resurrection(复活)-第4章

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passed　hither　and　thither。　Plaintiffs；　and　those　of　the　accused
who　were　not　guarded；　wandered　sadly　along　the　walls　or　sat
waiting。

〃Where　is　the　Law　Court？〃　Nekhludoff　asked　of　an　attendant。

〃Which？　There　is　the　Civil　Court　and　the　Criminal　Court。〃

〃I　am　on　the　jury。〃

〃The　Criminal　Court　you　should　have　said。　Here　to　the　right；　then
to　the　leftthe　second　door。〃

Nekhludoff　followed　the　direction。

Meanwhile　some　of　the　Criminal　Court　jurymen　who　were　late　had
hurriedly　passed　into　a　separate　room。　At　the　door　mentioned　two
men　stood　waiting。

One；　a　tall；　fat　merchant；　a　kind…hearted　fellow；　had　evidently
partaken　of　some　refreshments　and　a　glass　of　something；　and　was
in　most　pleasant　spirits。　The　other　was　a　shopman　of　Jewish
extraction。　They　were　talking　about　the　price　of　wool　when
Nekhludoff　came　up　and　asked　them　if　this　was　the　jurymen's　room。

〃Yes；　my　dear　sir；　this　is　it。　One　of　us？　On　the　jury；　are　you？〃
asked　the　merchant；　with　a　merry　wink。

〃Ah；　well；　we　shall　have　a　go　at　the　work　together；〃　he
continued；　after　Nekhludoff　had　answered　in　the　affirmative。　〃My
name　is　Baklasheff；　merchant　of　the　Second　Guild；〃　he　said；
putting　out　his　broad；　soft；　flexible　hand。

〃With　whom　have　I　the　honour？〃

Nekhludoff　gave　his　name　and　passed　into　the　jurymen's　room。

Inside　the　room　were　about　ten　persons　of　all　sorts。　They　had
come　but　a　short　while　ago；　and　some　were　sitting；　others　walking
up　and　down；　looking　at　each　other；　and　making　each　other's
acquaintance。　There　was　a　retired　colonel　in　uniform；　some　were
in　frock　coats；　others　in　morning　coats；　and　only　one　wore　a
peasant's　dress。

Their　faces　all　had　a　certain　look　of　satisfaction　at　the
prospect　of　fulfilling　a　public　duty；　although　many　of　them　had
had　to　leave　their　businesses；　and　most　were　complaining　of　it。

The　jurymen　talked　among　themselves　about　the　weather；　the　early
spring；　and　the　business　before　them；　some　having　been
introduced；　others　just　guessing　who　was　who。　Those　who　were　not
acquainted　with　Nekhludoff　made　haste　to　get　introduced；
evidently　looking　upon　this　as　an　honour；　and　he　taking　it　as　his
due；　as　he　always　did　when　among　strangers。　Had　he　been　asked　why
he　considered　himself　above　the　majority　of　people；　he　could　not
have　given　an　answer；　the　life　he　had　been　living　of　late　was　not
particularly　meritorious。　The　fact　of　his　speaking　English；
French；　and　German　with　a　good　accent；　and　of　his　wearing　the
best　linen；　clothes；　ties；　and　studs；　bought　from　the　most
expensive　dealers　in　these　goods；　he　quite　knew　would　not　serve
as　a　reason　for　claiming　superiority。　At　the　same　time　he　did
claim　superiority；　and　accepted　the　respect　paid　him　as　his　due；
and　was　hurt　if　he　did　not　get　it。　In　the　jurymen's　room　his
feelings　were　hurt　by　disrespectful　treatment。　Among　the　jury
there　happened　to　be　a　man　whom　he　knew；　a　former　teacher　of　his
sister's　children；　Peter　Gerasimovitch。　Nekhludoff　never　knew　his
surname；　and　even　bragged　a　bit　about　this。　This　man　was　now　a
master　at　a　public　school。　Nekhludoff　could　not　stand　his
familiarity；　his　self…satisfied　laughter；　his　vulgarity；　in
short。

〃Ah　ha！　You're　also　trapped。〃　These　were　the　words；　accompanied
with　boisterous　laughter；　with　which　Peter　Gerasimovitch　greeted
Nekhludoff。　〃Have　you　not　managed　to　get　out　of　it？〃

〃I　never　meant　to　get　out　of　it；〃　replied　Nekhludoff；　gloomily；
and　in　a　tone　of　severity。

〃Well；　I　call　this　being　public　spirited。　But　just　wait　until　you
get　hungry　or　sleepy；　you'll　sing　to　another　tune　then。〃

〃This　son　of　a　priest　will　be　saying　'thou'　＇in　Russian；　as　in
many　other　languages；　〃thou〃　is　used　generally　among　people　very
familiar　with　each　other；　or　by　superiors　to　inferiors＇　to　me
next；〃　thought　Nekhludoff；　and　walked　away；　with　such　a　look　of
sadness　on　his　face；　as　might　have　been　natural　if　he　had　just
heard　of　the　death　of　all　his　relations。　He　came　up　to　a　group
that　had　formed　itself　round　a　clean…shaven；　tall；　dignified　man；
who　was　recounting　something　with　great　animation。　This　man　was
talking　about　the　trial　going　on　in　the　Civil　Court　as　of　a　case
well　known　to　himself；　mentioning　the　judges　and　a　celebrated
advocate　by　name。　He　was　saying　that　it　seemed　wonderful　how　the
celebrated　advocate　had　managed　to　give　such　a　clever　turn　to　the
affair　that　an　old　lady；　though　she　had　the　right　on　her　side；
would　have　to　pay　a　large　sum　to　her　opponent。　〃The　advocate　is　a
genius；〃　he　said。

The　listeners　heard　it　all　with　respectful　attention；　and　several
of　them　tried　to　put　in　a　word；　but　the　man　interrupted　them；　as
if　he　alone　knew　all　about　it。

Though　Nekhludoff　had　arrived　late；　he　had　to　wait　a　long　time。
One　of　the　members　of　the　Court　had　not　yet　come；　and　everybody
was　kept　waiting。


CHAPTER　VI。

THE　JUDGES。

The　president；　who　had　to　take　the　chair；　had　arrived　early。　The
president　was　a　tall；　stout　man；　with　long　grey　whiskers。　Though
married；　he　led　a　very　loose　life；　and　his　wife　did　the　same；　so
they　did　not　stand　in　each　other's　way。　This　morning　he　had
received　a　note　from　a　Swiss　girl；　who　had　formerly　been　a
governess　in　his　house；　and　who　was　now　on　her　way　from　South
Russia　to　St。　Petersburg。　She　wrote　that　she　would　wait　for　him
between　five　and　six　p。m。　in　the　Hotel　Italia。　This　made　him　wish
to　begin　and　get　through　the　sitting　as　soon　as　possible；　so　as
to　have　time　to　call　before　six　p。m。　on　the　little　red…haired
Clara　Vasilievna；　with　whom　he　had　begun　a　romance　in　the　country
last　summer。　He　went　into　a　private　room；　latched　the　door；　took
a　pair　of　dumb…bells　out　of　a　cupboard；　moved　his　arms　20　times
upwards；　downwards；　forwards；　and　sideways；　then　holding　the
dumb…bells　above　his　head；　lightly　bent　his　knees　three　times。

〃Nothing　keeps　one　going　like　a　cold　bath　and　exercise；〃　he　said；
feeling　the　biceps　of　his　right　arm　with　his　left　hand；　on　the
third　finger　of　which　he　wore　a　gold　ring。　He　had　still　to　do　the
moulinee　movement　（for　he　always　went　through　those　two　exercises
before　a　long　sitting）；　when　there　was　a　pull　at　the　door。　The
president　quickly　put　away　the　dumb…bells　and　opened　the　door；
saying；　〃I　beg　your　pardon。〃

One　of　the　members；　a　high…shouldered；　discontented…looking　man；
with　gold　spectacles；　came　into　the　room。　〃Matthew　Nikitich　has
again　not　come；〃　he　said；　in　a　dissatisfied　tone。

〃Not　yet？〃　said　the　president；　putting　on　his　uniform。　〃He　is
always　late。〃

〃It　is　extraordinary。　He　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　himself；〃　said
the　member；　angrily；　and　taking　out　a　cigarette。

This　member；　a　very　precise　man；　had　had　an　unpleasant　encounter
with　his　wife　in　the　morning；　because　she　had　spent　her　allowance
before　the　end　of　the　month；　and　had　asked　him　to　give　her　some
money　in　advance；　but　he　would　not　give　way　to　her；　and　they　had
a　quarrel。　The　wife　told　him　that　if　he　were　going　to　behave　so；
he　need　not　expect　any　dinner；　there　would　be　no　dinner　for　him
at　home。　At　this　point　he　left；　fearing　that　she　might　carry　out
her　threat；　for　anything　might　be　expected　from　her。　〃This　comes
of　living　a　good；　moral　life；〃　he　thought；　looking　at　the
beaming；　healthy；　cheerful；　and　kindly　president；　who；　with
elbows　far　apart；　was　smoothing　his　thick　grey　whiskers　with　his
fine　white　hands　over　the　embroidered　collar　of　his　uniform。　〃He
is　always　contented　and　merry　while　I　am　suffering。〃

The　secretary　came　in　and　brought　some　document。

〃Thanks；　very　much；〃　said　the　president；　lighting　a　cigarette。
〃Which　case　shall　we　take　first；　then？〃

〃The　poisoning　case；　I　should　say；〃　answered　the　secretary；　with
indifference。

〃All　right；　the　poisoning　case　let　it　be；〃　said　the　president；
thinking　that　he　could　get　this　case　over　by　four　o'clock；　and
then　go　away。　〃And　Matthew　Nikitich；　has　he　come？〃

〃Not　yet。〃

〃And　Breve？〃

〃He　is　here；〃　replied　the　secretary。

〃Then　if　you　see　him；　please　tell　him　that　we　begin　with　the
poisoning　case。〃　Breve　was　the　public　prosecutor；　who　was　to　read
the　indictment　in　this　case。

In　the　corridor　the　secretary　met　Breve；　who；　with　up　lifted
shoulders；　a　portfolio　under　one　arm；　the　other　swinging　with　the
palm　turned　to　the　front；　was　hurrying　along　the　corridor；
clattering　with　his　heels。

〃Michael　Petrovitch　wants　to　know　if　you　are　ready？　the　secretary
asked。

〃Of　course；　I　am　always　ready；〃　said　the　public　prosecutor。　〃What
are　we　taking　first？

〃The　poisoning　case。〃

〃That's　quite　right；〃　said　the　public　prosecutor；　but　did　not
think　it　at　all　right。　He　had　spent　the　night　in　a　hotel　playing
cards　with　a　friend　who　was　giving　a　farewell　party。　Up　to　five
in　the　morning　they　played　and　drank；　so　he　had　no　time　to　look
at　this　poisoning　case；　and　meant　to　run　it　through　now。　The
secretary；　happening　to　know　this；　advised　the　president　to　begin
with　the　poisoning　case。　The　secretary　was　a　Liberal；　even　a
Radical；　in　opinion。

Breve　was　a　Conservative；　the　secretary　disliked　him；　and　envied
him　his　position。

〃Well；　and　how　about　the　Skoptzy？〃　＇a　religious　sect＇　asked　the
secretary。

〃I　have　already　said　that　I　cannot　do　it　without　witnesses；　and
so　I　shall　say　to　the　Court。〃

〃Dear　me；　what　does　it　matter？〃

〃I　cannot　do　it；〃　said　Breve；　and；　waving　his　arm；　he　ran　into
his　private　room。

He　was　putting　off　the　case　of　the　Skoptzy　on　account　of　the
absence　of　a　very　unimportant　witness；　his　real　reason　being　that
if　they　were　tried　by　an　educated　jury　they　might　possibly　be
acquitted。

By　an　agreement　with　the　president　this　case　was　to　be　tried　in
the　coming　session　at　a　provincial　town；　where　there　would　be
more　peasants；　and；　therefore；　more　chances　of　conviction。

The　movement　in　the　corridor　increased。　The　people　crowded　most
at　the　doors　of　the　Civil　Court；　in　which　the　case　that　the
dignified　man　talked　about　was　being　heard。

An　interval　in　the　proceeding　occurred；　and　the　old　woman　came
out　of　the　court；　whose　property　that　genius　of　an　advocate　had
found　means　of　getting　for　his　client；　a　person　versed　in　law　who
had　no　right　to　it　whatever。　The　judges　knew　all　about　the　case；
and　the　advocate　and　his　client　knew　it　better　still；　but　the
move　they　had　invented　was　such　that　it　was　impossible　not　to
take　the　old　woman's　property　and　not　to　hand　it　over　to　the
person　versed　in　law。

The　old　woman　was　stout；　well　dressed；　and　had　enormous　flowers
on　her　bonnet；　she　stopped　as　she　came　out　of　the　door；　and
spreading　out　her　short　fat　arms　and　turning　to　her　advocate；　she
kept　repeating。　〃What　does　it　all　mean？　just　fancy！〃

The　advocate　was　looking　at　the　flowers　in　her　bonnet；　and
evidently　not　listening　to　her；　but　considering　some　question　or
other。

Next　to　the　old　woman；　out　of　the　door　of　the　Civil　Court；　his
broad；　starched　shirt　front　glistening　from　under　his　low…cut
waistcoat；　with　a　self…satisfied　look　on　his　face；　came　the
celebrated　advocate　who　had　managed　to　arrange　matters　so　that
the　old　woman　lost　all　she　had；　and　the　person　versed　in　the　law
received　more　than　100；000　roubles。　The　advocate　passed　close　to
the　old　woman；　and；　feeling　all　eyes　directed　towards　him；　his
whole　bearing　seemed　to　say：　〃No　expressions　of　deference　ar