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the light。。。。〃
And leaving her； he passed straight into the room uninvited。 The old
woman ran after him； her tongue was unloosed。
〃Good heavens！ What it is？ Who is it？ What do you want？〃
〃Why； Alyona Ivanovna； you know me。。。 Raskolnikov。。。 here； I brought
you the pledge I promised the other day。。。〃 and he held out the
pledge。
The old woman glanced for a moment at the pledge； but at once stared
in the eyes of her uninvited visitor。 She looked intently； maliciously
and mistrustfully。 A minute passed； he even fancied something like a
sneer in her eyes； as though she had already guessed everything。 He
felt that he was losing his head； that he was almost frightened； so
frightened that if she were to look like that and not say a word for
another half minute； he thought he would have run away from her。
〃Why do you look at me as though you did not know me？〃 he said
suddenly； also with malice。 〃Take it if you like； if not I'll go
elsewhere； I am in a hurry。〃
He had not even thought of saying this； but it was suddenly said
of itself。 The old woman recovered herself； and her visitor's resolute
tone evidently restored her confidence。
〃But why； my good sir； all of a minute。。。。 What is it？〃 she asked；
looking at the pledge。
〃The silver cigarette case； I spoke of it last time； you know。〃
She held out her hand。
〃But how pale you are； to be sure。。。 and your hands are trembling
too？ Have you been bathing； or what？〃
〃Fever；〃 he answered abruptly。 〃You can't help getting pale。。。 if
you've nothing to eat；〃 he added； with difficulty articulating the
words。
His strength was failing him again。 But his answer sounded like
the truth； the old woman took the pledge。
〃What is it？〃 she asked once more； scanning Raskolnikov intently；
and weighing the pledge in her hand。
〃A thing。。。 cigarette case。。。。 Silver。。。。 Look at it。〃
〃It does not seem somehow like silver。。。。 How he has wrapped it up！〃
Trying to untie the string and turning to the window； to the light
（all her windows were shut； in spite of the stifling heat）； she left
him altogether for some seconds and stood with her back to him。 He
unbuttoned his coat and freed the axe from the noose； but did not
yet take it out altogether； simply holding it in his right hand
under the coat。 His hands were fearfully weak； he felt them every
moment growing more numb and more wooden。 He was afraid he would let
the axe slip and fall。。。。 A sudden giddiness came over him。
〃But what has he tied it up like this for？〃 the old woman cried with
vexation and moved towards him。
He had not a minute more to lose。 He pulled the axe quite out； swung
it with both arms； scarcely conscious of himself； and almost without
effort； almost mechanically； brought the blunt side down on her
head。 He seemed not to use his own strength in this。 But as soon as he
had once brought the axe down； his strength returned to him。
The old woman was as always bareheaded。 Her thin； light hair；
streaked with grey； thickly smeared with grease； was plaited in a
rat's tail and fastened by a broken horn comb which stood out on the
nape of her neck。 As she was so short； the blow fell on the very top
of her skull。 She cried out； but very faintly； and suddenly sank all
of a heap on the floor； raising her hands to her head。 In one hand she
still held 〃the pledge。〃 Then he dealt her another and another blow
with the blunt side and on the same spot。 The blood gushed as from
an overturned glass； the body fell back。 He stepped back； let it fall；
and at once bent over her face； she was dead。 Her eyes seemed to be
starting out of their sockets； the brow and the whole face were
drawn and contorted convulsively。
He laid the axe on the ground near the dead body and felt at once in
her pocket （trying to avoid the streaming body）… the same right hand
pocket from which she had taken the key on his last visit。 He was in
full possession of his faculties； free from confusion or giddiness；
but his hands were still trembling。 He remembered afterwards that he
had been particularly collected and careful； trying all the time not
to get smeared with blood。。。。 He pulled out the keys at once； they
were all； as before； in one bunch on a steel ring。 He ran at once into
the bedroom with them。 It was a very small room with a whole shrine of
holy images。 Against the other wall stood a big bed； very clean and
covered with a silk patchwork wadded quilt。 Against a third wall was a
chest of drawers。 Strange to say； so soon as he began to fit the
keys into the chest； so soon as he heard their jingling； a
convulsive shudder passed over him。 He suddenly felt tempted again
to give it all up and go away。 But that was only for an instant； it
was too late to go back。 He positively smiled at himself； when
suddenly another terrifying idea occurred to his mind。 He suddenly
fancied that the old woman might be still alive and might recover
her senses。 Leaving the keys in the chest； he ran back to the body；
snatched up the axe and lifted it once more over the old woman； but
did not bring it down。 There was no doubt that she was dead。 Bending
down and examining her again more closely； he saw clearly that the
skull was broken and even battered in on one side。 He was about to
feel it with his finger； but drew back his hand and indeed it was
evident without that。 Meanwhile there was a perfect pool of blood。 All
at once he noticed a string on her neck； he tugged at it； but the
string was strong and did not snap and besides； it was soaked with
blood。 He tried to pull it out from the front of the dress； but
something held it and prevented its coming。 In his impatience he
raised the axe again to cut the string from above on the body； but did
not dare； and with difficulty； smearing his hand and the axe in the
blood； after t