ng on a thousand, you know! He was in a hurry and seems to have
been frightened by the fire himself.... Would you believe it, that fire
came as a thunderbolt for me. Devil only knows what to make of it! It is
taking things into their own hands.... You see, as I expect so much of
you I will hide nothing from you: I've long been hatching this idea of a
fire because it suits the national and popular taste; but I was keeping
it for a critical moment, for that precious time when we should all rise
up and... And they suddenly took it into their heads to do it, on their
own initiative, without orders, now at the very moment when we ought to
be lying low and keeping quiet! Such presumption!... The fact is, I've
not got to the bottom of it yet, they talk about two Shpigulin men, but
if there are any of _our_ fellows in it, if any one of them has had a hand
in it--so much the worse for him! You see what comes of letting people
get ever so little out of hand! No, this democratic rabble, with
its quintets, is a poor foundation; what we want is one magnificent,
despotic will, like an idol, resting on something fundamental and
external.... Then the quintets will cringe into obedience and be
obsequiously ready on occasion. But, anyway, though, they are all crying
out now that Stavrogin wanted his wife to be burnt and that that's what
caused the fire in the town, but..."

"Why, are they all saying that?"

"Well, not yet, and I must confess I have heard nothing of the sort, but
what one can do with people, especially when they've been burnt out! _Vox
populi vox Dei_. A stupid rumour is soon set going. But you really have
nothing to be afraid of. From the legal point of view you are all right,
and with your conscience also. For you didn't want it done, did you?
There's no clue, nothing but the coincidence.... The only thing is Fedka
may remember what you said that night at Kirillov's (and what made you
say it?) but that proves nothing and we shall stop Fedka's mouth. I
shall stop it to-day...."

"And weren't the bodies burnt at all?"

"Not a bit; that ruffian could not manage anything properly. But I am
glad, anyway, that you are so calm... for though you are not in any way
to blame, even in thought, but all the same.... And you must admit that
all this settles your difficulties capitally: you are suddenly free and
a widower and can marry a charming girl this minute with a lot of money,
who is already yours, into the bargain. See what