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This friend was Lizaveta Ivanovna, or, as everyone called her,

Lizaveta, the younger sister of the old pawnbroker, Alyona

Ivanovna, whom Raskolnikov had visited the previous day to pawn

his watch and make his experiment.... He already knew all about

Lizaveta and she knew him a little too. She was a single woman of

about thirty-five, tall, clumsy, timid, submissive and almost

idiotic. She was a complete slave and went in fear and trembling

of her sister, who made her work day and night, and even beat

her. She was standing with a bundle before the huckster and his

wife, listening earnestly and doubtfully. They were talking of

something with special warmth. The moment Raskolnikov caught

sight of her, he was overcome by a strange sensation as it were

of intense astonishment, though there was nothing astonishing

about this meeting.

"You could make up your mind for yourself, Lizaveta Ivanovna,"

the huckster was saying aloud. "Come round to-morrow about seven.

They will be here too."