resurrection(复活)-第1章

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Book　I

CHAPTER　I。

MASLOVA　IN　PRISON。

Though　hundreds　of　thousands　had　done　their　very　best　to
disfigure　the　small　piece　of　land　on　which　they　were　crowded
together；　by　paying　the　ground　with　stones；　scraping　away　every
vestige　of　vegetation；　cutting　down　the　trees；　turning　away　birds
and　beasts；　and　filling　the　air　with　the　smoke　of　naphtha　and
coal；　still　spring　was　spring；　even　in　the　town。

The　sun　shone　warm；　the　air　was　balmy；　everywhere；　where　it　did
not　get　scraped　away；　the　grass　revived　and　sprang　up　between　the
paving…stones　as　well　as　on　the　narrow　strips　of　lawn　on　the
boulevards。　The　birches；　the　poplars；　and　the　wild　cherry
unfolded　their　gummy　and　fragrant　leaves；　the　limes　were
expanding　their　opening　buds；　crows；　sparrows；　and　pigeons；
filled　with　the　joy　of　spring；　were　getting　their　nests　ready；
the　flies　were　buzzing　along　the　walls；　warmed　by　the　sunshine。
All　were　glad；　the　plants；　the　birds；　the　insects；　and　the
children。　But　men；　grown…up　men　and　women；　did　not　leave　off
cheating　and　tormenting　themselves　and　each　other。　It　was　not
this　spring　morning　men　thought　sacred　and　worthy　of
consideration　not　the　beauty　of　God's　world；　given　for　a　joy　to
all　creatures；　this　beauty　which　inclines　the　heart　to　peace；　to
harmony；　and　to　love；　but　only　their　own　devices　for　enslaving
one　another。

Thus；　in　the　prison　office　of　the　Government　town；　it　was　not　the
fact　that　men　and　animals　had　received　the　grace　and　gladness　of
spring　that　was　considered　sacred　and　important；　but　that　a
notice；　numbered　and　with　a　superscription；　had　come　the　day
before；　ordering　that　on　this　28th　day　of　April；　at　9　a。m。；　three
prisoners　at　present　detained　in　the　prison；　a　man　and　two　women
（one　of　these　women；　as　the　chief　criminal；　to　be　conducted
separately）；　had　to　appear　at　Court。　So　now；　on　the　28th　of
April；　at　8　o'clock；　a　jailer　and　soon　after　him　a　woman　warder
with　curly　grey　hair；　dressed　in　a　jacket　with　sleeves　trimmed
with　gold；　with　a　blue…edged　belt　round　her　waist；　and　having　a
look　of　suffering　on　her　face；　came　into　the　corridor。

〃You　want　Maslova？〃　she　asked；　coming　up　to　the　cell　with　the
jailer　who　was　on　duty。

The　jailer；　rattling　the　iron　padlock；　opened　the　door　of　the
cell；　from　which　there　came　a　whiff　of　air　fouler　even　than　that
in　the　corridor；　and　called　out；　〃Maslova！　to　the　Court；〃　and
closed　the　door　again。

Even　into　the　prison　yard　the　breeze　had　brought　the　fresh
vivifying　air　from　the　fields。　But　in　the　corridor　the　air　was
laden　with　the　germs　of　typhoid；　the　smell　of　sewage；
putrefaction；　and　tar；　every　newcomer　felt　sad　and　dejected　in
it。　The　woman　warder　felt　this；　though　she　was　used　to　bad　air。
She　had　just　come　in　from　outside；　and　entering　the　corridor；　she
at　once　became　sleepy。

From　inside　the　cell　came　the　sound　of　bustle　and　women's　voices；
and　the　patter　of　bare　feet　on　the　floor。

〃Now；　then；　hurry　up；　Maslova；　I　say！〃　called　out　the　jailer；　and
in　a　minute　or　two　a　small　young　woman　with　a　very　full　bust　came
briskly　out　of　the　door　and　went　up　to　the　jailer。　She　had　on　a
grey　cloak　over　a　white　jacket　and　petticoat。　On　her　feet　she
wore　linen　stockings　and　prison　shoes；　and　round　her　head　was
tied　a　white　kerchief；　from　under　which　a　few　locks　of　black　hair
were　brushed　over　the　forehead　with　evident　intent。　The　face　of
the　woman　was　of　that　whiteness　peculiar　to　people　who　have　lived
long　in　confinement；　and　which　puts　one　in　mind　of　shoots　of
potatoes　that　spring　up　in　a　cellar。　Her　small　broad　hands　and
full　neck；　which　showed　from　under　the　broad　collar　of　her　cloak；
were　of　the　same　hue。　Her　black；　sparkling　eyes；　one　with　a
slight　squint；　appeared　in　striking　contrast　to　the　dull　pallor
of　her　face。

She　carried　herself　very　straight；　expanding　her　full　bosom。

With　her　head　slightly　thrown　back；　she　stood　in　the　corridor；
looking　straight　into　the　eyes　of　the　jailer；　ready　to　comply
with　any　order。

The　jailer　was　about　to　lock　the　door　when　a　wrinkled　and
severe…looking　old　woman　put　out　her　grey　head　and　began　speaking
to　Maslova。　But　the　jailer　closed　the　door；　pushing　the　old
woman's　head　with　it。　A　woman's　laughter　was　heard　from　the　cell；
and　Maslova　smiled；　turning　to　the　little　grated　opening　in　the
cell　door。　The　old　woman　pressed　her　face　to　the　grating　from　the
other　side；　and　said；　in　a　hoarse　voice：

〃Now　mind；　and　when　they　begin　questioning　you；　just　repeat　over
the　same　thing；　and　stick　to　it；　tell　nothing　that　is　not
wanted。〃

〃Well；　it　could　not　be　worse　than　it　is　now；　anyhow；　I　only　wish
it　was　settled　one　way　or　another。〃

〃Of　course；　it　will　be　settled　one　way　or　another；〃　said　the
jailer；　with　a　superior's　self…assured　witticism。　〃Now；　then；　get
along！　Take　your　places！〃

The　old　woman's　eyes　vanished　from　the　grating；　and　Maslova
stepped　out　into　the　middle　of　the　corridor。　The　warder　in　front；
they　descended　the　stone　stairs；　past　the　still　fouler；　noisy
cells　of　the　men's　ward；　where　they　were　followed　by　eyes　looking
out　of　every　one　of　the　gratings　in　the　doors；　and　entered　the
office；　where　two　soldiers　were　waiting　to　escort　her。　A　clerk
who　was　sitting　there　gave　one　of　the　soldiers　a　paper　reeking　of
tobacco；　and　pointing　to　the　prisoner；　remarked；　〃Take　her。〃

The　soldier；　a　peasant　from　Nijni　Novgorod；　with　a　red；
pock…marked　face；　put　the　paper　into　the　sleeve　of　his　coat；
winked　to　his　companion；　a　broad…shouldered　Tchouvash；　and　then
the　prisoner　and　the　soldiers　went　to　the　front　entrance；　out　of
the　prison　yard；　and　through　the　town　up　the　middle　of　the
roughly…paved　street。

Isvostchiks　＇cabmen＇；　tradespeople；　cooks；　workmen；
and　government　clerks；　stopped　and　looked　curiously　at　the
prisoner；　some　shook　their　heads　and　thought；　〃This　is　what　evil
conduct；　conduct　unlike　ours；　leads　to。〃　The　children　stopped　and
gazed　at　the　robber　with　frightened　looks；　but　the　thought　that
the　soldiers　were　preventing　her　from　doing　more　harm　quieted
their　fears。　A　peasant；　who　had　sold　his　charcoal；　and　had　had
some　tea　in　the　town；　came　up；　and；　after　crossing　himself；　gave
her　a　copeck。　　The　prisoner　blushed　and　muttered　something；　she
noticed　that　she　was　attracting　everybody's　attention；　and　that
pleased　her。　The　comparatively　fresh　air　also　gladdened　her；　but
it　was　painful　to　step　on　the　rough　stones　with　the　ill…made
prison　shoes　on　her　feet；　which　had　become　unused　to　walking。
Passing　by　a　corn…dealer's　shop；　in　front　of　which　a　few　pigeons
were　strutting　about；　unmolested　by　any　one；　the　prisoner　almost
touched　a　grey…blue　bird　with　her　foot；　it　fluttered　up　and　flew
close　to　her　car；　fanning　her　with　its　wings。　She　smiled；　then
sighed　deeply　as　she　remembered　her　present　position。


CHAPTER　II。

MASLOVA'S　EARLY　LIFE。

The　story　of　the　prisoner　Maslova's　life　was　a　very　common　one。

Maslova's　mother　was　the　unmarried　daughter　of　a　village　woman；
employed　on　a　dairy　farm；　which　belonged　to　two　maiden　ladies　who
were　landowners。　This　unmarried　woman　had　a　baby　every　year；　and；
as　often　happens　among　the　village　people；　each　one　of　these
undesired　babies；　after　it　had　been　carefully　baptised；　was
neglected　by　its　mother；　whom　it　hindered　at　her　work；　and　left
to　starve。　Five　children　had　died　in　this　way。　They　had　all　been
baptised　and　then　not　sufficiently　fed；　and　just　left　to　die。
The　sixth　baby；　whose　father　was　a　gipsy　tramp；　would　have　shared
the　same　fate；　had　it　not　so　happened　that　one　of　the　maiden
ladies　came　into　the　farmyard　to　scold　the　dairymaids　for　sending
up　cream　that　smelt　of　the　cow。　The　young　woman　was　lying　in　the
cowshed　with　a　fine；　healthy；　new…born　baby。　The　old　maiden　lady
scolded　the　maids　again　for　allowing　the　woman　（who　had　just　been
confined）　to　lie　in　the　cowshed；　and　was　about　to　go　away；　but
seeing　the　baby　her　heart　was　touched；　and　she　offered　to　stand
godmother　to　the　little　girl；　and　pity　for　her　little
god…daughter　induced　her　to　give　milk　and　a　little　money　to　the
mother；　so　that　she　should　feed　the　baby；　and　the　little　girl
lived。　The　old　ladies　spoke　of　her　as　〃the　saved　one。〃　When　the
child　was　three　years　old；　her　mother　fell　ill　a