01-the forged coupon-第15章

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on　the　hangman；　who　refused　to　do　his　duty；　run…
ning　the　risk　of　being　hanged　himself　for　insub…
ordination。



VII

AT　an　evening　party　at　the　Eropkins；　Mahin；　who
was　paying　attentions　to　the　two　young　daughters
of　the　housethey　were　rich　matches；　both　of
themhaving　earned　great　applause　for　his　fine
singing　and　playing　the　piano；　began　telling　the
company　about　the　strange　convict　who　had　con…
verted　the　hangman。　　Mahin　told　his　story　very
accurately；　as　he　had　a　very　good　memory；　which
was　all　the　more　retentive　because　of　his　total　in…
difference　to　those　with　whom　he　had　to　deal。　
He　never　paid　the　slightest　attention　to　other　peo…
ple's　feelings；　and　was　therefore　better　able　to
keep　all　they　did　or　said　in　his　memory。　　He　got
interested　in　Stepan　Pelageushkine；　and；　although
he　did　not　thoroughly　understand　him；　yet　asked
himself　involuntarily　what　was　the　matter　with
the　man？　He　could　not　find　an　answer；　but　feel…
ing　that　there　was　certainly　something　remarkable
going　on　in　Stepan's　soul；　he　told　the　company　at
the　Eropkins　all　about　Stepan's　conversion　of　the
hangman；　and　also　about　his　strange　behaviour
in　prison；　his　reading　the　Gospels　and　his　great
influence　on　the　rest　of　the　prisoners。　　All　this
made　a　special　impression　on　the　younger　daugh…
ter　of　the　family；　Lisa；　a　girl　of　eighteen；　who
was　just　recovering　from　the　artificial　life　she　had
been　living　in　a　boarding…school；　she　felt　as　if
she　had　emerged　out　of　water；　and　was　taking　in
the　fresh　air　of　true　life　with　ecstasy。　　She　asked
Mahin　to　tell　her　more　about　the　man　Pelageush…
kine；　and　to　explain　to　her　how　such　a　great　change
had　come　over　him。　　Mahin　told　her　what　he
knew　from　the　police　official　about　Stepan's　last
murder；　and　also　what　he　had　heard　from　Pela…
geushkine　himselfhow　he　had　been　conquered
by　the　humility；　mildness；　and　fearlessness　of　a
kind　woman；　who　had　been　his　last　victim；　and
how　his　eyes　had　been　opened；　while　the　reading
of　the　Gospels　had　completed　the　change　in　him。

Lisa　Eropkin　was　not　able　to　sleep　that　night。　
For　a　couple　of　months　a　struggle　had　gone　on　in
her　heart　between　society　life；　into　which　her　sis…
ter　was　dragging　her；　and　her　infatuation　for
Mahin；　combined　with　a　desire　to　reform　him。　
This　second　desire　now　became　the　stronger。　
She　had　already　heard　about　poor　Maria　Seme…
novna。　　But；　after　that　kind　woman　had　been
murdered　in　such　a　ghastly　way；　and　after　Mahin；
who　learnt　it　from　Stepan；　had　communicated　to
her　all　the　facts　concerning　Maria　Semenovna's
life；　Lisa　herself　passionately　desired　to　become
like　her。　　She　was　a　rich　girl；　and　was　afraid
that　Mahin　had　been　courting　her　because　of　her
money。　　So　she　resolved　to　give　all　she　possessed
to　the　poor；　and　told　Mahin　about　it。

Mahin　was　very　glad　to　prove　his　disinterest…
edness；　and　told　Lisa　that　he　loved　her　and　not
her　money。　　Such　proof　of　his　innate　nobility
made　him　admire　himself　greatly。　　Mahin
helped　Lisa　to　carry　out　her　decision。　　And　the
more　he　did　so；　the　more　he　came　to　realise　the
new　world　of　Lisa's　spiritual　ambitions；　quite　un…
known　to　him　heretofore。



VIII

ALL　were　silent　in　the　common　cell。　　Stepan　was
lying　in　his　bed；　but　was　not　yet　asleep。　　Vassily
approached　him；　and；　pulling　him　by　his　leg；
asked　him　in　a　whisper　to　get　up　and　to　come　to
him。　　Stepan　stepped　out　of　his　bed；　and　came
up　to　Vassily。

〃Do　me　a　kindness；　brother；〃　said　Vassily。
〃Help　me！〃

〃In　what？〃

〃I　am　going　to　fly　from　the　prison。〃

Vassily　told　Stepan　that　he　had　everything　ready
for　his　flight。

〃To…morrow　I　shall　stir　them　up〃　He
pointed　to　the　prisoners　asleep　in　their　beds。　
〃They　will　give　me　away；　and　I　shall　be　trans…
ferred　to　the　cell　in　the　upper　floor。　　I　know　my
way　from　there。　　What　I　want　you　for　is　to　un…
screw　the　prop　in　the　door　of　the　mortuary。〃
〃I　can　do　that。　　But　where　will　you　go？〃

〃I　don't　care　where。　　Are　not　there　plenty　of
wicked　people　in　every　place？〃

〃Quite　so；　brother。　　But　it　is　not　our　business
to　judge　them。〃

〃I　am　not　a　murderer；　to　be　sure。　　I　have　not
destroyed　a　living　soul　in　my　life。　　As　for　steal…
ing；　I　don't　see　any　harm　in　that。　　As　if　they　have
not　robbed　us！〃

〃Let　them　answer　for　it　themselves；　if　they
do。〃

〃Bother　them　all！〃　　Suppose　I　rob　a　church；
who　will　be　hurt？　This　time　I　will　take　care
not　to　break　into　a　small　shop；　but　will　get
hold　of　a　lot　of　money；　and　then　I　will　help　people
with　it。　　I　will　give　it　to　all　good　people。〃

One　of　the　prisoners　rose　in　his　bed　and　lis…
tened。　　Stepan　and　Vassily　broke　off　their　con…
versation。　　The　next　day　Vassily　carried　out　his
idea。　　He　began　complaining　of　the　bread　in
prison；　saying　it　was　moist；　and　induced　the　pris…
oners　to　call　the　governor　and　to　tell　him　of　their
discontent。　　The　governor　came；　abused　them　all；
and　when　he　heard　it　was　Vassily　who　had　stirred
up　the　men；　he　ordered　him　to　be　transferred
into　solitary　confinement　in　the　cell　on　the　upper
floor。　　This　was　all　Vassily　wanted。



IX

VASSILY　knew　well　that　cell　on　the　upper　floor。　
He　knew　its　floor；　and　began　at　once　to　take　out
bits　of　it。　　When　he　had　managed　to　get　under
the　floor　he　took　out　pieces　of　the　ceiling　beneath；
and　jumped　down　into　the　mortuary　a　floor　below。　
That　day　only　one　corpse　was　lying　on　the　table。　
There　in　the　corner　of　the　room　were　stored　bags
to　make　hay　mattresses　for　the　prisoners。　　Vas…
sily　knew　about　the　bags；　and　that　was　why　　the
mortuary　served　his　purposes。　　The　prop　in　the
door　had　been　unscrewed　and　put　in　again。　　He
took　it　out；　opened　the　door；　and　went　out　into
the　passage　to　the　lavatory　which　was　being　built。　
In　the　lavatory　was　a　large　hole　connecting　the
third　floor　with　the　basement　floor。　　After　hav…
ing　found　the　door　of　the　lavatory　he　went　back
to　the　mortuary；　stripped　the　sheet　off　the　dead
body　which　was　as　cold　as　ice　（in　taking　off　the
sheet　Vassily　touched　his　hand）；　took　the　bags；
tied　them　together　to　make　a　rope；　and　carried
the　rope　to　the　lavatory。　　Then　he　attached　it
to　the　cross…beam；　and　climbed　down　along　it。　
The　rope　did　not　reach　the　ground；　but　he　did
not　know　how　much　was　wanting。　　Anyhow；　he
had　to　take　the　risk。　　He　remained　hanging　in
the　air；　and　then　jumped　down。　　His　legs　were
badly　hurt；　but　he　could　still　walk　on。　　The
basement　had　two　windows；　he　could　have　climbed
out　of　one　of　them　but　for　the　grating　protecting
them。　　He　had　to　break　the　grating；　but　there
was　no　tool　to　do　it　with。　　Vassily　began　to　look
around　him；　and　chanced　on　a　piece　of　plank　with
a　sharp　edge；　armed　with　that　weapon　he　tried
to　loosen　the　bricks　which　held　the　grating。　　He
worked　a　long　time　at　that　task。　　The　cock
crowed　for　the　second　time；　but　the　grating　still
held。　　At　last　he　had　loosened　one　side；　and　then
he　pushed　the　plank　under　the　loosened　end　and
pressed　with　all　his　force。　　The　grating　gave　way
completely；　but　at　that　moment　one　of　the　bricks
fell　down　heavily。　　The　noise　could　have　been
heard　by　the　sentry。　　Vassily　stood　motionless。　
But　silence　reigned。　　He　climbed　out　of　the　win…
dow。　　His　way　of　escape　was　to　climb　the　wall。　
An　outhouse　stood　in　the　corner　of　the　courtyard。　
He　had　to　reach　its　roof；　and　pass　thence　to　the
top　of　the　wall。　　But　he　would　not　be　able　to
reach　the　roof　without　the　help　of　the　plank；　so
he　had　to　go　back　through　the　basement　　window
to　fetch　it。　　A　moment　later　he　came　out　of　the
window　with　the　plank　in　his　hands；　he　stood　still
for　a　while　listening　to　the　steps　of　the　sentry。　
His　expectations　were　justified。　　The　sentry　was
walking　up　and　down　on　the　other　side　of　the
courtyard。　　Vassily　came　up　to　the　outhouse；
leaned　the　plank　against　it；　and　began　climbing。　
The　plank　slipped　and　fell　on　the　ground。　　Vas…
sily　had　his　stockings　on；　he　took　them　off　so　that
be　could　cling　with　his　bare　feet　in　coming　down。　
Then　he　leaned　the　plank　again　against　the　house；
and　seized　the　water…pipe　with　his　hands。　　If　only
this　time　the　plank　would　hold！　A　quick　move…
ment　up　the　water…pipe；　and　his　knee　rested　on
the　roof。　　The　sentry　was　approaching。　　Vassily
lay　motionless。　　The　sen