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hell, in spite of their certain knowledge and contemplation
of the absolute truth; there are some fearful ones who have
given themselves over to Satan and his proud spirit entirely.
For such, hell is voluntary and ever consuming; they are
tortured by their own choice. For they have cursed them-
selves, cursing God and life. They live upon their vindictive
pride like a starving man in the desert sucking blood out of
his own body. But they are never satisfied, and they refuse
forgiveness, they curse God Who calls them. They cannot
behold the living God without hatred, and they cry out that
the God of life should be annihilated, that God should de-
stroy Himself and His own creation. And they will burn in
the fire of their own wrath for ever and yearn for death and
annihilation. But they will not attain to death....
Here Alexey Fyodorovitch Karamazov’s manuscript
ends. I repeat, it is incomplete and fragmentary. Biographi-
cal details, for instance, cover only Father Zossima’s earliest
youth. Of his teaching and opinions we find brought to-
gether sayings evidently uttered on very different occasions.
His utterances during the last few hours have not been kept
separate from the rest, but their general character can be
gathered from what we have in Alexey Fyodorovitch’s man-
uscript.
The elder’s death came in the end quite unexpectedly.
For although those who were gathered about him that last
evening realised that his death was approaching, yet it was
difficult to imagine that it would come so suddenly. On the
contrary, his friends, as I observed already, seeing him that
night apparently so cheerful and talkative, were convinced