compared　to　that　of　a　man　condemned　to　death　who　has　suddenly　been
  pardoned。　Halfway　down　the　staircase　he　was　overtaken　by　the　priest　on
  his　way　home；　Raskolnikov　let　him　pass；　exchanging　a　silent　greeting
  with　him。　He　was　just　descending　the　last　steps　when　he　heard　rapid
  footsteps　behind　him。　Some　one　overtook　him；　it　was　Polenka。　She　was
  running　after　him；　calling　〃Wait！　wait！〃
  He　turned　round。　She　was　at　the　bottom　of　the　staircase　and
  stopped　short　a　step　above　him。　A　dim　light　came　in　from　the　yard。
  Raskolnikov　could　distinguish　the　child's　thin　but　pretty　little　face；
  looking　at　him　with　a　bright　childish　smile。　She　had　run　after　him
  with　a　message　which　she　was　evidently　glad　to　give。
  〃Tell　me；　what　is　your　name？。。。　and　where　do　you　live？〃　she　said
  hurriedly　in　a　breathless　voice。
  He　laid　both　hands　on　her　shoulders　and　looked　at　her　with　a　sort　of
  rapture。　It　was　such　a　joy　to　him　to　look　at　her；　he　could　not　have
  said　why。
  〃Who　sent　you？〃
  〃Sister　Sonia　sent　me；〃　answered　the　girl；　smiling　still　more
  brightly。
  〃I　knew　it　was　sister　Sonia　sent　you。〃
  〃Mamma　sent　me；　too。。。　when　sister　Sonia　was　sending　me；　mamma
  came　up；　too；　and　said　'Run　fast；　Polenka。'〃
  〃Do　you　love　sister　Sonia？〃
  〃I　love　her　more　than　any　one；〃　Polenka　answered　with　a　peculiar
  earnestness；　and　her　smile　became　graver。
  〃And　will　you　love　me？〃
  By　way　of　answer　he　saw　the　little　girl's　face　approaching　him；
  her　full　lips　naively　held　out　to　kiss　him。　Suddenly　her　arms　as
  thin　as　sticks　held　him　tightly；　her　head　rested　on　his　shoulder　and
  the　little　girl　wept　softly；　pressing　her　face　against　him。
  〃I　am　sorry　for　father；〃　she　said　a　moment　later；　raising　her
  tear…stained　face　and　brushing　away　the　tears　with　her　hands。　〃It's
  nothing　but　misfortunes　now；〃　she　added　suddenly　with　that
  peculiarly　sedate　air　which　children　try　hard　to　assume　when　they　want
  to　speak　like　grown…up　people。
  〃Did　your　father　love　you？〃
  〃He　loved　Lida　most；〃　she　went　on　very　seriously　without　a　smile；
  exactly　like　grown…up　people；　〃he　loved　her　because　she　is　little
  and　because　she　is　ill；　too。　And　he　always　used　to　bring　her　presents。
  But　he　taught　us　to　read　and　me　grammar　and　scripture；　too；〃　she　added
  with　dignity。　〃And　mother　never　used　to　say　anything；　but　we　knew　that
  she　liked　it　and　father　knew　it；　too。　And　mother　wants　to　teach　me
  French；　for　it's　time　my　education　began。〃
  〃And　do　you　know　your　prayers？〃
  〃Of　course；　we　do！　We　knew　them　long　ago。　I　say　my　prayers　to　myself
  as　I　am　a　big　girl　now；　but　Kolya　and　Lida　say　them　aloud　with　mother。
  First　they　repeat　the　'Ave　Maria'　and　then　another　prayer：　'Lord；
  forgive　and　bless　Sister　Sonia；'　and　then　another；　'Lord；　forgive
  and　bless　our　second　father。'　For　our　elder　father　is　dead　and　this　is
  another　one；　but　we　do　pray　for　the　other　as　well。〃
  〃Polenka；　my　name　is　Rodion。　Pray　sometimes　for　me；　too。　'And　Thy
  servant　Rodion；'　nothing　more。〃
  〃I'll　pray　for　you　all　the　rest　of　my　life；〃　the　little　girl
  declared　hotly；　and　suddenly　smiling　again　she　rushed　at　him　and
  hugged　him　warmly　once　more。
  Raskolnikov　told　her　his　name　and　address　and　promised　to　be　sure　to
  come　next　day。　The　child　went　away　quite　enchanted　with　him。　It　was
  past　ten　when　he　came　out　into　the　street。　In　five　minutes　he　was
  standing　on　the　bridge　at　the　spot　where　the　woman　had　jumped　in。
  〃Enough；〃　he　pronounced　resolutely　and　triumphantly。　〃I've　done　with
  fancies；　imaginary　terrors　and　phantoms！　Life　is　real！　haven't　I　lived
  just　now？　My　life　has　not　yet　died　with　that　old　woman！　The　Kingdom　of
  Heaven　to　her…　and　now　enough；　madam；　leave　me　in　peace！　Now　for　the
  reign　of　reason　and　light。。。　and　of　will；　and　of　strength。。。　and　now
  we　will　see！　We　will　try　our　strength！〃　he　added　defiantly；　as
  though　challenging　some　power　of　darkness。　〃And　I　was　ready　to　consent
  to　live　in　a　square　of　space！
  〃I　am　very　weak　at　this　moment；　but。。。　I　believe　my　illness　is　all
  over。　I　knew　it　would　be　over　when　I　went　out。　By　the　way；
  Potchinkov's　house　is　only　a　few　steps　away。　I　certainly　must　go　to
  Razumihin　even　if　it　were　not　close　by。。。　let　him　win　his　bet！　Let
  us　give　him　some　satisfaction；　too…　no　matter！　Strength；　strength　is
  what　one　wants；　you　can　get　nothing　without　it；　and　strength　must　be
  won　by　strength…　that's　what　they　don't　know；〃　he　added　proudly　and
  self…confidently　and　he　walked　with　flagging　footsteps　from　the
  bridge。　Pride　and　self…confidence　grew　continually　stronger　in　him；　he
  was　becoming　a　different　man　every　moment。　What　was　it　had　happened　to
  work　this　revolution　in　him？　He　did　not　know　himself；　like　a　man
  catching　at　a　straw；　he　suddenly　felt　that　he；　too；　'could　live；
  that　there　was　still　life　for　him；　that　his　life　had　not　died　with　the
  old　woman。'　Perhaps　he　was　in　too　great　a　hurry　with　his　conclusion；
  but　he　did　not　think　of　that。
  〃But　I　did　ask　her　to　remember　'Thy　servant　Rodion'　in　her　prayers；〃
  the　idea　struck　him。　〃Well；　that　was。。。　in　case　of　emergency；〃　he
  added　and　laughed　himself　at　his　boyish　sally。　He　was　in　the　best　of
  spirits。
  He　easily　found　Razumihin；　the　new　lodger　was　already　known　at
  Potchinkov's　and　the　porter　at　once　showed　him　the　way。　Half…way
  upstairs　he　could　hear　the　noise　and　animated　conversation　of　a　big
  gathering　of　people。　The　door　was　wide　open　on　the　stairs；　he　could
  hear　exclamations　and　discussion。　Razumihin's　room　was　fairly　large；
  the　company　consisted　of　fifteen　people。　Raskolnikov　stopped　in　the
  entry；　where　two　of　the　landlady's　servants　were　busy　behind　a
  screen　with　two　samovars；　bottles；　plates　and　dishes　of　pie　and
  savouries；　brought　up　from　the　landlady's　kitchen。　Raskolnikov　sent　in
  for　Razumihin。　He　ran　out　delighted。　At　the　first　glance　it　was
  apparent　that　he　had　had　a　great　deal　to　drink　and；　though　no　amount
  of　liquor　made　Razumihin　quite　drunk；　this　time　he　was　perceptibly
  affected　by　it。
  〃Listen；〃　Raskolnikov　hastened　to　say；　〃I've　only　just　come　to
  tell　you　you've　won　your　bet　and　that　no　one　really　knows　what　may　not
  happen　to　him。　I　can't　come　in；　I　am　so　weak　that　I　shall　fall　down
  directly。　And　so　good　evening　and　good…bye！　Come　and　see　me
  to…morrow。〃
  〃Do　you　know　what？　I'll　see　you　home。　If　you　say　you're　weak
  yourself；　you　must。。。〃
  〃And　your　visitors？　Who　is　the　curly…headed　one　who　has　just
  peeped　out？〃
  〃He？　Goodness　only　knows！　Some　friend　of　uncle's　I　expect；　or
  perhaps　he　has　come　without　being　invited。。。　I'll　leave　uncle　with
  them；　he　is　an　invaluable　person；　pity　I　can't　introduce　you　to　him
  now。　But　confound　them　all　now！　They　won't　notice　me；　and　I　need　a
  little　fresh　air；　for　you've　come　just　in　the　nick　of　time…　another
  two　minutes　and　I　should　have　come　to　blows！　They　are　talking　such　a
  lot　of　wild　stuff。。。　you　simply　can't　imagine　what　men　will　say！
  Though　why　shouldn't　you　imagine？　Don't　we　talk　nonsense　ourselves？
  And　let　them。。。　that's　the　way　to　learn　not　to！。。。　Wait　a　minute；　I'll
  fetch　Zossimov。〃
  Zossimov　pounced　upon　Raskolnikov　almost　greedily；　he　showed　a
  special　interest　in　him；　soon　his