复活 Resurrection 8

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复活Resurrection8
SWEARINGINTHEJURY.
Thepresident,havinglookedthroughsomepapersandputafewquestionstotheusherandthecretary,gavetheorderfortheprisonerstobebroughtin.
Thedoorbehindthegratingwasinstantlyopened,andtwogendarmes,withcapsontheirheads,andholdingnakedswordsintheirhands,camein,followedbytheprisoners,aredhaired,freckledman,andtwowomen.Themanworeaprisoncloak,whichwastoolongandtoowideforhim.Hestuckouthisthumbs,andheldhisarmsclotohissides,thuskeepingthesleeves,whichwerealsotoolong,fromslippingoverhishands.Withoutlookingatthejudgeshegazedsteadfastlyattheform,andpassingtotheothersideofit,hesatdowncarefullyattheveryedge,leavingplentyofroomfortheothers.Hefixedhiyesonthepresident,andbeganmovingthemusclesofhischeeks,asifwhisperingsomething.Thewomanwhocamenextwasalsodresdinaprisoncloak,andhadaprisonkerchiefroundherhead.Shehadasallowcomplexion,noeyebrowsorlashes,andveryredeyes.Thiswomanappearedperfectlycalm.Havingcaughthercloakagainstsomething,shedetacheditcarefully,withoutanyhaste,andsatdown.
ThethirdprisonerwasMaslova.
Assoonassheappeared,theeyesofallthemeninthecourtturnedherway,andremainedfixedonherwhiteface,hersparklinglybrilliantblackeyesandtheswellingbosomundertheprisoncloak.Eventhegendarmewhomshepasdonherwaytoheratlookedatherfixedlytillshesatdown,andthen,asiffeelingguilty,hurriedlyturnedaway,shookhimlf,andbeganstaringatthewindowinfrontofhim.
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Thepresidentpauduntiltheprisonershadtakentheirats,andwhenMaslovawasated,turnedtothecretary.
Thentheusualprocedurecommenced;thecountingofthejury,remarksaboutthowhohadnotcome,thefixingofthefinestobeexactedfromthem,thedecisionsconcerningthowhoclaimedexemption,theappointingofrervejurymen.
Havingfoldedupsomebitsofpaperandputtheminoneoftheglassvas,thepresidentturnedupthegoldembroideredcuffsofhisuniformalittleway,andbegandrawingthelots,onebyone,andopeningthem.Nekhludoffwasamongthejurymenthusdrawn.Then,havingletdownhissleeves,thepresidentrequestedthepriesttoswearinthejury.
Theoldpriest,withhispuffy,redface,hisbrowngown,andhisgoldcrossandlittleorder,laboriouslymovinghisstifflegs,cameuptothelecternbeneaththeicon.
Thejurymengotup,andcrowdedtowardsthelectern.
"Comeup,plea,"saidthepriest,pullingatthecrossonhisbreastwithhisplumphand,andwaitingtillallthejuryhaddrawnnear.Whentheyhadallcomeupthestepsoftheplatform,thepriestpasdhisbald,greyheadsidewaysthroughthegreasyopeningofthestole,and,havingrearrangedhisthinhair,heagainturnedtothejury."Now,raiyourrightarmsinthisway,andputyourfingerstogether,thus,"hesaid,withhistremulousoldvoice,liftinghisfat,dimpledhand,andputtingthethumbandtwofirstfingerstogether,asiftakingapinchofsomething."Now,repeatafterme,'Ipromiandswear,bytheAlmightyGod,byHisholygospels,andbythelifegivingcrossofourLord,thatinthisworkwhich,'"hesaid,pausingbetweeneachntence"don'tletyourarmdown;holditlikethis,"heremarkedtoayoungmanwhohadloweredhisarm"'thatinthisworkwhich...'"
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Thedignifiedmanwiththewhiskers,thecolonel,themerchant,andveralmoreheldtheirarmsandfingersasthepriestrequiredofthem,veryhigh,veryexactly,asiftheylikeddoingit;othersdiditunwillinglyandcarelessly.Somerepeatedthewordstooloudly,andwithadefianttone,asiftheymeanttosay,"Inspiteofall,Iwillandshallspeak."Otherswhisperedverylow,andnotfastenough,andthen,asiffrightened,hurriedtocatchupthepriest.Somekepttheirfingerstightlytogether,asiffearingtodropthepinchofinvisiblesomethingtheyheld;otherskeptparatingandfoldingtheirs.Everyonesavetheoldpriestfeltawkward,buthewassurehewasfulfillingaveryufulandimportantduty.
Aftertheswearingin,thepresidentrequestedthejurytochooaforeman,andthejury,throngingtothedoor,pasdoutintothedebatingroom,wherealmostallofthematoncebegantosmokecigarettes.Someonepropodthedignifiedmanasforeman,andhewasunanimouslyaccepted.Thenthejurymenputouttheircigarettesandthrewthemawayandreturnedtothecourt.Thedignifiedmaninformedthepresidentthathewaschonforeman,andallsatdownagainonthehighbackedchairs.
Everythingwentsmoothly,quickly,andnotwithoutacertainsolemnity.Andthixactitude,order,andsolemnityevidentlypleadthowhotookpartinit:itstrengthenedtheimpressionthattheywerefulfillingariousandvaluablepublicduty.Nekhludoff,too,feltthis.
Assoonasthejurymenwereated,thepresidentmadeaspeechontheirrights,obligations,andresponsibilities.Whilespeakinghekeptchanginghisposition;nowleaningonhisright,nowonhislefthand,nowagainsttheback,thenonthearmsofhischair,nowputtingthepapersstraight,nowhandlinghispencilandpaperknife.
Accordingtohiswords,theyhadtherightofinterrogatingtheprisonersthroughthepresident,toupaperandpencils,andtoexaminethearticlesputinavidence.Theirdutywastojudgenotfally,butjustly.Theirresponsibilitymeantthatifthecrecyoftheirdiscussionwereviolated,orcommunicationswereestablishedwithoutsiders,theywouldbeliabletopunishment.Everyonelistenedwithanexpressionofrespectfulattention.Themerchant,diffusingasmellofbrandyaroundhim,andrestrainingloudhiccups,approvinglynoddedhisheadateveryntence.
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庭长翻阅了一些文件,向民事执行吏和书记官提出几个问题,得到肯定的答复,就传被告出庭。栏杆后面的那扇门开了,两个宪兵头戴军帽,手拿出鞘的佩刀,走了进来。后面跟着三个被告,先是一个红棕色头发、脸上有雀斑的男人,再是两个女人。那男人穿着一件长大得同他的身材极不相称的囚袍。他一边走进法庭,一边叉开两手的大拇指,用手紧贴住裤缝,使过分长的衣袖不致滑下来。他眼睛不看法官和旁听者,却注视着他绕过的长凳。他绕过长凳,规规矩矩地坐在边上,留下位子给别人坐,然后眼睛盯住庭长,颊上的肌肉抖动起来,仿佛在嘟囔着什么。跟在他后面进来的是个年纪不轻的女人,身上也穿着囚袍。她头上包着一块囚犯用的三角头巾,脸色灰白,眼睛发红,没有眉毛,也没有睫毛。这个女人看上去十分镇定。她走到自己的位子旁边,长袍被什么东西钩住。她不慌不忙小心地把它摘开,坐下来。
第三个被告是玛丝洛娃。
玛丝洛娃一进来,法庭里的男人便都把目光转到她身上,久久地盯住她那张白嫩的脸、那双水汪汪的黑眼睛和长袍底下高高隆起的胸部。当她在人们面前走过时,就连那个宪兵也目不转睛地盯着她,直到她坐下。等她坐下了,宪兵这才仿佛觉得有失体统,慌忙转过脸去,振作精神,木然望着窗外。
庭长等着被告坐好;玛丝洛娃坐下来,他就转过脸去对书记官说话。
例行的审讯程序开始了:清点陪审员人数,讨论缺席陪审员问题,决定他们的罚款,处理请假陪审员的事,以及指定候补陪审员的名单。然后庭长折拢几张小纸片,把它们放到玻璃缸里,这才稍稍卷起制服的绣花袖口,露出汗毛浓密的双手,象魔术师似的摸出一张张纸条,打开来,念着纸条上的名字。随后庭长放下袖口,请司祭带陪审员们宣誓。
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司祭是个小老头,脸上浮肿,脸色白中带黄。他身穿棕色法衣,胸前挂着金十字架,法衣一侧还别着一个小勋章。他慢吞吞地挪动法衣里的两条肿腿,走到圣像下面的读经台旁。
陪审员们都站起来,往读经台挤去。
“请过来!”司祭用浮肿的手摸摸胸前的十字架,等陪审员们走过去。
这个司祭任职已超过四十六年,再过三年就要象大司祭前不久那样庆祝任职五十周年了。自从陪审法院开办以来①他就在区法庭任职,并感到十分自豪,因为由他带领宣誓的已多达几万人,而且到了晚年还能为教会、祖国和家庭出力。他死后不仅能给家人留了一座房子,而且还有不下于三万卢布的有息证券。他在法庭里带领人们凭福音书宣誓,而福音书恰恰禁止人们起誓,因此这项工作是不正当的。这一点他可从来没有想到过。他不仅从来不感到于心有愧,而且还很喜爱它,因为可以借此结识许多名流。今天他就认识了那位名律师,对他佩服得五体投地,因为他只办了击败那个帽子上戴花的老太太一案,就净到手一万卢布。
①俄国在一八*年实行司法改革,成立陪审法院,刑事案件公开审判。
等陪审员都顺着台阶走到台上,司祭就侧着花白头发的秃头,套上油腻的圣带,然后理理稀疏的头发,向陪审员们转过脸去。
“举起右手,手指这样并拢,”他用苍老的声音慢吞吞地说,举起每个手指上都有小窝的浮肿的手,手指并拢,象捏住什么东西。“现在大家跟着我念,”他说着就领头宣誓:“凭万能的上帝,当着他神圣的福音书和赋与生命的十字架,我答应并宣誓,在审理本案时……”他说一句,顿一顿。“手这样举好,不要放下,”他对一个放下手来的年轻人说,“在审理本案时……”
留络腮胡子的相貌堂堂的人、上校、商人和另外几个人,都遵照司祭的要求举起右手,并拢手指,而且举得很高很有精神,看上去很高兴,可是其他的人似乎有点勉强,不大乐意这样做。有些人念誓词念得特别响,仿佛有意在挑衅说:“我照念就是了,照念就是了。”有些人只是喃喃地动动嘴巴,落在司祭后面,后来忽然惊觉了,慌忙赶上去。有些人恶狠狠地使劲捏拢手,仿佛怕落掉什么东西。有些人把手指松开又捏拢。个个都觉得别扭,只有小老头司祭满怀信心,自以为在干一件有益的大事。宣誓完毕,庭长请陪审员们选出一名首席陪审员来。陪审员们纷纷起立,挤在一起走进议事室。一到议事室,他们都立刻掏出香烟,吸起烟来。有人提议请那位相貌堂堂的绅士当首席陪审员,大家立刻赞同。他们丢掉或者捻灭烟蒂,回到法庭。当选的首席陪审员向庭长报告谁当选,大家又回到原位,跨过别人的脚,在两排高背椅上坐好。
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一切都进行得很顺利,毫不耽搁,气氛十分庄严。这种有条不紊、一丝不苟的仪式使参加者都很满意,更加坚信他们是在参加一项严肃而重大的社会工作。这一点聂赫留朵夫也感觉到了。
等陪审员们一坐好,庭长就向他们说明陪审员的权利、责任和义务。庭长讲话的时候不断改变姿势,一会儿身子支在左臂肘上,一会儿支在右臂肘上,一会儿靠在椅背上,一会儿搁在椅子的扶手上,一会儿弄齐一叠纸,一会儿摩挲裁纸刀,一会儿摸弄着铅笔。
庭长说,陪审员的权利是可以通过庭长审问被告,可以使用铅笔和纸,可以察看物证。他们的责任是审判必须公正,不准弄虚作假。他们的义务是保守会议秘密,不得与外界私通消息,如有违反,将受惩罚。
大家都恭恭敬敬地用心听着。那个商人周身散发出酒气,勉强忍住饱嗝,听到一句话,就点一下头表示赞成。