without reflecting that the stout gentleman was a match for two men
like himself。 But at that instant some one seized him from behind； and
a police constable stood between them。
〃That's enough； gentlemen； no fighting； please； in a public place。
What do you want？ Who are you？〃 he asked Raskolnikov sternly； noticing
his rags。
Raskolnikov looked at him intently。 He had a straight…forward；
sensible； soldierly face； with grey moustaches and whiskers。
〃You are just the man I want；〃 Raskolnikov cried； catching at his
arm。 〃I am a student； Raskolnikov。。。。 You may as well know that
too；〃 he added； addressing the gentleman； 〃come along； I have
something to show you。〃
And taking the policeman by the hand he drew him towards the seat。
〃Look here； hopelessly drunk； and she has just come down the
boulevard。 There is no telling who and what she is； she does not
look like a professional。 It's more likely she has been given drink
and deceived somewhere。。。 for the first time。。。 you understand？ and
they've put her out into the street like that。 Look at the way her
dress is torn； and the way it has been put on： she has been dressed by
somebody； she has not dressed herself； and dressed by unpractised
hands； by a man's hands； that's evident。 And now look there： I don't
know that dandy with whom I was going to fight； I see him for the
first time； but； he； too has seen her on the road； just now； drunk；
not knowing what she is doing； and now he is very eager to get hold of
her； to get her away somewhere while she is in this state。。。 that's
certain； believe me； I am not wrong。 I saw him myself watching her and
following her； but I prevented him； and he is just waiting for me to
go away。 Now he has walked away a little； and is standing still；
pretending to make a cigarette。。。。 Think how can we keep her out of
his hands； and how are we to get her home？〃
The policeman saw it all in a flash。 The stout gentleman was easy to
understand； he turned to consider the girl。 The policeman bent over to
examine her more closely； and his face worked with genuine compassion。
〃Ah； what a pity！〃 he said； shaking his head… 〃why； she is quite a
child！ She has been deceived； you can see that at once。 Listen； lady；〃
he began addressing her； 〃where do you live？〃 The girl opened her
weary and sleepy…looking eyes； gazed blankly at the speaker and
waved her hand。
〃Here；〃 said Raskolnikov feeling in his pocket and finding twenty
copecks； 〃here； call a cab and tell him to drive her to her address。
The only thing is to find out her address！〃
〃Missy； missy！〃 the policeman began again； taking the money。 〃I'll
fetch you a cab and take you home myself。 Where shall I take you；
eh？ Where do you live？〃
〃Go away！ They won't let me alone；〃 the girl muttered； and once more
waved her hand。
〃Ach； ach； how shocking！ It's shameful； missy； it's a shame！〃 He
shook his head again； shocked； sympathetic and indignant。
〃It's a difficult job；〃 the policeman said to Raskolnikov； and as he
did so； he looked him up and down in a rapid glance。 He。 too； must
have seemed a strange figure to him： dressed in rags and handing him
money！
〃Did you meet her far from here？〃 he asked him。
〃I tell you she was walking in front of me； staggering； just here；
in the boulevard。 She only just reached the seat and sank down on it。〃
〃Ah； the shameful things that are done in the world nowadays； God
have mercy on us！ An innocent creature like that； drunk already！ She
has been deceived； that's a sure thing。 See how her dress has been
torn too。。。。 Ah； the vice one sees nowadays！ And as likely as not
she belongs to gentlefolk too； poor ones maybe。。。。 There are many like
that nowadays。 She looks refined； too； as though she were a lady；〃 and
he bent over her once more。
Perhaps he had daughters growing up like that； 〃looking like
ladies and refined〃 with pretensions to gentility and smartness。。。。
〃The chief thing is；〃 Raskolnikov persisted； 〃to keep her out of
this scoundrel's hands！ Why should he outrage her！ It's as clear as
day what he is after； ah； the brute； he is not moving off！〃
Raskolnikov spoke aloud and pointed to him。 The gentleman heard him；
and seemed about to fly into a rage again； but thought better of it；
and confined himself to a contemptuous look。 He then walked slowly
another ten paces away and again halted。
〃Keep her out of his hands we can；〃 said the constable thoughtfully；
〃if only she'd tell us where to take her； but as it is。。。。 Missy； hey；
missy！〃 he bent over her once more。
She opened her eyes fully all of a sudden； looked at him intently；
as though realising something； got up from the seat and walked away in
the direction from which she had come。 〃Oh shameful wretches； they
won't let me alone！〃 she said； waving her hand again。 She walked
quickly； though staggering as before。 The dandy followed her； but
along another avenue； keeping his eye on her。
〃Don't be anxious； I won't let him have her；〃 the policeman said
resolutely； and he set off after them。
〃Ah； the vice one sees nowadays！〃 he repeated aloud； sighing。
At that moment something seemed to sting Raskolnikov； in an
instant a complete revulsion of feeling came over him。
〃Hey； here！〃 he shouted after the policeman。
The latter turned round。
〃Let them be！ What is it to do with you？ Let her go！ Let him amuse
himself。〃 He pointed at the dandy； 〃What is it to do with you？〃
The policeman was bewildered； and stared at him open…eyed。
Raskolnikov laughed。
〃Well！〃 ejaculated the policeman； with a gesture of contempt； and he
walked after the dandy and the girl； probably taking Raskolnikov for a
madman or something even worse。
〃He has carried off my twenty copecks；〃 Raskolnikov murmured angrily
when he was left alone。 〃Well； let him take as much from the other
fellow to allow him to have the girl and so let it end。 And why did
I want to interfere？ Is it for me to help？ Have I any right to help？
Let them devour each other alive… what is to me？ How did I dare to
give him twenty copecks？ Were they mine？〃
In spite of those strange words he felt very wretched。 He sat down
on the deserted seat。 His thought strayed aimlessly。。。。 He found it
hard to fix his mind on anything at that moment。 He longed to forget
himself altogether； to forget everything； and then to wake up and
begin life anew。。。。
〃Poor girl！〃 he said； looking at the empty corner where she had sat…
〃She will come to herself and weep； and then her mother will find
out。。。。 She will give her a beating； a horrible； shameful beating
and then maybe； turn her out of doors。。。。 And even if she does not；
the Darya Frantsovnas will get wind of it； and the girl will soon be
slipping out on the sly here and there。 Then there will be the
hospital directly （that's always the luck of those girls with
respectable mothers； who go wrong on the sly） and then。。。 again the
hospital。。。 drink。。。 the taverns。。。 and more hospital； in two or three
years… a wreck； and her life over at eighteen or nineteen。。。。 Have not
I seen cases like that？ And how have they been brought to it？ Why；
they've all come to it like that。 Ugh！ But what does it matter？ That's
as it should be； they tell us。 A certain percentage； they tell us；
must every year go。。。 that way。。。 to the devil； I suppose； so that the
rest may remain chaste； and not be