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removing his pince…nez； and looked at Maslova； while a
complicated and fierce struggle was going on in his soul。
CHAPTER X。
THE TRIALTHE INDICTMENT。
The indictment ran as follows： On the 17th of January； 18； in
the lodging…house Mauritania； occurred the sudden death of the
Second Guild merchant； Therapont Emilianovich Smelkoff； of
Kourgan。
The local police doctor of the fourth district certified that
death was due to rupture of the heart； owing to the excessive use
of alcoholic liquids。 The body of the said Smelkoff was interred。
After several days had elapsed； the merchant Timokhin； a
fellow…townsman and companion of the said Smelkoff； returned from
St。 Petersburg； and hearing the circumstances that accompanied
the death of the latter； notified his suspicions that the death
was caused by poison； given with intent to rob the said Smelkoff
of his money。 This suspicion was corroborated on inquiry； which
proved：
1。 That shortly before his death the said Smelkoff had received
the sum of 3；800 roubles from the bank。 When an inventory of the
property of the deceased was made； only 312 roubles and 16
copecks were found。
2。 The whole day and night preceding his death the said Smelkoff
spent with Lubka （alias Katerina Maslova） at her home and in the
lodging…house Mauritania； which she also visited at the said
Smelkoff's request during his absence； to get some money； which
she took out of his portmanteau in the presence of the servants
of the lodging…house Mauritania； Euphemia Botchkova and Simeon
Kartinkin； with a key given her by the said Smelkoff。 In the
portmanteau opened by the said Maslova； the said Botchkova and
Kartinkin saw packets of 100…rouble bank…notes。
3。 On the said Smelkoff's return to the lodging…house Mauritania；
together with Lubka； the latter； in accordance with the attendant
Kartinkin's advice； gave the said Smelkoff some white powder
given to her by the said Kartinkin； dissolved in brandy。
4。 The next morning the said Lubka （alias Katerina Maslova） sold
to her mistress； the witness Kitaeva； a brothel…keeper； a diamond
ring given to her； as she alleged； by the said Smelkoff。
5。 The housemaid of the lodging…house Mauritania； Euphemia
Botchkova； placed to her account in the local Commercial Bank
1；800 roubles。 The postmortem examination of the body of the said
Smelkoff and the chemical analysis of his intestines proved
beyond doubt the presence of poison in the organism； so that
there is reason to believe that the said Smelkoff's death was
caused by poisoning。
When cross…examined； the accused； Maslova； Botchkova； and
Kartinkin； pleaded not guilty； deposingMaslova； that she had
really been sent by Smelkoff from the brothel； where she 〃works；〃
as she expresses it； to the lodging…house Mauritania to get the
merchant some money； and that； having unlocked the portmanteau
with a key given her by the merchant； she took out 40 roubles； as
she was told to do； and that she had taken nothing more； that
Botchkova and Kartinkin； in whose presence she unlocked and
locked the portmanteau； could testify to the truth of the
statement。
She gave this further evidencethat when she came to the
lodging…house for the second time she did； at the instigation of
Simeon Kartinkin； give Smelkoff sonic kind of powder； which she
thought was a narcotic； in a glass of brandy； hoping he would
fall asleep and that she would be able to get away from him； and
that Smelkoff； having beaten her； himself gave her the ring when
she cried and threatened to go away。
The accused； Euphemia Botchkova； stated that she knew nothing
about the missing money； that she had not even gone into
Smelkoff's room； but that Lubka had been busy there all by
herself； that if anything had been stolen； it must have been done
by Lubka when she came with the merchant's key to get his money。
At this point Maslova gave a start； opened her mouth； and looked
at Botchkova。 〃When；〃 continued the secretary；〃 the receipt for
1；800 roubles from the bank was shown to Botchkova； and she was
asked where she had obtained the money； she said that it was her
own earnings for 12 years； and those of Simeon； whom she was
going to marry。 The accused Simeon Kartinkin； when first
examined； confessed that he and Botchkova； at the instigation of
Maslova； who had come with the key from the brothel； had stolen
the money and divided it equally among themselves and Maslova。
Here Maslova again started； half…rose from her seat； and；
blushing scarlet； began to say something； but was stopped by the
usher。 〃At last；〃 the secretary continued； reading； 〃Kartinkin
confessed also that he had supplied the powders in order to get
Smelkoff to sleep。 When examined the second time he denied having
had anything to do with the stealing of the money or giving
Maslova the powders； accusing her of having done it alone。〃
Concerning the money placed in the bank by Botchkova； he said the
same as she； that is； that the money was given to them both by
the lodgers in tips during 12 years' service。
The indictment concluded as follows：
In consequence of the foregoing； the peasant of the village
Borki； Simeon Kartinkin； 33 years of age； the meschanka Euphemia
Botchkova； 43 years of age； and the meschanka Katerina Maslova；
27 years of age； are accused of having on the 17th day of
January； 188； jointly stolen from the said merchant； Smelkoff；
a ring and money； to the value of 2；500 roubles； and of having
given the said merchant； Smelkoff； poison to drink； with intent
of depriving him of life； and thereby causing his death。 This
crime is provided for in clause 1；455 of the Penal Code；
paragraphs 4 and 5。
CHAPTER XI。
THE TRIALMASLOVA CROSS…EXAMINED。
When the reading of the indictment was over； the president； after
having consulted the members； turned to Kartinkin； with an
expression that plainly said： Now we shall find out the whole
truth down to the minutest detail。
〃Peasant Simeon Kartinkin；〃 he said； stooping to the left。
Simeon Kartinkin got up； stretched his arms down his sides； and
leaning forward with his whole body； continued moving his cheeks
inaudibly。
〃You are accused of having on the 17th January； 188； together
with Euphemia Botchkova and Katerina Maslova； stolen money from a
portmanteau belonging to the merchant Smelkoff； and then； having
procured some arsenic； persuaded Katerina Maslova to give it to
the merchant Smelkoff in a glass of brandy； which was the cause
of Smelkoff's death。 Do you plead guilty？〃 said the president；
stooping to the right。
〃Not nohow； because our business is to attend on the lodgers；
and〃
〃You'll tell us that afterwards。 Do you plead guilty？〃
〃Oh； no； sir。 I only；〃
〃You'll tell us that afterwards。 Do you plead guilty？〃 quietly
and firmly asked the president。
〃Can't do such a thing； because that〃
The usher again rushed up to Simeon Kartinkin； and stopped him
in a tragic whisper。
The president moved the hand with which he held the paper and
placed the elbow in a different position with an air that said：
〃This is finished；〃 and turned to Euphemia Botchkova。
〃Euphemia Botchkova； you are accused of having； on the 17th of
January； 188…； in the lodging…house Mauritania； together with
Simeon Kartinkin and Katerina Maslova； stolen some money and a
ring out of the merchant Smelkoff's portmanteau； and having
shared the money among yourselves； given poison to the merchant
Smelkoff； thereby causing his death。 Do you plead guilty？〃
〃I am not guilty of anything；〃 boldly and firmly replied the
prisoner。 〃I never went near the room； but when this baggage went
in she did the whole business。〃
〃You will say all this afterwards；〃 the president again said；
quietly and firmly。 〃So you do not plead guilty？〃
〃I did not take the money nor give the drink； nor go into the
room。 Had I gone in I should have kicked her out。〃
〃So you do not plead guilty？〃
〃Never。〃
〃Very well。〃
〃Katerina Maslova；〃 the president began； turning to the third
prisoner； 〃you are accused of having come from the brothel with
the key of the merchant Smelkoff's portmanteau； money； and a
ring。〃 He said all this like a lesson learned by heart； leaning
towards the member on his left； who was whispering into his car
that a bottle mentioned in the list of the material evidence was
missing。 〃Of having stolen out of the portmanteau money and a
ring；〃 he repeated； 〃and shared it。 Then； returning to the
lodging house Mauritania with Smelkoff； of giving him poison in
his drink； and thereby causing his death。 Do you plead guilty？〃
〃I am not guilty of anything；〃 she began rapidly。 〃As I said
before I say again； I did not take itI did not take it； I did
not take anything； and the ring he gave me himself。〃
〃You do not plead guilty of having stolen 2；500 roubles？〃 asked
the president。
〃I've said I took nothing but the 40 roubles。〃
〃Well； and do you plead guilty of having given the merchant
Smelkoff a powder in his drink？〃
〃Yes； that I did。 Only I believed what they told me； that they
were sleeping powders； and that no harm could come of them。 I
never thought； and never wished。 。 。 God is my witness； I say； I
never meant this；〃 she said。