resurrection(复活)-第46章

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snow；　caked　in　heavy　lumps　on　their　branches。　A　red　light　flashes
in　the　dark；　some　one　lights　an　aromatic　cigarette。　Joseph；　a
bear　driver；　keeps　running　from　sledge　to　sledge；　up　to　his　knees
in　snow；　and　while　putting　things　to　rights　he　speaks　about　the
elk　which　are　now　going　about　on　the　deep　snow　and　gnawing　the
bark　off　the　aspen　trees；　of　the　bears　that　are　lying　asleep　in
their　deep　hidden　dens；　and　his　breath　comes　warm　through　the
opening　in　the　sledge　cover。　All　this　came　back　to　Nekhludoff's
mind；　but；　above　all；　the　joyous　sense　of　health；　strength；　and
freedom　from　care：　the　lungs　breathing　in　the　frosty　air　so
deeply　that　the　fur　cloak　is　drawn　tightly　on　his　chest；　the　fine
snow　drops　off　the　low　branches　on　to　his　face；　his　body　is　warm；
his　face　feels　fresh；　and　his　soul　is　free　from　care；
self…reproach；　fear；　or　desire。　How　beautiful　it　was。　And　now；　O
God！　what　torment；　what　trouble！

Evidently　Vera　Doukhova　was　a　revolutionist　and　imprisoned　as
such。　He　must　see　her；　especially　as　she　promised　to　advise　him
how　to　lighten　Maslova's　lot。


CHAPTER　L。

THE　VICE…GOVERNOR　OF　THE　PRISON。

Awaking　early　the　next　morning；　Nekhludoff　remembered　what　he　had
done　the　day　before；　and　was　seized　with　fear。

But　in　spite　of　this　fear；　he　was　more　determined　than　ever　to
continue　what　he　had　begun。

Conscious　of　a　sense　of　duty；　he　left　the　house　and　went　to　see
Maslennikoff　in　order　to　obtain　from　him　a　permission　to　visit
Maslova　in　prison；　and　also　the　Menshoffsmother　and　sonabout
whom　Maslova　had　spoken　to　him。　Nekhludoff　had　known　this
Maslennikoff　a　long　time；　they　had　been　in　the　regiment　together。
At　that　time　Maslennikoff　was　treasurer　to　the　regiment。

He　was　a　kind…hearted　and　zealous　officer；　knowing　and　wishing　to
know　nothing　beyond　the　regiment　and　the　Imperial　family。　Now
Nekhludoff　saw　him　as　an　administrator；　who　had　exchanged　the
regiment　for　an　administrative　office　in　the　government　where　he
lived。　He　was　married　to　a　rich　and　energetic　woman；　who　had
forced　him　to　exchange　military　for　civil　service。　She　laughed　at
him；　and　caressed　him；　as　if　he　were　her　own　pet　animal。
Nekhludoff　had　been　to　see　them　once　during　the　winter；　but　the
couple　were　so　uninteresting　to　him　that　he　had　not　gone　again。

At　the　sight　of　Nekhludoff　Maslennikoff's　face　beamed　all　over。
He　had　the　same　fat　red　face；　and　was　as　corpulent　and　as　well
dressed　as　in　his　military　days。　Then；　he　used　to　be　always
dressed　in　a　well…brushed　uniform；　made　according　to　the　latest
fashion；　tightly　fitting　his　chest　and　shoulders；　now；　it　was　a
civil　service　uniform　he　wore；　and　that；　too；　tightly　fitted　his
well…fed　body　and　showed　off　his　broad　chest；　and　was　cut
according　to　the　latest　fashion。　In　spite　of　the　difference　in
age　（Maslennikoff　was　40）；　the　two　men　were　very　familiar　with
one　another。

〃Halloo；　old　fellow！　How　good　of　you　to　come！　Let　us　go　and　see
my　wife。　I　have　just　ten　minutes　to　spare　before　the　meeting。　My
chief　is　away；　you　know。　I　am　at　the　head　of　the　Government
administration；〃　he　said；　unable　to　disguise　his　satisfaction。

〃I　have　come　on　business。〃

〃What　is　it？〃　said　Maslennikoff；　in　an　anxious　and　severe　tone；
putting　himself　at　once　on　his　guard。

〃There　is　a　person；　whom　I　am　very　much　interested　in；　in　prison〃
（at　the　word　〃prison〃　Maslennikoff's　face　grew　stern）；　〃and　I
should　like　to　have　an　interview　in　the　office；　and　not　in　the
common　visiting…room。　I　have　been　told　it　depended　on　you。〃

〃Certainly；　mon　cher；〃　said　Maslennikoff；　putting　both　hands　on
Nekhludoff's　knees；　as　if　to　tone　down　his　grandeur；　〃but
remember；　I　am　monarch　only　for　an　hour。〃

〃Then　will　you　give　me　an　order　that　will　enable　me　to　see　her？〃

〃It's　a　woman？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃What　is　she　there　for？〃

〃Poisoning；　but　she　has　been　unjustly　condemned。〃

〃Yes；　there　you　have　it；　your　justice　administered　by　jury；　ils
n'en　font　point　d'autres；〃　he　said；　for　some　unknown　reason；　in
French。　〃I　know　you　do　not　agree　with　me；　but　it　can't　be　helped；
c'est　mon　opinion　bien　arretee；〃　he　added；　giving　utterance　to　an
opinion　he　had　for　the　last　twelve　months　been　reading　in　the
retrograde　Conservative　paper。　〃I　know　you　are　a　Liberal。〃

〃I　don't　know　whether　I　am　a　Liberal　or　something　else；〃
Nekhludoff　said；　smiling；　it　always　surprised　him　to　find　himself
ranked　with　a　political　party　and　called　a　Liberal；　when　he
maintained　that　a　man　should　be　heard　before　he　was　judged；　that
before　being　tried　all　men　were　equal；　that　nobody　at　all　ought
to　be　ill…treated　and　beaten；　but　especially　those　who　had　not
yet　been　condemned　by　law。　〃I　don't　know　whether　I　am　a　Liberal
or　not；　but　I　do　know　that　however　had　the　present　way　of
conducting　a　trial　is；　it　is　better　than　the　old。〃

〃And　whom　have　you　for　an　advocate？〃

〃I　have　spoken　to　Fanarin。〃

〃Dear　me；　Fanarin！〃　said　Meslennikoff；　with　a　grimace；
recollecting　how　this　Fanarin　had　examined　him　as　a　witness　at　a
trial　the　year　before　and　had；　in　the　politest　manner；　held　him
up　to　ridicule　for　half　an　hour。

〃I　should　not　advise　you　to　have　anything　to　do　with　him。
Fanarin　est　un　homme　tare。〃

〃I　have　one　more　request　to　make；〃　said　Nekhludoff；　without
answering　him。　〃There's　a　girl　whom　I　knew　long　ago；　a　teacher；
she　is　a　very　pitiable　little　thing；　and　is　now　also　imprisoned；
and　would　like　to　see　me。　Could　you　give　me　a　permission　to　visit
her？〃

Meslennikoff　bent　his　head　on　one　side　and　considered。

〃She's　a　political　one？〃

〃Yes；　I　have　been　told　so。〃

〃Well；　you　see；　only　relatives　get　permission　to　visit　political
prisoners。　Still；　I'll　give　you　an　open　order。　Je　sais　que　vous
n'abuserez　pas。　What's　the　name　of　your　protegee？　Doukhova？　Elle
est　jolie？〃

〃Hideuse。〃

Maslennikoff　shook　his　head　disapprovingly；　went　up　to　the　table；
and　wrote　on　a　sheet　of　paper；　with　a　printed　heading：　〃The
bearer；　Prince　Dmitri　Ivanovitch　Nekhludoff；　is　to　be　allowed　to
interview　in　the　prison　office　the　meschanka　Maslova；　and　also
the　medical　assistant；　Doukhova；〃　and　he　finished　with　an
elaborate　flourish。

〃Now　you'll　be　able　to　see　what　order　we　have　got　there。　And　it
is　very　difficult　to　keep　order；　it　is　so　crowded；　especially
with　people　condemned　to　exile；　but　I　watch　strictly；　and　love
the　work。　You　will　see　they　are　very　comfortable　and　contented。
But　one　must　know　how　to　deal　with　them。　Only　a　few　days　ago　we
had　a　little　troubleinsubordination；　another　would　have　called
it　mutiny；　and　would　have　made　many　miserable；　but　with　us　it　all
passed　quietly。　We　must　have　solicitude　on　one　hand；　firmness　and
power　on　the　other；〃　and　he　clenched　the　fat；　white；
turquoise…ringed　fist；　which　issued　out　of　the　starched　cuff　of
his　shirt　sleeve；　fastened　with　a　gold　stud。　〃Solicitude　and　firm
power。〃

〃Well；　I　don't　know　about　that；〃　said　Nekhludoff。　〃I　went　there
twice；　and　felt　very　much　depressed。〃

〃Do　you　know；　you　ought　to　get　acquainted　with　the　Countess
Passek；〃　continued　Maslennikoff；　growing　talkative。　〃She　has
given　herself　up　entirely　to　this　sort　of　work。　Elle　fait
beaucoup　de　bien。　Thanks　to　herand；　perhaps　I　may　add　without
false　modesty；　to　meeverything　has　been　changed；　changed　in
such　a　way　that　the　former　horrors　no　longer　exist；　and　they　are
really　quite　comfortable　there。　Well；　you'll　see。　There's
Fanarin。　I　do　not　know　him　personally；　besides；　my　social
position　keeps　our　ways　apart；　but　he　is　positively　a　bad　man；
and　besides；　he　takes　the　liberty　of　saying　such　things　in　the
courtsuch　things！〃

〃Well；　thank　you；〃　Nekhludoff　said；　taking　the　paper；　and　without
listening　further　he　bade　good…day　to　his　former　comrade。

〃And　won't　you　go　in　to　see　my　wife？〃

〃No；　pray　excuse　me；　I　have　no　time　now。〃

〃Dear　me；　why　she　will　never　forgive　me；〃　said　Maslennikoff；
accompanying　his　old　acquaintance　down　to　the　first　landing；　as
he　was　in　the　habit　of　doing　to　persons　of　not　the　greatest；　but
the　second　greatest　importance；　with　whom　he　classed　Nekhludoff；
〃now　do　go　in；　if　only　for　a　moment。〃

But　Nekhludoff　remained　firm；　and　while　the　footman　and　the
door…keeper　rushed　to　give　him　his　stick　and　overcoat；　and　opened
t