11  The Brothers Karamazov

Chapter 5

A Sudden Catastrophe

I

MAY note that he had been called before Alyosha. But the
usher of the court announced to the President that, owing
to an attack of illness or some sort of fit, the witness could
not appear at the moment, but was ready to give his evi-
dence as soon as he recovered. But no one seemed to have
heard it and it only came out later.
His entrance was for the first moment almost unnoticed.
The principal witnesses, especially the two rival ladies, had
already been questioned. Curiosity was satisfied for the
time; the public was feeling almost fatigued. Several more
witnesses were still to be heard, who probably had little in-
formation to give after all that had been given. Time was
passing. Ivan walked up with extraordinary slowness, look-
ing at no one, and with his head bowed, as though plunged
in gloomy thought. He was irreproachably dressed, but
his face made a painful impression, on me at least: there
was an earthy look in it, a look like a dying man’s. His eyes
were lustreless; he raised them and looked slowly round the
court. Alyosha jumped up from his seat and moaned ‘Ah!’ I
remember that, but it was hardly noticed.