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Chapter 7

The Controversy

B

UT Balaam’s ass had suddenly spoken. The subject was a

strange one. Grigory had gone in the morning to make

purchases, and had heard from the shopkeeper Lukyanov

the story of a Russian soldier which had appeared in the

newspaper of that day. This soldier had been taken prisoner

in some remote part of Asia, and was threatened with an

immediate agonising death if he did not renounce Chris-

tianity and follow Islam. He refused to deny his faith, and

was tortured, flayed alive, and died, praising and glorifying

Christ. Grigory had related the story at table. Fyodor Pav-

lovitch always liked, over the dessert after dinner, to laugh

and talk, if only with Grigory. This afternoon he was in a

particularly good-humoured and expansive mood. Sipping

his brandy and listening to the story, he observed that they

ought to make a saint of a soldier like that, and to take his

skin to some monastery. ‘That would make the people flock,

and bring the money in.’

Grigory frowned, seeing that Fyodor Pavlovitch was by

no means touched, but, as usual, was beginning to scoff. At

that moment Smerdyakov, who was standing by the door,