resurrection(复活)-第110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！


in　love　with　（as　he　was　now　in　love　with　Grabetz）；　and　such　women
he　considered　to　be　exceptions；　whose　merits　he　alone　was　capable
of　discerning。

The　question　of　the　relations　of　the　sexes　he　also　looked　upon　as
thoroughly　solved　by　accepting　free　union。　He　had　one　nominal　and
one　real　wife；　from　both　of　whom　he　was　separated；　having　come　to
the　conclusion　that　there　was　no　real　love　between　them；　and　now
he　thought　of　entering　on　a　free　union　with　Grabetz。　He　despised
Nekhludoff　for　〃playing　the　fool；〃　as　Novodvoroff　termed　it；　with
Maslova；　but　especially　for　the　freedom　Nekhludoff　took　of
considering　the　defects　of　the　existing　system　and　the　methods　of
correcting　those　defects　in　a　manner　which　was　not　only　not
exactly　the　same　as　Novodvoroff's；　but　was　Nekhludoff's　owna
prince's；　that　is；　a　fool's　manner。　Nekhludoff　felt　this　relation
of　Novodvoroff's　towards　him；　and　knew　to　his　sorrow　that　in
spite　of　the　state　of　good　will　in　which　he　found　himself　on　this
journey　he　could　not　help　paying　this　man　in　his　own　coin；　and
could　not　stifle　the　strong　antipathy　he　felt　for　him。


CHAPTER　XVI。

SIMONSON　SPEAKS　TO　NEKHLUDOFF。

The　voices　of　officials　sounded　from　the　next　room。　All　the
prisoners　were　silent；　and　a　sergeant；　followed　by　two　convoy
soldiers；　entered。　The　time　of　the　inspection　had　come。　The
sergeant　counted　every　one；　and　when　Nekhludoff's　turn　came　he
addressed　him　with　kindly　familiarity。

〃You　must　not　stay　any　longer；　Prince；　after　the　inspection；　you
must　go　now。〃

Nekhludoff　knew　what　this　meant；　went　up　to　the　sergeant　and
shoved　a　three…rouble　note　into　his　hand。

〃Ah；　well；　what　is　one　to　do　with　you；　stay　a　bit　longer；　if　you
like。〃　The　sergeant　was　about　to　go　when　another　sergeant；
followed　by　a　convict；　a　spare　man　with　a　thin　beard　and　a　bruise
under　his　eye；　came　in。

〃It's　about　the　girl　I　have　come；〃　said　the　convict。

〃Here's　daddy　come；〃　came　the　ringing　accents　of　a　child's　voice；
and　a　flaxen　head　appeared　from　behind　Rintzeva；　who；　with
Katusha's　and　Mary　Pavlovna's　help；　was　making　a　new　garment　for
the　child　out　of　one　of　Rintzeva's　own　petticoats。

〃Yes；　daughter；　it's　me；〃　Bousovkin；　the　prisoner；　said　softly。

〃She　is　quite　comfortable　here；〃　said　Mary　Pavlovna；　looking　with
pity　at　Bousovkin's　bruised　face。　〃Leave　her　with　us。〃

〃The　ladies　are　making　me　new　clothes；〃　said　the　girl；　pointing
to　Rintzeva's　sewing〃nice　red　ones；〃　she　went　on；　prattling。

〃Do　you　wish　to　sleep　with　us？〃　asked　Rintzeva；　caressing　the
child。

〃Yes；　I　wish。　And　daddy；　too。〃

〃No；　daddy　can't。　Well；　leave　her　then；〃　she　said；　turning　to　the
father。

〃Yes；　you　may　leave　her；〃　said　the　first　sergeant；　and　went　out
with　the　other。

As　soon　as　they　were　out　of　the　room　Nabatoff　went　up　to
Bousovkin；　slapped　him　on　the　shoulder；　and　said：　〃I　say；　old
fellow；　is　it　true　that　Karmanoff　wishes　to　exchange？〃

Bousovkin's　kindly；　gentle　face　turned　suddenly　sad　and　a　veil
seemed　to　dim　his　eyes。

〃We　have　heard　nothinghardly；〃　he　said；　and　with　the　same
dimness　still　over　his　eyes　he　turned　to　the　child。

〃Well；　Aksutka；　it　seems　you're　to　make　yourself　comfortable　with
the　ladies；〃　and　he　hurried　away。

〃It's　true　about　the　exchange；　and　he　knows　it　very　well；〃　said
Nabatoff。

〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃

〃I　shall　tell　the　authorities　in　the　next　town。　I　know　both
prisoners　by　sight；〃　said　Nekhludoff。

All　were　silent；　fearing　a　recommencement　of　the　dispute。

Simonson；　who　had　been　lying　with　his　arms　thrown　back　behind　his
head；　and　not　speaking；　rose；　and　determinately　walked　up　to
Nekhludoff；　carefully　passing　round　those　who　were　sitting。

〃Could　you　listen　to　me　now？

〃Of　course；〃　and　Nekhludoff　rose　and　followed　him。

Katusha　looked　up　with　an　expression　of　suspense；　and　meeting
Nekhludoff's　eyes；　she　blushed　and　shook　her　head。

〃What　I　want　to　speak　to　you　about　is　this；〃　Simonson　began；　when
they　had　come　out　into　the　passage。　In　the　passage　the　din　of　the
criminal's　voices　and　shouts　sounded　louder。　Nekhludoff　made　a
face；　but　Simonson　did　not　seem　to　take　any　notice。

〃Knowing　of　your　relations　to　Katerina　Maslova；〃　he　began
seriously　and　frankly；　with　his　kind　eyes　looking　straight　into
Nekhludoff's　face；　〃I　consider　it　my　duty〃He　was　obliged　to
stop　because　two　voices　were　heard　disputing　and　shouting；　both
at　once；　close　to　the　door。

〃I　tell　you；　blockhead；　they　are　not　mine；〃　one　voice　shouted。

〃May　you　choke；　you　devil；〃　snorted　the　other。

At　this　moment　Mary　Pavlovna　came　out　into　the　passage。

〃How　can　one　talk　here？〃　she　said；　〃go　in；　Vera　is　alone　there；〃
and　she　went　in　at　the　second　door；　and　entered　a　tiny　room；
evidently　meant　for　a　solitary　cell；　which　was　now　placed　at　the
disposal　of　the　political　women　prisoners；　Vera　Doukhova　lay
covered　up；　head　and　all；　on　the　bed。

〃She　has　got　a　headache；　and　is　asleep；　so　she　cannot　hear　you；
and　I　will　go　away；〃　said　Mary　Pavlovna。

〃On　the　contrary；　stay　here；〃　said　Simonson；　〃I　have　no　secrets
from　any　one；　certainly　none　from　you。〃

〃All　right；〃　said　Mary　Pavlovna；　and　moving　her　whole　body　from
side　to　side；　like　a　child；　so　as　to　get　farther　back　on　to　the
bed；　she　settled　down　to　listen；　her　beautiful　hazel　eyes　seeming
to　look　somewhere　far　away。

〃Well；　then；　this　is　my　business；〃　Simonson　repeated。　〃Knowing　of
your　relations　to　Katerina　Maslova；　I　consider　myself　bound　to
explain　to　you　my　relations　to　her。〃

Nekhludoff　could　not　help　admiring　the　simplicity　and
truthfulness　with　which　Simonson　spoke　to　him。

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃I　mean　that　I　should　like　to　marry　Katerina　Maslova〃

〃How　strange！〃　said　Mary　Pavlovna；　fixing　her　eyes　on　Simonson。

〃And　so　I　made　up　my　mind　to　ask　her　to　be　my　wife；〃　Simonson
continued。

〃What　can　I　do？　It　depends　on　her；〃　said　Nekhludoff。

〃Yes；　but　she　will　not　come　to　any　decision　without　you。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Because　as　long　as　your　relations　with　her　are　unsettled　she
cannot　make　up　her　mind。〃

〃As　far　as　I　am　concerned；　it　is　finally　settled。　I　should　like
to　do　what　I　consider　to　be　my　duty　and　also　to　lighten　her　fate；
but　on　no　account　would　I　wish　to　put　any　restraint　on　her。〃

〃Yes；　but　she　does　not　wish　to　accept　your　sacrifice。〃

〃It　is　no　sacrifice。〃

〃And　I　know　that　this　decision　of　hers　is　final。〃

〃Well；　then；　there　is　no　need　to　speak　to　me；〃　said　Nekhludoff。

〃She　wants　you　to　acknowledge　that　you　think　as　she　does。〃

〃How　can　I　acknowledge　that　I　must　not　do　what　I　consider　to　be
my　duty？　All　I　can　say　is　that　I　am　not　free；　but　she　is。〃

Simonson　was　silent；　then；　after　thinking　a　little；　he　said：
〃Very　well；　then；　I'll　tell　her。　You　must　not　think　I　am　in　love
with　her；〃　he　continued；　〃I　love　her　as　a　splendid；　unique；
human　being　who　has　suffered　much。　I　want　nothing　from　her。　I
have　only　an　awful　longing　to　help　her；　to　lighten　her　posi〃

Nekhludoff　was　surprised　to　hear　the　trembling　in　Simonson's
voice。

〃To　lighten　her　position；〃　Simonson　continued。　〃If　she　does　not
wish　to　accept　your　help；　let　her　accept　mine。　If　she　consents；　I
shall　ask　to　be　sent　to　the　place　where　she　will　be　imprisoned。
Four　years　are　not　an　eternity。　I　would　live　near　her；　and
perhaps　might　lighten　her　fate〃　and　he　again　stopped；　too
agitated　to　continue。

〃What　am　I　to　say？〃　said　Nekhludoff。　〃I　am　very　glad　she　has
found　such　a　protector　as　you〃

〃That's　what　I　wanted　to　know；〃　Simonson　interrupted。

〃I　wanted　to　know　if；　loving　her　and　wishing　her　happiness；　you
would　consider　it　good　for　her　to　marry　me？〃

〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　Nekhludoff　decidedly。

〃It　all　depends　on　her；　I　only　wish　that　this　suffering　soul
should　find　rest；〃　said　Simonson；　with　such　childlike　tenderness
as　no　one　could　have　expected　from　so　morose…looking　a　man。

Simonson　rose；　and　stretching　his　lips　out　to　Nekhludoff；　smiled
shyly　and　kissed　him。

〃So　I　shall　tell　her；〃　and　he　went　away。


CHAPTER　XVII。

〃I　HAVE　NOTHING　MORE　TO　SAY。〃

〃What　do　you　think　of　that？〃　said　Mary　Pavlovna。　〃In　lovequite
in　love。　Now；　that's　a　thing　I　never　should　have　expected；　that
Valdemar　Simonson　should　be　in　love；　and　in　the　silliest；　most
boyish