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he lives. I’ve established myself in his room. Neither he nor
the women of the house know the secret- that is, that I am
on the watch here.’
‘No one but Smerdyakov knows, then?’
‘No one else. He will let me know if she goes to the old
man.’
‘It was he told you about the money, then?’
‘Yes. It’s a dead secret. Even Ivan doesn’t know about the
money, or anything. The old man is sending Ivan to Tcher-
mashnya on a two or three days’ journey. A purchaser has
turned up for the copse: he’ll give eight thousand for the
timber. So the old man keeps asking Ivan to help him by go-
ing to arrange it. It will take him two or three days. That’s
what the old man wants, so that Grushenka can come while
he’s away.’
‘Then he’s expecting Grushenka to-day?’
‘No, she won’t come to-day; there are signs, She’s certain
not to come,’ cried Mitya suddenly. ‘Smerdyakov thinks so,
too. Father’s drinking now. He’s sitting at table with Ivan.
Go to him, Alyosha, and ask for the three thousand.’
‘Mitya, dear, what’s the matter with you?’ cried Alyosha,
jumping up from his place, and looking keenly at his broth-
er’s frenzied face. For one moment the thought struck him
that Dmitri was mad.
‘What is it? I’m not insane,’ said Dmitri, looking intently
and earnestly at him. ‘No fear. I am sending you to father,
and I know what I’m saying. I believe in miracles.’
‘In miracles?’
‘In a miracle of Divine Providence. God knows my heart.