Resurrection

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 get so

used to it that they can take 40 drops. I have a relative--," but

the colonel would not stand the interruption, and went on to

relate what effects the opium had on his brother-in-law's wife.