predestined　turning…point　of　his　fate。　He　could　never　understand　and
  explain　to　himself　why；　when　he　was　tired　and　worn　out；　when　it
  would　have　been　more　convenient　for　him　to　go　home　by　the　shortest　and
  most　direct　way；　he　had　returned　by　the　Hay　Market　where　he　had　no
  need　to　go。　It　was　obviously　and　quite　unnecessarily　out　of　his　way；
  though　not　much　so。　It　is　true　that　it　happened　to　him　dozens　of　times
  to　return　home　without　noticing　what　streets　he　passed　through。　But
  why；　he　was　always　asking　himself；　why　had　such　an　important；　such　a
  decisive　and　at　the　same　time　such　an　absolutely　chance　meeting
  happened　in　the　Hay　Market　（where　he　had　moreover　no　reason　to　go）
  at　the　very　hour；　the　very　minute　of　his　life　when　he　was　just　in
  the　very　mood　and　in　the　very　circumstances　in　which　that　meeting
  was　able　to　exert　the　gravest　and　most　decisive　influence　on　his　whole
  destiny？　As　though　it　had　been　lying　in　wait　for　him　on　purpose！
  It　was　about　nine　o'clock　when　he　crossed　the　Hay　Market。　At　the
  tables　and　the　barrows；　at　the　booths　and　the　shops；　all　the　market
  people　were　closing　their　establishments　or　clearing　away　and
  packing　up　their　wares　and；　like　their　customers；　were　going　home。
  Ragpickers　and　costermongers　of　all　kinds　were　crowding　round　the
  taverns　in　the　dirty　and　stinking　courtyards　of　the　Hay　Market。
  Raskolnikov　particularly　liked　this　place　and　the　neighbouring　alleys；
  when　he　wandered　aimlessly　in　the　streets。　Here　his　rags　did　not
  attract　contemptuous　attention；　and　one　could　walk　about　in　any　attire
  without　scandalising　people。　At　the　corner　of　an　alley　a　huckster
  and　his　wife　had　two　tables　set　out　with　tapes；　thread；　cotton
  handkerchiefs；　&c。　They；　too；　had　got　up　to　go　home；　but　were
  lingering　in　conversation　with　a　friend；　who　had　just　come　up　to　them。
  This　friend　was　Lizaveta　Ivanovna；　or；　as　every　one　called　her；
  Lizaveta；　the　younger　sister　of　the　old　pawnbroker；　Alyona　Ivanovna；
  whom　Raskolnikov　had　visited　the　previous　day　to　pawn　his　watch　and
  make　his　experiment。。。。　He　already　knew　all　about　Lizaveta　and　she
  knew　him　a　little　too。　She　was　a　single　woman　of　about　thirty…five；
  tall；　clumsy；　timid；　submissive　and　almost　idiotic。　She　was　a　complete
  slave　and　went　in　fear　and　trembling　of　her　sister；　who　made　her
  work　day　and　night；　and　even　beat　her。　She　was　standing　with　a
  bundle　before　the　huckster　and　his　wife；　listening　earnestly　and
  doubtfully。　They　were　talking　of　something　with　special　warmth。　The
  moment　Raskolnikov　caught　sight　of　her；　he　was　overcome　by　a　strange
  sensation　as　it　were　of　intense　astonishment；　though　there　was　nothing
  astonishing　about　this　meeting。
  〃You　could　make　up　your　mind　for　yourself；　Lizaveta　Ivanovna；〃　the
  huckster　was　saying　aloud。　〃Come　round　tomorrow　about　seven。　They　will
  be　here　too。〃
  〃To…morrow？〃　said　Lizaveta　slowly　and　thoughtfully；　as　though　unable
  to　make　up　her　mind。
  〃Upon　my　word；　what　a　fright　you　are　in　of　Alyona　Ivanovna；〃　gabbled
  the　huckster's　wife；　a　lively　little　woman。　〃I　look　at　you；　you　are
  like　some　little　babe。　And　she　is　not　your　own　sister　either…
  nothing　but　a　stepsister　and　what　a　hand　she　keeps　over　you！〃
  〃But　this　time　don't　say　a　word　to　Alyona　Ivanovna；〃　her　husband
  interrupted；　〃that's　my　advice；　but　come　round　to　us　without　asking。
  It　will　be　worth　your　while。　Later　on　your　sister　herself　may　have　a
  notion。〃
  〃Am　I　to　come？〃
  〃About　seven　o'clock　to…morrow。　And　they　will　be　here。　You　will　be
  able　to　decide　for　yourself。〃
  〃And　we'll　have　a　cup　of　tea；〃　added　his　wife。
  〃All　right；　I'll　come；〃　said　Lizaveta；　still　pondering；　and　she
  began　slowly　moving　away。
  Raskolnikov　had　just　passed　and　heard　no　more。　He　passed　softly；
  unnoticed；　trying　not　to　miss　a　word。　His　first　amazement　was　followed
  by　a　thrill　of　horror；　like　a　shiver　running　down　his　spine。　He　had
  learnt；　he　had　suddenly　quite　unexpectedly　learnt；　that　the　next　day
  at　seven　o'clock　Lizaveta；　the　old　woman's　sister　and　only
  companion；　would　be　away　from　home　and　that　therefore　at　seven　o'clock
  precisely　the　old　woman　would　be　left　alone。
  He　was　only　a　few　steps　from　his　lodging。　He　went　in　like　a　man
  condemned　to　death。　He　thought　of　nothing　and　was　incapable　of
  thinking；　but　he　felt　suddenly　in　his　whole　being　that　he　had　no
  more　freedom　of　thought；　no　will；　and　that　everything　was　suddenly　and
  irrevocably　decided。
  Certainly；　if　he　had　to　wait　whole　years　for　a　suitable　opportunity；
  he　could　not　reckon　on　a　more　certain　step　towards　the　success　of
  the　plan　than　that　which　had　just　presented　itself。　In　any　case；　it
  would　have　been　difficult　to　find　out　beforehand　and　with　certainty；
  with　greater　exactness　and　less　risk；　and　without　dangerous
  inquiries　and　investigations；　that　next　day　at　a　certain　time　an　old
  woman；　on　whose　life　an　attempt　was　contemplated；　would　be　at　home　and
  entirely　alone。
  Chapter　Six
  LATER　on　Raskolnikov　happened　to　find　out　why　the　huckster　and　his
  wife　had　invited　Lizaveta。　It　was　a　very　ordinary　matter　and　there　was
  nothing　exceptional　about　it。　A　family　who　had　come　to　the　town　and
  been　reduced　to　poverty　were　selling　their　household　goods　and
  clothes；　all　women's　things。　As　the　things　would　have　fetched　little
  in　the　market；　they　were　looking　for　a　dealer。　This　was　Lizaveta's
  business。　She　undertook　such　jobs　and　was　frequently　employed；　as
  she　was　very　honest　and　always　fixed　a　fair　price　and　stuck　to　it。　She
  spoke　as　a　rule　little　and；　as　we　have　said　already；　she　was　very
  submissive　and　timid。
  But　Raskolnikov　had　become　superstitious　of　late。　The　traces　of
  superstition　remained　in　him　long　after；　and　were　almost　ineradicable。
  And　in　all　this　he　was　always　afterwards　disposed　to　see　something
  strange　and　mysterious；　as　it　were　the　presence　of　some　peculiar
  influences　and　coincidences。　In　the　previous　winter　a　student　he
  knew　called　Pokorev；　who　had　left　for　Harkov；　had　chanced　in
  conversation　to　give　him　the　address　of　Alyona　Ivanovna；　the　old
  pawnbroker；　in　case　he　might　want　to　pawn　anything。　For　a　long　while
  he　did　not　go　to　her；　for　he　had　lessons　and　managed　to　get　along
  somehow。　Six　weeks　ago　he　had　remembered　the　address；　he　had　two
  articles　that　could　be　pawned：　his　father's　old　silver　watch　and　a
  little　gold　ring　with　three　red　stones；　a　present　from　his　sister　at
  parting。　He　decided　to　take　the　ring。　When　he　found　the　old　woman　he
  had　felt　an　insurmountable　repulsion　for　her　at　the　first　glance；
  though　he　knew　nothing　special　about　her。　He　got　two　roubles　from
  her　and　went　into　a　miserable　little　tavern　on　his　way　home。　He
  asked　for　tea；　sat　down　and　sank　into　deep　thought。　A　strange　idea　was
  pecking　at　his　brain　like　a　chicken　in　the　egg；　and　very；　very　much
  absorbed　him。
  Almost　beside　him　at　the　next　table　there　was　sitting　a　student；
  whom　he　did　not　know　and　had　never　seen；　and　with　him　a　young　officer。
  They　had　played　a　game　of　billiards　and　began　drinking　tea。　All　at
  once　he　heard　the　student　mention　to　the　officer　the　pawnbroker　Alyona
  Ivanovna　and　give　him　her　address。　This　of　itself　seemed　strange　to
  Raskolnikov；　he　had　just　come　from　her　and　here　at　once　he　heard　her
  name。　Of　course　it　was　a　chance；　but　he　could　not　shake　off　a　very
  extraordinary　impression；　and　here　some　one　seemed　to　be　speaking
  expressly　for　him；　the　student　b