1 The Brothers Karamazov

Chapter 3

Ilusha’s Funeral. The

Speech at the Stone

H

E really was late. They had waited for him and had al-

ready decided to bear the pretty flower-decked little

coffin to the church without him. It was the coffin of poor

little Ilusha. He had died two days after Mitya was sen-

tenced. At the gate of the house Alyosha was met by the

shouts of the boys, Ilusha’s schoolfellows. They had all been

impatiently expecting him and were glad that he had come

at last. There were about twelve of them, they all had their

school-bags or satchels on their shoulders. ‘Father will cry,

be with father,’ Ilusha had told them as he lay dying, and

the boys remembered it. Kolya Krassotkin was the foremost

of them.

‘How glad I am you’ve come, Karamazov!’ he cried,

holding out his hand to Alyosha. ‘It’s awful here. It’s really

horrible to see it. Snegiryov is not drunk, we know for a fact

he’s had nothing to drink to-day, but he seems as if he were

drunk... I am always manly, but this is awful. Karamazov, if

I am not keeping you, one question before you go in?’