The Brothers Karamazov, Part 3, no. 58, Chapter 5 summary

What happens

1. Mitya describes raising the pestle at his father’s window but insists that he runs away without killing him.
2. The investigators reveal that the garden door stands open, and Mitya explains the secret signals known to only three people.
3. Mitya rejects suspicion of Smerdyakov, and the prosecutor reports finding the servant unconscious after severe epileptic fits.
4. Mitya recounts striking Grigory and checking his condition, but the prosecutor interprets this as an attempt to check a witness’s death.
5. Mitya describes his abandoned suicide plan but refuses to explain his money’s source, saying disclosure brings intolerable disgrace.
6. The investigators count his remaining money, estimate his original funds, and require him to undress for a search.

In this chapter

What to notice

Mitya’s refusal makes personal shame more urgent than defending himself. It creates a deadlock over the source of his money.

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