to himself that that question had strayed into his mind and found
utterance simply through the effect of the stillness, the boredom,
the whirring ventilator wheels.

When they had got rid of the doctor the court rose to examine the
"material evidences." The first thing examined was the full-skirted
coat, upon the sleeve of which there was a dark brownish stain of
blood. Harlamov on being questioned as to the origin of the stain
stated:

"Three days before my old woman's death Penkov bled his horse. I
was there; I was helping to be sure, and . . . and got smeared with
it. . . ."

"But Penkov has just given evidence that he does not remember that
you were present at the bleeding. . . ."

"I can't tell about that."

"Sit down."

They proceeded to examine the axe with which the old woman had been
murdered.

"That's not my axe," the prisoner declared.

"Whose is it, then?"

"I can't tell . . . I hadn't an axe. . . ."