Free eBooks at Planet eBook.com 11 of the guilt of another person against whom you gave evi-
dence at the preliminary inquiry?’
‘I only answered the questions asked me at the prelimi-
nary inquiry,’ replied Alyosha, slowly and calmly. ‘I made
no accusation against Smerdyakov of myself.’
‘Yet you gave evidence against him?’
‘I was led to do so by my brother Dmitri’s words. I was
told what took place at his arrest and how he had pointed
to Smerdyakov before I was examined. I believe absolutely
that my brother is innocent, and if he didn’t commit the
murder, then-.’
‘Then Smerdyakov? Why Smerdyakov? And why are you
so completely persuaded of your brother’s innocence?’
‘I cannot help believing my brother. I know he wouldn’t
lie to me. I saw from his face he wasn’t lying.’
‘Only from his face? Is that all the proof you have?’
‘I have no other proof.’
‘And of Smerdyakov’s guilt you have no proof whatever
but your brother’s word and the expression of his face?’
‘No, I have no other proof.’
The prosecutor dropped the examination at this point.
The impression left by Alyosha’s evidence on the public was
most disappointing. There had been talk about Smerdyakov
before the trial; someone had heard something, someone
had pointed out something else, it was said that Alyosha
had gathered together some extraordinary proofs of his
brother’s innocence and Smerdyakov’s guilt, and after all
there was nothing, no evidence except certain moral con-
victions so natural in a brother.