resurrection(复活)-第31章
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old woman's hair with her hand only to twist it round her fist。
Korableva； with her head bent to one side； was dealing out blows
with one arm and trying to catch the red…haired woman's hand with
her teeth； while the rest of the women crowded round； screaming
and trying to separate the fighters； even the consumptive one
came up and stood coughing and watching the fight。 The children
cried and huddled together。 The noise brought the woman warder
and a jailer。 The fighting women were separated； and Korableva；
taking out the bits of torn hair from her head； and the
red…haired one； holding her torn chemise together over her yellow
breast； began loudly to complain。
〃I know； it's all the vodka。 Wait a bit； I'll tell the inspector
tomorrow。 He'll give it you。 Can't I smell it？ Mind； get it all
out of the way； or it will be the worse for you；〃 said the
warder。 〃We've no time to settle your disputes。 Get to your
places and be quiet。〃
But quiet was not soon re…established。 For a long time the women
went on disputing and explaining to one another whose fault it
all was。 At last the warder and the jailer left the cell； the
women grew quieter and began going to bed； and the old woman went
to the icon and commenced praying。
〃The two jailbirds have met；〃 the red…haired woman suddenly
called out in a hoarse voice from the other end of the shelf
beds； accompanying every word with frightfully vile abuse。
〃Mind you don't get it again；〃 Korableva replied； also adding
words of abuse； and both were quiet again。
〃Had I not been stopped I'd have pulled your damned eyes out；〃
again began the red…haired one； and an answer of the same kind
followed from Korableva。 Then again a short interval and more
abuse。 But the intervals became longer and longer； as when a
thunder…cloud is passing； and at last all was quiet。
All were in bed； some began to snore； and only the old woman； who
always prayed a long time； went on bowing before the icon and the
deacon's daughter； who had got up after the warder left； was
pacing up and down the room again。 Maslova kept thinking that she
was now a convict condemned to hard labour； and had twice been
reminded of thisonce by Botchkova and once by the red…haired
womanand she could not reconcile herself to the thought。
Korableva； who lay next to her； turned over in her bed。
〃There now；〃 said Maslova in a low voice； 〃who would have thought
it？ See what others do and get nothing for it。〃
〃Never mind； girl。 People manage to live in Siberia。 As for you；
you'll not be lost there either；〃 Korableva said； trying to
comfort her。
〃I know I'll not be lost； still it is hard。 It's not such a fate
I wantI； who am used to a comfortable life。〃
〃Ah； one can't go against God；〃 said Korableva； with a sigh。
〃One can't； my dear。〃
〃I know； granny。 Still； it's hard。〃
They were silent for a while。
〃Do you hear that baggage？〃 whispered Korableva； drawing
Maslova's attention to a strange sound proceeding from the other
end of the room。
This sound was the smothered sobbing of the red…haired woman。 The
red…haired woman was crying because she had been abused and had
not got any of the vodka she wanted so badly； also because she
remembered how all her life she had been abused； mocked at；
offended； beaten。 Remembering this； she pitied herself； and；
thinking no one heard her； began crying as children cry； sniffing
with her nose and swallowing the salt tears。
〃I'm sorry for her；〃 said Maslova。
〃Of course one is sorry；〃 said Korableva； 〃but she shouldn't come
bothering。〃 Resurrection
CHAPTER XXXIII。
THE LEAVEN AT WORKNEKHLUDOFF'S DOMESTIC CHANGES。
The next morning Nekhludoff awoke； conscious that something had
happened to him； and even before he had remembered what it was he
knew it to be something important and good。
〃Katushathe trial！〃 Yes； he must stop lying and tell the whole
truth。
By a strange coincidence on that very morning he received the
long…expected letter from Mary Vasilievna； the wife of the
Marechal de Noblesse； the very letter he particularly needed。
She gave him full freedom； and wished him happiness in his
intended marriage。
〃Marriage！〃 he repeated with irony。 〃How far I am from all that
at present。〃
And he remembered the plans he had formed the day before； to tell
the husband everything； to make a clean breast of it； and express
his readiness to give him any kind of satisfaction。 But this
morning this did not seem so easy as the day before。 And； then；
also； why make a man unhappy by telling him what he does not
know？ Yes； if he came and asked； he would tell him all； but to go
purposely and tellno！ that was unnecessary。
And telling the whole truth to Missy seemed just as difficult
this morning。 Again； he could not begin to speak without offence。
As in many worldly affairs； something had to remain unexpressed。
Only one thing he decided on； i。e。； not to visit there； and to
tell the truth if asked。
But in connection with Katusha； nothing was to remain unspoken。
〃I shall go to the prison and shall tell her every thing； and ask
her to forgive me。 And if need beyes； if need be； I shall marry
her；〃 he thought。
This idea； that he was ready to sacrifice all on moral grounds；
and marry her； again made him feel very tender towards himself。
Concerning money matters he resolved this morning to arrange them
in accord with his conviction； that the holding of landed
property was unlawful。 Even if he should not be strong enough to
give up everything； he would still do what he could； not
deceiving himself or others。
It was long since he had met the coming day with so much energy。
When Agraphena Petrovna came in； he told her； with more firmness
than he thought himself capable of； that he no longer needed this
lodging nor her services。 There had been a tacit understanding
that he was keeping up so large and expensive an establishment
because he was thinking of getting married。 The giving up of the
house had； therefore； a special meaning。 Agraphena Petrovna
looked at him in surprise。
〃I thank you very much； Agraphena Petrovna； for all your care for
me； but I no longer require so large a house nor so many
servants。 If you wish to help me； be so good as to settle about
the things； put them away as it used to be done during mamma's
life； and when Natasha comes she will see to everything。〃 Natasha
was Nekhludoff's sister。
Agraphena Petrovna shook her head。 〃See about the things？ Why；
they'll be required again；〃 she said。
〃No； they won't； Agraphena Petrovna； I assure you they won't be
required；〃 said Nekhludoff； in answer to what the shaking of her
head had expressed。 〃Please tell Corney also that I shall pay him
two months' wages； but shall have no further need of him。〃
〃It is a pity； Dmitri Ivanovitch； that you should think of doing
this；〃 she said。 〃Well； supposing you go abroad； still you'll
require a place of residence again。〃
〃You are mistaken in your thoughts； Agraphena Petrovna； I am not
going abroad。 If I go on a journey； it will be to quite a
different place。〃 He suddenly blushed very red。 〃Yes； I must tell
her；〃 he thought； 〃no hiding； everybody must be told。〃
〃A very strange and important thing happened to me yesterday。 Do
you remember my Aunt Mary Ivanovna's Katusha？〃
〃Oh； yes。 Why； I taught her how to sew。〃
〃Well； this Katusha was tried in the Court and I was on the
jury。〃
〃Oh； Lord！ What a pity！〃 cried Agraphena Petrovna。 What was she
being tried for？〃
〃Murder； and it is I have done it all。〃
〃Well； now this is very strange； how could you do it all？〃
〃Yes； I am the cause of it all； and it is this that has altered
all my plans。〃
〃What difference can it make to you？〃
〃This difference： that I； being the cause of her getting on to
that path； must do all I can to help her。〃
〃That is just according to your own good pleasure； you are not
particularly in fault there。 It happens to every one； and if
one's reasonable； it all gets smoothed over and forgotten；〃 she
said； seriously and severely。 〃Why should you place it to your
account？ There's no need。 I had already heard before that she had
strayed from the right path。 Well； whose fault is it？〃
