In part 4, chapter 2 of Crime and Punishment, Razumihin and Raskolnikov go to Dunya and Polkeria's apartment, and bureaucratic Luzhin is unhappy to find Raskolnikov there in violation of his demand he not attend. Luzhin describes a rape and two brutal deaths attributed to Svidrigailov, although evidence against him remains inconclusive. Raskolnikov hears about Svidrigailov's alleged crimes for the first time. The alleged victims are a young, deaf, and mute girl and a footman.
far below Svidrigailov in social status, and therefore especially vulnerable. Raskolnikov announces that Svidrigailov has been to see him, and that Marfa Petrovna has left Dunya money. Dunya explains that she asked her brother to attend the meeting. She wants to hear both his and Luzhin's sides in order to judge fairly.
If Raskolnikov has insulted Luzhin, Dunya will make her brother apologize. It's that simple. She appeals to the good in Luzhin's nature to make peace with her brother, But Luzhin is offended that Dunya even considers choosing her brother over him. Pulcheria confronts Luzhin about the lies in his letter about her son giving money to Sonia, but he denies them.
Luzhin assumes the women are justifying him now because they have money of their own, revealing that Raskolnikov was right about him after all. Luzhin expected Dunya's financial circumstances to make her completely dependent on him, hoping she would worship him as her savior. The selfish man thinks women are to be bought and sold.
sold like commodities to their husbands. Dunia angrily throws Luzhin out, breaking their engagement. Luzhin claims she should be grateful he wanted to marry her at all, and that he laments the money he spent on her. Luzhin leaves, and incapable of admitting fault or seeing anyone else's point of view, feels vindictive hatred for Raskolnikov. In Part 4, Chapter 3 of Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikov tells Dunya that Svidrigailov wants to meet her and give her money.
But this frightens her. Razumihin lays out a plan for him, Raskolnikov, and Dunya to go into publishing together, using some of the money Dunya inherited from Marfa Petrovna. Raskolnikov likes the idea, but his conscience quickly gets the better of him, and he suddenly declares that he wants to separate from his mother and sister. He asks them to leave him alone, or he will hate them, which devastates his family. his mother.
His sister calls him a wicked, heartless egoist, but Razumikhin reminds her that her brother is crazy, not heartless. Raskolnikov implies that they are all better off without him, saying he will come back at some point, but doesn't give specifics. He tells Razumikhin to always take care of Dunya and Palkaria. Raskolnikov stares at his friend intently, and Razumikhin senses that Raskolnikov may be the murderer, or at the very least, his friend has done something terrible.