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resurrection(复活)-第37章

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rather; lay somewhere buried and untouched; closed up and
plastered over so that they should not escape; as when bees; in
order to protect the result of their labour; will sometimes
plaster a nest of worms。 Therefore; the present Nekhludoff was
not the man she had once loved with a pure love; but only a rich
gentleman whom she could; and must; make use of; and with whom
she could only have the same relations as with men in general。

〃No; I could not tell her the chief thing;〃 thought Nekhludoff;
moving towards the front doors with the rest of the people。 〃I
did not tell her that I would marry her; I did not tell her so;
but I will;〃 he thought。

The two warders at the door let out the visitors; counting them
again; and touching each one with their hands; so that no extra
person should go out; and none remain within。 The slap on his
shoulder did not offend Nekhludoff this time; he did not even
notice it。


CHAPTER XLV。

FANARIN; THE ADVOCATETHE PETITION。

Nekhludoff meant to rearrange the whole of his external life; to
let his large house and move to an hotel; but Agraphena Petrovna
pointed out that it was useless to change anything before the
winter。 No one would rent a town house for the summer; anyhow; he
would have to live and keep his things somewhere。 And so all his
efforts to change his manner of life (he meant to live more
simply: as the students live) led to nothing。 Not only did
everything remain as it was; but the house was suddenly filled
with new activity。 All that was made of wool or fur was taken out
to be aired and beaten。 The gate…keeper; the boy; the cook; and
Corney himself took part in this activity。 All sorts of strange
furs; which no one ever used; and various uniforms were taken out
and hung on a line; then the carpets and furniture were brought
out; and the gate…keeper and the boy rolled their sleeves up
their muscular arms and stood beating these things; keeping
strict time; while the rooms were filled with the smell of
naphthaline。

When Nekhludoff crossed the yard or looked out of the window and
saw all this going on; he was surprised at the great number of
things there were; all quite useless。 Their only use; Nekhludoff
thought; was the providing of exercise for Agraphena Petrovna;
Corney; the gate…keeper; the boy; and the cook。

〃But it's not worth while altering my manner of life now;〃 he
thought; 〃while Maslova's case is not decided。 Besides; it is too
difficult。 It will alter of itself when she will be set free or
exiled; and I follow her。〃

On the appointed day Nekhludoff drove up to the advocate
Fanarin's own splendid house; which was decorated with huge palms
and other plants; and wonderful curtains; in fact; with all the
expensive luxury witnessing to the possession of much idle money;
i。e。; money acquired without labour; which only those possess who
grow rich suddenly。 In the waiting…room; just as in a doctor's
waiting…room; he found many dejected…looking people sitting round
several tables; on which lay illustrated papers meant to amuse
them; awaiting their turns to be admitted to the advocate。 The
advocate's assistant sat in the room at a high desk; and having
recognised Nekhludoff; he came up to him and said he would go and
announce him at once。 But the assistant had not reached the door
before it opened and the sounds of loud; animated voices were
heard; the voice of a middle…aged; sturdy merchant; with a red
face and thick moustaches; and the voice of Fanarin himself。
Fanarin was also a middle…aged man of medium height; with a worn
look on his face。 Both faces bore the expression which you see on
the faces of those who have just concluded a profitable but not
quite honest transaction。

〃Your own fault; you know; my dear sir;〃 Fanarin said; smiling。

〃We'd all be in 'eaven were it not for hour sins。〃

〃Oh。 yes; yes; we all know that;〃 and both laughed un…naturally。

〃Oh; Prince Nekhludoff! Please to step in;〃 said Fanarin; seeing
him; and; nodding once more to the merchant; he led Nekhludoff
into his business cabinet; furnished in a severely correct style。

〃Won't you smoke?〃 said the advocate; sitting down opposite
Nekhludoff and trying to conceal a smile; apparently still
excited by the success of the accomplished transaction。

〃Thanks; I have come about Maslova's case。〃

〃Yes; yes; directly! But oh; what rogues these fat money bags
are!〃 he said。 〃You saw this here fellow。 Why; he has about
twelve million roubles; and he cannot speak correctly; and if he
can get a twenty…five rouble note out of you he'll have it; if
he's to wrench it out with his teeth。〃

〃He says 〃'eaven and hour;' and you say 'this here fellow;'〃
Nekhludoff thought; with an insurmountable feeling of aversion
towards this man who wished to show by his free and easy manner
that he and Nekhludoff belonged to one and the same camp; while
his other clients belonged to another。

〃He has worried me to deatha fearful scoundrel。 I felt I must
relieve my feelings;〃 said the advocate; as if to excuse his
speaking about things that had no reference to business。 〃Well;
how about your case? I have read it attentively; but do not
approve of it。 I mean that greenhorn of an advocate has left no
valid reason for an appeal。〃

〃Well; then; what have you decided?〃

〃One moment。 Tell him;〃 he said to his assistant; who had just
come in; 〃that I keep to what I have said。 If he can; it's all
right; if not; no matter。〃

〃But he won't agree。〃

〃Well; no matter;〃 and the advocate frowned。

〃There now; and it is said that we advocates get our money for
nothing;〃 he remarked; after a pause。 〃I have freed one insolvent
debtor from a totally false charge; and now they all flock to me。
Yet every such case costs enormous labour。 Why; don't we; too;
'lose bits of flesh in the inkstand?' as some writer or other has
said。 Well; as to your case; or; rather; the case you are taking
an interest in。 It has been conducted abominably。 There is no
good reason for appealing。 Still;〃 he continued; 〃we can but try
to get the sentence revoked。 This is what I have noted down。〃 He
took up several sheets of paper covered with writing; and began
to read rapidly; slurring over the uninteresting legal terms and
laying particular stress on some sentences。 〃To the Court of
Appeal; criminal department; etc。; etc。 According to the
decisions; etc。; the verdict; etc。; So…and…so Maslova pronounced
guilty of having caused the death through poison of the merchant
Smelkoff; and has; according to Statute 1454 of the penal code;
been sentenced to Siberia;〃 etc。; etc。 He stopped。 Evidently; in
spite of his being so used to it; he still felt pleasure in
listening to his own productions。 〃This sentence is the direct
result of the most glaring judicial perversion and error;〃 he
continued; impressively; 〃and there are grounds for its
revocation。 Firstly; the reading of the medical report of the
examination of Smelkoff's intestines was interrupted by the
president at the very beginning。 This is point one。〃

〃But it was the prosecuting side that demanded this reading;〃
Nekhludoff said; with surprise。

〃That does not matter。 There might have been reasons for the
defence to demand this reading; too。〃

〃Oh; but there could have been no reason whatever for that。〃

〃It is a ground for appeal; though。 To continue: ' Secondly;' he
went on reading; 'when Maslova's advocate; in his speech for the
defence; wishing to characterise Maslova's personality; referred
to the causes of her fall; he was interrupted by the president
calling him to order for the alleged deviation from the direct
subject。 Yet; as has been repeatedly pointed out by the Senate;
the elucidation of the criminal's characteristics and his or her
moral standpoint in general has a significance of the first
importance in criminal cases; even if only as a guide in the
settling of the question of imputation。' That's point two;〃 he
said; with a look at Nekhludoff。

〃But he spoke so badly that no one could make anything of it;〃
Nekhludoff said; still more astonished。

〃The fellow's quite a fool; and of course could not be expected
to say anything sensible;〃 Fanarin said; laughing; 〃but; all the
same; it will do as a reason for appeal。 Thirdly: 'The president;
in his summing up; contrary to the direct decree of section 1;
statute 801; of the criminal code; omitted to inform the jury
what the judicial points are that constitute guilt; and did not
mention that having admitted the fact of Maslova having
administered the poison to Smelkoff; the jury had a right not to
impute the guilt of murder to her; since the proofs of wilful
intent to deprive Smelkoff of life were absent; and only to
pronounce her guilty of carelessness resulting in the death of
the merchant; which she did not desire。' This is the chief
point。〃

〃Yes; but we ought to have known that ourselves。 It was our
mistake。〃

〃And now the fourth point;〃 the advocate continued。 〃The form of
the answer given by the jury contained an evident contradiction。
Maslova is accused of wilfully poisoning Smelkoff; her one object
being that of cupidity; the only motive to commit murder she
could have had。 The jury in their
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