resurrection(复活)-第86章

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it；　and　expected　her　to　influence　her　brother　against　it。

Rogozhinsky　said　that　such　an　action　was　the　height　of
inconsistency；　flightiness；　and　pride；　the　only　possible
explanation　of　which　was　the　desire　to　appear　original；　to　brag；
to　make　one's　self　talked　about。

〃What　sense　could　there　be　in　letting　the　land　to　the　peasants；
on　condition　that　they　pay　the　rent　to　themselves？〃　he　said。　〃If
he　was　resolved　to　do　such　a　thing；　why　not　sell　the　land　to　them
through　the　Peasants'　Bank？　There　might　have　been　some　sense　in
that。　In　fact；　this　act　verges　on　insanity。〃

And　Rogozhinsky　began　seriously　thinking　about　putting　Nekhludoff
under　guardianship；　and　demanded　of　his　wife　that　she　should
speak　seriously　to　her　brother　about　his　curious　intention。


CHAPTER　XXXII。

NEKHLUDOFF'S　ANARCHISM。

As　soon　as　Nekhludoff　returned　that　evening　and　saw　his　sister's
note　on　the　table　he　started　to　go　and　see　her。　He　found　Nathalie
alone；　her　husband　having　gone　to　take　a　rest　in　the　next　room。
She　wore　a　tightly…fitting　black　silk　dress；　with　a　red　bow　in
front。　Her　black　hair　was　crimped　and　arranged　according　to　the
latest　fashion。

The　pains　she　took　to　appear　young；　for　the　sake　of　her　husband；
whose　equal　she　was　in　years；　were　very　obvious。

When　she　saw　her　brother　she　jumped　up　and　hurried　towards　him；
with　her　silk　dress　rustling。　They　kissed；　and　looked　smilingly
at　each　other。　There　passed　between　them　that　mysterious　exchange
of　looks；　full　of　meaning；　in　which　all　was　true；　and　which
cannot　be　expressed　in　words。　Then　came　words　which　were　not
true。　They　had　not　met　since　their　mother's　death。

〃You　have　grown　stouter　and　younger；〃　he　said；　and　her　lips
puckered　up　with　pleasure。

〃And　you　have　grown　thinner。〃

〃Well；　and　how　is　your　husband？〃　Nekhludoff　asked。

〃He　is　taking　a　rest；　he　did　not　sleep　all　night。〃　There　was　much
to　say；　but　it　was　not　said　in　words；　only　their　looks　expressed
what　their　words　failed　to　say。

〃I　went　to　see　you。〃

〃Yes；　I　know。　I　moved　because　the　house　is　too　big　for　me。　I　was
lonely　there；　and　dull。　I　want　nothing　of　all　that　is　there；　so
that　you　had　better　take　it　allthe　furniture；　I　mean；　and
things。〃

〃Yes；　Agraphena　Petrovna　told　me。　I　went　there。　Thanks；　very
much。　But〃

At　this　moment　the　hotel　waiter　brought　in　a　silver　tea…set。
While　he　set　the　table　they　were　silent。　Then　Nathalie　sat　down
at　the　table　and　made　the　tea；　still　in　silence。　Nekhludoff　also
said　nothing。

At　last　Nathalie　began　resolutely。　〃Well；　Dmitri；　I　know　all
about　it。〃　And　she　looked　at　him。

〃What　of　that？　l　am　glad　you　know。〃

〃How　can　you　hope　to　reform　her　after　the　life　she　has　led？〃　she
asked。

He　sat　quite　straight　on　a　small　chair；　and　listened　attentively；
trying　to　understand　her　and　to　answer　rightly。　The　state　of　mind
called　forth　in　him　by　his　last　interview　with　Maslova　still
filled　his　soul　with　quiet　joy　and　good　will　to　all　men。

〃It　is　not　her　but　myself　I　wish　to　reform；〃　he　replied。

Nathalie　sighed。

〃There　are　other　means　besides　marriage　to　do　that。〃

〃But　I　think　it　is　the　best。　Besides；　it　leads　me　into　that　world
in　which　I　can　be　of　use。〃

〃I　cannot　believe　you　will　be　happy；〃　said　Nathalie。

〃It's　not　my　happiness　that　is　the　point。〃

〃Of　course；　but　if　she　has　a　heart　she　cannot　be　happycannot
even　wish　it。〃

〃She　does　not　wish　it。〃

〃I　understand；　but　life〃

〃Yeslife？〃

〃Demands　something　different。〃

〃It　demands　nothing　but　that　we　should　do　what　is　right；〃　said
Nekhludoff；　looking　into　her　face；　still　handsome；　though
slightly　wrinkled　round　eyes　and　mouth。

〃I　do　not　understand；〃　she　said；　and　sighed。

〃Poor　darling；　how　could　she　change　so？〃　he　thought；　calling　back
to　his　mind　Nathalie　as　she　had　been　before　her　marriage；　and
feeling　towards　her　a　tenderness　woven　out　of　innumerable
memories　of　childhood。　At　that　moment　Rogozhinsky　entered　the
room；　with　head　thrown　back　and　expanded　chest；　and　stepping
lightly　and　softly　in　his　usual　manner；　his　spectacles；　his　bald
patch；　and　his　black　beard　all　glistening。

〃How　do　you　do？　How　do　you　do？〃　he　said；　laying　an　unnatural　and
intentional　stress　on　his　words。　（Though；　soon　after　the
marriage；　they　had　tried　to　be　more　familiar　with　each　other；
they　had　never　succeeded。）

They　shook　hands；　and　Rogozhinsky　sank　softly　into　an　easy…chair。

〃Am　I　not　interrupting　your　conversation？〃

〃No；　I　do　not　wish　to　hide　what　I　am　saying　or　doing　from　any
one。〃

As　soon　as　Nekhludoff　saw　the　hairy　hands；　and　heard　the
patronising；　self…assured　tones；　his　meekness　left　him　in　a
moment。

〃Yes；　we　were　talking　about　his　intentions；〃　said　Nathalie。
〃Shall　I　give　you　a　cup　of　tea？〃　she　added；　taking　the　teapot。

〃Yes；　please。　What　particular　intentions　do　you　mean？〃

That　of　going　to　Siberia　with　the　gang　of　prisoners；　among　whom
is　the　woman　I　consider　myself　to　have　wronged；〃　uttered
Nekhludoff。

〃I　hear　not　only　to　accompany　her；　but　more　than　that。〃

〃Yes；　and　to　marry　her　if　she　wishes　it。〃

〃Dear　me！　But　if　you　do　not　object　I　should　like　to　ask　you　to
explain　your　motives。　I　do　not　understand　them。〃

〃My　motives　are　that　this　womanthat　this　woman's　first　step　on
her　way　to　degradation〃　Nekhludoff　got　angry　with　himself；　and
was　unable　to　find　the　right　expression。　〃My　motives　are　that　I
am　the　guilty　one；　and　she　gets　the　punishment。〃

〃If　she　is　being　punished　she　cannot　be　innocent；　either。〃

〃She　is　quite　innocent。〃　And　Nekhludoff　related　the　whole
incident　with　unnecessary　warmth。

〃Yes；　that　was　a　case　of　carelessness　on　the　part　of　the
president；　the　result　of　which　was　a　thoughtless　answer　on　the
part　of　the　jury；　but　there　is　the　Senate　for　cases　like　that。〃

〃The　Senate　has　rejected　the　appeal。〃

〃Well；　if　the　Senate　has　rejected　it；　there　cannot　have　been
sufficient　reasons　for　an　appeal；〃　said　Rogozhinsky；　evidently
sharing　the　prevailing　opinion　that　truth　is　the　product　of
judicial　decrees。　〃The　Senate　cannot　enter　into　the　question　on
its　merits。　If　there　is　a　real　mistake；　the　Emperor　should　be
petitioned。〃

〃That　has　been　done；　but　there　is　no　probability　of　success。　They
will　apply　to　the　Department　of　the　Ministry；　the　Department　will
consult　the　Senate；　the　Senate　will　repeat　its　decision；　and；　as
usual；　the　innocent　will　get　punished。〃

〃In　the　first　place；　the　Department　of　the　Ministry　won't　consult
the　Senate；〃　said　Rogozhinsky；　with　a　condescending　smile；　〃it
will　give　orders　for　the　original　deeds　to　be　sent　from　the　Law
Court；　and　if　it　discovers　a　mistake　it　will　decide　accordingly。
And；　secondly；　the　innocent　are　never　punished；　or　at　least　in
very　rare；　exceptional　cases。　It　is　the　guilty　who　are　punished；〃
Rogozhinsky　said　deliberately；　and　smiled　self…complacently。

〃And　I　have　become　fully　convinced　that　most　of　those　condemned
by　law　are　innocent。〃

〃How's　that？

〃Innocent　in　the　literal　sense。　Just　as　this　woman　is　innocent　of
poisoning　any　one；　as　innocent　as　a　peasant　I　have　just　come　to
know；　of　the　murder　he　never　committed；　as　a　mother　and　son　who
were　on　the　point　of　being　condemned　for　incendiarism；　which　was
committed　by　the　owner　of　the　house　that　was　set　on　fire。〃

〃Well；　of　course　there　always　have　been　and　always　will　be
judicial　errors。　Human　institutions　cannot　be　perfect。〃

〃And；　besides；　there　are　a　great　many　people　convicted　who　are
innocent　of　doing　anything　considered　wrong　by　the　society　they
have　grown　up　in。〃

〃Excuse　me；　this　is　not　so；　every　thief　knows　that　stealing　is
wrong；　and　that　we　should　not　steal；　that　it　is　immoral；〃　said
Rogozhinsky；　with　his　quiet；　self…assured；　slightly　contemptuous
smile；　which　specially　irritated　Nekhludoff。

〃No；　he　does　not　know　it；　they　say　to　him　'don't　steal；'　and　he
knows　that　the　master　of　the　factory　steals　his　labour　by　keeping
back　his　wages；　that　the　Government；　with　its　officials；　robs　him
continually　by　taxation。〃

〃Why；　this　is　anarchism；〃　Rogozhinsky　said；　quietly　defining　his
brother…in…law's　words。

〃I　don't　know　what　it　is；　I　am　only　telling　you　the　truth；〃
Nekhludoff　continued。　〃He　knows　that　the　Government　is　robbing
him；　knows