This time Gaganov went right up to the barrier, and began from there taking aim, at a distance of twelve paces.

His hand was trembling too much to take good aim.

Stavrogin stood with his pistol lowered and awaited his shot without moving.
"Too long; you've been aiming too long!" Kirillov shouted impetuously.
"Fire! Fire!" But the shot rang out, and this time Stavrogin's white beaver hat flew off.

The aim had been fairly correct.

The crown of the hat was pierced very low down; a quarter of an inch lower and all would have been over.
Kirillov picked up the hat and handed it to Nikolay Vsyevolodovitch.
"Fire; don't detain your adversary!" cried Mavriky Nikolaevitch in extreme agitation, seeing that Stavrogin seemed to have forgotten to fire, and was examining the hat with Kirillov.