Raskolnikov and Razumihin arrive at Porfiry Petrovitch's flat to be interviewed. Porfiry has had a chance to speak with all people who had left pledges with Alyona Ivanovna except for Raskolnikov. The latter explains it away due to his illness, and thus having been unable to come forward before this day. Porfiry asks questions in an informal kind of way, to put the interviewee at ease and perhaps loosen his tongue a little. (His style reminds me of Columbo from the TV series).

Porfiry brings up an article Raskolnikov had written recently in The Periodical, in which he argued that for some extraordinary people, committing crimes is excusable if the crimes they commit happen when an action or campaign is for the common good. He is kind of excusing collateral damage in the pursuit of betterment at the behest of our "betters". In this chapter, there is a lot detail about what Raskolnikov is thinking, his mental turmoil, prior to his giving an answer. At all times, Raskolnikov is being careful to avoid a "trap".

He answers cleverly, but he doesn't seem to be able to throw Porfiry off the scent. He is asked to come back again the next day. Just as he and Razumihin are leaving, Porfiry, in the Columbo-like "Just one more thing..." style, questions Raskolnikov as to whether he had seen the painters on the second floor when he was there. Razumihin had to say no, or he would have incriminated, or at least implicated himself as having been present the day and even the hour of the murder.

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