Page 256 - the-brothers-karamazov

Chapter 11

Another Reputation Ruined

T was not much more than three-quarters of a mile from
Ithe town to the monastery. Alyosha walked quickly along
the road, at that hour deserted. It was almost night, and too
dark to see anything clearly at thirty paces ahead. There
were cross-roads half-way. A figure came into sight under
a solitary willow at the cross-roads. As soon as Alyosha
reached the cross-roads the figure moved out and rushed at
him, shouting savagely:
‘Your money or your life!’
‘So it’s you, Mitya,’ cried Alyosha, in surprise, violently
startled however.
‘Ha ha ha! You didn’t expect me? I wondered where to
wait for you. By her house? There are three ways from it,
and I might have missed you. At last I thought of waiting
here, for you had to pass here, there’s no other way to the
monastery. Come, tell me the truth. Crush me like a beetle.
But what’s the matter?’
‘Nothing, brother — it’s the fright you gave me. Oh, Dmi-
tri! Father’s blood just now.’ (Alyosha began to cry, he had
been on the verge of tears for a long time, and now some-