resurrection(复活)-第39章
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his arm and laughing。 Next to him a woman； with a good woollen
shawl on her shoulders； sat on the floor holding a baby in her
lap and crying bitterly。 This was apparently the first time she
saw the greyheaded man on the other side in prison clothes； and
with his head shaved。 Beyond her was the doorkeeper； who had
spoken to Nekhludoff outside； he was shouting with all his might
to a greyhaired convict on the other side。
When Nekhludoff found that he would have to speak in similar
conditions； a feeling of indignation against those who were able
to make and enforce these conditions arose in him； he was
surprised that； placed in such a dreadful position； no one seemed
offended at this outrage on human feelings。 The soldiers； the
inspector； the prisoners themselves； acted as if acknowledging
all this to be necessary。
Nekhludoff remained in this room for about five minutes； feeling
strangely depressed； conscious of how powerless he was； and at
variance with all the world。 He was seized with a curious moral
sensation like seasickness。
CHAPTER XLII。
VISITING DAYTHE WOMEN'S WARD。
〃Well； but I must do what I came here for；〃 he said； trying to
pick up courage。 〃What is to be done now？〃 He looked round for an
official； and seeing a thin little man in the uniform of an
officer going up and down behind the people； he approached him。
〃Can you tell me； sir；〃 he said； with exceedingly strained
politeness of manner； 〃where the women are kept； and where one is
allowed to interview them？〃
〃Is it the women's ward you want to go to？〃
〃Yes； I should like to see one of the women prisoners；〃
Nekhludoff said； with the same strained politeness。
〃You should have said so when you were in the hall。 Who is it；
then； that you want to see？〃
〃I want to see a prisoner called Katerina Maslova。〃
〃Is she a political one？〃
〃No； she is simply 。 。 。〃
〃What！ Is she sentenced？〃
〃Yes； the day before yesterday she was sentenced；〃 meekly
answered Nekhludoff； fearing to spoil the inspector's good
humour； which seemed to incline in his favour。
〃If you want to go to the women's ward please to step this way；〃
said the officer； having decided from Nekhludoff's appearance
that he was worthy of attention。 〃Sideroff； conduct the gentleman
to the women's ward；〃 he said； turning to a moustached corporal
with medals on his breast。
〃Yes； sir。〃
At this moment heart…rending sobs were heard coming from some one
near the net。
Everything here seemed strange to Nekhludoff； but strangest of
all was that he should have to thank and feel obligation towards
the inspector and the chief warders； the very men who were
performing the cruel deeds that were done in this house。
The corporal showed Nekhludoff through the corridor； out of the
men's into the women's interviewing…room。
This room； like that of the men； was divided by two wire nets；
but it was much smaller； and there were fewer visitors and fewer
prisoners； so that there was less shouting than in the men's
room。 Yet the same thing was going on here； only； between the
nets instead of soldiers there was a woman warder； dressed in a
blue…edged uniform jacket； with gold cords on the sleeves； and a
blue belt。 Here also； as in the men's room； the people were
pressing close to the wire netting on both sides； on the nearer
side； the townspeople in varied attire； on the further side； the
prisoners； some in white prison clothes； others in their own
coloured dresses。 The whole length of the net was taken up by the
people standing close to it。 Some rose on tiptoe to be heard
across the heads of others； some sat talking on the floor。
The most remarkable of the prisoners； both by her piercing
screams and her appearance； was a thin； dishevelled gipsy。 Her
kerchief had slipped off her curly hair； and she stood near a
post in the middle of the prisoner's division； shouting
something； accompanied by quick gestures； to a gipsy man in a
blue coat； girdled tightly below the waist。 Next the gipsy man； a
soldier sat on the ground talking to prisoner； next the soldier；
leaning close to the net； stood a young peasant； with a fair
beard and a flushed face； keeping back his tears with difficulty。
A pretty； fair…haired prisoner； with bright blue eyes； was
speaking to him。 These two were Theodosia and her husband。 Next
to them was a tramp； talking to a broad…faced woman； then two
women； then a man； then again a woman； and in front of each a
prisoner。 Maslova was not among them。 But some one stood by the
window behind the prisoners； and Nekhludoff knew it was she。 His
heart began to beat faster； and his breath stopped。 The decisive
moment was approaching。 He went up to the part of the net where
he could see the prisoner； and recognised her at once。 She stood
behind the blue…eyed Theodosia； and smiled； listening to what
Theodosia was saying。 She did not wear the prison cloak now； but
a white dress； tightly drawn in at the waist by a belt； and very
full in the bosom。 From under her kerchief appeared the black
ringlets of her fringe； just the same as in the court。
〃Now； in a moment it will be decided；〃 he thought。
〃How shall I call her？ Or will she come herself？〃
〃She was expecting Bertha； that this man had come to see her
never entered her head。
〃Whom do you want？〃 said the warder who was walking between the
nets； coming up to Nekhludoff。
〃Katerina Maslova；〃 Nekhludoff uttered； with difficulty。
〃Katerina Maslova； some one to see you；〃 cried the warder。
CHAPTER XLIII。
NEKHLUDOFF VISITS MASLOVA。
Maslova looked round； and with head thrown back and expanded
chest； came up to the net with that expression of readiness which
he well knew； pushed in between two prisoners； and gazed at
Nekhludoff with a surprised and questioning look。 But； concluding
from his clothing he was a rich man； she smiled。
〃Is it me you want？〃 she asked； bringing her smiling face； with
the slightly squinting eyes； nearer the net。
〃I； II wished to see 〃Nekhludoff did not know how to address
her。 〃I wished to see youI〃 He was not speaking louder than
usual。
〃No； nonsense； I tell you！〃 shouted the tramp who stood next to
him。 〃Have you taken it or not？〃
〃Dying； I tell you； what more do you want？〃 some one else was
screaming at his other side。 Maslova could not hear what
Nekhludoff was saying； but the expression of his face as he was
speaking reminded her of him。 She did not believe her own eyes；
still the smile vanished from her face and a deep line of
suffering appeared on her brow。
〃I cannot hear what you are saying；〃 she called out； wrinkling
her brow and frowning more and more。
〃I have come；〃 said Nekhludoff。 〃Yes； I am doing my dutyI am
confessing；〃 thought Nekhludoff； and at this thought the tears
came in his eyes； and he felt a choking sensation in his throat；
and holding on with both hands to the net； he made efforts to
keep from bursting into tears。
〃I say； why do you shove yourself in where you're not wanted？〃
some one shouted at one side of him。
〃God is my witness； I know nothing；〃 screamed a prisoner from the
other side。
Noticing his excitement； Maslova recognised him。
〃You're like 。 。 。 but no； I don't know you；〃 she shouted；
without looking at him； and blushing； while her face grew still
more stern。
〃I have come to ask you to forgive me；〃 he said； in a loud but
monotonous voice； like a lesson learnt by heart。 Having said
these words he became confused； but immediately came the thought
that； if he felt ashamed； it was all the better； he had to bear
this shame； and he continued in a loud voice：
〃Forgive me； I have wronged you terribly。〃
She stood motionless and without taking her squinting eyes off
him。
He could not continue to speak； and stepping away from the net he
tried to suppress the sobs that were choking him。
The inspector； the same officer who had directed Nekhludoff to
the women's ward； and whose interest he seemed to have aroused；
came into the room； and； seeing Nekhludoff not at the net； asked
him why he was not talking to her whom he wanted to see。
Nekhludoff blew his nose； gave himself a shake； and； trying to
appear calm； said：
〃It's so inconvenient
