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Chapter 11

Another Reputation Ruined

I

T was not much more than three-quarters of a mile from

the town to the monastery. Alyosha walked quickly along

the road, at that hour deserted. It was almost night, and too

dark to see anything clearly at thirty paces ahead. There

were cross-roads half-way. A figure came into sight under

a solitary willow at the cross-roads. As soon as Alyosha

reached the cross-roads the figure moved out and rushed at

him, shouting savagely:

‘Your money or your life!’

‘So it’s you, Mitya,’ cried Alyosha, in surprise, violently

startled however.

‘Ha ha ha! You didn’t expect me? I wondered where to

wait for you. By her house? There are three ways from it,

and I might have missed you. At last I thought of waiting

here, for you had to pass here, there’s no other way to the

monastery. Come, tell me the truth. Crush me like a beetle.

But what’s the matter?’

‘Nothing, brother — it’s the fright you gave me. Oh, Dmi-

tri! Father’s blood just now.’ (Alyosha began to cry, he had

been on the verge of tears for a long time, and now some-