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not be classified together): “physical defect of the husband or of the
wife, adultery of the husband or of the wife.” As by now all his fingers
were used up, he uncrooked all his fingers and went on: “This is the
theoretical view; but I imagine you have done me the honor to apply to
me in order to learn its application in practice. And therefore, guided
by precedents, I must inform you that in practice cases of divorce may
all be reduced to the following— there’s no physical defect, I may
assume, nor desertion?...”
Alexey Alexandrovitch bowed his head in assent.
“—May be reduced to the following: adultery of one of the married
parties, and the detection in the fact of the guilty party by mutual
agreement, and failing such agreement, accidental detection. It must
be admitted that the latter case is rarely met with in practice,” said the
lawyer, and stealing a glance at Alexey Alexandrovitch he paused, as a
man selling pistols, after enlarging on the advantages of each weapon,
might await his customer’s choice. But Alexey Alexandrovitch said
nothing, and therefore the lawyer went on: “The most usual and simple,
the sensible course, I consider, is adultery by mutual consent. I should
not permit myself to express it so, speaking with a man of no educa-
tion,” he said, “but I imagine that to you this is comprehensible.”
Alexey Alexandrovitch was, however, so perturbed that he did not
immediately comprehend all the good sense of adultery by mutual
consent, and his eyes expressed this uncertainty; but the lawyer
promptly came to his assistance.
“People cannot go on living together—here you have a fact. And if
both are agreed about it, the details and formalities become a matter of
no importance. And at the same time this is the simplest and most
certain method.”
Alexey Alexandrovitch fully understood now. But he had religious
scruples, which hindered the execution of such a plan.
“That is out of the question in the present case,” he said. “Only
one alternative is possible: undesigned detection, supported by letters
which I have.”
At the mention of letters the lawyer pursed up his lips, and gave
utterance to a thin little compassionate and contemptuous sound.
“Kindly consider,” he began, “cases of that kind are, as you are
aware, under ecclesiastical jurisdiction; the reverend fathers are fond
of going into the minutest details in cases of that kind,” he said with a
smile, which betrayed his sympathy with the reverend fathers’ taste.
“Letters may, of course, be a partial confirmation; but detection in the
fact there must be of the most direct kind, that is, by eyewitnesses. In
fact, if you do me the honor to intrust your confidence to me, you will do
well to leave me the choice of the measures to be employed. If one
wants the result, one must admit the means.”
“If it is so...” Alexey Alexandrovitch began, suddenly turning white;
but at that moment the lawyer rose and again went to the door to speak
to the intruding clerk.
“Tell her we don’t haggle over fees!” he said, and returned to Alexey
Alexandrovitch.
On his way back he caught unobserved another moth. “Nice state
my rep curtains will be in by the summer!” he thought, frowning.
“And so you were saying?...” he said.
“I will communicate my decision to you by letter,” said Alexey
Alexandrovitch, getting up, and he clutched at the table. After stand-
ing a moment in silence, he said: “From your words I may consequently
conclude that a divorce may be obtained? I would ask you to let me
know what are your terms.”
“It may be obtained if you give me complete liberty of action,” said