“Where am I?” she asked.
“Olga Nikolaevna!” I began, “do you know me?”
During several seconds Olga looked at me and then closed her eyes.
“Yes!” she groaned. “Yes!”
“I am Zinov'ev, the examining magistrate. I had the honour of being
acquainted with you, and if you remember, I was best man at your
wedding. . . .”
“Is it thou?” Olga whispered, stretching out her left arm. “Sit
down. . . .”
“She is delirious!” Screw sighed.
“I am Zinov'ev, the magistrate,” I continued. “If you remember, I was
at the shooting party. How do you feel?”
“Ask essential questions!” the district doctor whispered to me. “I
cannot answer for the consciousness being lasting. . . .”
“I beg you not to teach me!” I said in an offended tone. “I know what
I have to say. . . . Olga Nikolaevna,” I continued, turning to her, “I
beg you to remember the events of the past day. I will help you. . . .
At one o'clock you mounted your horse and rode out with a large party
to a shoot. . . . The shoot lasted for about four hours. . . . Then
there was a halt on a clearing in the forest. . . . Do you remember?”
“And thou . . . and thou didst . . . kill . . .”
“The woodcock? After I had killed the wounded woodcock you frowned and
went away from the rest of the party. . . . You went into the
forest. . . .* Now try to collect all your strength and to exert your
memory. During your walk in the wood you were assaulted by a person
unknown to us. I ask you, as the examining magistrate, who was it?”
* This avoidance of questions of the first importance could only
have had one object, to gain time and to await a loss of
consciousness, when Olga would be unable to name the murderer. It
is a characteristic process and it is astonishing that the doctors
did not set the right value on it.—A. Ch.
Olga opened her eyes and looked at me.
“Tell us the name of that man! There are three other persons in the
room besides me. . . .”
Olga shook her head negatively.
“You must name him,” I continued. “He will suffer a severe punishment.
The law will make him pay dearly for his brutality! He will be sent to
penal servitude.* . . . I am waiting.”
* At the first glance all this appears naîve. It is evident
Kamyshev wanted to make Olga understand what serious consequences
her declaration would have for the murderer. If the murderer was
dear to her, _ergo_—she must remain silent.—A. Ch.
Olga smiled and shook her head negatively. The further examination
produced no results. I was not able to obtain another word from Olga,
not a single movement. At a quarter to five she passed away.