resurrection(复活)-第106章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
stranger related at the tea…table that he was going to be married
and had five hundred roubles； which he had earned in Moscow； with
him。 When he had heard this； Makar went out into the yard and put
an axe into the sledge under the straw。 〃And I did not myself
know why I was taking the axe；〃 he said。 〃'Take the axe；' says
HE； and I took it。 We got in and started。 We drove along all
right； I even forgot about the axe。 Well； we were getting near
the village； only about four miles more to go。 The way from the
cross…road to the high road was up hill； and I got out。 I walked
behind the sledge and HE whispers to me； 'What are you thinking
about？ When you get to the top of the hill you will meet people
along the highway； and then there will be the village。 He will
carry the money away。 If you mean to do it； now's the time。' I
stooped over the sledge as if to arrange the straw； and the axe
seemed to jump into my hand of itself。 The man turned round。
'What are you doing？' I lifted the axe and tried to knock him
down； but he was quick； jumped out； and took hold of my hands。
'What are you doing； you villain？' He threw me down into the
snow； and I did not even struggle； but gave in at once。 He bound
my arms with his girdle； and threw me into the sledge； and took
me straight to the police station。 I was imprisoned and tried。
The commune gave me a good character； said that I was a good man；
and that nothing wrong had been noticed about me。 The masters for
whom I worked also spoke well of me； but we had no money to
engage a lawyer； and so I was condemned to four years' hard
labour。〃
It was this man who； wishing to save a fellow…villager； knowing
that he was risking his life thereby； told Nekhludoff the
prisoner's secret； for doing which （if found out） he should
certainly be throttled。
CHAPTER XI。
MASLOVA AND HER COMPANIONS。
The political prisoners were kept in two small rooms； the doors
of which opened into a part of the passage partitioned off from
the rest。 The first person Nekhludoff saw on entering into this
part of the passage was Simonson in his rubber jacket and with a
log of pine wood in his hands； crouching in front of a stove； the
door of which trembled； drawn in by the heat inside。
When he saw Nekhludoff he looked up at him from under his
protruding brow； and gave him his hand without rising。
〃I am glad you have come； I want to speak to you；〃 he said；
looking Nekhludoff straight in the eyes with an expression of
importance。
〃Yes； what is it？〃 Nekhludoff asked。
〃It will do later on； I am busy just now；〃 and Simonson turned
again towards the stove； which he was heating according to a
theory of his own； so as to lose as little heat energy as
possible。
Nekhludoff was going to enter in at the first door； when Maslova；
stooping and pushing a large heap of rubbish and dust towards the
stove with a handleless birch broom； came out of the other。 She
had a white jacket on； her skirt was tucked up； and a kerchief；
drawn down to her eyebrows； protected her hair from the dust。
When she saw Nekhludoff； she drew herself up； flushing and
animated； put down the broom； wiped her hands on her skirt； and
stopped right in front of him。 〃You are tidying up the
apartments； I see；〃 said Nekhludoff； shaking hands。
〃Yes； my old occupation；〃 and she smiled。 〃But the dirt！ You
can't imagine what it is。 We have been cleaning and cleaning。
Well； is the plaid dry？〃 she asked； turning to Simonson。
〃Almost；〃 Simonson answered； giving her a strange look； which
struck Nekhludoff。
〃All right； I'll come for it； and will bring the cloaks to dry。
Our people are all in here；〃 she said to Nekhludoff； pointing to
the first door as she went out of the second。
Nekhludoff opened the door and entered a small room dimly lit by
a little metal lamp； which was standing low down on the shelf
bedstead。 It was cold in the room； and there was a smell of the
dust； which had not had time to settle； damp and tobacco smoke。
Only those who were close to the lamp were clearly visible； the
bedsteads were in the shade and wavering shadows glided over the
walls。 Two men； appointed as caterers； who had gone to fetch
boiling water and provisions； were away； most of the political
prisoners were gathered together in the small room。 There was
Nekhludoff's old acquaintance； Vera Doukhova； with her large；
frightened eyes； and the swollen vein on her forehead； in a grey
jacket with short hair； and thinner and yellower than ever。。 She
had a newspaper spread out in front of her； and sat rolling
cigarettes with a jerky movement of her hands。
Emily Rintzeva； whom Nekhludoff considered to be the pleasantest
of the political prisoners； was also here。 She looked after the
housekeeping； and managed to spread a feeling of home comfort
even in the midst of the most trying surroundings。 She sat beside
the lamp； with her sleeves rolled up； wiping cups and mugs； and
placing them； with her deft； red and sunburnt hands； on a cloth
that was spread on the bedstead。 Rintzeva was a plain…looking
young woman； with a clever and mild expression of face； which；
when she smiled； had a way of suddenly becoming merry； animated
and captivating。 It was with such a smile that she now welcomed
Nekhludoff。
〃Why； we thought you had gone back to Russia；〃 she said。
Here in a dark corner was also Mary Pavlovna； busy with a little；
fair…haired girl； who kept prattling in her sweet； childish
accents。
〃How nice that you have come；〃 she said to Nekhludoff。
Have you seen Katusha？ And we have a visitor here；〃 and she
pointed to the little girl。
Here was also Anatole Kryltzoff with felt boots on； sitting in a
far corner with his feet under him； doubled up and shivering； his
arms folded in the sleeves of his cloak； and looking at
Nekhludoff with feverish eyes。 Nekhludoff was going up to him；
but to the right of the door a man with spectacles and reddish
curls； dressed in a rubber jacket； sat talking to the pretty；
smiling Grabetz。 This was the celebrated revolutionist
Novodvoroff。 Nekhludoff hastened to greet him。 He was in a
particular hurry about it； because this man was the only one
among all the political prisoners whom he disliked。 Novodvoroff's
eyes glistened through his spectacles as he looked at Nekhludoff
and held his narrow hand out to him。
〃Well； are you having a pleasant journey？〃 he asked； with
apparent irony。
〃Yes； there is much that is interesting；〃 Nekhludoff answered； as
if he did not notice the irony； but took the question for
politeness； and passed on to Kryltzoff。
Though Nekhludoff appeared indifferent； he was really far from
indifferent； and these words of Novodvoroff； showing his evident
desire to say or do something unpleasant； interfered with the
state of kindness in which Nekhludoff found himself； and he felt
depressed and sad。
〃Well； how are you？〃 he asked； pressing Kryltzoff's cold and
trembling hand。
〃Pretty well； only I cannot get warm； I got wet through；〃
Kryltzoff answered； quickly replacing his hands into the sleeves
of his cloak。 〃And here it is also beastly cold。 There； look； the
window…panes are broken；〃 and he pointed to the broken panes
behind the iron bars。 〃And how are you？ Why did you not come？〃
〃I was not allowed to； the authorities were so strict； but to…day
the officer is lenient。〃
〃Lenient indeed！〃 Kryltzoff remarked。 〃Ask Mary what she did this
morning。〃
Mary Pavlovna from her place in the corner related what had
happened about the little girl that morning when they left the
halting station。
〃I think it is absolutely necessary to make a collective
protest；〃 said Vera Doukhova； in a determined tone； and yet
looking now at one； now at another； with a frightened； undecided
look。 〃Valdemar Simonson did protest； but that is not
sufficient。〃
〃What protest！〃 muttered Kryltzoff； cross and frowning。 Her want
of simplicity； artificial tone and nervousness had evidently been
irritating him for a long time。
〃Are you looking for Katusha？〃 he asked； addressing Nekhludoff。
〃She is working all the time。 She has cleaned this； the men's
room； and now she has gone to clean the women's！ Only it is not
possible to clean awa
