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The man of genius is one of millions, and the great geniuses, the

crown of humanity, appear on earth perhaps one in many thousand

millions. In fact I have not peeped into the retort in which all

this takes place. But there certainly is and must be a definite

law, it cannot be a matter of chance."

"Why, are you both joking?" Razumihin cried at last. "There you

sit, making fun of one another. Are you serious, Rodya?"

Raskolnikov raised his pale and almost mournful face and made no

reply. And the unconcealed, persistent, nervous, and discourteous

sarcasm of Porfiry seemed strange to Razumihin beside that quiet

and mournful face.