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Pyotr Petrovitch stole a glance at Raskolnikov。 Their eyes met；
and the fire in Raskolnikov's seemed ready to reduce him to ashes。
Meanwhile Katerina Ivanovna apparently heard nothing。 She was
kissing and hugging Sonia like a madwoman。 The children； too； were
embracing Sonia on all sides； and Polenka；… though she did not fully
understand what was wrong；… was drowned in tears and shaking with
sobs； as she hid her pretty little face； swollen with weeping； on
Sonia's shoulder。
〃How vile！〃 a loud voice cried suddenly in the doorway。
Pyotr Petrovitch looked round quickly。
〃What vileness！〃 Lebeziatnikov repeated； staring him straight in the
face。
Pyotr Petrovitch gave a positive start… all noticed it and
recalled it afterwards。 Lebeziatnikov strode into the room。
〃And you dared to call me as witness？〃 he said； going up to Pyotr
Petrovitch。
〃What do you mean？ What are you talking about？〃 muttered Luzhin。
〃I mean that you。。。 are a slanderer； that's what my words mean！〃
Lebeziatnikov said hotly； looking sternly at him with his shortsighted
eyes。
He was extremely angry。 Raskolnikov gazed intently at him； as though
seizing and weighing each word。 Again there was a silence。 Pyotr
Petrovitch indeed seemed almost dumbfounded for the first moment。
〃If you mean that for me；。。。〃 he began； stammering。 〃But what's
the matter with you？ Are you out of your mind？〃
〃I'm in my mind； but you are a scoundrel！ Ah； how vile！ I have heard
everything。 I kept waiting on purpose to understand it； for I must own
even now it is not quite logical。。。。 What you have done it all for I
can't understand。〃
〃Why； what have I done then？ Give over talking in your nonsensical
riddles！ Or maybe you are drunk！〃
〃You may be a drunkard； perhaps； vile man； but I am not！ I never
touch vodka； for it's against my convictions。 Would you believe it；
he； he himself； with his own hands gave Sofya Semyonovna that
hundred…rouble note… I saw it； I was a witness； I'll take my oath！
He did it； he！〃 repeated Lebeziatnikov； addressing all。
〃Are you crazy； milksop？〃 squealed Luzhin。 〃She is herself before
you；… she herself here declared just now before every one that I
gave her only ten roubles。 How could I have given it to her？〃
〃I saw it； I saw it；〃 Lebeziatnikov repeated； 〃and although it is
against my principles； I am ready this very minute to take any oath
you like before the court； for I saw how you slipped it in her pocket。
Only like a fool I thought you did it out of kindness！ When you were
saying good…bye to her at the door； while you held her hand in one
hand； with the other； the left； you slipped the note into her
pocket。 I saw it； I saw it！〃
Luzhin turned pale。
〃What lies！〃 he cried impudently； 〃why； how could you； standing by
the window； see the note！ You fancied it with your shortsighted
eyes。 You are raving！〃
〃No； I didn't fancy it。 And though I was standing some way off； I
saw it all。 And though it certainly would be hard to distinguish a
note from the window；… that's true… I knew for certain that it was a
hundred…rouble note； because； when you were going to give Sofya
Semyonovna ten roubles； you took up from the table a hundred…rouble
note （I saw it because I was standing near then； and an idea struck me
at once； so that I did not forget you had it in your hand）。 You folded
it and kept it in your hand all the time。 I didn't think of it again
until； when you were getting up； you changed it from your right hand
to your left and nearly dropped it！ I noticed it because the same idea
struck me again； that you meant to do her a kindness without my
seeing。 You can fancy how I watched you and I saw how you succeeded in
slipping it into her pocket。 I saw it； I saw it； I'll take my oath。〃
Lebeziatnikov was almost breathless。 Exclamations arose on all hands
chiefly expressive of wonder； but some were menacing in tone。 They all
crowded round Pyotr Petrovitch。 Katerina Ivanovna flew to
Lebeziatnikov。
〃I was mistaken in you！ Protect her！ You are the only one to take
her part！ She is an orphan。 God has sent you！〃
Katerina Ivanovna； hardly knowing what she was doing； sank on her
knees before him。
〃A pack of nonsense！〃 yelled Luzhin； roused to fury； 〃it's all
nonsense you've been talking！ 'An idea struck you； you didn't think；
you noticed'… what does it amount to？ So I gave it to her on the sly
on purpose？ What for？ With what object？ What have I to do with
this。。。？〃
〃What for？ That's what I can't understand； but that what I am
telling you is the fact； that's certain！ So far from my being
mistaken； you infamous； criminal man； I remember how； on account of
it； a question occurred to me at once； just when I was thanking you
and pressing your hand。 What made you put it secretly in her pocket？
Why you did it secretly； I mean？ Could it be simply to conceal it from
me； knowing that my convictions are opposed to yours and that I do not
approve of private benevolence； which effects no radical cure？ Well； I
decided that you really were ashamed of giving such a large sum before
me。 Perhaps； too； I thought； he wants to give her a surprise； when she
finds a whole hundred…rouble note in her pocket。 （For I know some
benevolent people are very fond of decking out their charitable
actions in that way。） Then the idea struck me； too； that you wanted to
test her； to see whether； when she found it； she would come to thank
you。 Then； too； that you wanted to avoid thanks and that； as the
saying is； your right hand should not know。。。 something of that
sort； in fact。 I thought of so many possibilities that I put off
considering it