Pagina 334 van 1294

And the next day I heard that someone had murdered Alyona

Ivanovna and her sister, Lizaveta Ivanovna, with an axe. I knew

them, and I felt suspicious about the ear-rings at once, for I

knew the murdered woman lent money on pledges. I went to the

house, and began to make careful inquiries without saying a word

to anyone. First of all I asked, "Is Nikolay here?" Dmitri told

me that Nikolay had gone off on the spree; he had come home at

daybreak drunk, stayed in the house about ten minutes, and went

out again. Dmitri didn't see him again and is finishing the job

alone. And their job is on the same staircase as the murder, on

the second floor. When I heard all that I did not say a word to

anyone'--that's Dushkin's tale--'but I found out what I could

about the murder, and went home feeling as suspicious as ever.