The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-22

girl. the beloved. this betrothed of the VIC
tim, to administer 1t herself! You tremble,
&c ntlemenY Vol may yon.'
Here Darine stated all tho facts which ac-
cused Lanin laconicaliv, but with crushing
effect. Look" he Econtinucd, after II skill
full pause, "at this man, who dare cast all
his pompous titles into onr faces and won
DER how great the peryersity of man is!
Every one Of these titles brought him an
inGoms,S he himself was not ashamed to
tell US thnt ghe enjoyed an Income of 100000
%roubles. GOde1nade this man, TO be born
rich, happy andpowerful! Society, 80 often
uni ust, increased his wealth aid power!
And yet he had not enough! Not content
with weighing down this poor by tho whole
force of his happiness, the accused .as' de-
vonred by lmmoderate ambition. He him
self ayowed it before us all. He dreamed
OF n colossal fortune; he coveted a power
almost equal 10 royalty. This, dream
appeared to him within reach, and
still fancying himself sure of ~irnrnanity,
binding himself wilfully against MI ths
progress Russia has made of late, this
PROUD man did net even take the ordinary
precautions of vulgar criminals! He
bought q conscience by throwing a few
roubles before him and made his own
house the scene OF the fearful crime. He
committed that murder which is of all the
most cowardly, by poison!
Let no one tell us that up to forty-fye
this mans life has been pure and good,
Which Ct us ever penetrated into the inte-
FLOR or that sumptuous palace, where an
army OF iackeys isolated him from us, COM
mon mortals, in those days when the gold
epaulets of an aide-de-camp made even his
equals in birth and fortune bow down 10
the ground before him? The lives of men
who haUa II~ad fHrnyr,h hate "a
injustice never yet were visible in broad
dayllght-we know of them only what they
are willing to let us see. Who knows bv
what subterranean intrigues he has OBJ
tanned these honors of which he il SO
proud?'
Vladimir bounded at these words. The
gendarme who sat beside him seized him
py me arm. Datine saw it, wiped his face
ana looked at lana. She was rather pale.
Line advocate, more and more troubled,
sought to draw a look of comfort from her
eyes, but she did not notice his efforts and
ne became more and more discouraged.
lana felt Darine's eyes resting on her face
and made a sublime effort to defy his i'm
placable glances. Deep silence reigned in
the vast room. Vladimir was hardly able
to control himself, but he also gathered all
his strength to bear it in silence.
Look at him!' continued Darine. she
aftects Il calmness that is far from real. He
still hopes, not IN the equity of men, but in
the lnterposition of some power that may
secure to him immunity. When I
came to him to warn him that he
was charged with preparing a crime,
ne almost drove me from his house, crying:
4 am the emperor's aide-de-camp, do not
forget that" Now he constantly turns to
the door hoping to see an epaulet enter that
Will tell us to stop these proceedings, and
YET ne KNOWS our sovereign, he has had the
honor or seeing him near by; he ought to
Know that the emperor will never take from
us again these liberties which he has deigned
to grant us! The emperor will not do tt
say more that, he canno do it!'
At these words the president frowned
angrlly. and were heard in many
parts of the audience. Darine felt that he
had gone too far, but he was not easily
checked.
"When ! say his majesty cannot inter-
pose ms all-powerfui will, although he is
the master of our lives and our persons, l
meant 1t moral only, for his majesty is
the first to respect this laws he has given.
But ne has, of course, abandoned his un-
worthy servant, Ihe accused is evidently
only a vulgar criminal and his majesty uas
Withdrawn his protecting hand from him.
Darlne continued to speak a few minutes
loneeri a became more and more rest
less. Counsellor S. was on burning Goals.
Every moment he looked now at the .oor
and now at lana, then again at the princi-
pal usher, and profuse perspiration covered
his face. Darine closed his crushing speech
with these words: 1.-The fatal influence
a wretch who is a thousand times
more to be pitied than he, for he was poor
and unhappy! A criminal and an &C.
complete, a murderer and a poisoner, vile,
mean and cruel, the accused does not de-
serve your pity. l demand the full rigor of
the law against him!"
Darine took his seat amid dead silence.
"The defender of the accused will address
the juryn' ordered the president.
1t was unspeakably sad. Counsellor S.
counte upon an incident that did
not come and on which he had yet based
his defense. The illustrious lawyer, one of
celebrities of the Russian bar, spoke |
little and badly. He plead Innocence. but
seemed to believe it himself. His
voice was feeble and indistinct, his reason
ing weak, his diction even embarrassed.
Darine was radiant. The speech of Mr.. s.
had made some of the jury smile scornfully.
The president asked Vladimir:
Accused, have you anything to add?"
His voice was icy. Even into his heart
The conviction of Lanin's guilt began to
steal.
Vladimir rose and stretching out his
hand toward the cruoiix he said:
by the head of my child, by my honor
md before that cross. l protest | am inno-
cent. I am the victim of an infamous plot
md laccuse the imperial p%rocurator Of be-
ng himself mixed up with that plot.
The president rose, the court and the
ury retired to their respective rooms. Oar
ne also vel out. Then Mr.. S. rushed up
o the countess and said in great excite |
nent:
THAT nabob has deceived us. 1t is time
me what you know"
II cannot do that. | have pledged my
'But he will be condemned; it is c~ertain,
plead in a deplornble manner. You as
ured me- s~olenlnly-"
ALAS. l was convinced! But the case
vas foreseen-"
you will let him be sentenced?"
God will not forsake him.
But Il could not control herself; she
'roke out in tears. Louise turned away.
chief usher at this moment approached
counsellor III handed him a card.
1.-The nabob" exclaimed the latter. "Ah!
Perhaps all is not lost yet.'
lana raised her eyes to heaven. IL could
ot think he would forsake mer'
Mr.. s. was absent ten minutes. When he
anne back to his seat he sat down and
'rote Il few lines, then he beckoned the
hlef usher and babe him carry them to the
resident.
At this moment the doors opened and the
heriff
The court! Gentlemen"
The president entered, followed by his
colleagues. The usher, to whom Mr..
. had given the note for the president, had
een from the face of the great lawyer
hat this paper contained something of
npreme Importance. He therefore said TO
no judge:
From the defense. very urgent and