resurrection(复活)-第49章
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〃Sit down； please。 I'll send for her at once；〃 said the
inspector。
CHAPTER LIV。
PRISONERS AND FRIENDS。
The office consisted of two rooms。 The first room； with a large；
dilapidated stove and two dirty windows； had a black measure for
measuring the prisoners in one corner； and in another corner hung
a large image of Christ； as is usual in places where they torture
people。 In this room stood several jailers。 In the next room sat
about twenty persons； men and women in groups and in pairs；
talking in low voices。 There was a writing table by the window。
The inspector sat down by the table； and offered Nekhludoff a
chair beside him。 Nekhludoff sat down； and looked at the people
in the room。
The first who drew his attention was a young man with a pleasant
face； dressed in a short jacket； standing in front of a
middle…aged woman with dark eyebrows； and he was eagerly telling
her something and gesticulating with his hands。 Beside them sat
an old man； with blue spectacles； holding the hand of a young
woman in prisoner's clothes； who was telling him something。 A
schoolboy； with a fixed； frightened look on his face； was gazing
at the old man。 In one corner sat a pair of lovers。 She was quite
young and pretty； and had short； fair hair； looked energetic； and
was elegantly dressed； he had fine features； wavy hair； and wore
a rubber jacket。 They sat in their corner and seemed stupefied
with love。 Nearest to the table sat a grey…haired woman dressed
in black； evidently the mother of a young； consumptive…looking
fellow； in the same kind of jacket。 Her head lay on his shoulder。
She was trying to say something； but the tears prevented her from
speaking； she began several times； but had to stop。 The young man
held a paper in his hand； and； apparently not knowing what to do；
kept folding and pressing it with an angry look on his face。
Beside them was a short…haired； stout； rosy girl； with very
prominent eyes； dressed in a grey dress and a cape； she sat
beside the weeping mother； tenderly stroking her。 Everything
about this girl was beautiful； her large； white hands； her short；
wavy hair； her firm nose and lips； but the chief charm of her
face lay in her kind； truthful hazel eyes。 The beautiful eyes
turned away from the mother for a moment when Nekhludoff came in；
and met his look。 But she turned back at once and said something
to the mother。
Not far from the lovers a dark； dishevelled man； with a gloomy
face； sat angrily talking to a beardless visitor； who looked as
if he belonged to the Scoptsy sect。
At the very door stood a young man in a rubber jacket； who seemed
more concerned about the impression he produced on the onlooker
than about what he was saying。 Nekhludoff； sitting by the
inspector's side； looked round with strained curiosity。 A little
boy with closely…cropped hair came up to him and addressed him in
a thin little voice。
〃And whom are you waiting for？〃
Nekhludoff was surprised at the question； but looking at the boy；
and seeing the serious little face with its bright； attentive
eyes fixed on him； answered him seriously that he was waiting for
a woman of his acquaintance。
〃Is she； then； your sister？〃 the boy asked。
〃No； not my sister；〃 Nekhludoff answered in surprise。
〃And with whom are you here？〃 he inquired of the boy。
〃I？ With mamma； she is a political one；〃 he replied。
〃Mary Pavlovna； take Kolia！〃 said the inspector； evidently
considering Nekhludoff's conversation with the boy illegal。
Mary Pavlovna； the beautiful girl who had attracted Nekhludoff's
attention； rose tall and erect； and with firm； almost manly
steps； approached Nekhludoff and the boy。
〃What is he asking you？ Who you are？〃 she inquired with a slight
smile； and looking straight into his face with a trustful look in
her kind； prominent eyes； and as simply as if there could be no
doubt whatever that she was and must be on sisterly terms with
everybody。
〃He likes to know everything；〃 she said； looking at the boy with
so sweet and kind a smile that both the boy and Nekhludoff were
obliged to smile back。
〃He was asking me whom I have come to see。〃
〃Mary Pavlovna； it is against the rules to speak to strangers。
You know it is；〃 said the inspector。
〃All right； all right；〃 she said； and went back to the
consumptive lad's mother； holding Kolia's little hand in her
large； white one； while he continued gazing up into her face。
〃Whose is this little boy？〃 Nekhludoff asked of the inspector。
〃His mother is a political prisoner； and he was born in prison；〃
said the inspector； in a pleased tone； as if glad to point out
how exceptional his establishment was。
〃Is it possible？〃
〃Yes； and now he is going to Siberia with her。〃
〃And that young girl？〃
〃I cannot answer your question；〃 said the inspector； shrugging
his shoulders。 〃Besides； here is Doukhova。〃
CHAPTER LV。
VERA DOUKHOVA EXPLAINS。
Through a door； at the back of the room； entered； with a
wriggling gait； the thin； yellow Vera Doukhova； with her large；
kind eyes。
〃Thanks for having come；〃 she said； pressing Nekhludoff's hand。
〃Do you remember me？ Let us sit down。〃
〃I did not expect to see you like this。〃
〃Oh； I am very happy。 It is so delightful； so delightful； that I
desire nothing better；〃 said Vera Doukhova； with the usual
expression of fright in the large； kind； round eyes fixed on
Nekhludoff； and twisting the terribly thin； sinewy neck；
surrounded by the shabby； crumpled； dirty collar of her bodice。
Nekhludoff asked her how she came to be in prison。
In answer she began relating all about her affairs with great
animation。 Her speech was intermingled with a great many long
words； such as propaganda； disorganisation； social groups；
sections and sub…sections； about which she seemed to think
everybody knew； but which Nekhludoff had never heard of。
She told him all the secrets of the Nardovolstvo； ＇literally；
〃People's Freedom；〃 a revolutionary movement＇ evidently
convinced that he was pleased to hear them。 Nekhludoff looked at
her miserable little neck； her thin； unkempt hair； and wondered
why she had been doing all these strange things； and why she was
now telling all this to him。 He pitied her； but not as he had
pitied Menshoff； the peasant； kept for no fault of his own in the
stinking prison。 She was pitiable because of the confusion that
filled her mind。 It was clear that she considered herself a
heroine； and was ready to give her life for a cause； though she
could hardly have explained what that cause was and in what its
success would lie。
The business that Vera Doukhova wanted to see Nekhludoff about
was the following： A friend of hers； who had not even belonged to
their 〃sub…group；〃 as she expressed it； had been arrested with
her about five months before； and imprisoned in the
Petropavlovsky fortress because some prohibited books and papers
（which she had been asked to keep） had been found in her
possession。 Vera Doukhova felt herself in some measure to blame
for her friend's arrest； and implored Nekhludoff； who had
connections among influential people； to do all he could in order
to set this friend free。
Besides this； Doukhova asked him to try and get permission for
another friend of hers； Gourkevitch （who was also imprisoned in
the Petropavlovsky fortress）； to see his parents； and to procure
some scientific books which he required for his studies。
Nekhludoff promised to do what he could when he went to
Petersburg。
As to her own story； this is what she said： Having finished a
course of midwifery； she became connected with a group of
adherents to the Nardovolstvo； and made up her mind to agitate in
the revolutionary movement。 At first all went on smoothly。 She
wrote proclamations and occupied herself with propaganda work in
the factories； then； an important member having been arrested；
their papers were seized and all concerned were arrested。 〃I was
also arrested； and shall be exiled。 But what does it matter？ I
feel perfectly happy。〃 She concluded her story with a piteous
smile。
Nekhludoff made some inquiries concerning the girl with the
prominent eyes。 Vera Doukhova told him that this girl was the
daughter of
