The Brothers Karamazov Book 9, Chapter 1 Summary

The Start of the Official Perkhotin's Career

  • The novel picks up with Perkhotin knocking at the widow Morozov's house, where Grushenka is renting a place. Here the servant Fenya tells Perkhotin that Dmitri had arrived earlier, covered in blood, and had even confessed to killing a man.
  • More concerned than ever, Perkhotin starts to go to Fyodor Karamazov's but decides against it because he fears causing a scandal just in case Fyodor Karamazov was not murdered. Instead, he decides to ask Madame Khokhlakov what happened.
  • Although it's late – 11 at night – Madame Khokhlakov is finally roused from her bed to receive Perkhotin. She attests that she never lent Dmitri any money and even writes a short statement to that effect.
  • Perkhotin and Khokhlakov experience a mutual attraction, despite the extraordinary circumstances, and Perkhotin goes on his way.