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Chapter 10

“It Was He Who Said That”

A

LYOSHA coming in told Ivan that a little over an hour

ago Marya Kondratyevna had run to his rooms and in-

formed him Smerdyakov had taken his own life. ‘I went in

to clear away the samovar and he was hanging on a nail in

the wall.’ On Alyosha’s inquiring whether she had informed

the police, she answered that she had told no one, ‘but I flew

straight to you, I’ve run all the way.’ She seemed perfectly

crazy, Alyosha reported, and was shaking like a leaf. When

Alyosha ran with her to the cottage, he found Smerdyakov

still hanging. On the table lay a note: ‘I destroy my life of

my own will and desire, so as to throw no blame on anyone.’

Alyosha left the note on the table and went straight to the

police captain and told him all about it. ‘And from him I’ve

come straight to you,’ said Alyosha, in conclusion, looking

intently into Ivan’s face. He had not taken his eyes off him

while he told his story, as though struck by something in

his expression.

‘Brother,’ he cried suddenly, ‘you must be terribly ill. You

look and don’t seem to understand what I tell you.’

‘It’s a good thing you came,’ said Ivan, as though brood-