Golyadkin wakes up in his bed the next morning. He is still haunted by the memory of the previous day's events. He concludes that his run-in with the double is part of some elaborate prank. Golyadkin decides to endure the situation quietly, hoping his "enemies" will eventually lose interest. In his paranoia, he also suspects Petrushka knows more than he lets on.

He sits at home for a while, delaying his arrival at work. Golyadkin considers pretending to be sick and considers not going in at all. However, he quickly changes his mind and rushes to the office. Even though he tries to remain inconspicuous and avoid any confrontation, his suspicions lead him to constantly scrutinize his colleagues' behavior. Golyadkin is convinced that they are silently mocking him from their desks.

Just then, a new clerk is brought in and assigned to a nearby desk. The new clerk is his double from the previous night. He even has the same name as him. He questions one of the senior department heads, Anton Antonovitch, about the new hire, but the older man seems unconcerned. Golyadkin remains wary, particularly of Andrey Filippovitch's intentions.

Despite his attempts to avoid his double, the other Golyadkin approaches him on the street as they leave work at the end of the day. The doppelgänger, ever eager to connect, expresses admiration for his lookalike. He hints that he wants some advice. Golyadkin reluctantly agrees to walk home together.