He was almost beginning to rave... Something seemed suddenly to go to his head. Dounia jumped up and rushed to the door.

“Open it! Open it!” she called, shaking the door. “Open it! Is there no one there?”

Svidriga�lov got up and came to himself. His still trembling lips slowly broke into an angry mocking smile.

“There is no one at home,” he said quietly and emphatically. “The landlady has gone out, and it’s waste of time to shout like that. You are only exciting yourself uselessly.”

“Where is the key? Open the door at once, at once, base man!”

“I have lost the key and cannot find it.”