resurrection(复活)-第44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！



〃I　should　like　to　see　him。　What　am　I　to　do？〃　said　Nekhludoff。

〃When　the　inspector　comes　out　you'll　tell　himwait　a　bit；〃　said
the　jailer。

At　this　moment　a　sergeant…major；　with　a　smooth；　shiny　face　and
moustaches　impregnated　with　tobacco　smoke；　came　out　of　a　side
door；　with　the　gold　cords　of　his　uniform　glistening；　and
addressed　the　jailer　in　a　severe　tone。

〃What　do　you　mean　by　letting　any　one　in　here？　The　office。　。　。　。〃

〃I　was　told　the　inspector　was　here；〃　said　Nekhludoff；　surprised
at　the　agitation　he　noticed　in　the　sergeant…major's　manner。

At　this　moment　the　inner　door　opened；　and　Petrov　came　out；　heated
and　perspiring。

〃He'll　remember　it；〃　he　muttered；　turning　to　the　sergeant　major。
The　latter　pointed　at　Nekhludoff　by　a　look；　and　Petrov　knitted
his　brows　and　went　out　through　a　door　at　the　back。

〃Who　will　remember　it？　Why　do　they　all　seem　so　confused？　Why　did
the　sergeant…major　make　a　sign　to　him？　Nekhludoff　thought。

The　sergeant…major；　again　addressing　Nekhludoff；　said：　〃You
cannot　meet　here；　please　step　across　to　the　office。〃　And
Nekhludoff　was　about　to　comply　when　the　inspector　came　out　of　the
door　at　the　back；　looking　even　more　confused　than　his
subordinates；　and　sighing　continually。　When　he　saw　Nekhludoff　he
turned　to　the　jailer。

〃Fedotoff；　have　Maslova；　cell　5；　women's　ward；　taken　to　the
office。〃

〃Will　you　come　this　way；　please；〃　he　said；　turning　to　Nekhludoff。
They　ascended　a　steep　staircase　and　entered　a　little　room　with
one　window；　a　writing…table；　and　a　few　chairs　in　it。　The
inspector　sat　down。

〃Mine　are　heavy；　heavy　duties；〃　he　remarked；　again　addressing
Nekhludoff；　and　took　out　a　cigarette。

〃You　are　tired；　evidently；〃　said　Nekhludoff。

Tired　of　the　whole　of　the　servicethe　duties　are　very　trying。
One　tries　to　lighten　their　lot　and　only　makes　it　worse；　my　only
thought　is　how　to　get　away。　Heavy；　heavy　duties！〃

Nekhludoff　did　not　know　what　the　inspector's　particular
difficulties　were；　but　he　saw　that　to…day　he　was　in　a　peculiarly
dejected　and　hopeless　condition；　calling　for　pity。〃

〃Yes；　I　should　think　the　duties　were　heavy　for　a　kind…hearted
man；〃　he　said。　〃Why　do　you　serve　in　this　capacity？

〃I　have　a　family。〃

〃But；　if　it　is　so　hard〃

〃Well；　still　you　know　it　is　possible　to　be　of　use　in　some
measure；　I　soften　down　all　I　can。　Another　in　my　place　would
conduct　the　affairs　quite　differently。　Why；　we　have　more　than
2；000　persons　here。　And　what　persons！　One　must　know　how　to　manage
them。　It　is　easier　said　than　done；　you　know。　After　all；　they　are
also　men；　one　cannot　help　pitying　them。〃　The　inspector　began
telling　Nekhludoff　of　a　fight　that　had　lately　taken　place　among
the　convicts；　which　had　ended　by　one　man　being　killed。

The　story　was　interrupted　by　the　entrance　of　Maslova；　who　was
accompanied　by　a　jailer。

Nekhludoff　saw　her　through　the　doorway　before　she　had　noticed　the
inspector。　She　was　following　the　warder　briskly；　smiling　and
tossing　her　head。　When　she　saw　the　inspector　she　suddenly
changed；　and　gazed　at　him　with　a　frightened　look；　but；　quickly
recovering；　she　addressed　Nekhludoff　boldly　and　gaily。

〃How　d'you　do？〃　she　said；　drawling　out　her　words；　and
Resurrection　smilingly　took　his　hand　and　shook　it　vigorously；　not
like　the　first　time。

〃Here；　I've　brought　you　a　petition　to　sign；〃　said　Nekhludoff；
rather　surprised　by　the　boldness　with　which　she　greeted　him
to…day。

〃The　advocate　has　written　out　a　petition　which　you　will　have　to
sign；　and　then　we　shall　send　it　to　Petersburg。〃

〃All　right！　That　can　be　done。　Anything　you　like；〃　she　said；　with
a　wink　and　a　smile。

And　Nekhludoff　drew　a　folded　paper　from　his　pocket　and　went　up　to
the　table。

〃May　she　sign　it　here？〃　asked　Nekhludoff；　turning　to　the
inspector。

〃It's　all　right；　it's　all　right！　Sit　down。　Here's　a　pen；　you　can
write？〃　said　the　inspector。

〃I　could　at　one　time；〃　she　said；　and；　after　arranging　her　skirt
and　the　sleeves　of　her　jacket；　she　sat　down　at　the　table；　smiled
awkwardly；　took　the　pen　with　her　small；　energetic　hand；　and
glanced　at　Nekhludoff　with　a　laugh。

Nekhludoff　told　her　what　to　write　and　pointed　out　the　place　where
to　sign。

Sighing　deeply　as　she　dipped　her　pen　into　the　ink；　and　carefully
shaking　some　drops　off　the　pen；　she　wrote　her　name。

〃Is　it　all？〃　she　asked；　looking　from　Nekhludoff　to　the　inspector；
and　putting　the　pen　now　on　the　inkstand；　now　on　the　papers。

〃I　have　a　few　words　to　tell　you；〃　Nekhludoff　said；　taking　the　pen
from　her。

〃All　right；　tell　me；〃　she　said。　And　suddenly；　as　if　remembering
something；　or　feeling　sleepy；　she　grew　serious。

The　inspector　rose　and　left　the　room；　and　Nekhludoff　remained
with　her。


CHAPTER　XLVIII。

MASLOVA　REFUSES　TO　MARRY。

The　jailer　who　had　brought　Maslova　in　sat　on　a　windowsill　at　some
distance　from　them。

The　decisive　moment　had　come　for　Nekhludoff。　He　had　been
incessantly　blaming　himself　for　not　having　told　her　the　principal
thing　at　the　first　interview；　and　was　now　determined　to　tell　her
that　he　would　marry　her。　She　was　sitting　at　the　further　side　of
the　table。　Nekhludoff　sat　down　opposite　her。　It　was　light　in　the
room；　and　Nekhludoff　for　the　first　time　saw　her　face　quite　near。
He　distinctly　saw　the　crowsfeet　round　her　eyes；　the　wrinkles
round　her　mouth；　and　the　swollen　eyelids。　He　felt　more　sorry　than
before。　Leaning　over　the　table　so　as　not　to　be　beard　by　the
jailera　man　of　Jewish　type　with　grizzly　whiskers；　who　sat　by
the　windowNekhludoff　said：

〃Should　this　petition　come　to　nothing　we　shall　appeal　to　the
Emperor。　All　that　is　possible　shall　be　done。〃

〃There；　now；　if　we　had　had　a　proper　advocate　from　the　first；〃　she
interrupted。　〃My　defendant　was　quite　a　silly。　He　did　nothing　but
pay　me　compliments；〃　she　said；　and　laughed。　〃If　it　had　then　been
known　that　I　was　acquainted　with　you；　it　would　have　been　another
matter。　They　think　every　one's　a　thief。〃

〃How　strange　she　is　to…day；〃　Nekhludoff　thought；　and　was　just
going　to　say　what　he　had　on　his　mind　when　she　began　again：

〃There's　something　I　want　to　say。　We　have　here　an　old　woman；　such
a　fine　one；　d'you　know；　she　just　surprises　every　one；　she　is
imprisoned　for　nothing；　and　her　son；　too；　and　everybody　knows
they　are　innocent；　though　they　are　accused　of　having　set　fire　to
a　house。　D'you　know；　hearing　I　was　acquainted　with　you；　she　says：
'Tell　him　to　ask　to　see　my　son；　he'll　tell　him　all　about　it。〃'
Thus　spoke　Maslova；　turning　her　head　from　side　to　side；　and
glancing　at　Nekhludoff。　〃Their　name's　Menshoff。　Well；　will　you　do
it？　Such　a　fine　old　thing；　you　know；　you　can　see　at　once　she's
innocent。　You'll　do　it；　there's　a　dear；〃　and　she　smiled；　glanced
up　at　him；　and　then　cast　down　her　eyes。

〃All　right。　I'll　find　out　about　them；〃　Nekhludoff　said；　more　and
more　astonished　by　her　free…and…easy　manner。　〃But　I　was　going　to
speak　to　you　about　myself。　Do　you　remember　what　I　told　you　last
time？〃

〃You　said　a　lot　last　time。　What　was　it　you　told　me？〃　she　said；
continuing　to　smile　and　to　turn　her　head　from　side　to　side。

〃I　said　I　had　come　to　ask　you　to　forgive　me；〃　he　began。

〃What's　the　use　of　that？　Forgive；　forgive；　where's　the　good　of〃

〃To　atone　for　my　sin；　not　by　mere　words；　but　in　deed。　I　have　made
up　my　mind　to　marry　you。〃

An　expression　of　fear　suddenly　came　over　her　face。　Her　squinting
eyes　remained　fixed　on　him；　and　yet　seemed　not　to　be　looking　at
him。

〃What's　that　for？〃　she　said；　with　an　angry　frown。

〃I　feel　that　it　is　my　duty　before　God　to　do　it。〃

〃What　God　have　you　found　now？　You　are　not　saying　what　you　ought
to。　God；　indeed！　What　God？　You　ought　to　have　remembered　God
then；〃　she　said；　and　stopped　with　her　mouth　open。　It　was　only　now
that　Nekhludoff　noticed　that　her　breath　smelled　of　spirits；　and
that　he　understood　the　cause　of　her　excitement。

〃Try　and　be　calm；〃　he　said。

〃Why　should　I　be　calm？〃　she　began；　quickly；　flushing　scarlet。　〃I
am　a　convict；　and　you　are　a　gentleman　and　a　prince。　There's　no
need　for　you　to　soil　yourself　by　touching　me。　You　go　to　your
princesses；　my　price　is　a　ten…rouble　note。〃

〃However　cruelly　you　may　speak；　you　cannot　express　what　I　myself
am　feeling；〃　he　said；　trembling　all　over；　〃you　cannot　imagine　to
what