11 The Brothers Karamazov‘The same thing over and over again,’ he interrupted sud-
denly, with a look of weariness. ‘I have nothing particular
to tell the court.’
‘I see you are unwell and understand your feelings,’ the
President began.
He turned to the prosecutor and the counsel for the de-
fence to invite them to examine the witness, if necessary,
when Ivan suddenly asked in an exhausted voice:
‘Let me go, your excellency, I feel very ill.’
And with these words, without waiting for permission,
he turned to walk out of the court. But after taking four
steps he stood still, as though he had reached a decision,
smiled slowly, and went back.
‘I am like the peasant girl, your excellency... you know.
How does it go? ‘I’ll stand up if I like, and I won’t if I don’t.’
They were trying to put on her sarafan to take her to church
to be married, and she said, ‘I’ll stand up if I like, and I
won’t if I don’t.’... It’s in some book about the peasantry.’
‘What do you mean by that?’ the President asked severe-
ly.
‘Why, this,’ Ivan suddenly pulled out a roll of notes. ‘Here’s
the money... the notes that lay in that envelope’ (he nodded
towards the table on which lay the material evidence), ‘for
the sake of which our father was murdered. Where shall I
put them? Mr. Superintendent, take them.’
The usher of the court took the whole roll and handed it
to the President.
‘How could this money have come into your possession if
it is the same money?’ the President asked wonderingly.