it is from dostoevsky's brothers karimov, a chapter called rebellion which is right before the grand inquisitor. ivan, the oldest brother, is giving his view on the christian idea that there is an all-powerful, all knowing benevolent god and that things will ultimately work out for the best and ivan makes his argument through stories and this is one of them. there was in those days a general of aristocratic connection, the owner of great estates. our general settled on his property of 2,000 souls, lives in palm and domineer over his poor neighbors as though they were defendants and buffoons. he has kennels of hundreds of towns and nearly a hundred dog boys all mounted and in uniform. sorry to put us all through this on a sunday morning, beautiful day in key west. i really am. one day, a serve boy, a child of 8, through a stone in play and hurt the paw of the general's favored held. why is my favorite dog lame? he is told that the boy threw a stone that heard the dog's pa. the general looked the child and down. take him. he was taken from his mother and