resurrection(复活)-第65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！


work　as　well　as　those　that　make　them　do　itthat　it　ought　to　be；
that　while　their　wives　at　home；　who　are　with　child；　are　labouring
beyond　their　strength；　and　their　children　with　the　patchwork
caps；　doomed　soon　to　the　cold　grave；　smile　with　suffering　and
contort　their　little　legs；　they　must　be　building　this　stupid　and
useless　palace　for　some　stupid　and　useless　personone　of　those
who　spoil　and　rob　them；〃　Nekhludoff　thought；　while　looking　at　the
house。

〃Yes；　it　is　a　stupid　house；〃　he　said；　uttering　his　thought　out
aloud。

〃Why　stupid？〃　replied　the　isvostchik；　in　an　offended　tone。
〃Thanks　to　it；　the　people　get　work；　it's　not　stupid。〃

〃But　the　work　is　useless。〃

〃It　can't　be　useless；　or　why　should　it　be　done？〃　said　the
isvostchik。　〃The　people　get　bread　by　it。〃

Nekhludoff　was　silent；　and　it　would　have　been　difficult　to　talk
because　of　the　clatter　the　wheels　made。

When　they　came　nearer　the　prison；　and　the　isvostchik　turned　off
the　paved　on　to　the　macadamised　road；　it　became　easier　to　talk；
and　he　again　turned　to　Nekhludoff。

〃And　what　a　lot　of　these　people　are　flocking　to　the　town
nowadays；　it's　awful；〃　he　said；　turning　round　on　the　box　and
pointing　to　a　party　of　peasant　workmen　who　were　coming　towards
them；　carrying　saws；　axes；　sheepskins；　coats；　and　bags　strapped
to　their　shoulders。

〃More　than　in　other　years？〃　Nekhludoff　asked。

〃By　far。　This　year　every　place　is　crowded；　so　that　it's　just
terrible。　The　employers　just　fling　the　workmen　about　like　chaff。
Not　a　job　to　be　got。〃

〃Why　is　that？〃

〃They've　increased。　There's　no　room　for　them。〃

〃Well；　what　if　they　have　increased？　Why　do　not　they　stay　in　the
village？〃

〃There's　nothing　for　them　to　do　in　the　villageno　land　to　be
had。〃

Nekhludoff　felt　as　one　does　when　touching　a　sore　place。　It　feels
as　if　the　bruised　part　was　always　being　hit；　yet　it　is　only
because　the　place　is　sore　that　the　touch　is　felt。

〃Is　it　possible　that　the　same　thing　is　happening　everywhere？〃　he
thought；　and　began　questioning　the　isvostchik　about　the　quantity
of　land　in　his　village；　how　much　land　the　man　himself　had；　and
why　he　had　left　the　country。

〃We　have　a　desiatin　per　man；　sir；〃　he　said。　〃Our　family　have
three　men's　shares　of　the　land。　My　father　and　a　brother　are　at
home；　and　manage　the　land；　and　another　brother　is　serving　in　the
army。　But　there's　nothing　to　manage。　My　brother　has　had　thoughts
of　coming　to　Moscow；　too。〃

〃And　cannot　land　be　rented？

〃How's　one　to　rent　it　nowadays？　The　gentry；　such　as　they　were；
have　squandered　all　theirs。　Men　of　business　have　got　it　all　into
their　own　hands。　One　can't　rent　it　from　them。　They　farm　it
themselves。　We　have　a　Frenchman　ruling　in　our　place；　he　bought
the　estate　from　our　former　landlord；　and　won't　let　itand
there's　an　end　of　it。〃

〃Who's　that　Frenchman？〃

〃Dufour　is　the　Frenchman's　name。　Perhaps　you've　heard　of　him。　He
makes　wigs　for　the　actors　in　the　big　theatre；　it　is　a　good
business；　so　he's　prospering。　He　bought　it　from　our　lady；　the
whole　of　the　estate；　and　now　he　has　us　in　his　power；　he　just
rides　on　us　as　he　pleases。　The　Lord　be　thanked；　he　is　a　good　man
himself；　only　his　wife；　a　Russian；　is　such　a　brute　thatGod　have
mercy　on　us。　She　robs　the　people。　It's　awful。　Well；　here's　the
prison。　Am　I　to　drive　you　to　the　entrance？　I'm　afraid　they'll　not
let　us　do　it；　though。〃


CHAPTER　XIII。

NURSE　MASLOVA。

When　he　rang　the　bell　at　the　front　entrance　Nekhludoff's　heart
stood　still　with　horror　as　he　thought　of　the　state　he　might　find
Maslova　in　to…day；　and　at　the　mystery　that　he　felt　to　be　in　her
and　in　the　people　that　were　collected　in　the　prison。　He　asked　the
jailer　who　opened　the　door　for　Maslova。　After　making　the
necessary　inquiry　the　jailer　informed　him　that　she　was　in　the
hospital。　Nekhludoff　went　there。　A　kindly　old　man；　the　hospital
doorkeeper；　let　him　in　at　once　and；　after　asking　Nekhludoff　whom
he　wanted；　directed　him　to　the　children's　ward。　A　young　doctor
saturated　with　carbolic　acid　met　Nekhludoff　in　the　passage　and
asked　him　severely　what　he　wanted。　This　doctor　was　always　making
all　sorts　of　concessions　to　the　prisoners；　and　was　therefore
continually　coming　into　conflict　with　the　prison　authorities　and
even　with　the　head　doctor。　Fearing　lest　Nekhludoff　should　demand
something　unlawful；　and　wishing　to　show　that　he　made　no
exceptions　for　any　one；　he　pretended　to　be　cross。　〃There　are　no
women　here；　it　is　the　children's　ward；〃　he　said。

〃Yes；　I　know；　but　a　prisoner　has　been　removed　here　to　be　an
assistant　nurse。〃

〃Yes；　there　are　two　such　here。　Then　whom　do　you　want？〃

〃I　am　closely　connected　with　one　of　them；　named　Maslova；〃
Nekhludoff　answered；　〃and　should　like　to　speak　to　her。　I　am　going
to　Petersburg　to　hand　in　an　appeal　to　the　Senate　about　her　case
and　should　like　to　give　her　this。　It　is　only　a　photo；〃　Nekhludoff
said；　taking　an　envelope　out　of　his　pocket。

〃All　right；　you　may　do　that；〃　said　the　doctor；　relenting；　and
turning　to　an　old　woman　with　a　white　apron；　he　told　her　to　call
the　prisonerNurse　Maslova。

〃Will　you　take　a　seat；　or　go　into　the　waiting…room？

〃Thanks；〃　said　Nekhludoff；　and　profiting　by　the　favourable　change
in　the　manner　of　the　doctor　towards　him　asked　how　they　were
satisfied　with　Maslova　in　the　hospital。

〃Oh；　she　is　all　right。　She　works　fairly　well；　if　you　the
conditions　of　her　former　life　into　account。　But　here　she　is。〃

The　old　nurse　came　in　at　one　of　the　doors；　followed　by　Maslova；
who　wore　a　blue　striped　dress；　a　white　apron；　a　kerchief　that
quite　covered　her　hair。　When　she　saw　Nekhludoff　her　face　flushed；
and　she　stopped　as　if　hesitating；　then　frowned；　and　with　downcast
eyes　went　quickly　towards　him　along　the　strip　of　carpet　in　the
middle　of　the　passage。　When　she　came　up　to　Nekhludoff　she　did　not
wish　to　give　him　her　hand；　and　then　gave　it；　growing　redder
still。　Nekhludoff　had　not　seen　her　since　the　day　when　she　begged
forgiveness　for　having　been　in　a　passion；　and　he　expected　to　find
her　the　same　as　she　was　then。　But　to…day　she　quite　different。
There　was　something　new　in　the　expression　of　her　face；　reserve
and　shyness；　and；　as　it　seemed　to　him；　animosity　towards　him。　He
told　her　what　he　had　already　said　to　the　doctor；　i。e。；　that　he
was　going　to　Petersburg；　and　he　handed　her　the　envelope　with　the
photograph　which　he　had　brought　from　Panovo。

〃I　found　this　in　Panovoit's　an　old　photo；　perhaps　you　would　like
it。　Take　it。〃

Lifting　her　dark　eyebrows；　she　looked　at　him　with　surprise　in　her
squinting　eyes；　as　if　asking；　〃What　is　this　for？〃　took　the　photo
silently　and　put　it　in　the　bib　of　her　apron

〃I　saw　your　aunt　there；〃　said　Nekhludoff。

〃Did　you？〃　she　said；　indifferently。

〃Are　you　all　right　here？〃　Nekhludoff　asked。

〃Oh；　yes；　it's　all　right；〃　she　said。

〃Not　too　difficult？〃

〃Oh；　no。　But　I　am　not　used　to　it　yet。〃

〃I　am　glad；　for　your　sake。　Anyhow；　it　is　better　than　there。〃

〃Than　wherethere？〃　she　asked；　her　face　flushing　again。

〃Therein　the　prison；〃　Nekhludoff　hurriedly　answered。

〃Why　better？〃　she　asked。

〃I　think　the　people　are　better。　Here　are　none　such　as　there　must
be　there。〃

〃There　are　many　good　ones　there；〃　she　said。

〃I　have　been　seeing　about　the　Menshoffs；　and　hope　they　will　be
liberated；〃　said　Nekhludoff。

〃God　grant　they　may。　Such　a　splendid　old　woman；〃　she　said；　again
repeating　her　opinion　of　the　old　woman；　and　slightly　smiling。

〃I　am　going　to　Petersburg　to…day。　Your　case　will　come　on　soon；
and　I　hope　the　sentence　will　be　repealed。〃

〃Whether　it　is　repealed　or　not　won't　matter　now；〃　she　said。

〃Why　not　now？〃

〃So；〃　she　said；　looking　with　a　quick；　questioning　glance　into　his
eyes。

Nekhludoff　understood　the　word　and　the　look　to　mean　that　she
wished　to　know　whether　he　still　kept　firm　to　his　decision　or　had
accepted　her　refusal。

〃I　do　not　know　why　it　does　not　matter　to　you；〃　he　said。　〃It
certainly　does　not　matter　as　far　as　I　am　concerned　whether　you
are　acquitted　or　not。　I　am　ready　to　do　what　I　told　you　in　any
case；〃　he　said　decidedly。

She　lifted　her　head　and　her　black　squinting　eyes　remained　fixed
on　him　and　beyond　him；　and　her　face　beamed　with　joy。　But　the
words　she　spoke　were　very　different　from　what　her　eyes　said。