01-the forged coupon-第13章

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life；　his　father；　his　mother；　the　village；　the　dog
〃Wolf；〃　the　old　grandfather　lying　on　the　stove；
the　bench　on　which　the　children　used　to　play；　then
the　girls　in　the　village　with　their　songs；　his　horses
and　how　they　had　been　stolen；　and　how　the　thief
was　caught　and　how　he　killed　him　with　a　stone。　
He　recollected　also　the　first　prison　he　was　in　and
his　leaving　it；　and　the　fat　innkeeper；　the　carter's
wife　and　the　children。　　Then　again　SHE　came　to
his　mind　and　again　he　was　terrified。　　Throwing
his　prison　overcoat　off　his　shoulders；　he　jumped
out　of　bed；　and；　like　a　wild　animal　in　a　cage；　be…
gan　pacing　up　and　down　his　tiny　cell；　hastily　turn…
ing　round　when　he　had　reached　the　damp　walls。　
Once　more　he　tried　to　pray；　but　it　was　of　no　use
now。

The　autumn　came　with　its　long　nights。　　One
evening　when　the　wind　whistled　and　howled　in　the
pipes；　Stepan；　after　he　had　paced　up　and　down　his
cell　for　a　long　time；　sat　down　on　his　bed。　　He　felt
he　could　not　struggle　any　more；　the　black　demons
had　overpowered　him；　and　he　had　to　submit。　　For
some　time　he　had　been　looking　at　the　funnel　of　the
oven。　　If　he　could　fix　on　the　knob　of　its　lid　a　loop
made　of　thin　shreds　of　narrow　linen　straps　it
would　hold。　。　。　。　　But　he　would　have　to　man…
age　it　very　cleverly。　　He　　set　to　work；　and　spent
two　days　in　making　straps　out　of　the　linen　bag　on
which　he　slept。　　When　the　guard　came　into　the
cell　he　covered　the　bed　with　his　overcoat。　　He
tied　the　straps　with　big　knots　and　made　them
double；　in　order　that　they　might　be　strong　enough
to　hold　his　weight。　　During　these　preparations　he
was　free　from　tormenting　visions。　　When　the
straps　were　ready　he　made　a　slip…knot　out　of　them；
and　put　it　round　his　neck；　stood　up　in　his　bed；　and
hanged　himself。　　But　at　the　very　moment　that　his
tongue　began　to　protrude　the　straps　got　loose；　and
he　fell　down。　　The　guard　rushed　in　at　the　noise。　
The　doctor　was　called　in；　Stepan　was　brought　to
the　infirmary。　　The　next　day　he　recovered；　and
was　removed　from　the　infirmary；　no　more　to　soli…
tary　confinement；　but　to　share　the　common　cell
with　other　prisoners。

In　the　common　cell　he　lived　in　the　company　of
twenty　men；　but　felt　as　if　he　were　quite　alone。　
He　did　not　notice　the　presence　of　the　rest；　did　not
speak　to　anybody；　and　was　tormented　by　the　old
agony。　　He　felt　it　most　of　all　when　the　men　were
sleeping　and　he　alone　could　not　get　one　moment
of　sleep。　　Continually　he　saw　HER　before　his　eyes；
heard　her　voice；　and　then　again　the　black　devils
with　their　horrible　eyes　came　and　tortured　him　in
the　usual　way。

He　again　tried　to　say　his　prayers；　but；　just　as
before；　it　did　not　help　him。　　One　day　when；　after
his　prayers；　she　was　again　before　his　eyes；　he　be…
gan　to　implore　her　dear　soul　to　forgive　him　his　sin；
and　release　him。　　Towards　morning；　when　he　fell
down　quite　exhausted　on　his　crushed　linen　bag；　he
fell　asleep　at　once；　and　in　his　dream　she　came　to
him　with　her　thin；　wrinkled；　and　severed　neck。　
〃Will　you　forgive　me？〃　he　asked。　　She　looked
at　him　with　her　mild　eyes　and　did　not　answer。　
〃Will　you　forgive　me？〃　　And　so　he　asked　her
three　times。　　But　she　did　not　say　a　word；　and　he
awoke。　　From　that　time　onwards　he　suffered　less；
and　seemed　to　come　to　his　senses；　looked　around
him；　and　began　for　the　first　time　to　talk　to　the
other　men　in　the　cell。



III

STEPAN'S　cell　was　shared　among　others　by　the
former　yard…porter；　Vassily；　who　had　been　sen…
tenced　to　deportation　for　robbery；　and　by　Chouev；
sentenced　also　to　deportation。　　Vassily　sang　songs
the　whole　day　long　with　his　fine　voice；　or　told　his
adventures　to　the　other　men　in　the　cell。　　Chouev
was　working　at　something　all　day；　mending　his
clothes；　or　reading　the　Gospel　and　the　Psalter。

Stepan　asked　him　why　he　was　put　into　prison；
and　Chouev　answered　that　he　was　being　perse…
cuted　because　of　his　true　Christian　faith　by　the
priests；　who　were　all　of　them　hypocrites　and　hated
those　who　followed　the　law　of　Christ。　　Stepan
asked　what　that　true　law　was；　and　Chouev　made
clear　to　him　that　the　true　law　consists　in　not　wor…
shipping　gods　made　with　hands；　but　worshipping
the　spirit　and　the　truth。　　He　told　him　how　he　had
learnt　the　truth　from　the　lame　tailor　at　the　time
when　they　were　dividing　the　land。

〃And　what　will　become　of　those　who　have
done　evil？〃　asked　Stepan。

〃　The　Scriptures　give　an　answer　to　that；〃　said
Chouev；　and　read　aloud　to　him　Matthew　xxv。
31：


〃When　the　Son　of　Man　shall　come　in　His
glory；　and　all　the　holy　angels　with　Him；　then　shall
He　sit　upon　the　throne　of　His　glory：　　and　before
Him　shall　be　gathered　all　nations：　　and　He　shall
separate　them　one　from　another；　as　a　shepherd
divideth　His　sheep　from　the　goats：　　and　He　shall
set　the　sheep　on　His　right　hand；　but　the　goats　on
the　left。　　Then　shall　the　King　say　unto　them　on
His　right　hand；　Come；　ye　blessed　of　My　Father；
inherit　the　kingdom　prepared　for　you　from　the
foundation　of　the　world：　　for　I　was　an　hungred；
and　ye　gave　Me　meat：　　I　was　thirsty；　and　ye　gave
Me　drink：　　I　was　a　stranger；　and　ye　took　Me　in：
naked；　and　ye　clothed　Me：　　I　was　sick；　and　ye
visited　Me：　　I　was　in　prison；　and　ye　came　unto　Me。　
Then　shall　the　righteous　answer　Him；　saying；
Lord；　when　saw　we　Thee　an　hungred；　and　fed
Thee？　or　thirsty；　and　gave　Thee　drink？　When
saw　we　Thee　a　stranger；　and　took　Thee　in？　or
naked；　and　clothed　Thee？　Or　when　saw　we　Thee
sick；　or　in　prison；　and　came　unto　Thee？　And　the
King　shall　answer　and　say　unto　them；　Verily　I　say
unto　you；　inasmuch　as　ye　have　done　it　unto　one　of
the　least　of　these　My　brethren；　ye　have　done　it
unto　Me。　　Then　shall　He　say　also　unto　them　on
the　left　hand；　Depart　from　Me；　ye　cursed；　into
everlasting　fire；　prepared　for　the　devil　and　his　an…
gels：　　for　I　was　an　hungred；　and　ye　gave　Me　no
meat：　　I　was　thirsty；　and　ye　gave　Me　no　drink：　　I
was　a　stranger　and　ye　took　Me　not　in：　　naked；　and
ye　clothed　Me　not；　sick；　and　in　prison；　and　ye
visited　Me　not。　　Then　shall　they　also　answer
Him；　saying；　Lord；　when　saw　we　Thee　an　hun…
gred；　or　athirst；　or　a　stranger；　or　naked；　or　sick；
or　in　prison；　and　did　not　minister　unto　Thee？
Then　shall　He　answer　them；　saying；　Verily　I　say
unto　you；　Inasmuch　as　ye　did　it　not　to　one　of　the
least　of　these；　ye　did　it　not　to　Me。　　And　these
shall　go　away　into　everlasting　punishment：　　but　the
righteous　into　life　eternal。〃


Vassily；　who　was　sitting　on　the　floor　at　Chouev's
side；　and　was　listening　to　his　reading　the　Gospel；
nodded　his　handsome　head　　in　approval。　　〃True；〃
he　said　in　a　resolute　tone。　　〃Go；　you　cursed　vil…
lains；　into　everlasting　punishment；　since　you　did
not　give　food　to　the　hungry；　but　swallowed　it　all
yourself。　　Serves　them　right！　I　have　read　the
holy　Nikodim's　writings；〃　he　added；　showing　off
his　erudition。

〃And　will　they　never　be　pardoned？〃　asked
Stepan；　who　had　listened　silently；　with　his　hairy
head　bent　low　down。

〃Wait　a　moment；　and　be　silent；〃　said　Chouev
to　Vassily；　who　went　on　talking　about　the　rich
who　had　not　given　meat　to　the　stranger；　nor　vis…
ited　him　in　the　prison。

〃Wait；　I　say！〃　said　Chouev；　again　turning
over　the　leaves　of　the　Gospel。　　Having　found
what　he　was　looking　for；　Chouev　smoothed　the
page　with　his　large　and　strong　hand；　which　had
become　exceedingly　white　in　prison：


〃And　there　　were　also　two　other　malefactors；
led　with　Him〃it　means　with　Christ〃to　be
put　to　death。　　And　when　they　were　come　to　the
place；　which　is　called　Calvary；　there　they　crucified
Him；　and　the　malefactors；　one　on　the　right　hand；
and　the　other　on　the　left。　　Then　said　Jesus；
'Father；　forgive　them；　for　they　know　not　what
they　do。'　And　the　people　stood　beholding。　　And
the　rulers　also　with　them　derided　Him；　saying；
'He　saved　others；　let　Him　save　Himself　if　He
be　Christ；　the　chosen　of　God。'　And　the　soldiers
also　mocked　Him；　coming　to　Him；　and　offering
Him　vinegar；　and　saying；　'If　Thou　be　the　King　of
the　Jews　save　Thyself。'　And　a　superscription
also　was　written　over　Him　in　letters　of　Greek；
and　Latin；　and　Hebrew；　'This　is　the　King　of　the
Jews。'　And　one　of　the　malefactors　which　were
hanged　railed　on　Him；　saying；　'If　thou　be　Christ；
save　Thyself　and　us。'　But　the　other　answering
rebuked　Him；　saying；　'Dost　not　thou　fear　God；