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Peter Gerasimovitch was joking about something with the Jewish clerk, and they burst out laughing. Nekhludoff answered all the questions addressed to him in monosyllables and longed only to be left in peace. When the usher, with his sideways gait, called the jury back to the Court, Nekhludoff was seized with fear, as if he were not going to judge, but to be judged.
As Nekhludoff was approaching the jury-room his fellow jurors were coming out, repairing to the court-room. The merchant was as cheerful, had lunched as well as yesterday, and greeted Nekhludoff like an old friend. The loud laughter and familiarity of Peter Gerasimovitch did not give rise to-day in Nekhludoff of the unpleasant sensation of yesterday.
But Siberia and penal servitude at once destroyed the possibility of their meeting again. The wounded bird would stop struggling in the game-bag, and would no longer remind him of its existence. The apprehensions of Peter Gerasimovitch were justified.
Nekhludoff could not stand his familiarity, his self-satisfied laughter, his vulgarity, in short. "Ah ha! You're also trapped." These were the words, accompanied with boisterous laughter, with which Peter Gerasimovitch greeted Nekhludoff. "Have you not managed to get out of it?" "I never meant to get out of it," replied Nekhludoff, gloomily, and in a tone of severity.
"But I read the questions before we left the room," the foreman justified himself, "and no one objected." "I was leaving the room at the time," said Peter Gerasimovitch. "But how did you come to miss it?" "I did not think of it," answered Nekhludoff. "You did not!" "We can right it yet," said Nekhludoff. "No, we cannot it is all over now." Nekhludoff looked at the prisoners.
So you are also trapped?" he greeted Nekhludoff with a loud burst of laughter. "You did not escape it?" "I never intended to evade my duty," sternly and gloomily said Nekhludoff. "That I call civic virtue. But wait till you are hungry and sleepy, you will sing another tune," Peter Gerasimovitch said, laughing still louder.
"Well, gentlemen, what are we to say, then?" inquired the foreman. "Shall we say she is guilty, but without intent to rob? And without stealing any property? Will that do?" Peter Gerasimovitch, pleased with his victory, agreed. "But she must be recommended to mercy," said the merchant. All agreed; only the old artelshik insisted that they should say "Not guilty."
"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.
"The fellow had a temper of his own, and had had a drop too much besides, and gave the girl a licking; what could be simpler? Well, then he's sorry quite naturally. 'There, never mind, says he; 'take this. Why, I heard them say he was six foot five high; I should think he must have weighed about 20 stones." "That's not the point," said Peter Gerasimovitch.
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