The third question, concerning Maslova, raised a fierce dispute.
The foreman maintained she was guilty both of the poisoning and
the theft, to which the merchant would not agree. The colonel,
the clerk and the old artelshik sided with the merchant, the rest
seemed shaky, and the opinion of the foreman began to gain
ground, chiefly because all the jurymen were getting tired, and
preferred to take up the view that would bring them sooner to a
decision and thus liberate them.
From all that had passed, and from his former knowledge of
Maslova, Nekhludoff was certain that she was innocent of both the
theft and the poisoning. And he felt sure that all the others
would come to the same conclusion. When he saw that the
merchant's awkward defence (evidently based on his physical
admiration for her, which he did not even try to hide) and the
foreman's insistence, and especially everybody's weariness, were
all tending to her condemnation, he longed to state his
objections, yet dared not, lest his relations with Maslova should
be discovered. He felt he could not allow things to go on without
stating his objection; and, blushing and growing pale again, was
about to speak when Peter Gerasimovitch, irritated by the
authoritative manner of the foreman, began to raise his
objections and said the very things Nekhludoff was about to say.
"Allow me one moment," he said. "You seem to think that her
having the key proves she is guilty of the theft; but what could
be easier than for the servants to open the portmanteau with a
false key after she was gone?"
"Of course, of course," said the merchant.
"She could not have taken the money, because in her position she
would hardly know what to do with it."
"That's just what I say," remarked the merchant.
"But it is very likely that her coming put the idea into the
servants' heads and that they grasped the opportunity and shoved
all the blame on her." Peter Gerasimovitch spoke so irritably
that the foreman became irritated too, and went on obstinately
defending the opposite views; but Peter Gerasimovitch spoke so
convincingly that the majority agreed with him, and decided that
Maslova was not guilty of stealing the money and that the ring
was given her.
But when the question of her having taken part in the poisoning
was raised, her zealous defender, the merchant, declared that she
must be acquitted, because she could have no reason for the
poisoning. The foreman, however, said that it was impossible to
acquit her, because she herself had pleaded guilty to having
given the powder.
"Yes, but thinking it was opium," said the merchant.
"Opium can also deprive one of life," said the colonel, who was
fond of wandering from the subject, and he began telling how his
brother-in-law's wife would have died of an overdose of opium if
there had not been a doctor near at hand to take the necessary
measures. The colonel told his story so impressively, with such
self-possession and dignity, that no one had the courage to
interrupt him. Only the clerk, infected by his example, decided
to break in with a story of his own: "There are some who get so
used to it that they can take 40 drops. I have a relative--," but
the colonel would not stand the interruption, and went on to
relate what effects the opium had on his brother-in-law's wife.