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"Well, go on," said Zossimov. "What next?"

"What next? As soon as he saw the ear-rings, forgetting Dmitri

and everything, he took up his cap and ran to Dushkin and, as we

know, got a rouble from him. He told a lie saying he found them

in the street, and went off drinking. He keeps repeating his old

story about the murder: 'I know nothing of it, never heard of it

till the day before yesterday.' 'And why didn't you come to the

police till now?' 'I was frightened.' 'And why did you try to

hang yourself?' 'From anxiety.' 'What anxiety?' 'That I should be

accused of it.' Well, that's the whole story. And now what do you

suppose they deduced from that?"

"Why, there's no supposing. There's a clue, such as it is, a

fact. You wouldn't have your painter set free?"

"Now they've simply taken him for the murderer. They haven't a

shadow of doubt."