The accused answered only with a determined shake of the head, but for the rest maintained an attitude of tolerant understanding. "I can understand, of course, that the notary finds it difficult," he said. "I have myself learned to love justice, which is the foundation of all society--the one thing in which all must trust. And I can understand that it seems hard to judge. You do not wish to condemn an innocent man, or, on the other hand, to let the guilty escape." While he was speaking he noticed that the judge made a gesture with his hand once or twice as if to interrupt, but he took no heed. A man who has spent twenty years in prison has gained a certain amount of experience in the time, and may have various things to say which might be useful to a notary acting, perhaps for the first time, as judge. He was allowed to finish what he had to say. Then the judge went on, entirely unmoved. "You find it very difficult to give clear and distinct answers to questions put. And I have therefore written down these three points which you have to answer." He took up a paper, and held it toward the accused, reading out the contents at the same time: "'Do you, Julius Martin Lamprecht, confess to having murdered Jonas Mikaelson with an axe on the night following the twelfth of February 1909? "'Do you, Julius Martin Lamprecht, confess to having murdered Brita Gustava, wife of the aforesaid Jonas Mikaelson, with an axe on the night following the twelfth of February 1909? "'Do you, Julius Martin Lamprecht, confess to having been aware that the two persons aforesaid possessed a bank book showing a deposit of two hundred _kronor_, and to having committed the murder in order to gain possession of the same?'" The notary laid the paper on the table. "You can think it over," he said. "You know that there is no prospect of your being acquitted, but a confession given of your own free will may lead to a mitigation of the sentence. Here is the paper; I will have pen and ink brought in." The accused was by no means pleased at the manner in which his mode of expressing himself had been criticized; he was indeed altogether out of humour now. He stared blankly before him. "You heard what I said?" the notary went on. "You understand that there are three questions here for you to answer, with your signature?" The accused drew a deep breath. He was annoyed, and made no attempt to hide it. He spat on the paper and going back to his bench, lay down and closed his eyes. "I will have a new copy of the paper brought in at once," said the judge as calmly as before. "You have an hour. I shall wait in the building that time for your answer. You are too fond of delay and prevarication; I intend to show you that the time for such evasions is now past." The accused answered only with an oath. A moment after, he heard the door open, and imagined that the visitors had left. He did not trouble himself to open his eyes and look.