ose," said Alyosha.

The boy looked darkly at him.

"I don't know you. Do you know me?" Alyosha continued.

"Let me alone!" the boy cried irritably; but he did not move, as though he
were expecting something, and again there was a vindictive light in his
eyes.

"Very well, I am going," said Alyosha; "only I don't know you and I don't
tease you. They told me how they tease you, but I don't want to tease you.
Good-by!"

"Monk in silk trousers!" cried the boy, following Alyosha with the same
vindictive and defiant expression, and he threw himself into an attitude
of defense, feeling sure that now Alyosha would fall upon him; but Alyosha
turned, looked at him, and walked away. He had not gone three steps before
the biggest stone the boy had in his pocket hit him a painful blow in the
back.

"So you'll hit a man from behind! They tell the truth, then, when they say
that you attack on the sly," said Alyosha, turning round again. This time
the boy threw a stone savagely right into Alyosha's face; but Alyosha just
had time to guard himself, and the stone struck him on the elbow.

"Aren't you ashamed? What have I done to you?" he cried.

The boy waited in silent defiance, certain that now Alyosha would attack
him. Seeing that even now he would not, his rage was like a little wild
beast's; he flew at Alyosha himself, and before Alyosha had time to move,
the spiteful child had seized his left hand with both of his and bit his
middle finger. He fixed his teeth in it and it was ten seconds before he
let go. Alyosha cried out with pain and pulled his finger away with all
his might. The child let go at last and retreated to his former distance.
Alyosha's finger had been badly bitten to the bone, close to the nail; it
began to bleed. Alyosha took out his handkerchief and bound it tightly
round his injured hand. He was a full minute bandaging it. The boy stood
waiting all the time. At last Alyosha raised his gentle eyes and looked at
him.

"Very well," he said, "you see how badly you've bitten me. That's enough,
isn't it? Now tell me, what have I done to you?"

The boy stared in amazement.

"Though I don't know you and it's the first time I've seen you," Alyosha
went on with the same serenity, "yet I must have done something to you--you
wouldn't have hurt me like this for nothing. So what have I done? How have
I wronged you, tell me?"

Instead of answering, the boy broke into a loud tearful wail and ran away.
Alyosha walk