But　all　this　continual　anxiety　and　agony　of　mind　could　not　but
  affect　him。　And　if　he　were　not　lying　in　high　fever　it　was　perhaps　just
  because　this　continual　inner　strain　helped　to　keep　him　on　his　legs　and
  in　possession　of　his　faculties。　But　this　artificial　excitement　could
  not　last　long。
  He　wandered　aimlessly。　The　sun　was　setting。　A　special　form　of　misery
  had　begun　to　oppress　him　of　late。　There　was　nothing　poignant；
  nothing　acute　about　it；　but　there　was　a　feeling　of　permanence；　of
  eternity　about　it；　it　brought　a　foretaste　of　hopeless　years　of　this
  cold　leaden　misery；　a　foretaste　of　an　eternity　〃on　a　square　yard　of
  space。〃　Towards　evening　this　sensation　usually　began　to　weigh　on　him
  more　heavily。
  〃With　this　idiotic；　purely　physical　weakness；　depending　on　the
  sunset　or　something；　one　can't　help　doing　something　stupid！　You'll
  go　to　Dounia；　as　well　as　to　Sonia；〃　he　muttered　bitterly。
  He　heard　his　name　called。　He　looked　round。　Lebeziatnikov　rushed　up
  to　him。
  〃Only　fancy；　I've　been　to　your　room　looking　for　you。　Only　fancy；
  she's　carried　out　her　plan；　and　taken　away　the　children。　Sofya
  Semyonovna　and　I　have　had　a　job　to　find　them。　She　is　rapping　on　a
  frying…pan　and　making　the　children　dance。　The　children　are　crying。
  They　keep　stopping　at　the　cross　roads　and　in　front　of　shops；　there's　a
  crowd　of　fools　running　after　them。　Come　along！〃
  〃And　Sonia？〃　Raskolnikov　asked　anxiously；　hurrying　after
  Lebeziatnikov。
  〃Simply　frantic。　That　is；　it's　not　Sofya　Semyonovna's　frantic；　but
  Katerina　Ivanovna；　though　Sofya　Semyonova's　frantic　too。　But
  Katerina　Ivanovna　is　absolutely　frantic。　I　tell　you　she　is　quite
  mad。　They'll　be　taken　to　the　police。　You　can　fancy　what　an　effect　that
  will　have。。。。　They　are　on　the　canal　bank；　near　the　bridge　now；　not　far
  from　Sofya　Semyonovna's；　quite　close。〃
  On　the　canal　bank　near　the　bridge　and　not　two　houses　away　from　the
  one　where　Sonia　lodged；　there　was　a　crowd　of　people；　consisting
  principally　of　gutter　children。　The　hoarse　broken　voice　of　Katerina
  Ivanovna　could　be　heard　from　the　bridge；　and　it　certainly　was　a
  strange　spectacle　likely　to　attract　a　street　crowd。　Katerina
  Ivanovna　in　her　old　dress　with　the　green　shawl；　wearing　a　torn　straw
  hat；　crushed　in　a　hideous　way　on　one　side；　was　really　frantic。　She　was
  exhausted　and　breathless。　Her　wasted　consumptive　face　looked　more
  suffering　than　ever；　and　indeed　out　of　doors　in　the　sunshine　a
  consumptive　always　looks　worse　than　at　home。　But　her　excitement　did
  not　flag；　and　every　moment　her　irritation　grew　more　intense。　She
  rushed　at　the　children；　shouted　at　them；　coaxed　them；　told　them　before
  the　crowd　how　to　dance　and　what　to　sing；　began　explaining　to　them
  why　it　was　necessary；　and　driven　to　desperation　by　their　not
  understanding；　beat　them。。。。　Then　she　would　make　a　rush　at　the
  crowd；　if　she　noticed　any　decently　dressed　person　stopping　to　look；
  she　immediately　appealed　to　him　to　see　what　these　children　〃from　a
  genteel；　one　may　say　aristocratic；　house〃　had　been　brought　to。　If
  she　heard　laughter　or　jeering　in　the　crowd；　she　would　rush　at　once
  at　the　scoffers　and　begin　squabbling　with　them。　Some　people　laughed；
  others　shook　their　heads；　but　every　one　felt　curious　at　the　sight　of
  the　madwoman　with　the　frightened　children。　The　frying…pan　of　which
  Lebeziatnikov　had　spoken　was　not　there；　at　least　Raskolnikov　did　not
  see　it。　But　instead　of　rapping　on　the　pan；　Katerina　Ivanovna　began
  clapping　her　wasted　hands；　when　she　made　Lida　and　Kolya　dance　and
  Polenka　sing。　She　too　joined　in　the　singing；　but　broke　down　at　the
  second　note　with　a　fearful　cough；　which　made　her　curse　in　despair
  and　even　shed　tears。　What　made　her　most　furious　was　the　weeping　and
  terror　of　Kolya　and　Lida。　Some　effort　had　been　made　to　dress　the
  children　up　as　street　singers　are　dressed。　The　boy　had　on　a　turban
  made　of　something　red　and　white　to　look　like　a　Turk。　There　had　been　no
  costume　for　Lida；　she　simply　had　a　red　knitted　cap；　or　rather　a
  night　cap　that　had　belonged　to　Marmeladov；　decorated　with　a　broken
  piece　of　white　ostrich　feather；　which　had　been　Katerina　Ivanovna's
  grandmother's　and　had　been　preserved　as　a　family　possession。　Polenka
  was　in　her　everyday　dress；　she　looked　in　timid　perplexity　at　her
  mother；　and　kept　at　her　side；　hiding　her　tears。　She　dimly　realised　her
  mother's　condition；　and　looked　uneasily　about　her。　She　was　terribly
  frightened　of　the　street　and　the　crowd。　Sonia　followed　Katerina
  Ivanovna；　weeping　and　beseeching　her　to　return　home；　but　Katerina
  Ivanovna　was　not　to　be　persuaded。
  〃Leave　off；　Sonia；　leave　off；〃　she　shouted；　speaking　fast；　panting
  and　coughing。　〃You　don't　know　what　you　ask；　you　are　like　a　child！　I've
  told　you　before　that　I　am　not　coming　back　to　that　drunken　German。
  Let　every　one；　let　all　Petersburg　see　the　children　begging　in　the
  streets；　though　their　father　was　an　honourable　man　who　served　all
  his　life　in　truth　and　fidelity；　and　one　may　say　died　in　the
  service。〃　（Katerina　Ivanovna　had　by　now　invented　this　fantastic
  story　and　thoroughly　believed　it。）　〃Let　that　wretch　of　a　general　see
  it！　And　you　are　silly；　Sonia：　what　have　we　to　eat？　Tell　me　that。　We
  have　worried　you　enough；　I　won't　go　on　so！　Ah；　Rodion　Romanovitch；
  is　that　you？〃　she　cried；　seeing　Raskolnikov　and　rushing　up　to　him。
  〃Explain　to　this　silly　girl；　please；　that　nothing　better　could　be
  done！　Even　organ…grinders　earn　their　living；　and　every　one　will　see　at
  once　that　we　are　different；　that　we　are　an　honourable　and　bereaved
  family　reduced　to　beggary。　And　that　general　will　lose　his　post；　you'll
  see！　We　shall　perform　under　his　windows　every　day；　and　if　the　Tsar
  drives　by；　I'll　fall　on　my　knees；　put　the　children　before　me；　show
  them　to　him；　and　say　'Defend　us；　father。'　He　is　the　father　of　the
  fatherless；　he　is　merciful；　he'll　protect　us；　you'll　see；　and　that
  wretch　of　a　general。。。。　Lida；　tenez　vous　droite！　Kolya；　you'll　dance
  again。　Why　are　you　whimpering？　Whimpering　again！　What　are　you　afraid
  of；　stupid？　Goodness；　what　am　I　to　do　with　them；　Rodion　Romanovitch？
  If　you　only　knew　how　stupid　they　are！　What's　one　to　do　with　such
  children？〃
  And　she；　almost　crying　herself…　which　did　not　stop　her
  uninterrupted；　rapid　flow　of　talk…　pointed　to　the　crying　children。
  Raskolnikov　tried　to　persuade　her　to　go　home；　and　even　said；　hoping　to
  work　on　her　vanity；　that　it　was　unseemly　for　her　to　be　wandering　about
  the　streets　like　an　organ…grinder；　as　she　was　intending　to　become
  the　principal　of　a　boarding…school。
  〃A　boarding…school；　ha…ha…ha！　A　castle　in　the　air；〃　cried　Katerina
  Ivanovna；　her　laugh　ending　in　a　cough。　〃No；　Rodion　Romanovitch；　that
  dream　is　over！　All　have　forsaken　us！。。。　And　that　general。。。。　You　know；
  Rodion　Romanovitch；　I　threw　an　inkspot　at　him…　it　happened　to　be
  standing　in　the　waiting…room　by　the　paper　where　you　sign　your　name。
  I　wrote　my　name；　threw　it　at　him　and　ran　away。　Oh　the　scoundrels；
  the　scoundrels！　But　enough　of　them；　now　I'll　provide　for　the
  children　myself；　I　won't　bow　down　to　anybody！　She　has　had　to　bear
  enough　for　us！〃　she　pointed　to　Sonia。　〃Polenka；　how　much　have　you　got？
  Show　me！　What；　only　two　farthings！　Oh；　the　mean　wretches！　They　give　us
  nothing；　only　run　after　us；　putting　their　tongues　out。　There；　what
  is　that　blockhead　laughing　at？〃　（She　pointed　to　a　man　in　the　crowd。）
  〃It's　all　because　Kolya　here　is　so　stupid；　I　have　such　a　bother　with
  him。　What　do　you　want；　Polenka？　Tell　me　in　French；　parlez　moi
  francais。　Why；　I've　taught　you；　you　know　some　phrases。　Else　how　are
  you　to　show　that　you　are　of　good　family；　well　brought…up　children；　and
  not　at　all　like　other　organ…grinders？　We　aren't　going　to　have　a
  Punch　and　Judy　show　in　the　street；