复活 Resurrection 20

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复活Resurrection20
THETRIALTHEMEDICALREPORT.
But,asiftospitehim,thecadraggedouttoagreatlength.Aftereachwitnesshadbeenexaminedparatelyandtheexpertlastofall,andagreatnumberofulessquestionshadbeenput,withtheusualairofimportance,bythepublicprocutorandbybothadvocates,thepresidentinvitedthejurytoexaminetheobjectsofferedasmaterialevidence.Theyconsistedofanenormousdiamondring,whichhadevidentlybeenwornonthefirstfinger,andatesttubeinwhichthepoisonhadbeenanalyd.Thethingshadalsandlabelsattachedtothem.
Justasthewitnesswereabouttolookatthethings,thepublicprocutorroanddemandedthatbeforetheydidthistheresultsofthedoctor'xaminationofthebodyshouldberead.Thepresident,whowashurryingthebusinessthroughasfastashecouldinordertovisithisSwissfriend,thoughheknewthatthereadingofthispapercouldhavenoothereffectthanthatofproducingwearinessandputtingoffthedinnerhour,andthatthepublicprocutorwanteditreadsimplybecauheknewhehadarighttodemandit,hadnooptionbuttoexpresshisconnt.
Thecretarygotoutthedoctor'sreportandagainbegantoreadinhiswearylispingvoice,makingnodistinctionbetweenthe"r's"and"l's."
Theexternalexaminationprovedthat:
"1.TheropontSmelkoff'sheightwassixfeetfiveinches.
"Notsobad,that.Averygoodsize,"whisperedthemerchant,withinterest,intoNekhludoff'ar.
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2.Helookedabout40yearsofage.
3.Thebodywasofaswollenappearance.
4.Thefleshwasofagreenishcolour,withdarkspotsinveralplaces.
5.Theskinwasraidinblistersofdifferentsizesandinplaceshadcomeoffinlargepieces.
6.Thehairwaschestnut;itwasthick,andparatedeasilyfromtheskinwhentouched.
7.Theeyeballsprotrudedfromtheirsocketsandthecorneahadgrowndim.
8.Outofthenostrils,bothears,andthemouthoozedrousliquid;themouthwashalfopen.
9.Theneckhadalmostdisappeared,owingtotheswellingofthefaceandchest."
Andsoonandsoon.
Fourpageswerecoveredwiththe27paragraphsdescribingallthedetailsoftheexternalexaminationoftheenormous,fat,swollen,anddecomposingbodyofthemerchantwhohadbeenmakingmerryinthetown.TheindefiniteloathingthatNekhludofffeltwasincreadbythedescriptionofthecorp.Katusha'slife,andthescrumoozingfromthenostrilsofthecorp,andtheeyesthatprotrudedoutoftheirsockets,andhisowntreatmentofherallemedtobelongtothesameorderofthings,andhefeltsurroundedandwhollyabsorbedbythingsofthesamenature.
Whenthereadingofthereportoftheexternalexaminationwanded,thepresidentheavedasighandraidhishand,hopingitwasfinished;butthecretaryatoncewentontothedescriptionoftheinternalexamination.Thepresident'sheadagaindroppedintohishandandheshuthiyes.ThemerchantnexttoNekhludoffcouldhardlykeepawake,andnowandthenhisbodyswayedtoandfro.Theprisonersandthegendarmessatperfectlyquiet.
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Theinternalexaminationshowedthat:
"1.Theskinwaasilydetachablefromthebonesoftheskull,andtherewasnocoagulatedblood.
"2.Thebonesoftheskullwereofaveragethicknessandinsoundcondition.
"3.Onthemembraneofthebrainthereweretwodiscolouredspotsaboutfourincheslong,themembraneitlfbeingofadullwhite."Andsoonfor13paragraphsmore.Thenfollowedthenamesandsignaturesoftheassistants,andthedoctor'sconclusionshowingthatthechangesobrvedinthestomach,andtoalesrdegreeinthebowelsandkidneys,atthepostmortemexamination,anddescribedintheofficialreport,gavegreatprobabilitytotheconclusionthatSmelkoff'sdeathwascaudbypoisonwhichhadenteredhisstomachmixedwithalcohol.Todecidefromthestateofthestomachwhatpoisonhadbeenintroducedwasdifficult;butitwasnecessarytosuppothatthepoisonenteredthestomachmixedwithalcohol,sinceagreatquantityofthelatterwasfoundinSmelkoff'sstomach.
"Hecoulddrink,andnomistake,"againwhisperedthemerchant,whohadjustwakedup.
Thereadingofthisreporthadtakenafullhour,butithadnotsatisfiedthepublicprocutor,for,whenithadbeenreadthroughandthepresidentturnedtohim,saying,"Isuppoitissuperfluoustoreadthereportoftheexaminationoftheinternalorgans?"heansweredinaveretone,withoutlookingatthepresident,"Ishallasktohaveitread."
Heraidhimlfalittle,andshowedbyhismannerthathehadarighttohavethisreportread,andwouldclaimthisright,andthatifthatwerenotgranteditwouldrveasacauofappeal.
ThememberoftheCourtwiththebigbeard,whosufferedfromcatarrhofthestomach,feelingquitedoneup,turnedtothepresident:
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"Whatistheuofreadingallthis?Itisonlydraggingitout.Thenewbroomsdonotsweepclean;theyonlytakealongwhiledoingit."
Thememberwiththegoldspectaclessaidnothing,butonlylookedgloomilyinfrontofhim,expectingnothinggood,eitherfromhiswifeorlifeingeneral.Thereadingofthereportcommenced.
"Intheyear188,onFebruary15th,I,theundersigned,commissionedbythemedicaldepartment,madeanexamination,No.638,"thecretarybeganagainwithfirmnessandraisingthepitchofhisvoiceasiftodispelthesleepinessthathadovertakenallprent,"intheprenceoftheassistantmedicalinspector,oftheinternalorgans:
"1.Therightlungandtheheart(containedina6lb.glassjar).
"2.Thecontentsofthestomach(ina6lb.glassjar).
"3.Thestomachitlf(ina6lb.glassjar).
"4.Theliver,thespleenandthekidneys(ina9lb.glassjar).
5.Theintestines(ina9lb.earthenwarejar)."
Thepresidentherewhisperedtooneofthemembers,thenstoopedtotheother,andhavingreceivedtheirconnt,hesaid:"TheCourtconsidersthereadingofthisreportsuperfluous."Thecretarystoppedreadingandfoldedthepaper,andthepublicprocutorangrilybegantowritedownsomething."Thegentlemenofthejurymaynowexaminethearticlesofmaterialevidence,"saidthepresident.Theforemanandveraloftheothersroandwenttothetable,notquiteknowingwhattodowiththeirhands.Theylookedinturnattheglass,thetesttube,andthering.Themerchanteventriedonthering.
"Ah!thatwasafinger,"hesaid,returningtohisplace;"likeacucumber,"headded.Evidentlytheimagehehadformedinhismindofthegiganticmerchantamudhim.
可是,仿佛有意跟他为难似的,审讯拖了很长时间。先是法庭逐一审问证人和鉴定人,接着副检察官和辩护人照例煞有介事地提出种种不必要的问题,然后庭长请陪审员检察物证,其中包括一个很大的戒指,显然原来戴的手指很粗,戒指上面有钻石镶成的梅花。再有一个滤器,验出来里面有毒。
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这些物证都盖了火漆印,上面贴有标签。
陪审员正要去查看物证,不料副检察官又站起来,要求在检查物证以前先宣读法医的验尸报告。
庭长一心想快点结束这个案子,好赶去同他的瑞士女人相会。庭长明明知道宣读这种报告,除了惹人厌烦,推迟吃饭时间外,不会有别的结果,而副检察官所以提出这样的要求,无非因为他有权这样做。庭长毕竟不能拒绝,只得同意。书记官取出文件,又用他那舌尖音和卷舌音不分的声调,没精打采地念起来:
“外部检查结果:
“(一)费拉朋特·斯梅里科夫身长二俄尺十二俄寸①。”
①1俄尺等于0.71米。2俄尺12俄寸约合1.95米。
“那汉子可真高大,”那个商人关切地凑着聂赫留朵夫的耳朵低声说。
“(二)就外表推测,年约四十岁。
“(三)尸体浮肿。
“(四)全身皮肤呈淡绿色,并有深色斑点。
“(五)尸体表皮上有大小水泡,有几处脱皮,状如破布。
“(六)头发深褐色,很浓密,一经触摸,随即脱落。
“(七)眼球突出眼眶之外,角膜浑浊。
“(八)鼻孔、双耳和口腔有泡沫状脓液流出,嘴微张。
“(九)由于面部和胸部肿胀,颈部几乎不复能见。”
等等,等等。
就这样在四页报告纸上写了二十七条,详细叙述这个在城里寻欢作乐的商人高大肥胖而又浮肿腐烂的可怕尸体的外部检查结果。聂赫留朵夫听了这个验尸报告,原来那种说不出的嫌恶感越发强烈了。卡秋莎的一生、从尸体鼻孔里流出来的脓液、从眼眶里暴出来的眼球、他聂赫留朵夫对她的行为,这一切在他看来都是同一类事物。这些事物从四面八方把他团团围住,把他吞没了。等外部检查报告好容易宣读完毕,庭长长长地舒了一口气,抬起头,希望宣读工作就此结束。不料书记官又立刻宣读内部检查报告。
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庭长又垂下头,一只手托住脑袋,闭上眼睛。坐在聂赫留朵夫旁边的商人好容易忍住睡意,身子间或晃了晃。被告们却回他们后面的宪兵一样,坐着一动不动。
“内部检查结果:
“(一)头盖骨表皮极易从头盖骨分离,无一处瘀血可见。
“(二)头盖骨厚度中等,完整无损。
“(三)脑膜坚硬,有两小块已变色,长约四英寸,脑膜呈浊白色,”等等,另外还有十三条。
然后是在场见证人的姓名和签字,然后是医生的结论。结论表明,根据尸体解剖并记录在案,死者胃部以及部分肠子和肾脏发生异变,使人有权以高度可能性肯定,斯梅里科夫之死实由于毒药搀入酒内灌进胃里所致。根据胃和部分肠子异变,难以断定用的是什么毒药;但可以肯定毒药是和酒一起进入胃里的,因为胃里有大量酒液。
“看来他喝得可凶了,”那个商人瞌睡刚醒,说。
这份报告宣读了将近一小时,但还是没有使副检察官满足。等报告宣读完毕,庭长就对他说:
“我看内脏检查报告就不用再念了。”
“我可要求念一念这个报告,”副检察官稍稍欠起身子,眼睛不看庭长,严厉地说。他说话的口气使人觉得,他有权要求宣读,并且决不让步,谁如果拒绝他的要求,他将有理由提出上诉。
那个生有一双和善的下垂眼睛的大胡子法官,因患有胃炎,觉得体力不支,就对庭长说:
“这个何必念呢?徒然拖时间。这种新扫帚越扫越脏,白白浪费时间。”
戴金丝边眼镜的法官一言不发,只是忧郁而执拗地瞪着前方。不论对妻子还是对生活他都不抱任何希望。
宣读文件开始了。
“一八八×年二月十五日,本人受医务局委托,遵照第六三八号指令,”书记官提高嗓门,仿佛想驱除所有在场者的睡意,又断然念起来。“在副医务检察官监督下,作下列内脏检查:
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“(一)右肺和心脏(盛于六磅玻璃瓶内)。
“(二)胃内所有物(盛于六磅玻璃瓶内)。
“(三)胃(盛于六磅玻璃瓶内)。
“(四)肝脏、脾脏和肾脏(盛于三磅玻璃瓶内)。
“(五)肠(盛于六磅陶罐内)。”
这次宣读一开始,庭长就俯身对一个法官低声说了些什么,然后又转向另一个法官。在获得他们肯定的回答后,他就打断书记官说:
“法庭认为宣读这个文件没有必要,”他说。
书记官住了口,收拾文件。副检察官怒气冲冲地记着什么。
“诸位陪审员先生可以检查物证了,”庭长宣布。
首席陪审员和其他几个陪审员纷纷起立,手足无措地走到桌子旁边。他们依次察看戒指、玻璃瓶和滤器。那个商人还把戒指戴到自己手指上试了试。
“嚯,手指好粗,”他回到他的座位,说。“活象一条粗黄瓜,”他补充说,津津有味地猜想那个中毒丧命的商人一定象个大力士。