1 The Brothers Karamazov

Chapter 1

Plans for Mitya’s Escape

V

ERY early, at nine o’clock in the morning, five days after

the trial, Alyosha went to Katerina Ivanovna’s to talk

over a matter of great importance to both of them, and to

give her a message. She sat and talked to him in the very

room in which she had once received Grushenka. In the

next room Ivan Fyodorovitch lay unconscious in a high fe-

ver. Katerina Ivanovna had immediately after the scene at

the trial ordered the sick and unconscious man to be car-

ried to her house, disregarding the inevitable gossip and

general disapproval of the public. One of two relations who

lived with her had departed to Moscow immediately after

the scene in court, the other remained. But if both had gone

away, Katerina Ivanovna would have adhered to her reso-

lution, and would have gone on nursing the sick man and

sitting by him day and night. Varvinsky and Herzenstube

were attending him. The famous doctor had gone back to

Moscow, refusing to give an opinion as to the probable end

of the illness. Though the doctors encouraged Katerina Iva-

novna and Alyosha, it was evident that they could not yet

give them positive hopes of recovery.