Upvote:6
In Dostoevsky's story, she was not walking alone, but with the narrator. In general Dostoevsky was very precise describing the customs, and can be considered an authority. For another example, in his "Crime and punishment", the details are so precise that there are currently guided tours "Dostoevsky's Petersburg". It is much more precise than, say, Dumas' novels (although one can study Paris using his novels, he did not describe customs of 17 century France well).