Crime and Punishment Chapter 29

Katernia Ivanovna pleads with Luzhin, whom she considers to be a respected friend of her late husband, to defend her from Amalia Ivanovna's s slanders. Luzhin admits to having no knowledge of Marmelodov, waves off Katerina Ivanovna, and requests to speak with Sonia. In the presence of everyone at the dinner, Luzhin reveals that right after Sonia's visit, a hundred rouble note was missing. Sonia denies any knowledge of it. Luzhin goes over every precise detail of Sonia's visit, suggesting that her eyes had been shiftily focused on the money on the table. Sonia denies the accusation again. Luzhin tells Amalia Ivanovna to notify the authorities. She mutters something about having had a feeling that Sonia was a thief. Katerina Ivanovna rushes to Sonia's defense, taking the ten rouble Luzhin gave Sonia and throwing it back at his face. Confident of Sonia's innocence, Katerina Ivanovna dares Luzhin to search the girl. Katerina Ivanovna herself turns over Sonia's pockets, and to everyone's surprise, a hundred rouble note falls out. Luzhin picks it up and displays it for everyone to see. Amalia Ivanovna yells for the police. Sonia falls into Katerina Ivanovna's arms. The latter curses everyone for not believing in her stepdaughter's innocence, reminding everyone that Sonia has a yellow passport, a symbol of her sacrifice for her family. No one is unmoved at the sight of the half-crazed, ill woman hugging and kissing the poor, accused girl. Even Luzhin takes on a softer tone, saying that he will not make more of this than a lesson for Sonia.

Suddenly, a voice in the doorway silences everyone. Lebeziatnikov, who had been listening in the doorway, accuses Luzhin of being a vile slanderer. He testifies to seeing Luzhin slip a hundred rouble note into Sonia's pockets, thinking at the time that Luzhin was secretly performing a good deed. Luzhin is defensive. Why would he do such a thing? Luzhin asks. Lebeziatnikov speaks convincingly of having wondered precisely the same thing-why? Raskolnikov, who had been silent the whole time, speaks up and offers an explanation. He tells of Luzhin's relation with his sister, the incident of the breakup, and Luzhin's likely motive of doing this in order to exact revenge on Raskolnikov and make things right with Dounia and her mother. Raskolnikov speaks so firmly and clearly that everyone believes his explanation. Seeing that his notorious plan is ruined, Luzhin forces his way out of the hostile crowd, all the while accusing them for being so gullible in believing such lies. When Sonia finally soaks everything in and realizes the wrong done to her, she is overcome by uncontrollable weeping. She promptly rushes out. Displeased with the turn of events, Amalia Ivanovna blames Katerina Ivanovna for disrupting the peace. She orders the family out of her lodgings. Katerina Ivanovna, in complete despair, runs out with a vague notion of finding justice somewhere. In the corner, the younger children, Kolya and Lida, cry softly. Raskolnikov goes to see Sonia.