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dont believe it as I see from your eyes. You believe what people say, that Im nothing but a buffoon. Alyosha, do you believe that Im nothing but a buffoon? No, I dont believe it. And I believe you dont, and that you speak the truth. You look sincere and you speak sincerely. But not Ivan. Ivans supercilious. Id make an end of your monks, though, all the same. Id take all that mystic stuff and suppress it, once for all, all over Russia, so as to bring all the fools to reason. And the gold and the silver that would flow into the mint! But why suppress it? asked Ivan. That Truth may prevail. Thats why. Well, if Truth were to prevail, you know, youd be the first to be robbed and suppressed. Ah! I daresay youre right. Ah, Im an ass! burst out Fyodor Pavlovitch, striking himself lightly on the forehead. Well, your monastery may stand then, Alyosha, if thats how it is. And we clever people will sit snug and enjoy our brandy. You know, Ivan, it must have been so ordained by the Almighty Himself. Ivan, speak, is there a God or not? Stay, speak the truth, speak seriously. Why are you laughing again? Im laughing that you should have made a clever remark just now about Smerdyakovs belief in the existence of two saints who could move mountains. Why, am I like him now, then? Very much. Well, that shows Im a Russian, too, and I have a Russian characteristic. And you may be caught in the same way, though you are a philosopher. Shall I catch you? What do you bet that Ill catch you tomorrow. Speak, all the same, is there a God, or not? Only, be serious. I want you to be serious now. No, there is no God. Alyosha, is there a God? There is. Ivan, and is there immortality of some sort, just a little, just a tiny bit? There is no immortality either. None at all? None at all. Theres absolute nothingness then. Perhaps there is just something? Anything is better than nothing! Absolute nothingness. Alyosha, is there immortality? There is. God and immortality? |
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