resurrection(复活)-第47章

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door…keeper　rushed　to　give　him　his　stick　and　overcoat；　and　opened
the　door；　outside　of　which　there　stood　a　policeman；　Nekhludoff
repeated　that　he　really　could　not　come　in。

〃Well；　then；　on　Thursday；　please。　It　is　her　'at…home。'　I　will
tell　her　you　will　come；〃　shouted　Maslennikoff　from　the　stairs。


CHAPTER　LI。

THE　CELLS。

Nekhludoff　drove　that　day　straight　from　Maslennikoff's　to　the
prison；　and　went　to　the　inspector's　lodging；　which　he　now　knew。
He　was　again　struck　by　the　sounds　of　the　same　piano　of　inferior
quality；　but　this　time　it　was　not　a　rhapsody　that　was　being
played；　but　exercises　by　Clementi；　again　with　the　same　vigour；
distinctness；　and　quickness。　The　servant　with　the　bandaged　eye
said　the　inspector　was　in；　and　showed　Nekhludoff　to　a　small
drawing…room；　in　which　there　stood　a　sofa　and；　in　front　of　it；　a
table；　with　a　large　lamp；　which　stood　on　a　piece　of　crochet　work；
and　the　paper　shade　of　which　was　burnt　on　one　side。　The　chief
inspector　entered；　with　his　usual　sad　and　weary　look。

〃Take　a　seat；　please。　What　is　it　you　want？〃　he　said；　buttoning　up
the　middle　button　of　his　uniform。

〃I　have　just　been　to　the　vice…governor's；　and　got　this　order　from
him。　I　should　like　to　see　the　prisoner　Maslova。〃

〃Markova？〃　asked　the　inspector；　unable　to　bear　distinctly　because
of　the　music。

〃Maslova！〃

〃Well；　yes。〃　The　inspector　got　up　and　went　to　the　door　whence
proceeded　Clementi's　roulades。

〃Mary；　can't　you　stop　just　a　minute？〃　he　said；　in　a　voice　that
showed　that　this　music　was　the　bane　of　his　life。　〃One　can't　hear
a　word。〃

The　piano　was　silent；　but　one　could　hear　the　sound　of　reluctant
steps；　and　some　one　looked　in　at　the　door。

The　inspector　seemed　to　feel　eased　by　the　interval　of　silence；
lit　a　thick　cigarette　of　weak　tobacco；　and　offered　one　to
Nekhludoff。

Nekhludoff　refused。

〃What　I　want　is　to　see　Maslova。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　that　can　be　managed。　Now；　then；　what　do　you　want？〃　he
said；　addressing　a　little　girl　of　five　or　six；　who　came　into　the
room　and　walked　up　to　her　father　with　her　head　turned　towards
Nekhludoff；　and　her　eyes　fixed　on　him。

〃There；　now；　you'll　fall　down；〃　said　the　inspector；　smiling；　as
the　little　girl　ran　up　to　him；　and；　not　looking　where　she　was
going；　caught　her　foot　in　a　little　rug。

〃Well；　then；　if　I　may；　I　shall　go。〃

〃It's　not　very　convenient　to　see　Maslova　to…day；〃　said　the
inspector。

〃How's　that？〃

〃Well；　you　know；　it's　all　your　own　fault；〃　said　the　inspector；
with　a　slight　smile。　〃Prince；　give　her　no　money　into　her　hands。
If　you　like；　give　it　me。　I　will　keep　it　for　her。　You　see；　you
gave　her　some　money　yesterday；　she　got　some　spirits　（it's　an　evil
we　cannot　manage　to　root　out）；　and　to…day　she　is　quite　tipsy；
even　violent。〃

〃Can　this　be　true？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　it　is。　I　have　even　been　obliged　to　have　recourse　to
severe　measures；　and　to　put　her　into　a　separate　cell。　She　is　a
quiet　woman　in　an　ordinary　way。　But　please　do　not　give　her　any
money。　These　people　are　so〃　What　had　happened　the　day　before
came　vividly　back　to　Nekhludoff's　mind；　and　again　he　was　seized
with　fear。

〃And　Doukhova；　a　political　prisoner；　might　I　see　her？〃

〃Yes；　if　you　like；〃　said　the　inspector。　He　embraced　the　little
girl；　who　was　still　looking　at　Nekhludoff；　got　up；　and；　tenderly
motioning　her　aside；　went　into　the　ante…room。　Hardly　had　he　got
into　the　overcoat　which　the　maid　helped　him　to　put　on；　and　before
he　had　reached　the　door；　the　distinct　sounds　of　Clementi's
roulades　again　began。

〃She　entered　the　Conservatoire；　but　there　is　such　disorder　there。
She　has　a　great　gift；〃　said　the　inspector；　as　they　went　down　the
stairs。　〃She　means　to　play　at　concerts。〃

The　inspector　and　Nekhludoff　arrived　at　the　prison。　The　gates
were　instantly　opened　as　they　appeared。　The　jailers；　with　their
fingers　lifted　to　their　caps；　followed　the　inspector　with　their
eyes。　Four　men；　with　their　heads　half　shaved；　who　were　carrying
tubs　filled　with　something；　cringed　when　they　saw　the　inspector。
One　of　them　frowned　angrily；　his　black　eyes　glaring。

〃Of　course　a　talent　like　that　must　be　developed；　it　would　not　do
to　bury　it；　but　in　a　small　lodging；　you　know；　it　is　rather　hard。〃
The　inspector　went　on　with　the　conversation；　taking　no　notice　of
the　prisoners。

〃Who　is　it　you　want　to　see？〃

〃Doukhova。〃

〃Oh；　she's　in　the　tower。　You'll　have　to　wait　a　little；〃　he　said。

〃Might　I　not　meanwhile　see　the　prisoners　Menshoff；　mother　and
son；　who　are　accused　of　incendiarism？〃

〃Oh；　yes。　Cell　No。　21。　Yes；　they　can　be　sent　for。〃

〃But　might　I　not　see　Menshoff　in　his　cell？〃

〃Oh；　you'll　find　the　waiting…room　more　pleasant。〃

〃No。　I　should　prefer　the　cell。　It　is　more　interesting。〃

Well；　you　have　found　something　to　be　interested　in！〃

Here　the　assistant；　a　smartly…dressed　officer；　entered　the　side
door。

〃Here；　see　the　Prince　into　Menshoff's　cell；　No。　21；〃　said　the
inspector　to　his　assistant；　〃and　then　take　him　to　the　office。　And
I'll　go　and　callWhat's　her　name？〃　Vera　Doukhova。〃

The　inspector's　assistant　was　young；　with　dyed　moustaches；　and
diffusing　the　smell　of　eau…de…cologne。　〃This　way；　please；〃　he
said　to　Nekhludoff；　with　a　pleasant　smile。　〃Our　establishment
interests　you？〃

〃Yes；　it　does　interest　me；　and；　besides；　I　look　upon　it　as　a　duty
to　help　a　man　who　I　heard　was　confined　here；　though　innocent。〃

The　assistant　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃Yes；　that　may　happen；〃　he　said　quietly；　politely　stepping　aside
to　let　the　visitor　enter；　the　stinking　corridor　first。　〃But　it
also　happens　that　they　lie。　Here　we　are。〃

The　doors　of　the　cells　were　open；　and　some　of　the　prisoners　were
in　the　corridor。　The　assistant　nodded　slightly　to　the　jailers；
and　cast　a　side　glance　at　the　prisoners；　who；　keeping　close　to
the　wall；　crept　back　to　their　cells；　or　stood　like　soldiers；　with
their　arms　at　their　sides；　following　the　official　with　their
eyes。　After　passing　through　one　corridor；　the　assistant　showed
Nekhludoff　into　another　to　the　left；　separated　from　the　first　by
an　iron　door。　This　corridor　was　darker；　and　smelt　even　worse　than
the　first。　The　corridor　had　doors　on　both　sides；　with　little
holes　in　them　about　an　inch　in　diameter。　There　was　only　an　old
jailer；　with　an　unpleasant　face；　in　this　corridor。

〃Where　is　Menshoff？〃　asked　the　inspector's　assistant。

〃The　eighth　cell　to　the　left。〃

〃And　these？　Are　they　occupied？〃　asked　Nekhludoff。

Yes；　all　but　one。〃


CHAPTER　LII。

NO。　21。

〃May　I　look　in？〃　asked　Nekhludoff。

〃Oh；　certainly；〃　answered　the　assistant；　smiling；　and　turned　to
the　jailer　with　some　question。

Nekhludoff　looked　into　one　of　the　little　holes；　and　saw　a　tall
young　man　pacing　up　and　down　the　cell。　When　the　man　heard　some
one　at　the　door　he　looked　up　with　a　frown；　but　continued　walking
up　and　down。

Nekhludoff　looked　into　another　hole。　His　eye　met　another　large
eye　looking　out　of　the　hole　at　him；　and　he　quickly　stepped　aside。
In　the　third　cell　he　saw　a　very　small　man　asleep　on　the　bed；
covered；　head　and　all；　with　his　prison　cloak。　In　the　fourth　a
broad…faced　man　was　sitting　with　his　elbows　on　his　knees　and　his
head　low　down。　At　the　sound　of　footsteps　this　man　raised　his　head
and　looked　up。　His　face；　especially　his　large　eyes；　bore　the
expression　of　hopeless　dejection。　One　could　see　that　it　did　not
even　interest　him　to　know　who　was　looking　into　his　cell。　Whoever
it　might　be；　he　evidently　hoped　for　nothing　good　from　him。
Nekhludoff　was　seized　with　dread；　and　went　to　Menshoff's　cell；
No。　21；　without　stopping　to　look　through　any　more　holes。　The
jailer　unlocked　the　door　and　opened　it。　A　young　man；　with　long
neck；　well…developed　muscles；　a　small　head；　and　kind；　round　eyes；
stood　by　the　bed；　hastily　putting　on　his　cloak；　and　looking　at
the　newcomers　with　a　frightened　face。　Nekhludoff　was　specially
struck　by　the　kind；　round　eyes　that　were　throwing　frightened　and
inquiring　glances　in　turns　at　him；　at　the　jailer；　and　at　the
assistant；　and　back　again。

〃Here's　a　gentleman　wants　to　inquire　into　your　affair。〃

〃Thank　you　kindly。〃

〃Yes；　I　was　told　about　you；〃　Nekhludoff　said；　going　through　the
cell　up　to　the　dirty　grated　window；　〃and　I　should　like　to　hear
all　about　it　from　yourself。〃

Mensho