1 The Brothers KaramazovVassilyevitch, that it only extenuates it, if it does consti-
tute. If I had believed then in very truth, as I ought to have
believed, then it really would have been sinful if I had not
faced tortures for my faith, and had gone over to the pagan
Mohammedan faith. But, of course, it wouldn’t have come
to torture then, because I should only have had to say at
that instant to the mountain, ‘Move and crush the tormen-
tor,’ and it would have moved and at the very instant have
crushed him like a black-beetle, and I should have walked
away as though nothing had happened, praising and glori-
fying God. But, suppose at that very moment I had tried all
that, and cried to that mountain, ‘Crush these tormentors,’
and it hadn’t crushed them, how could I have helped doubt-
ing, pray, at such a time, and at such a dread hour of mortal
terror? And apart from that, I should know already that I
could not attain to the fullness of the Kingdom of Heaven
(for since the mountain had not moved at my word, they
could not think very much of my faith up aloft, and there
could be no very great reward awaiting me in the world to
come). So why should I let them flay the skin off me as well,
and to no good purpose? For, even though they had flayed
my skin half off my back, even then the mountain would
not have moved at my word or at my cry. And at such a mo-
ment not only doubt might come over one but one might
lose one’s reason from fear, so that one would not be able to
think at all. And, therefore, how should I be particularly to
blame if not seeing my advantage or reward there or here, I
should, at least, save my skin. And so trusting fully in the
grace of the Lord I should cherish the hope that I might be