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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 handkerchief； looked comical。 Presently he grew sulky； and
then all at once without rhyme or reason began to shout furiously。
〃Aren't you ever going to clear out of this； you loafer？ We know
all about factory hands of your sort。 A big； strong； young chap！
You aren't even drunk。 What do you want here？ You don't frighten us。
Take yourself and your ugly eyes away。〃
Haldin stopped before the sitting Razumov。 His supple figure；
with the white forehead above which the fair hair stood straight
up； had an aspect of lofty daring。
〃He did not like my eyes；〃 he said。 〃And so。 。 。here I am。〃
Razumov made an effort to speak calmly。
〃But pardon me； Victor Victorovitch。 We know each other so
little。 。 。 。 I don't see why you 。 。 。〃
〃Confidence；〃 said Haldin。
This word sealed Razumov's lips as if a hand had been clapped
on his mouth。 His brain seethed with arguments
〃And sohere you are；〃 he muttered through his teeth。
The other did not detect the tone of anger。 Never suspected it。
〃Yes。 And nobody knows I am here。 You are the last person that
could be suspectedshould I get caught。 That's an advantage；
you see。 And thenspeaking to a superior mind like yours I can
well say all the truth。 It occurred to me that youyou have no
one belonging to youno ties； no one to suffer for it if this
came out by some means。 There have been enough ruined Russian
homes as it is。 But I don't see how my passage through your
rooms can be ever known。 If I should be got hold of； I'll know
how to keep silentno matter what they may be pleased to do to me；〃
he added grimly。
He began to walk again while Razumov sat still appalled。
〃You thought that〃 he faltered out almost sick with indignation。
〃Yes； Razumov。 Yes； brother。 Some day you shall help to build。
You suppose that I am a terrorist； now a destructor of what is；
But consider that the true destroyers are they who destroy the
spirit of progress and truth； not the avengers who merely kill
the bodies of the persecutors of human dignity。 Men like me are
necessary to make room for self…contained； thinking men like you。
Well； we have made the sacrifice of our lives； but all the same I
want to escape if it can be done。 It is not my life I want to
save； but my power to do。 I won't live idle。 Oh no！ Don't make
any mistake； Razumov。 Men like me are rare。 And； besides； an
example like this is more awful to oppressors when the
perpetrator vanishes without a trace。 They sit in their offices
and palaces and quake。 All I want you to do is to help me to
vanish。 No great matter that。 Only to go by and by and see
Ziemianitch for me at that place where I went this morning。
Just tell him； 'He whom you know wants a well…horsed sledge
to pull up half an hour after midnight at the seventh
lamp…post on the left counting from the upper end of
Karabelnaya。 If nobody gets in； the sledge is to run
round a block or two； so as to come back past the
same spot in ten minutes' time。'〃
Razumov wondered why he had not cut short that talk and told this
man to go away long before。 Was it weakness or what？
He concluded that it was a sound instinct。 Haldin must have been
seen。 It was impossible that some people should not have noticed
the face and appearance of the man who threw the second bomb。
Haldin was a noticeable person。 The police in their thousands
must have had his description within the hour。 With every moment
the danger grew。 Sent out to wander in the streets he could not
escape being caught in the end。
The police would very soon find out all about him。 They would set
about discovering a conspiracy。 Everybody Haldin had ever known
would be in the greatest danger。 Unguarded expressions； little
facts in themselves innocent would be counted for crimes。
Razumov remembered certain words he said； the speeches he had
listened to； the harmless gatherings he had attendedit was
almost impossible for a student to keep out of that sort of
thing； without becoming suspect to his comrades。
Razumov saw himself shut up in a fortress； worried； badgered；
perhaps ill…used。 He saw himself deported by an administrative
order； his life broken； ruined； and robbed of all hope。 He saw
himselfat bestleading a miserable existence under police
supervision； in some small； faraway provincial town； without
friends to assist his necessities or even take any steps to
alleviate his lotas others had。 Others had fathers； mothers；
brothers； relations； connexions； to move heaven and earth on
their behalf he had no one。 The very officials that sentenced
him some morning would forget his existence before sunset。
He saw his youth pass away from him in misery and half
starvationhis strength give way； his mind become an abject
thing。 He saw himself creeping； broken down and shabby； about
the streetsdying unattended in some filthy hole of a room； or
on the sordid bed of a Government hospital。
He shuddered。 Then the peace of bitter calmness came over him。
It was best to keep this man out of the streets till he could be
got rid of with some chance of escaping。 That was the best that
could be done。 Razumov； of course； felt the safety of his lonely
existence to be permanently endangered。 This evening's doings
could turn up against him at any time as long as this man lived
and the present institutions endured。 They appeared to him
rational and indestructible at that moment。 They had a force of
harmonyin contrast with the horrible discord of this man's
presence。 He hated the man。 He said quietly
〃Yes； of course； I will go。 'You must give me precise
directions； and for the restdepend on me。〃
〃Ah！ You are a fellow！ Collectedcool as a cucumber。 A regular
Englishman。 Where did you get your soul from？ There aren't
many like you。 Look here； brother！ Men like me leave no
posterity； but their souls are not lost。 No man's soul is ever
lost。 It works for itselfor else where would be the sense of
self…sacrifice； of martyrdom； of conviction； of faiththe
labours of the soul？ What will become of my soul when I die in
the way I must diesoonvery soon perhaps？ It shall not perish。
Don't make a mistake； Razumov。 This is not murderit is
war； war。 My spirit shall go on warring in some Russian body
till all falsehood is swept out of the world。 The modern
civilization is false； but a new revelation shall come out of
Russia。 Ha！ you say nothing。 You are a sceptic。 I respect your
philosophical scepticism； Razumov； but don't touch the soul。 The
Russian soul that lives in all of us。 It has a future。 It has a
mission； I tell you； or else why should I have been moved to
do thisreckless…like a butcher in the middle of all these
innocent peoplescattering deathI！ I！。 。 。I wouldn't hurt a fly！〃
〃Not so l