"Allowmetowithdrawfromthisdiscussion," heobservedwithacertainwell-brednonchalance."It'sasubtlequestion, ."
"Nothingspecial, exceptonelittleremark," Ivanrepliedatonce."EuropeanLiberalsingeneral, andevenourliberaldilettanti, , ofcourse, 'snotonlyLiberalsanddilettantiwhomixupsocialismandChristianity, but, inmanycases, itappears, thepolice—theforeignpolice, ofcourse—, PyotrAlexandrovitch."
"Iaskyourpermissiontodropthissubjectaltogether," Miüsovrepeated."Iwilltellyouinstead, gentlemen, , inagatheringhere, principallyofladies, , andthat, iftherehadbeenanyloveonearthhitherto, itwasnotowingtoanaturallaw, , andthatifyouweretodestroyinmankindthebeliefinimmortality, , nothingthenwouldbeimmoral, everythingwouldbelawful, ', likeourselves, whodoesnotbelieveinGodorimmortality, themorallawofnaturemustimmediatelybechangedintotheexactcontraryoftheformerreligiouslaw, andthategoism, eventocrime, mustbecomenotonlylawfulbutevenrecognizedastheinevitable, themostrational, , gentlemen, youcanjudgeoftherestofoureccentricandparadoxicalfriendIvanFyodorovitch'stheories." "Excuseme," Dmitricriedsuddenly; "ifI'veheardaright, crimemustnotonlybepermittedbutevenrecognizedastheinevitableandthemostrationaloutcomeofhispositionforeveryinfidel! Isthatsoornot?"
"Quiteso," saidFatherPa?ssy.
"I'llrememberit."
.
"Isthatreallyyourconvictionastotheconsequencesofthedisappearanceofthefaithinimmortality?" theelderaskedIvansuddenly.
"."
"Youareblessedinbelievingthat, orelsemostunhappy."
"Whyunhappy?" Ivanaskedsmiling.
