“‘What indeed, bátyushka! It was the enemy led me astray.’
“‘Sad, very sad! Such a thing to ruin a whole family! How can they get on without you—all young, and the grandchildren mere infants! A sad thing for your wife, too, in her old age!’
“The man’s legs begin to tremble. ‘Does Your Honour think it’s as bad as all that?’
“‘Take the book and read the act yourself. But perhaps you can’t read? Here is the article dealing with injuries to the person—“shall first be flogged and then banished to Siberia.”’
“‘Oh, save a man from ruin, save a fellow-Christian from destruction! Is it impossible ...’
“‘But, my good man, we can’t go against the law. So far as it’s in our hands, we might perhaps lower the thirty strokes to five or so.’
“‘But about Siberia?’
“‘Oh, there we’re powerless, my friend.’
“The peasant at this point produces a purse, takes a paper out of the purse and two or three gold pieces out of the paper; with a low bow he places them on the table.
“‘What’s all that, Yermolai Grigorevitch?’