The Brothers Karamazov

This section covers the following chapters: “Kuzma Samsonov,” “Lyagavy,” “Gold Mines,” “In the Dark,” “A Sudden Decision,” “Here I Come!,” “The Indisputable One,” and “Delirium.”

Dmitri still needs to repay the 3,000 roubles he stole from Katerina, so he asks Samsonov for help. He tells Samsonov that if he gives Dmitri the money, Dmitri will give him the rights to some land that his father owns, saying they will split the profit. Samsonov hates Dmitri, so he tricks him, telling him to make this offer to a merchant named Lyagavy, who, unbeknownst to Dmitri, is already planning to buy Fyodor’s land. When Dmitri finally makes his way to Lyagavy, the merchant refuses Dmitri’s offer, saying, “You contracted for a job and turned out to be a cheat” (378). Confused, Dmitri leaves. He asks Madame Khokhlakov for 3,000 roubles, but she tells him to go work in the gold mines if he wants money. She puts an icon of a martyr, Saint Varvara, around his neck.

Dmitri goes to Grushenka’s and sees that she’s not home. Certain that she has gone to be with Fyodor, an enraged Dmitri takes a brass pestle from their house, planning to use it as a weapon, and goes to his father’s to see if Grushenka is there.