"Yes, you'vebeendepressedalongtime, I'venoticedit."
"Haveyousettledtogoto-morrowmorning, then?" "Morning? Ididn'tsayIshouldgointhemorning...., Idinedhereto-dayonlytoavoiddiningwiththeoldman, , ? We'veplentyoftimebeforeIgo, aneternity!"
"Ifyouaregoingawayto-morrow, whatdoyoumeanbyaneternity?"
"Butwhatdoesitmattertous?" laughedIvan."We'vetimeenoughforourtalk, ? Answer: whyhavewemethere? TotalkofmyloveforKaterinaIvanovna, oftheoldmanandDmitri? offoreigntravel? ofthefatalpositionofRussia? OftheEmperorNapoleon? Isthatit?"
"No."
"'sdifferentforotherpeople; '? Toaskme, 'Whatdoyoubelieve, ordon'tyoubelieveatall?' That'swhatyoureyeshavebeenmeaningforthesethreemonths, haven'tthey?"
"Perhapsso," smiledAlyosha."Youarenotlaughingatme, now, Ivan?"
"Melaughing! Idon', lookstraightatme! OfcourseIamjustsuchalittleboyasyouare, , someofthem, Imean? Inthisstinkingtavern, forinstance, here, 'venevermetintheirlivesbeforeand, whentheygooutofthetavern, theywon'? Oftheeternalquestions, , ofthetransformationofallhumanityonanewpattern, sothatitallcomestothesame, they', massesofthemostoriginalRussianboysdonothingbuttalkoftheeternalquestions! Isn'titso?"
"Yes, forrealRussiansthequestionsofGod'sexistenceandofimmortality, or, asyousay, thesamequestionsturnedinsideout, comefirstandforemost, ofcourse, andsotheyshould," saidAlyosha, stillwatchinghisbrotherwiththesamegentleandinquiringsmile.
"Well, Alyosha, it'ssometimesveryunwisetobeaRussianatall, 'soneRussianboycalledAlyoshaIamawfullyfondof."
