the　sofa。
  It　would　have　been　difficult　to　sink　to　a　lower　ebb　of　disorder；　but
  to　Raskolnikov　in　his　present　state　of　mind　this　was　positively
  agreeable。　He　had　got　completely　away　from　every　one；　like　a
  tortoise　in　its　shell；　and　even　the　sight　of　the　servant　girl　who
  had　to　wait　upon　him　and　looked　sometimes　into　his　room　made　him
  writhe　with　nervous　irritation。　He　was　in　the　condition　that　overtakes
  some　monomaniacs　entirely　concentrated　upon　one　thing。　His　landlady
  had　for　the　last　fortnight　given　up　sending　him　in　meals；　and　he　had
  not　yet　thought　of　expostulating　with　her；　though　he　went　without
  his　dinner。　Nastasya；　the　cook　and　only　servant；　was　rather　pleased　at
  the　lodger's　mood　and　had　entirely　given　up　sweeping　and　doing　his
  room；　only　once　a　week　or　so　she　would　stray　into　his　room　with　a
  broom。　She　waked　him　up　that　day。
  〃Get　up；　why　are　you　asleep！〃　she　called　to　him。　〃It's　past　nine；
  I　have　brought　you　some　tea；　will　you　have　a　cup？　I　should　think
  you're　fairly　starving？〃
  Raskolnikov　opened　his　eyes；　started　and　recognized　Nastasya。
  〃From　the　landlady；　eh？〃　he　asked；　slowly　and　with　a　sickly　face
  sitting　up　on　the　sofa。
  〃From　the　landlady；　indeed！〃
  She　set　before　him　her　own　cracked　teapot　full　of　weak　and　stale　tea
  and　laid　two　yellow　lumps　of　sugar　by　the　side　of　it。
  〃Here；　Nastasya；　take　it　please；〃　he　said；　fumbling　in　his　pocket
  （for　he　had　slept　in　his　clothes）　and　taking　out　a　handful　of　coppers…
  〃run　and　buy　me　a　loaf。　And　get　me　a　little　sausage；　the　cheapest；
  at　the　pork…butcher's。〃
  〃The　loaf　I'll　fetch　you　this　very　minute；　but　wouldn't　you　rather
  have　some　cabbage　soup　instead　of　sausage？　It's　capital　soup；
  yesterday's。　I　saved　it　for　you　yesterday；　but　you　came　in　late。
  It's　fine　soup。〃
  When　the　soup　had　been　brought；　and　he　had　begun　upon　it；　Nastasya
  sat　down　beside　him　on　the　sofa　and　began　chatting。　She　was　a
  country　peasant…woman　and　a　very　talkative　one。
  〃Praskovya　Pavlovna　means　to　complain　to　the　police　about　you；〃
  she　said。
  He　scowled。
  〃To　the　police？　What　does　she　want？〃
  〃You　don't　pay　her　money　and　you　won't　turn　out　of　the　room。
  That's　what　she　wants；　to　be　sure。〃
  〃The　devil；　that's　the　last　straw；〃　he　muttered；　grinding　his　teeth；
  〃no；　that　would　not　suit　me。。。　just　now。　She　is　a　fool；〃　he　added
  aloud。　〃I'll　go　and　talk　to　her　to…day。〃
  〃Fool　she　is　and　no　mistake；　just　as　I　am。　But　why；　if　you　are　so
  clever；　do　you　lie　here　like　a　sack　and　have　nothing　to　show　for　it？
  One　time　you　used　to　go　out；　you　say；　to　teach　children。　But　why　is　it
  you　do　nothing　now？〃
  〃I　am　doing。。。〃　Raskolnikov　began　sullenly　and　reluctantly。
  〃What　are　you　doing？〃
  〃Work。。。〃
  〃What　sort　of　work？〃
  〃I　am　thinking；〃　he　answered　seriously　after　a　pause。
  Nastasya　was　overcome　with　a　fit　of　laughter。　She　was　given　to
  laughter　and　when　anything　amused　her；　she　laughed　inaudibly；
  quivering　and　shaking　all　over　till　she　felt　ill。
  〃And　have　you　made　much　money　by　your　thinking？〃　she　managed　to
  articulate　at　last。
  〃One　can't　go　out　to　give　lessons　without　boots。　And　I'm　sick　of
  it。〃
  〃Don't　quarrel　with　your　bread　and　butter。〃
  〃They　pay　so　little　for　lessons。　What's　the　use　of　a　few　coppers？〃
  he　answered；　reluctantly；　as　though　replying　to　his　own　thought。
  〃And　you　want　to　get　a　fortune　all　at　once？〃
  He　looked　at　her　strangely。
  〃Yes；　I　want　a　fortune；〃　he　answered　firmly；　after　a　brief　pause。
  〃Don't　be　in　such　a　hurry；　you　quite　frighten　me！　Shall　I　get　you
  the　loaf　or　not？〃
  〃As　you　please。〃
  〃Ah；　I　forgot！　A　letter　came　for　you　yesterday　when　you　were　out。〃
  〃A　letter？　for　me！　from　whom？〃
  〃I　can't　say。　I　gave　three　copecks　of　my　own　to　the　postman　for
  it。　Will　you　pay　me　back？〃
  〃Then　bring　it　to　me；　for　God's　sake；　bring　it；〃　cried　Raskolnikov
  greatly　excited…　〃good　God！〃
  A　minute　later　the　letter　was　brought　him。　That　was　it：　from　his
  mother；　from　the　province　of　R___。　He　turned　pale　when　he　took　it。
  It　was　a　long　while　since　he　had　received　a　letter；　but　another
  feeling　also　suddenly　stabbed　his　heart。
  〃Nastasya；　leave　me　alone；　for　goodness'　sake；　here　are　your　three
  copecks；　but　for　goodness'　sake；　make　haste　and　go！〃
  The　letter　was　quivering　in　his　hand；　he　did　not　want　to　open　it
  in　her　presence；　he　wanted　to　be　left　alone　with　this　letter。　When
  Nastasya　had　gone　out；　he　lifted　it　quickly　to　his　lips　and　kissed　it；
  then　he　gazed　intently　at　the　address；　the　small；　sloping　handwriting；
  so　dear　and　familiar；　of　the　mother　who　had　once　taught　him　to　read
  and　write。　He　delayed；　he　seemed　almost　afraid　of　something。　At　last
  he　opened　it；　it　was　a　thick　heavy　letter；　weighing　over　two　ounces；
  two　large　sheets　of　note　paper　were　covered　with　very　small
  handwriting。
  〃My　dear　Rodya；〃　wrote　his　mother…　〃it's　two　months　since　I　last　had
  a　talk　with　you　by　letter　which　has　distressed　me　and　even　kept　me
  awake　at　night；　thinking。　But　I　am　sure　you　will　not　blame　me　for　my
  inevitable　silence。　You　know　how　I　love　you；　you　are　all　we　have　to
  look　to；　Dounia　and　I；　you　are　our　all；　our　one　hope；　our　one　stay。
  What　a　grief　it　was　to　me　when　I　heard　that　you　had　given　up　the
  university　some　months　ago；　for　want　of　means　to　keep　yourself　and
  that　you　had　lost　your　lessons　and　your　other　work！　How　could　I　help
  you　out　of　my　hundred　and　twenty　roubles　a　year　pension？　The　fifteen
  roubles　I　sent　you　four　months　ago　I　borrowed；　as　you　know；　on
  security　of　my　pension；　from　Vassily　Ivanovitch　Vahrushin　a　merchant
  of　this　town。　He　is　a　kind…hearted　man　and　was　a　friend　of　your
  father's　too。　But　having　given　him　the　right　to　receive　the　pension；　I
  had　to　wait　till　the　debt　was　paid　off　and　that　is　only　just　done；
  so　that　I've　been　unable　to　send　you　anything　all　this　time。　But
  now；　thank　God；　I　believe　I　shall　be　able　to　send　you　something　more
  and　in　fact　we　may　congratulate　ourselves　on　our　good　fortune　now；
  of　which　I　hasten　to　inform　you。　In　the　first　place；　would　you　have
  guessed；　dear　Rodya；　that　your　sister　has　been　living　with　me　for
  the　last　six　weeks　and　we　shall　not　be　separated　in　the　future。
  Thank　God；　her　sufferings　are　over；　but　I　will　tell　you　everything
  in　order；　so　that　you　may　know　just　how　everything　has　happened　and
  all　that　we　have　hitherto　concealed　from　you。　When　you　wrote　to　me　two
  months　ago　that　you　had　heard　that　Dounia　had　a　great　deal　to　put　up
  with　in　the　Svidrigrailovs'　house；　when　you　wrote　that　and　asked　me　to
  tell　you　all　about　it…　what　could　I　write　in　answer　to　you？　If　I　had
  written　the　whole　truth　to　you；　I　dare　say　you　would　have　thrown　up
  everything　and　have　come　to　us；　even　if　you　had　to　walk　all　the　way；
  for　I　know　your　character　and　your　feelings；　and　you　would　not　let
  your　sister　be　insulted。　I　was　in　despair　myself；　but　what　could　I　do？
  And；　besides；　I　did　not　know　the　w