The Brothers Karamazov

Chapter 2

Lyagavy

S

O he must drive at full speed, and he had not the money
for horses. He had forty copecks, and that was all, all
that was left after so many years of prosperity! But he had
at home an old silver watch which had long ceased to go.
He snatched it up and carried it to a Jewish watch maker
who had a shop in the market-place. The Jew gave him six
roubles for it.
‘And I didn’t expect that cried Mitya, ecstatically. (He
was still in a state of ecstasy.) He seized his six roubles and
ran home. At home he borrowed three roubles from the
people of the house, who loved him so much that they were
pleased to give it him, though it was all they had. Mitya in
his excitement told them on the spot that his fate would be
decided that day, and he described, in desperate haste, the
whole scheme he had put before Samsonov, the latter’s deci-
sion, his own hopes for the future, and so on. These people
had been told many of their lodger’s secrets before, and so
looked upon him as a gentleman who was not at all proud,
and almost one of themselves. Having thus collected nine
roubles Mitya sent for posting-horses to take him to the Vo-