Rainsford is determined in this passage adventure to try and stay alive and gather his thoughts and overcome Zaroff and his experienced ways. But yet at the same time Zaroff is getting hunted as well by rainsford well rainsford currently isn't going after him, Rainsford is just setting traps so when Zaroff is busy looking for Rainsford, he might stumble onto a trap set by Rainsford.
I said that Rainsford is sharp because at the end of the passage Rainsford