Brothers Karamazov Book XII Chapter XIV

In which a fervent orator moves the courtroom to tears and cheers before a lone dissenting voice challenges the romanticised defence with sober reflections on justice and faith, stirring unease amongst the spectators. The accused then speaks softly of innocence and repentance, and all wait in hushed expectation for the jury’s verdict, which arrives swiftly and shakes the assembly profoundly, altering the fates and feelings of all present.