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He stood and gazed and could not believe his eyes: the door, the

outer door from the stairs, at which he had not long before

waited and rung, was standing unfastened and at least six inches

open. No lock, no bolt, all the time, all that time! The old

woman had not shut it after him perhaps as a precaution. But,

good God! Why, he had seen Lizaveta afterwards! And how could he,

how could he have failed to reflect that she must have come in

somehow! She could not have come through the wall!

He dashed to the door and fastened the latch.

"But no, the wrong thing again! I must get away, get away...."

He unfastened the latch, opened the door and began listening on

the staircase.