the district to
find out."

"That's enough! Sit down. Let us go on with the examination."

Dukovski sat down at a little table, and plunged his long nose in a
bundle of papers.

"Bring in Nicholas Tetekhoff!" cried the examining magistrate.

They brought Nicholas in. Nicholas was pale and thin as a rail. He was
trembling.

"Tetekhoff!" began Chubikoff. "In 1879 you were tried in the Court of
the First Division, convicted of theft, and sentenced to imprisonment.
In 1882 you were tried a second time for theft, and were again
imprisoned. We know all--"

Astonishment was depicted on Nicholas's face. The examining magistrate's
omniscience startled him. But soon his expression of astonishment
changed to extreme indignation. He began to cry and requested
permission to go and wash his face and quiet down. They led him away.

"Bring in Psyekoff!" ordered the examining magistrate.

They brought in Psyekoff. The young man had changed greatly during the
last few days. He had grown thin and pale, and looked haggard. His eyes
had an apathetic expression.

"Sit down, Psyekoff," said Chubikoff. "I hope that to-day you are going
to be reasonable, and will not tell lies, as you did before. All these
days you have denied that you had anything to do with the murder of
Klausoff, in spite of all the proofs that testify against you. That is
foolish. Confession will lighten your guilt. This is the last time I am
going to talk to you. If you do not confess to-day, to-morrow it will be
too late. Come, tell me all--"

"I know nothing about it. I know nothing about your proofs," answered
Psyekoff, almost inaudibly.

"It's no use! Well, let me relate to you how the matter took place. On
Saturday evening you were sitting in Klausoff's sleeping room, and
drinking vodka and beer with him." (Dukovski fixed his eyes on
Psyekoff's face, and kept them there all through the examination.)
"Nicholas was waiting on you. At one o'clock, Marcus Ivanovitch
announced his intention of going to bed. He always went to bed at one
o'clock. When he was taking off his boots, and was giving you directions
about details of management, you and Nicholas, at a given signal,
seized your drunken master and threw him on the bed. One of you sat on
his legs, the other on his head. Then a third person came in from the
passage--a woman in a black dress, whom you know well, and who had
previously arranged with you as to her share in your criminal deed. She
seized a p