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“There were many sayings regarding the importance of the ground.

It was called the mother, the provider in our wretchedness...”

Come on.

I was reading this!

It’s time.

Maybe I should escape. Just imagine!

People judging people.

“By His Imperial Majesty’s edict...”

Well... You’ve never been a coward.

I haven’t, and I am not. This is different.

You act strange today. Are you feeling well?

I’m just nervous. Just a little nervous. All right.

Yes. Yes.

ZATONSK COURTHOUSE

Piotr Ivanovich, please.

Familiarize yourself with the document.

It lists your rights and duties. Take your time.

Do I have to read it all right here?

Yes. You’ll need to sign it.

Pavel Andrianovich, now you, please.

Thank you.

-Excuse me. Is yours... the same as mine? -I suppose so.

Who are you? What happened to you?

What can I do for you? Today we only hold trials by jury.

Where are you going? Where do you think...

Is that you? What… What do you want?

Come into the office, gentlemen.

-Excuse me... My hat. -You won’t need it.

What do you want?

Why did you close the door? You shouldn’t have.

I need to go out.

-What does this mean? -Nothing.

-Where is the prosecutor? -He hasn’t come yet.

What do you mean, he hasn’t?

You are... Oh my God.

You look exactly like the late Matvey Nikitich.

You do recognize me, then.

You are my hostages, dear members of the jury.

“Detective Shtolman, I, Andrey Kulagin, hereby demand to renew the case

in which I became an innocent victim two years ago.

The jury members, who aren’t impartial in deciding people’s fates,

will remain my hostages until I get the justice in my case.”

You need to find the true murderer of Mayor Matvey Kulagin.

If you try to release the jury by force, they will be killed by me.

Yakov Platonovich.

An unidentified man started shooting at the prosecutor’s office.

One,

two,

three,

four, five.

Ready or not, here I come

ANNA, THE DETECTIVE

-Are you in the army? -Why?

You’re a good shooter. I thought you were...

One can hope to find sound judgment in a military man.

You shouldn’t hope for anyone’s sound judgment.

I hoped in vain that I wouldn’t be accused of my brother’s murder.

THE CONVICT AND THE PROSECUTOR EPISODE 43

I see. So, you decided to act in this way. Well, this seems a little...

A little inhuman.

My two years in prison cry out for vengeance.

I’m sorry.

Now, gentleman with shaking hands, you will tie your colleagues.

-I? -You.

Please do it.

I’m sorry.

Does it hurt?

There is no hurry.

I advise you to pray for the police to listen to me.

You know, I’ve been thinking... Done.

What if they try to free us by force?

-Why by force? We don’t need it. -We don’t.

Nobody is going to try and free us.

-We don’t want it. -We don’t want it.

Yakov Platonovich.

What happened? Nobody tells me anything.

-What are you doing here? -My...

You need to leave.

My uncle is there. In the prosecutor’s chamber. Tell me what happened!

There is an ex-convict in there.

-Oh God. What do we do? -First of all, calm down.

I have just seen a man entering this building.

He was followed by a spirit that looked exactly like him.

We’ll talk about it later.

Can I help you with something?

-Escort Anna Viktorovna to safety. -Yes, sir.

Yakov Platonovich. There were shots... in my chamber.

I was at the ground floor. God saved me... My secretary Skameykin is in there.

It’s Kulagin. Andrey Kulagin. Do you remember that case?

He was charged with murdering his brother two years ago.

Sentenced to 10 years of hard labor.

How many people are there in your chamber? Give me an approximation.

I don’t know.

Now, gentlemen... I don’t want you to think I’m bluffing.

Please look here.

-What is this? -One shot, and...

No need to continue. Fireworks and auto-da-fe.

You are quite eloquent, aren’t you?

Which detective was in charge of your case?

Was it Shtolman?

-Do you know Shtolman? -I have this pleasure.

-What do you think of him? -A decent man and a true professional.

Are you trying to get us all killed?

He didn’t do it on purpose, I assure you.

Kulagin. Detective Shtolman.

Are you alone?

-Yes. -Excellent.

I’ve received your note. Don’t you dare to harm your hostages.

Tell your people to behave themselves. They are upsetting the hostages.

It’s dangerous.

All right.

Nikolay Vasilyevich.

Anna Viktorovna? What are you doing here?

My uncle is in there. As you understand, I can’t leave.

Is your uncle in the prosecutor’s chamber?

Yes. He was doing his jury duty.

God. Now I even feel a little better about it.

Nothing bad can happen with Piotr Ivanovich in there.

He is a smart and subtle man. He will come up with something.

-I don’t feel better at all, though. -We need to keep calm to find a way out.

Mr. Shtolman! Get me out of here. I have a fear of closed spaces.

I could lose my mind! I always keep the door open when I’m alone in a room.

Did you hear? They are quite safe.

I can hear it. Will you let that poor man go?

Mr. Shtolman. He has a bomb. He’ll kill us all!

-What is going on there? -Step away from the door.

Here, take him.

Now put your gun on the floor and come in.

-I’m unarmed. -Take off your overcoat and long-coat.

All right.

-I’m sorry it took me so long. -Couldn’t make up your mind, could you?

You don’t see it every day - a runaway convict demanding justice.

That’s true. I’m an extraordinary case.

What is it you want?

I was charged with the murder of my brother, Mayor Matvey Kulagin.

-Do you say you didn’t kill him? -I didn’t.

My offer is simple.

You release the hostages in exchange for my promise to investigate your case.

This is a businesslike approach.

Didn’t you ask yourself why I had come here?

To the prosecutor’s?

Yes. I’d prefer to have at gunpoint prosecutor Persianov

and detective Izvarin instead of these two unfortunates.

Do you believe those two are responsible for your brother’s death?

Yes.

-He was killed over certain papers. -Did you see them?

I know they existed.

What’s going on?

What is it? Never! Never before has this city...

This is... an outrage!

Nikolay Vasilyevich, this is my charge. An escaped convict.

He is holding jury members as hostages. He was sentenced two years ago.

Name?

His name is Kulagin. The brother.

-Of the mayor? -Yes.

Kulagin.

-The murderous twin. -So, that's what it is. He’s back.

You must trust me. I think you should accept my offer.

What offer? To take the head of the investigation department with me?

In this case, you would have a guarantee against any accidents.

You know I have no choice. I’d take the prosecutor if he were here.

I give you my word I’ll look into your case, but you’ll have to promise me

to do no harm to the prosecutor or any other town resident.

I promise. I’ll release these two only after the carriage starts moving.

It’s a deal.

Take people away from the courthouse. Call off the cordon.

Bring my carriage close to the door. Don’t try to chase us!

Yes, Your High Nobleness.

Front and center!

We’re leaving. Constables, follow us. Pull in.

Annete! Annete! Stay where you are. For God’s sake!

Go!

Did they disobey your order?

-What the hell? I ordered to hold fire. -They could have hit you, too.

-So, you didn’t kill your brother. -I didn’t.

What motive did you have, in their opinion?

Jealousy. I allegedly killed Matvey because I loved his wife.

I did love Vera, but I’m not a murderer.

Stop!

You’re my only hope.

Just remember your promise. Don’t try to threaten the prosecutor.

Go!

Who shoot at us? Who was it, I'm asking you?

I have no idea. Nobody admits they did it.

We need to extract the bullet from the cab.

What did that madman want from you?

I don’t know. He wants to revenge the prosecutor.

For his sentence? Well...

Kulagin never admitted to being guilty.

Do you doubt he is?

We need to find this convict who threatens Mr. Persianov.

How could you let him go?

I take on the responsibility for the prosecutor’s safety.

Don’t take anything on; just find him and arrest him!

Go for it.

Are you still here?

Uncle is still at the prosecutor’s, consoling the secretary.

Yakov Platonovich, you...

I’m so glad it is over.

It has just begun.

A convict escaped from his labor camp and craves erevenge.

It’s a disaster, gentlemen. An escaped convict on the loose!

It’s you he has a grudge against.

Maybe you had differences with the late mayor,

and that’s why his brother is after you now?

We did have our share of differences. But it’s not for a runaway convict

to advance claims to a prosecutor!

-Where would that lead us? -Yes, this is unprecedented.

I need to familiarize myself with the case...

Yakov Platonovich, I hope you aren’t going to re-investigate the case

that has already been on trial.

Let me notice that I don’t have any grounds to reconsider the case, either,

just because the criminal believes he was wronged.

Have you ever seen a convict acknowledging his sentence as fair?

I need to recreate the act of the crime

to understand how the suspect thinks.

Yes, this makes sense.

When I was questioning widow Kulagina.

I had a feeling she was afraid of her brother-in-law.

I can only say that I’ll do anything to secure your life.

I trust you with it completely.

I saw the late Kulagin only once, at a reception.

They say he was an unrelenting, even harsh man.

His brother also has impressed me greatly.

-Have you met him? -Today. I had that pleasure.

What do you mean?

When you had gone to work, I received a letter from court.

Did you... What did it say?

Nothing special. Shtolman is a hero and all that.

But you left together! Did you go there, too?

No, no. I was waiting for Uncle in the park.

They told me there had been only court members there.

Why scare people?

Uncle was very cool-headed and helped the police a lot.

Also, I have realized that a jury does not hold monopoly on truth.

Several men got convinced that a brother killed a brother.

Well, it’s hard to tell now.

Viktor, you know the prosecutor, don’t you?

What kind of person is he?

Why do you want to know?

No reason. I’m just curious.

Of course. I had a chance to deal with him in my line of work.

Was it with his help that you sent me to jury duty?

We send you to the jury, and you manage to land in the soup even there!

Say it’s my fault. Come on, say it.

-What can I do for you? -Is Vera Kulagina at home?

How may I introduce you?

Detective Shtolman. May I come in?

Yes, of course.

Excuse me, who are you?

I’m the Kulagins’ manager.

How long have you been here?

Two years, I believe.

Were you here when Vera Aristarkhovna’s husband was murdered?

No, I came later.

Please come into the parlor. I’ll tell madam.

Annete, I don’t know how to tell you this,

but we need to sort this out.

-We have to. I promised. -To Shtolman?

To Kulagin.

What? Uncle, you never cease to surprise me.

One would think you should want to forget all about this nightmare.

What if the man wants to get justice?

What if he really is innocent?

Kulagin’s brother’s spirit followed him to the courthouse.

So... Do they really look alike?

You know, I felt something. I felt it at once.

And then, too. I didn’t know how to explain it. But it was there. Yes.

Yes, yes.

He is here now, too.

Your brother wants to find your killer. Help him.

-Let Vera help him. -Which Vera do you mean?

Do you want more victims and broken lives?

Do you care to explain why you didn’t go to the police right away?

I needed to make sure some important papers weren’t missing from the house.

So, after you had found your brother’s body,

you were calm enough to look through his papers.

What papers were these?

It’s personal.

Your Nobleness. Here.

Whose cane is this?

Mine.

You brought a can with a blade with you on a visit?

I always have it with me.

But the blade is smeared with blood.

You’re under arrest, Mr. Kulagin.

What did he say about Vera?

Anna, you need to meet with...

-Who? Kulagin? -I think I know who this Vera is.

Are you from the police?

Yakov Platonovich Shtolman, detective.

What can I do for you?

I want to know the circumstances around your husband’s death.

I have told the police everything I knew.

Could you please tell me again in more detail?

I have told everything to another detective back then.

Tell me again, please.

I was out at that time. When I came back,

Matvey was lying on the floor. He was dead.

Where was Andrey at that time?

Sitting in the corner. He wasn’t himself at that moment.

-What was he doing? -Nothing.

-Did he tell you anything? -No.

Weren’t you scared that he would kill you, too?

Me?

If he had killed his own brother, he could get rid of you as a witness.

No. It didn’t occur to me.

It’s said in the file that the murder weapon was a cane with a blade,

which was found in the hall. Did you see it when you entered the house?

No. I wasn’t paying attention.

You don’t ask me why I’m here with all these questions now.

I believe you’ll tell me if you find it necessary.

Tell me about the relationship between the brothers.

They never quarreled, if that’s what you mean.

Sometimes they were close, sometimes not.

Are you the only beneficiary?

Yes. It’s because Andrey was condemned.

-Did you and Andrey Kulagin... -Yes.

Why do you ask? You’ve read the case.

Andrey Kulagin escaped from prison a few days ago.

Today he tried to take prosecutor Persianov hostage.

Did you believe that Andrey could kill his own brother?

Why wouldn’t I?

After such things one can lose faith in God, forget the people.

Somehow I think you weren’t surprised by my visit.

You knew Andrey was in town.

You are right about one thing: not many things are still able to surprise me.

-Did you know he had escaped? -No.

Goodbye.

Hello.

To tell you the truth, I expected you to come.

-Did your uncle ask you to help Kulagin? -No. His brother’s spirit talked to me.

What did he tell you? What brings you here?

He said only Vera could help his brother. And he didn’t mean it in a kind way.

Maybe he didn’t mean her name but it’s meaning, “faith”?

It would be a strange coincidence, you’d have to agree.

It would be. You should try to talk to her.

Maybe you’ll succeed.

She refused to talk to me. I’ll wait here, if you don’t mind.

Listen, I have just been talking to the detective.

Yes, but...

What gives you the right to ask me questions?

Please leave my house.

Can’t you hear me?

-What? -Please go away.

I’m sorry.

-She told me to go away. -That’s what I expected.

But you knew she’d not be the only person I’d see there.

-No. Did you see someone else? -I saw then both.

While Matvey was lying there, Andrey was rummaging in the drawers.

Vera didn’t tell me that. But Andrey did mention some papers.

Also, I had a vision.

On that day, Matvey saw a man on the roof on his way home.

On this one.

Interesting. So, Matvey saw a man on the roof that night.

How can you tell one brother from the other?

They are twins.

I probably wouldn’t in real life. With spirits, it’s easier.

You and your spirits. Come on, I'll give you a ride.

Didn’t she seem strange to you?

Do you think Kulagin could have killed his brother because of her?

I don’t know. At least, it’s quoted as a motive in the case.

Some women are able to provoke men to go to wars.

Like Ms. Nizhinskaya?

Stop the carriage.

Where are you going? I’ll drive you home.

Don’t bother. You’re going the other way.

What makes you think so?

The hotel where Nizhinskaya is staying is that way.

You look at me as if I came back from the dead.

How? How am I supposed to look at you?

Are you scared of me, Vera?

And you? Aren’t you scared?

Don’t you think I can lose my mind looking at you?

Why?

I... I dream of Matvey every night.

Every night I pray for him to leave me alone.

How about me?

I thought you were praying for me, and that was why I survived.

Why? Why did you come?

I want to prove I didn’t kill him.

Go away.

Where did Matvey keep his valuables? The papers should be there.

There are no more papers.

Vera.

-Vera. -Andrey.

Don’t. Don’t.

Don’t.

Easy! Easy.

Well?

It’s an open-and-shut case.

Witnesses, evidence – everything points out to the brother.

Do you think he’s guilty?

It’s hard to tell.

But if Kulagin demands justice, having escaped from jail,

it must mean he was trapped.

These are emotions, Anton Andreyevich. You should be guided by facts.

You’ve read the file; you know the circumstances.

Have you noticed anything odd?

Any discrepancies?

I don’t think so. Everything makes sense.

-The murder weapon? -A blade inside the cane.

Which belonged to Andrey Kulagin. Did they find it?

In the... in the antechamber.

Where a cane should be. There was blood on the blade, right?

Yes.

Tell me, why would Kulagin go to the antechamber after the murder,

leave the cane there, and go back to the parlor?

He might have forgotten something. Or he wanted to confuse the investigators.

Good. But here’s the forensic report by our doctor.

“The size and nature of the wound roughly correspond to the shape of the blade.”

Yes.

“Roughly correspond.” Have you ever heard the doctor say anything like this?

No, never. He is always very precise in his conclusions.

Exactly. Moreover, according to the report,

the coroner had never been at the crime scene.

This is really strange.

It is.

A murder of the town mayor! The coroner should have been there.

Yes. It must mean something, but... I don’t know what it is.

I don’t know, but it gives you a reason to get into this case.

Yes.

What do you know about Detective Izvarin?

He was still with the police when you came to work here, right?

Yes. I don’t know much, though. I only know what everybody else does.

He married the daughter of the prosecutor Persianov.

Later, when you were already here, he left to work for his father-in-law.

Go to Izvarin and ask him what he thinks about these manipulations with the blade

and why he didn’t call a coroner to the crime scene.

Will do.

-Hey, friend! Are you the caretaker? -Yes, sir.

-How can I get onto that roof? -Why would you want to go there?

Out of curiosity. I’m a police detective. So, how can I get there?

Only through Mr. Solovyov’s apartment. He’s the tax inspector.

The whole upper floor is his. There is the exit to the roof.

How often does Mr. Solovyev climb out on his roof?

God gracious. Why would he? He’s a decent gentleman.

Then tell me... You must remember who was sitting on the roof two years ago

on the night when the mayor was killed.

I don’t know what you’re talking about, Your Honor.

You’re lying. I can see it in your eyes. Whom are you trying to protect?

The killer or a thief?

What are you saying? What killer?

Whom are you covering for? I’ll send you to prison for complicity.

I didn’t do anything. I don’t know any killers.

It’s really nothing. Please don’t destroy me, Your Nobleness.

Come on, tell me.

Hello, Leonid Alekseyevich. I’m Anton Andreyevich Korobeynikov,

deputy head of the investigation department.

What can I do for you?

I need your help to clarify some questions, if I can put it this way.

Get to the point, young man.

Do me a favor, help me with some details in the Kulagin case.

It’s all in the file. You do have it, don’t you?

Yes, sir, we do.

But there are some details that need clarification.

An escaped convict is on the loose, and you’re clarifying details!

The thing is, the report says that the coroner

hadn’t been to the crime scene.

Can I ask why?

I sent a messenger for him, but he came back alone.

I believe he wasn’t at the hospital or at home. I don’t remember.

Thank you for the answer. One more question, if you don’t mind.

Mr. Shtolman finds it strange that the murderer took his weapon out

to the antechamber and then returned to the body.

There’s no explanation in the case. Maybe you could help.

What does it matter?

Blood was found on the blade inside the cane.

Who cares why he took it there?

You’re right. Who found the cane?

I did.

I see. How did you find out about the blade?

Did you know it was there?

I knew such canes sometimes have one.

Now, if you’ll excuse me. I have things to do.

Yes.

I hope Mr. Stolman will finally get to looking for the escaped convict.

Of course. I won’t hold you any longer. Thank you.

Mr. Filiurin?

-Yes. And you are? -Police Detective Shtolman.

-How can I help you? -I have questions for you.

For me? What can the police want from me?

We know about your relationship with Mrs. Solovyova.

What? My dear sir!

Calm down. I’m not interested in your affair with a married woman.

Tell me what you saw two years ago on the night you had spent on the roof.

What kind of nonsense is this?

On that night, the husband came home unexpectedly.

You had to retreat to the roof.

In the morning, the caretaker brought you a ladder.

He’s lying.

Why would he lie?

Either you tell me everything, or I’ll have to go to Mr. Solovyov.

Is this how the police is acting these days?

You had a perfect view of the Kulagin’s house from that roof.

I want to know who came in or out that night.

I’m listening.

Innocent people might be hurt. I’ll keep violating your eternal rest

until you help me find your real murderer.

Save Vera. Save her!

What danger is she in?

Save her.

THE CONVICT AND THE PROSECUTOR