"Tobeginwith, whatwasthesourceofthissuspicion?" (IppolitKirillovitchbegan.) "ThefirstpersonwhocriedoutthatSmerdyakovhadcommittedthemurderwastheprisonerhimselfatthemomentofhisarrest, yetfromthattimetothishehadnotbroughtforwardasinglefacttoconfirmthecharge, —-day, ''sguilt, andhasonlybeenledtothatconclusionfromtheprisoner', .'Whattheprisonertellsyou, youmustbelieve; heisnotamantotellalie.' ThatisalltheevidenceagainstSmerdyakovproducedbythesethreepersons, whoarealldeeplyconcernedintheprisoner''sguilthasbeennoisedabout, ? Isitconceivable?"

HereIppolitKirillovitchthoughtitnecessarytodescribethepersonalityofSmerdyakov, "whohadcutshorthislifeinafitofinsanity." Hedepictedhimasamanofweakintellect, withasmatteringofeducation, whohadbeenthrownoffhisbalancebyphilosophicalideasabovehislevelandcertainmoderntheoriesofduty, whichhelearntinpracticefromtherecklesslifeofhismaster, whowasalsoperhapshisfather—FyodorPavlovitch; and, theoretically, fromvariousstrangephilosophicalconversationswithhismaster'selderson, IvanFyodorovitch, whoreadilyindulgedinthisdiversion, probablyfeelingdullorwishingtoamusehimselfatthevalet'sexpense."Hespoketomehimselfofhisspiritualconditionduringthelastfewdaysathisfather'shouse," IppolitKirillovitchexplained; "butotherstoohavebornewitnesstoit—theprisonerhimself, hisbrother, andtheservantGrigory—thatis, allwhoknewhimwell.