"Sir, may I have a few words with you concerning some business I
have just decided upon?" said Nekhludoff. "I am one of the jury."
"Oh, certainly, Prince Nekhludoff. I shall be delighted. I think
we have met before," said the president, pressing Nekhludoff's
hand and recalling with pleasure the evening when he first met
Nekhludoff, and when he had danced so gaily, better than all the
young people. "What can I do for you?"
"There is a mistake in the answer concerning Maslova. She is not
guilty of the poisoning and yet she is condemned to penal
servitude," said Nekhludoff, with a preoccupied and gloomy air.
"The Court passed the sentence in accordance with the answers you
yourselves gave," said the president, moving towards the front
door; "though they did not seem to be quite in accord." And he
remembered that he had been going to explain to the jury that a
verdict of "guilty" meant guilty of intentional murder unless the
words "without intent to take life" were added, but had, in his
hurry to get the business over, omitted to do so.
"Yes, but could not the mistake be rectified?"
"A reason for an appeal can always be found. You will have to
speak to an advocate," said the president, putting on his hat a
little to one side and continuing to move towards the door.
"But this is terrible."
"Well, you see, there were two possibilities before Maslova,"
said the president, evidently wishing to be as polite and
pleasant to Nekhludoff as he could. Then, having arranged his
whiskers over his coat collar, he put his hand lightly under
Nekhludoff's elbow, and, still directing his steps towards the
front door, he said, "You are going, too?"
"Yes," said Nekhludoff, quickly getting his coat, and following
him.
They went out into the bright, merry sunlight, and had to raise
their voices because of the rattling of the wheels on the
pavement.
"The situation is a curious one, you see," said the president;
"what lay before this Maslova was one of two things: either to be
almost acquitted and only imprisoned for a short time, or, taking
the preliminary confinement into consideration, perhaps not at
all--or Siberia. There is nothing between. Had you but added the
words, 'without intent to cause death,' she would have been
acquitted."
"Yes, it was inexcusable of me to omit that," said Nekhludoff.
"That's where the whole matter lies," said the president, with a
smile, and looked at his watch. He had only three-quarters of an
hour left before the time appointed by his Clara would elapse.
"Now, if you like to speak to the advocates you'll have to find a
reason for an appeal; that can be easily done." Then, turning to
an isvostchik, he called out, "To the Dvoryanskaya 30 copecks; I
never give more." "All right, your honour; here you are."