resurrection(复活)-第63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！


Kousminski。　As　soon　as　it　was　known　that　the　master　was　giving
money　in　charity；　crowds　of　people；　chiefly　women；　began　to　come
to　ask　him　for　help。　He　did　not　in　the　least　know　how　to　deal
with　them；　how　to　decide；　how　much；　and　whom　to　give　to。　He　felt
that　to　refuse　to　give　money；　of　which　he　had　a　great　deal；　to
poor　people　was　impossible；　yet　to　give　casually　to　those　who
asked　was　not　wise。　The　last　day　he　spent　in　Panovo；　Nekhludoff
looked　over　the　things　left　in　his　aunts'　house；　and　in　the
bottom　drawer　of　the　mahogany　wardrobe；　with　the　brass　lions'
heads　with　rings　through　them；　he　found　many　letters；　and　amongst
them　a　photograph　of　a　group；　consisting　of　his　aunts；　Sophia
Ivanovna　and　Mary　Ivanovna；　a　student；　and　Katusha。　Of　all　the
things　in　the　house　he　took　only　the　letters　and　the　photograph。
The　rest　he　left　to　the　miller　who；　at　the　smiling　foreman's
recommendation；　had　bought　the　house　and　all　it　contained；　to　be
taken　down　and　carried　away；　at　one…tenth　of　the　real　value。

Recalling　the　feeling　of　regret　at　the　loss　of　his　property　which
he　had　felt　in　Kousminski；　Nekhludoff　was　surprised　how　he　could
have　felt　this　regret。　Now　he　felt　nothing　but　unceasing　joy　at
the　deliverance；　and　a　sensation　of　newness　something　like　that
which　a　traveller　must　experience　when　discovering　new　countries。


CHAPTER　X。

NEKHLUDOFF　RETURNS　TO　TOWN。

The　town　struck　Nekhludoff　in　a　new　and　peculiar　light　on　his
return。　He　came　back　in　the　evening；　when　the　gas　was　lit；　and
drove　from　the　railway　station　to　his　house；　where　the　rooms
still　smelt　of　naphthaline。　Agraphena　Petrovna　and　Corney　were
both　feeling　tired　and　dissatisfied；　and　had　even　had　a　quarrel
over　those　things　that　seemed　made　only　to　be　aired　and　packed
away。　Nekhludoff's　room　was　empty；　but　not　in　order；　and　the　way
to　it　was　blocked　up　with　boxes；　so　that　his　arrival　evidently
hindered　the　business　which；　owing　to　a　curious　kind　of　inertia；
was　going　on　in　this　house。　The　evident　folly　of　these
proceedings；　in　which　he　had　once　taken　part；　was　so　distasteful
to　Nekhludoff　after　the　impressions　the　misery　of　the　life　of　the
peasants　had　made　on　him；　that　he　decided　to　go　to　a　hotel　the
next　day；　leaving　Agraphena　Petrovna　to　put　away　the　things　as
she　thought　fit　until　his　sister　should　come　and　finally　dispose
of　everything　in　the　house。

Nekhludoff　left　home　early　and　chose　a　couple　of　rooms　in　a　very
modest　and　not　particularly　clean　lodging…house　within　easy　reach
of　the　prison；　and；　having　given　orders　that　some　of　his　things
should　be　sent　there；　he　went　to　see　the　advocate。　It　was　cold
out　of　doors。　After　some　rainy　and　stormy　weather　it　had　turned
out　cold；　as　it　often　does　in　spring。　It　was　so　cold　that
Nekhludoff　felt　quite　chilly　in　his　light　overcoat；　and　walked
fast　hoping　to　get　warmer。　His　mind　was　filled　with　thoughts　of
the　peasants；　the　women；　children；　old　men；　and　all　the　poverty
and　weariness　which　he　seemed　to　have　seen　for　the　first　time；
especially　the　smiling；　old…faced　infant　writhing　with　his
calfless　little　legs；　and　he　could　not　help　contrasting　what　was
going　on　in　the　town。　Passing　by　the　butchers'；　fishmongers'；　and
clothiers'　shops；　he　was　struck；　as　if　he　saw　them　for　the　first
time；　by　the　appearance　of　the　clean；　well…fed　shopkeepers；　like
whom　you　could　not　find　one　peasant　in　the　country。　These　men
were　apparently　convinced　that　the　pains　they　took　to　deceive　the
people　who　did　not　know　much　about　their　goods　was　not　a　useless
but　rather　an　important　business。　The　coachmen　with　their　broad
hips　and　rows　of　buttons　down　their　sides；　and　the　door…keepers
with　gold　cords　on　their　caps；　the　servant…girls　with　their
aprons　and　curly　fringes；　and　especially　the　smart　isvostchiks
with　the　nape　of　their　necks　clean　shaved；　as　they　sat　lolling
back　in　their　traps；　and　examined　the　passers…by　with　dissolute
and　contemptuous　air；　looked　well　fed。　In　all　these　people
Nekhludoff　could　not　now　help　seeing　some　of　these　very　peasants
who　had　been　driven　into　the　town　by　lack　of　land。　Some　of　the
peasants　driven　to　the　town　had　found　means　of　profiting　by　the
conditions　of　town　life　and　had　become　like　the　gentlefolk　and
were　pleased　with　their　position；　others　were　in　a　worse　position
than　they　had　been　in　the　country　and　were　more　to　be　pitied　than
the　country　people。

Such　seemed　the　bootmakers　Nekhludoff　saw　in　the　cellar；　the
pale；　dishevelled　washerwomen　with　their　thin；　bare；　arms　ironing
at　an　open　window；　out　of　which　streamed　soapy　steam；　such　the
two　house…painters　with　their　aprons；　stockingless　feet；　all
bespattered　and　smeared　with　paint；　whom　Nekhludoff　mettheir
weak；　brown　arms　bared　to　above　the　elbowscarrying　a　pailful　of
paint；　and　quarrelling　with　each　other。　Their　faces　looked
haggard　and　cross。　The　dark　faces　of　the　carters　jolting　along　in
their　carts　bore　the　same　expression；　and　so　did　the　faces　of　the
tattered　men　and　women　who　stood　begging　at　the　street　corners。
The　same　kind　of　faces　were　to　be　seen　at　the　open；　windows　of
the　eating…houses　which　Nekhludoff　passed。　By　the　dirty　tables　on
which　stood　tea　things　and　bottles；　and　between　which　waiters
dressed　in　white　shirts　were　rushing　hither　and　thither；　sat
shouting　and　singing　red；　perspiring　men　with　stupefied　faces。
One　sat　by　the　window　with　lifted　brows　and　pouting　lips　and
fixed　eyes　as　if　trying　to　remember　something。

〃And　why　are　they　all　gathered　here？〃　Nekhludoff　thought；
breathing　in　together　with　the　dust　which　the　cold　wind　blew
towards　him　the　air　filled　with　the　smell　of　rank　oil　and　fresh
paint。

In　one　street　he　met　a　row　of　carts　loaded　with　something　made　of
iron；　that　rattled　so　on　the　uneven　pavement　that　it　made　his
ears　and　head　ache。　He　started　walking　still　faster　in　order　to
pass　the　row　of　carts；　when　he　heard　himself　called　by　name。　He
stopped　and　saw　an　officer　with　sharp　pointed　moustaches　and
shining　face　who　sat　in　the　trap　of　a　swell　isvostchik　and　waved
his　hand　in　a　friendly　manner；　his　smile　disclosing　unusually
long；　white　teeth。

〃Nekhludoff！　Can　it　be　you？〃

Nekhludoff's　first　feeling　was　one　of　pleasure。　〃Ah；　Schonbock！〃
he　exclaimed　joyfully；　but　he　knew　the　next　moment　that　there　was
nothing　to　be　joyful　about。

This　was　that　Schonbock　who　had　been　in　the　house　of　Nekhludoff's
aunts　that　day；　and　whom　Nekhludoff　had　quite　lost　out　of　sight；
but　about　whom　he　had　heard　that　in　spite　of　his　debts　he　had
somehow　managed　to　remain　in　the　cavalry；　and　by　some　means　or
other　still　kept　his　place　among　the　rich。　His　gay；　contented
appearance　corroborated　this　report。

〃What　a　good　thing　that　I　have　caught　you。　There　is　no　one　in
town。　Ah；　old　fellow；　you　have　grown　old；〃　he　said；　getting　out
of　the　trap　and　moving　his　shoulders　about。　〃I　only　knew　you　by
your　walk。　Look　here；　we　must　dine　together。　Is　there　any　place
where　they　feed　one　decently？〃

〃I　don't　think　I　can　spare　the　time；〃　Nekhludoff　answered；
thinking　only　of　how　he　could　best　get　rid　of　his　companion
without　hurting　him。

〃And　what　has　brought　you　here？〃　he　asked。

〃Business；　old　fellow。　Guardianship　business。　I　am　a　guardian
now。　I　am　managing　Samanoff's　affairsthe　millionaire；　you　know。
He　has　softening　of　the　brain；　and　he's　got　fifty…four　thousand
desiatins　of　land；〃　he　said；　with　peculiar　pride；　as　if　he　had
himself　made　all　these　desiatins。　〃The　affairs　were　terribly
neglected。　All　the　land　was　let　to　the　peasants。　They　did　not　pay
anything。　There　were　more　than　eighty　thousand　roubles　debts。　I
changed　it　all　in　one　year；　and　have　got　70　per　cent。　more　out　of
it。　What　do　you　think　of　that？〃　he　asked　proudly。

Nekhludoff　remembered　having　heard　that　this　Schonbock；　just
because；　he　had　spent　all　he　had；　had　attained　by　some　special
influence　the　post　of　guardian　to　a　rich　old　man　who　was
squandering　his　propertyand　was　now　evidently　living　by　this
guardianship。

〃How　am　I　to　get　rid　of　him　without　offending　him？〃　thought
Nekhludoff；　looking　at　this　full；　shiny　face　with　the　stiffened
moustache　and　listening　to　his　friendly；　good…humoured　chatter
about　where　one　gets　fed　best；　and　his　bragging　about　his　doi