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〃But you might give us some tea！ My throat's dry；〃 cried Razumihin。
〃Capital idea！ Perhaps we will all keep you company。 Wouldn't you
like。。。 something more essential before tea？〃
〃Get along with you！〃
Porfiry Petrovitch went out to order tea。
Raskolnikov's thoughts were in a whirl。 He was in terrible
exasperation。
〃The worst of it is they don't disguise it； they don't care to stand
on ceremony！ And how if you didn't know me at all； did you come to
talk to Nikodim Fomitch about me？ So they didn't care to hide that
they are tracking me like a pack of dogs。 They simply spit in my
face。〃 He was shaking with rage。 〃Come； strike me openly； don't play
with me like a cat with a mouse。 It's hardly civil； Porfiry
Petrovitch； but perhaps I won't allow it！ I shall get up and throw the
whole truth in your ugly faces； and you'll see how I despise you。〃
He could hardly breathe。 〃And what if it's only my fancy？ What if I am
mistaken； and through inexperience I get angry and don't keep up my
nasty part？ Perhaps it's all unintentional。 All their phrases are
the usual ones； but there is something about them。。。。 It all might
be said； but there is something。 Why did he say bluntly； 'With her'？
Why did Zametov add that I spoke artfully？ Why do they speak in that
tone？ Yes； the tone。。。。 Razumihin is sitting here； why does he see
nothing？ That innocent blockhead never does see anything！ Feverish
again！ Did Porfiry wink at me just now？ Of course it's nonsense！
What could he wink for？ Are they trying to upset my nerves or are they
teasing me？ Either it's ill fancy or they know！ Even Zametov is
rude。。。。 Is Zametov rude？ Zametov has changed his mind。 I foresaw he
would change his mind！ He is at home here； while it's my first
visit。 Porfiry does not consider him a visitor； sits with his back
to him。 They're as thick as thieves； no doubt； over me！ Not a doubt
they were talking about me before we came。 Do they know about the
flat？ If only they'd make haste！ When I said that I ran away to take a
flat he let it pass。。。。 I put that in cleverly about a flat； it may be
of use afterwards。。。。 Delirious； indeed。。。 ha…ha…ha！ He knows all
about last night！ He didn't know of my mother's arrival！ The hag had
written the date on in pencil！ You are wrong； you won't catch me！
There are no facts。。。 it's all supposition！ You produce facts！ The
flat even isn't a fact but delirium。 I know what to say to them。。。。 Do
they know about the flat？ I won't go without finding out。 What did I
come for？ But my being angry now； maybe is a fact！ Fool； how irritable
I am！ Perhaps that's right； to play the invalid。。。。 He is feeling
me。 He will try to catch me。 Why did I come？〃
All this flashed like lightning through his mind。
Porfiry Petrovitch returned quickly。 He became suddenly more jovial。
〃Your party yesterday； brother； has left my head rather。。。。 And I am
out of sorts altogether；〃 he began in quite a different tone； laughing
to Razumihin。
〃Was it interesting？ I left you yesterday at the most interesting
point。 Who got the best of it？〃
〃Oh； no one； of course。 They got on to everlasting questions；
floated off into space。〃
〃Only fancy； Rodya； what we got on to yesterday。 Whether there is
such a thing as crime。 I told you that we talked our heads off。〃
〃What is there strange？ It's an everyday social question；〃
Raskolnikov answered casually。
〃The question wasn't put quite like that；〃 observed Porfiry。
〃Not quite； that's true；〃 Razumihin agreed at once； getting warm and
hurried as usual。 〃Listen； Rodion； and tell us your opinion； I want to
hear it。 I was fighting tooth and nail with them and wanted you to
help me。 I told them you were coming。。。。 It began with the socialist
doctrine。 You know their doctrine； crime is a protest against the
abnormality of the social organization and nothing more； and nothing
more； no other causes admitted！。。。〃
〃You are wrong there；〃 cried Porfiry Petrovitch； he was noticeably
animated and kept laughing as he looked at Razumihin which made him
more excited than ever。
〃Nothing is admitted；〃 Razumihin interrupted with heat。
〃I am not wrong。 I'll show you their pamphlets。 Everything with them
is 'the influence of environment；' and nothing else。 Their favourite
phrase！ From which it follows that； if society is normally
organized； all crime will cease at once； since there will be nothing
to protest against and all men will become righteous in one instant。
Human nature is not taken into account； it is excluded； it's not
supposed to exist！ They don't recognise that humanity； developing by a
historical living process； will become at last a normal society； but
they believe that a social system that has come out of some
mathematical brain is going to organise all humanity at once and
make it just and sinless in an instant； quicker than any living
process！ That's why they instinctively dislike history； 'nothing but
ugliness and stupidity in it；' and they explain it all as stupidity！
That's why they so dislike the living process of life； they don't want
a living soul！ The living soul demands life； the soul won't obey the
rules of mechanics； the soul is an object of suspicion； the soul is
retrograde！ But what they want though it smells of death and can be
made of India…rubber； at least is not alive； has no will； is servile
and won't revolt！ And it comes in the end to their reducing everything
to the building of walls and the planning of rooms and passages in a
phalanstery！ The phalanstery is ready； indeed； but your human nature
is not ready for the phalanstery… it wants life； it hasn't completed
its vital process； it's too soon for the graveyard！ You can't skip
over nature by logic。 Logic presupposes three possibilities； but there
are millions！ Cut away a million； and reduce it all to the question of
comfort！ That's the easiest solution of the problem！ It's
seductively clear and you musn't think about it。 That's the great
thing； you mustn't think！ The whole secret of life in two pages of
print！〃
〃Now he is off； beating the drum！ Catch hold of him； do！〃 laughed
Porfiry。 〃Can you imagine；〃 he turned to Raskolnikov； 〃six people
holding forth like that last night； in one room； with punch as a
preliminary！ No； brother； you are wrong； environment accounts for a
great deal in crime； I can assure you of that。〃
〃Oh； I know it does； but just tell me： a man of forty violates a
child of ten； was it environment drove him to it？〃
〃Well； strictly speaking； it did；〃 Porfiry observed with
noteworthy gravity； 〃a crime of that nature may be very well
ascribed to the influence of environment。〃
Razumihin was almost in a frenzy。 〃Oh； if you like；〃 he roared。
〃I'll prove to you that your white eyelashes may very well be ascribed
to the Church of Ivan the Great's being two hundred and fifty feet
high； and I will prove it clearly； exactly； progressively； and even
with a Liberal tendency！ I undertake to！ Will you bet on it？〃
〃Done！ Let's hear； please； how he will prove it！〃
〃He is always humbugging； confound him；〃 cried Razumihin； jumping up
and gesticulating。 〃What's the use of talking to you！ He does all that
on purpose； you don't know him； Rodion！ He took their side
yesterday； simply to make fools of them。 And the things he said
yesterday！ And they were delighted！ He can keep it up for a
fortnight together。 Last year he persuaded us that he was going into a
monastery： he stuck to it for two months。 Not long ago he took it into
his head to declare he was going t