The Brothers Karamazov
‘But I hit Smurov on the head!’ cried the boy.
‘They told me that you know me, and that you threw a
stone at me on purpose,’ said Alyosha.
The boy looked darkly at him.
‘I don’t know you. Do you know me?’ Alyosha contin-
ued.
‘Let me alone!’ the boy cried irritably; but he did not
move, as though he were expecting something, and again
there was a vindictive light in his eyes.
‘Very well, I am going,’ said Alyosha; ‘only I don’t know
you and I don’t tease you. They told me how they tease you,
but I don’t want to tease you. Good-bye!’
‘Monk in silk trousers!’ cried the boy, following Alyo-
sha with the same vindictive and defiant expression, and
he threw himself into an attitude of defence, feeling sure
that now Alyosha would fall upon him; but Alyosha turned,
looked at him, and walked away. He had not gone three
steps before the biggest stone the boy had in his pocket hit
him a painful blow in the back.
‘So you’ll hit a man from behind! They tell the truth, then,
when they say that you attack on the sly,’ said Alyosha, turn-
ing round again. This time the boy threw a stone savagely
right into Alyosha’s face; but Alyosha just had time to guard
himself, and the stone struck him on the elbow.
‘Aren’t you ashamed? What have I done to you?’ he cried.
The boy waited in silent defiance, certain that now Alyo-
sha would attack him. Seeing that even now he would not,
his rage was like a little wild beast’s; he flew at Alyosha him-
self, and before Alyosha had time to move, the spiteful child