Page 1291 - the-brothers-karamazov

would grieve me that you should reject your punishment.
But you are innocent, and such a cross is too much for you.
You wanted to make yourself another man by suffering. I
say, only remember that other man always, all your life and
wherever you go; and that will be enough for you. Your re-
fusal of that great cross will only serve to make you feel all
your life even greater duty, and that constant feeling will
do more to make you a new man, perhaps, than if you went
there. For there you would not endure it and would repine,
and perhaps at last would say: ‘I am quits.’ The lawyer was
right about that. Such heavy burdens are not for all men.
For some they are impossible. These are my thoughts about
it, if you want them so much. If other men would have to
answer for your escape, officers or soldiers, then I would not
have ‘allowed’ you,’ smiled Alyosha. ‘But they declare — the
superintendent of that etape* told Ivan himself — that if it’s
well managed there will be no great inquiry, and that they
can get off easily. Of course, bribing is dishonest even in
such a case, but I can’t undertake to judge about it, because
if Ivan and Katya commissioned me to act for you, I know
I should go and give bribes. I must tell you the truth. And
so I can’t judge of your own action. But let me assure you
that I shall never condemn you. And it would be a strange
thing if I could judge you in this. Now I think I’ve gone into
everything.’
* Stockade.
‘But I do condemn myself!’ cried Mitya. ‘I shall escape,
that was settled apart from you; could Mitya Karamazov do
anything but run away? But I shall condemn myself, and I

1 0 The Brothers Karamazov