The Stranger in the Room

There are chance meetings with strangers that interest us from the first moment before a word is spoken. The young men often recall this impression afterwards, and even ascribed it to presentim. Such was the impression made on Raskolnikov by the person sitting a little distance from him. He looked repeatedly at the clerk, partly no doubt because the latter was staring persistently at him. But there was something very strange in him. There was a light in his eyes as though of intense feeling. At the same time there was a gleam of something like madness.