They said he had strangled one of his guests, a rich Siberian.

Zubov's business in his youth had been to purchase thread from the peasants.

He had failed twice.

Kononov had been tried twenty years ago for arson, and even now he was indicted for the seduction of a minor.

Together with him, for the second time already, on a similar charge, Zakhar Kirillov Robustov had been dragged to court.
Robustov was a stout, short merchant with a round face and cheerful blue eyes.