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Chapter 7
The Second Visit to
Smerdyakov
B
Y that time Smerdyakov had been discharged from the
hospital. Ivan knew his new lodging, the dilapidated lit-
tle wooden house, divided in two by a passage, on one side
of which lived Marya Kondratyevna and her mother, and
on the other, Smerdyakov. No one knew on what terms he
lived with them, whether as a friend or as a lodger. It was
supposed afterwards that he had come to stay with them as
Marya Kondratyevna’s betrothed, and was living there for a
time without paying for board or lodging. Both mother and
daughter had the greatest respect for him and looked upon
him as greatly superior to themselves.
Ivan knocked, and, on the door being opened, went
straight into the passage. By Marya Kondratyevna’s di-
rections he went straight to the better room on the left,
occupied by Smerdyakov. There was a tiled stove in the
room and it was extremely hot. The walls were gay with
blue paper, which was a good deal used however, and in the
cracks under it cockroaches swarmed in amazing numbers,