The Brothers Karamazov
woman is half the battle... but how could you understand
that? Even in vieilles filles, even in them you may discover
something that makes you simply wonder that men have
been such fools as to let them grow old without noticing
them. Bare-footed girls or unattractive ones, you must take
by surprise. Didn’t you know that? You must astound them
till they’re fascinated, upset, ashamed that such a gentle-
man should fall in love with such a little slut. It’s a jolly good
thing that there always are and will be masters and slaves in
the world, so there always will be a little maid-of-all-work
and her master, and you know, that’s all that’s needed for
happiness. Stay... listen, Alyosha, I always used to surprise
your mother, but in a different way. I paid no attention to her
at all, but all at once, when the minute came, I’d be all de-
votion to her, crawl on my knees, kiss her feet, and I always,
always — I remember it as though it were to-day — reduced
her to that tinkling, quiet, nervous, queer little laugh. It
was peculiar to her. I knew her attacks always used to begin
like that. The next day she would begin shrieking hysteri-
cally, and this little laugh was not a sign of delight, though
it made a very good counterfeit. That’s the great thing, to
know how to take everyone. Once Belyavsky — he was a
handsome fellow, and rich — used to like to come here and
hang about her — suddenly gave me a slap in the face in her
presence. And she — such a mild sheep — why, I thought
she would have knocked me down for that blow. How she
set on me! ‘You’re beaten, beaten now,’ she said, ‘You’ve tak-
en a blow from him. You have been trying to sell me to him,’
she said... ‘And how dared he strike you in my presence!