his chaotic day--the strangest day of his life--had
affected him so that he was in a dazed, wild condition, which almost
resembled drunkenness.

He had kept but one idea before him all day, and for that he had worked
in an agony of anxiety and a fever of suspense. His lieutenants had
worked so hard from five o'clock until eleven, that they actually had
collected a hundred thousand roubles for him, but at such terrific
expense, that the rate of interest was only mentioned among them in
whispers and with bated breath.

As before, Rogojin walked in advance of his troop, who followed him with
mingled self-assertion and timidity. They were specially frightened of
Nastasia Philipovna herself, for some reason.

Many of them expected to be thrown downstairs at once, without further
ceremony, the elegant and irresistible Zaleshoff among them. But
the party led by the athlete, without openly showing their hostile
intentions, silently nursed contempt and even hatred for Nastasia
Philipovna, and marched into her house as they would have marched into
an enemy's fortress. Arrived there, the luxury of the rooms seemed to
inspire them with a kind of respect, not unmixed with alarm. So many
things were entirely new to their experience--the choice furniture, the
pictures, the great statue of Venus. They followed their chief into the
salon, however, with a kind of impudent curiosity. There, the sight of
General Epanchin among the guests, caused many of them to beat a hasty
retreat into the adjoining room, the "boxer" and "beggar" being among
the first to go. A few only, of whom Lebedeff made one, stood their
ground; he had contrived to walk side by side with Rogojin, for he quite
understood the importance of a man who had a fortune of a million odd
roubles, and who at this moment carried a hundred thousand in his hand.
It may be added that the whole company, not excepting Lebedeff, had the
vaguest idea of the extent of their powers, and of how far they could
safely go. At some moments Lebedeff was sure that right was on their
side; at others he tried uneasily to remember various cheering and
reassuring articles of the Civil Code.

Rogojin, when he stepped into the room, and his eyes fell upon Nastasia,
stopped short, grew white as a sheet, and stood staring; it was clear
that his heart was beating painfully. So he stood, gazing intently, but
timidly, for a few seconds. Suddenly, as though bereft of his senses, he
moved forward, stagge