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Why did you give it him？〃
She did not answer； but sighed deeply and heavily。
〃He would not let me go；〃 she said； after a moment's silence；
〃and I was quite tired out； and so I went out into the passage
and said to Simeon； 'If he would only let me go； I am so tired。'
And he said； 'We are also sick of him； we were thinking of giving
him a sleeping draught； he will fall asleep； and then you can
go。' So I said all right。 I thought they were harmless； and he
gave me the packet。 I went in。 He was lying behind the partition；
and at once called for brandy。 I took a bottle of 'fine
champagne' from the table； poured out two glasses； one for him
and one for myself； and put the powders into his glass； and gave
it him。 Had I known how could I have given them to him？〃
〃Well； and how did the ring come into your possession？ asked the
president。 〃When did he give it you？〃
〃That was when we came back to his lodgings。 I wanted to go away；
and he gave me a knock on the head and broke my comb。 I got angry
and said I'd go away； and he took the ring off his finger and
gave it to me so that I should not go；〃 she said。
Then the public prosecutor again slightly raised himself； and；
putting on an air of simplicity； asked permission to put a few
more questions； and； having received it； bending his head over
his embroidered collar； he said： 〃I should like to know how long
the prisoner remained in the merchant Smelkoff's room。〃
Maslova again seemed frightened； and she again looked anxiously
from the public prosecutor to the president； and said hurriedly：
〃I do not remember how long。〃
〃Yes； but does the prisoner remember if she went anywhere else in
the lodging…house after she left Smelkoff？〃
Maslova considered for a moment。 〃Yes； I did go into an empty
room next to his。〃
〃Yes； and why did you go in？〃 asked the public prosecutor；
forgetting himself； and addressing her directly。
〃I went in to rest a bit； and to wait for an isvostchik。〃
〃And was Kartinkin in the room with the prisoner； or not？〃
〃He came in。〃
〃Why did he come in？〃
〃There was some of the merchant's brandy left； and we finished it
together。〃
〃Oh； finished it together。 Very well！ And did the prisoner talk
to Kartinkin； and； if so； what about？〃
Maslova suddenly frowned； blushed very red； and said； hurriedly；
〃What about？ I did not talk about anything； and that's all I
know。 Do what you like with me； I am not guilty； and that's all。〃
〃I have nothing more to ask；〃 said the prosecutor； and； drawing
up his shoulders in an unnatural manner； began writing down； as
the prisoner's own evidence； in the notes for his speech； that
she had been in the empty room with Kartinkin。
There was a short silence。
〃You have nothing more to say？〃
〃I have told everything；〃 she said； with a sigh； and sat down。
Then the president noted something down； and； having listened to
something that the member on his left whispered to him； he
announced a ten…minutes' interval； rose hurriedly； and left the
court。 The communication he had received from the tall； bearded
member with the kindly eyes was that the member； having felt a
slight stomach derangement； wished to do a little massage and to
take some drops。 And this was why an interval was made。
When the judges had risen； the advocates； the jury； and the
witnesses also rose； with the pleasant feeling that part of the
business was finished； and began moving in different directions。
Nekhludoff went into the jury's room； and sat down by the window。
CHAPTER XII。
TWELVE YEARS BEFORE。
〃Yes； this was Katusha。〃
The relations between Nekhludoff and Katusha had been the
following：
Nekhludoff first saw Katusha when he was a student in his third
year at the University； and was preparing an essay on land tenure
during the summer vacation； which he passed with his aunts。 Until
then he had always lived； in summer； with his mother and sister
on his mother's large estate near Moscow。 But that year his
sister had married； and his mother had gone abroad to a
watering…place； and he； having his essay to write； resolved to
spend the summer with his aunts。 It was very quiet in their
secluded estate and there was nothing to distract his mind； his
aunts loved their nephew and heir very tenderly； and he； too； was
fond of them and of their simple； old…fashioned life。
During that summer on his aunts' estate； Nekhludoff passed
through that blissful state of existence when a young man for the
first time； without guidance from any one outside； realises all
the beauty and significance of life； and the importance of the
task allotted in it to man； when he grasps the possibility of
unlimited advance towards perfection for one's self and for all
the world； and gives himself to this task； not only hopefully；
but with full conviction of attaining to the perfection he
imagines。 In that year； while still at the University； he had
read Spencer's Social Statics； and Spencer's views on landholding
especially impressed him； as he himself was heir to large
estates。 His father had not been rich； but his mother had
received 10；000 acres of land for her dowry。 At that time he
fully realised all the cruelty and injustice of private property
in land； and being one of those to whom a sacrifice to the
demands of conscience gives the highest spiritual enjoyment； he
decided not to retain property rights； but to give up to the
peasant labourers the land he had inherited from his father。 It
was on this land question he wrote his essay。
He arranged his life on his aunts' estate in the following
manner。 He got up very early； sometimes at three o'clock； and
before sunrise went through the morning mists to bathe in the
river； under the hill。 He returned while the dew still lay on the
grass and the flowers。 Sometimes； having finished his coffee； he
sat down with his books of reference and his papers to write his
essay； but very often； instead of reading or writing； he left
home again； and wandered through the fields and the woods。 Before
dinner he lay down and slept somewhere in the garden。 At dinner
he amused and entertained his aunts with his bright spirits； then
he rode on horseback or went for a row on the river； and in the
evening he again worked at his essay； or sat reading or playing
patience with his aunts。
His joy in life was so great that it agitated him； and kept him
awake many a night； especially when it was moonlight； so that
instead of sleeping he wandered about in the garden till dawn；
alone with his dreams and fancies。
And so； peacefully and happily； he lived through the first month
of his stay with his aunts； taking no particular notice of their
half…ward； half…servant； the black…eyed； quick…footed Katusha。
Then； at the age of nineteen； Nekhludoff； brought up under his
mother's wing； was still quite pure。 If a woman figured in his
dreams at all it was only as a wife。 All the other women； who；
according to his ideas he could not marry； were not women for
him； but human beings。
But on Ascension Day that summer； a neighbour of his aunts'； and
her family； consisting of two young daughters； a schoolboy； and a
young artist of peasant origi