11 The Brothers KaramazovShe grew sarcastic and resentful against society.’ After this
sketch of her character it may well be understood that she
might laugh at both of them simply from mischief, from
malice.
‘After a month of hopeless love and moral degradation,
during which he betrayed his betrothed and appropriated
money entrusted to his honour, the prisoner was driven
almost to frenzy, almost to madness by continual jealousy
— and of whom? His father! And the worst of it was that
the crazy old man was alluring and enticing the object of
his affection by means of that very three thousand roubles,
which the son looked upon as his own property, part of his
inheritance from his mother, of which his father was cheat-
ing him. Yes, I admit it was hard to bear! It might well drive
a man to madness. It was not the money, but the fact that
this money was used with such revolting cynicism to ruin
his happiness!’
Then the prosecutor went on to describe how the idea of
murdering his father had entered the prisoner’s head, and
illustrated his theory with facts.
‘At first he only talked about it in taverns — he was
talking about it all that month. Ah, he likes being always
surrounded with company, and he likes to tell his compan-
ions everything, even his most diabolical and dangerous
ideas; he likes to share every thought with others, and ex-
pects, for some reason, that those he confides in will meet
him with perfect sympathy, enter into all his troubles and
anxieties, take his part and not oppose him in anything. If
not, he flies into a rage and smashes up everything in the