his pocket Lebyadkin's anonymous letter to Lembke and
handed it to Liputin. The latter read it, was evidently surprised, and
passed it thoughtfully to his neighbour; the letter quickly went the
round.

"Is that really Lebyadkin's handwriting?" observed Shigalov.

"It is," answered Liputin and Tolkatchenko (the authority on the
peasantry).

"I simply brought it as a fact of interest and because I knew you were
so sentimental over Lebyadkin," repeated Pyotr Stepanovitch, taking the
letter back. "So it turns out, gentlemen, that a stray Fedka relieves us
quite by chance of a dangerous man. That's what chance does sometimes!
It's instructive, isn't it?"

The members exchanged rapid glances.

"And now, gentlemen, it's my turn to ask questions," said Pyotr
Stepanovitch, assuming an air of dignity. "Let me know what business you
had to set fire to the town without permission."

"What's this! We, we set fire to the town? That is laying the blame on
others!" they exclaimed.

"I quite understand that you carried the game too far," Pyotr
Stepanovitch persisted stubbornly, "but it's not a matter of petty
scandals with Yulia Mihailovna. I've brought you here gentlemen,
to explain to you the greatness of the danger you have so stupidly
incurred, which is a menace to much besides yourselves."

"Excuse me, we, on the contrary, were intending just now to point out
to you the greatness of the despotism and unfairness you have shown
in taking such a serious and also strange step without consulting the
members," Virginsky, who had been hitherto silent, protested, almost
with indignation.

"And so you deny it? But I maintain that you set fire to the town, you
and none but you. Gentlemen, don't tell lies! I have good evidence. By
your rashness you exposed the common cause to danger. You are only one
knot in an endless network of knots--and your duty is blind obedience to
the centre. Yet three men of you incited the Shpigulin men to set fire
to the town without the least instruction to do so, and the fire has
taken place."

"What three? What three of us?"

"The day before yesterday, at three o'clock in the night, you,
Tolkatchenko, were inciting Fomka Zavyalov at the 'Forget-me-not.'"

"Upon my word!" cried the latter, jumping up, "I scarcely said a word
to him, and what I did say was without intention, simply because he had
been flogged that morning. And I dropped it at once; I saw he was too
drunk. If you had not referred to