The Wish That Stood Trial
Prosecution witnesses go first, and the case looks hopeless until Fetyukovitch bruises the messengers: Grigory falters on the open door, Rakitin is exposed for twenty-five roubles, Snegiryov kneels drunk for dying Ilusha. Witness after witness leaves stained, yet the gallery still believes the narrative is intact.
Key Insight
The town already knows which sinner to convict. Even when witnesses crumble, the wish-and-blood story stays simpler than a quiet kitchen. Vicarious guilt survives cross-examination because it was named first.
