resurrection(复活)- 第59部分

It　is　dull　here；　sir；　he　said；　turning　to　Nekhludoff。　〃I　almost
wished　to　drive　off　without　waiting　for　you。〃

Nekhludoff　agreed。　〃Yes；　it　is　dull；〃　and　he　took　a　deep　breath；
and　looked　up　with　a　sense　of　relief　at　the　grey　clouds　that　were
floating　in　the　sky；　and　at　the　glistening　ripples　made　by　the
boats　and　steamers　on　the　Neva。


CHAPTER　XX。

MASLOVA'S　APPEAL。

The　next　day　Maslova's　case　was　to　be　examined　at　the　Senate；　and
Nekhludoff　and　the　advocate　met　at　the　majestic　portal　of　the
building；　where　several　carriages　were　waiting。　Ascending　the
magnificent　and　imposing　staircase　to　the　first　floor；　the
advocate；　who　knew　all　the　ins　and　outs　of　the　place；　turned　to
the　left　and　entered　through　a　door　which　had　the　date　of　the
introduction　of　the　Code　of　Laws　above　it。

After　taking　off　his　overcoat　in　the　first　narrow　room；　he　found
out　from　the　attendant　that　the　Senators　had　all　arrived；　and
that　the　last　had　just　come　in。　Fanarin；　in　his　swallow…tail
coat；　a　white　tie　above　the　white　shirt…front；　and　a
self…confident　smile　on　his　lips；　passed　into　the　next　room。　In
this　room　there　were　to　the　right　a　large　cupboard　and　a　table；
and　to　the　left　a　winding　staircase；　which　an　elegant　official　in
uniform　was　descending　with　a　portfolio　under　his　arm。　In　this
room　an　old　man　with　long；　white　hair　and　a　patriarchal
appearance　attracted　every　one's　attention。　He　wore　a　short　coat
and　grey　trousers。　Two　attendants　stood　respectfully　beside　him。
The　old　man　with　white　hair　entered　the　cupboard　and　shut　himself
in。

Fanarin　noticed　a　fellow…advocate　dressed　in　the　same　way　as
himself；　with　a　white　tie　and　dress　coat；　and　at　once　entered
into　an　animated　conversation　with　him。

Nekhludoff　was　meanwhile　examining　the　people　in　the　room。　The
public　consisted　of　about　15　persons；　of　whom　two　were　ladiesa
young　one　with　a　pince…nez；　and　an　old；　grey…haired　one。

A　case　of　libel　was　to　be　heard　that　day；　and　therefore　the
public　were　more　numerous　than　usualchiefly　persons　belonging
to　the　journalistic　world。

The　usher；　a　red…cheeked；　handsome　man　in　a　fine　uniform；　came　up
to　Fanarin　and　asked　him　what　his　business　was。　When　he　heard
that　it　was　the　case　of　Maslova；　he　noted　something　down　and
walked　away。　Then　the　cupboard　door　opened　and　the　old　man　with
the　patriarchal　appearance　stepped　out；　no　longer　in　a　short　coat
but　in　a　gold…trimmed　attire；　which　made　him　look　like　a　bird；
and　with　metal　plates　on　his　breast。　This　funny　costume　seemed　to
make　the　old　man　himself　feel　uncomfortable；　and；　walking　faster
than　his　wont；　he　hurried　out　of　the　door　opposite　the　entrance。

〃That　is　Bay；　a　most　estimable　man；〃　Fanarin　said　to　Nekhludoff；
and　then　having　introduced　him　to　his　colleague；　he　explained　the
case　that　was　about　to　be　heard；　which　he　considered　very
interesting。

The　hearing　of　the　case　soon　commenced；　and　Nekhludoff；　with　the
public；　entered　the　left　side　of　the　Senate　Chamber。　They　all；
including　Fanarin；　took　their　places　behind　a　grating。　Only　the
Petersburg　advocate　went　up　to　a　desk　in　front　of　the　grating。

The　Senate　Chamber　was　not　so　big　as　the　Criminal　Court；　and　was
more　simply　furnished；　only　the　table　in　front　of　the　senators
was　covered　with　crimson；　gold…trimmed　velvet；　instead　of　green
cloth；　but　the　attributes　of　all　places　of　judgment；　i。e。；　the
mirror　of　justice；　the　icon；　the　emblem　of　hypocrisy；　and　the
Emperor's　portrait；　the　emblem　of　servility；　were　there。

The　usher　announced；　in　the　same　solemn　manner：　〃The　Court　is
coming。〃　Every　one　rose　in　the　same　way；　and　the　senators　entered
in　their　uniforms　and　sat　down　on　highbacked　chairs　and　leant　on
the　table；　trying　to　appear　natural；　just　in　the　same　way　as　the
judges　in　the　Court　of　Law。　There　were　four　senators
presentNikitin；　who　took　the　chair；　a　clean…shaved　man　with　a
narrow　face　and　steely　eyes；　Wolf；　with　significantly　compressed
lips；　and　little　white　hands；　with　which　he　kept　turning　over　the
pages　of　the　business　papers；　Skovorodnikoff；　a　heavy；　fat；
pockmarked　manthe　learned　lawyer；　and　Bay；　the
patriarchal…looking　man　who　had　arrived　last。

With　the　advocates　entered　the　chief　secretary　and　public
prosecutor；　a　lean；　clean…shaven　young　man　of　medium　height；　a
very　dark　complexion；　and　sad；　black　eyes。　Nekhludoff　knew　him　at
once；　in　spite　of　his　curious　uniform　and　the　fact　that　he　had
not　seen　him　for　six　years。　He　had　been　one　of　his　best　friends
in　Nekhludoff's　student　days。

〃The　public　prosecutor　Selenin？〃　Nekhludoff　asked；　turning　to　the
advocate。

〃Yes。　Why？〃

〃I　know　him　well。　He　is　a　fine　fellow。〃

〃And　a　good　public　prosecutor；　business…like。　Now　he　is　the　man
you　should　have　interested。〃

He　will　act　according　to　his　conscience　in　any　case；〃　said
Nekhludoff；　recalling　the　intimate　relations　and　friendship
between　himself　and　Selenin；　and　the　attractive　qualities　of　the
latterpurity；　honesty；　and　good　breeding　in　its　best　sense。

〃Yes；　there　is　no　time　now；〃　whispered　Fanarin；　who　was
listening　to　the　report　of　the　case　that　had　commenced。

The　Court　of　Justice　was　accused　of　having　left　a　decision　of　the
Court　of　Law　unaltered。

Nekhludoff　listened　and　tried　to　make　out　the　meaning　of　what　was
going　on；　but；　just　as　in　the　Criminal　Court；　his　chief
difficulty　was　that　not　the　evidently　chief　point；　but　some　side
issues；　were　being　discussed。　The　case　was　that　of　a　newspaper
which　had　published　the　account　of　a　swindle　arranged　by　a
director　of　a　limited　liability　company。　It　seemed　that　the　only
important　question　was　whether　the　director　of　the　company　really
abused　his　trust；　and　how　to　stop　him　from　doing　it。　But　the
questions　under　consideration　were　whether　the　editor　had　a　right
to　publish　this　article　of　his　contributor；　and　what　he　had　been
guilty　of　in　publishing　it：　slander　or　libel；　and　in　what　way
slander　included　libel；　or　libel　included　slander；　and　something
rather　incomprehensible　to　ordinary　people　about　all　sorts　of
statutes　and　resolutions　passed　by　some　General　Department。

The　only　thing　clear　to　Nekhludoff　was　that；　in　spite　of　what
Wolf　had　so　strenuously　insisted　on；　the　day　before；　i。e。；　that
the　Senate　could　not　try　a　case　on　its　merits；　in　this　case　he
was　evidently　strongly　in　favour　of　repealing　the　decision　of　the
Court　of　Justice；　and　that　Selenin；　in　spite　of　his
characteristic　reticence；　stated　the　opposite　opinion　with　quite
unexpected　warmth。　The　warmth；　which　surprised　Nekhludoff；
evinced　by　the　usually　self…controlled　Selenin；　was　due　to　his
knowledge　of　the　director's　shabbiness　in　money　matters；　and　the
fact；　which　had　accidentally　come　to　his　cars；　that　Wolf　had　been
to　a　swell　dinner　party　at　the　swindler's　house　only　a　few　days
before。

Now　that　Wolf　spoke　on　the　case；　guardedly　enough；　but　with
evident　bias；　Selenin　became　excited；　and　expressed　his　opinion
with　too　much　nervous　irritation　for　an　ordinary　business
transaction。

It　was　clear　that　Selenin's　speech　had　offended　Wolf。　He　grew
red；　moved　in　his　chair；　made　silent　gestures　of　surprise；　and　at
last　rose；　with　a　very　dignified　and　injured　look；　together　with
the　other　senators；　and　went　out　into　the　debating…room。

〃What　particular　case　have　you　come　about？〃　the　usher　asked
again；　addressing　Fanarin。

〃I　have　already　told　you：　Maslova's　case。〃

〃Yes；　quite　so。　It　is　to　be　heard　to…day；　but〃

〃But　what？〃　the　advocate　asked。

〃Well；　you　see；　this　case　was　to　be　examined　without　taking
sides；　so　that　the　senators　will　hardly　come　out　again　after
passing　the　resolution。　But　I　will　inform　them。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃I'll　inform　them；　I'll　inform　them。〃　And　the　usher　again　put
something　down　on　his　paper。

The　Senators　really　meant　to　pronounce　their　decision　concerning
the　libel　case；　and　then　to　finish　the　other　business；　Maslova's
case　among　it；　over　their　tea　and　cigarettes；　without　leaving　the
debating…room。


CHAPTER　XXI。

THE　APPEAL　DISMISSED。

As　soon　as　the　Senators　were　seated　round　the　table　in　the
debating…room；　Wolf　began　to　bring　forward　with　great　animation
all　the　motives　in　favour　of　a　repeal。　The　chairman；　an
ill…natured　man　at　best；　was　in　a　particularly　bad　humour　that
day。　His　thoughts　were　concentrated　on　the　words　he　had　written
down　in　his　memoranda　on　the　occasion　when　not　he　but　Viglanoff
was　appointed　to　the　important　post　he　had　long　coveted。　It　was
the　chairman；　Nikitin's；　honest　conviction　that　his　opinions　of
the　officials　of　the　two　upper　classes　with　which　he　was　in
connection　would　furnish　valuable　material　for　the　historians。　He
had　written　a　chapter　the　day　before　in　which　the　officials　of
the　upper　classes　got　it　hot　for　preventing　him；　as　he　expressed
it；　from　averting　the　ruin　towards　which　the　present　rulers　of
Russia　were　driving　it；　which　simply　meant　that　they　had　prevented
his　getting　a　better　salary。　And　now　he　was　considering　what　a
new　light　to　posterity　this　chapter　would　shed　on　events。

〃Yes；　certainly；〃　he　said；　in　reply　to　the　words　addressed　to　him
by　Wolf；　without　listening　to　them。

Bay　was　listening　to　Wolf　with　a　sad　face　and　drawing　a　garland
on　the　paper　that　lay　before　him。　Bay　was　a　Liberal　of　the　very
first　water。　He　held　sacred　the　Liberal　traditions　of　the　sixth
decade　of　this　century；　and　if　he　ever　overstepped　the　limits　of
strict　neutrality　it　was　always　in　the　direction　of　Liberalism。
So　in　this　case；　beside　the　fact　that　the　swindling　director；　who
was　prosecuting　for　libel；　was　a　bad　lot；　the　prosecution　of　a
journalist　for　libel　in　itself　tending；　as　it　did；　to　restrict
the　freedom　of　the　press；　inclined　Bay　to　reject　the　appeal。

When　Wolf　concluded　his　arguments　Bay　stopped　drawing　his　garland
and　began　in　a　sad　and　gentle　voice　（he　was　sad　because　he　was
obliged　to　demonstrate　such　truisms）　concisely；　simply　and
convincingly　to　show　how　unfounded　the　accusation　was；　and　then；
bending　his　white　head；　he　continued　drawing　his　garland。

Skovorodnikoff；　who　sat　opposite　Wolf；　and；　with　his　fat　fingers；
kept　shoving　his　beard　and　moustaches　into　his　mouth；　stopped
chewing　his　beard　as　soon　as　Bay　was　silent；　and　said　with　a
loud；　grating　voice；　that；　no