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delirium you were continually mentioning some rings or chains！ Yes；
yes。。。 that's clear； it's all clear now。〃
〃Hullo！ How that idea must have got about among them。 Here this
man will go to the stake for me； and I find him delighted at having it
cleared up why I spoke of rings in my delirium！ What a hold the idea
must have on all of them！〃
〃Shall we find him？〃 he asked suddenly。
〃Oh； yes；〃 Razumihin answered quickly。 〃He is a nice fellow you will
see； brother。 Rather clumsy； that is to say； he is a man of polished
manners； but I mean clumsy in a different sense。 He is an
intelligent fellow； very much so indeed； but he has his own range of
ideas。。。。 He is incredulous； sceptical； cynical。。。 he likes to
impose on people； or rather to make fun of them。 His is the old；
circumstantial method。。。。 But he understands his work。。。
thoroughly。。。。 Last year he cleared up a case of murder in which the
police had hardly a clue。 He is very； very anxious to make your
acquaintance。〃
〃On what grounds is he so anxious？〃
〃Oh； it's not exactly。。。 you see； since you've been ill I happen
to have mentioned you several times。。。。 So； when he heard about you。。。
about your being a law student and not able to finish your studies； he
said； 'What a pity！' And so I concluded。。。 from everything together；
not only that； yesterday； Zametov。。。 you know； Rodya； I talked some
nonsense on the way home to you yesterday； when I was drunk。。。 I am
afraid； brother； of your exaggerating it； you see。〃
〃What？ That they think I am a madman？ Maybe they are right；〃 he said
with a constrained smile。
〃Yes； yes。。。。 That is； pooh； no！。。。 But all that I said （and there
was something else too） it was all nonsense； drunken nonsense。〃
〃But why are you apologizing？ I am so sick of it all！〃 Raskolnikov
cried with exaggerated irritability。 It was partly assumed； however。
〃I know； I know； I understand。 Believe me； I understand。 One's
ashamed to speak of it。〃
〃If you are ashamed； then don't speak of it。〃
Both were silent。 Razumihin was more than ecstatic and Raskolnikov
perceived it with repulsion。 He was alarmed； too； by what Razumihin
had just said about Porfiry。
〃I shall have to pull a long face with him too；〃 he thought； with
a beating heart； and he turned white； 〃and do it naturally； too。 But
the most natural thing would be to do nothing at all。 Carefully do
nothing at all！ No； carefully would not be natural again。。。。 Oh； well；
we shall see how it turns out。。。。 We shall see。。。 directly。 Is it a
good thing to go or not？ The butterfly flies to the light。 My heart is
beating； that's what's bad！〃
〃In this grey house；〃 said Razumihin。
〃The most important thing； does Porfiry know that I was at the old
hag's flat yesterday。。。 and asked about the blood？ I must find that
out instantly； as soon as I go in； find out from his face；
otherwise。。。 I'll find out； if it's my ruin。〃
〃I say； brother；〃 he said suddenly； addressing Razumihin； with a sly
smile； 〃I have been noticing all day that you seem to be curiously
excited。 Isn't it so？〃
〃Excited？ Not a bit of it；〃 said Razumihin； stung to the quick。
〃Yes； brother； I assure you it's noticeable。 Why； you sat on your
chair in a way you never do sit； on the edge somehow； and you seemed
to be writhing all the time。 You kept jumping up for nothing。 One
moment you were angry； and the next your face looked like a sweetmeat。
You even blushed； especially when you were invited to dinner； you
blushed awfully。〃
〃Nothing of the sort； nonsense！ What do you mean？〃
〃But why are you wriggling out of it； like a schoolboy？ By Jove；
there he's blushing again。〃
〃What a pig you are！〃
〃But why are you so shamefaced about it？ Romeo！ Stay； I'll tell of
you to…day。 Ha…ha…ha！ I'll make mother laugh； and some one else；
too。。。〃
〃Listen； listen； listen； this is serious。。。。 What next； you
fiend！〃 Razumihin was utterly overwhelmed； turning cold with horror。
〃What will you tell them？ Come； brother。。。 foo； what a pig you are！〃
〃You are like a summer rose。 And if only you knew how it suits
you； a Romeo over six foot high！ And how you've washed to…day… you
cleaned your nails； I declare。 Eh？ That's something unheard of！ Why； I
do believe you've got pomaturn on your hair！ Bend down。〃
〃Pig！〃
Raskolnikov laughed as though he could not restrain himself。 So
laughing； they entered Porfiry Petrovitch's flat。 This is what
Raskolnikov wanted： from within they could be heard laughing as they
came in； still guffawing in the passage。
〃Not a word here or I'll。。。 brain you！〃 Razumihin whispered
furiously； seizing Raskolnikov by the shoulder。
Chapter Five
RASKOLNIKOV was already entering the room。 He came in looking as
though he had the utmost difficulty not to burst out laughing again。
Behind him Razumihin strode in gawky and awkward； shamefaced and red
as a peony； with an utterly crestfallen and ferocious expression。
His face and whole figure really were ridiculous at that moment and
amply justified Raskolnikov's laughter。 Raskolnikov； not waiting for
an introduction； bowed to Porfiry Petrovitch； who stood in the
middle of the room looking inquiringly at them。 He held out his hand
and shook hands； still apparently making desperate efforts to subdue
his mirth and utter a few words to introduce himself。 But he had no
sooner succ