e you talking about?"

"The Swedish match! Have you forgotten? I haven't forgotten it!
I'll find out who struck it in the murdered man's room! It was not
struck by Nikolashka, nor by Psyekov, neither of whom turned out
to have matches when searched, but a third person, that is Marya
Ivanovna. And I will prove it! . . . Only let me drive about the
district, make some inquiries. . . ."

"Oh, very well, sit down. . . . Let us proceed to the examination."

Dyukovsky sat down to the table, and thrust his long nose into the
papers.

"Bring in Nikolay Tetchov!" cried the examining magistrate.

Nikolashka was brought in. He was pale and thin as a chip. He was
trembling.

"Tetchov!" began Tchubikov. "In 1879 you were convicted of theft
and condemned to a term of imprisonment. In 1882 you were condemned
for theft a second time, and a second time sent to prison . . . We
know all about it. . . ."

A look of surprise came up into Nikolashka's face. The examining
magistrate's omniscience amazed him, but soon wonder was replaced
by an expression of extreme distress. He broke into sobs, and asked
leave to go to wash, and calm himself. He was led out.

"Bring in Psyekov!" said the examining magistrate.

Psyekov was led in. The young man's face had greatly changed during
those twelve days. He was thin, pale, and wasted. There was a look
of apathy in his eyes.

"Sit down, Psyekov," said Tchubikov. "I hope that to-day you will
be sensible and not persist in lying as on other occasions. All
this time you have denied your participation in the murder of
Klyauzov, in spite of the mass of evidence against you. It is
senseless. Confession is some mitigation of guilt. To-day I am
talking to you for the last time. If you don't confess to-day,
to-morrow it will be too late. Come, tell us. . . ."

"I know nothing, and I don't know your evidence," whispered Psyekov.

"That's useless! Well then, allow me to tell you how it happened.
On Saturday evening, you were sitting in Klyauzov's bedroom drinking
vodka and beer with him." (Dyukovsky riveted his eyes on Psyekov's
face, and did not remove them during the whole monologue.) "Nikolay
was waiting upon you. Between twelve and one Mark Ivanitch told you
he wanted to go to bed. He always did go to bed at that time. While
he was taking off his boots and giving you some instructions regarding
the estate, Nikolay and you at a given signal seized your intoxicated
master and flung him back upon