00 The Brothers Karamazov

Chapter 6

Smerdyakov

H

E did in fact find his father still at table. Though there

was a dining-room in the house, the table was laid as

usual in the drawing room, which was the largest room, and

furnished with old-fashioned ostentation. The furniture

was white and very old, upholstered in old, red, silky mate-

rial. In the spaces between the windows there were mirrors

in elaborate white and gilt frames, of old-fashioned carving.

On the walls, covered with white paper, which was torn in

many places, there hung two large portraits — one of some

prince who had been governor of the district thirty years

before, and the other of some bishop, also long since dead.

In the corner opposite the door there were several ikons, be-

fore which a lamp was lighted at nightfall... not so much for

devotional purposes as to light the room. Fyodor Pavlovitch

used to go to bed very late, at three or four o’clock in the

morning,and would wander about the room at night or sit

in an armchair, thinking. This had become a habit with him.

He often slept quite alone in the house, sending his servants

to the lodge; but usually Smerdyakov remained, sleeping on

a bench in the hall.