resurrection(复活)-第33章

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threatening　the　prisoner　with　their　naked　weapons。

The　proceedings　showed　that　this　boy　was　apprenticed　by　his
father　at　a　tobacco　factory；　where　he　remained　five　years。　This
year　he　had　been　discharged　by　the　owner　after　a　strike；　and；
having　lost　his　place；　he　wandered　about　the　town　without　any
work；　drinking　all　he　possessed。　In　a　traktir　＇cheap　restaurant＇
he　met　another　like　himself；　who　had　lost　his　place　before　the
prisoner　had；　a　locksmith　by　trade　and　a　drunkard。　One　night；
those　two；　both　drunk；　broke　the　lock　of　a　shed　and　took　the
first　thing　they　happened　to　lay　hands　on。　They　confessed　all　and
were　put　in　prison；　where　the　locksmith　died　while　awaiting　the
trial。　The　boy　was　now　being　tried　as　a　dangerous　creature；　from
whom　society　must　be　protected。

〃Just　as　dangerous　a　creature　as　yesterday's　culprit；〃　thought
Nekhludoff；　listening　to　all　that　was　going　on　before　him。　〃They
are　dangerous；　and　we　who　judge　them？　I；　a　rake；　an　adulterer；　a
deceiver。　We　are　not　dangerous。　But；　even　supposing　that　this　boy
is　the　most　dangerous　of　all　that　are　here　in　the　court；　what
should　he　done　from　a　common…sense　point　of　view　when　he　has
been　caught？　It　is　clear　that　he　is　not　an　exceptional　evil…doer；
but　a　most　ordinary　boy；　every　one　sees　itand　that　he　has
become　what　he　is　simply　because　he　got　into　circumstances　that
create　such　characters；　and；　therefore；　to　prevent　such　a　boy
from　going　wrong　the　circumstances　that　create　these　unfortunate
beings　must　be　done　away　with。

〃But　what　do　we　do？　We　seize　one　such　lad　who　happens　to　get
caught；　knowing　well　that　there　are　thousands　like　him　whom　we
have　not　caught；　and　send　him　to　prison；　where　idleness；　or　most
unwholesome；　useless　labour　is　forced　on　him；　in　company　of
others　weakened　and　ensnared　by　the　lives　they　have　led。　And　then
we　send　him；　at　the　public　expense；　from　the　Moscow　to　the
Irkoutsk　Government；　in　company　with　the　most　depraved　of　men。

〃But　we　do　nothing　to　destroy　the　conditions　in　which　people　like
these　are　produced；　on　the　contrary；　we　support　the
establishments　where　they　are　formed。　These　establishments　are
well　known：　factories；　mills；　workshops；　public…houses；
gin…shops；　brothels。　And　we　do　not　destroy　these　places；　but；
looking　at　them　as　necessary；　we　support　and　regulate　them。　We
educate　in　this　way　not　one；　but　millions　of　people；　and　then
catch　one　of　them　and　imagine　that　we　have　done　something；　that
we　have　guarded　ourselves；　and　nothing　more　can　be　expected　of
us。　Have　we　not　sent　him　from　the　Moscow　to　the　Irkoutsk
Government？〃　Thus　thought　Nekhludoff　with　unusual　clearness　and
vividness；　sitting　in　his　high…backed　chair　next　to　the　colonel；
and　listening　to　the　different　intonations　of　the　advocates'；
prosecutor's；　and　president's　voices；　and　looking　at　their
self…confident　gestures。　〃And　how　much　and　what　hard　effort　this
pretence　requires；〃　continued　Nekhludoff　in　his　mind；　glancing
round　the　enormous　room；　the　portraits；　lamps；　armchairs；
uniforms；　the　thick　walls　and　large　windows；　and　picturing　to
himself　the　tremendous　size　of　the　building；　and　the　still　more
ponderous　dimensions　of　the　whole　of　this　organisation；　with　its
army　of　officials；　scribes；　watchmen；　messengers；　not　only　in
this　place；　but　all　over　Russia；　who　receive　wages　for　carrying
on　this　comedy　which　no　one　needs。　〃Supposing　we　spent
one…hundredth　of　these　efforts　helping　these　castaways；　whom　we
now　only　regard　as　hands　and　bodies；　required　by　us　for　our　own
peace　and　comfort。　Had　some　one　chanced　to　take　pity　on　him　and
given　some　help　at　the　time　when　poverty　made　them　send　him　to
town；　it　might　have　been　sufficient；〃　Nekhludoff　thought；　looking
at　the　boy's　piteous　face。　〃Or　even　later；　when；　after　12　hours'
work　at　the　factory；　he　was　going　to　the　public…house；　led　away
by　his　companions；　had　some　one　then　come　and　said；　'Don't　go；
Vania；　it　is　not　right；'　he　would　not　have　gone；　nor　got　into　bad
ways；　and　would　not　have　done　any　wrong。

〃But　no；　no　one　who　would　have　taken　pity　on　him　came　across　this
apprentice　in　the　years　he　lived　like　a　poor　little　animal　in　the
town；　and　with　his　hair　cut　close　so　as　not　to　breed　vermin；　and
ran　errands　for　the　workmen。　No；　all　he　heard　and　saw；　from　the
older　workmen　and　his　companions；　since　he　came　to　live　in　town；
was　that　he　who　cheats；　drinks；　swears；　who　gives　another　a
thrashing；　who　goes　on　the　loose；　is　a　fine　fellow。　Ill；　his
constitution　undermined　by　unhealthy　labour；　drink；　and
debaucherybewildered　as　in　a　dream；　knocking　aimlessly　about
town；　he　gets　into　some　sort　of　a　shed；　and　takes　from　there　some
old　mats；　which　nobody　needsand　here　we；　all　of　us　educated
people；　rich　or　comfortably　off；　meet　together；　dressed　in　good
clothes　and　fine　uniforms；　in　a　splendid　apartment；　to　mock　this
unfortunate　brother　of　ours　whom　we　ourselves　have　ruined。

〃Terrible！　It　is　difficult　to　say　whether　the　cruelty　or　the
absurdity　is　greater；　but　the　one　and　the　other　seem　to　reach
their　climax。〃

Nekhludoff　thought　all　this；　no　longer　listening　to　what　was
going　on　；　and　he　was　horror…struck　by　that　which　was　being
revealed　to　him。　He　could　not　understand　why　he　had　not　been　able
to　see　all　this　before；　and　why　others　were　unable　to　see　it。


CHAPTER　XXXV。

THE　PROCUREURNEKHLUDOFF　REFUSES　TO　SERVE。

During　an　interval　Nekhludoff　got　up　and　went　out　into　the
corridor；　with　the　intention　of　not　returning　to　the　court。　Let
them　do　what　they　liked　with　him；　he　could　take　no　more　part　in
this　awful　and　horrid　tomfoolery。

Having　inquired　where　the　Procureur's　cabinet　was　he　went
straight　to　him。　The　attendant　did　not　wish　to　let　him　in；　saying
that　the　Procureur　was　busy；　but　Nekhludoff　paid　no　heed　and　went
to　the　door；　where　he　was　met　by　an　official。　He　asked　to　be
announced　to　the　Procureur；　saying　he　was　on　the　jury　and　had　a
very　important　communication　to　make。

His　title　and　good　clothes　were　of　assistance　to　him。　The
official　announced　him　to　the　Procureur；　and　Nekhludoff　was　let
in。　The　Procureur　met　him　standing；　evidently　annoyed　at　the
persistence　with　which　Nekhludoff　demanded　admittance。

〃What　is　it　you　want？〃　the　Procureur　asked；　severely。

〃I　am　on　the　jury；　my　name　is　Nekhludoff；　and　it　is　absolutely
necessary　for　me　to　see　the　prisoner　Maslova；〃　Nekhludoff　said；
quickly　and　resolutely；　blushing；　and　feeling　that　he　was　taking
a　step　which　would　have　a　decisive　influence　on　his　life。

The　Procureur　was　a　short；　dark　man；　with　short；　grizzly　hair；
quick；　sparkling　eyes；　and　a　thick　beard　cut　close　on　his
projecting　lower　jaw。

〃Maslova？　Yes；　of　course；　I　know。　She　was　accused　of　poisoning；〃
the　Procureur　said；　quietly。　〃But　why　do　you　want　to　see　her？〃
And　then；　as　if　wishing　to　tone　down　his　question；　he　added；　〃I
cannot　give　you　the　permission　without　knowing　why　you　require
it。〃

〃I　require　it　for　a　particularly　important　reason。〃

〃Yes？〃　said　the　Procureur；　and；　lifting　his　eyes；　looked
attentively　at　Nekhludoff。　〃Has　her　case　been　heard　or　not？〃

〃She　was　tried　yesterday；　and　unjustly　sentenced；　she　is
innocent。〃

〃Yes？　If　she　was　sentenced　only　yesterday；〃　went　on　the
Procureur；　paying　no　attention　to　Nekhludoff's　statement
concerning　Maslova's　innocence；　〃she　must　still　he　in　the
preliminary　detention　prison　until　the　sentence　is　delivered　in
its　final　form。　Visiting　is　allowed　there　only　on　certain　days；　I
should　advise　you　to　inquire　there。〃

〃But　I　must　see　her　as　soon　as　possible；〃　Nekhludoff　said；　his
jaw　trembling　as　he　felt　the　decisive　moment　approaching。

〃Why　must　you？〃　said　the　Procureur；　lifting　his　brows　with　some
agitation。

〃Because　I　betrayed　her　and　brought　her　to　the　condition　which
exposed　her　to　this　accusation。〃

〃All　the　same；　I　cannot　see　what　it　has　to　do　with　visiting　her。〃

〃This：　that　whether　I　succeed　or　not　in　getting　the　sentence
changed　I　want　to　follow　her；　andmarry　her；〃　said　Nekhludoff；
touched　to　tears　by　his　own　conduct；　and　at　the　same　time　pleased
to　see　the　effect　he　produced　on　the　Procureur。

〃Really！　Dear　me！〃　said　the　Procureur。　〃This　is　certainly　a　very
exceptional　case。　I　believe　you　are　a　member　o