resurrection(复活)-第90章

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elegant　new　boots　on　his　feet。

Nekhludoff　went　on　to　the　pavement　and　told　the　isvostchik　to
follow　him；　himself　walking；　so　as　to　keep　the　convicts　in　sight。
Wherever　the　gang　passed　it　attracted　attention　mixed　with　horror
and　compassion。　Those　who　drove　past　leaned　out　of　the　vehicles
and　followed　the　prisoners　with　their　eyes。　Those　on　foot　stopped
and　looked　with　fear　and　surprise　at　the　terrible　sight。　Some
came　up　and　gave　alms　to　the　prisoners。　The　alms　were　received　by
the　convoy。　Some；　as　if　they　were　hypnotised；　followed　the　gang；
but　then　stopped；　shook　their　heads；　and　followed　the　prisoners
only　with　their　eyes。　Everywhere　the　people　came　out　of　the　gates
and　doors；　and　called　others　to　come　out；　too；　or　leaned　out　of
the　windows　looking；　silent　and　immovable；　at　the　frightful
procession。　At　a　cross…road　a　fine　carriage　was　stopped　by　the
gang。　A　fat　coachman；　with　a　shiny　face　and　two　rows　of　buttons
on　his　back；　sat　on　the　box；　a　married　couple　sat　facing　the
horses；　the　wife；　a　pale；　thin　woman；　with　a　light…coloured
bonnet　on　her　head　and　a　bright　sunshade　in　her　hand；　the　husband
with　a　top…hat　and　a　well…cut　light…coloured　overcoat。　On　the
seat　in　front　sat　their　childrena　well…dressed　little　girl；
with　loose；　fair　hair；　and　as　fresh　as　a　flower；　who　also　held　a
bright　parasol；　and　an　eight…year…old　boy；　with　a　long；　thin　neck
and　sharp　collarbones；　a　sailor　hat　with　long　ribbons　on　his
head。

The　father　was　angrily　scolding　the　coachman　because　he　had　not
passed　in　front　of　the　gang　when　he　had　a　chance；　and　the　mother
frowned　and　half　closed　her　eyes　with　a　look　of　disgust；
shielding　herself　from　the　dust　and　the　sun　with　her　silk
sunshade；　which　she　held　close　to　her　face。

The　fat　coachman　frowned　angrily　at　the　unjust　rebukes　of　his
masterwho　had　himself　given　the　order　to　drive　along　that
streetand　with　difficulty　held　in　the　glossy；　black　horses；
foaming　under　their　harness　and　impatient　to　go　on。

The　policeman　wished　with　all　his　soul　to　please　the　owner　of　the
fine　equipage　by　stopping　the　gang；　yet　felt　that　the　dismal
solemnity　of　the　procession　could　not　be　broken　even　for　so　rich
a　gentleman。　He　only　raised　his　fingers　to　his　cap　to　show　his
respect　for　riches；　and　looked　severely　at　the　prisoners　as　if
promising　in　any　case　to　protect　the　owners　of　the　carriage　from
them。　So　the　carriage　had　to　wait　till　the　whole　of　the
procession　had　passed；　and　could　only　move　on　when　the　last　of
the　carts；　laden　with　sacks　and　prisoners；　rattled　by。　The
hysterical　woman　who　sat　on　one　of　the　carts；　and　had　grown　calm；
again　began　shrieking　and　sobbing　when　she　saw　the　elegant
carriage。　Then　the　coachman　tightened　the　reins　with　a　slight
touch；　and　the　black　trotters；　their　shoes　ringing　against　the
paving　stones；　drew　the　carriage；　softly　swaying　on　its　rubber
tires；　towards　the　country　house　where　the　husband；　the　wife；　the
girl；　and　the　boy　with　the　sharp　collar…bones　were　going　to　amuse
themselves。　Neither　the　father　nor　the　mother　gave　the　girl　and
boy　any　explanation　of　what　they　had　seen；　so　that　the　children
had　themselves　to　find　out　the　meaning　of　this　curious　sight。　The
girl；　taking　the　expression　of　her　father's　and　mother's　faces
into　consideration；　solved　the　problem　by　assuming　that　these
people　were　quite　another　kind　of　men　and　women　than　her　father
and　mother　and　their　acquaintances；　that　they　were　bad　people；
and　that　they　had　therefore　to　be　treated　in　the　manner　they　were
being　treated。

Therefore　the　girl　felt　nothing　but　fear；　and　was　glad　when　she
could　no　longer　see　those　people。

But　the　boy　with　the　long；　thin　neck；　who　looked　at　the
procession　of　prisoners　without　taking　his　eyes　off　them；　solved
the　question　differently。

He　still　knew；　firmly　and　without　any　doubt；　for　he　had　it　from
God；　that　these　people　were　just　the　same　kind　of　people　as　he
was；　and　like　all　other　people；　and　therefore　some　one　had　done
these　people　some　wrong；　something　that　ought　not　to　have　been
done；　and　he　was　sorry　for　them；　and　felt　no　horror　either　of
those　who　were　shaved　and　chained　or　of　those　who　had　shaved　and
chained　them。　And　so　the　boy's　lips　pouted　more　and　more；　and　he
made　greater　and　greater　efforts　not　to　cry；　thinking　it　a　shame
to　cry　in　such　a　case。


CHAPTER　XXXVI。

THE　TENDER　MERCIES　OF　THE　LORD。

Nekhludoff　kept　up　with　the　quick　pace　of　the　convicts。　Though
lightly　clothed　he　felt　dreadfully　hot；　and　it　was　hard　to
breathe　in　the　stifling；　motionless；　burning　air　filled　with
dust。

When　he　had　walked　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile　he　again　got　into
the　trap；　but　it　felt　still　hotter　in　the　middle　of　the　street。
He　tried　to　recall　last　night's　conversation　with　his
brother…in…law；　but　the　recollections　no　longer　excited　him　as
they　had　done　in　the　morning。　They　were　dulled　by　the　impressions
made　by　the　starting　and　procession　of　the　gang；　and　chiefly　by
the　intolerable　heat。

On　the　pavement；　in　the　shade　of　some　trees　overhanging　a　fence；
he　saw　two　schoolboys　standing　over　a　kneeling　man　who　sold　ices。
One　of　the　boys　was　already　sucking　a　pink　spoon　and　enjoying　his
ices；　the　other　was　waiting　for　a　glass　that　was　being　filled
with　something　yellowish。

〃Where　could　I　get　a　drink？〃　Nekhludoff　asked　his　isvostchik；
feeling　an　insurmountable　desire　for　some　refreshment。

〃There　is　a　good　eating…house　close　by；〃　the　isvostchik　answered；
and　turning　a　corner；　drove　up　to　a　door　with　a　large　signboard。
The　plump　clerk　in　a　Russian　shirt；　who　stood　behind　the　counter；
and　the　waiters　in　their　once　white　clothing　who　sat　at　the
tables　（there　being　hardly　any　customers）　looked　with　curiosity
at　the　unusual　visitor　and　offered　him　their　services。　Nekhludoff
asked　for　a　bottle　of　seltzer　water　and　sat　down　some　way　from
the　window　at　a　small　table　covered　with　a　dirty　cloth。　Two　men
sat　at　another　table　with　tea…things　and　a　white　bottle　in　front
of　them；　mopping　their　foreheads；　and　calculating　something　in　a
friendly　manner。　One　of　them　was　dark　and　bald；　and　had　just　such
a　border　of　hair　at　the　back　as　Rogozhinsky。　This　sight　again
reminded　Nekhludoff　of　yesterday's　talk　with　his　brother…in…law
and　his　wish　to　see　him　and　Nathalie。

〃I　shall　hardly　be　able　to　do　it　before　the　train　starts；〃　he
thought；　〃I'd　better　write。〃　He　asked　for　paper；　an　envelope；　and
a　stamp；　and　as　he　was　sipping　the　cool；　effervescent　water　he
considered　what　he　should　say。　But　his　thoughts　wandered；　and　he
could　not　manage　to　compose　a　letter。

My　dear　Nathalie；I　cannot　go　away　with　the　heavy　impression
that　yesterday's　talk　with　your　husband　has　left；〃　he　began。
〃What　next？　Shall　I　ask　him　to　forgive　me　what　I　said　yesterday？
But　I　only　said　what　I　felt；　and　he　will　think　that　I　am　taking
it　back。　Besides；　this　interference　of　his　in　my　private　matters。
。　。　No；　I　cannot；〃　and　again　he　felt　hatred　rising　in　his　heart
towards　that　man　so　foreign　to　him。　He　folded　the　unfinished
letter　and　put　it　in　his　pocket；　paid；　went　out；　and　again　got
into　the　trap　to　catch　up　the　gang。　It　had　grown　still　hotter。
The　stones　and　the　walls　seemed　to　be　breathing　out　hot　air。　The
pavement　seemed　to　scorch　the　feet；　and　Nekhludoff　felt　a　burning
sensation　in　his　hand　when　he　touched　the　lacquered　splashguard
of　his　trap。

The　horse　was　jogging　along　at　a　weary　trot；　beating　the　uneven；
dusty　road　monotonously　with　its　hoofs；　the　isvostchik　kept
falling　into　a　doze；　Nekhludoff　sat　without　thinking　of　anything。

At　the　bottom　of　a　street；　in　front　of　a　large　house；　a　group　of
people　had　collected；　and　a　convoy　soldier　stood　by。

〃What　has　happened？〃　Nekhludoff　asked　of　a　porter。

〃Something　the　matter　with　a　convict。〃

Nekhludoff　got　down　and　came　up　to　the　group。　On　the　rough
stones；　where　the　pavement　slanted　down　to　the　gutter；　lay　a
broadly…built；　red…bearded；　elderly　convict；　with　his　head　lower
than　his　feet；　and　very　red　in　the　face。　He　had　a　grey　cloak　and
grey　trousers　on；　and　lay　on　his　back　with　the　palms　of　his
freckled　hands　downwards；　and　at　long　intervals　his　broad；　high
chest　heaved；　and　he　groaned；　while　his　bloodshot　eyes　were　fixed
on　the　sky。　By　him　stood　a