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never thought； and never wished。 。 。 God is my witness； I say； I
never meant this；〃 she said。
〃So you do not plead guilty of having stolen the money and the
ring from the merchant Smelkoff； but confess that you gave him
the powder？〃 said the president。
〃Well； yes； I do confess this； but I thought they were sleeping
powders。 I only gave them to make him sleep； I never meant and
never thought of worse。〃
〃Very well；〃 said the president； evidently satisfied with the
results gained。 〃Now tell us how it all happened；〃 and he leaned
back in his chair and put his folded hands on the table。 〃Tell us
all about it。 A free and full confession will be to your
advantage。〃
Maslova continued to look at the president in silence； and
blushing。
〃Tell us how it happened。〃
〃How it happened？〃 Maslova suddenly began； speaking quickly。 〃I
came to the lodging…house； and was shown into the room。 He was
there； already very drunk。〃 She pronounced the word HE with a
look of horror in her wide…open eyes。 〃I wished to go away； but
he would not let me。〃 She stopped； as if having lost the thread；
or remembered some thing else。
〃Well； and then？〃
〃Well； what then？ I remained a bit； and went home again。〃
At this moment the public prosecutor raised himself a little；
leaning on one elbow in an awkward manner。
〃You would like to put a question？〃 said the president； and
having received an answer in the affirmative； he made a gesture
inviting the public prosecutor to speak。
〃I want to ask； was the prisoner previously acquainted with
Simeon Kartinkin？〃 said the public prosecutor； without looking at
Maslova； and； having put the question； he compressed his lips and
frowned。
The president repeated the question。 Maslova stared at the public
prosecutor； with a frightened look。
〃With Simeon？ Yes；〃 she said。
〃I should like to know what the prisoner's acquaintance with
Kartinkin consisted in。 Did they meet often？〃
〃Consisted in？ 。 。 。
〃He invited me for the lodgers； it was not an acquaintance at
all；〃 answered Maslova； anxiously moving her eyes from the
president to the public prosecutor and back to the president。
〃I should like to know why Kartinkin invited only Maslova； and
none of the other girls； for the lodgers？〃 said the public
prosecutor； with half…closed eyes and a cunning； Mephistophelian
smile。
〃I don't know。 How should I know？〃 said Maslova； casting a
frightened look round； and fixing her eyes for a moment on
Nekhludoff。 〃He asked whom he liked。〃
〃Is it possible that she has recognised me？〃 thought Nekhludoff；
and the blood rushed to his face。 But Maslova turned away without
distinguishing him from the others； and again fixed her eyes
anxiously on the public prosecutor。
〃So the prisoner denies having had any intimate relations with
Kartinkin？ Very well； I have no more questions to ask。〃
And the public prosecutor took his elbow off the desk； and began
writing something。 He was not really noting anything down； but
only going over the letters of his notes with a pen； having seen
the procureur and leading advocates； after putting a clever
question； make a note； with which； later on； to annihilate their
adversaries。
The president did not continue at once； because he was consulting
the member with the spectacles； whether he was agreed that the
questions （which had all been prepared be forehand and written
out） should be put。
〃Well！ What happened next？〃 he then went on。
〃I came home；〃 looking a little more boldly only at the
president； 〃and went to bed。 Hardly had I fallen asleep when one
of our girls； Bertha； woke me。 'Go； your merchant has come
again！' He〃she again uttered the word HE with evident horror
〃he kept treating our girls； and then wanted to send for more
wine； but his money was all gone； and he sent me to his lodgings
and told me where the money was； and how much to take。 So I
went。〃
The president was whispering to the member on his left； but； in
order to appear as if he had heard； he repeated her last words。
〃So you went。 Well； what next？〃
〃I went； and did all he told me； went into his room。 I did not go
alone； but called Simeon Kartinkin and her；〃 she said； pointing
to Botchkova。
〃That's a lie； I never went in；〃 Botchkova began； but was
stopped。
〃In their presence I took out four notes；〃 continued Maslova；
frowning； without looking at Botchkova。
〃Yes； but did the prisoner notice；〃 again asked the prosecutor；
〃how much money there was when she was getting out the 40
roubles？〃
Maslova shuddered when the prosecutor addressed her； she did not
know why it was； but she felt that he wished her evil。
〃I did not count it； but only saw some 100…rouble notes。〃
〃Ah！ The prisoner saw 100…rouble notes。 That's all？〃
〃Well； so you brought back the money；〃 continued the president；
looking at the clock。
〃I did。〃
〃Well； and then？〃
〃Then he took me back with him；〃 said Maslova。
〃Well； and how did you give him the powder？； In his drink？〃
〃How did I give it？ I put them in and gave it him。〃
Why did you give it him？〃
She did not answer； but sighed deeply and heavily。
〃He would not let me go；〃 she said； after a moment's silence；
〃and I was quite tired out； and so I went out into the passage
and said to Simeon； 'If he would only let me go； I am so tired。'
And he said； 'We are also sick of him； we were thinking of giving
him a sleeping draught； he will fall asleep； and then you can
go。' So I said all right。 I thought they were harmless； and he
gave me the packet。 I went in。 He was lying behind the partition；
and at once called for brandy。 I took a bottle of 'fine
champagne' from the table； poured out two glasses； one for him
and one for myself； and put the powders into his glass； and gave
it him。 Had I known how could I have given them to him？〃
〃Well； and how did the ring come into your possession？ asked the
president。 〃When did he give it you？〃
〃That was when we came back to his lodgings。 I wanted to go away；
and he gave me a knock on the head and broke my comb。 I got angry
and said I'd go away； and he took the ring off his finger and
gave it to me so that I should not go；〃 she said。
Then the public prosecutor again slightly raised himself； and；
putting on an air of simplicity； asked permission to put a few
more questions； and； having received it； bending his head over
his embroidered collar； he said： 〃I should like to know how long
the prisoner remained in the merchant Smelkoff's room。〃
Maslova again seemed frightened； and she again looked anxiously
from the public prosecutor to the president； and said hurriedly：
〃I do not remember how long。〃
〃Yes； but does the prisoner remember if she went anywhere else in
the lodging…house after she left Smelkoff？〃
Maslova considered for a moment。 〃Yes； I did go into an empty
room next to his。〃
〃Yes； and why did you go in？〃 asked the public prosecutor；
forgetting himself； and addressing her directly。
〃I went in to rest a bit； and to wait for an isvostchik。〃
〃And was Kartinkin in the room with the prisoner； or not？〃
〃He came in。〃
〃Why did he come in？〃
〃There was some of the merchant's brandy left； and we finished it
together。〃
〃Oh； finished it together。 Very well！ And did the prisoner talk
to Kartinkin； and； if so； what about？〃
Maslova suddenly frowned； blushed very red； and said； hurriedly；
〃What about？ I did not talk about anything； and that's all I
know。 Do what you like with me； I am not guilty； and that's all。〃
〃I have nothing more to ask；〃 said the prosecutor； and； drawing
up his shoulders in an unnatural manner； began writing down； as
the prisoner's own evidence； in the notes for his speech； that
she had been in the empty room with Kartinkin。
There was a short silence。
〃You have nothing more to say？〃
〃I have told everything；〃 she said； with a sigh； and sat down。
Then the president noted something down； and； having listened to
something that the member on his left whispered to him； he
announced a ten…minutes' interval； rose hurriedly； and left the
court。 The communication he had received from the tall； bearded
member with the kindly eyes was that the member； having felt a
slight stomach derangement； wished to do a little massage and to
take some drops。 And this was why an interval was made。
When the judges had risen； the advocates； the jury； and the
witnesses also rose； with the pleasant feeling that part of the
business was finished； and began moving in different directions。
Nekhludoff went into the jury's room； and sat down by the window。
CHAPTER XII。
TWELVE YEARS BEFORE。
〃Yes； this was Katusha。〃
The relations between Nekhludoff and Katusha had been the
following：
Nekhludoff first saw Katusha when he was a student in his third
year at the University； and was preparing an essay on land tenure
during the summer vacation； which he passed with his aunts。 Until
then he had always lived； in summer； with his mother and sister
on his mother's large estate near Moscow。 But that year his
sister had married； and his mother had gone abroad to a
watering…place； and he； having his essay to write； resolved to
spend the summer with his aunts。 It was very quiet