will　come　to　pass　of　itself；　later　on；　and　he　will　no　doubt　without
  wasting　words　offer　to　do　it　of　himself；　（as　though　he　could　refuse
  Dounia　that）　the　more　readily　since　you　may　by　your　own　efforts　become
  his　right　hand　in　the　office；　and　receive　this　assistance　not　as　a
  charity；　but　as　a　salary　earned　by　your　own　work。　Dounia　wants　to
  arrange　it　all　like　this　and　I　quite　agree　with　her。　And　we　have　not
  spoken　of　our　plans　for　another　reason；　that　is；　because　I
  particularly　wanted　you　to　feel　on　an　equal　footing　when　you　first
  meet　him。　When　Dounia　spoke　to　him　with　enthusiasm　about　you；　he
  answered　that　one　could　never　judge　of　a　man　without　seeing　him　close；
  for　oneself；　and　that　he　looked　forward　to　forming　his　own　opinion
  when　he　makes　your　acquaintance。　Do　you　know；　my　precious　Rodya；　I
  think　that　perhaps　for　some　reasons　（nothing　to　do　with　Pyotr
  Petrovitch　though；　simply　for　my　own　personal；　perhaps　old…womanish；
  fancies）　I　should　do　better　to　go　on　living　by　myself；　apart；　than
  with　them；　after　the　wedding。　I　am　convinced　that　he　will　be
  generous　and　delicate　enough　to　invite　me　and　to　urge　me　to　remain
  with　my　daughter　for　the　future；　and　if　he　has　said　nothing　about　it
  hitherto；　it　is　simply　because　it　has　been　taken　for　granted；　but　I
  shall　refuse。　I　have　noticed　more　than　once　in　my　life　that　husbands
  don't　quite　get　on　with　their　mothers…in…law；　and　I　don't　want　to　be
  the　least　bit　in　any　one's　way；　and　for　my　own　sake；　too；　would　rather
  be　quite　independent；　so　long　as　I　have　a　crust　of　bread　of　my　own；
  and　such　children　as　you　and　Dounia。　If　possible；　I　would　settle
  somewhere　near　you；　for　the　most　joyful　piece　of　news；　dear　Rodya；　I
  have　kept　for　the　end　of　my　letter：　know　then；　my　dear　boy；　that　we
  may；　perhaps；　be　all　together　in　a　very　short　time　and　may　embrace　one
  another　again　after　a　separation　of　almost　three　years！　It　is
  settled　for　certain　that　Dounia　and　I　are　to　set　off　for　Petersburg；
  exactly　when　I　don't　know；　but　very；　very　soon；　possibly　in　a　week。　It
  all　depends　on　Pyotr　Petrovitch　who　will　let　us　know　when　he　has　had
  time　to　look　round　him　in　Petersburg。　To　suit　his　own　arrangements
  he　is　anxious　to　have　the　ceremony　as　soon　as　possible；　even　before
  the　fast　of　Our　Lady；　if　it　could　be　managed；　or　if　that　is　too　soon
  to　be　ready；　immediately　after。　Oh；　with　what　happiness　I　shall
  press　you　to　my　heart！　Dounia　is　all　excitement　at　the　joyful
  thought　of　seeing　you；　she　said　one　day　in　joke　that　she　would　be
  ready　to　marry　Pyotr　Petrovitch　for　that　alone。　She　is　an　angel！　She
  is　not　writing　anything　to　you　now；　and　has　only　told　me　to　write　that
  she　has　so　much；　so　much　to　tell　you　that　she　is　not　going　to　take
  up　her　pen　now；　for　a　few　lines　would　tell　you　nothing；　and　it　would
  only　mean　upsetting　herself；　she　bids　me　send　you　her　love　and
  innumerable　kisses。　But　although　we　shall　be　meeting　so　soon；
  perhaps　I　shall　send　you　as　much　money　as　I　can　in　a　day　or　two。　Now
  that　every　one　has　heard　that　Dounia　is　to　marry　Pyotr　Petrovitch；
  my　credit　has　suddenly　improved　and　I　know　that　Afanasy　Ivanovitch
  will　trust　me　now　even　to　seventy…five　roubles　on　the　security　of　my
  pension；　so　that　perhaps　I　shall　be　able　to　send　you　twenty…five　or
  even　thirty　roubles。　I　would　send　you　more；　but　I　am　uneasy　about
  our　travelling　expenses；　for　though　Pyotr　Petrovitch　has　been　so
  kind　as　to　undertake　part　of　the　expenses　of　the　journey；　that　is　to
  say；　he　has　taken　upon　himself　the　conveyance　of　our　bags　and　big
  trunk　（which　will　be　conveyed　through　some　acquaintances　of　his）；　we
  must　reckon　upon　some　expenses　on　our　arrival　in　Petersburg；　where
  we　can't　be　left　without　a　halfpenny；　at　least　for　the　first　few　days。
  But　we　have　calculated　it　all；　Dounia　and　I；　to　the　last　penny；　and　we
  see　that　the　journey　will　not　cost　very　much。　It　is　only　ninety　versts
  from　us　to　the　railway　and　we　have　come　to　an　agreement　with　a
  driver　we　know；　so　as　to　be　in　readiness；　and　from　there　Dounia　and
  I　can　travel　quite　comfortably　third　class。　So　that　I　may　very
  likely　be　able　to　send　to　you　not　twenty…five；　but　thirty　roubles。　But
  enough；　I　have　covered　two　sheets　already　and　there　is　no　space　left
  for　more；　our　whole　history；　but　so　many　events　have　happened！　And
  now；　my　precious　Rodya；　I　embrace　you　and　send　you　a　mother's　blessing
  till　we　meet。　Love　Dounia　your　sister；　Rodya；　love　her　as　she　loves
  you　and　understand　that　she　loves　you　beyond　everything；　more　than
  herself。　She　is　an　angel　and　you；　Rodya；　you　are　everything　to　us…　our
  one　hope；　our　one　consolation。　If　only　you　are　happy；　we　shall　be
  happy。　Do　you　still　say　your　prayers；　Rodya；　and　believe　in　the
  mercy　of　our　Creator　and　our　Redeemer？　I　am　afraid　in　my　heart　that
  you　may　have　been　visited　by　the　new　spirit　of　infidelity　that　is
  abroad　to…day！　If　it　is　so；　I　pray　for　you。　Remember；　dear　boy；　how　in
  your　childhood；　when　your　father　was　living；　you　used　to　lisp　your
  prayers　at　my　knee；　and　how　happy　we　all　were　in　those　days。　Good…bye；
  till　we　meet　then…　I　embrace　you　warmly；　warmly；　with　many　kisses。
  〃Yours　till　death
  〃PULCHERIA　RASKOLNIKOV。〃
  …
  Almost　from　the　first；　while　he　read　the　letter；　Raskolnikov's
  face　was　wet　with　tears；　but　when　he　finished　it；　his　face　was　pale
  and　distorted　and　a　bitter；　wrathful　and　malignant　smile　was　on　his
  lips。　He　laid　his　head　down　on　his　threadbare　dirty　pillow　and
  pondered；　pondered　a　long　time。　His　heart　was　beating　violently；　and
  his　brain　was　in　a　turmoil。　At　last　he　felt　cramped　and　stifled　in　the
  little　yellow　room　that　was　like　a　cupboard　or　a　box。　His　eyes　and　his
  mind　craved　for　space。　He　took　up　his　hat　and　went　out；　this　time
  without　dread　of　meeting　any　one；　he　had　forgotten　his　dread。　He
  turned　in　the　direction　of　the　Vassilyevsky　Ostrov；　walking　along
  Vassilyevsky　Prospect；　as　though　hastening　on　some　business；　but　he
  walked；　as　his　habit　was；　without　noticing　his　way；　muttering　and　even
  speaking　aloud　to　himself；　to　the　astonishment　of　the　passers…by。　Many
  of　them　took　him　to　be　drunk。
  Chapter　Four
  HIS　MOTHER'S　letter　had　been　a　torture　to　him；　but　as　regards　the
  chief　fact　in　it；　he　had　felt　not　one　moment's　hesitation；　even　whilst
  he　was　reading　the　letter。　The　essential　question　was　settled；　and
  irrevocably　settled；　in　his　mind：　〃Never　such　a　marriage　while　I　am
  alive　and　Mr。　Luzhin　be　damned；〃　〃The　thing　is　perfectly　clear；〃　he
  muttered　to　himself；　with　a　malignant　smile　anticipating　the　triumph
  of　his　decision。　〃No；　mother；　no；　Dounia；　you　won't　deceive　me！　and
  then　they　apologise　for　not　asking　my　advice　and　for　taking　the
  decision　without　me！　I　dare　say！　They　imagine　it　is　arranged　now　and
  can't　be　broken　off；　but　we　will　see　whether　it　can　or　not！　A
  magnificent　excuse：　'Pyotr　Petrovitch　is　such　a　busy　man　that　even　his
  wedding　has　to　be　in　post…haste；　almost　by　express。'　No；　Dounia；　I　see
  it　all　and　I　know　what　you　want　to　say　to　me；　and　I　know　too　what
  you　were　thinking　about；　when　you　walked　up　and　down　all　night；　and
  what　your　prayers　were　like　before　the　Holy　Mother　of　Kazan　who　stands
  in　mother's　bedroom。　Bitter　is　the　ascent　to　Golgotha。。。。　Hm。。。　so
  it　is　finally　settled；　you　have　determined　to　marry　a　sensible
  business　man；　Avdotya　Romanovna；　one　who　has　a　fortune　（has　already
  made　his　fortune；　that　is　so　much　more　solid　and　impressive）　a　man　who
  holds　two　government　posts　and　who　shares　the　ideas　of　our　most　rising
  generation；　as　mother　writes；　and　who　seems　to　be　kind；　as　Dounia
  herself　observes。　That　seems　beats　everything！　And　that　very　Dounia
  for　that　very　'seems'　is　marrying　him！　Splendid！　splendid！
  〃。。。But　I　should　like　to　know　why　mother　has　written　to　me　about
  'our　most　rising　generation'？　S