Crime and Punishment & Other Great Novels of Dostoevsky
by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Contents
Chapter 4 In the Dark
Overview
Dmitri, convinced Grushenka has gone to Fyodor, infiltrates the garden and lures Fyodor to the window using Smerdyakov’s signal. He nearly attacks but is interrupted by Grigory, whom he strikes down while escaping. Realizing Grushenka actually went to Mokroe, Dmitri races off to pursue her, escalating the crisis.
Summary
Dmitri races through town, convinced Grushenka has deceived him and gone to Fyodor Pavlovitch. Avoiding Marya Kondratyevna to raise no alarm, he circles to the back alley and climbs the garden fence by the bathhouse, hiding among the bushes beneath Fyodor’s lit window.
Watching through the window, Dmitri sees Fyodor alone, dressed expectantly, and tormented by uncertainty about Grushenka’s presence. To test it, Dmitri taps the secret signal Smerdyakov arranged, prompting Fyodor to thrust his head out, breathlessly calling for Grushenka and offering a “present,” confirming his anticipation of the three thousand roubles.
A wave of personal hatred overwhelms Dmitri, and he grips the brass pestle, on the verge of attack. At that instant, Grigory, roused from sickbed by unease and finding the garden gate open, spots a fleeing figure and intercepts Dmitri at the fence, seizing his leg and crying “Parricide!”
In frantic reaction, Dmitri strikes Grigory with the pestle. Seeing Grigory bleeding, Dmitri briefly tries to stanch the wound with his clean handkerchief, then abandons the effort, vaults the fence, and runs, stuffing the blood-soaked handkerchief into his coat pocket and leaving the pestle conspicuously on the path.
Dmitri rushes back to the widow Morozov’s. Due to a mix-up with the porter, he is admitted and learns from the porter’s nephew that Grushenka left two hours earlier for Mokroe to meet an officer. Dmitri bolts to find Fenya, intent on pursuing Grushenka.
Who Appears
- Dmitri (Mitya) KaramazovConvinced of Grushenka’s deceit, infiltrates Fyodor’s garden, signals, nearly attacks, strikes Grigory, then flees to pursue Grushenka to Mokroe.
- Fyodor Pavlovitch KaramazovWaits expectantly for Grushenka, responds to the secret knock, leans out the window, unaware of Dmitri lurking outside.
- Grigory VassilyevitchWakes ill at night, investigates the open gate, intercepts Dmitri at the fence, is struck and left bleeding.
- FenyaDmitri rushes to her after fleeing; she is his connection at the Morozov house.
- Prohor (porter’s nephew)Opens the gate for Dmitri and informs him Grushenka left for Mokroe two hours earlier.
- Marfa IgnatyevnaGrigory’s wife; sleeps heavily after tasting the remedy, unaware of the night’s events.
- SmerdyakovBedridden after a fit; his prearranged knock is used by Dmitri to lure Fyodor to the window.