Free eBooks at Planet eBook.com 111 er. Everyone noticed with pleasure, moreover, that he, after
so short a stay, not more than three days, perhaps, among
us, had so wonderfully succeeded in mastering the case and
‘had studied it to a nicety.’ People described with relish, af-
terwards, how cleverly he had ‘taken down’ all the witnesses
for the prosecution, and as far as possible perplexed them
and, what’s more, had aspersed their reputation and so de-
preciated the value of their evidence. But it was supposed
that he did this rather by way of sport, so to speak, for pro-
fessional glory, to show nothing had been omitted of the
accepted methods, for all were convinced that he could do
no real good by such disparagement of the witnesses, and
probably was more aware of this than anyone, having some
idea of his own in the background, some concealed weapon
of defence, which he would suddenly reveal when the time
came. But meanwhile, conscious of his strength, he seemed
to be diverting himself.
So, for instance, when Grigory, Fyodor Pavlovitch’s old
servant, who had given the most damning piece of evidence
about the open door, was examined, the counsel for the de-
fence positively fastened upon him when his turn came to
question him. It must be noted that Grigory entered the trial
with a composed and almost stately air, not the least dis-
concerted by the majesty of the court or the vast audience
listening to him. He gave evidence with as much confidence
as though he had been talking with his Marfa, only perhaps
more respectfully. It was impossible to make him contra-
dict himself. The prosecutor questioned him first in detail
about the family life of the Karamazovs. The family pic-