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French。 She tid have a trop too moch sometimes； put nefer forcot
herself。 A ferry coot girl。〃
Katusha looked at the woman； then suddenly turned her eyes on the
jury and fixed them on Nekhludoff； and her face grew serious and
even severe。 One of her serious eyes squinted； and those two
strange eyes for some time gazed at Nekhludoff； who； in spite of
the terrors that seized him； could not take his look off these
squinting eyes； with their bright； clear whites。
He thought of that dreadful night； with its mist； the ice
breaking on the river below； and when the waning moon； with horns
turned upwards； that had risen towards morning； lit up something
black and weird。 These two black eyes now looking at him reminded
him of this weird； black something。 〃She has recognised me；〃 he
thought； and Nekhludoff shrank as if expecting a blow。 But she
had not recognised him。 She sighed quietly and again looked at
the president。 Nekhludoff also sighed。 〃Oh； if it would only get
on quicker；〃 he thought。
He now felt the same loathing and pity and vexation as when； out
shooting； he was obliged to kill a wounded bird。 The wounded bird
struggles in the game bag。 One is disgusted and yet feels pity；
and one is in a hurry to kill the bird and forget it。
Such mixed feelings filled Nekhludoff's breast as he sat
listening to the examination of the witnesses。
CHAPTER XX。
THE TRIALTHE MEDICAL REPORT。
But； as if to spite him； the case dragged out to a great length。
After each witness had been examined separately and the expert
last of all； and a great number of useless questions had been
put； with the usual air of importance； by the public prosecutor
and by both advocates； the president invited the jury to examine
the objects offered as material evidence。 They consisted of an
enormous diamond ring； which had evidently been worn on the first
finger； and a test tube in which the poison had been analysed。
These things had seals and labels attached to them。
Just as the witnesses were about to look at these things； the
public prosecutor rose and demanded that before they did this the
results of the doctor's examination of the body should be read。
The president； who was hurrying the business through as fast as
he could in order to visit his Swiss friend； though he knew that
the reading of this paper could have no other effect than that of
producing weariness and putting off the dinner hour； and that the
public prosecutor wanted it read simply because he knew he had a
right to demand it； had no option but to express his consent。
The secretary got out the doctor's report and again began to read
in his weary lisping voice； making no distinction between the
〃r's〃 and 〃l's。〃
The external examination proved that：
〃1。 Theropont Smelkoff's height was six feet five inches。
〃Not so bad； that。 A very good size；〃 whispered the merchant；
with interest； into Nekhludoff's ear。
2。 He looked about 40 years of age。
3。 The body was of a swollen appearance。
4。 The flesh was of a greenish colour； with dark spots in several
places。
5。 The skin was raised in blisters of different sizes and in
places had come off in large pieces。
6。 The hair was chestnut； it was thick； and separated easily from
the skin when touched。
7。 The eye…balls protruded from their sockets and the cornea had
grown dim。
8。 Out of the nostrils； both ears； and the mouth oozed serous
liquid； the mouth was half open。
9。 The neck had almost disappeared； owing to the swelling of the
face and chest。〃
And so on and so on。
Four pages were covered with the 27 paragraphs describing all the
details of the external examination of the enormous； fat；
swollen； and decomposing body of the merchant who had been making
merry in the town。 The indefinite loathing that Nekhludoff felt
was increased by the description of the corpse。 Katusha's life；
and the scrum oozing from the nostrils of the corpse； and the
eyes that protruded out of their sockets； and his own treatment
of herall seemed to belong to the same order of things； and he
felt surrounded and wholly absorbed by things of the same nature。
When the reading of the report of the external examination was
ended； the president heaved a sigh and raised his hand； hoping it
was finished； but the secretary at once went on to the
description of the internal examination。 The president's head
again dropped into his hand and he shut his eyes。 The merchant
next to Nekhludoff could hardly keep awake； and now and then his
body swayed to and fro。 The prisoners and the gendarmes sat
perfectly quiet。
The internal examination showed that：
〃1。 The skin was easily detachable from the bones of the skull；
and there was no coagulated blood。
〃2。 The bones of the skull were of average thickness and in sound
condition。
〃3。 On the membrane of the brain there were two discoloured
spots about four inches long； the membrane itself being of a dull
white。〃 And so on for 13 paragraphs more。 Then followed the names
and signatures of the assistants； and the doctor's conclusion
showing that the changes observed in the stomach； and to a lesser
degree in the bowels and kidneys； at the postmortem examination；
and described in the official report； gave great probability to
the conclusion that Smelkoff's death was caused by poison which
had entered his stomach mixed with alcohol。 To decide from the
state of the stomach what poison had been introduced was
difficult； but it was necessary to suppose that the poison
entered the stomach mixed with alcohol； since a great quantity of
the latter was found in Smelkoff's stomach。
〃He could drink； and no mistake；〃 again whispered the merchant；
who had just waked up。
The reading of this report had taken a full hour； but it had not
satisfied the public prosecutor； for； when it had been read
through and the president turned to him； saying； 〃I suppose it is
superfluous to read the report of the examination of the internal
organs？〃 he answered in a severe tone； without looking at the
president； 〃I shall ask to have it read。〃
He raised himself a little； and showed by his manner that he had
a right to have this report read； and would claim this right； and
that if that were not granted it would serve as a cause of
appeal。
The member of the Court with the big beard； who suffered from
catarrh of the stomach； feeling quite done up； turned to the
president：
〃What is the use of reading all this？ It is only dragging it out。
These new brooms do not sweep clean； they only take a long while
doing it。〃
The member with the gold spectacles said nothing； but only looked
gloomily in front of him； expecting nothing good； either from his
wife or life in general。 The reading of the report commenced。
〃In the year 188…； on February 15th； I； the undersigned；
commissioned by the medical department； made an examination； No。
638；〃 the secretary began again with firmness and raising the
pitch of his voice as if to dispel the sleepiness that had
overtaken all present； 〃in the presence of the assistant medical
inspector； of the internal organs：
〃1。 The right lung and the heart （contained in a 6…lb。 glass
jar）。
〃2。 The contents of the stomach （in a 6…lb。 glass jar）。
〃3。 The stomach itself （in a 6…lb。 glass jar）。
〃4。 The liver； the spleen and the kidneys （in a 9…lb。 glass jar）。
5。 The intestines （in a 9…lb。 earthenware jar）。〃
The president here whispered to one of the members； then stooped
to the other； and having received their consent； he said： 〃The
Court considers the reading of this report superfluous。〃 The
secretary stopped reading and folded the paper； and the public
prosecutor angrily began to write down something。 〃The gentlemen
of the jury may now examine the articles of material evidence；〃
said the president。 The foreman and several of the others rose
and went to the table； not quite knowing what to do with their
hands。 They looked in turn at the glass； the test tube； and the
ring。 The merchant even tried on the ring。
〃Ah！ that was a finger；〃 he said； returning to his place； 〃like a
cucumber；〃 he added。 Evidently the image he had formed in his
mind of the gigantic merchant amused him。
CHAPTER XXI。
THE TRIALTHE PROSECUTOR AND THE ADVOCATES。
When the examination of the articles of material evidence was
finished； the president announced that the investigation was now
concluded and immediately called on the prosecutor to proceed；
hoping that as the latter was also a man； he； too； might feel
inclined to smoke or dine； and show some mercy on the rest。 But
the public prosecutor showed mercy neither to himself nor to any
one else。 He was very stupid by nature； but； besides this； he had
had the misfortune of finishing school with a gold medal and of
receiving a reward for his essay on 〃Servitude〃 when studying
Roman Law at the University； and was therefore self…confident and
self…satisfied in the highest degree （his success with the ladies
also conducing to this） and his stupidity had become
extraordinary。
When the word was given to him； he got up slowly； showing the
whole of his graceful figure in his embroidered uniform。 Putting
his hand on the desk he looked round the room；