forgotten him (he forgot
no one who ever fell under his observation), but would have simply
dropped him for ever. Councillor Mikulin was a good-natured man and
wished no harm to anyone. Besides (with his own reforming tendencies) he
was favourably impressed by that young student, the son of Prince K---,
and apparently no fool.

But as fate would have it, while Mr. Razumov was finding that no way of
life was possible to him, Councillor Mikulin's discreet abilities were
rewarded by a very responsible post--nothing less than the direction of
the general police supervision over Europe. And it was then, and then
only, when taking in hand the perfecting of the service which watches
the revolutionist activities abroad, that he thought again of Mr.
Razumov. He saw great possibilities of special usefulness in that
uncommon young man on whom he had a hold already, with his peculiar
temperament, his unsettled mind and shaken conscience, a struggling in
the toils of a false position.... It was as if the revolutionists
themselves had put into his hand that tool so much finer than the common
base instruments, so perfectly fitted, if only vested with sufficient
credit, to penetrate into places inaccessible to common informers.
Providential! Providential! And Prince K---, taken into the secret, was
ready enough to adopt that mystical view too. "It will be necessary,
though, to make a career for him afterwards," he had stipulated
anxiously. "Oh! absolutely. We shall make that our affair," Mikulin had
agreed. Prince K---'s mysticism was of an artless kind; but Councillor
Mikulin was astute enough for two.

Things and men have always a certain sense, a certain side by which they
must be got hold of if one wants to obtain a solid grasp and a perfect
command. The power of Councillor Mikulin consisted in the ability to
seize upon that sense, that side in the men he used. It did not matter
to him what it was--vanity, despair, love, hate, greed, intelligent
pride or stupid conceit, it was all one to him as long as the man could
be made to serve. The obscure, unrelated young student Razumov, in the
moment of great moral loneliness, was allowed to feel that he was an
object of interest to a small group of people of high position. Prince
K--- was persuaded to intervene personally, and on a certain occasion
gave way to a manly emotion which, all unexpected as it was, quite upset
Mr. Razumov. The sudden embrace of that man, agitated by his loyalty