resurrection(复活)-第115章

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nor　anything。　I　am　just　myself。　'What　is　your　name？'　'Man。'　'How
old　are　you？'　I　say；　'I　do　not　count　my　years　and　cannot　count
them；　because　I　always　was；　I　always　shall　be。'　'　Who　are　your
parents？'　'I　have　no　parents　except　God　and　Mother　Earth。　God　is
my　father。'　'And　the　Tsar？　Do　you　recognise　the　Tsar？'　they　say。
I　say；　'Why　not？　He　is　his　own　Tsar；　and　I　am　my　own　Tsar。'
'Where's　the　good　of　talking　to　him；'　they　say；　and　I　say；　'I　do
not　ask　you　to　talk　to　me。'　And　so　they　begin　tormenting　me。〃

〃And　where　are　you　going　now？〃　asked　Nekhludoff。

〃Where　God　will　lead　me。　I　work　when　I　can　find　work；　and　when　I
can't　I　beg。〃　The　old　man　noticed　that　the　raft　was　approaching
the　bank　and　stopped；　looking　round　at　the　bystanders　with　a　look
of　triumph。

Nekhludoff　got　out　his　purse　and　offered　some　money　to　the　old
man；　but　he　refused；　saying：

〃I　do　not　accept　this　sort　of　thingbread　I　do　accept。〃

〃Well；　then；　excuse　me。〃

〃There　is　nothing　to　excuse；　you　have　not　offended　me。　And　it　is
not　possible　to　offend　me。〃　And　the　old　man　put　the　wallet　he　had
taken　off　again　on　his　back。　Meanwhile；　the　post…cart　had　been
landed　and　the　horses　harnessed。

〃I　wonder　you　should　care　to　talk　to　him；　sir；〃　said　the　driver；
when　Nekhludoff；　having　tipped　the　bowing　ferryman；　got　into　the
cart　again。　〃He　is　just　a　worthless　tramp。〃


CHAPTER　XXII。

NEKHLUDOFF　SEES　THE　GENERAL。

When　they　got　to　the　top　of　the　hill　bank　the　driver　turned　to
Nekhludoff。

〃Which　hotel　am　I　to　drive　to？〃

〃Which　is　the　best？〃

〃Nothing　could　be　better　than　the　Siberian；　but　Dukeoff's　is　also
good。〃

〃Drive　to　whichever　you　like。〃

The　driver　again　seated　himself　sideways　and　drove　faster。　The
town　was　like　all　such　towns。　The　same　kind　of　houses　with　attic
windows　and　green　roofs；　the　same　kind　of　cathedral；　the　same
kind　of　shops　and　stores　in　the　principal　street；　and　even　the
same　kind　of　policemen。　Only　the　houses　were　almost　all　of　them
wooden；　and　the　streets　were　not　paved。　In　one　of　the　chief
streets　the　driver　stopped　at　the　door　of　an　hotel；　but　there　was
no　room　to　be　had；　so　he　drove　to　another。　And　here　Nekhludoff；
after　two　months；　found　himself　once　again　in　surroundings　such
as　he　had　been　accustomed　to　as　far　as　comfort　and　cleanliness
went。　Though　the　room　he　was　shown　to　was　simple　enough；　yet
Nekhludoff　felt　greatly　relieved　to　be　there　after　two　months　of
post…carts；　country　inns　and　halting　stations。　His　first　business
was　to　clean　himself　of　the　lice　which　he　had　never　been　able　to
get　thoroughly　rid　of　after　visiting　a　halting　station。　When　he
had　unpacked　he　went　to　the　Russian　bath；　after　which　he　made
himself　fit　to　be　seen　in　a　town；　put　on　a　starched　shirt；
trousers　that　had　got　rather　creased　along　the　seams；　a
frock…coat　and　an　overcoat；　and　drove　to　the　Governor　of　the
district。　The　hotel…keeper　called　an　isvostchik；　whose　well…fed
Kirghiz　horse　and　vibrating　trap　soon　brought　Nekhludoff　to　the
large　porch　of　a　big　building；　in　front　of　which　stood　sentinels
and　a　policeman。　The　house　had　a　garden　in　front；　and　at　the
back；　among　the　naked　branches　of　aspen　and　birch　trees；　there
grew　thick　and　dark　green　pines　and　firs。　The　General　was　not
well；　and　did　not　receive；　but　Nekhludoff　asked　the　footman　to
hand　in　his　card　all　the　same；　and　the　footman　came　back　with　a
favourable　reply。

〃You　are　asked　to　come　in。〃

The　hall；　the　footman；　the　orderly；　the　staircase；　the
dancing…room；　with　its　well…polished　floor；　were　very　much　the
same　as　in　Petersburg；　only　more　imposing　and　rather　dirtier。
Nekhludoff　was　shown　into　the　cabinet。

The　General；　a　bloated；　potato…nosed　man；　with　a　sanguine
disposition；　large　bumps　on　his　forehead；　bald　head；　and　puffs
under　his　eyes；　sat　wrapped　in　a　Tartar　silk　dressing…gown
smoking　a　cigarette　and　sipping　his　tea　out　of　a　tumbler　in　a
silver　holder。

〃How　do　you　do；　sir？　Excuse　my　dressing…gown；　it　is　better　so
than　if　I　had　not　received　you　at　all；〃　he　said；　pulling　up　his
dressing…gown　over　his　fat　neck　with　its　deep　folds　at　the　nape。
〃I　am　not　quite　well；　and　do　not　go　out。　What　has　brought　you　to
our　remote　region？〃

〃I　am　accompanying　a　gang　of　prisoners；　among　whom　there　is　a
person　closely　connected　with　me；　said　Nekhludoff；　and　now　I　have
come　to　see　your　Excellency　partly　in　behalf　of　this　person；　and
partly　about　another　business。〃　The　General　took　a　whiff　and　a
sip　of　tea；　put　his　cigarette　into　a　malachite　ashpan；　with　his
narrow　eyes　fixed　on　Nekhludoff；　listening　seriously。　He　only
interrupted　him　once　to　offer　him　a　cigarette。

The　General　belonged　to　the　learned　type　of　military　men　who
believed　that　liberal　and　humane　views　can　be　reconciled　with
their　profession。　But　being　by　nature　a　kind　and　intelligent　man；
he　soon　felt　the　impossibility　of　such　a　reconciliation；　so　as
not　to　feel　the　inner　discord　in　which　he　was　living；　he　gave
himself　up　more　and　more　to　the　habit　of　drinking；　which　is　so
widely　spread　among　military　men；　and　was　now　suffering　from　what
doctors　term　alcoholism。　He　was　imbued　with　alcohol；　and　if　he
drank　any　kind　of　liquor　it　made　him　tipsy。　Yet　strong　drink　was
an　absolute　necessity　to　him；　he　could　not　live　without　it；　so　he
was　quite　drunk　every　evening；　but　had　grown　so　used　to　this
state　that　he　did　not　reel　nor　talk　any　special　nonsense。　And　if
he　did　talk　nonsense；　it　was　accepted　as　words　of　wisdom　because
of　the　important　and　high　position　which　he　occupied。　Only　in
the　morning；　just　at　the　time　Nekhludoff　came　to　see　him；　he　was
like　a　reasonable　being；　could　understand　what　was　said　to　him；
and　fulfil　more　or　less　aptly　a　proverb　he　was　fond　of　repeating：
〃He's　tipsy；　but　he's　wise；　so　he's　pleasant　in　two　ways。〃

The　higher　authorities　knew　he　was　a　drunkard；　but　he　was　more
educated　than　the　rest；　though　his　education　had　stopped　at　the
spot　where　drunkenness　had　got　hold　of　him。　He　was　bold；　adroit；
of　imposing　appearance；　and　showed　tact　even　when　tipsy；
therefore；　he　was　appointed；　and　was　allowed　to　retain　so　public
and　responsible　an　office。

Nekhludoff　told　him　that　the　person　he　was　interested　in　was　a
woman；　that　she　was　sentenced；　though　innocent；　and　that　a
petition　had　been　sent　to　the　Emperor　in　her　behalf。

〃Yes；　well？〃　said　the　General。

〃I　was　promised　in　Petersburg　that　the　news　concerning　her　fate
should　be　sent　to　me　not　later　than　this　month　and　to　this
place…〃

The　General　stretched　his　hand　with　its　stumpy　fingers　towards
the　table；　and　rang　a　bell；　still　looking　at　Nekhludoff　and
puffing　at　his　cigarette。

〃So　I　would　like　to　ask　you　that　this　woman　should　he　allowed　to
remain　here　until　the　answer　to　her　petition　comes。〃

The　footman；　an　orderly　in　uniform；　came　in。

〃Ask　if　Anna　Vasilievna　is　up；〃　said　the　General　to　the　orderly；
〃and　bring　some　more　tea。〃　Then；　turning　to　Nekhludoff；　〃Yes；　and
what　else？〃

〃My　other　request　concerns　a　political　prisoner　who　is　with　the
same　gang。〃

〃Dear　me；〃　said　the　General；　with　a　significant　shake　of　the
head。

〃He　is　seriously　illdying；　and　he　will　probably　he　left　here　in
the　hospital；　so　one　of　the　women　prisoners　would　like　to　stay
behind　with　him。〃

〃She　is　no　relation　of　his？〃

〃No；　but　she　is　willing　to　marry　him　if　that　will　enable　her　to
remain　with　him。〃

The　General　looked　fixedly　with　twinkling　eyes　at　his
interlocutor；　and；　evidently　with　a　wish　to　discomfit　him；
listened；　smoking　in　silence。

When　Nekhludoff　had　finished；　the　General　took　a　book　off　the
table；　and；　wetting　his　finger；　quickly　turned　over　the　pages　and
found　the　statute　relating　to　marriage。

〃What　is　she　sentenced　to？〃　he　asked；　looking　up　from　the　book。

〃She？　To　hard　labour。〃

〃Well；　then；　the　position　of　one　sentenced　to　that　cannot　be
bettered　by　marriage。〃

〃Yes；　but…〃

〃Excuse　me。　Even　if　a　free　man　should　marry　her；　she　would　have
to　serve　her　term。　The　question　in　such　cases　is；　whose　is　the
heavier　punishment；　hers　or　his？〃

〃They　are　both　sentenced　to　hard　labour。〃

〃Very　well；　so　they　are　quits；〃　said　the　General；　with　a　laugh。
She's　got　what　he　has；　only　as　he　is　sick　he　may　be　left　behind；
and　of　course