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No, Misha, no. If thats all, youve reassured me! It wont come to that. But why are you trembling? Let me tell you; he may be honestyour Mitya (he is stupid, but honest) but hesa sensualist. Thats the very definition and inner essence of him. Its your father who handed him on his low sensuality. Do you know, I simply wonder at you, Alyosha, how you can have kept your purity. Youre a Karamazov too, you know! In your family sensuality is carried to a disease. But now, these three sensualists are watching one another, with their knives in their belts. The three of them are knocking their heads together, and you may be the fourth. You are mistaken about that woman. Dmitridespises her, said Alyosha, with a sort of shudder. Grushenka? No, brother, he doesnt despise her. Since he has openly abandoned his betrothed for her, he doesnt despise her. Theres something here, my dear boy, that you dont understand yet. A man will fall in love with some beauty, with a womans body, or even with a part of a womans body (a sensualist can understand that) and hell abandon his own children for her, sell his father and mother, and his country, Russia, too. If hes honest, hell steal; if hes humane, hell murder; if hes faithful, hell deceive. Pushkin, the poet of womens feet, sung of their feet in his verse. Others dont sing their praises, but they cant look at their feet without a thrilland its not only their feet. Contempts no help here, brother, even if he did despise Grushenka. He does, but he cant tear himself away. I understand that, Alyosha jerked out suddenly. Really? Well, I daresay you do understand since you blurt it out at the first word, said Rakitin, malignantly. That escaped you unawares, and the confessions the more precious. So its a familiar subject; youve thought about it already, about sensuality, I mean! Oh, you virgin soul! Youre a quiet one, Alyosha, youre a saint, I know, but the devil only knows what youve thought about, and what you know already! You are pure, but youve been down into the depths. Ive been watching you a long time. Youre a Karamazov yourself; youre a thorough Karamazovno doubt birth and selection have something to answer for. Youre a sensualist from your father, a crazy saint from your mother. Why do you tremble? Is it true, then? Do you know, Grushenka has been begging me to bring you along. Ill pull off his cassock, she says. You cant think how she keeps begging me to bring you. I wondered why she took such an interest in you. Do you know, shes an extraordinary woman too! Thank her and say Im not coming, said Alyosha, with a strained smile. Finish what you were saying, Misha. Ill tell you my idea after. Theres nothing to finish. Its all clear. Its the same old tune, brother. If even you are a sensualist at heart what of your brother, Ivan? Hes a Karamazov, too. What is at the root of all you Karamazovs is that youre all sensual, grasping and crazy! Your brother Ivan writes theological articles in joke, for some idiotic, unknown motive of his own, though hes an atheist, and he admits its a fraud himselfthats your brother Ivan. Hes trying to get Mityas betrothed for himself, and I fancy hell succeed, too. And whats more its with Mityas consent. For Mitya will surrender his betrothed to him to be rid of her, and escape to Grushenka. And hes ready to do that in spite of all his nobility and disinterestedness. Observe that. Those are the most fatal people! Who the devil can make you out? He recognises his vileness and goes on with it! Let me tell you, too, the old man, your father is standing in Mityas way now. He has suddenly gone crazy over Grushenka. His mouth waters at the sight of her. Its simply on her account he made that scene in the cell just now, simply because Miüsov called her an abandoned creature. Hes worse than a tom cat in love. At first she was only employed by him in connection with his taverns and in some other shady business, but now he has suddenly realised all she is and has gone wild about her. He keeps pestering her with his offers, not honourable ones, of course. And theyll come into collision, the precious father and son, on that path! But Grushenka favours neither of them, shes still playing with them, and teasing them both, considering which she can get most out of. For though she could filch a lot of money from the papa he wouldnt marry her, and maybe hell turn stingy in the end, and keep his purse shut. Thats where Mityas value comes in, he has no money, but hes ready to marry her. |
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