“‘If any one of us knew of a proposed political murder, would he, in view of the consequences, go to give information, or would he stay at home and await events? Opinions may differ on this point. The answer to the question will tell us clearly whether we are to separate, or to remain together, and for far longer than this one evening.’ “After which Pyotr Stepanovitch begins to interrogate apart several members of this secret society. He is interrupted. “‘It’s an unnecessary question. Every one will make the same answer. There are no informers here.’ “‘What’s that gentleman getting up for?’ cried the girl student. “‘That’s Shatov. What are you getting up for?’ cried the lady of the house. “Shatov did, in fact, stand up. He was holding his cap in his hand and looking at Verhovensky. Apparently he wanted to say something to him, but was hesitating. His face was pale and wrathful, but he controlled himself. He did not say one word, but in silence walked towards the door. “‘Shatov, this won’t make things better for you!’ Verhovensky called after him enigmatically. “‘But it will for you, since you are a spy and a scoundrel!’ Shatov shouted to him from the door as he went out. “Shouts and exclamations again. “‘That’s what comes of a test,’ cried a voice.”[126] Thus the victim is marked, and by his own hand. Haste is imperative: Shatov’s murder must anticipate his denunciation. We must admire Dostoevsky’s art in this, because constantly carried away in my enthusiasm to discuss his ideas, I am afraid I have neglected all too much his wonderful skill in exposition. At this juncture in the narrative, an astounding thing comes to pass which raises a particular artistic problem. It is a commonplace that, passed a certain point in the evolution of the plot, there must be nothing to deflect attention: events must move more quickly and lead straight to the ultimate issue. Well, this is the moment, when the action has entered on its phase of maximum rapidity, that Dostoevsky contrives to introduce the most startling interruptions. He is conscious that so tense is his reader’s attention everything will assume an importance out of all proportion. With this knowledge, he does not hesitate to distract attention from the main course of events by brusque modulations which develop his most cherished ideas. The very night Shatov is destined to turn informer or be murdered, his wife, whom he has not seen for years, suddenly reappears at his house. Her time is at hand, but at first Kirillov does not realize her condition.