Chapter 6: Every Man Has His Own Way of Drowning Summary

Chapter six describes how several main characters are dealing with the accusations made against them. However, it starts off with a meeting of the prosecutors. Zvyeryeva, Fleischman, and Prosecutor Rachevsky meet with their superior, Deputy High Commissar Gordeyev. They agree that the Tulayev case is political, and it must reach a political conclusion, but no one wants to suggest a solid plan. Finally, they agree to come up with list of indictments that includes the right kind of political people to face punishment.

Then, the scene changes to Erchov's prison cell. Erchov has resisted interrogation for weeks, and one day they put his old friend Ricciotti in the same cell with him to talk things over. Ricciotti was arrested ten days before Erchov, and he has confessed...