Page 1268 - the-brothers-karamazov

Chapter 14

The Peasants Stand Firm

HIS was how Fetyukovitch concluded his speech, and
Tthe enthusiasm of the audience burst like an irresistible
storm. It was out of the question to stop it: the women wept,
many of the men wept too, even two important personages
shed tears. The President submitted, and even postponed
ringing his bell. The suppression of such an enthusiasm
would be the suppression of something sacred, as the la-
dies cried afterwards. The orator himself was genuinely
touched.
And it was at this moment that Ippolit Kirillovitch got up
to make certain objections. People looked at him with ha-
tred. ‘What? What’s the meaning of it? He positively dares
to make objections,’ the ladies babbled. But if the whole
world of ladies, including his wife, had protested he could
not have been stopped at that moment. He was pale, he was
shaking with emotion, his first phrases were even unin-
telligible, he gasped for breath, could hardly speak clearly,
lost the thread. But he soon recovered himself. Of this new
speech of his I will quote only a few sentences.
‘... I am reproached with having woven a romance. But

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