A Malefactor

In "A Malefactor" by Anton Chekhov, a skinny peasant named Denis Grigoryev stands before an investigating magistrate. He is accused of unscrewing a nut from the railway tracks, endangering train traffic. The magistrate questions Denis, who responds with a sullen and uncooperative attitude. Despite being pressed, Denis maintains that he intended to use the nut as a weight for fishing lines, asserting that he and his fellow villagers have been doing this for years without causing harm. The ma...