Crime and Punishment Ch. 26: Nikolay's Confessi

Summary

The locked door from Porfiry's interview bursts open. Warders try to hold back the prisoner Nikolay, but a pale young workman forces his way in, kneels, and cries: I am guilty! Mine is the sin! I am the murderer. He names Alyona Ivanovna and her sister Lizaveta Ivanovna, killed with an axe; darkness came over me. Porfiry, thrown off his plan, questions the axe, Mitka, the porters on the stairs. Nikolay answers too neatly; Porfiry mutters it is not his own tale he was telling, then hurries Raskolnikov out, flustered and trembling. On the stairs Raskolnikov mocks the little surprise and calls Porfiry's office comical: torture a man into confessing, then call the confession a lie.

At home Raskolnikov sees the false confession buys time but cannot hold; Porfiry has shown his hand without a final checkmate. Relief mixes with dread until the door opens again: yesterday's visitor from the murder flat, the tannery workman who bowed in the gateway. He says I have sinned by evil thoughts, explains he was vexed when porters let a drunk-seeming man go after asking about blood, tracked Raskolnikov down, and sat in Porfiry's next room during the whole interview. He was the surprise behind the door. He told Porfiry about the flat visit; Porfiry raged that he would have arrested Raskolnikov had he known sooner, locked the witness to hear everything, then released him after Nikolay and Raskolnikov left.

Raskolnikov realizes the near disaster was a trivial circumstance: only psychology and delirium, no hard facts yet, and it all cuts both ways. He forgives the man's slander and goes out more confident, vowing to make a fight for it while despising his own cowardice. Nikolay's tale has bought time. The workman has already told Porfiry about the flat and the blood stains.

In this chapter:Terms Characters Key Quotes Modern Story

Why This Matters

Reading False Confessions and Hidden Witnesses

A dramatic guilty plea can be theater for everyone except the person who actually did it. Nikolay bursts into Porfiry's office claiming the axe murders while the tannery workman later confronts Rodya about overhearing the interview.

When someone else confesses to your crime, ask who arranged the audience and who was left listening in the hall.

This chapter

Inside the Mind: The workman

Nikolay bursts in and claims the axe murders, offering a suffering that can stand in for the crime. The workman who heard a man called murderer in the street has come to say so, and his fact cannot be worn as penance. Porfiry lets both sit in the room: one plea that wants to suffer, and one memory that only reports.

Continue this thoughtThe Hay Market Fails and the Station Does Not

Coming Up in Chapter 27

The morning after the fateful interview with Dunya and her mother, Luzhin looks in the glass, afraid he has jaundice. The black snake of wounded vanity has been gnawing all night. He comforts himself that he will find another bride.

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Chapter 26

Nikolay's Confession

When he remembered the scene afterwards, this is how Raskolnikov saw it. The noise behind the door increased, and suddenly the door was opened a little. “What is it?” cried Porfiry Petrovitch, annoyed. “Why, I gave orders...” For an instant there was no answer, but it was evident that there were several persons at the door, and that they were apparently pushing somebody back. “What is it?” Porfiry Petrovitch repeated, uneasily. “The prisoner Nikolay has been brought,” someone answered. “He is not wanted! Take him away! Let him wait! What’s he doing here? How irregular!” cried Porfiry, rushing to the…

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Nikolay's Confession

Summary

Why This Matters