
its way, one of the liberal professions or something very much like
it."

Porphyrius Petrovitch stopped a moment to take breath. He kept on
talking, now uttering pure nonsense, now again introducing, in spite
of this trash, an occasional enigmatical remark, after which he went
on with his insipidities. His tramp about the room was more like a
race--he moved his stout legs more and more quickly, without looking
up; his right hand was thrust deep in the pocket of his coat, whilst
with the left he unceasingly gesticulated in a way unconnected with
his observations. Raskolnikoff noticed, or fancied he noticed, that,
whilst running round and round the room, he had twice stopped near the
door, seeming to listen. "Does he expect something?" he asked himself.

"You're perfectly right," resumed Porphyrius cheerily, whilst looking
at the young man with a kindliness which immediately awoke the
latter's distrust. "Our judicial customs deserve your satire. Our
proceedings, which are supposed to be inspired by a profound knowledge
of psychology, are very ridiculous ones, and very often useless. Now,
to return to our method or form: Suppose for a moment that I am
deputed to investigate something or other, and that I know the guilty
person to be a certain gentleman. Are you not yourself reading for the
law, Rodion Romanovitch?"

"I was some time ago."

"Well, here is a kind of example which may be of use to you later on.
Don't run away with the idea that I am setting up as your
instructor--God forbid that I should presume to teach anything to a
man who treats criminal questions in the public press! Oh, no!--all I
am doing is to quote to you, by way of example, a trifling fact.
Suppose that I fancy I am convinced of the guilt of a certain man,
why, I ask you, should I frighten him prematurely, assuming me to have
every evidence against him? Of course, in the case of another man of a
different disposition, him I would have arrested forthwith; but, as to
the former, why should I not permit him to hang about a little longer?
I see you do not quite