But he was precisely counting on putting off the terrible moment of punishment for at least a few days, a few hours! He was such a coward that, in attacking the officer with a knife, he did not even wound him, but did it all for the sake of form, only so that there would be a new crime, for which he would again stand trial.
(I know I'm undermining my last note, but...)
Dostoyevsky is just so good in portraying this. It shows especially in the thematic battle of Rodya vs Porfy in CNP. It is that inclintion to draw out the agony of the crime, if only to stall the punishment by the slightest moments.
