11  The Brothers Karamazov

Chapter 3

The Medical Experts

and a Pound of Nuts

T

HE evidence of the medical experts, too, was of little

use to the prisoner. And it appeared later that Fetyu-

kovitch had not reckoned much upon it. The medical line

of defence had only been taken up through the insistence

of Katerina Ivanovna, who had sent for a celebrated doctor

from Moscow on purpose. The case for the defence could, of

course, lose nothing by it and might, with luck, gain some-

thing from it. There was, however, an element of comedy

about it, through the difference of opinion of the doctors.

The medical experts were the famous doctor from Moscow,

our doctor, Herzenstube, and the young doctor, Varvinsky.

The two latter appeared also as witnesses for the prosecu-

tion.

The first to be called in the capacity of expert was Doc-

tor Herzenstube. He was a grey and bald old man of seventy,

of middle height and sturdy build. He was much esteemed

and respected by everyone in the town. He was a conscien-

tious doctor and an excellent and pious man, a Hernguter or