Russian · Book X — The Boys

VII. Илюша

Ilusha

66 sentences · 144 notes

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1
The doctor came out of the hut once again, already bundled into his fur coat, his cap on his head.
ДокторThe doctorдоктор · noun, nominative, masculine, singularsubject of выходил
выходилwas coming outвыходить · verb, past, indicative, active, singular, imperfectivemain verb of the sentence
изout ofиз · prepositionpreposition marking избы
избыthe hutизба · noun, genitive, feminine, singularoblique complement of выходил
опятьonce againопять · adverbmodifies закутанный
ужеalreadyуже · adverbmodifies закутанный
закутанныйbundledзакутать · verb, past, passive, participle, masculine, singular, nominative, perfectivemodifies Доктор
вintoв · prepositionpreposition marking шубу
шубуhis fur coatшуба · noun, accusative, feminine, singularoblique complement of закутанный
иandи · conjunctionlinks the coordination
сwithс · prepositionpreposition marking фуражкой
фуражкойa capфуражка · noun, instrumental, feminine, singularcoordinated with закутанный
наonна · prepositionpreposition marking голове
головеhis headголова · noun, locative, feminine, singularmodifies фуражкой
Word«изба» — the peasant log hut «Изба» is the traditional Russian peasant dwelling, a one- or two-room log house. Choosing this word (rather than «дом», house) at once fixes the Snegiryovs' poverty and rusticity; the doctor in his fur coat is leaving a world utterly beneath him.
GrammarPast passive participle «закутанный» «Закутанный» (bundled, wrapped up) is a past passive participle from perfective «закутать», agreeing with «доктор» and describing his resulting state. Such participles condense a whole clause ('who had been wrapped up') into a single adjective, the texture of literary description.
GrammarImperfective «выходил» for an unfolding scene The imperfective past «выходил» (was coming out) sets the action as a process in view rather than a finished event — we watch the doctor emerge. «Из избы» takes the genitive after «из» (out of), one of the prepositions that always governs the genitive.
2
His face was almost angry and fastidious, as though he were forever afraid of soiling himself on something.
GrammarLong-form adjectives in a past predicate After past «было» the predicate adjectives «сердитое» and «брезгливое» stand in the long (full) nominative form agreeing with neuter «лицо». 19th-century prose freely uses the long form here where a short form (сердито, брезгливо) would also be possible, lending a settled, descriptive quality.
Word«брезгливый» — squeamish, fastidious «Брезгливый» means squeamish, finicky, easily disgusted — a person afraid of contamination, physical or social. It captures the doctor's recoil from the squalor of the hut and prepares the next clause's fear of 'soiling himself.'
GrammarReflexive «запачкаться» and indefinite «что-то» The reflexive verb «запачкаться» (to get oneself dirty) carries -ся as a true middle/reflexive, the subject acting on himself. «Что-то» with the particle -то marks a specific but unnamed thing he might dirty himself on.
3
He cast a fleeting glance about the entryway and, in doing so, looked sternly at Alyosha and Kolya.
GrammarFronted adverb and inverted word order The adverb «мельком» (fleetingly) is fronted for emphasis, pushing subject «он» after the verb «окинул» — a stylistic inversion typical of literary narration, where word order signals emphasis rather than grammatical role.
Word«окинуть глазами» — to sweep with the eyes «Окинуть глазами (взглядом)» is a fixed expression: to run one's eyes over, take in at a glance. «Глазами» is the instrumental of means — surveying 'with the eyes.'
4
Alyosha waved from the doorway to the coachman, and the carriage that had brought the doctor pulled up to the front door.
GrammarPast active participle «привезшая» «Привезшая» is a past active participle from perfective «привезти» (to bring by vehicle), agreeing with feminine «карета»: 'the carriage that had brought.' It compresses a который-clause into one modifier, a bookish, characteristically literary economy.
GrammarDative «кучеру» for the person signalled «Махнуть» (to wave) takes its addressee in the dative: «кучеру» (to the coachman). The dative marks the one toward whom the gesture is directed, the indirect target of the action.
5
The staff-captain dashed out after the doctor and, stooping, almost writhing before him, stopped him for one last word.
GrammarTwo gerunds for attendant manner «Согнувшись» (perfective past gerund, 'having bent over') and «извиваясь» (imperfective present gerund, 'writhing') stack adverbial participles describing how he stops the doctor — one a resulting posture, one an ongoing motion. Both share the main subject «штабс-капитан».
Word«пред» — the bookish form of «перед» «Пред» (before, in front of) is the elevated, contracted variant of «перед», common in 19th-century literary prose. It governs the instrumental here («пред ним») and lends the sentence a slightly archaic, solemn cast.
Word«стремительно» — headlong, impetuously «Стремительно» means swiftly, headlong, with rushing force; «выскочить» is to leap or dart out. Together they convey Snegiryov's desperate, almost frantic eagerness to catch the departing doctor.
6
The poor man's face was stricken, his look frightened:
GrammarZero copula and elided «было» The first clause has past «было», but the second, «взгляд испуганный», drops the verb entirely — Russian needs no copula and parallel clauses readily share or omit it. «Убитое» here is a passive participle used adjectivally ('killed' → 'crushed, stricken').
Word«убитый» — crushed with grief Literally 'killed,' «убитый» is used figuratively of a face or person crushed, devastated by grief. The metaphor is strong and idiomatic; we render it 'stricken.'
7
"Your Excellency, Your Excellency… can it really be?.." he had begun and did not finish, but only flung up his hands in despair, still gazing at the doctor with one last plea, as though the sentence over the poor boy could indeed be altered by the doctor's present word.
GrammarThe particle «было» The particle было (here in «начал было») marks an action that was begun or about to happen but then interrupted or undone. «Начал было он и не договорил» = 'he had just begun but did not finish.' It signals a thwarted or aborted action and has no direct English equivalent.
Word«неужели» — incredulous 'can it really be?' «Неужели» is a modal particle of astonished disbelief: 'surely not?', 'can it really be?'. It begs the doctor to contradict the dreadful implication, voicing hope against hope rather than asking a real question.
GrammarGerund «смотря» and the old instrumental «-ою» «Смотря» is an imperfective gerund ('gazing'), giving the manner of his appeal. Note «последнею мольбой»: «последнею» is the archaic instrumental feminine ending «-ою» for modern «-ей», a bookish 19th-century form still common in Dostoevsky.
GrammarReflexive passive «измениться» after «точно» «Точно» here means 'as though,' framing an unreal supposition. «Измениться» (to be changed) carries -ся as an intransitive/passive: the verdict 'could change' of itself. «Приговор над... мальчиком» borrows judicial language — the sentence pronounced over the boy.
8
"What is one to do! I am not God," the doctor answered in an offhand, though habitually impressive, voice.
GrammarBare infinitive «делать» as exclamation «Что делать!» is an impersonal infinitive construction — literally 'what to do!' — with no subject, expressing helpless resignation. Russian uses the bare infinitive widely for such impersonal modal force ('what is one to do'). It famously echoes Chernyshevsky's title «Что делать?».
GrammarInstrumental of manner «голосом» «Небрежным... голосом» stands in the instrumental, the case Russian uses to express the manner or means of speaking — 'in an offhand voice.' The adjectives «небрежным» and «внушительным» agree with it in the instrumental.
Word«внушительный» — imposing, impressive «Внушительный» (from «внушать», to instil, suggest) means imposing, weighty, commanding respect. Paired ironically with «небрежным» (careless), it skewers the doctor's practiced air of grave authority.
9
"Doctor… Your Excellency… and is it soon, soon?"
GrammarVerbless question with repetition The whole question lacks a verb — «скоро это?» = 'is it soon?' — relying on the zero copula (no present-tense 'to be') and rising intonation, with «скоро» repeated in anguished insistence. The bare «это» ('it') leaves the unspeakable subject, the boy's death, unnamed.
10
"Pre-pare your-self for any-thing," the doctor pronounced, hammering on each syllable, and, lowering his gaze, was himself about to step over the threshold to the carriage.
GrammarReflexive imperative «приготовьтесь» «Приготовьтесь» is the polite/plural imperative of reflexive «приготовиться» (to prepare oneself), with -тесь. It governs «ко всему» in the dative after «к/ко» — 'for everything.' The syllable-by-syllable spelling marks the doctor's pompous enunciation.
GrammarGerund «склонив» plus aborted «было» «Склонив» is a perfective past gerund ('having lowered') of attendant action. «Приготовился было шагнуть» again uses the particle «было» to mark an action set in motion but not completed — he was about to step out, but is stopped.
Word«взор» — the elevated word for gaze «Взор» is a poetic, bookish synonym for «взгляд» (look, gaze), at home in elevated 19th-century narration. Here it gently mocks the doctor by dressing his exit in high diction.
11
"Your Excellency, for Christ's sake!" the staff-captain stopped him once more in his fright, "Your Excellency!.. so is there really nothing, can it be nothing, nothing at all now that will save him?.."
GrammarNegative concord and the particles «разве/неужели» «Ничего... не спасет» shows obligatory negative concord: the ни-word «ничего» still requires «не» on the verb. The piled-up particles «разве» and «неужели» both press an incredulous 'really, can it be?', escalating the father's panic.
12
"It no longer de-pends on me," the doctor said impatiently, "and yet, hm," he suddenly checked himself, "if you could, for example… di-rect… your patient… at once and without the least delay" (the words 'at once and without the least delay' the doctor uttered not so much sternly as almost wrathfully, so that the staff-captain even flinched) "to Sy-ra-cuse, then… owing to the new fa-vor-able cli-mat-ic conditions… there might, perhaps, be some result…"
GrammarConditional with «если б» and «бы» «Если б... могли» (contracted «бы») builds the irrealis conditional: past-form verb plus the particle «бы» for a hypothetical, completed by «то...» ('then...'). The whole sentence dangles unfinished, mimicking the doctor's evasive non-promise.
GrammarConditional «могло бы» of vague possibility «Могло бы... произойти» ('there might... be some result') is the impersonal conditional — neuter past «могло» plus «бы» — leaving subject and outcome deliberately unnamed. The hedging «может быть» piled on top makes the doctor's prognosis pure empty formula.
Word«нимало не медля» — without the least delay «Нимало» (not in the least) is a bookish intensifier of negation, and «медля» is the gerund of «медлить» (to delay): 'tarrying not in the slightest.' The phrase is elevated and slightly stilted — fitting the doctor's pretentious register, which he then bites off 'almost wrathfully.'
13
"To Syracuse!" cried the staff-captain, as though still understanding nothing.
GrammarGerund «понимая» under «как бы» «Как бы... не понимая» = 'as though understanding nothing,' with imperfective gerund «понимая» giving simultaneous manner. «Как бы» ('as if') softens the assertion into appearance, and «ничего... не понимая» again shows negative concord.
14
"Syracuse — that's in Sicily," Kolya suddenly cut in loudly, by way of explanation. The doctor looked at him.
Grammar«это» as identifying linker In «Сиракузы — это в Сицилии», «это» is the invariable identifying particle that frames a definition or explanation ('Syracuse — that's in Sicily'), bridging the dash where English would use 'is.' «В Сицилии» is prepositional after «в» for location.
Word«отрезать» — to snap, cut someone off Literally 'to cut off,' «отрезать» is idiomatic for a curt, sharp retort — to snap out a remark that ends discussion. It conveys Kolya's brash, know-it-all interjection.
15
"To Sicily! My dear sir, Your Excellency," the staff-captain lost his head, "why, you have seen for yourself!" he swept both hands around him, pointing at his surroundings, "and the mother — and the family?"
Word«батюшка» as a form of appeal Here «Батюшка» (lit. 'dear father') is not the priest's title but an affectionate, imploring vocative-style address to a social superior — 'my dear sir,' 'good sir.' The poor captain pleads upward, mixing it with the official «ваше превосходительство».
GrammarParticles «да» and «ведь» Opening «да» is an emphatic particle ('why,' 'but'), not 'yes'; «ведь» appeals to shared, obvious knowledge ('after all, you saw it yourself'). Stacked together they give the cry its imploring, you-know-this force, the very texture of spoken Russian.
WordDiminutive «маменька» and clitic «-то» «Маменька» is a tender, old-fashioned diminutive of «мама» (mother). The clitic «-то» on «маменька-то» and «семейство-то» highlights each as a pressing, known concern ('and the mother, mind you; and the family'), the contrastive «а» tallying them up.
16
"N-no, the family not to Sicily — your family to the Caucasus, in early spring… your daughter to the Caucasus, and your wife… after a course of the waters, also in the Cau-ca-sus, in view of her rheumatism… immediately afterward to be di-rect-ed to Paris, to the clinic of the al-ien-ist Doctor Le-pel-le-tier — I could give you a note to him, and then… there might, perhaps, be some result…"
GrammarContrastive «а» and accusative of direction The hinge «не..., а...» ('not X, but Y') corrects the destination. «В Сицилию», «на Кавказ», «в Париж» all take the accusative after «в/на» because they express motion toward a place. Note «на Кавказ» — the Caucasus idiomatically takes «на», not «в».
GrammarPerfective gerund «продержав» «Продержав» is a perfective past gerund ('having kept/held [her] through'), expressing a prior completed action before the next step. The dropped subject is understood from context — a dense, telegraphic participial construction typical of clipped instructions.
17
"Doctor, doctor! But you can see for yourself!" the staff-captain flung up his hands again all at once, pointing in despair at the bare log walls of the entryway.
Word«бревенчатый» — made of logs «Бревенчатый» (from «бревно», a log) means built of bare logs; «голые» adds 'bare, unplastered.' The phrase nails the destitution of the dwelling — exactly what makes the talk of Sicily and Paris obscene.
GrammarGerund «указывая» of accompanying action «Указывая» is an imperfective present gerund ('pointing'), describing what the captain does as he flings up his hands — simultaneous attendant action sharing his subject. «На... стены» is accusative after «на» governing the target of the gesture.
18
"Ah, that is no longer my affair," the doctor smirked, "I have only told you what sci-ence could say in answer to your question about last resorts, and the rest… to my regret…"
GrammarCorrelative «то, что» «То, что...» pairs the demonstrative «то» with the relative «что» — 'that which / what (science) could say.' This correlative construction, with «то» as antecedent inside the main clause and «что» opening the relative, is the standard way Russian says 'what' as a noun-clause.
Word«усмехнуться» — to smirk «Усмехнуться» (reflexive, perfective) is to give a small, often wry, condescending or sardonic smile — not a warm one. It seals the doctor's callous self-exculpation: a smirk over a dying child.
19
"Don't trouble yourself, healer, my dog won't bite you," Kolya cut in loudly, noticing the doctor's somewhat uneasy glance at Perezvon, who had planted himself in the doorway. An angry note rang out in Kolya's voice. The word 'healer,' instead of doctor, he had said ''on purpose'' and, as he himself declared afterward, "said it to give offense."
Word«лекарь» vs «доктор» «Лекарь» is an old, lower-status word for a medical man — closer to 'healer' or 'leech/apothecary' than to the prestigious «доктор». Kolya uses it deliberately to belittle the pompous doctor, which is why the narrator notes he said it «нарочно» (on purpose) «для оскорбления» (to insult him). We render it 'healer' to keep that note of studied condescension.
GrammarPerfective future «не укусит» «Укусит» is a perfective verb conjugated like a present, which gives it future meaning: 'won't (ever) bite.' Negated, it denies a single potential event. The perfective makes the reassurance categorical — and, given the dog, faintly menacing.
GrammarThe contrastive particle «же» Here «же» is the topic-marking, contrastive particle: 'As for the word «лекарь»...' It singles out and emphasizes the word the narrator is about to comment on, a tiny hinge English renders only with stress or word order.
GrammarPast active participle «ставший» «Ставшего» is a past active participle of «стать» (to come to stand), in the genitive agreeing with «Перезвона»: 'Perezvon, who had planted himself in the doorway.' Built from a perfective stem, it names a completed prior action, again replacing a который-clause.
20
"What is th-is?" the doctor jerked up his head, staring at Kolya in astonishment. "Who is th-is?" he turned suddenly to Alyosha, as if demanding an account from him.
GrammarInterrogative «какой» — 'what sort of (one)?' «Какой это?» literally asks 'what kind of [one] is this?' — «какой» is the adjectival interrogative (which / what sort), agreeing here in masculine. Of a person it is dismissive, almost 'what's this creature?', the doctor's affronted contempt.
GrammarPerfective gerund «уставившись» «Уставившись» is a perfective past gerund of reflexive «уставиться» (to fix one's stare): 'having fixed his eyes on Kolya.' It carries both the resulting completed action and the reflexive -ся (here -вшись).
21
"This is Perezvon's master, healer, don't trouble yourself about my person," Kolya rapped out again.
GrammarNegated reflexive imperative + «о» + prepositional «Не беспокойтесь» is the negated polite imperative of reflexive «беспокоиться» (to worry oneself); after «о» (about) the object «моей личности» takes the prepositional case. Kolya's mock-formal 'don't trouble yourself about my person' is needling politeness.
Word«отчеканить» — to rap out crisply «Отчеканить» (from «чеканить», to mint/stamp coins) means to enunciate sharply and distinctly, every word stamped out like struck metal. It paints Kolya's deliberate, defiant precision.
22
"Zvon?" the doctor repeated, not having understood what Perezvon was.
Word«Звон» — the doctor mishears the name The doctor catches only «-звон» of the dog's name «Перезвон». «Звон» means 'ringing, peal (of bells)'; «перезвон» is the fuller 'chiming, change-ringing of bells' — a wittily grand name for a dog. The mishearing underlines his bewildered condescension.
GrammarPerfective gerund «не поняв» «Не поняв» is the negated perfective past gerund of «понять»: 'not having understood.' «Что такое Перезвон» is the embedded question 'what Perezvon was,' with «что такое X?» the idiom for 'what (kind of thing) is X?'.
23
"Why, he doesn't know where he is. Goodbye, healer, we'll meet again in Syracuse."
GrammarReflexive «увидимся» — reciprocal future «Увидимся» is the perfective future of reflexive «увидеться» (to see one another), where -ся carries reciprocal force: 'we'll see each other / meet.' «В Сиракузах» is prepositional after «в» for location. The whole line throws the doctor's absurd 'Syracuse' mockingly back at him.
Word«Прощайте» — a weightier farewell «Прощайте» (lit. 'forgive [me]') is the more final, formal 'goodbye,' implying a longer or permanent parting, as against the lighter «до свиданья» ('till we meet again'). Kolya's choice is pointedly dismissive of the doctor.
24
"Who is th-at? Who, who?" the doctor suddenly boiled over dreadfully.
Word«закипятиться» — to boil over «Закипятиться» (reflexive, from «кипеть», to boil) means to flare up, get heated, lose one's temper — literally 'to come to a boil.' The prefix за- marks the sudden onset of the doctor's rage. We render the metaphor as 'boiled over.'
GrammarInterrogative «кто» repeated «Кто» (who) is the personal interrogative pronoun, here in the nominative and indeclinably repeated in agitation. Its triple iteration, like the syllable-split «эт-то», renders the doctor's spluttering, apoplectic shock.
25
"He's a local schoolboy, doctor, he's a scamp, pay him no attention," Alyosha said, frowning and in a rapid undertone. "Kolya, be quiet!" he shouted at Krasotkin. "There's no need to mind him, doctor," he repeated, now somewhat more impatiently.
GrammarGerund «нахмурившись» + instrumental «скороговоркой» «Нахмурившись» is a perfective reflexive gerund ('having frowned'); «скороговоркой» is the instrumental of manner — 'in a rapid patter.' Russian routinely uses a bare instrumental noun adverbially to say how something is done.
GrammarImpersonal «не надо» + genitive of negation «Не надо» is the impersonal modal 'there's no need / one mustn't,' taking an infinitive. Under negation «внимания» appears in the genitive (genitive of negation) rather than accusative — the fixed idiom «обращать внимание» becomes «не обращать внимания».
Word«шалун» — a mischief-maker «Шалун» is an affectionate-deprecating word for a naughty child, a little rascal or scamp (from «шалить», to play up, get up to mischief). Alyosha uses it to defuse Kolya's provocation as mere boyish naughtiness.
26
"He should be flo-gged, flo-gged, flo-gged!" stamped his feet the doctor, who for some reason had now grown far too enraged.
GrammarImpersonal «надо» + infinitive «высечь» «Высечь надо» is an impersonal necessity construction: «надо» ('it is necessary') plus the perfective infinitive «высечь» (to flog), with no subject expressed — 'he should be flogged.' The infinitive carries the modal demand.
GrammarPast active participle «взбесившийся» «Взбесившийся» is a past active participle of reflexive «взбеситься» (to fly into a rage, lit. 'go rabid'), agreeing with «доктор»: 'the doctor, who had grown enraged.' It folds -ся and the participial ending together (-ившийся).
27
"You know, healer, my Perezvon just may bite after all!" Kolya brought out in a trembling little voice, turning pale, his eyes flashing. "Ici, Perezvon!"
GrammarParticle «-то» and reflexive «кусается» The clitic «-то» on «Перезвон-то» marks the dog as the emphasized topic ('Perezvon, mind you...'). «Кусается» is the reflexive «кусаться», here in its habitual/characterizing sense — 'is a biter, does bite' — a typical use of -ся for an inherent disposition.
WordDiminutive «голосок» «Голоском» is the instrumental of «голосок», the diminutive of «голос» (voice). The diminutive betrays Kolya's youth and the tremor beneath his bravado — a 'little voice' that gives away his fear even as he defies the doctor.
28
"Kolya, if you say so much as one word more, I will break with you forever!" Alyosha shouted commandingly.
GrammarReal conditional with «если... то» and perfective futures Unlike the doctor's «если б» (irrealis), this is a real conditional: «если» plus perfective future «скажете», then «то» plus perfective future «разорву» — 'if you say... I will break with you.' Both perfective futures name single decisive acts.
29
"Healer, there is only one being in the whole world who can give orders to Nikolai Krasotkin — it is this man here," Kolya pointed at Alyosha, "him I obey, goodbye!"
GrammarRelative «которое» + dative object «Которое» agrees in neuter singular with «существо» (being) but takes nominative as the subject of its own clause. «Приказывать» (to give orders) governs its object in the dative — «Николаю Красоткину» — the case of the one commanded.
GrammarFronted dative «ему» with «повиноваться» «Повиноваться» (to obey) takes the dative — «ему» ('him I obey'). Kolya fronts the dative pronoun for rhetorical emphasis, the marked word order throwing all the weight onto whom he will obey. The reflexive -сь is part of «повиноваться», which exists only in -ся form.
30
He tore himself from the spot and, flinging the door open, walked quickly into the room. Perezvon rushed after him.
GrammarReflexive «сорвался» + gerund «отворив» «Сорвался» is the perfective past of reflexive «сорваться» (to tear oneself away, bolt). «Отворив» is a perfective past gerund ('having opened') of attendant prior action, then «прошел» moves the narrative forward — the gerund-plus-finite-verb chain of brisk action.
Word«отворить» — to open (a door) «Отворить» is a slightly bookish, traditional verb for opening a door or gate (vs. the everyday «открыть»). It belongs to the elevated literary register and is especially at home in 19th-century narration.
31
The doctor stood there another five seconds or so, as if struck dumb, staring at Alyosha, then suddenly spat and walked quickly off to the carriage, repeating loudly: "This, this, this — I don't know what this is!"
GrammarParticle «было» with «постоял» + approximate number Again «было» marks a brief, soon-broken state — he stood for a moment, then acted. The inverted «секунд пять» (numeral after the noun) signals approximation, 'some five seconds'; «пять» takes the genitive plural «секунд».
Word«столбняк» — stupor (also 'tetanus') «Столбняк» (from «столб», a post/pillar) is a stunned, frozen stupor — being rooted to the spot 'like a post.' The same word is the medical term for tetanus. Here it is figurative: the doctor stands dumbstruck.
Word«Этта» — the doctor's spluttering «это» «Этта» is a deliberate phonetic distortion of «это» ('this'), the doubled т rendering the doctor's choked, indignant stammer as he repeats the word. Dostoevsky often spells out such expressive mispronunciations to caricature a voice.
32
The staff-captain rushed to hand him in.
Word«подсаживать» — to help someone up/in «Подсаживать» (imperfective) is to help a person climb up or into a carriage — to hand them in, give a leg up. The captain, abject to the last, rushes to assist the very man who has just insulted his home.
GrammarReflexive «бросился» + infinitive of purpose «Бросился... подсаживать» — perfective reflexive «броситься» (to rush, fling oneself) plus a bare imperfective infinitive expressing the purpose of the rushing ('rushed to help him in'). The infinitive after verbs of motion/effort states what one rushes to do.
33
Alyosha went into the room after Kolya.
GrammarAccusative of direction + «вслед за» + instrumental «В комнату» is accusative after «в» for motion into a place. «Вслед за» (after, following behind) governs the instrumental — «за Колей» — the case «за» takes when no motion-toward is meant.
34
The latter was already standing by Ilusha's little bed.
GrammarDemonstrative «тот» as 'the latter' Sentence-initial «тот» ('that one') tracks the referent across sentences — here 'the latter,' i.e. Kolya, just mentioned. This anaphoric «тот» is a key device by which Russian keeps subjects straight while reordering its words freely.
WordDiminutive «постелька» «Постельки» is the genitive of «постелька», a tender diminutive of «постель» (bed). The diminutive softens and pities — the dying child's 'little bed' — and quietly shifts the emotional register from the doctor's farce to the deathbed scene.
35
Ilusha was holding him by the hand and calling for his papa.
GrammarImperfective pair «держал... звал» for ongoing action Both verbs are imperfective past, presenting continuous, simultaneous action — he was holding and (was) calling. «Держать за руку» (to hold by the hand) uses «за» + accusative «руку» for the body part gripped.
36
A minute later the staff-captain came back too.
GrammarArchaic «чрез» and emphatic «и» «Чрез» is the bookish, contracted form of «через» (after/through), with «чрез минуту» = 'a minute later.' The «и» before the subject is not 'and' but the additive particle 'too, also' — 'the staff-captain came back as well.'
Word«воротиться» — to return (archaic-folksy) «Воротиться» is an older, folksier variant of «вернуться» (to come back). It sits naturally in 19th-century narrative prose and carries a faintly homespun, traditional color.
37
"Papa, papa, come here… we…" Ilusha had begun to babble in extraordinary agitation, but, plainly unable to go on, he suddenly thrust both his wasted little arms forward and, as hard as he could, embraced them both at once, Kolya and his papa, joining them in a single embrace and pressing himself to them.
GrammarChained gerunds and aborted «было» «Пролепетал было... но... не в силах продолжать» again uses «было» for a begun-but-broken-off action. The long sentence then chains finite perfectives («бросил», «обнял») with two gerunds — «соединив» (having joined) and reflexive «прижавшись» (pressing himself) — packing the whole gesture into one breathless period.
Word«исхудалый» + diminutive «ручки» «Исхудалый» means wasted, emaciated (from «худеть», to grow thin); «ручки» is the diminutive of «руки» (arms/hands). The tender diminutive set against 'wasted' makes the pathos almost unbearable — the dying boy's pitiful little arms.
GrammarAnimate accusative «их обоих... Колю» The objects of «обнял» (embraced) are animate, so the accusative borrows genitive-style forms: «их обоих» (both of them) and «Колю», «папу». This animacy rule is how Russian keeps the embraced 'them' distinct as objects.
38
The staff-captain suddenly began to shake all over with soundless sobs, and Kolya's lips and chin trembled.
GrammarEmphatic «так и» + ingressive «затрясся» «Так и» is an intensifying idiom emphasizing the sudden, irresistible force of an action ('just shook all over'). «Затрясся» — perfective reflexive «затрястись» — uses the prefix за- to mark the onset of trembling; «от... рыданий» gives the genitive of cause after «от».
Word«безмолвный» — soundless, mute «Безмолвный» (from без- 'without' + молв-/молвить 'to speak') is the bookish word for silent, wordless, mute — here the captain's 'soundless sobs.' It is more elevated than the plain «тихий» or «беззвучный».
39
"Papa, papa! How sorry I am for you, papa!" Ilusha moaned bitterly.
GrammarDative-experiencer «мне жалко» «Мне жалко тебя» is a classic dative-subject impersonal: no nominative, the experiencer «мне» in the dative and the invariable predicative «жалко» ('it is pitiful/sorry to me'). The object pitied, «тебя», stands in the genitive/accusative. English must recast it as 'I am sorry for you.'
40
"Ilushechka… my darling… the doctor said… you'll get well… we'll be happy… the doctor…" the staff-captain had begun.
WordDouble diminutives of tenderness «Илюшечка» is a doubly-affectionate diminutive of «Илюша» (itself from «Илья»), and «голубчик» (lit. 'little dove') is a standard endearment, 'my dear, my darling.' Both pour out helpless tenderness as the father gropes for comfort.
GrammarShort adjectives in compound future «Будешь здоров» and «будем счастливы» pair the future of «быть» with short-form adjectives «здоров» (well) and «счастливы» (happy). Short adjectives are predicative only and feel natural here as temporary, hoped-for states — the captain's broken reassurance.
41
"Ah, papa! I know what the new doctor said about me… I saw it for myself!" exclaimed Ilusha, and again he pressed them both to him with all his might, hiding his face on his papa's shoulder.
GrammarParticle «ведь» and «что»-clause «Ведь» appeals to a truth the boy and father both half-know ('I know, you see...'). «Что» here is the subordinating conjunction opening a reported-fact clause; inside it «тебе» is dative ('to you') and «про меня» uses «про» + accusative ('about me').
42
"Papa, don't cry… and when I die, take yourself a good boy, another one… choose one yourself from all of them, a good one, name him Ilusha and love him in place of me…"
GrammarTemporal «как» + imperatives Here «как я умру» means 'when I die' (colloquial «как» for «когда»), with perfective future «умру». The main clause heaps imperatives: «возьми», «выбери», «назови» (perfective, single acts) and «люби» (imperfective, ongoing) — 'take, choose, name... and love.'
GrammarGenitive after «из» (partitive) «Из них из всех» ('from among them all') doubles «из» + genitive, the partitive 'out of a group.' The reduplication «из них из всех» is colloquial, childlike emphasis, fitting Ilusha's broken, urgent speech.
43
"Be quiet, old man, you'll recover!" Krasotkin suddenly shouted, as if in anger.
GrammarImperative «молчи» + perfective future «выздоровеешь» «Молчи» is the singular imperative of imperfective «молчать» (be silent). «Выздоровеешь» is the perfective future of «выздороветь» (to recover) — a single completed future event asserted as fact, Kolya's gruff, almost angry comfort.
Word«старик» — 'old man' as rough endearment Calling the dying boy «старик» ('old man') is affectionate, comradely boy-talk — like 'old chap, old fellow.' The mismatch between the word and the frail child gives Kolya's bluff tenderness its heartbreaking edge.
GrammarGerund «осердившись» under «точно» «Точно» ('as if') governs the perfective reflexive gerund «осердившись» (from archaic-folksy «осердиться», to grow angry): 'as if having taken offense.' The narrator hedges Kolya's harshness — he only seems angry, masking grief.
44
"But me, papa, me you must never forget," Ilusha went on, "come to my little grave… and here's the thing, papa, bury me by our big stone, the one we used to walk out to together, and come there to me with Krasotkin, in the evening… And Perezvon… And I will wait for you… Papa, papa!"
GrammarNegated imperative + double negation «Не забывай» is the imperfective negated imperative — the imperfective is normal in prohibitions/warnings ('don't ever forget'). «Никогда... не» is obligatory negative concord, the ни-adverb still demanding «не» on the verb. Fronted «меня» throws all the weight onto 'me.'
WordDiminutive «могилка» «Могилка» is the diminutive of «могила» (grave) — a 'little grave.' On a child's lips, planning his own resting place, the gentle diminutive is devastating. «Ходить ко мне на могилку» = to come visit my grave.
GrammarRelative «к которому» with dative-governing preposition «К которому мы... ходили» — the relative «который» agrees with masculine «камня» (stone) but takes the dative after «к» ('the stone to which we used to walk'). «Ходили» is multidirectional imperfective for the habitual round-trip 'we used to go.'
45
His voice broke off; all three stood embracing one another and now were silent.
GrammarReflexive «пресекся» + imperfective «молчали» «Пресекся» is the perfective reflexive «пресечься» (to break off, falter), -ся giving the intransitive 'his voice broke off.' The shift to imperfective «молчали» ('were now silent') turns from the event to the lingering, held silence.
GrammarGerund «обнявшись» as resulting posture «Обнявшись» is a perfective reflexive gerund of «обняться» (to embrace one another), used to describe an enduring posture — 'stood embracing one another.' The reciprocal -ся and the gerund together freeze the three in their shared embrace.
46
Ninochka was crying quietly in her chair too, and suddenly, seeing them all weeping, the mother burst into tears as well.
GrammarVerb-first inversion + reflexive possessive «своем» Beginning with the verb «плакала» and placing subject «Ниночка» last throws the new information — who is also weeping — to the end, the topic-comment rhythm of literary Russian. «Своем» is the reflexive possessive 'her own (chair),' pointing back to the subject.
GrammarGerund «увидав» + participle «плачущими» «Увидав» is a perfective past gerund ('having seen'). Its object «всех плачущими» pairs «всех» (everyone) with the present active participle «плачущими» in the instrumental — 'saw them all (as) weeping,' the participle a predicate complement.
Word«залиться слезами» — to dissolve in tears «Залиться слезами» (lit. 'to be flooded over with tears') is a fixed idiom: to burst into a flood of tears. «Слезами» is the instrumental of means. The vivid metaphor matches the rising tide of weeping in the room.
47
"Ilushechka! Ilushechka!" she kept exclaiming.
GrammarImperfective «восклицала» for repeated crying-out The imperfective past «восклицала» (not perfective «воскликнула») marks repeated, ongoing exclamation — she 'kept exclaiming.' Aspect alone conveys the iteration English must spell out with 'kept.'
48
Krasotkin suddenly freed himself from Ilusha's embrace.
GrammarReflexive «высвободился» + genitive after «из» «Высвободился» is perfective reflexive «высвободиться» (to free oneself), -ся giving the self-directed sense. «Из объятий» takes the genitive after «из» (out of), and «Илюши» is the genitive of possession ('Ilusha's embrace').
49
"Goodbye, old man, my mother is expecting me for dinner," he said rapidly. "What a pity I didn't warn her beforehand! She'll be very worried… But after dinner I'll come straight to you, for the whole day, the whole evening, and I'll tell you so much, so much! And I'll bring Perezvon — but now I'll take him with me, because without me he'll start to howl and be a nuisance to you; goodbye!"
GrammarWord order: object-first «меня ждет мать» The fronted accusative «меня» ('me') makes Kolya the topic while «мать» (mother), the new subject, sits after the verb — the free, case-licensed word order of Russian, weighting given vs. new rather than marking grammar. «К обеду» = 'for dinner,' «к» + dative of purpose/time.
GrammarImpersonal «жаль» + «что»-clause «Как жаль, что...» is the impersonal 'what a pity that...', the invariable predicative «жаль» with no nominative subject and a «что»-clause. «Предуведомил» (perfective past) is a bookish verb, 'to forewarn, notify in advance.'
GrammarReflexive «с собой» + prefixed motion verbs «С собой» ('with me/oneself') uses the reflexive pronoun «себя» in the instrumental after «с». «Приведу» (will bring [a being]) and «уведу» (will take away) are prefixed perfective motion verbs from «вести» — the prefixes при-/у- giving direction and perfective future sense.
50
And he ran out into the entryway.
GrammarPrefixed motion «выбежал» + accusative of direction «Выбежал» is perfective «выбежать» (to run out), the prefix вы- marking exit and turning the motion verb «бежать» into a directional perfective. «В сени» is accusative after «в» for motion into the passage.
51
He did not want to burst into tears, but in the entryway he wept after all.
GrammarDative-experiencer «ему не хотелось» «Ему не хотелось» is the impersonal reflexive «хотеться» with a dative experiencer — 'he did not feel like / was not inclined to.' There is no nominative subject; «ему» (dative) feels the impulse, and «расплакаться» (to burst out crying) is the infinitive of the urge resisted.
Word«таки» — 'after all, in spite of it' «Таки» is a colloquial particle meaning 'nevertheless, after all, in the end' — it concedes that the resisted thing happened anyway: he wept 'in spite of himself.' It quietly underlines the boy's failed self-mastery.
52
It was in this state that Alyosha found him.
GrammarFronted phrase + inversion for emphasis Beginning with «В этом состоянии» ('in this state') and inverting to «нашел его Алеша» throws emphasis onto the circumstance, holding back the subject «Алеша» for the close. The arrangement, impossible to fix in English without 'It was... that,' is ordinary Russian focus-marking.
53
"Kolya, you absolutely must keep your word and come, or else he will be in terrible grief," Alyosha said insistently.
Grammar«должны» + infinitives and «а то» ('or else') «Должны» ('must') governs the perfective infinitives «сдержать» and «прийти», each a single decisive act. «А то» is the colloquial conjunction 'or else, otherwise,' introducing the consequence — «он будет в... горе» using the compound future of «быть».
Word«сдержать слово» — to keep one's word «Сдержать слово» is the fixed idiom 'to keep one's word, hold to a promise' (lit. 'to hold/restrain the word'). Alyosha's insistence on it sets up the theme of faithfulness that crowns the novel's ending.
54
"Absolutely! Oh, how I curse myself for not having come sooner," Kolya muttered, weeping and no longer ashamed that he was weeping.
GrammarReflexive pronoun «себя» + imperfective «приходил» «Кляну себя» uses the full reflexive object pronoun «себя» (myself), distinct from the verbal clitic -ся — 'I curse myself.' «Не приходил раньше» is imperfective past for a repeated/general non-occurrence ('did not come [in all that time]'), here the negated multidirectional habit.
GrammarTwo imperfective gerunds «плача... конфузясь» «Плача» (weeping) and reflexive «конфузясь» (being embarrassed) are imperfective present gerunds of simultaneous circumstance, both sharing Kolya's subject. The negated «не конфузясь, что плачет» — 'no longer embarrassed that he was crying' — captures his surrender to feeling.
Word«конфузиться» — to be embarrassed «Конфузиться» (from the borrowed «конфуз», embarrassment) means to feel awkward or ashamed, to be flustered. It is a slightly dated, genteel word, fitting the self-conscious schoolboy who is mortified to be seen crying.
55
At that moment the staff-captain suddenly seemed to come bursting out of the room and at once shut the door behind him.
Grammar«словно» + perfectives «выскочил... затворил» «Словно» ('as if, as though') frames the sudden manner of his appearance. The chained perfectives «выскочил» (darted out) and «затворил» (shut) move the action briskly event by event; «за собою» is reflexive «себя» in the old instrumental «-ою» form — 'behind himself.'
Word«затворить» — to shut (a door), bookish «Затворить» is the traditional, literary verb for closing a door (the pair to «отворить», to open), more elevated than the everyday «закрыть». It belongs to the 19th-century narrative register pervading this passage.
56
His face was frenzied, his lips trembling.
GrammarLong-form predicate then verbless clause «Лицо... было исступленное» uses the long-form adjective after past «было», then «губы дрожали» drops any copula, the imperfective «дрожали» painting the continuous trembling. The parallel clauses lean on the zero copula in the second.
Word«исступлённый» — frenzied, beside oneself «Исступлённый» means frenzied, in a state of ecstatic frenzy or distraction — literally 'driven out (of oneself).' It is a strong, almost religious word for being beside oneself, marking the captain's breakdown as something near possession.
57
He stood before the two young men and flung both his hands up in the air.
GrammarArchaic «пред» + instrumental «обоими... людьми» The bookish «пред» (for «перед», before) governs the instrumental: «обоими молодыми людьми» ('the two young men'). «Людьми» is the irregular instrumental plural of «человек/люди», and «обоими» the instrumental of «оба» (both).
58
"I don't want a good boy! I don't want another boy!" he whispered in a wild whisper, gnashing his teeth. "If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my tongue cleave…"
GrammarChurch-Slavonic vocative «Иерусалиме» «Иерусалиме» is the old vocative case 'O Jerusalem' (modern Russian would simply use «Иерусалим»). Such vocatives — «Боже», «Господи», «отче», «Иерусалиме» — survive only in prayer and Scripture, marking the captain's words as sacred quotation.
GrammarGenitive of negation «хорошего мальчика» Under negated «не хочу» (I don't want), the object «хорошего мальчика» appears in the genitive rather than accusative — the genitive of negation, especially natural with «хотеть» (to want), which often governs the genitive even unnegated.
59
He did not finish, as though he were choking, and sank powerlessly to his knees before the wooden bench.
GrammarGerund «захлебнувшись» under «как бы» «Как бы захлебнувшись» — 'as though having choked' — uses a perfective reflexive past gerund of «захлебнуться» (to choke, gasp). «Опустился... на колени» (sank to his knees) is reflexive «опуститься» with «на колени» in the accusative of direction.
Word«бессилие» — powerlessness «Бессилие» (без- 'without' + сил-, strength) is helplessness, powerlessness, exhaustion. «В бессилии» = 'powerlessly, in his helplessness' — the spent collapse of a man with nothing left.
60
Clenching his head in both fists, he began to sob, yelping somehow absurdly, yet straining with all his strength to keep his yelps from being heard inside the hut.
GrammarGerund «стиснув» + instrumental of means «кулаками» «Стиснув» is a perfective past gerund ('having clenched') of prior action. «Обоими кулаками» is the instrumental of means — 'with both fists' — and «свою голову» uses the reflexive possessive «свою» for 'his own head,' pointing back to the subject.
GrammarPurpose clause «чтобы не услышали» «Чтобы не услышали» is a negative purpose clause: «чтобы» fuses «что + бы», requiring the past-form verb «услышали» — 'so that [they] should not hear.' «Крепясь» is the imperfective reflexive gerund of «крепиться» (to brace/restrain oneself), simultaneous with the sobbing.
Word«взвизгивать» — to yelp, squeal «Взвизгивать» / «взвизг» (a yelp, shriek, squeal) is a sharp, involuntary high cry — usually of a dog or in pain. Applied to the grown man's sobbing it is grotesque and pitiful at once, the very 'absurdity' the narrator names, as he fights to muffle these animal cries.
61
Kolya ran out into the street.
GrammarPerfective of a sudden burst «Выскочить» (perfective, from the unidirectional «скочить»/«скакать») names a single abrupt completed motion — to leap or dash out. The prefix «вы-» adds the direction 'out', and the perfective past frames the whole action as one quick event, propelling the narrative forward.
Grammar«на» + accusative for motion toward «На улицу» takes the accusative «улицу» (not the prepositional «на улице» 'on the street') precisely because there is motion toward — Kolya runs out onto the street. The same preposition governs two cases, and the case alone tells you it is going-to, not being-at.
62
"Goodbye, Karamazov! Will you come yourself?" he shouted sharply and angrily at Alyosha.
GrammarA polite/plural imperative — and a deeper word «Прощайте» is the imperative of «прощать» with the «-те» that marks plural or polite address. Literally 'forgive (me),' it is the standard Russian 'goodbye' for a parting of weight — fitting for the gravity Kolya feels here.
GrammarEmphatic «-то» and dropped pronoun The clitic «-то» here leans on «сами» ('you yourself') to underline the topic — 'And you, for your part, will you come?' The subject pronoun «вы» is dropped because «придёте» already marks 2nd-person plural; «придёте» itself is a perfective (simple) future of «прийти».
GrammarDative of the person addressed «Крикнул» (semelfactive perfective in «-ну-», 'gave a shout') takes «Алеше» in the dative — he shouted to/at Alyosha. The dative marks the person toward whom the speech is directed.
63
"In the evening, without fail, I'll be there."
GrammarInstrumental of time «Вечером» ('in the evening') is the bare instrumental of «вечер», one of Russian's stock time expressions (cf. «утром», «днём», «ночью»). No preposition is needed — the instrumental case itself carries 'at that time of day.'
GrammarCompound future, pronoun dropped «Буду» is the conjugated future of «быть»; here it stands alone meaning 'I will be (there)', the 'there' understood. «Непременно» ('without fail, certainly') is a bookish-emphatic adverb that intensifies Alyosha's promise.
64
"What was that he said about Jerusalem… What is that, anyway?"
GrammarColloquial pile-up «что… это такое» The loose, spoken word order — «что» (what), then subject «он», then the filler «это такое» — is idiomatic incredulity: 'What's this he's on about with Jerusalem?' Russian's free order lets the bewildered question-words sit up front while «он» slots in casually.
Word«про» = colloquial 'about' «Про» + accusative means 'about, concerning' and is more conversational than the neutral «о» + prepositional. It suits the offhand, slightly dismissive tone of the speaker puzzling over the quotation.
65
"It's from the Bible: 'If I forget thee, O Jerusalem' — that is, if I forget everything that is most precious to me, if I trade it for anything, then let me be struck down…"
Grammar«аще» — Church-Slavonic 'if' «Аще» is the Church-Slavonic conjunction for 'if', the sacred-register ancestor of modern «если». Its presence instantly marks the line as Scripture rather than ordinary speech — which is why Alyosha must gloss it for Kolya with the plain «если».
GrammarOld vocative and dative-for-accusative «Иерусалиме» is the Church-Slavonic vocative (O Jerusalem), the case of solemn direct address now lost in Russian. «Тебе» here is the archaic Slavonic object form ('thee') where modern Russian would use «тебя» — both flag the line as liturgical.
GrammarPerfective future in a real condition Both «забуду» and «променяю» are perfective verbs conjugated as simple futures inside «если»-clauses — a real (not hypothetical) condition: 'if I [ever] forget… if I [ever] trade.' The perfective stresses the single decisive act being sworn against.
GrammarGenitive superlative phrase «Самого… драгоценного» is genitive (after «всё, что есть»), with «самого» intensifying the adjective to a superlative force — 'the very most precious thing I have.' «У меня» ('I have / that is mine') is the standard «у» + genitive possessive frame.
GrammarOptative «да» + 3rd person «Да поразит» ('let [it] strike me down') is the solemn optative: the particle «да» plus a 3rd-person perfective verb to express a wish or imprecation, an elevated, biblical-sounding construction (cf. «да будет свет» — 'let there be light'). Alyosha breaks off before naming what shall strike him.
66
"I understand, that's enough! Come yourself! Ici, Perezvon!" he shouted at the dog now in a thoroughly ferocious tone and strode off home with great, rapid steps.
GrammarImperfective imperative as warm invitation Note the switch from perfective «придёте» (s62) to the imperfective imperative «приходите»: imperfective commands of motion are the polite, welcoming form for inviting someone — 'do come!' — where a perfective «придите» would sound curt. «Сами-то» again emphatically fronts 'you yourself.'
GrammarInstrumental of manner «Большими, скорыми шагами» ('with great, rapid steps') is the instrumental plural, used to express the manner or means of the motion. The adjectives «большими», «скорыми» agree with «шагами» in case and number.
GrammarInceptive prefix «за-» «Зашагал» uses the prefix «за-» on «шагать» to mark the beginning of the action — 'he set off striding, started to march.' This inceptive «за-» (cf. «заговорил», «запел») is a favourite way Russian launches a character into motion.

The particulars

The text: Братья Карамазовы, Fyodor Dostoevsky. Book X — The Boys.
Words: Every word of the text, by letter.
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