“Oh, I’m all right,” said he, “but why did they shoot those poor fellows? The last one was hardly twenty.”

“ Tss , tt ⁠ ⁠… !” said the little man. “Ah, what a sin⁠ ⁠… what a sin!” he added quickly, and as if his words were always waiting ready in his mouth and flew out involuntarily he went on: “How was it, sir, that you stayed in Moscow?”

“I didn’t think they would come so soon. I stayed accidentally,” replied Pierre.

“And how did they arrest you, dear lad? At your house?”

“No, I went to look at the fire, and they arrested me there, and tried me as an incendiary.”

“Where there’s law there’s injustice,” put in the little man.