Book 1 Chapter 57 The Vice-Governors At-Home

The next day Nekhludoff went to see the advocate, and spoke to
him about the Menshoffs' case, begging him to undertake their
defence. The advocate promised to look into the case, and if it
turned out to be as Nekhludoff said he would in all probability
undertake the defence free of charge. Then Nekhludoff told him of
the 130 men who were kept in prison owing to a mistake. "On whom
did it depend? Whose fault was it?"

The advocate was silent for a moment, evidently anxious to give a
correct reply.

"Whose fault is it? No one's," he said, decidedly. "Ask the
Procureur, he'll say it is the Governor's; ask the Governor,
he'll say it is the Procureur's fault. No one is in fault."

"I am just going to see the Vice-Governor. I shall tell him."

"Oh, that's quite useless," said the advocate, with a smile. "He
is such a--he is not a relation or friend of yours?--such a
blockhead, if I may say so, and yet a crafty animal at the same
time."

Nekhludoff remembered what Maslennikoff had said about the
advocate, and did not answer, but took leave and went on to
Maslennikoff's. He had to ask Maslennikoff two things: about
Maslova's removal to the prison hospital, and about the 130
passportless men innocently imprisoned. Though it was very hard
to petition a man whom he did not respect, and by whose orders
men were flogged, yet it was the only means of gaining his end,
and he had to go through with it.