Page 927 - the-brothers-karamazov

follies of mankind and nothing more. The only subjects I
respect are mathematics and natural science,’ said Kolya.
He was showing off and he stole a glance at Alyosha; his
was the only opinion he was afraid of there. But Alyosha
was still silent and still serious as before. If Alyosha had said
a word it would have stopped him, but Alyosha was silent
and ‘it might be the silence of contempt,’ and that finally ir-
ritated Kolya.
‘The classical languages, too... they are simply madness,
nothing more. You seem to disagree with me again, Karam-
azov?’
‘I don’t agree,’ said Alyosha, with a faint smile.
‘The study of the classics, if you ask my opinion, is simply
a police measure, that’s simply why it has been introduced
into our schools.’ By degrees Kolya began to get breathless
again. ‘Latin and Greek were introduced because they are
a bore and because they stupefy the intellect. It was dull
before, so what could they do to make things duller? It was
senseless enough before, so what could they do to make it
more senseless? So they thought of Greek and Latin. That’s
my opinion, I hope I shall never change it,’ Kolya finished
abruptly. His cheeks were flushed.
‘That’s true,’ assented Smurov suddenly, in a ringing tone
of conviction. He had listened attentively.
‘And yet he is first in Latin himself,’ cried one of the
group of boys suddenly.
‘Yes, father, he says that and yet he is first in Latin,’ echoed
Ilusha.
‘What of it?’ Kolya thought fit to defend himself, though

The Brothers Karamazov