resurrection(复活)-第21章
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of the scabbard； and； holding it up against his shoulder； stood
at the door。 The judges got up and went away。 The prisoners were
also led out。 When the jury came into the debating…room the first
thing they did was to take out their cigarettes； as before； and
begin smoking。 The sense of the unnaturalness and falseness of
their position； which all of them had experienced while sitting
in their places in the court； passed when they entered the
debating…room and started smoking； and they settled down with a
feeling of relief and at once began an animated conversation。
〃'Tisn't the girl's fault。 She's got mixed up in it；〃 said the
kindly merchant。 〃We must recommend her to mercy。〃
〃That's just what we are going to consider；〃 said the foreman。
〃We must not give way to our personal impressions。〃
〃The president's summing up was good；〃 remarked the colonel。
〃Good？ Why； it nearly sent me to sleep！〃
〃The chief point is that the servants could have known nothing
about the money if Maslova had not been in accord with them；〃
said the clerk of Jewish extraction。
〃Well； do you think that it was she who stole the money？〃 asked
one of the jury。
〃I will never believe it；〃 cried the kindly merchant； 〃it was all
that red…eyed hag's doing。〃
〃They are a nice lot； all of them；〃 said the colonel。
〃But she says she never went into the room。〃
〃Oh； believe her by all means。〃
〃I should not believe that jade； not for the world。〃
〃Whether you believe her or not does not settle the question；〃
said the clerk。
〃The girl had the key；〃 said the colonel。
〃What if she had？〃 retorted the merchant。
〃And the ring？〃
〃But didn't she say all about it？〃 again cried the merchant。 〃The
fellow had a temper of his own； and had had a drop too much
besides； and gave the girl a licking； what could be simpler？
Well； then he's sorryquite naturally。 'There； never mind；' says
he； 'take this。' Why； I heard them say he was six foot five high；
I should think he must have weighed about 20 stones。〃
〃That's not the point；〃 said Peter Gerasimovitch。 〃The question
is； whether she was the instigator and inciter in this affair； or
the servants？〃
〃It was not possible for the servants to do it alone； she had the
key。〃
This kind of random talk went on for a considerable time。 At last
the foreman said： 〃I beg your pardon； gentlemen； but had we not
better take our places at the table and discuss the matter？
Come； please。〃 And he took the chair。
The questions were expressed in the following manner。
1。 Is the peasant of the village Borki； Krapivinskia district；
Simeon Petrov Kartinkin； 33 years of age； guilty of having； in
agreement with other persons； given the merchant Smelkoff； on the
17th January； 188…； in the town of N…； with intent to deprive
him of life； for the purpose of robbing him； poisoned brandy；
which caused Smelkoff's death； and of having stolen from him
about 2；500 roubles in money and a diamond ring？
2。 Is the meschanka Euphemia Ivanovna Botchkova； 43 years of age；
guilty of the crimes described above？
3。 Is the meschanka Katerina Michaelovna Maslova； 27 years of
age； guilty of the crimes described in the first question？
4。 If the prisoner Euphemia Botchkova is not guilty according to
the first question； is she not guilty of having； on the 17th
January； in the town of N； while in service at the hotel
Mauritania； stolen from a locked portmanteau； belonging to the
merchant Smelkoff； a lodger in that hotel； and which was in the
room occupied by him； 2；500 roubles； for which object she
unlocked the portmanteau with a key she brought and fitted to the
lock？
The foreman read the first question。
〃Well； gentlemen； what do you think？〃 This question was quickly
answered。 All agreed to say 〃Guilty；〃 as if convinced that
Kartinkin had taken part both in the poisoning and the robbery。
An old artelshik； ＇member of an artel； an association of workmen；
in which the members share profits and liabilities＇ whose
answers were all in favour of acquittal； was the only exception。
The foreman thought he did not understand； and began to point out
to him that everything tended to prove Kartinkin's guilt。 The old
man answered that he did understand； but still thought it better
to have pity on him。 〃We are not saints ourselves；〃 and he kept
to his opinion。
The answer to the second question concerning Botchkova was； after
much dispute and many exclamations； answered by the words； 〃Not
guilty；〃 there being no clear proofs of her having taken part in
the poisoninga fact her advocate had strongly insisted on。 The
merchant； anxious to acquit Maslova； insisted that Botchkova was
the chief instigator of it all。 Many of the jury shared this
view； but the foreman； wishing to be in strict accord with the
law； declared they had no grounds to consider her as an
accomplice in the poisoning。 After much disputing the foreman's
opinion triumphed。
To the fourth question concerning Botchkova the answer was
〃Guilty。〃 But on the artelshik's insistence she was recommended
to mercy。
The third question； concerning Maslova； raised a fierce dispute。
The foreman maintained she was guilty both of the poisoning and
the theft； to which the merchant would not agree。 The colonel；
the clerk and the old artelshik sided with the merchant； the rest
seemed shaky； and the opinion of the foreman began to gain
ground； chiefly because all the jurymen were getting tired； and
preferred to take up the view that would bring them sooner to a
decision and thus liberate them。
From all that had passed； and from his former knowledge of
Maslova； Nekhludoff was certain that she was innocent of both the
theft and the poisoning。 And he felt sure that all the others
would come to the same conclusion。 When he saw that the
merchant's awkward defence （evidently based on his physical
admiration for her； which he did not even try to hide） and the
foreman's insistence； and especially everybody's weariness； were
all tending to her condemnation； he longed to state his
objections； yet dared not； lest his relations with Maslova should
be discovered。 He felt he could not allow things to go on without
stating his objection； and； blushing and growing pale again； was
about to speak when Peter Gerasimovitch； irritated by the
authoritative manner of the foreman； began to raise his
objections and said the very things Nekhludoff was about to say。
〃Allow me one moment；〃 he said。 〃You seem to think that her
having the key proves she is guilty of the theft； but what could
be easier than for the servants to open the portmanteau with a
false key after she was gone？
〃Of course； of course；〃 said the merchant。
〃She could not have taken the money； because in her position she
would hardly know what to do with it。〃
〃That's just what I say；〃 remarked the merchant。
〃But it is very likely that her coming put the idea into the
servants' heads and that they grasped the opportunity and shoved
all the blame on her。〃 Peter Gerasimovitch spoke so irritably
that the foreman became irritated too； and went on obstinately
defending the opposite views； but Peter Gerasimovitch spoke so
convincingly that the majority agreed with him； and decided that
Maslova was not guilty of stealing the money and that the ring
was given her。
But when the question of her having taken part in the poisoning
was raised； her zealous defender； the merchant； declared that she
must be acquitted； because she could have no reason for the
poisoning。 The foreman； however； said that it was impossible to
acquit her； because she herself had pleaded guilty to having
given the powder。
〃Yes； but thinking it was opium；〃 said the merchant。
〃Opium can also deprive one of life；〃 said the colonel； who was
fond of wandering from the subject； and he began telling how his
brother…in…law's wife would have died of an overdose of opium if
there had not been a doctor near at hand to take the necessary
measures。 The colonel told his story so impressively； with such
self…possession and dignity； that no one had the courage to
interrupt him。 Only the clerk； infected by his example； decided
to break in with a story of his own： 〃There are some who
