PART III, CHAPTER 2

At nine o'clock the next morning, Razumihin presents himself at the Bakaleyev rooms. He is received by Dounia and her mother, who ask him questions about Raskolnikov's well being. Razumihin replies that Raskolnikov has been rather moody and depressed of late. Razumihin apologizes for the manner in which he attacked Luzhin's character the previous night and attributes it to his own drunkenness.

Then Pulcheria Alexandrovna hands Razumihin a letter sent to her by Luzhin that morning. In it Luzhin mentions that he has seen Raskolnikov hand over about 25 rubles to a girl of easy virtue. Luzhin informs Pulcheria Alexandrovna that he will visit her that evening. He wishes that Raskolnikov not be present at this meeting. Dounia is adamant that her brother be there. She sets off, along with her mother and Razumihin, for Raskolnikov's place.

Notes

Razumihin becomes the means of maintaining and renewing contact between Raskolnikov and his family. He understands Raskolnikov better than most people and describes him as "moody, melancholy, haughty and proud." He is aware of Raskolnikov's dual nature. Dounia and Pulcheria Alexandrovna are beginning to depend on Razumihin.

Luzhin's malicious letter is intended to cause a rift between Dounia and her brother, but it backfires on Luzhin. He claims that Raskolnikov gave the money to Sonia, rather than to Katerina Ivanovna, but Pulcheria Alexandrovna does not fully believe Luzhin's report.

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