When the reading of the report of the external examination was
ended, the president heaved a sigh and raised his hand, hoping it
was finished; but the secretary at once went on to the
description of the internal examination. The president's head
again dropped into his hand and he shut his eyes. The merchant
next to Nekhludoff could hardly keep awake, and now and then his
body swayed to and fro. The prisoners and the gendarmes sat
perfectly quiet.
The internal examination showed that: "1. The skin was easily detachable from the bones of the skull,
and there was no coagulated blood.
"2. The bones of the skull were of average thickness and in sound
condition.
"3. On the membrane of the brain there were two discoloured
spots about four inches long, the membrane itself being of a dull
white." And so on for 13 paragraphs more. Then followed the names
and signatures of the assistants, and the doctor's conclusion
showing that the changes observed in the stomach, and to a lesser
degree in the bowels and kidneys, at the postmortem examination,
and described in the official report, gave great probability to
the conclusion that Smelkoff's death was caused by poison which
had entered his stomach mixed with alcohol. To decide from the
state of the stomach what poison had been introduced was
difficult; but it was necessary to suppose that the poison
entered the stomach mixed with alcohol, since a great quantity of
the latter was found in Smelkoff's stomach.
"He could drink, and no mistake," again whispered the merchant,
who had just waked up.
The reading of this report had taken a full hour, but it had not
satisfied the public prosecutor, for, when it had been read
through and the president turned to him, saying, "I suppose it is
superfluous to read the report of the examination of the internal
organs?" he answered in a severe tone, without looking at the
president, "I shall ask to have it read."
He raised himself a little, and showed by his manner that he had
a right to have this report read, and would claim this right, and
that if that were not granted it would serve as a cause of
appeal.
The member of the Court with the big beard, who suffered from
catarrh of the stomach, feeling quite done up, turned to the
president: "What is the use of reading all this? It is only dragging it out.
These new brooms do not sweep clean; they only take a long while
doing it."
The member with the gold spectacles said nothing, but only looked
gloomily in front of him, expecting nothing good, either from his
wife or life in general. The reading of the report commenced.
"In the year 188-, on February 15th, I, the undersigned,
commissioned by the medical department, made an examination, No.
638," the secretary began again with firmness and raising the
pitch of his voice as if to dispel the sleepiness that had
overtaken all present, "in the presence of the assistant medical
inspector, of the internal organs: "1. The right lung and the heart (contained in a 6-lb. glass
jar).