Demons: Part 3, Chapter 2, Section 4 Summary & Analysis

The crowd, including Anton and Andrey, rush to the fire. The fire brigade is able to contain the fire and is helped by a change in the wind. Still, about a quarter of the buildings on the street across the river have gone up in flames. At one point, Andrey sees Pyotr and accuses him of starting the fire. He yells that Pyotr should be arrested, and a police officer says that Pyotr is helping put out the fire. Andrey then rushes to help a woman escape a burning house. A board falls on him and knocks him unconscious. Later, Anton adds, it becomes clear that three factory workers started the fire with help from Fedka.

There is also a solitary house that was set on fire. Since it’s far from the main group of buildings, the fire must have been started independently. The owner of the building manages to put it out before the fire spreads, thus preserving the building. Inside, Lebyadkin, Marya, and a servant are dead. Their throats have been cut, and Marya’s body has been stabbed all over. If the fire had consumed the building, it would have been difficult to determine what happened to the people inside, as their bodies would have been charred. Moreover, chatter in the crowd says that Nikolay had rented the building for Marya and Lebyadkin and that Marya had been Nikolay’s wife. People add that Nikolay ran off with Liza just before the fire, and they say that Marya was killed so Nikolay could marry Liza.