resurrection(复活)-第30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！


Norableva。　〃Well；　what　is　it？　Exile？〃

Maslova　could　not　answer；　but　took　from　inside　the　roll　a　box　of
cigarettes；　on　which　was　a　picture　of　a　lady　with　hair　done　up
very　high　and　dress　cut　low　in　front；　and　passed　the　box　to
Korableva。　Korableva　looked　at　it　and　shook　her　head；　chiefly
because　see　did　not　approve　of　Maslova's　putting　her　money　to
such　bad　use；　but　still　she　took　out　a　cigarette；　lit　it　at　the
lamp；　took　a　puff；　and　almost　forced　it　into　Maslova's　hand。
Maslova；　still　crying；　began　greedily　to　inhale　the　tobacco
smoke。　〃Penal　servitude；〃　she　muttered；　blowing　out　the　smoke　and
sobbing。

〃Don't　they　fear　the　Lord；　the　cursed　soul…slayers？〃　muttered
Korableva；　〃sentencing　the　lass　for　nothing。〃　At　this　moment　the
sound　of　loud；　coarse　laughter　came　from　the　women　who　were　still
at　the　window。　The　little　girl　also　laughed；　and　her　childish
treble　mixed　with　the　hoarse　and　screeching　laughter　of　the
others。　One　of　the　convicts　outside　had　done　something　that
produced　this　effect　on　the　onlookers。

〃Lawks！　see　the　shaved　hound；　what　he's　doing；〃　said　the
red…haired　woman；　her　whole　fat　body　shaking　with　laughter；　and
leaning　against　the　grating　she　shouted　meaning　less　obscene
words。

〃Ugh；　the　fat　fright's　cackling；〃　said　Korableva；　who　disliked
the　red…haired　woman。　Then；　turning　to　Maslova　again；　she　asked：
〃How　many　years？〃

〃Four；〃　said　Maslova；　and　the　tears　ran　down　her　cheeks　in　such
profusion　that　one　fell　on　the　cigarette。　Maslova　crumpled　it　up
angrily　and　took　another。

Though　the　watchman's　wife　did　not　smoke　she　picked　up　the
cigarette　Maslova　had　thrown　away　and　began　straightening　it　out；
talking　unceasingly。

〃There；　now；　ducky；　so　it's　true；〃　she　said。　〃Truth's　gone　to　the
dogs　and　they　do　what　they　please；　and　here　we　were　guessing　that
you'd　go　free。　Norableva　says；　'She'll　go　free。'　I　say；　'No；'　say
I。　'No；　dear；　my　heart　tells　me　they'll　give　it　her。'　And　so　it's
turned　out；〃　she　went　on；　evidently　listening　with　pleasure　to
her　own　voice。

The　women　who　had　been　standing　by　the　window　now　also　came　up　to
Maslova；　the　convicts　who　had　amused　them　having　gone　away。　The
first　to　come　up　were　the　woman　imprisoned　for　illicit　trade　in
spirits；　and　her　little　girl。　〃Why　such　a　hard　sentence？〃　asked
the　woman；　sitting　down　by　Maslova　and　knitting　fast。

〃Why　so　hard？　Because　there's　no　money。　That's　why！　Had　there
been　money；　and　had　a　good　lawyer　that's　up　to　their　tricks　been
hired；　they'd　have　acquitted　her；　no　fear；〃　said　Korableva。
〃There's　what's…his…namethat　hairy　one　with　the　long　nose。　He'd
bring　you　out　clean　from　pitch；　mum；　he　would。　Ah；　if　we'd　only
had　him！〃

〃Him；　indeed；〃　said　Khoroshavka。　〃Why；　he　won't　spit　at　you　for
less　than　a　thousand　roubles。〃

〃Seems　you've　been　born　under　an　unlucky　star；〃　interrupted　the
old　woman　who　was　imprisoned　for　incendiarism。　〃Only　think；　to
entice　the　lad's　wife　and　lock　him　himself　up　to　feed　vermin；　and
me；　too；　in　my　old　days〃　she　began　to　retell　her　story　for　the
hundredth　time。　〃If　it　isn't　the　beggar's　staff　it's　the　prison。
Yes；　the　beggar's　staff　and　the　prison　don't　wait　for　an
invitation。〃

〃Ah；　it　seems　that's　the　way　with　all　of　them；〃　said　the　spirit
trader；　and　after　looking　at　her　little　girl　she　put　down　her
knitting；　and；　drawing　the　child　between　her　knees；　began　to
search　her　head　with　deft　fingers。　〃Why　do　you　sell　spirits？〃　she
went　on。　〃Why？　but　what's　one　to　feed　the　children　on？〃

These　words　brought　back　to　Maslova's　mind　her　craving　for　drink。

〃A　little　vodka；〃　she　said　to　Korableva；　wiping　the　tears　with
her　sleeve　and　sobbing　less　frequently。

〃All　right；　fork　out；〃　said　Korableva。


CHAPTER　XXXII。

A　PRISON　QUARREL。

Maslova　got　the　money；　which　she　had　also　hidden　in　a　roll；　and
passed　the　coupon　to　Korableva。　Korableva　accepted　it；　though　she
could　not　read；　trusting　to　Khoroshavka；　who　knew　everything；　and
who　said　that　the　slip　of　paper　was　worth　2　roubles　50　copecks；
then　climbed　up　to　the　ventilator；　where　she　had　hidden　a　small
flask　of　vodka。　Seeing　this；　the　women　whose　places　were　further
off　went　away。　Meanwhile　Maslova　shook　the　dust　out　of　her　cloak
and　kerchief；　got　up　on　the　bedstead；　and　began　eating　a　roll。

〃I　kept　your　tea　for　you；〃　said　Theodosia；　getting　down　from　the
shelf　a　mug　and　a　tin　teapot　wrapped　in　a　rag；　〃but　I'm　afraid　it
is　quite　cold。〃　The　liquid　was　quite　cold　and　tasted　more　of　tin
than　of　tea；　yet　Maslova　filled　the　mug　and　began　drinking　it
with　her　roll。　〃Finashka；　here　you　are；〃　she　said；　breaking　off　a
bit　of　the　roll　and　giving　it　to　the　boy；　who　stood　looking　at
her　mouth。

Meanwhile　Korableva　handed　the　flask　of　vodka　and　a　mug　to
Maslova；　who　offered　some　to　her　and　to　Khoroshavka。　These
prisoners　were　considered　the　aristocracy　of　the　cell　because
they　had　some　money；　and　shared　what　they　possessed　with　the
others。

In　a　few　moments　Maslova　brightened　up　and　related　merrily　what
had　happened　at　the　court；　and　what　had　struck　her　most；　i。e。；
how　all　the　men　had　followed　her　wherever　she　went。　In　the　court
they　all　looked　at　her；　she　said；　and　kept　coming　into　the
prisoners'　room　while　she　was　there。

〃One　of　the　soldiers　even　says；　'It's　all　to　look　at　you　that
they　come。'　One　would　come　in；　'Where　is　such　a　paper？'　or
something；　but　I　see　it　is　not　the　paper　he　wants；　he　just
devours　me　with　his　eyes；〃　she　said；　shaking　her　head。　〃Regular
artists。〃

〃Yes；　that's　so；〃　said　the　watchman's　wife；　and　ran　on　in　her
musical　strain；　〃they're　like　flies　after　sugar。〃

〃And　here；　too；〃　Maslova　interrupted　her；　〃the　same　thing。　They
can　do　without　anything　else。　But　the　likes　of　them　will　go
without　bread　sooner　than　miss　that！　Hardly　had　they　brought　me
back　when　in　comes　a　gang　from　the　railway。　They　pestered　me　so；
I　did　not　know　how　to　rid　myself　of　them。　Thanks　to　the
assistant；　he　turned　them　off。　One　bothered　so；　I　hardly　got
away。〃

〃What's　he　like？〃　asked　Khoroshevka。

〃Dark；　with　moustaches。〃

〃It　must　be　him。〃

〃Himwho？〃

〃Why；　Schegloff；　him　as　has　just　gone　by。〃

〃What's　he；　this　Schegloff？〃

〃What；　she　don't　know　Schegloff？　Why；　he　ran　twice　from　Siberia。
Now　they've　got　him；　but　he'll　run　away。　The　warders　themselves
are　afraid　of　him；〃　said　Khoroshavka；　who　managed　to　exchange
notes　with　the　male　prisoners　and　knew　all　that　went　on　in　the
prison。　〃He'll　run　away；　that's　flat。〃

〃If　he　does　go　away　you　and　I'll　have　to　stay；〃　said　Korableva；
turning　to　Maslova；　〃but　you'd　better　tell　us　now　what　the
advocate　says　about　petitioning。　Now's　the　time　to　hand　it　in。〃

Maslova　answered　that　she　knew　nothing　about　it。

At　that　moment　the　red…haired　woman　came　up　to　the　〃aristocracy〃
with　both　freckled　hands　in　her　thick　hair；　scratching　her　head
with　her　nails。

〃I'll　tell　you　all　about　it；　Katerina；〃　she　began。　〃First　and
foremost；　you'll　have　to　write　down　you're　dissatisfied　with　the
sentence；　then　give　notice　to　the　Procureur。〃

〃What　do　you　want　here？〃　said　Korableva　angrily；　〃smell　the
vodka；　do　you？　Your　chatter's　not　wanted。　We　know　what　to　do
without　your　advice。〃

〃No　one's　speaking　to　you；　what　do　you　stick　your　nose　in　for？〃

〃It's　vodka　you　want；　that's　why　you　come　wriggling　yourself　in
here。〃

〃Well；　offer　her　some；〃　said　Maslova；　always　ready　to　share
anything　she　possessed　with　anybody。

〃I'll　offer　her　something。〃

〃Come　on　then；〃　said　the　red…haired　one；　advancing　towards
Korableva。　〃Ah！　think　I'm　afraid　of　such　as　you？〃

〃Convict　fright！〃

〃That's　her　as　says　it。〃

〃Slut！〃

〃I？　A　slut？　Convict！　Murderess！〃　screamed　the　red…haired　one。

〃Go　away；　I　tell　you；〃　said　Korableva　gloomily；　but　the
red…haired　one　came　nearer　and　Korableva　struck　her　in　the　chest。
The　red…haired　woman　seemed　only　to　have　waited　for　this；　and
with　a　sudden　movement　caught　hold　of　Korableva's　hair　with　one
hand　and　with　the　other　struck　her　in　the　face。　Korableva　seized
this　hand；　and　Maslova　and　Khoroshavka　caught　the　red…haired
woman　by　her　arms；　trying　to　pull　her　away；　but　she　let　go　the
old　woman's　hair　with　her　hand　only　to　twist　it　round　her　fist。
Korableva；　with　her　head　bent　to　one　side；