1 He was afraid he would let the axe slip and fall.
Crime and Punishment By Fyodor DostoevskyContextHighlight In PART 1: CHAPTER VII 2 That the deed must be done with an axe he had decided long ago.
3 It was impossible for him to carry the axe through the street in his hands.
4 But as soon as he had once brought the axe down, his strength returned to him.
Crime and Punishment By Fyodor DostoevskyContextHighlight In PART 1: CHAPTER VII 5 He had still the most important thing to do--to steal the axe from the kitchen.
6 As for the noose, it was a very ingenious device of his own; the noose was intended for the axe.
7 As for getting the axe, that trifling business cost him no anxiety, for nothing could be easier.
8 Now he had only to put the head of the axe in the noose, and it would hang quietly under his arm on the inside.
9 then looked about him for the last time, pulled himself together, drew himself up, and once more tried the axe in the noose.
10 He had also a pocket pruning-knife, but he could not rely on the knife and still less on his own strength, and so resolved finally on the axe.
11 But supposing she were in the meantime to miss the axe, look for it, make an outcry--that would mean suspicion or at least grounds for suspicion.
12 Leaving the keys in the chest, he ran back to the body, snatched up the axe and lifted it once more over the old woman, but did not bring it down.
Crime and Punishment By Fyodor DostoevskyContextHighlight In PART 1: CHAPTER VII 13 He unbuttoned his coat and freed the axe from the noose, but did not yet take it out altogether, simply holding it in his right hand under the coat.
Crime and Punishment By Fyodor DostoevskyContextHighlight In PART 1: CHAPTER VII 14 He pulled the axe quite out, swung it with both arms, scarcely conscious of himself, and almost without effort, almost mechanically, brought the blunt side down on her head.
Crime and Punishment By Fyodor DostoevskyContextHighlight In PART 1: CHAPTER VII 15 Drawing a breath, pressing his hand against his throbbing heart, and once more feeling for the axe and setting it straight, he began softly and cautiously ascending the stairs, listening every minute.
16 When he reached the landlady's kitchen, the door of which was open as usual, he glanced cautiously in to see whether, in Nastasya's absence, the landlady herself was there, or if not, whether the door to her own room was closed, so that she might not peep out when he went in for the axe.
17 In his impatience he raised the axe again to cut the string from above on the body, but did not dare, and with difficulty, smearing his hand and the axe in the blood, after two minutes' hurried effort, he cut the string and took it off without touching the body with the axe; he was not mistaken--it was a purse.
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