Brothers -- Fiction; Didactic fiction; Fathers and sons -- Fiction; Russia -- Social life and customs -- 1533-1917 -- Fiction
So this Smerdyakov became Fyodor Pavlovitch’s second servant, and was
living in the lodge with Grigory and Marfa at the time our story
begins. He was employed as cook. I ought to say something of this
Smerdyakov, but I am ashamed of keeping my readers’ attention so long
occupied with these common menials, and I will go back to my story,
hoping to say more of Smerdyakov in the course of it.
Chapter III.
The Confession Of A Passionate Heart—In Verse
Alyosha remained for some time irresolute after hearing the command his
father shouted to him from the carriage. But in spite of his uneasiness
he did not stand still. That was not his way. He went at once to the
kitchen to find out what his father had been doing above. Then he set
off, trusting that on the way he would find some answer to the doubt
tormenting him. I hasten to add that his father’s shouts, commanding
him to return home “with his mattress and pillow” did not frighten him
in the least. He understood perfectly that those peremptory shouts were
merely “a flourish” to produce an effect. In the same way a tradesman
in our town who was celebrating his name-day with a party of friends,
getting angry at being refused more vodka, smashed up his own crockery
and furniture and tore his own and his wife’s clothes, and finally
broke his windows, all for the sake of effect. Next day, of course,
when he was sober, he regretted the broken cups and saucers. Alyosha
knew that his father would let him go back to the monastery next day,
possibly even that evening. Moreover, he was fully persuaded that his
father might hurt any one else, but would not hurt him. Alyosha was
certain that no one in the whole world ever would want to hurt him,
and, what is more, he knew that no one could hurt him. This was for him
an axiom, assumed once for all without question, and he went his way
without hesitation, relying on it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account