his rather good…looking and imposing countenance； it was due to
quite other causes。 After scanning Mr。 Luzhin unceremoniously；
Raskolnikov smiled malignantly； sank back on the pillow and stared
at the ceiling as before。
But Mr。 Luzhin hardened his heart and seemed to determine to take no
notice of their oddities。
〃I feel the greatest regret at finding you in this situation；〃 he
began； again breaking the silence with an effort。 〃If I had been aware
of your illness I should have come earlier。 But you know what business
is。 I have； too； a very important legal affair in the Senate； not to
mention other preoccupations which you may well conjecture。 I am
expecting your mamma and sister any minute。〃
Raskolnikov made a movement and seemed about to speak； his face
showed some excitement。 Pyotr Petrovitch paused； waited； but as
nothing followed； he went on：
〃。。。Any minute。 I have found a lodging for them on their arrival。〃
〃Where？〃 asked Raskolnikov weakly。
〃Very near here； in Bakaleyev's house。〃
〃That's in Voskresensky；〃 put in Razumihin。 〃There are two storeys
of rooms； let by a merchant called Yushin； I've been there。〃
〃Yes； rooms。。。〃
〃A disgusting place… filthy； stinking and； what's more； of
doubtful character。 Things have happened there； and there are all
sorts of queer people living there。 And I went there about a
scandalous business。 It's cheap； though。。。〃
〃I could not； of course； find out so much about it； for I am a
stranger in Petersburg myself；〃 Pyotr Petrovitch replied huffily。
〃However； the two rooms are exceedingly clean； and as it is for so
short a time。。。 I have already taken a permanent； that is； our
future flat；〃 he said； addressing Raskolnikov； 〃and I am having it
done up。 And meanwhile I am myself cramped for room in a lodging
with my friend Andrey Semyonovitch Lebeziatnikov； in the flat of
Madame Lippevechsel； it was he who told me of Bakaleyev's house；
too。。。。〃
〃Lebeziatnikov？〃 said Raskolnikov slowly； as if recalling something。
〃Yes； Andrey Semyonovitch Lebeziatnikov； a clerk in the Ministry。 Do
you know him？〃
〃Yes。。。 no；〃 Raskolnikov answered。
〃Excuse me； I fancied so from your inquiry。 I was once his
guardian。。。。 A very nice young man and advanced。 I like to meet
young people： one learns new things from them。〃 Luzhin looked round
hopefully at them all。
〃How do you mean？〃 asked Razumihin。
〃In the most serious and essential matters；〃 Pyotr Petrovitch
replied； as though delighted at the question。 〃You see； it's ten years
since I visited Petersburg。 All the novelties； reforms； ideas have
reached us in the provinces； but to see it all more clearly one must
be in Petersburg。 And it's my notion that you observe and learn most
by watching the younger generation。 And I confess I am delighted。。。〃
〃At what？〃
〃Your question is a wide one。 I may be mistaken； but I fancy I
find clearer views； more； so to say； criticism； more practicality。。。〃
〃That's true；〃 Zossimov let drop。
〃Nonsense！ There's no practicality。〃 Razumihin flew at him。
〃Practicality is a difficult thing to find； it does not drop down from
heaven。 And for the last two hundred years we have been divorced
from all practical life。 Ideas； if you like； are fermenting；〃 he
said to Pyotr Petrovitch； 〃and desire for good exists； though it's
in a childish form； and honesty you may find； although there are
crowds of brigands。 Anyway； there's no practicality。 Practicality goes
well shod。〃
〃I don't agree with you；〃 Pyotr Petrovitch replied； with evident
enjoyment。 〃Of course； people do get carried away and make mistakes；
but one must have indulgence； those mistakes are merely evidence of
enthusiasm for the cause and of abnormal external environment。 If
little has been done； the time has been but short； of means I will not
speak。 It's my personal view； if you care to know； that something
has been accomplished already。 New valuable ideas； new valuable
works are circulating in the place of our old dreamy and romantic
authors。 Literature is taking a maturer form； many injurious prejudice
have been rooted up and turned into ridicule。。。。 In a word； we have
cut ourselves off irrevocably from the past； and that； to my thinking；
is a great thing。。。〃
〃He's learnt it by heart to show off Raskolnikov pronounced
suddenly。
〃What？〃 asked Pyotr Petrovitch； not catching his words； but he
received no reply。
〃That's all true；〃 Zossimov hastened to interpose。
〃Isn't it so？〃 Pyotr Petrovitch went on； glancing affably at
Zossimov。 〃You must admit；〃 he went on； addressing Razumihin with a
shade of triumph and superciliousness… he almost added 〃young man〃…
〃that there is an advance； or； as they say now； progress in the name
of science and economic truth。。。〃
〃A commonplace。〃
〃No； not a commonplace！ Hitherto； for instance； if I were told；
'love thy neighbour；' what came of it？〃 Pyotr Petrovitch went on；
perhaps with excessive haste。 〃It came to my tearing my coat in half
to share with my neighbour and we both were left half naked。 As a
Russian proverb has it； 'catch several hares and you won't catch one。'
Science now tells us； love yourself before all men； for everything
in the world rests on self…interest。 You love yourself and manage your
own affairs properly and your coat remains whole。 Economic truth
adds that the better private affairs are organised in society… the
more whole coats； so to say… the firmer are its foundations and the
better is the common welfare organised too。 Therefore； in acquiring
wealth solely and exclusively for myself； I am acquiring so to
speak； for all； and helping to bring to pass my neighbour's getting
a little more than a torn coat； and that not from private； personal
liberality； but as a consequence of the general advance。 The idea is
simple； but unhappily it has been a long time reaching us； being
hindered by idealism and sentimentality。 And yet it would seem to want
very little wit to perceive it。。。〃
〃Excuse me； I've very little wit myself；〃 Razumihin cut in
sharply； 〃and so let us drop it。 I began this discussion with an
object； but I've grown so sick during the last three years of this
chattering to amuse oneself； of this incessant flow of commonplaces；
always the same； that； by Jove； I blush even when other people talk
like that。 You are in a hurry； no doubt； to exhibit your acquirements；
and I don't blame you； that's quite pardonable。 I only wanted to
find out what sort of man you are； for so many unscrupulous people
have got hold of the progressive cause of late and have so distorted
in their own interests everything they touched； that the whole cause
has been dragged in the mire。 That's enough！〃
〃Excuse me； sir；〃 said Luzhin； affronted； and speaking with
excessive dignity。 〃Do you mean to suggest so unceremoniously that I
too。。。〃
〃Oh； my dear sir。。。 how could I？。。。 Come； that's enough；〃
Razumihin concluded； and he turned abruptly to Zossimov to continue
their previous conversation。
Pyotr Petrovitch had the good se