110  The Brothers Karamazov

Chapter 1

The Fatal Day

A

T ten o’clock in the morning of the day following the

events I have described, the trial of Dmitri Karamazov

began in our district court.

I hasten to emphasise the fact that I am far from esteem-

ing myself capable of reporting all that took place at the trial

in full detail, or even in the actual order of events. I imagine

that to mention everything with full explanation would fill

a volume, even a very large one. And so I trust I may not be

reproached, for confining myself to what struck me. I may

have selected as of most interest what was of secondary im-

portance, and may have omitted the most prominent and

essential details. But I see I shall do better not to apologise.

I will do my best and the reader will see for himself that I

have done all I can.

And, to begin with, before entering the court, I will

mention what surprised me most on that day. Indeed, as

it appeared later, everyone was surprised at it, too. We all

knew that the affair had aroused great interest, that every-

one was burning with impatience for the trial to begin, that

it had been a subject of talk, conjecture, exclamation and