Chapter XIX: Petitioning and Chapter XX: Olga's Plans Summary

Though it seemed too late to be any good, her father finally arose out of his inaction and decided to start petitioning the Castle to try to get the judgment against them overturned and, thereby, restore their good reputation. He met with little success, however. It was difficult to get into the Castle at all and, even when he did, they would usually just send him right back out. His only hope was to bribe the officials, a practice which was tolerated, but really had no positive outcome for the briber. There really was little hope for their cause anyone, for the Castle had never issued any kind of formal judgment on the matter. They could not pardon him for a crime for which he had (in their eyes...