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- PART IV
CHAPTER I
"Can this be still a dream?" Raskolnikov thought once more.
He looked carefully and suspiciously at the unexpected visi-
tor.
"Svidrigailov! What nonsense! It can't be!" he said at lastaloud in bewilderment.
His visitor did not seem at all surprised at this exclamation.
"I've come to you for two reasons. In the first place, I wanted
to make your personal acquaintance, as I have already heard a
great deal about you that is interesting and flattering; secondly,
I cherish the hope that you may not refuse to assist me in a
matter directly concerning the welfare of your sister, Avdotya
Rornanovna. For without your support she might not let me
come near her now, for she is prejudiced against me, but with
your assistance I reckon on . . ."
"You reckon wrongly" interrupted Raskolnikov.
"They only arrived yesterday, may I ask you?"
Raskolnikov made no reply.
"It was yesterday, I know. I only arrived myself the day
before. Well, let me tell you this, Rodion Romanovitch, I
don't consider it necessary to justify myself, but kindly tell me
what was there particularly criminal on my part in all this
business, speaking without prejudice, with common sense?"Raskolnikov continued to look at him in silence.
"That in my own house I persecuted a defenceless girl and
'insulted her with my infamous proposals' — is that it? (I am
anticipating you.) But you've only to assume that I, too, am
a man et nihil humanum ... in a word, that I am capable of
being attracted and falling in love (which does not depend on
our will) , then everything can be explained in the most natural
manner. The question is, am I a monster, or am I myself a
victim? And what if I am a victim? In proposing to the object
of my passion to elope with me to America or Switzerland, I
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