resurrection(复活)-第13章

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something　like！　Real　Siberian　fashion！　He　knew　what　he　was　about；
no　fear！　That's　the　sort　of　wench　for　me。〃

The　foreman　was　stating　his　conviction；　that　in　some　way　or　other
the　expert's　conclusions　were　the　important　thing。　Peter
Gerasimovitch　was　joking　about　something　with　the　Jewish　clerk；
and　they　burst　out　laughing。　Nekhludoff　answered　all　the
questions　addressed　to　him　in　monosyllables　and　longed　only　to　be
left　in　peace。

When　the　usher；　with　his　sideways　gait；　called　the　jury　back　to
the　Court；　Nekhludoff　was　seized　with　fear；　as　if　he　were　not
going　to　judge；　but　to　be　judged。　In　the　depth　of　his　soul　he
felt　that　he　was　a　scoundrel；　who　ought　to　be　ashamed　to　look
people　in　the　face；　yet；　by　sheer　force　of　habit；　he　stepped　on
to　the　platform　in　his　usual　self…possessed　manner；　and　sat　down；
crossing　his　legs　and　playing　with　his　pince…nez。

The　prisoners　had　also　been　led　out；　and　were　now　brought　in
again。　There　were　some　new　faces　in　the　Court　witnesses；　and
Nekhludoff　noticed　that　Maslova　could　not　take　her　eyes　off　a
very　fat　woman　who　sat　in　the　row　in　front　of　the　grating；　very
showily　dressed　in　silk　and　velvet；　a　high　hat　with　a　large　bow
on　her　head；　and　an　elegant　little　reticule　on　her　arm；　which　was
bare　to　the　elbow。　This　was；　as　he　subsequently　found　out；　one　of
the　witnesses；　the　mistress　of　the　establishment　to　which　Maslova
had　belonged。

The　examination　of　the　witnesses　commenced：　they　were　asked　their
names；　religion；　etc。　Then；　after　some　consultation　as　to　whether
the　witnesses　were　to　be　sworn　in　or　not；　the　old　priest　came　in
again；　dragging　his　legs　with　difficulty；　and；　again　arranging
the　golden　cross　on　his　breast；　swore　the　witnesses　and　the
expert　in　the　same　quiet　manner；　and　with　the　same　assurance　that
he　was　doing　something　useful　and　important。

The　witnesses　having　been　sworn；　all　but　Kitaeva；　the　keeper　of
the　house；　were　led　out　again。　She　was　asked　what　she　knew　about
this　affair。　Kitaeva　nodded　her　head　and　the　big　hat　at　every
sentence　and　smiled　affectedly。　She　gave　a　very　full　and
intelligent　account；　speaking　with　a　strong　German　accent。　First
of　all；　the　hotel　servant　Simeon；　whom　she　knew；　came　to　her
establishment　on　behalf　of　a　rich　Siberian　merchant；　and　she　sent
Lubov　back　with　him。　After　a　time　Lubov　returned　with　the
merchant。　The　merchant　was　already　somewhat　intoxicatedshe
smiled　as　she　said　thisand　went　on　drinking　and　treating　the
girls。　He　was　short　of　money。　He　sent　this　same　Lubov　to　his
lodgings。　He　had　taken　a　〃predilection〃　to　her。　She　looked　at　the
prisoner　as　she　said　this。

Nekhludoff　thought　he　saw　Maslova　smile　here；　and　this　seemed
disgusting　to　him。　A　strange；　indefinite　feeling　of　loathing；
mingled　with　suffering；　arose　in　him。

〃And　what　was　your　opinion　of　Maslova？〃　asked　the　blushing　and
confused　applicant　for　a　judicial　post；　appointed　to　act　as
Maslova's　advocate。

〃Zee　ferry　pesht；〃　answered　Kitaeva。　〃Zee　yoong　voman　is　etucated
and　elecant。　She　was　prought　up　in　a　coot　family　and　can　reat
French。　She　tid　have　a　trop　too　moch　sometimes；　put　nefer　forcot
herself。　A　ferry　coot　girl。〃

Katusha　looked　at　the　woman；　then　suddenly　turned　her　eyes　on　the
jury　and　fixed　them　on　Nekhludoff；　and　her　face　grew　serious　and
even　severe。　One　of　her　serious　eyes　squinted；　and　those　two
strange　eyes　for　some　time　gazed　at　Nekhludoff；　who；　in　spite　of
the　terrors　that　seized　him；　could　not　take　his　look　off　these
squinting　eyes；　with　their　bright；　clear　whites。

He　thought　of　that　dreadful　night；　with　its　mist；　the　ice
breaking　on　the　river　below；　and　when　the　waning　moon；　with　horns
turned　upwards；　that　had　risen　towards　morning；　lit　up　something
black　and　weird。　These　two　black　eyes　now　looking　at　him　reminded
him　of　this　weird；　black　something。　〃She　has　recognised　me；〃　he
thought；　and　Nekhludoff　shrank　as　if　expecting　a　blow。　But　she
had　not　recognised　him。　She　sighed　quietly　and　again　looked　at
the　president。　Nekhludoff　also　sighed。　〃Oh；　if　it　would　only　get
on　quicker；〃　he　thought。

He　now　felt　the　same　loathing　and　pity　and　vexation　as　when；　out
shooting；　he　was　obliged　to　kill　a　wounded　bird。　The　wounded　bird
struggles　in　the　game　bag。　One　is　disgusted　and　yet　feels　pity；
and　one　is　in　a　hurry　to　kill　the　bird　and　forget　it。

Such　mixed　feelings　filled　Nekhludoff's　breast　as　he　sat
listening　to　the　examination　of　the　witnesses。


CHAPTER　XX。　

THE　TRIALTHE　MEDICAL　REPORT。

But；　as　if　to　spite　him；　the　case　dragged　out　to　a　great　length。
After　each　witness　had　been　examined　separately　and　the　expert
last　of　all；　and　a　great　number　of　useless　questions　had　been
put；　with　the　usual　air　of　importance；　by　the　public　prosecutor
and　by　both　advocates；　the　president　invited　the　jury　to　examine
the　objects　offered　as　material　evidence。　They　consisted　of　an
enormous　diamond　ring；　which　had　evidently　been　worn　on　the　first
finger；　and　a　test　tube　in　which　the　poison　had　been　analysed。
These　things　had　seals　and　labels　attached　to　them。

Just　as　the　witnesses　were　about　to　look　at　these　things；　the
public　prosecutor　rose　and　demanded　that　before　they　did　this　the
results　of　the　doctor's　examination　of　the　body　should　be　read。
The　president；　who　was　hurrying　the　business　through　as　fast　as
he　could　in　order　to　visit　his　Swiss　friend；　though　he　knew　that
the　reading　of　this　paper　could　have　no　other　effect　than　that　of
producing　weariness　and　putting　off　the　dinner　hour；　and　that　the
public　prosecutor　wanted　it　read　simply　because　he　knew　he　had　a
right　to　demand　it；　had　no　option　but　to　express　his　consent。

The　secretary　got　out　the　doctor's　report　and　again　began　to　read
in　his　weary　lisping　voice；　making　no　distinction　between　the
〃r's〃　and　〃l's。〃

The　external　examination　proved　that：

〃1。　Theropont　Smelkoff's　height　was　six　feet　five　inches。

〃Not　so　bad；　that。　A　very　good　size；〃　whispered　the　merchant；
with　interest；　into　Nekhludoff's　ear。

2。　He　looked　about　40　years　of　age。

3。　The　body　was　of　a　swollen　appearance。

4。　The　flesh　was　of　a　greenish　colour；　with　dark　spots　in　several
places。

5。　The　skin　was　raised　in　blisters　of　different　sizes　and　in
places　had　come　off　in　large　pieces。

6。　The　hair　was　chestnut；　it　was　thick；　and　separated　easily　from
the　skin　when　touched。

7。　The　eye…balls　protruded　from　their　sockets　and　the　cornea　had
grown　dim。

8。　Out　of　the　nostrils；　both　ears；　and　the　mouth　oozed　serous
liquid；　the　mouth　was　half　open。

9。　The　neck　had　almost　disappeared；　owing　to　the　swelling　of　the
face　and　chest。〃

And　so　on　and　so　on。

Four　pages　were　covered　with　the　27　paragraphs　describing　all　the
details　of　the　external　examination　of　the　enormous；　fat；
swollen；　and　decomposing　body　of　the　merchant　who　had　been　making
merry　in　the　town。　The　indefinite　loathing　that　Nekhludoff　felt
was　increased　by　the　description　of　the　corpse。　Katusha's　life；
and　the　scrum　oozing　from　the　nostrils　of　the　corpse；　and　the
eyes　that　protruded　out　of　their　sockets；　and　his　own　treatment
of　herall　seemed　to　belong　to　the　same　order　of　things；　and　he
felt　surrounded　and　wholly　absorbed　by　things　of　the　same　nature。

When　the　reading　of　the　report　of　the　external　examination　was
ended；　the　president　heaved　a　sigh　and　raised　his　hand；　hoping　it
was　finished；　but　the　secretary　at　once　went　on　to　the
description　of　the　internal　examination。　The　president's　head
again　dropped　into　his　hand　and　he　shut　his　eyes。　The　merchant
next　to　Nekhludoff　could　hardly　keep　awake；　and　now　and　then　his
body　swayed　to　and　fro。　The　prisoners　and　the　gendarmes　sat
perfectly　quiet。

The　internal　examination　showed　that：

〃1。　The　skin　was　easily　detachable　from　the　bones　of　the　skull；
and　there　was　no　coagulated　blood。

〃2。　The　bones　of　the　skull　were　of　average　thickness　and　in　sound
condition。

〃3。　On　the　membrane　of　the　brain　there　were　two　discoloured
spots　about　four　inches　long；　the　membrane　itself　being　of　a　dull
white。〃　And　so　on　for　13　paragraphs　more。　Then　followed　the　names
and　signatures　of　the　assistants；　and　the　doctor's　conclusion
showing　that　the　changes　observed　in　the　stomach；　and　to　a　lesser
degree　in　the　bowels　and　kidneys；　at　the　postmortem　examination；
and　described　in　the　official　report；　gave　great　probability　to
the　conclusion　that　Smelkoff's　death　was　caused　by　poison　which
had　entered　his　stomach　mixed　with　alcohol。　To　decide　from　the
state　of　the　stomach　what　poison　had　been　introduced　was
difficult；　but　it　was　necessary　to　suppose　that　the　poison
entered　the　stomach　mixed　with　alcohol；　since　a　great　quantity　of
the　latter　was　found　in　Smelkoff's　stomach。

〃He　could　drink；　and　no　mistake；〃　again　whispered　the　merchant；
who　had　just　waked　up。

The　reading　of　this　report　had　taken　a　full　hour；　but　it　had　not
satisfied　the　public　prosecutor；　for；　when　it　had　been　read
through　and　the　president　turned　to　him；　saying；　〃I　suppose　it　is
superfluous　to　read　the　report　of　the　examination　of　the　internal
organs？〃　he　answered　in　a　severe　tone；　without　looking　at　the
president；　〃I　shall　ask　to　have　it　read。〃

He　raised　himself　a　little；　and　showed　by　his　manner　that　he　had
a　right　to　have　this　report　read；　and　would　claim　this　right；　and
that　if　that　were　not　granted　it　would　serve　as　a　cause　of
appeal。

The　member　of　the　Court　with　the　big　beard；　who　suffered　from
catarrh　of　the　stomach；　feeling　quite　done　up；　turned　to　the
president：

〃What　is　the　use　of　reading　all　this？　It　is　only　dragging　it　out。
These　new　brooms　do　not　sweep　clean；　they　only　take　a　long　while
doing　it。〃

The　member　with　the　gold　spectacles　said　nothing；　but　only　looked
gloomily　in　front　of　him；　expecting　nothing　good；　either　from　his
wife　or　life　in　general。　The　reading　of　the　report　commenced。

〃In　the　year　188…；　on　February　15th；　I；　the　undersigned；
commissioned　by　the　medical　department；　made　an　examination；　No。
638；〃　the　secretary　began　again　with　firmness　and　raising　the
pitch　of　his　voice　as　if　to　dispel　the　sleepiness　that　had
overtaken　all　present；　〃in　the　presence　of　the　assistant　medical
inspector；　of　the　internal　organs：

〃1。　The　right　lung　and　the　heart　（contained　in　a　6…lb。　glass
jar）。

〃2。　The　contents　of　the　stomach　（in　a　6…lb。　glass　jar）。

〃3。　The　stomach　itself　（in　a　6…lb。　glass　jar）。

〃4。　The　liver；　the　spleen　and　the　kidneys　（in　a　9…lb。　glass　jar）。

5。　The　intestines　（in　a　9…lb。　earthenware　jar）。〃

The　president　here　whispered　to　one　of　the　members；　then　stooped
to　the　other；　and　having　received　their　consent；　he　said：　〃The
Court　considers　the　reading　of　this　report　superfluous。〃　The
secretary　stopped　reading　and　folded　the　paper；　and　the　public
prosecutor　angrily　began　to　write　down　something。　〃The　gentlemen
of　the　jury　may　now　examine　the　articles　of　material　evidence；〃
said　the　president。　The　foreman　and　several　of　the　others　rose
and　went　to　the　table；　not　quite　knowing　what　to　do　with　their
hands。　They　looked　in　turn　at　the　glass；　the　test　tube；　and　the
ring。　The　merchant　even　tried　on　the　ring。

〃Ah！　that　was　a　finger；〃　he　said；　returning　to　his　place；　〃like　a
cucumber；〃　he　added。　Evidently　the　image　he　had　formed　in　his
mind　of　the　gigantic　merchan