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"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?"