登陆注册
5563000000040

第40章

It was much the same in this case. The resolution was taken, not because everybody agreed upon it, but because the president, who had been summing up at such length, omitted to say what he always said on such occasions, that the answer might be, "Yes, guilty, but without the intent of taking life;" because the colonel had related the story of his brother-in-law's wife at such great length; because Nekhludoff was too excited to notice that the proviso "without intent to take life" had been omitted, and thought that the words "without intent" nullified the conviction; because Peter Gerasimovitch had retired from the room while the questions and answers were being read, and chiefly because, being tired, and wishing to get away as soon as possible, all were ready to agree with the decision which would bring matters to an end soonest.

The jurymen rang the bell. The gendarme who had stood outside the door with his sword drawn put the sword back into the scabbard and stepped aside. The judges took their seats and the jury came out one by one.

The foreman brought in the paper with an air of solemnity and handed it to the president, who looked at it, and, spreading out his hands in astonishment, turned to consult his companions. The president was surprised that the jury, having put in a proviso--without intent to rob--did not put in a second proviso--without intent to take life. From the decision of the jury it followed that Maslova had not stolen, nor robbed, and yet poisoned a man without any apparent reason.

"Just see what an absurd decision they have come to," he whispered to the member on his left. "This means penal servitude in Siberia, and she is innocent."

"Surely you do not mean to say she is innocent? answered the serious member.

"Yes, she is positively innocent. I think this is a case for putting Article 817 into practice (Article 817 states that if the Court considers the decision of the jury unjust it may set it aside)."

"What do you think?" said the president, turning to the other member. The kindly member did not answer at once. He looked at the number on a paper before him and added up the figures; the sum would not divide by three. He had settled in his mind that if it did divide by three he would agree to the president's proposal, but though the sum would not so divide his kindness made him agree all the same.

"I, too, think it should he done," he said.

"And you?" asked the president, turning to the serious member.

"On no account," he answered, firmly. "As it is, the papers accuse the jury of acquitting prisoners. What will they say if the Court does it? I, shall not agree to that on any account."

The president looked at his watch. "It is a pity, but what's to be done?" and handed the questions to the foreman to read out.

All got up, and the foreman, stepping from foot to foot, coughed, and read the questions and the answers. All the Court, secretary, advocates, and even the public prosecutor, expressed surprise.

The prisoners sat impassive, evidently not understanding the meaning of the answers. Everybody sat down again, and the president asked the prosecutor what punishments the prisoners were to be subjected to.

The prosecutor, glad of his unexpected success in getting Maslova convicted, and attributing the success entirely to his own eloquence, looked up the necessary information, rose and said:

"With Simeon Kartinkin I should deal according to Statute 1,452 paragraph 93. Euphemia Botchkova according to Statute . . ., etc.

Katerina Maslova according to Statute . . .,etc."

All three punishments were the heaviest that could he inflicted.

"The Court will adjourn to consider the sentence," said the president, rising. Everybody rose after him, and with the pleasant feeling of a task well done began to leave the room or move about in it.

"D'you know, sirs, we have made a shameful hash of it?" said Peter Gerasimovitch, approaching Nekhludoff, to whom the foreman was relating something. "Why, we've got her to Siberia."

"What are you saying?" exclaimed Nekhludoff. This time he did not notice the teacher's familiarity.

"Why, we did not put in our answer 'Guilty, but without intent of causing death.' The secretary just told me the public prosecutor is for condemning her to 15 years' penal servitude."

"Well, but it was decided so," said the foreman.

Peter Gerasimovitch began to dispute this, saying that since she did not take the money it followed naturally that she could not have had any intention of committing murder.

"But I read the answer before going out," said the foreman, defending himself, "and nobody objected."

"I had just then gone out of the room," said Peter Gerasimovitch, turning to Nekhludoff, "and your thoughts must have been wool-gathering to let the thing pass."

"I never imagined this," Nekhludoff replied.

"Oh, you didn't?"

"Oh, well, we can get it put right," said Nekhludoff.

"Oh, dear no; it's finished."

Nekhludoff looked at the prisoners. They whose fate was being decided still sat motionless behind the grating in front of the soldiers. Maslova was smiling. Another feeling stirred in Nekhludoff's soul. Up to now, expecting her acquittal and thinking she would remain in the town, he was uncertain how to act towards her. Any kind of relations with her would be so very difficult. But Siberia and penal servitude at once cut off every possibility of any kind of relations with her. The wounded bird would stop struggling in the game-bag, and no longer remind him of its existence.

同类推荐
  • 鱼藻之什

    鱼藻之什

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 急救仙方

    急救仙方

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 蕉轩续录

    蕉轩续录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Pioneers of the Old Southwest

    Pioneers of the Old Southwest

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 柏斋集

    柏斋集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 重生之宁做农门妻

    重生之宁做农门妻

    夫君停妻另娶之夜新娘惨死,被污凶手林芸浴火自焚以明心志,一朝重生她发誓再也不做状元妻。种种田酿酿酒斗极品揍渣男,带着爹娘发家致富奔小康,可谁能告诉她这冷面刀疤男为何来求亲?她可不可以拒绝?某男冷笑:“拒绝?晚了!娘子,我们来生孩子吧!”--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 流离的萤火爱情

    流离的萤火爱情

    抬头看到的就是他那双孤傲的眼睛,散发着无数的寒气,让人不寒而栗,那张脸简直无懈可击,与哥哥相比似乎更胜一筹,但是他满脸的高傲和不屑,瞬间拒人于千里之外。那个冰山男依旧惜字如金,没有表情,我开始有些怀疑,老哥是不是认错人啦?呼呼,不理他们啦,走咯“答应我一个要求!”说得这么爽快?是早有预谋吗?可是不应该,总不至于他是策划者吧“要求?行,但是你不可以说…”委屈啊,莫名其妙地要答应冰山男一个要求。“不管如何,你都要信我!”那是你对我的乞求吗?一次次的错过,一次次的误会,他们之间是否经得起时间的考验?可爱善良的韩雪柔能够等到幸福钟声响起吗?面对昔日的男友、今时的未婚夫,她该如何抉择?求收藏,求推荐,求订阅,嘻嘻,我会再接再厉的~~~推荐——http://m.pgsk.com/a/450433/《邪魅总裁:女人,乖乖躺着!》推荐新作温馨治愈系列:听说,爱情回来过。http://m.pgsk.com/a/702512/
  • 莫道年少不深情

    莫道年少不深情

    在大学毕业舞会上,李郁先后邂逅了钻石男洛涵和儿时暗恋的对象仲定扬,前者对她青睐有加,后者性格大变,并且已是李郁闺蜜廖静宜的男友。仲定扬向李郁解释七年前失约的真相并表白,李郁却已无法接受。仲定扬遂假意与廖静复合以接近李郁。决意忘记过去的李郁心动于洛涵的温柔内敛,在好友的鼓励下主动表白。两人迅速坠入爱河,但洛涵不时流露的自卑和缺乏安全感让李郁困惑不解,欲探究真相的她打开了洛涵埋起的饼干盒,没想到让洛涵惊怒失控,更令两人的恋情莫名而终。仲定扬趁机陪伴李郁左右开解之,让两人的感情又陷入暧昧之中……
  • 霸世神尊

    霸世神尊

    宗门林立,古族复出,灵体、圣体争相出世,这是万古盛世,还是万世之劫!一块从天而降的神碑,一个旷古烁今的绝世神体!这一世,当我为尊!修炼体系:炼体境-感灵境-灵智境-灵通境-灵海境-通玄境-化神境-大成境-三灾之境......每个境界又分前、中、后期!
  • 侦婚之警花妙探妻

    侦婚之警花妙探妻

    W市,周日。初冬的早晨,阳光明媚。童心穿着居家的宽松毛衣和蓝色牛仔裤,安静地坐在“Polo”咖啡馆内,靠窗的位置。卡其色的高领毛衣,在日光的映照下,显得格外温暖。干净的脸庞,脂粉未施,却依然唇红齿白,流露着青春的朝气。若是不明言,只怕没人会把她和“警察”这个职业扯上关系。连着叫了几次续杯服务之后,她懒懒地打了个哈欠,看了眼墙上的挂钟,心里略有不快……
  • 心魔之舞

    心魔之舞

    本书主要内容包括:《素果儿》、《丑丫鬟》、《蕊馨儿》、《画妓瑶卿》、《绣女三春》、《美丽花妖》、《桃花嫂》、《茶女碧螺》、《青衣孙晓柔》、《花旦江小禾》等。
  • 追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    青涩蜕变,如今她是能独当一面的女boss,爱了冷泽聿七年,也同样花了七年时间去忘记他。以为是陌路,他突然向他表白,扬言要娶她,她只当他是脑子抽风,他的殷勤她也全都无视。他帮她查她父母的死因,赶走身边情敌,解释当初拒绝她的告别,和故意对她冷漠都是无奈之举。突然爆出她父母的死居然和冷家有丝毫联系,还莫名跳出个公爵未婚夫,扬言要与她履行婚约。峰回路转,破镜还能重圆吗? PS:我又开新文了,每逢假期必书荒,新文《有你的世界遇到爱》,喜欢我的文的朋友可以来看看,这是重生类现言,对这个题材感兴趣的一定要收藏起来。
  • 茫茫人海缘分无价

    茫茫人海缘分无价

    失去了生命,在次重生,她决定使用这个身份,调查那批对她家族又威胁的人,尽快铲除。并想快速回归自己的家族。闯荡的时候,在飞机上,她遇见个男人。先是自己旁坐,后是学长,后是老板,接下来是什么?某个男人“你夫君。”某公主“GUN”
  • 和成功学大师学办成事的方法

    和成功学大师学办成事的方法

    本书以精美的语句结合生动具体的事例,增强了文章的可读性和趣味性,从语言的突破、做对事的方法、办成事的方法等方面,生动而具体地阐释了卡耐基的成功学。
  • 食荤者

    食荤者

    《欢乐颂》作者阿耐处女作!职场女强人成长指南!阿耐出品,必是精品!代表作《大江大河》《欢乐颂》《都挺好》改编影视剧均引起热议!《大江大河》入选“新中国70年70部长篇小说典藏”!荣获中宣部“五个一工程”奖!高智商大女主白手起家,尔虞我诈的商业竞争实景。读者评论:“阿耐每一本书的主角拦腰砍断看到的都是中国这几十年商业环境的年轮。”阿耐职业女性三部曲《食荤者》《不得往生》《余生》!在这个残酷的商业社会中,没有一个人是吃素的。