Resurrection

In this state of mind Nekhludoff left the Court and went into the

jurymen's room. He sat by the window smoking all the while, and

hearing what was being said around him.

The merry merchant seemed with all his heart to sympathise with

Smelkoff's way of spending his time. "There, old fellow, that was

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 intoxicated--she

smiled as she said this--and 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.