The Live Corpse Part 18

EXAMINING MAGISTRATE [smiling] I, in the capacity of Examining Magistrate, am obliged to question you in the capacity of an accused person.

KAReNIN. Indeed! Accused of what?

EXAMINING MAGISTRATE. Of marrying a woman whose husband was alive.

However, allow me to question you properly. Kindly sit down.

KAReNIN. Thank you.

EXAMINING MAGISTRATE. Your name?

KAReNIN. Victor Karenin.

EXAMINING MAGISTRATE. Your calling?

KAReNIN. Chamberlain and Member of Council.

EXAMINING MAGISTRATE. Age?

KAReNIN. Thirty-eight.

EXAMINING MAGISTRATE. Religion?

KAReNIN. Orthodox; and I have never before been tried or questioned!

Well?

EXAMINING MAGISTRATE. Did you know that Theodore Vasilyevich Protasov was alive when you married his wife?

KAReNIN. I did not know it. We were both convinced that he was drowned.

EXAMINING MAGISTRATE. After Protasov's alleged death, to whom in Saratov did you send a monthly remittance?

KAReNIN. I do not wish to reply to that question.

EXAMINING MAGISTRATE. Very well. Why did you send money--1,200 roubles--to Mr. Protasov just before his pretended death on 17th July?

KAReNIN. That money was given to me by my wife ...

EXAMINING MAGISTRATE. By Mrs. Protasova?

KAReNIN. ... by my wife, to send to her husband. She considered that money to be his, and having severed all connection with him, considered it unfair to keep it.

EXAMINING MAGISTRATE. One more question--why did you withdraw the application for divorce?

KAReNIN. Because Theodore Vasilyevich undertook to apply for a divorce, and wrote me about it.

EXAMINING MAGISTRATE. Have you got his letter?

KAReNIN. It has been lost.[27]

[27] Karenin does not produce Fedya's letter because it would have proved connivance in the divorce proceedings.

EXAMINING MAGISTRATE. It is strange that everything which might convince the Court of the truth of your evidence should either be lost or non-existent.

KAReNIN. Do you want anything more?

EXAMINING MAGISTRATE. I want nothing, except to do my duty; but you'll have to exonerate yourselves, and I have just advised Mrs. Protasova, and I advise you also, not to try to hide what everyone can see, but to say what really happened. Especially as Mr. Protasov is in such a condition that he has already told everything just as it happened, and will probably do the same in Court, I should advise ...

KAReNIN. I request you to keep within the limits of your duty, and not to give me your advice! May we go? [Approaches Lisa, who rises and takes his arm].

EXAMINING MAGISTRATE. I am very sorry to be obliged to detain you ...

[Karenin looks round in astonishment] Oh, I don't mean that I arrest you. Though that would make it easier to get at the truth, I shall not resort to such a measure. I only want to take Protasov's deposition in your presence, and to confront him with you--which will make it easier for you to detect any falsehood in what he says. Please take a seat.

Call in Mr. Protasov!

Enter Fedya, dirty and shabby.

FeDYA [addresses Lisa and Karenin] Lisa! Elisabeth Andreyevna! Victor! I am not guilty! I wished to act for the best. But if I am guilty ...

forgive me, forgive me! [Bows low to them].

EXAMINING MAGISTRATE. Please to answer my questions.

FeDYA. Ask, then.

EXAMINING MAGISTRATE. Your name?

FeDYA. Why, you know it!

EXAMINING MAGISTRATE. Please answer.

FeDYA. Well then, Theodore Protasov.

EXAMINING MAGISTRATE. Your calling, age and religion?

FeDYA [after a pause] Aren't you ashamed to ask such nonsense? Ask what you want to know, and not such rubbish!

EXAMINING MAGISTRATE. I beg you to be more careful in your expressions, and to answer my questions!

FeDYA. Well, if you're not ashamed of it, here you are: Calling, graduate; age, forty; religion, Orthodox. What next!

EXAMINING MAGISTRATE. Did Mr. Karenin and your wife know that you were alive when you left your clothes on the river bank and disappeared?

FeDYA. Certainly not! I wished really to commit suicide, but afterwards--but there's no need to go into that. The thing is, that they knew nothing about it.

EXAMINING MAGISTRATE. How is it that you gave a different account to the police officer?

FeDYA. What police officer? Oh, when he came to see me at the dosshouse?

I was drunk, and was romancing. I don't remember what I said. All that was rubbish. Now I am not drunk, and am telling the whole truth! They knew nothing. They believed that I was no longer alive, and I was glad of it. And everything would have gone on as it was, but for that rascal, Artemyev! If anyone is guilty, it is I alone.

EXAMINING MAGISTRATE. I understand your wish to be magnanimous, but the law demands the truth. Why was money sent to you?