TherewasonepointthatstruckeveryoneinFetyukovitch', andconsequently, thepossibilityoftheirhavingbeenstolen.

"Gentlemenofthejury," hebegan."Everynewandunprejudicedobservermustbestruckbyacharacteristicpeculiarityinthepresentcase, namely, thechargeofrobbery, —threethousandroubles—butwhetherthoseroubleseverexisted, , howhaveweheardofthatsum, andwhohasseenthenotes? Theonlypersonwhosawthem, andstatedthattheyhadbeenputintheenvelope, wastheservant, , IvanFyodorovitch, , too, , noonebutSmerdyakovhadseenthem.

"Herethequestionarises, ifit'struethattheydidexist, andthatSmerdyakovhadseenthem, whendidheseethemforthelasttime? Whatifhismasterhadtakenthenotesfromunderhisbedandputthembackinhiscash-boxwithouttellinghim? Note, thataccordingtoSmerdyakov'sstorythenoteswerekeptunderthemattress; theprisonermusthavepulledthemout, andyetthebedwasabsolutelyunrumpled; ? Howcouldhehavehelpedsoilingwithhisblood-stainedhandsthefineandspotlesslinenwithwhichthebedhadbeenpurposelymade?