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； slightly bowing
his head； and； avoiding the eyes of the prisoners； began to read
the speech he had prepared while the reports were being read。
〃Gentlemen of the jury！ The business that now lies before you is；
if I may so express myself； very characteristic。〃
The speech of a public prosecutor； according to his views； should
always have a social importance； like the celebrated speeches
made by the advocates who have become distinguished。 True； the
audience consisted of three womena semptress； a cook； and
Simeon's sisterand a coachman； but this did not matter。 The
celebrities had begun in the same way。 To be always at the height
of his position； i。e。； to penetrate into the depths of the
psychological significance of crime and to discover the wounds of
society； was one of the prosecutor's principles。
〃You see before you； gentlemen of the jury； a crime
characteristic； if I may so express myself； of the end of our
century； bearing； so to say； the specific features of that very
painful phenomenon； the corruption to which those elements of our
present…day society； which are； so to say； particularly exposed
to the burning rays of this process； are subject。〃
The public prosecutor spoke at great length； trying not to forget
any of the notions he had formed in his mind； and； on the other
hand； never to hesitate； and let his speech flow on for an hour
and a quarter without a break。
Only once he stopped and for some time stood swallowing his
saliva； but he soon mastered himself and made up for the
interruption by heightened eloquence。 He spoke； now with a
tender； insinuating accent； stepping from foot to foot and
looking at the jury； now in quiet； business…like tones； glancing
into his notebook； then with a loud； accusing voice； looking from
the audience to the advocates。 But he avoided looking at the
prisoners； who were all three fixedly gazing at him。 Every new
craze then in vogue among his set was alluded to in his speech；
everything that then was； and some things that still are；
considered to be the last words of scientific wisdom： the laws of
heredity and inborn criminality； evolution and the struggle for
existence； hypnotism and hypnotic influence。
According to his definition； the merchant Smelkoff was of the
genuine Russian type； and had perished in consequence of his
generous； trusting nature； having fallen into the hands of deeply
degraded individuals。
Simeon Kartinkin was the atavistic production of serfdom； a
stupefied； ignorant； unprincipled man； who had not even any
religion。 Euphemia was his mistress； and a victim of heredity；
all the signs of degeneration were noticeable in her。 The chief
wire…puller in this affair was Maslova； presenting the phenomenon
of decadence in its lowest form。 〃This woman；〃 he said； looking
at her； 〃has； as we have to…day heard from her mistress in this
court； received an education； she cannot only read and write； but
she knows French； she is illegitimate； and probably carries in
her the germs of criminality。 She was educated in an enlightened；
noble family and might have lived by honest work； but she deserts
her benefactress； gives herself up to a life of shame in which
she is distinguished from her companions by her education； and
chiefly； gentlemen of the jury； as you have heard from her
mistress； by her power of acting on the visitors by means of that
mysterious capacity lately investigated by science； especially by
the school of Charcot； known by the name of hypnotic influence。
By these means she gets hold of this Russian； this kind…hearted
Sadko； ＇Sadko； the hero of a legend＇ the rich guest； and uses his
trust in order first to rob and then pitilessly to murder him。〃
〃Well； he is piling it on now； isn't he？〃 said the president with
a smile； bending towards the serious member。
〃A fearful blockhead！〃 said the serious member。
Meanwhile the public prosecutor went on with his speech。
〃Gentlemen of the jury；〃 gracefully swaying his body； 〃the fate
of society is to a certain extent in your power。 Your verdict
will influence it。 Grasp the full meaning of this crime； the
danger that awaits society from those whom I may perhaps be
permitted to call pathological individuals； such as Maslova。
Guard it from infection； guard the innocent and strong elements
of society from contagion or even destruction。〃
And as if himself overcome by the significance of the expected
verdict； the public prosecutor sank into his chair； highly
delighted with his speech。
The sense of the speech； when divested of all its flowers of
rhetoric； was that Maslova； having gained the merchant's
confidence； hypnotised him and went to his lodgings with his key
meaning to take all the money herself； but having been caught in
the act by Simeon and Euphemia had to share it with them。 Then；
in order to hide the traces of the crime； she had returned to the
lodgings with the merchant and there poisoned him。
After the prosecutor had spoken； a middle…aged man in
swallow…tail coat and low…cut waistcoat showing a large
half…circle of starched white shirt； rose from the advocates'
bench and made a speech in defence of Kartinkin and Botchkova；
this was an advocate engaged by them for 300 roubles。 He
acquitted them both and put all the blame on Maslova。 He denied
the truth of Maslova's statements that Botchkova and Kartinkin
were with her when she took the money； laying great stress on the
point that her evidence could not be accepted； she being charged
with poisoning。 〃The 2；500 roubles；〃 the advocate said； 〃could
have been easily earned by two honest people getting from three
to five roubles per day in tips from the lodgers。 The merchant's
money was stolen by Maslova and given away； or even lost； as she
was not in a normal state。〃
The poisoning was committed by Maslova alone； therefore he begged
the jury to acquit Kartinkin and Botchkova of stealing the money；
or if they could not acquit them of the theft； at least to admit
that it was done without any participation in the poisoning。
In conclusion the advocate remarked； with a thr