the trial--resumption.
in this state of mind nekhludoff left the court and went into the jurymen's room. he sat by the window smoking all the while, and hearing what was being said around him.
the merry merchant seemed with all his heart to sympathise with smelkoff's way of spending his time. "there, old fellow, that was something like! real siberian fashion! he knew what he was about, no fear! that's the sort of wench for me."
the foreman was stating his conviction, that in some way or other the expert's conclusions were the important thing. 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. in the depth of his soul he felt that he was a scoundrel, who ought to be ashamed to look people in the face, yet, by sheer force of habit, he stepped on to the platform in his usual self-possessed manner, and sat down, crossing his legs and playing with his pince-nez.
the prisoners had also been led out, and were now brought in again. there were some new faces in the court witnesses, and nekhludoff noticed that maslova could not take her eyes off a very fat woman who sat in the row in front of the grating, very showily dressed in silk and velvet, a high hat with a large bow on her head, and an elegant little reticule on her arm, which was bare to the elbow. this was, as he subsequently found out, one of the witnesses, the mistress of the establishment to which maslova had belonged.
the examination of the witnesses commenced: they were asked their names, religion, etc. then, after some consultation as to whether the witnesses were to be sworn in or not, the old priest came in again, dragging his legs with difficulty, and, again arranging the golden cross on his breast, swore the witnesses and the expert in the same quiet manner, and with the same assurance that he was doing something useful and important.
the witnesses having been sworn, all but kitaeva, the keeper of the house, were led out again. she was asked what she knew about this affair. kitaeva nodded her head and the big hat at every sentence and smiled affectedly. she gave a very full and intelligent account, speaking with a strong german accent. first of all, the hotel servant simeon, whom she knew, came to her establishment on behalf of a rich siberian merchant, and she sent lubov back with him. after a time lubov returned with the merchant. the merchant was already somewhat intoxicated--she smiled as she said this--and went on drinking and treating the girls. he was short of money. he sent this same lubov to his lodgings. he had taken a "predilection" to her. she looked at the prisoner as she said this.
nekhludoff thought he saw maslova smile here, and this seemed disgusting to him. a strange, indefinite feeling of loathing, mingled with suffering, arose in him.
"and what was your opinion of maslova?" asked the blushing and confused applicant for a judicial post, appointed to act as maslova's advocate.
"zee ferry pesht," answered kitaeva. "zee yoong voman is etucated and elecant. she was prought up in a coot family and can reat french. she tid have a trop too moch sometimes, put nefer forcot herself. a ferry coot girl."
katusha looked at the woman, then suddenly turned her eyes on the jury and fixed them on nekhludoff, and her face grew serious and even severe. one of her serious eyes squinted, and those two strange eyes for some time gazed at nekhludoff, who, in spite of the terrors that seized him, could not take his look off these squinting eyes, with their bright, clear whites.
he thought of that dreadful night, with its mist, the ice breaking on the river below, and when the waning moon, with horns turned upwards, that had risen towards morning, lit up something black and weird. these two black eyes now looking at him reminded him of this weird, black something. "she has recognised me," he thought, and nekhludoff shrank as if expecting a blow. but she had not recognised him. she sighed quietly and again looked at the president. nekhludoff also sighed. "oh, if it would only get on quicker," he thought.
he now felt the same loathing and pity and vexation as when, out shooting, he was obliged to kill a wounded bird. the wounded bird struggles in the game bag. one is disgusted and yet feels pity, and one is in a hurry to kill the bird and forget it.
such mixed feelings filled nekhludoff's breast as he sat listening to the examination of the witnesses.
聂赫留朵夫正是怀着这样的心情，从法庭走到陪审员议事室的。他坐在窗边，听着周围的谈话，不断地吸烟。
那个快活的商人显然很赞赏商人斯梅里科夫寻欢作乐的方式。
“嘿，老兄，他现得真够痛快，纯粹是西伯利亚人的作风。
他可实在有眼光，看中了这么个小妞儿！”
首席陪审员发表一通议论，认为此案的关键在于鉴定。彼得·盖拉西莫维奇同那个犹太籍店员开着玩笑，因为一句什么话哈哈大笑起来。聂赫留朵夫对人家的问话，总是只回答一两个字。他唯一的希望就是别人不要来打搅他。
民事执行吏步态蹒跚地走来邀请陪审员回法庭，聂赫留朵夫感到心惊胆战，仿佛不是他去审问别人，而是他被带去受审判。在内心深处，他觉得自己是个坏蛋，没有脸正眼看人，但习惯成自然，他还是大模大样地登上台，紧挨着首席陪审员，在自己的座位上坐下来，一条腿搁在另一条腿上，手里玩弄着夹鼻眼镜。
被告们已被带出去，这时又被押送回来。
法庭里新来了几个人，都是证人。聂赫留朵夫发现，玛丝洛娃几次三番盯着那个满身绸缎丝绒、珠光宝气的胖女人瞧个不停。这个女人头戴饰有花结的高帽，胳膊露到肘部，挽着一个精致的手提包，坐在栏杆前第一排。聂赫留朵夫后来才知道，她是证人，是玛丝洛娃所在那个窑子的掌班。
开始审问证人，问他们的姓名、宗教信仰等等。然后庭长征求法官意见，证人要不要宣誓。接着那个老司祭又勉强挪动两腿走出来，又把绸法衣上的金十字架拉拉正，又那么镇定自若地带领证人和鉴定人宣誓，满心相信他正在干一件重大而有益的事。等到宣誓完毕，证人都被带出去，只剩下妓院掌班基塔耶娃一人。法官问她关于本案知道些什么。基塔耶娃装出一脸媚笑，每说一句话，戴着高帽的头就往下一缩，带着德国口音详详细细、有条不紊地讲着这事的经过。
先是那个熟悉的旅馆茶房西蒙到她的窑子里来，要替一位有钱的西伯利亚商人物色一个姑娘。她派柳波芙去。过了一会儿，柳波芙就带着那个商人一起回来。
“那个买卖人已经有点糊涂了，”基塔耶娃笑嘻嘻地说，“到了我们那里还是喝，还请姑娘们喝；可是他身上的钱没有了，他就派这个柳波芙到他房间里去拿，他对她已经蛮有点意思了，”她瞟了一眼被告说。
聂赫留朵夫觉得玛丝洛娃听到这里似乎微微一笑。这种笑使他感到恶心。他心里产生一种说不出的嫌恶，同时也带着几分怜悯。
“那么您对玛丝洛娃有什么看法？”那个被指定替玛丝洛娃辩护的见习法官红着脸，怯生生地问。
“太好了，”基塔耶娃回答，“姑娘受过教育，蛮有派头。她出身上等人家，法国书也看得懂。她有时稍微多喝几杯，但从来不放肆。十足是个好姑娘。”
卡秋莎对掌班瞧瞧，但接着突然把视线移到陪审员那边，停留在聂赫留朵夫身上。她的脸色变得严肃甚至充满恼恨了。她那双恼恨的眼睛有一只斜睨着。这双异样的眼睛对聂赫留朵夫瞧了相当久。聂赫留朵夫虽然胆战心惊，他的目光却怎么也离不开这双眼白白得惊人的斜睨的眼睛。他突然想起那个可怕的夜晚：冰层坼裂，浓雾弥漫，特别是那钩在破晓前升起、两角朝下的残月，照着黑漆漆、陰森森的地面。这双乌溜溜的眼睛又象在瞧他又象不在瞧他，使他想起了那黑漆漆、陰森森的地面。
“被她认出来了！”聂赫留朵夫想。他身子缩成一团，仿佛在等待当头一棒。但她并没有认出他来。她平静地叹了一口气，又看看庭长。聂赫留朵夫也叹了一口气。“唉，但愿快点结束，”他想。此刻他的心情仿佛一个猎人，不得已弄死一只受伤的小鸟：又是嫌恶，又是怜悯，又是悔恨。那只还没有断气的小鸟不住地在猎袋里扑腾，使人觉得又讨厌又可怜，真想赶快把它弄死，忘掉。
聂赫留朵夫此刻听着审问证人，心里就有类似的复杂感情。