As the judges ascended the elevation in their uniforms, with gold-laced collars, they presented an imposing array.  They themselves felt it, and all three, as if confused by their own greatness, modestly lowered their eyes, and hastily seated themselves behind the table on which clean paper and freshly-pointed lead pencils of all sizes had been placed.  The prosecutor, who entered with the judges, also hastily walked to his place near the window, his portfolio still under his arm, and waving his hand he began to read the papers in the case, utilizing every moment to prepare himself.

This was his fifth case as prosecuting attorney.  He was ambitious, and was determined to make his career, and hence he endeavored to obtain a conviction in every case he prosecuted.  He knew the main points of the poisoning case, and had already planned his speech; but he needed to know some particulars of which he was now making extracts from the papers.

The secretary sat on the opposite side of the elevation, and, having prepared all the papers that might be necessary to produce on trial, was glancing over a newspaper article, which he had obtained and read the day before.  He was anxious to talk to the member of the court with the long beard, who shared his views, and before doing so wished to better familiarize himself with it.

CHAPTER VIII.

The presiding justice looked over the papers, asked some questions of the usher, and receiving affirmative answers, ordered that the prisoners be brought into court.  Immediately a door beyond the grating opened, and two gendarmes with unsheathed swords and caps on their heads, stepped into the court-room.  Behind them came a freckled, red-haired man and two women.  The man was dressed in prisoner’s garb which was too long and too wide for him.  As he entered the court-room he held up with outspread fingers the sleeves which were too long.  Without looking at the judges or the spectators, his attention was absorbed by the bench around which he was led.  When he had passed around he carefully seated himself on the edge, and making room for the others, began to stare at the presiding justice, the muscles of his cheeks moving as if he were whispering something.  He was followed by a middle-aged woman, also dressed in a prisoner’s coat.  A white prison cap covered her head; her face was grayish, and her eyes were devoid of either eye-lashes or eyebrows.  She seemed quite composed.  As she was passing the railing to take her seat, her coat caught at something; without haste, she carefully disengaged it, then smoothed it and took her seat.

The third prisoner was Maslova.

No sooner did she enter than all the male spectators turned their eyes toward her, attracted by her white face, lustrous black eyes and high breast.  Even the gendarme whom she passed gazed at her until she seated herself; then, as if feeling himself guilty, he quickly turned his head from her and straightening himself, he began to gaze into the window directly in front of him.