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"Oh, but it was a long time ago! I read about it a month ago,"

Raskolnikov answered calmly. "So you consider them criminals?" he

added, smiling.

"Of course they are criminals."

"They? They are children, simpletons, not criminals! Why, half a

hundred people meeting for such an object--what an idea! Three

would be too many, and then they want to have more faith in one

another than in themselves! One has only to blab in his cups and

it all collapses. Simpletons! They engaged untrustworthy people

to change the notes--what a thing to trust to a casual stranger!

Well, let us suppose that these simpletons succeed and each makes

a million, and what follows for the rest of their lives? Each is

dependent on the others for the rest of his life! Better hang

oneself at once! And they did not know how to change the notes

either; the man who changed the notes took five thousand roubles,

and his hands trembled. He counted the first four thousand, but

did not count the fifth thousand--he was in such a hurry to get

the money into his pocket and run away. Of course he roused

suspicion. And the whole thing came to a crash through one fool!

Is it possible?"