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such as the Russian serfs are accustomed to use. Long hair
and a long beard encircled his face, which wore a mild and
resigned expression. His age must have been about forty.
Silently he advanced to the table and gave me greeting.
“‘The Court has confided your case to me,’ I said, turning
to him. He laid his right hand on his breast and bowed.
‘Are you willing that I shall represent you before the Court?’
He again bowed, shaking his head in dissent. ‘Why do you
not wish me to take up your cause?’ The sectary pointed to
the saint’s picture in the corner of the room. ‘You entrust
your cause to Providence?’ I asked. He nodded his head in
affirmation. ‘Yes, but you cannot deny that the intervention
of an experienced advocate can present your case in the most
favourable light and do much to bring about your release?’
He smiled in an unconvinced manner and shrugged his
shoulders. ‘Do not forget that by obstinately keeping silence,
and refusing to give your name, you render yourself liable to
be treated as a vagabond, and run a great risk of being
banished to the furthest parts of the empire.’ He made a
gesture to show that it was of no concern to him, and remained
mute. ‘Will you not speak? Ah well—perhaps you will
consent to answer my questions in writing? I am not your
judge, you know, but your advocate whom you can hardly
regard as an enemy.’ The sectary continued to gaze at me
with the same look of mildness and resignation without
opening his mouth. I found it useless to try to persuade
him. ‘Do as you please,’ I said, ‘but, believe me, I have no
other interest in meddling with your affairs than my simple
desire to help you.’ He crossed his arms over his breast and
bowed low.
“‘Well, what do you think of him?’ asked the warder, as
he fetched me from the prisoner. ‘The man has made a deep
impression on me. He must have lost his senses.’ ‘I beg
your pardon, he is simply a confirmed fanatic. There are
many such in these parts. His behaviour in prison is
blameless; he obeys all the rules, works diligently, never refuses to
lend a hand to his comrades. He is thoroughly sober and
religious; you can’t pick a hole in him at all. There is only one
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