a pocket, perhaps, or hanging round his neck.) “You know me now, a scoundrel, an avowed scoundrel, but let me tell you that I’ve never done anything before and never shall again, anything that can compare in baseness with the dishonor which I bear now at this very minute on my breast, here, here, which will come to pass, though I’m perfectly free to stop it. I can stop it or carry it through, note that. Well, let me tell you, I shall carry it through. I shan’t stop it. I told you everything just now, but I didn’t tell you this, because even I had not brass enough for it. I can still pull up; if I do, I can give back the full half of my lost honor tomorrow. But I shan’t pull up. I shall carry out my base plan, and you can bear witness that I told you so beforehand. Darkness and destruction! No need to explain. You’ll find out in due time. The filthy back-alley and the she-devil. Goodbye. Don’t pray for me, I’m not worth it. And there’s no need, no need at all. … I don’t need it! Away!”
And he suddenly retreated, this time finally. Alyosha went towards the monastery.
“What? I shall never see him again! What is he saying?” he wondered wildly. “Why, I shall certainly see him tomorrow. I shall look him up. I shall make a point of it. What does he mean?”
He went round the monastery, and crossed the pinewood to the hermitage.
The door was opened to him, though no one was admitted at that hour.
There was a tremor in his heart as he went into Father Zossima’s cell.
“Why, why, had he gone forth? Why had