resurrection(复活)-第7章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



Then　at　last　came　the　third　member　of　the　Court；　the　same　Matthew
Nikitich；　who　was　always　late。　He　was　a　bearded　man；　with　large；
round；　kindly　eyes。　He　was　suffering　from　a　catarrh　of　the
stomach；　and；　according　to　his　doctor's　advice；　he　had　begun
trying　a　new　treatment；　and　this　had　kept　him　at　home　longer　than
usual。　Now；　as　he　was　ascending　the　platform；　he　had　a　pensive
air。　He　was　in　the　habit　of　making　guesses　in　answer　to　all　sorts
of　self…put　questions　by　different　curious　means。　Just　now　he　had
asked　whether　the　new　treatment　would　be　beneficial；　and　had
decided　that　it　would　cure　his　catarrh　if　the　number　of　steps
from　the　door　to　his　chair　would　divide　by　three。　He　made　26
steps；　but　managed　to　get　in　a　27th　just　by　his　chair。

The　figures　of　the　president　and　the　members　in　their　uniforms；
with　gold…embroidered　collars；　looked　very　imposing。　They　seemed
to　feel　this　themselves；　and；　as　if　overpowered　by　their　own
grandeur；　hurriedly　sat　down　on　the　high　backed　chairs　behind　the
table　with　the　green　cloth；　on　which　were　a　triangular　article
with　an　eagle　at　the　top；　two　glass　vasessomething　like　those
in　which　sweetmeats　are　kept　in　refreshment　roomsan　inkstand；
pens；　clean　paper；　and　good；　newly…cut　pencils　of　different
kinds。

The　public　prosecutor　came　in　with　the　judges。　With　his　portfolio
under　one　arm；　and　swinging　the　other；　he　hurriedly　walked　to　his
seat　near　the　window；　and　was　instantly　absorbed　in　reading　and
looking　through　the　papers；　not　wasting　a　single　moment；　in　hope
of　being　ready　when　the　business　commenced。　He　had　been　public
prosecutor　but　a　short　time；　and　had　only　prosecuted　four　times
before　this。　He　was　very　ambitious；　and　had　firmly　made　up　his
mind　to　get　on；　and　therefore　thought　it　necessary　to　get　a
conviction　whenever　he　prosecuted。　He　knew　the　chief　facts　of　the
poisoning　case；　and　had　already　formed　a　plan　of　action。　He　only
wanted　to　copy　out　a　few　points　which　he　required。

The　secretary　sat　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　platform；　and；
having　got　ready　all　the　papers　he　might　want；　was　looking
through　an　article；　prohibited　by　the　censor；　which　he　had
procured　and　read　the　day　before。　He　was　anxious　to　have　a　talk
about　this　article　with　the　bearded　member；　who　shared　his　views；
but　wanted　to　look　through　it　once　more　before　doing　so。


CHAPTER　VIII。

SWEARING　IN　THE　JURY。

The　president；　having　looked　through　some　papers　and　put　a　few
questions　to　the　usher　and　the　secretary；　gave　the　order　for　the
prisoners　to　be　brought　in。

The　door　behind　the　grating　was　instantly　opened；　and　two
gendarmes；　with　caps　on　their　heads；　and　holding　naked　swords　in
their　hands；　came　in；　followed　by　the　prisoners；　a　red…haired；
freckled　man；　and　two　women。　The　man　wore　a　prison　cloak；　which
was　too　long　and　too　wide　for　him。　He　stuck　out　his　thumbs；　and
held　his　arms　close　to　his　sides；　thus　keeping　the　sleeves；　which
were　also　too　long；　from　slipping　over　his　hands。　Without　looking
at　the　judges　he　gazed　steadfastly　at　the　form；　and　passing　to
the　other　side　of　it；　he　sat　down　carefully　at　the　very　edge；
leaving　plenty　of　room　for　the　others。　He　fixed　his　eyes　on　the
president；　and　began　moving　the　muscles　of　his　cheeks；　as　if
whispering　something。　The　woman　who　came　next　was　also　dressed　in
a　prison　cloak；　and　had　a　prison　kerchief　round　her　head。　She　had
a　sallow　complexion；　no　eyebrows　or　lashes；　and　very　red　eyes。
This　woman　appeared　perfectly　calm。　Having　caught　her　cloak
against　something；　she　detached　it　carefully；　without　any　haste；
and　sat　down。

The　third　prisoner　was　Maslova。

As　soon　as　she　appeared；　the　eyes　of　all　the　men　in　the　court
turned　her　way；　and　remained　fixed　on　her　white　face；　her
sparklingly…brilliant　black　eyes　and　the　swelling　bosom　under　the
prison　cloak。　Even　the　gendarme　whom　she　passed　on　her　way　to　her
seat　looked　at　her　fixedly　till　she　sat　down；　and　then；　as　if
feeling　guilty；　hurriedly　turned　away；　shook　himself；　and　began
staring　at　the　window　in　front　of　him。

The　president　paused　until　the　prisoners　had　taken　their　seats；
and　when　Maslova　was　seated；　turned　to　the　secretary。

Then　the　usual　procedure　commenced；　the　counting　of　the　jury；
remarks　about　those　who　had　not　come；　the　fixing　of　the　fines　to
be　exacted　from　them；　the　decisions　concerning　those　who　claimed
exemption；　the　appointing　of　reserve　jurymen。

Having　folded　up　some　bits　of　paper　and　put　them　in　one　of　the
glass　vases；　the　president　turned　up　the　gold…embroidered　cuffs
of　his　uniform　a　little　way；　and　began　drawing　the　lots；　one　by
one；　and　opening　them。　Nekhludoff　was　among　the　jurymen　thus
drawn。　Then；　having　let　down　his　sleeves；　the　president　requested
the　priest　to　swear　in　the　jury。

The　old　priest；　with　his　puffy；　red　face；　his　brown　gown；　and　his
gold　cross　and　little　order；　laboriously　moving　his　stiff　legs；
came　up　to　the　lectern　beneath　the　icon。

The　jurymen　got　up；　and　crowded　towards　the　lectern。

〃Come　up；　please；〃　said　the　priest；　pulling　at　the　cross　on　his
breast　with　his　plump　hand；　and　waiting　till　all　the　jury　had
drawn　near。　When　they　had　all　come　up　the　steps　of　the　platform；
the　priest　passed　his　bald；　grey　head　sideways　through　the　greasy
opening　of　the　stole；　and；　having　rearranged　his　thin　hair；　he
again　turned　to　the　jury。　〃Now；　raise　your　right　arms　in　this
way；　and　put　your　fingers　together；　thus；〃　he　said；　with　his
tremulous　old　voice；　lifting　his　fat；　dimpled　hand；　and　putting
the　thumb　and　two　first　fingers　together；　as　if　taking　a　pinch　of
something。　〃Now；　repeat　after　me；　'I　promise　and　swear；　by　the
Almighty　God；　by　His　holy　gospels；　and　by　the　life…giving　cross
of　our　Lord；　that　in　this　work　which；'〃　he　said；　pausing　between
each　sentence〃don't　let　your　arm　down；　hold　it　like　this；〃　he
remarked　to　a　young　man　who　had　lowered　his　arm〃'that　in　this
work　which　。　。　。　'〃

The　dignified　man　with　the　whiskers；　the　colonel；　the　merchant；
and　several　more　held　their　arms　and　fingers　as　the　priest
required　of　them；　very　high；　very　exactly；　as　if　they　liked　doing
it；　others　did　it　unwillingly　and　carelessly。　Some　repeated　the
words　too　loudly；　and　with　a　defiant　tone；　as　if　they　meant　to
say；　〃In　spite　of　all；　I　will　and　shall　speak。〃　Others　whispered
very　low；　and　not　fast　enough；　and　then；　as　if　frightened；
hurried　to　catch　up　the　priest。　Some　kept　their　fingers　tightly
together；　as　if　fearing　to　drop　the　pinch　of　invisible　something
they　held；　others　kept　separating　and　folding　theirs。　Every　one
save　the　old　priest　felt　awkward；　but　he　was　sure　he　was
fulfilling　a　very　useful　and　important　duty。

After　the　swearing　in；　the　president　requested　the　jury　to　choose
a　foreman；　and　the　jury；　thronging　to　the　door；　passed　out　into
the　debating…room；　where　almost　all　of　them　at　once　began　to
smoke　cigarettes。　Some　one　proposed　the　dignified　man　as　foreman；
and　he　was　unanimously　accepted。　Then　the　jurymen　put　out　their
cigarettes　and　threw　them　away　and　returned　to　the　court。　The
dignified　man　informed　the　president　that　he　was　chosen　foreman；
and　all　sat　down　again　on　the　high…backed　chairs。

Everything　went　smoothly；　quickly；　and　not　without　a　certain
solemnity。　And　this　exactitude；　order；　and　solemnity　evidently
pleased　those　who　took　part　in　it：　it　strengthened　the　impression
that　they　were　fulfilling　a　serious　and　valuable　public　duty。
Nekhludoff；　too；　felt　this。

As　soon　as　the　jurymen　were　seated；　the　president　made　a　speech
on　their　rights；　obligations；　and　responsibilities。　While
speaking　he　kept　changing　his　position；　now　leaning　on　his　right；
now　on　his　left　hand；　now　against　the　back；　then　on　the　arms　of
his　chair；　now　putting　the　papers　straight；　now　handling　his
pencil　and　paper…knife。

According　to　his　words；　they　had　the　right　of　interrogating　the
prisoners　through　the　president；　to　use　paper　and　pencils；　and　to
examine　the　articles　put　in　as　evidence。　Their　duty　was　to　judge
not　falsely；　but　justly。　Their　responsibility　meant　that　if　the
secrecy　of　their　discussion　were　violated；　or　communications　were
established　with　outsiders；　they　would　be　liable　to　punishment。
Every　one　listened　with　an　expression　of　r