United States or Slovenia ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
After the speech the President turned to Selenin, who plainly, briefly and accurately expressed himself against a reversal. Then the Senators arose and went to consult. The Senators were divided. Wolf favored a reversal. Bé, who thoroughly understood the case, warmly argued also in favor of a reversal, and in glowing terms pictured the court scene and the misunderstanding of the jury.
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.
If the Senate took upon itself to repeal the decision of the law courts according to its own views as to the justice of the decisions in themselves, the verdict of the jury would lose all its meaning, not to mention that the Senate would have no basis to go upon, and would run the risk of infringing justice rather than upholding it," said Selenin, calling to mind the case that had just been heard.
At that moment Wolf in his uniform and stars hung on his breast entered the waiting-room and approached Nekhludoff. "I am sorry, my dear Prince, but the grounds were insufficient," he said, shrugging his narrow shoulders; and, closing his eyes, he proceeded on his way. After Wolf came Selenin, who had learned from the Senators that Nekhludoff, his former friend, was present.
"I did not know you were in Petersburg." "And I did not know you were Public Prosecutor-in-Chief." "How is it you are in the Senate?" asked Selenin. "I had heard, by the way, that you were in Petersburg. But what are you doing here?" "Here? I am here because I hoped to find justice and save a woman innocently condemned." "What woman?" "The one whose case has just been decided." "Oh!
There was no news there, so he drove back to his hotel, and wrote at once to the lawyer and to Selenin concerning it. Having finished the letters, he glanced at his watch; it was already time to go to the general. On the way he thought again of how he might hand over the pardon to Katiousha; of the place she would be sent to, and how he would live with her.
"Oh, the Maslova case!" said Selenin. "An entirely groundless appeal." "The question is not of the appeal, but of the woman, who is innocent and undergoing punishment." Selenin sighed. "Quite possible, but " "It is not merely possible, but certain." "How do you know?" "I know because I was on the jury. I know wherein we made the mistake." Selenin became thoughtful.
Countess Catherine Ivanovna had invited me and you to be present at the meeting of the English preacher," said Selenin, smiling only with his lips. "Yes, I was present, but left with disgust," Nekhludoff said angrily, vexed at Selenin's leading away from the conversation. "Why should you be disgusted?
And now, when Wolf, though with great caution, showed undoubted partiality, Selenin became excited and expressed his opinion with more nervousness than an ordinary case would justify.
The reasons for an appeal were not sufficient," he said, shrugging his narrow shoulders and closing his eyes, and then he went his way. After Wolf, Selenin came out too, having heard from the Senators that his old friend Nekhludoff was there. "Well, I never expected to see you here," he said, coming up to Nekhludoff, and smiling only with his lips while his eyes remained sad.
Word Of The Day