1 The Brothers Karamazov
‘That makes no difference. She began cutting it.’
‘What did you think of what he said about children?
Splendid, wasn’t it?’
‘Splended!’
‘And about mysticism, too!’
‘Oh, drop mysticism, do!’ cried someone else; ‘think of
Ippolit and his fate from this day forth. His wife will scratch
his eyes out to-morrow for Mitya’s sake.’
‘Is she here?’
‘What an idea! If she’d been here she’d have scratched
them out in court. She is at home with toothache. He he
he!’
‘He he he!’
In a third group:
‘I dare say they will acquit Mitenka, after all.’
‘I should not be surprised if he turns the Metropolis up-
side down to-morrow. He will be drinking for ten days!’
‘Oh, the devil!’
‘The devil’s bound to have a hand in it. Where should he
be if not here?’
‘Well, gentlemen, I admit it was eloquent. But still it’s not
the thing to break your father’s head with a pestle! Or what
are we coming to?’
‘The chariot! Do you remember the chariot?’
‘Yes; he turned a cart into a chariot!’
‘And to-morrow he will turn a chariot into a cart, just to
suit his purpose.’
‘What cunning chaps there are nowadays! Is there any
justice to be had in Russia?’