There were two vacancies on the Supreme Court Monday morning, but David Souter's was not among them.

Justice Souter, fresh from making news last Friday with news of his pending retirement, showed up as usual for the Monday morning release of opinions. The inner cadre of Supreme Court reporters was there, as well; eight or so reporters observing closely as Souter and six other justices took their seats precisely at 10 a.m.

Six?

The seat to Souter's physical and ideological right, held by Justice Antoni Scalia, was vacant. So was the seat at the far end of the array, held by by the new guy, Justice Samuel Alito. Not that their presence was really needed, as the court's brief session was simply used to announce four more-or-less routine decisions and usher in a new batch of attorneys to the Supreme Court bar.

It would be nice to be able to report that Justice Souter, newly unburdened, kicked up his heels a bit; Suits & Sentences was hoping for a Hawaiian shirt, perhaps. But, no. The retiring justice looked a tad swallowed up by the high-backed chair; he is not a large man. He sat silently during the reading of decision summaries and then exited.