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stove of white tiles gleaming in the dusk； stood a strange
figure； wearing a skirted； close…fitting； brown cloth coat
strapped round the waist； in long boots； and with a little
Astrakhan cap on its head。 It loomed lithe and martial。 Razumov
was utterly confounded。 It was only when the figure advancing
two paces asked in an untroubled； grave voice if the outer door
was closed that he regained his power of speech。
〃Haldin！。 。 。Victor Victorovitch！。 。 。Is that you？ 。 。 。Yes。 The
outer door is shut all right。 But this is indeed unexpected。〃
Victor Haldin； a student older than most of his contemporaries at
the University； was not one of the industrious set。 He was
hardly ever seen at lectures； the authorities had marked him as
〃restless〃 and 〃unsound 〃very bad notes。 But he had a
great personal prestige with his comrades and influenced their
thoughts。 Razumov had never been intimate with him。 They had
met from time to time at gatherings in other students' houses。
They had even had a discussion togetherone of those discussions
on first principles dear to the sanguine minds of youth。
Razumov wished the man had chosen some other time to come for a
chat。 He felt in good trim to tackle the prize essay。 But as
Haldin could not be slightingly dismissed Razumov adopted the
tone of hospitality； asking him to sit down and smoke。
〃Kirylo Sidorovitch；〃 said the other； flinging off his cap； 〃we
are not perhaps in exactly the same camp。 Your judgment is more
philosophical。 You are a man of few words； but I haven't met
anybody who dared to doubt the generosity of your sentiments。
There is a solidity about your character which cannot exist
without courage。
Razumov felt flattered and began to murmur shyly something about
being very glad of his good opinion； when Haldin raised his hand。
〃That is what I was saying to myself；〃 he continued； 〃as I dodged
in the woodyard down by the river…side。 'He has a strong
character this young man；' I said to myself。 'He does not throw
his soul to the winds。' Your reserve has always fascinated me；
Kirylo Siderovitch。 So I tried to remember your address。 But
look hereit was a piece of luck。 Your dvornik was away from
the gate talking to a sleigh…driver on the other side of the
street。 I met no one on the stairs； not a soul。 As I came up
to your floor I caught sight of your landlady coming out of your
rooms。 But she did not see me。 She crossed the landing to her
own side； and then I slipped in。 I have been here two hours
expecting you to come in every moment。
Razumov had listened in astonishment； but before he could
open his mouth Haldin added； speaking deliberately；〃 It was I
who removed de P… this morning。〃 Razumov kept down a cry of
dismay。 The sentiment of his life being utterly ruined by this
contact with such a crime expressed itself quaintly by a sort of
half…derisive mental exclamation； 〃There goes my silver medal！〃
Haldin continued after waiting a while
〃You say nothing； Kirylo Sidorovitch！ I understand your silence。
To be sure； I cannot expect you with your frigid English manner
to embrace me。 But never mind your manners。 You have enough
heart to have heard the sound of weeping and gnashing of teeth
this man raised in the land。 That would be enough to get over
any philosophical hopes。 He was uprooting the tender plant。 He
had to be stopped。 He was a dangerous mana convinced man。
Three more years of his work would have put us back fifty years
into bondageand look at all the lives wasted； at all the souls
lost in that time。〃
His curt； self…confident voice suddenly lost its ring and it was
in a dull tone that he added； 〃Yes； brother； I have killed him。
It's weary work。〃
Razumov had sunk into a chair。 Every moment he expected a crowd
of policemen to rush in。 There must have been thousands of them
out looking for that man walking up and down in his room。 Haldin
was talking again in a restrained； steady voice。 Now and then he
flourished an arm； slowly； without excitement。
He told Razumov how he had brooded for a year； how he had not
slept properly for weeks。 He and 〃Another〃 had a warning of the
Minister's movements from 〃a certain person〃 late the evening
before。 He and that Another〃 prepared their 〃engines〃 and
〃resolved to have no sleep till 〃the deed〃 was done。 They
walked the streets under the falling snow with the 〃engines〃
on them； exchanging not a word the livelong night。 When they
happened to meet a police patrol they took each other by the
arm and pretended to be a couple of peasants on the spree。
They reeled and talked in drunken hoarse voices。 Except for
these strange outbreaks they kept silence； moving on ceaselessly。
Their plans had been previously arranged。 At daybreak they made
their way to the spot which they knew the sledge must pass。
When it appeared in sight they exchanged a muttered good…bye
and separated。 The 〃other〃 remained at the corner； Haldin
took up a position a little farther up the street。 。 。 。
After throwing his 〃engine〃 he ran off and in a moment was
overtaken by the panic…struck people flying away from the spot
after the second explosion。 They were wild with terror。 He was
jostled once or twice。 He slowed down for the rush to pass him and
then turned to the left into a narrow street。 There he was alone。
He marvelled at this immediate escape。 The work was done。 He
could hardly believe it。 He fought with an almost irresistible
longing to lie down on the pavement and sleep。 But this sort of
faintnessa drowsy faintnesspassed off quickly。 He walked
faster； making his way to one of the poorer parts of the town in
order to look up Ziemianitch。
This Ziemianitch； Razumov understood； was a sort of town…peasant
who had got on； owner of a small number of sledges and horses for
hire。 Haldin paused in his narrative to exclaim
〃A bright spirit ！ A hardy soul！ The best driver in St。 Petersburg。
He has a team of three horses there。 。 。 。 Ah！ He's a fellow！〃
This man had declared himself willing to take out safely； at
any time； one or two persons to the second or third railway
station on one of the southern lines。 But there had been no time
to warn him the night before。 His usual haunt seemed to be a
low…class eating…house on the outskirts of the town。 When Haldin
got there the man was not to be found。 He was not expected to
turn up again till the evening。 Haldin wandered away restlessly。
He saw the gate of a woodyard open and went in to get out of the
wind which swept the bleak broad thoroughfare。 The great
rectangular piles of cut wood loaded with snow resembled the huts
of a village。 At first the watchman who discovered him crouching
amongst them talked in a friendly manner。 He was a dried…up old
man wearing two ragged army coats one over the other； his wizened
little face； tied up under the jaw and over the ears in a dirty
red handk