“Oh, yes,” Razumihin answered quickly. “He is a nice fellow, you will see, brother. Rather clumsy, that is to say, he is a man of polished manners, but I mean clumsy in a different sense. He is an intelligent fellow, very much so indeed, but he has his own range of ideas.⁠ ⁠… He is incredulous, sceptical, cynical⁠ ⁠… he likes to impose on people, or rather to make fun of them. His is the old, circumstantial method.⁠ ⁠… But he understands his work⁠ ⁠… thoroughly.⁠ ⁠… Last year he cleared up a case of murder in which the police had hardly a clue. He is very, very anxious to make your acquaintance!”

“On what grounds is he so anxious?”

“Oh, it’s not exactly⁠ ⁠… you see, since you’ve been ill I happen to have mentioned you several times.⁠ ⁠… So, when he heard about you⁠ ⁠… about your being a law student and not able to finish your studies, he said, ‘What a pity!’ And so I concluded⁠ ⁠… from everything together, not only that; yesterday Zametov⁠ ⁠… you know, Rodya, I talked some nonsense on the way home to you yesterday, when I was drunk⁠ ⁠… I am afraid, brother, of your exaggerating it, you see.”