"I shall be at the Hohlakovs' to-morrow," answered Alyosha, "I may be at Katerina Ivanovna's, too, if I don't find her now.""But you're going to her now, anyway? For that 'compliments and farewell,'" said Ivan smiling.Alyosha was disconcerted.
"I think I quite understand his exclamations just now, and part of what went before.Dmitri has asked you to go to her and say that he-well, in fact- takes his leave of her?"
"Brother, how will all this horror end between father and Dmitri?"exclaimed Alyosha.
"One can't tell for certain.Perhaps in nothing: it may all fizzle out.That woman is a beast.In any case we must keep the old man indoors and not let Dmitri in the house.""Brother, let me ask one thing more: has any man a right to look at other men and decide which is worthy to live?""Why bring in the question of worth? The matter is most often decided in men's hearts on other grounds much more natural.And as for rights- who has not the right to wish?""Not for another man's death?"
"What even if for another man's death? Why lie to oneself since all men live so and perhaps cannot help living so.Are you referring to what I said just now- that one reptile will devour the other? In that case let me ask you, do you think me like Dmitri capable of shedding Aesop's blood, murdering him, eh?""What are you saying, Ivan? Such an idea never crossed my mind.
I don't think Dmitri is capable of it, either.""Thanks, if only for that," smiled Ivan."Be sure, I should always defend him.But in my wishes I reserve myself full latitude in this case.Good-bye till to-morrow.Don't condemn me, and don't look on me as a villain," he added with a smile.
They shook hands warmly as they had never done before.Alyosha felt that his brother had taken the first step towards him, and that he had certainly done this with some definite motive.
Chapter 10
Both TogetherALYOSHA left his father's house feeling even more exhausted and dejected in spirit than when he had entered it.His mind too seemed shattered and unhinged, while he felt that he was afraid to put together the disjointed fragments and form a general idea from all the agonising and conflicting experiences of the day.He felt something bordering upon despair, which he had never known till then.Towering like a mountain above all the rest stood the fatal, insoluble question: How would things end between his father and his brother Dmitri with this terrible woman? Now he had himself been a witness of it, he had been present and seen them face to face.Yet only his brother Dmitri could be made unhappy, terribly, completely unhappy:
there was trouble awaiting him.It appeared too that there were other people concerned, far more so than Alyosha could have supposed before.There was something positively mysterious in it, too.Ivan had made a step towards him, which was what Alyosha had been long desiring.Yet now he felt for some reason that he was frightened at it.And these women? Strange to say, that morning he had set out for Katerina Ivanovna's in the greatest embarrassment; now he felt nothing of the kind.On the contrary, he was hastening there as though expecting to find guidance from her.Yet to give her this message was obviously more difficult than before.The matter of the three thousand was decided irrevocably, and Dmitri, feeling himself dishonoured and losing his last hope, might sink to any depth.He had, moreover, told him to describe to Katerina Ivanovna the scene which had just taken place with his father.
It was by now seven o'clock, and it was getting dark as Alyosha entered the very spacious and convenient house in the High Street occupied by Katerina Ivanovna.Alyosha knew that she lived with two aunts.One of them, a woman of little education, was that aunt of her half-sister Agafya Ivanovna who had looked after her in her father's house when she came from boarding-school.The other aunt was a Moscow lady of style and consequence, though in straitened circumstances.It was said that they both gave way in everything to Katerina Ivanovna, and that she only kept them with her as chaperons.Katerina Ivanovna herself gave way to no one but her benefactress, the general's widow, who had been kept by illness in Moscow, and to whom she was obliged to write twice a week a full account of all her doings.
When Alyosha entered the hall and asked the maid who opened the door to him to take his name up, it was evident that they were already aware of his arrival.Possibly he had been noticed from the window.At least, Alyosha heard a noise, caught the sound of flying footsteps and rustling skirts.Two or three women, perhaps, had run out of the room.
Alyosha thought it strange that his arrival should cause such excitement.He was conducted, however, to the drawing-room at once.It was a large room, elegantly and amply furnished, not at all in provincial style.There were many sofas, lounges, settees, big and little tables.There were pictures on the walls, vases and lamps on the tables, masses of flowers, and even an aquarium in the window.
It was twilight and rather dark.Alyosha made out a silk mantle thrown down on the sofa, where people had evidently just been sitting; and on a table in front of the sofa were two unfinished cups of chocolate, cakes, a glass saucer with blue raisins, and another with sweetmeats.Alyosha saw that he had interrupted visitors, and frowned.
But at that instant the portiere was raised, and with rapid, hurrying footsteps Katerina Ivanovna came in, holding out both hands to Alyosha with a radiant smile of delight.At the same instant a servant brought in two lighted candles and set them on the table.
