Pagina 195 di 1294

In his impatience he raised the axe again to cut the string from

above on the body, but did not dare, and with difficulty,

smearing his hand and the axe in the blood, after two minutes'

hurried effort, he cut the string and took it off without

touching the body with the axe; he was not mistaken--it was a

purse. On the string were two crosses, one of Cyprus wood and one

of copper, and an image in silver filigree, and with them a small

greasy chamois leather purse with a steel rim and ring. The purse

was stuffed very full; Raskolnikov thrust it in his pocket

without looking at it, flung the crosses on the old woman's body

and rushed back into the bedroom, this time taking the axe with

him.