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At the question, 'When you were working with Dmitri, didn't you

see anyone on the staircase at such-and-such a time?'--answer:

'To be sure folks may have gone up and down, but I did not notice

them.' 'And didn't you hear anything, any noise, and so on?' 'We

heard nothing special.' 'And did you hear, Nikolay, that on the

same day Widow So-and-so and her sister were murdered and

robbed?' 'I never knew a thing about it. The first I heard of it

was from Afanasy Pavlovitch the day before yesterday.' 'And where

did you find the ear-rings?' 'I found them on the pavement.' 'Why

didn't you go to work with Dmitri the other day?' 'Because I was

drinking.' 'And where were you drinking?' 'Oh, in such-and-such a

place.' 'Why did you run away from Dushkin's?' 'Because I was

awfully frightened.' 'What were you frightened of?' 'That I

should be accused.' 'How could you be frightened, if you felt

free from guilt?' Now, Zossimov, you may not believe me, that

question was put literally in those words.