r it! I go into these details about him because I
feel very sorry for him.

"Our fellows" were excited. The events of the previous night had made a
great impression on them, and I fancy they were in a panic. The simple
disorderliness in which they had so zealously and systematically taken
part had ended in a way they had not expected. The fire in the night,
the murder of the Lebyadkins, the savage brutality of the crowd with
Liza, had been a series of surprises which they had not anticipated in
their programme. They hotly accused the hand that had guided them of
despotism and duplicity. In fact, while they were waiting for Pyotr
Stepanovitch they worked each other up to such a point that they
resolved again to ask him for a definite explanation, and if he evaded
again, as he had done before, to dissolve the quintet and to found
instead a new secret society "for the propaganda of ideas" and on
their own initiative on the basis of democracy and equality. Liputin,
Shigalov, and the authority on the peasantry supported this plan;
Lyamshin said nothing, though he looked approving. Virginsky hesitated
and wanted to hear Pyotr Stepanovitch first. It was decided to hear
Pyotr Stepanovitch, but still he did not come; such casualness added
fuel to the flames. Erkel was absolutely silent and did nothing but
order the tea, which he brought from his landladies in glasses on a
tray, not bringing in the samovar nor allowing the servant to enter.

Pyotr Stepanovitch did not turn up till half-past eight. With rapid
steps he went up to the circular table before the sofa round which the
company were seated; he kept his cap in his hand and refused tea. He
looked angry, severe, and supercilious. He must have observed at once
from their faces that they were "mutinous."

"Before I open my mouth, you've got something hidden; out with it."

Liputin began "in the name of all," and declared in a voice quivering
with resentment "that if things were going on like that they might as
well blow their brains out." Oh, they were not at all afraid to blow
their brains out, they were quite ready to, in fact, but only to serve
the common cause (a general movement of approbation). So he must be more
open with them so that they might always know beforehand, "or else what
would things be coming to?" (Again a stir and some guttural sounds.) To
behave like this was humiliating and dangerous. "We don't say so because
we are afraid, but if one acts and the res