Page 471 - the-brothers-karamazov
P. 471

been instructed, ‘from an unknown benefactress.’
              ‘Get up, my dear boy,’ the elder went on to Alyosha. ‘Let
           me look at you. Have you been home and seen your brother?’
           It seemed strange to Alyosha that he asked so confidently
            and precisely, about one of his brothers only — but which
            one? Then perhaps he had sent him out both yesterday and
           to-day for the sake of that brother.
              ‘I have seen one of my brothers,’ answered Alyosha.
              ‘I mean the elder one, to whom I bowed down.’
              ‘I only saw him yesterday and could not find him to-day,’
            said Alyosha.
              ‘Make haste to find him, go again to-morrow and make
           haste, leave everything and make haste. Perhaps you may
            still have time to prevent something terrible. I bowed down
           yesterday to the great suffering in store for him.’
              He was suddenly silent and seemed to be pondering. The
           words  were  strange.  Father  Iosif,  who  had  witnessed  the
            scene yesterday, exchanged glances with Father Paissy. Aly-
            osha could not resist asking:
              ‘Father  and  teacher,’  he  began  with  extreme  emotion,
           ‘your words are too obscure.... What is this suffering in store
           for him?’
              ‘Don’t  inquire.  I  seemed  to  see  something  terrible  yes-
           terday... as though his whole future were expressed in his
            eyes. A look came into his eyes — so that I was instantly
           horror-stricken at what that man is preparing for himself.
           Once or twice in my life I’ve seen such a look in a man’s
           face... reflecting as it were his future fate, and that fate, alas,
            came to pass. I sent you to him, Alexey, for I thought your

             0                             The Brothers Karamazov
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