The Brothers Karamazov‘None at all?’
‘None at all.’
‘There’s absolute nothingness then. Perhaps there is just
something? Anything is better than nothing!’
‘Alyosha, is there immortality?’
‘God and immortality?’
‘God and immortality. In God is immortality.’
‘H’m! It’s more likely Ivan’s right. Good Lord! to think
what faith, what force of all kinds, man has lavished for
nothing, on that dream, and for how many thousand years.
Who is it laughing at man? Ivan For the last time, once for
all, is there a God or not? I ask for the last time!’
‘And for the last time there is not.’
‘Who is laughing at mankind, Ivan?’
‘It must be the devil,’ said Ivan, smiling.
‘And the devil? Does he exist?’
‘No, there’s no devil either.’
‘It’s a pity. Damn it all, what wouldn’t I do to the man
who first invented God! Hanging on a bitter aspen tree
would be too good for, him.’
‘There would have been no civilisation if they hadn’t in-
vented God.’
‘Wouldn’t there have been? Without God?’
‘No. And there would have been no brandy either. But I
must take your brandy away from you, anyway.’
‘Stop, stop, stop, dear boy, one more little glass. I’ve hurt
Alyosha’s feelings. You’re not angry with me, Alyosha? My
dear little Alexey!’
‘No, I am not angry. I know your thoughts. Your heart is