work　which　is　as　good　as　any　other　and　much　better　than　the　work　of
  a　Raphael　and　a　Pushkin；　because　it　is　more　useful。〃
  〃And　more　honourable；　more　honourable；　he…he…he！〃
  〃What　do　you　mean　by　'more　honourable'？　I　don't　understand　such
  expressions　to　describe　human　activity。　'More　honourable；'　'nobler'…
  all　those　are　old…fashioned　prejudices　which　I　reject。　Everything
  which　is　of　use　to　mankind　is　honourable。　I　only　understand　one
  word：　useful！　You　can　snigger　as　much　as　you　like；　but　that's　so！〃
  Pyotr　Petrovitch　laughed　heartily。　He　had　finished　counting　the
  money　and　was　putting　it　away。　But　some　of　the　notes　he　left　on　the
  table。　The　〃cesspool　question〃　had　already　been　a　subject　of　dispute
  between　them。　What　was　absurd　was　that　it　made　Lebeziatnikov　really
  angry；　while　it　amused　Luzhin　and　at　that　moment　he　particularly
  wanted　to　anger　his　young　friend。
  〃It's　your　ill…luck　yesterday　that　makes　you　so　ill…humoured　and
  annoying；〃　blurted　out　Lebeziatnikov；　who　in　spite　of　his
  〃independence〃　and　his　〃protests〃　did　not　venture　to　oppose　Pyotr
  Petrovitch　and　still　behaved　to　him　with　some　of　the　respect
  habitual　in　earlier　years。
  〃You'd　better　tell　me　this；〃　Pyotr　Petrovitch　interrupted　with
  haughty　displeasure；　〃can　you。。。　or　rather　are　you　really　friendly
  enough　with　that　young　person　to　ask　her　to　step　in　here　for　a　minute？
  I　think　they've　all　come　back　from　the　cemetery。。。　I　hear　the　sound　of
  steps。。。　I　want　to　see　her；　that　young　person。〃
  〃What　for？〃　Lebeziatnikov　asked　with　surprise。
  〃Oh；　I　want　to。　I　am　leaving　here　to…day　or　to…morrow　and
  therefore　I　wanted　to　speak　to　her　about。。。　However；　you　may　be
  present　during　the　interview。　It's　better　you　should　be；　indeed。　For
  there's　no　knowing　what　you　might　imagine。〃
  〃I　shan't　imagine　anything。　I　only　asked　and；　if　you've　anything
  to　say　to　her；　nothing　is　easier　than　to　call　her　in。　I'll　go　directly
  and　you　may　be　sure　I　won't　be　in　your　way。〃
  Five　minutes　later　Lebeziatnikov　came　in　with　Sonia。　She　came　in
  very　much　surprised　and　overcome　with　shyness　as　usual。　She　was　always
  shy　in　such　circumstances　and　was　always　afraid　of　new　people；　she　had
  been　as　a　child　and　was　even　more　so　now。。。。　Pyotr　Petrovitch　met
  her　〃politely　and　affably；〃　but　with　a　certain　shade　of　bantering
  familiarity　which　in　his　opinion　was　suitable　for　a　man　of　his
  respectability　and　weight　in　dealing　with　a　creature　so　young　and　so
  interesting　as　she。　He　hastened　to　〃reassure〃　her　and　made　her　sit
  down　facing　him　at　the　table。　Sonia　sat　down；　looked　about　her…　at
  Lebeziatnikov；　at　the　notes　lying　on　the　table　and　then　again　at　Pyotr
  Petrovitch　and　her　eyes　remained　riveted　on　him。　Lebeziatnikov　was
  moving　to　the　door。　Pyotr　Petrovitch　signed　to　Sonia　to　remain
  seated　and　stopped　Lebeziatnikov。
  〃Is　Raskolnikov　in　there？　Has　he　come？〃　he　asked　him　in　a　whisper。
  〃Raskolnikov？　Yes。　Why？　Yes；　he　is　there。　I　saw　him　just　come　in。。。。
  Why？〃
  〃Well；　I　particularly　beg　you　to　remain　here　with　us　and　not　to
  leave　me　alone　with　this。。。　young　woman。　I　only　want　a　few　words
  with　her；　but　God　knows　what　they　may　make　of　it。　I　shouldn't　like
  Raskolnikov　to　repeat　anything。。。。　You　understand　what　I　mean？〃
  〃I　understand！〃　Lebeziatnikov　saw　the　point。　〃Yes；　you　are　right。。。。
  Of　course；　I　am　convinced　personally　that　you　have　no　reason　to　be
  uneasy；　but。。。　still；　you　are　right。　Certainly　I'll　stay。　I'll　stand
  here　at　the　window　and　not　be　in　your　way。。。　　I　think　you　are
  right。。。〃
  Pyotr　Petrovitch　returned　to　the　sofa；　sat　down　opposite　Sonia；
  looked　attentively　at　her　and　assumed　an　extremely　dignified；　even
  severe　expression；　as　much　as　to　say；　〃don't　you　make　any　mistake；
  madam。〃　Sonia　was　overwhelmed　with　embarrassment。
  〃In　the　first　place；　Sofya　Semyonovna；　will　you　make　my　excuses　to
  your　respected　mamma。。。。　That's　right；　isn't　it？　Katerina　Ivanovna
  stands　in　the　place　of　a　mother　to　you？〃　Pyotr　Petrovitch　began　with
  great　dignity；　though　affably。
  It　was　evident　that　his　intentions　were　friendly。
  〃Quite　so；　yes；　the　place　of　a　mother；〃　Sonia　answered；　timidly
  and　hurriedly。
  〃Then　will　you　make　my　apologies　to　her？　Through　inevitable
  circumstances　I　am　forced　to　be　absent　and　shall　not　be　at　the
  dinner　in　spite　of　your　mamma's　kind　invitation。〃
  〃Yes。。。　I'll　tell　her。。。　at　once。〃
  And　Sonia　hastily　jumped　up　from　her　seat。
  〃Wait；　that's　not　all；〃　Pyotr　Petrovitch　detained　her；　smiling　at
  her　simplicity　and　ignorance　of　good　manners；　〃and　you　know　me　little；
  my　dear　Sofya　Semyonovna；　if　you　suppose　I　would　have　ventured　to
  trouble　a　person　like　you　for　a　matter　of　so　little　consequence
  affecting　myself　only。　I　have　another　object。〃
  Sonia　sat　down　hurriedly。　Her　eyes　rested　again　for　an　instant　on
  the　grey　and　rainbow…coloured　notes　that　remained　on　the　table；　but
  she　quickly　looked　away　and　fixed　her　eyes　on　Pyotr　Petrovitch。　She
  felt　it　horribly　indecorous；　especially　for　her；　to　look　at　another
  person's　money。　She　stared　at　the　gold　eyeglass　which　Pyotr　Petrovitch
  held　in　his　left　hand　and　at　the　massive　and　extremely　handsome　ring
  with　a　yellow　stone　on　his　middle　finger。　But　suddenly　she　looked　away
  and；　not　knowing　where　to　turn；　ended　by　staring　Pyotr　Petrovitch
  again　straight　in　the　face。　After　a　pause　of　still　greater　dignity
  he　continued。
  〃I　chanced　yesterday　in　passing　to　exchange　a　couple　of　words　with
  Katerina　Ivanovna；　poor　woman。　That　was　sufficient　to　enable　me　to
  ascertain　that　she　is　in　a　position…　preternatural；　if　one　may　so
  express　it。〃
  〃Yes。。。　preternatural。。。〃　Sonia　hurriedly　assented。
  〃Or　it　would　be　simpler　and　more　comprehensible　to　say；　ill。〃
  〃Yes；　simpler　and　more　comprehen。。。　yes；　ill。〃
  〃Quite　so。　So　then　from　a　feeling　of　humanity　and　so　to　speak
  compassion；　I　should　be　glad　to　be　of　service　to　her　in　any　way；
  foreseeing　her　unfortunate　position。　I　believe　the　whole　of　this
  poverty…stricken　family　depends　now　entirely　on　you？〃
  〃Allow　me　to　ask；〃　Sonia　rose　to　her　feet；　〃did　you　say　something　to
  her　yesterday　of　the　possibility　of　a　pension？　Because　she　told　me　you
  had　undertaken　to　get　her　one。　Was　that　true？〃
  〃Not　in　the　slightest；　and　indeed　it's　an　absurdity！　I　merely　hinted
  at　her　obtaining　temporary　assistance　as　the　widow　of　an　official
  who　had　died　in　the　service…　if　only　she　has　patronage。。。　but
  apparently　your　late　parent　had　not　served　his　full　term　and　had　not
  indeed　been　in　the　service　at　all　of　late。　In　fact；　if　there　could
  be　any　hope；　it　would　be　very　ephemeral；　because　there　would　be　no
  claim　for　assistance　in　that　case；　far　from　it。。。。　And　she　is　dreaming
  of　a　pension　already；　he…he…he！。。。　A　go…ahead　lady！〃
  〃Yes；　she　is。　For　she　is　credulous　and　good…hearted；　and　she
  believes　everything　from　the　goodness　of　her　heart　and。。。　and。。。　and
  she　is　like　that。。。　yes。。。　You　must　excuse　her；〃　said　Sonia；　and　again
  she　got　up　to　go。
  〃But　you　haven't　heard　what　I　have　to　say。〃
  〃No；　I　haven't　heard；〃　muttered　Sonia。
  〃Then　sit　down。〃　She　was　terribly　confused；　she　sat　down　again　a
  third　time。
  〃Seeing　her　position　with　her　unfortunate　little　ones；　I　should　be
  glad；　as　I　have　said　before；　so　fa