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I cannot be mistaken！〃
〃I am lying？〃 Porfiry repeated； apparently incensed； but
preserving a good…humoured and ironical face； as though he were not in
the least concerned at Raskolnikov's opinion of him。 〃I am lying。。。
but how did I treat you just now； I； the examining lawyer？ Prompting
you and giving you every means for your defence； illness； I said；
delirium； injury； melancholy and the police officers and all the
rest of it？ Ah！ He…he…he！ Though； indeed； all those psychological
means of defence are not very reliable and cut both ways： illness；
delirium； I don't remember… that's all right； but why； my good sir； in
your illness and in your delirium were you haunted by just those
delusions and not by any others？ There may have been others； eh？
He…he…he！〃
Raskolnikov looked haughtily and contemptuously at him。
〃Briefly；〃 he said loudly and imperiously； rising to his feet and in
so doing pushing Porfiry back a little； 〃briefly； I want to know； do
you acknowledge me perfectly free from suspicion or not？ Tell me；
Porfiry Petrovitch； tell me once for all and make haste！〃
〃What a business I'm having with you！〃 cried Porfiry with a
perfectly good…humoured； sly and composed face。 〃And why do you want
to know； why do you want to know so much； since they haven't begun
to worry you？ Why； you are like a child asking for matches！ And why
are you so uneasy？ Why do you force yourself upon us； eh？ He…he…he！〃
〃I repeat；〃 Raskolnikov cried furiously； 〃that I can't put up with
it！〃
〃With what？ Uncertainty？〃 interrupted Porfiry。
〃Don't jeer at me！ I won't have it！ I tell you I won't have it。 I
can't and I won't； do you hear； do you hear？〃 he shouted； bringing his
fist down on the table again。
〃Hush！ Hush！ They'll overhear！ I warn you seriously； take care of
yourself。 I am not joking；〃 Porfiry whispered； but this time there was
not the look of old womanish good…nature and alarm in his face。 Now he
was peremptory； stern； frowning and for once laying aside all
mystification。
But this was only for an instant。 Raskolnikov； bewildered；
suddenly fell into actual frenzy； but； strange to say； he again obeyed
the command to speak quietly； though he was in a perfect paroxysm of
fury。
〃I will not allow myself to be tortured；〃 he whispered； instantly
recognising with hatred that he could not help obeying the command and
driven to even greater fury by the thought。 〃Arrest me； search me； but
kindly act in due form and don't play with me！ Don't dare！〃
〃Don't worry about the form；〃 Porfiry interrupted with the same
sly smile； as it were； gloating with enjoyment over Raskolnikov。 〃I
invited you to see me quite in a friendly way。〃
〃I don't want your friendship and I spit on it！ Do you hear？ And；
here； I take my cap and go。 What will you say now if you mean to
arrest me？〃
He took up his cap and went to the door。
〃And won't you see my little surprise？〃 chuckled Porfiry； again
taking him by the arm and stopping him at the door。
He seemed to become more playful and good…humoured which maddened
Raskolnikov。
〃What surprise？〃 he asked； standing still and looking at Porfiry
in alarm。
〃My little surprise； it's sitting there behind the door； he…he…he！
（He pointed to the locked door。） I locked him in that he should not
escape。〃
〃What is it？ Where？ What？。。。〃
Raskolnikov walked to the door and would have opened it； but it
was locked。
〃It's locked； here is the key！〃
And he brought a key out of his pocket。
〃You are lying；〃 roared Raskolnikov without restraint； 〃you lie； you
damned punchinello！〃 and he rushed at Porfiry who retreated to the
other door； not at all alarmed。
〃I understand it all！ You are lying and mocking so that I may betray
myself to you。。。〃
〃Why； you could not betray yourself any further； my dear Rodion
Romanovitch。 You are in a passion。 Don't shout； I shall call the
clerks。〃
〃You are lying！ Call the clerks！ You knew I was ill and tried to
work me into a frenzy to make me betray myself； that was your
object！ Produce your facts！ I understand it all。 You've no evidence；
you have only wretched rubbishly suspicions like Zametov's！ You knew
my character； you wanted to drive me to fury and then to knock me down
with priests and deputies。。。。 Are you waiting for them？ eh！ What are
you waiting for？ Where are they？ Produce them？〃
〃Why deputies； my good man？ What things people will imagine！ And
to do so would not be acting in form as you say； you don't know the
business； my dear fellow。。。。 And there's no escaping form； as you
see；〃 Porfiry muttered； listening at the door through which a noise
could be heard。
〃Ah； they're coming；〃 cried Raskolnikov。 〃You've sent for them！
You expected them！ Well； produce them all： your deputies； your
witnesses； what you like！。。。 I am ready！〃
But at this moment a strange incident occurred； something so
unexpected that neither Raskolnikov nor Porfiry Petrovitch could
have looked for such a conclusion to their interview。
Chapter Six
WHEN HE remembered the scene afterwards； this is how Raskolnikov saw
it。
The noise behind the door increased； and suddenly the door was
opened a little。
〃What is it？〃 cried Porfiry Petrovitch； annoyed。 〃Why； I gave
orders。。。〃
For an instant there was no answer； but it was evident that there
were several persons at the door； and that they were apparently
pushing somebody back。
〃What is it？〃 Porfiry Petrovitch repeated； uneasily。
〃The prisoner Nikolay has been brought；〃 some one answered。
〃He is not wanted！ Take him away！ Let him wait！ What's he doing
here？ How irregular！〃 cried Porfiry； rushing to the door。
〃But he。。。〃 began the same voice； and suddenly ceased。
Two seconds； not more； were spent in actual struggle； then some
one gave a violent shove； and then a man； very pale； strode into the
room。
This man's appearance was at first sight very strange。 He stared
straight before him； as though seeing nothing。 There was a
determined gleam in his eyes； at the same time there was a deathly
pallor in his face； as though he were being led to the scaffold。 His
white lips were faintly twitching。
He was dressed like a workman and was of medium height； very
young； slim； his hair cut in round crop； with thin spare features。 The
man whom he had thrust back followed him into the room and succeeded
in seizing him by the shoulder； he was a warder； but Nikolay pulled
his arm away。
Several persons crowded inqui