t, which the latter readily
promised.

On the appointed morning the peasant's vehicle appeared in front of
Panna's hut at a very early hour. It was not yet five o'clock, and
dense darkness obscured the village and the neighbourhood. But Panna
already stood at her door, and was seated in the carriage almost before
it had stopped. She wore a black dress, a dark shawl covered her
shoulders, at her throat was her old silver crucifix, which had again
come into her possession after her mother-in-law's death, and on her
head was a black silk kerchief, which set off her beautiful face so
marvellously that one might have supposed she had studied the effect,
had not this grave, strong woman been so wholly incapable of any act of
coquetry. She was pale and thoughtful, and during the whole way did
not address a single word to the gardener, who sat beside her,
occasionally glancing at her with admiring approval, only one could see
that the deep gloom which during the past few weeks had constantly
shadowed her features had disappeared.

In fact, she was calm, almost content. The satisfaction due her had
been delayed a strangely long time, but at last it would be hers;
to-day she, too, was to learn that the hand of justice could stroke her
with maternal kindness, after having hitherto, during her whole life,
experienced only its power to deal blows.

The road which, in the autumn, had been thoroughly soaked, had recently
been frozen hard by the early frosts, and they made such rapid progress
that, after a ride of barely five hours, the vehicle reached the city
and stopped in front of the town hall.

The beginning of the examination had been fixed at ten o'clock, but it
was fully eleven before it commenced. The room in which it took place
presented no imposing appearance. It was an apartment, or if one
chooses to call it so, a hall of ordinary size, with four windows; in
the centre was a wooden railing which divided it into two nearly equal
parts; inside was the usual apparatus of justice, a green-covered table
with writing materials and a black crucifix, between two candlesticks,
placed on a platform for the court-room; at the right, also on the
platform, a small table for the prosecuting attorney; below, a wooden
bench for the defendant, two police officers, and a little table for
the lawyer for the defence. Outside the railing stood a few wooden
benches, which afforded room for about forty persons.

When Panna entered