The Brothers Karamazov Book 9, Chapter 3 Summary

The Soul's Journey through Torments. The First Torment.

  • So now we're back at the inn, where Dmitri has just been accused of his father's murder. Grushenka has to be pulled away from Dmitri. Dmitri is sat at a table, where Parfenovich and Kirillovich begin his interrogation. A clerk takes notes.
  • Dmitri is relieved to learn that Grigory is OK, and he denies that he murdered Fyodor. The officials remind him that he's been talking about murdering his father for the last month or so; that he's been loudly protesting that his father owes him his inheritance; and that Dmitri regarded the 3,000 roubles Fyodor was saving for Grushenka as his own property.
  • Dmitri concedes all these points, but he still denies murdering his father.
  • His initial joy and relief at discovering that Grigory is still alive gives way to sadness at his father's death.
  • Grushenka bursts in to interrupt the interrogation and she has to be taken to a different floor altogether. Makarovich explains to Dmitri that he calmed Grushenka down and placed her in the care of Maximov and the innkeeper's daughters. Dmitri is grateful.