When　he　had　bitterly　reminded　Dounia　that　he　had　decided　to　take　her
  in　spite　of　evil　report；　Pyotr　Petrovitch　had　spoken　with　perfect
  sincerity　and　had；　indeed；　felt　genuinely　indignant　at　such　〃black
  ingratitude。〃　And　yet；　when　he　made　Dounia　his　offer；　he　was　fully
  aware　of　the　groundlessness　of　all　the　gossip。　The　story　had　been
  everywhere　contradicted　by　Marfa　Petrovna；　and　was　by　then　disbelieved
  by　all　the　townspeople；　who　were　warm　in　Dounia'a　defence。　And　he
  would　not　have　denied　that　he　knew　all　that　at　the　time。　Yet　he
  still　thought　highly　of　his　own　resolution　in　lifting　Dounia　to　his
  level　and　regarded　it　as　something　heroic。　In　speaking　of　it　to
  Dounia；　he　had　let　out　the　secret　feeling　he　cherished　and　admired；
  and　he　could　not　understand　that　others　should　fail　to　admire　it
  too。　He　had　called　on　Raskolnikov　with　the　feelings　of　a　benefactor
  who　is　about　to　reap　the　fruits　of　his　good　deeds　and　to　hear
  agreeable　flattery。　And　as　he　went　downstairs　now；　he　considered
  himself　most　undeservedly　injured　and　unrecognised。
  Dounia　was　simply　essential　to　him；　to　do　without　her　was
  unthinkable。　For　many　years　he　had　voluptuous　dreams　of　marriage；
  but　he　had　gone　on　waiting　and　amassing　money。　He　brooded　with　relish；
  in　profound　secret；　over　the　image　of　a　girl…　virtuous；　poor　（she　must
  be　poor）；　very　young；　very　pretty；　of　good　birth　and　education；　very
  timid；　one　who　had　suffered　much；　and　was　completely　humbled　before
  him；　one　who　would　all　her　life　look　on　him　as　her　saviour；　worship
  him；　admire　him　and　only　him。　How　many　scenes；　how　many　amorous
  episodes　he　had　imagined　on　this　seductive　and　playful　theme；　when　his
  work　was　over！　And；　behold；　the　dream　of　so　many　years　was　all　but
  realised；　the　beauty　and　education　of　Avdotya　Romanovna　had
  impressed　him；　her　helpless　position　had　been　a　great　allurement；　in
  her　he　had　found　even　more　than　he　dreamed　of。　Here　was　a　girl　of
  pride；　character；　virtue；　of　education　and　breeding　superior　to　his
  own　（he　felt　that）；　and　this　creature　would　be　slavishly　grateful
  all　her　life　for　his　heroic　condescension；　and　would　humble　herself　in
  the　dust　before　him；　and　he　would　have　absolute；　unbounded　power
  over　her！。。。　Not　long　before；　he　had；　too；　after　long　reflection　and
  hesitation；　made　an　important　change　in　his　career　and　was　now
  entering　on　a　wider　circle　of　business。　With　this　change　his　cherished
  dreams　of　rising　into　a　higher　class　of　society　seemed　likely　to　be
  realised。。。。　He　was；　in　fact；　determined　to　try　his　fortune　in
  Petersburg。　He　knew　that　women　could　do　a　very　great　deal。　The
  fascination　of　a　charming；　virtuous；　highly　educated　woman　might
  make　his　way　easier；　might　do　wonders　in　attracting　people　to　him；
  throwing　an　aureole　round　him；　and　now　everything　was　in　ruins！　This
  sudden　horrible　rupture　affected　him　like　a　clap　of　thunder；　it　was
  like　a　hideous　joke；　an　absurdity。　He　had　only　been　a　tiny　bit
  masterful；　had　not　even　time　to　speak　out；　had　simply　made　a　joke；
  been　carried　away…　and　it　had　ended　so　seriously。　And；　of　course；　too；
  he　did　love　Dounia　in　his　own　way；　he　already　possessed　her　in　his
  dreams…　and　all　at　once！　No！　The　next　day；　the　very　next　day；　it
  must　all　be　set　right；　smoothed　over；　settled。　Above　all　he　must　crush
  that　conceited　milksop　who　was　the　cause　of　it　all。　With　a　sick
  feeling　he　could　not　help　recalling　Razumihin　too；　but；　he　soon
  reassured　himself　on　that　score；　as　though　a　fellow　like　that　could　be
  put　on　a　level　with　him！　The　man　he　really　dreaded　in　earnest　was
  Svidrigailov。。。。　He　had；　in　short；　a　great　deal　to　attend　to。。。。
  …
  〃No；　I；　I　am　more　to　blame　than　any　one！〃　said　Dounia；　kissing　and
  embracing　her　mother。　〃I　was　tempted　by　his　money；　but　on　my　honour；
  brother；　I　had　no　idea　he　was　such　a　base　man。　If　I　had　seen　through
  him　before；　nothing　would　have　tempted　me！　Don't　blame　me；　brother！〃
  〃God　has　delivered　us！　God　has　delivered　us！〃　Pulcheria　Alexandrovna
  muttered；　but　half　consciously；　as　though　scarcely　able　to　realise
  what　had　happened。
  They　were　all　relieved；　and　in　five　minutes　they　were　laughing。　Only
  now　and　then　Dounia　turned　white　and　frowned；　remembering　what　had
  passed。　Pulcheria　Alexandrovna　was　surprised　to　find　that　she；　too；
  was　glad：　she　had　only　that　morning　thought　rupture　with　Luzhin　a
  terrible　misfortune。　Razumihin　was　delighted。　He　did　not　yet　dare　to
  express　his　joy　fully；　but　he　was　in　a　fever　of　excitement　as　though　a
  ton…weight　had　fallen　off　his　heart。　Now　he　had　the　right　to　devote
  his　life　to　them；　to　serve　them。。。。　Anything　might　happen　now！　But
  he　felt　afraid　to　think　of　further　possibilities　and　dared　not　let　his
  imagination　range。　But　Raskolnikov　sat　still　in　the　same　place；　almost
  sullen　and　indifferent。　Though　he　had　been　the　most　insistent　on
  getting　rid　of　Luzhin；　he　seemed　now　the　least　concerned　at　what　had
  happened。　Dounia　could　not　help　thinking　that　he　was　still　angry
  with　her；　and　Pulcheria　Alexandrovna　watched　him　timidly。
  〃What　did　Svidrigailov　say　to　you？〃　said　Dounia；　approaching　him。
  〃Yes；　yes！〃　cried　Pulcheria　Alexandrovna。
  Raskolnikov　raised　his　head。
  〃He　wants　to　make　you　a　present　of　ten　thousand　roubles　and　he
  desires　to　see　you　once　in　my　presence。〃
  〃See　her！　On　no　account！〃　cried　Pulcheria　Alexandrovna。　〃And　how
  dare　he　offer　her　money！〃
  Then　Raskolnikov　repeated　（rather　drily）　his　conversation　with
  Svidrigailov；　omitting　his　account　of　the　ghostly　visitations　of　Marfa
  Petrovna；　wishing　to　avoid　all　unnecessary　talk。
  〃What　answer　did　you　give　him？〃　asked　Dounia。
  〃At　first　I　said　I　would　not　take　any　message　to　you。　Then　he　said
  that　he　would　do　his　utmost　to　obtain　an　interview　with　you　without　my
  help。　He　assured　me　that　his　passion　for　you　was　a　passing
  infatuation；　now　he　has　no　feeling　for　you。　He　doesn't　want　you　to
  marry　Luzhin。。。。　His　talk　was　altogether　rather　muddled。〃
  〃How　do　you　explain　him　to　yourself；　Rodya？　How　did　he　strike　you？〃
  〃I　must　confess　I　don't　quite　understand　him。　He　offers　you　ten
  thousand；　and　yet　says　he　is　not　well　off。　He　says　he　is　going　away；
  and　in　ten　minutes　he　forgets　he　has　said　it。　Then　he　says　is　he　going
  to　be　married　and　has　already　fixed　on　the　girl。。。。　No　doubt　he　has
  a　motive；　and　probably　a　bad　one。　But　it's　odd　that　he　should　be　so
  clumsy　about　it　if　he　had　any　designs　against　you。。。。　Of　course；　I
  refused　this　money　on　your　account；　once　for　all。　Altogether；　I
  thought　him　very　strange。。。。　One　might　almost　think　he　was　mad。　But
  I　may　be　mistaken；　that　may　only　be　the　part　he　assumes。　The　death
  of　Marfa　Petrovna　seems　to　have　made　a　great　impression　on　him。〃
  〃God　rest　her　soul；〃　exclaimed　Pulcheria　Alexandrovna。　〃I　shall
  always；　always　pray　for　her！　Where　should　we　be　now；　Dounia；　without
  this　three　thousand！　It's　as　though　it　had　fallen　from　heaven！　Why；
  Rodya；　this　morning　we　had　only　three　roubles　in　our　pocket　and　Dounia
  and　I　were　just　planning　to　pawn　her　watch；　so　as　to　avoid　borrowing
  from　that　man　until　he　offered　help。〃
  Dounia　seemed　strangely　impressed　by　Svidrigailov's　offer。　She　still
  stood　meditating。
  〃He　has　got　some　terrible　plan；〃　she　said　in　a　half　whisper　to
  herself；　almost　shuddering。
  Raskolnikov　noticed　this　disproportionate　terror。
  〃I　fancy　I　shall　have　to　see　him　more　than　once　again；〃　he　said　to
  Dounia。
  〃We　will　watch　him！　I　will　track　him　out！〃　cried　Razumihin；
  vigorously。　〃I　won't　lose　sight　of　him。　Rodya　has　given　me　leave。　He
  said　to　me　himself　just　now。　'Take　care　of　my　sister。'　Will　you　give
  me　leave；　too；　Avdotya　Romanovna？〃