, goodheavens! whatwildrumorsabouthisbrother, abouttheKaramazovs, andabouthimselfhehadreadinthecourseofthosetwomonths, amongotherequallycredibleitems! Onepaperhadevenstatedthathehadgoneintoamonasteryandbecomeamonk, inhorrorathisbrother', andstatedthatheandhiselder, FatherZossima, hadbrokenintothemonasterychestand "madetracksfromthemonastery." ThepresentparagraphinthepaperGossipwasundertheheading, "TheKaramazovCaseatSkotoprigonyevsk." (That, alas! .) Itwasbrief, , , whoseapproachingtrialwasmakingsuchasensation—retiredarmycaptain, anidleswaggerer, andreactionarybully—wascontinuallyinvolvedinamorousintrigues, andparticularlypopularwithcertainladies "whowerepininginsolitude." Onesuchlady, apiningwidow, whotriedtoseemyoungthoughshehadagrownupdaughter, wassofascinatedbyhimthatonlytwohoursbeforethecrimesheofferedhimthreethousandroubles, , countingonescapingpunishment, , ofcourse, , AlyoshafoldedupthepaperandhandeditbacktoMadameHohlakov.
"Well, thatmustbeme," shehurriedonagain.", Isuggestedgoldminestohim, andheretheytalkof 'middle-agedcharms' asthoughthatweremymotive! Hewritesthatoutofspite! GodAlmightyforgivehimforthemiddle-agedcharms, asIforgivehim! Youknowit's— Doyouknowwhoitis? It'syourfriendRakitin."
"Perhaps," saidAlyosha, "thoughI'veheardnothingaboutit."
"It'she, it'she! No 'perhaps' ....Youknowallthatstory, don'tyou?"
"Iknowthatyouaskedhimnottovisityouforthefuture, butwhyitwas, Ihaven'theard...fromyou, atleast."
