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my money. So I am saving up more and more, simply for myself, my dear son Alexey Fyodorovitch. You may as well know. For I mean to go on in my sins to the end, let me tell you. For sin is sweet; all abuse it, but all men live in it, only others do it on the sly, and I openly. And so all the other sinners fall upon me for being so simple. And your paradise, Alexey Fyodorovitch, is not to my taste, let me tell you that; and its not the proper place for a gentleman, your paradise, even if it exists. I believe that I fall asleep and dont wake up again, and thats all. You can pray for my soul if you like. And if you dont, want to, dont, damn you! Thats my philosophy. Ivan talked well here yesterday, though we were all drunk. Ivan is a conceited coxcomb, but he has no particular learning nor education either. He sits silent and smiles at one without speakingthats what pulls him through. Alyosha listened to him in silence. Why wont he talk to me? If he does speak, he gives himself airs. Your Ivan is a scoundrel! And Ill marry Grushenka in a minute if I want to. For if youve money, Alexey Fyodorovitch, you have only to want a thing and you can have it. Thats what Ivan is afraid of, he is on the watch to prevent me getting married and thats why he is egging on Mitya to marry Grushenka himself. He hopes to keep me from Grushenka by that (as though I should leave him my money if I dont marry her!). Besides if Mitya marries Grushenka, Ivan will carry off his rich betrothed, thats what hes reckoning on! He is a scoundrel, your Ivan! How cross you are. Its because of yesterday; you had better lie down, said Alyosha. There! you say that, the old man observed suddenly, as though it had struck him for the first time, and I am not angry with you. But if Ivan said it, I should be angry with him. It is only with you I have good moments, else you know I am an ill-natured man. You are not ill-natured, but distorted, said Alyosha with a smile. Listen. I meant this morning to get that ruffian Mitya locked up and I dont know now what I shall decide about it. Of course in these fashionable days fathers and mothers are looked upon as a prejudice, but even now the law does not allow you to drag your old father about by the hair, to kick him in the face in his own house, and brag of murdering him outrightall in the presence of witnesses. If I liked, I could crush him and could have him locked up at once for what he did yesterday. Then you dont mean to take proceedings? Ivan has dissuaded me. I shouldnt care about Ivan, but theres another thing. And bending down to Alyosha, he went on in a confidential half-whisper. If I send the ruffian to prison, shell hear of it and run to see him at once. But if she hears that he has beaten me, a weak old man, within an inch of my life, she may give him up and come to me. For thats her way, everything by contraries. I know her through and through! Wont you have a drop of brandy? Take some cold coffee and Ill pour a quarter of a glass of brandy into it, its delicious, my boy. No, thank you. Ill take that roll with me if I may, said Alyosha, and taking a halfpenny French roll he put it in the pocket of his cassock. And youd better not have brandy, either, he suggested apprehensively, looking into the old mans face. You are quite right, it irritates my nerves instead of soothing them. Only one little glass. Ill get it out of the cupboard. He unlocked the cupboard, poured out a glass, drank it, then locked the cupboard and put the key back in his pocket. Thats enough. One glass wont kill me. |
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