resurrection(复活)-第73章

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later　on　the　new　books　remain　uncut；　and　the　old　ones　with　their
leaves　unturned。　We　tried　them；〃　said　the　old　General；　with　the
dim　likeness　of　a　smile。　〃We　put　bits　of　paper　in　on　purpose；
which　remained　just　as　they　had　been　placed。　Writing　is　also　not
forbidden；〃　he　continued。　〃A　slate　is　provided；　and　a　slate
pencil；　so　that　they　can　write　as　a　pastime。　They　can　wipe　the
slate　and　write　again。　But　they　don't　write；　either。　Oh；　they
very　soon　get　quite　tranquil。　At　first　they　seem　restless；　but
later　on　they　even　grow　fat　and　become　very　quiet。〃　Thus　spoke
the　General；　never　suspecting　the　terrible　meaning　of　his　words。

Nekhludoff　listened　to　the　hoarse　old　voice；　looked　at　the　stiff
limbs；　the　swollen　eyelids　under　the　grey　brows；　at　the　old；
clean…shaved；　flabby　jaw；　supported　by　the　collar　of　the　military
uniform；　at　the　white　cross　that　this　man　was　so　proud　of；
chiefly　because　he　had　gained　it　by　exceptionally　cruel　and
extensive　slaughter；　and　knew　that　it　was　useless　to　reply　to　the
old　man　or　to　explain　the　meaning　of　his　own　words　to　him。

He　made　another　effort；　and　asked　about　the　prisoner　Shoustova；
for　whose　release；　as　he　had　been　informed　that　morning；　orders
were　given。

〃ShoustovaShoustova？　I　cannot　remember　all　their　names；　there
are　so　many　of　them；〃　he　said；　as　if　reproaching　them　because
there　were　so　many。　He　rang；　and　ordered　the　secretary　to　be
called。　While　waiting　for　the　latter；　he　began　persuading
Nekhludoff　to　serve；　saying　that　〃honest　noblemen；〃　counting
himself　among　the　number；　〃were　particularly　needed　by　the　Tsar
andthe　country；〃　he　added；　evidently　only　to　round　off　his
sentence。　〃I　am　old；　yet　I　am　serving　still；　as　well　as　my
strength　allows。〃

The　secretary；　a　dry；　emaciated　man；　with　restless；　intelligent
eyes；　came　in　and　reported　that　Shoustova　was　imprisoned　in　some
queer；　fortified　place；　and　that　he　had　received　no　orders
concerning　her。

〃When　we　get　the　order　we　shall　let　her　out　the　same　day。　We　do
not　keep　them；　we　do　not　value　their　visits　much；〃　said　the
General；　with　another　attempt　at　a　playful　smile；　which　only
distorted　his　old　face。

Nekhludoff　rose；　trying　to　keep　from　expressing　the　mixed
feelings　of　repugnance　and　pity　which　he　felt　towards　this
terrible　old　man。　The　old　man　on　his　part　considered　that　he
should　not　be　too　severe　on　the　thoughtless　and　evidently
misguided　son　of　his　old　comrade；　and　should　not　leave　him
without　advice。

〃Good…bye；　my　dear　fellow；　do　not　take　it　amiss。　It　is　my
affection　that　makes　me　say　it。　Do　not　keep　company　with　such
people　as　we　have　at　our　place　here。　There　are　no　innocent　ones
among　them。　All　these　people　are　most　immoral。　We　know　them；〃　he
said；　in　a　tone　that　admitted　no　possibility　of　doubt。　And　he　did
not　doubt；　not　because　the　thing　was　so；　but　because　if　it　was
not　so；　he　would　have　to　admit　himself　to　be　not　a　noble　hero
living　out　the　last　days　of　a　good　life；　but　a　scoundrel；　who
sold；　and　still　continued　in　his　old　age　to　sell；　his　conscience。

〃Best　of　all；　go　and　serve；〃　he　continued；　〃the　Tsar　needs　honest
menand　the　country；〃　he　added。　〃Well；　supposing　I　and　the
others　refused　to　serve；　as　you　are　doing？　Who　would　be　left？
Here　we　are；　finding　fault　with　the　order　of　things；　and　yet　not
wishing　to　help　the　Government。〃

With　a　deep　sigh　Nekhludoff　made　a　low　bow；　shook　the　large；　bony
hand　condescendingly　stretched　out　to　him　and　left　the　room。

The　General　shook　his　head　reprovingly；　and　rubbing　his　back；　he
again　went　into　the　drawing…room　where　the　artist　was　waiting　for
him。　He　had　already　written　down　the　answer　given　by　the　soul　of
Joan　of　Arc。　The　General　put　on　his　pince…nez　and　read；　〃Will
know　one　another　by　light　emanating　from　their　astral　bodies。〃

〃Ah；〃　said　the　General；　with　approval；　and　closed　his　eyes。　〃But
how　is　one　to　know　if　the　light　of　all　is　alike？〃　he　asked；　and
again　crossed　fingers　with　the　artist　on　the　saucer。

The　isvostchik　drove　Nekhludoff　out　of　the　gate。

It　is　dull　here；　sir；　he　said；　turning　to　Nekhludoff。　〃I　almost
wished　to　drive　off　without　waiting　for　you。〃

Nekhludoff　agreed。　〃Yes；　it　is　dull；〃　and　he　took　a　deep　breath；
and　looked　up　with　a　sense　of　relief　at　the　grey　clouds　that　were
floating　in　the　sky；　and　at　the　glistening　ripples　made　by　the
boats　and　steamers　on　the　Neva。


CHAPTER　XX。

MASLOVA'S　APPEAL。

The　next　day　Maslova's　case　was　to　be　examined　at　the　Senate；　and
Nekhludoff　and　the　advocate　met　at　the　majestic　portal　of　the
building；　where　several　carriages　were　waiting。　Ascending　the
magnificent　and　imposing　staircase　to　the　first　floor；　the
advocate；　who　knew　all　the　ins　and　outs　of　the　place；　turned　to
the　left　and　entered　through　a　door　which　had　the　date　of　the
introduction　of　the　Code　of　Laws　above　it。

After　taking　off　his　overcoat　in　the　first　narrow　room；　he　found
out　from　the　attendant　that　the　Senators　had　all　arrived；　and
that　the　last　had　just　come　in。　Fanarin；　in　his　swallow…tail
coat；　a　white　tie　above　the　white　shirt…front；　and　a
self…confident　smile　on　his　lips；　passed　into　the　next　room。　In
this　room　there　were　to　the　right　a　large　cupboard　and　a　table；
and　to　the　left　a　winding　staircase；　which　an　elegant　official　in
uniform　was　descending　with　a　portfolio　under　his　arm。　In　this
room　an　old　man　with　long；　white　hair　and　a　patriarchal
appearance　attracted　every　one's　attention。　He　wore　a　short　coat
and　grey　trousers。　Two　attendants　stood　respectfully　beside　him。
The　old　man　with　white　hair　entered　the　cupboard　and　shut　himself
in。

Fanarin　noticed　a　fellow…advocate　dressed　in　the　same　way　as
himself；　with　a　white　tie　and　dress　coat；　and　at　once　entered
into　an　animated　conversation　with　him。

Nekhludoff　was　meanwhile　examining　the　people　in　the　room。　The
public　consisted　of　about　15　persons；　of　whom　two　were　ladiesa
young　one　with　a　pince…nez；　and　an　old；　grey…haired　one。

A　case　of　libel　was　to　be　heard　that　day；　and　therefore　the
public　were　more　numerous　than　usualchiefly　persons　belonging
to　the　journalistic　world。

The　usher；　a　red…cheeked；　handsome　man　in　a　fine　uniform；　came　up
to　Fanarin　and　asked　him　what　his　business　was。　When　he　heard
that　it　was　the　case　of　Maslova；　he　noted　something　down　and
walked　away。　Then　the　cupboard　door　opened　and　the　old　man　with
the　patriarchal　appearance　stepped　out；　no　longer　in　a　short　coat
but　in　a　gold…trimmed　attire；　which　made　him　look　like　a　bird；
and　with　metal　plates　on　his　breast。　This　funny　costume　seemed　to
make　the　old　man　himself　feel　uncomfortable；　and；　walking　faster
than　his　wont；　he　hurried　out　of　the　door　opposite　the　entrance。

〃That　is　Bay；　a　most　estimable　man；〃　Fanarin　said　to　Nekhludoff；
and　then　having　introduced　him　to　his　colleague；　he　explained　the
case　that　was　about　to　be　heard；　which　he　considered　very
interesting。

The　hearing　of　the　case　soon　commenced；　and　Nekhludoff；　with　the
public；　entered　the　left　side　of　the　Senate　Chamber。　They　all；
including　Fanarin；　took　their　places　behind　a　grating。　Only　the
Petersburg　advocate　went　up　to　a　desk　in　front　of　the　grating。

The　Senate　Chamber　was　not　so　big　as　the　Criminal　Court；　and　was
more　simply　furnished；　only　the　table　in　front　of　the　senators
was　covered　with　crimson；　gold…trimmed　velvet；　instead　of　green
cloth；　but　the　attributes　of　all　places　of　judgment；　i。e。；　the
mirror　of　justice；　the　icon；　the　emblem　of　hypocrisy；　and　the
Emperor's　portrait；　the　emblem　of　servility；　were　there。

The　usher　announced；　in　the　same　solemn　manner：　〃The　Court　is
coming。〃　Every　one　rose　in　the　same　way；　and　the　senators　entered
in　their　uniforms　and　sat　down　on　highbacked　chairs　and　leant　on
the　table；　trying　to　appear　natural；　just　in　the　same　way　as　the
judges　in　the　Court　of　Law。　There　were　four　senators
presentNikitin；　who　took　the　chair；　a　clean…shaved　man　with　a
narrow　face　and　steely　eyes；　Wolf；　with　significantly　compressed
lips；　and　little　white　hands；　with　which　he　kept　turning　over　the
pages　of　the　business　papers；　Skovorodnikoff；　a　heavy；　fat；
pockmarked　manthe　learned　lawyer；　and　Bay；　the
patriarchal…looking　man　who　had　arrived　last。

With　the　advocates　entered　the