"Well--he did sleep here, yes."

All this was suspicious and unsatisfactory. Very likely the porter had
received new instructions during the interval of the prince's absence;
his manner was so different now. He had been obliging--now he was as
obstinate and silent as a mule. However, the prince decided to call
again in a couple of hours, and after that to watch the house, in case
of need. His hope was that he might yet find Nastasia at the address
which he had just received. To that address he now set off at full
speed.

But alas! at the German lady's house they did not even appear to
understand what he wanted. After a while, by means of certain hints, he
was able to gather that Nastasia must have had a quarrel with her friend
two or three weeks ago, since which date the latter had neither heard
nor seen anything of her. He was given to understand that the subject of
Nastasia's present whereabouts was not of the slightest interest to her;
and that Nastasia might marry all the princes in the world for all she
cared! So Muishkin took his leave hurriedly. It struck him now that she
might have gone away to Moscow just as she had done the last time, and
that Rogojin had perhaps gone after her, or even WITH her. If only he
could find some trace!

However, he must take his room at the hotel; and he started off in that
direction. Having engaged his room, he was asked by the waiter whether
he would take dinner; replying mechanically in the affirmative, he sat
down and waited; but it was not long before it struck him that dining
would delay him. Enraged at this idea, he started up, crossed the
dark passage (which filled him with horrible impressions and gloomy
forebodings), and set out once more for Rogojin's. Rogojin had not
returned, and no one came to the door. He rang at the old lady's door
opposite, and was informed that Parfen Semionovitch would not return for
three days. The curiosity with which the old servant stared at him again
impressed the prince disagreeably. He could not find the porter this
time at all.

As before, he crossed the street and watched the windows from the other
side, walking up and down in anguish of soul for half an hour or so in
the stifling heat. Nothing stirred; the blinds were motionless; indeed,
the prince began to think that the apparition of Rogojin's face could
have been nothing but fancy. Soothed by this thought, he drove off once
more to his friends at the Ismailofsky barracks. He was