resurrection(复活)-第95章

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when　her　face　lit　up　with　peculiar　animation　as　he　spoke　of　what
would　peculiarly　interest　her　husband；　i。e。；　the　giving　up　of　the
land　to　the　peasants　and　the　inheritance。

And　this　made　him　sad。


CHAPTER　XL。

THE　FUNDAMENTAL　LAW　OF　HUMAN　LIFE。

The　heat　in　the　large　third…class　carriage；　which　had　been
standing　in　the　burning　sun　all　day；　was　so　great　that　Nekhludoff
did　not　go　in；　but　stopped　on　the　little　platform　behind　the
carriage　which　formed　a　passage　to　the　next　one。　But　there　was
not　a　breath　of　fresh　air　here　either；　and　Nekhludoff　breathed
freely　only　when　the　train　had　passed　the　buildings　and　the
draught　blew　across　the　platform。

〃Yes；　killed；〃　he　repeated　to　himself；　the　words　he　had　used　to
his　sister。　And　in　his　imagination　in　the　midst　of　all　other
impressions　there　arose　with　wonderful　clearness　the　beautiful
face　of　the　second　dead　convict；　with　the　smile　of　the　lips；　the
severe　expression　of　the　brows；　and　the　small；　firm　ear　below　the
shaved　bluish　skull。

And　what　seemed　terrible　was　that　he　had　been　murdered；　and　no
one　knew　who　had　murdered　him。　Yet　he　had　been　murdered。　He　was
led　out　like　all　the　rest　of　the　prisoners　by　Maslennikoff's
orders。　Maslennikoff　had　probably　given　the　order　in　the　usual
manner；　had　signed　with　his　stupid　flourish　the　paper　with　the
printed　heading；　and　most　certainly　would　not　consider　himself
guilty。　Still　less　would　the　careful　doctor　who　examined　the
convicts　consider　himself　guilty。　He　had　performed　his　duty
accurately；　and　had　separated　the　weak。　How　could　he　have
foreseen　this　terrible　heat；　or　the　fact　that　they　would　start　so
late　in　the　day　and　in　such　crowds？　The　prison　inspector？　But　the
inspector　had　only　carried　into　execution　the　order　that　on　a
given　day　a　certain　number　of　exiles　and　convictsmen　and
womenhad　to　be　sent　off。　The　convoy　officer　could　not　be　guilty
either；　for　his　business　was　to　receive　a　certain　number　of
persons　in　a　certain　place；　and　to　deliver　up　the　same　number。
He　conducted　them　in　the　usual　manner；　and　could　not　foresee　that
two　such　strong　men　as　those　Nekhludoff　saw　would　not　be　able　to
stand　it　and　would　die。　No　one　is　guilty；　and　yet　the　men　have
been　murdered　by　these　people　who　are　not　guilty　of　their　murder。

〃All　this　comes；〃　Nekhludoff　thought；　〃from　the　fact　that　all
these　people；　governors；　inspectors；　police　officers；　and　men；
consider　that　there　are　circumstances　in　which　human　relations
are　not　necessary　between　human　beings。　All　these　men；
Maslennikoff；　and　the　inspector；　and　the　convoy　officer；　if　they
were　not　governor；　inspector；　officer；　would　have　considered
twenty　times　before　sending　people　in　such　heat　in　such　a
masswould　have　stopped　twenty　times　on　the　way；　and；　seeing
that　a　man　was　growing　weak；　gasping　for　breath；　would　have　led
him　into　the　shade；　would　have　given　him　water　and　let　him　rest；
and　if　an　accident　had　still　occurred　they　would　have　expressed
pity。　But　they　not　only　did　not　do　it；　but　hindered　others　from
doing　it；　because　they　considered　not　men　and　their　duty　towards
them　but　only　the　office　they　themselves　filled；　and　held　what
that　office　demanded　of　them　to　be　above　human　relations。　〃That's
what　it　is；〃　Nekhludoff　went　on　in　his　thoughts。　〃If　one
acknowledges　but　for　a　single　hour　that　anything　can　be　more
important　than　love　for　one's　fellowmen；　even　in　some　one
exceptional　case；　any　crime　can　be　committed　without　a　feeling　of
guilt。〃

Nekhludoff　was　so　engrossed　by　his　thoughts　that　he　did　not
notice　how　the　weather　changed。　The　sun　was　covered　over　by　a
low…hanging；　ragged　cloud。　A　compact；　light　grey　cloud　was
rapidly　coming　from　the　west；　and　was　already　falling　in　heavy；
driving　rain　on　the　fields　and　woods　far　in　the　distance。
Moisture；　coming　from　the　cloud；　mixed　with　the　air。　Now　and　then
the　cloud　was　rent　by　flashes　of　lightning；　and　peals　of　thunder
mingled　more　and　more　often　with　the　rattling　of　the　train。　The
cloud　came　nearer　and　nearer；　the　rain…drops　driven　by　the　wind
began　to　spot　the　platform　and　Nekhludoff's　coat；　and　he　stepped
to　the　other　side　of　the　little　platform；　and；　inhaling　the
fresh；　moist　airfilled　with　the　smell　of　corn　and　wet　earth
that　had　long　been　waiting　for　rainhe　stood　looking　at　the
gardens；　the　woods；　the　yellow　rye　fields；　the　green　oatfields；
the　dark…green　strips　of　potatoes　in　bloom；　that　glided　past。
Everything　looked　as　if　covered　over　with　varnishthe　green
turned　greener；　the　yellow　yellower；　the　black　blacker。

〃More！　more！〃　said　Nekhludoff；　gladdened　by　the　sight　of　gardens
and　fields　revived　by　the　beneficent　shower。　The　shower　did　not
last　long。　Part　of　the　cloud　had　come　down　in　rain；　part　passed
over；　and　the　last　fine　drops　fell　straight　on　to　the　earth。　The
sun　reappeared；　everything　began　to　glisten；　and　in　the　eastnot
very　high　above　the　horizonappeared　a　bright　rainbow；　with　the
violet　tint　very　distinct　and　broken　only　at　one　end。

〃Why；　what　was　I　thinking　about？〃　Nekhludoff　asked　himself　when
all　these　changes　in　nature　were　over；　and　the　train　ran　into　a
cutting　between　two　high　banks。

〃Oh！　I　was　thinking　that　all　those　people　（inspector；　convoy
menall　those　in　the　service）　are　for　the　greater　part　kind
peoplecruel　only　because　they　are　serving。〃　He　recalled
Maslennikoff's　indifference　when　he　told　him　about　what　was　being
done　in　the　prison；　the　inspector's　severity；　the　cruelty　of　the
convoy　officer　when　he　refused　places　on　the　carts　to　those　who
asked　for　them；　and　paid　no　attention　to　the　fact　that　there　was
a　woman　in　travail　in　the　train。　All　these　people　were　evidently
invulnerable　and　impregnable　to　the　simplest　feelings　of
compassion　only　because　they　held　offices。　〃As　officials　they
were　impermeable　to　the　feelings　of　humanity；　as　this　paved
ground　is　impermeable　to　the　rain。〃　Thus　thought　Nekhludoff　as　he
looked　at　the　railway　embankment　paved　with　stones　of　different
colours；　down　which　the　water　was　running　in　streams　instead　of
soaking　into　the　earth。　〃Perhaps　it　is　necessary　to　pave　the
banks　with　stones；　but　it　is　sad　to　look　at　the　ground；　which
might　be　yielding　corn；　grass；　bushes；　or　trees　in　the　same　way
as　the　ground　visible　up　there　is　doingdeprived　of　vegetation；
and　so　it　is　with　men；〃　thought　Nekhludoff。　〃Perhaps　these
governors；　inspectors；　policemen；　are　needed；　but　it　is　terrible
to　see　men　deprived　of　the　chief　human　attribute；　that　of　love
and　sympathy　for　one　another。　The　thing　is；〃　he　continued；　〃that
these　people　consider　lawful　what　is　not　lawful；　and　do　not
consider　the　eternal；　immutable　law；　written　in　the　hearts　of　men
by　God；　as　law。　That　is　why　I　feel　so　depressed　when　I　am　with
these　people。　I　am　simply　afraid　of　them；　and　really　they　are
terrible；　more　terrible　than　robbers。　A　robber　might；　after　all；
feel　pity；　but　they　can　feel　no　pity；　they　are　inured　against
pity　as　these　stones　are　against　vegetation。　That　is　what　makes
them　terrible。　It　is　said　that　the　Pougatcheffs；　the　Razins
＇leaders　of　rebellions　in　Russia：　Stonka　Razin　in　the　17th　and
Pougatcheff　in　the　18th　century＇　are　terrible。　These　are　a
thousand　times　more　terrible；〃　he　continued；　in　his　thoughts。　〃If
a　psychological　problem　were　set　to　find　means　of　making　men　of
our　timeChristian；　humane；　simple；　kind　peopleperform　the
most　horrible　crimes　without　feeling　guilty；　only　one　solution
could　be　devised：　to　go　on　doing　what　is　being　done。　It　is　only
necessary　that　these　people　should　he　governors；　inspectors；
policemen；　that　they　should　be　fully　convinced　that　there　is　a
kind　of　business；　called　government　service；　which　allows　men　to
treat　other　men　as　things；　without　human　brotherly　relations　with
them；　and　also　that　these　people　should　be　so　linked　together　by
this　government　service　that　the　responsibility　for　the　results
of　their　actions　should　not　fall　on　any　one　of　them　separately。
Without　these　conditions；　the　terrible　acts　I　witnessed　to…day
would　be　impossible　in　our　times。　It　all　lies　in　the　fact　that
men　think　there　are　circumstances　in　which　one　may　deal　with
human　beings　without　love；　and　there　are　no　such　circumstances。
One　may　deal　with　things　without　love。　one