resurrection(复活)-第97章

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across　such　a　hearty　man；　and　we've　got　into　conversation；　and
I'm　telling　him　all。〃

〃I　see；〃　said　Nekhludoff。

〃Well；　then　in　this　way；　my　friend；　the　business　became　known。
Mother；　she　takes　that　cake。　'I'm　going；'　says　she；　'to　the
police　officer。'　My　father　is　a　just　old　man。　'Wait；　wife；'　says
he；　'the　little　woman　is　a　mere　child；　and　did　not　herself　know
what　she　was　doing。　We　must　have　pity。　She　may　come　to　her
senses。'　But；　dear　me；　mother　would　not　hear　of　it。　'While　we
keep　her　here；'　she　says；　'she　may　destroy　us　all　like
cockroaches。'　Well；　friend；　so　she　goes　off　for　the　police
officer。　He　bounces　in　upon　us　at　once。　Calls　for　witnesses。〃

〃Well；　and　you？〃　asked　the　gardener。

〃Well；　I；　you　see；　friend；　roll　about　with　the　pain　in　my
stomach；　and　vomit。　All　my　inside　is　turned　inside　out；　I　can't
even　speak。　Well；　so　father　he　goes　and　harnesses　the　mare；　and
puts　Theodosia　into　the　cart；　and　is　off　to　the　police…station；
and　then　to　the　magistrate's。　And　she；　you　know；　just　as　she　had
done　from　the　first；　so　also　there；　confesses　all　to　the
magistratewhere　she　got　the　arsenic；　and　how　she　kneaded　the
cake。　'Why　did　you　do　it？'　says　he。　'Why；'　says　she；　'because
he's　hateful　to　me。　I　prefer　Siberia　to　a　life　with　him。'　That's
me；〃　and　Taras　smiled。

〃Well；　so　she　confessed　all。　Then；　naturallythe　prison；　and
father　returns　alone。　And　harvest　time　just　coming；　and　mother
the　only　woman　at　home；　and　she　no　longer　strong。　So　we　think
what　we　are　to　do。　Could　we　not　bail　her　out？　So　father　went　to
see　an　official。　No　go。　Then　another。　I　think　he　went　to　five　of
them；　and　we　thought　of　giving　it　up。　Then　we　happened　to　come
across　a　clerksuch　an　artful　one　as　you　don't　often　find。　'You
give　me　five　roubles；　and　I'll　get　her　out；'　says　he。　He　agreed
to　do　it　for　three。　Well；　and　what　do　you　think；　friend？　I　went
and　pawned　the　linen　she　herself　had　woven；　and　gave　him　the
money。　As　soon　as　he　had　written　that　paper；〃　drawled　out　Taras；
just　as　if　he　were　speaking　of　a　shot　being　fired；　〃we　succeeded
at　once。　I　went　to　fetch　her　myself。　Well；　friend；　so　I　got　to
town；　put　up　the　mare；　took　the　paper；　and　went　to　the　prison。
'What　do　you　want？'　'This　is　what　I　want；'　say　I；　'you've　got　my
wife　here　in　prison。'　'And　have　you　got　a　paper？'　I　gave　him　the
paper。　He　gave　it　a　look。　'Wait；'　says　he。　So　I　sat　down　on　a
bench。　It　was　already　past　noon　by　the　sun。　An　official　comes
out。　'You　are　Vargoushoff？'　'I　am。'　'Well；　you　may　take　her。'　The
gates　opened；　and　they　led　her　out　in　her　own　clothes　quite　all
right。　'Well；　come　along。　Have　you　come　on　foot？'　'No；　I　have　the
horse　here。'　So　I　went　and　paid　the　ostler；　and　harnessed；　put　in
all　the　hay　that　was　left；　and　covered　it　with　sacking　for　her　to
sit　on。　She　got　in　and　wrapped　her　shawl　round　her；　and　off　we
drove。　She　says　nothing　and　I　say　nothing。　just　as　we　were　coming
up　to　the　house　she　says；　'And　how's　mother；　is　she　alive？'　'Yes；
she's　alive。'　'And　father；　is　he　alive？　'Yes；　he　is。'　'Forgive
me；　Taras；'　she　says；　'for　my　folly。　I　did　not　myself　know　what　I
was　doing。'　So　I　say；　'Words　won't　mend　matters。　I　have　forgiven
you　long　ago；'　and　I　said　no　more。　We　got　home；　and　she　just　fell
at　mother's　feet。　Mother　says；　'The　Lord　will　forgive　you。'　And
father　said；　'How　d'you　do？'　and　'What's　past　is　past。　Live　as
best　you　can。　Now；'　says　he；　'is　not　the　time　for　all　that；
there's　the　harvest　to　be　gathered　in　down　at　Skorodino；'　he
says。　'Down　on　the　manured　acre；　by　the　Lord's　help；　the　ground
has　borne　such　rye　that　the　sickle　can't　tackle　it。　It's　all
interwoven　and　heavy；　and　has　sunk　beneath　its　weight；　that　must
be　reaped。　You　and　Taras　had　better　go　and　see　to　it　to…morrow。'
Well；　friend；　from　that　moment　she　took　to　the　work　and　worked　so
that　every　one　wondered。　At　that　time　we　rented　three　desiatins；
and　by　God's　help　we　had　a　wonderful　crop　both　of　oats　and　rye。　I
mow　and　she　binds　the　sheaves；　and　sometimes　we　both　of　us　reap。
I　am　good　at　work　and　not　afraid　of　it；　but　she's　better　still　at
whatever　she　takes　up。　She's　a　smart　woman；　young；　and　full　of
life；　and　as　to　work；　friend；　she'd　grown　that　eager　that　I　had
to　stop　her。　We　get　home；　our　fingers　swollen；　our　arms　aching；
and　she；　instead　of　resting；　rushes　off　to　the　barn　to　make
binders　for　the　sheaves　for　next　day。　Such　a　change！〃

〃Well；　and　to　you？　Was　she　kinder；　now？〃　asked　the　gardener。

〃That's　beyond　question。　She　clings　to　me　as　if　we　were　one　soul。
Whatever　I　think　she　understands。　Even　mother；　angry　as　she　was；
could　not　help　saying：　'It's　as　if　our　Theodosia　had　been
transformed；　she's　quite　a　different　woman　now！'　We　were　once
going　to　cart　the　sheaves　with　two　carts。　She　and　I　were　in　the
first；　and　I　say；　'How　could　you　think　of　doing　that；　Theodosia？'
and　she　says；　'How　could　I　think　of　it？　just　so；　I　did　not　wish
to　live　with　you。　I　thought　I'd　rather　die　than　live　with　you！'　I
say；　'And　now？'　and　she　says；　'Now　you're　in　my　heart！'〃　Taras
stopped；　and　smiled　joyfully；　shook　his　head　as　if　surprised。
〃Hardly　had　we　got　the　harvest　home　when　I　went　to　soak　the　hemp；
and　when　I　got　home　there　was　a　summons；　she　must　go　to　be　tried；
and　we　had　forgotten　all　about　the　matter　that　she　was　to　be
tried　for。〃

〃It　can　only　be　the　evil　one；〃　said　the　gardener。　〃Could　any　man
of　himself　think　of　destroying　a　living　soul？　We　had　a　fellow
once〃　and　the　gardener　was　about　to　commence　his　tale　when　the
train　began　to　stop。

〃It　seems　we　are　coming　to　a　station；〃　he　said。　〃I'll　go　and　have
a　drink。〃

The　conversation　stopped；　and　Nekhludoff　followed　the　gardener
out　of　the　carriage　onto　the　wet　platform　of　the　station。


CHAPTER　XLII。

LE　VRAI　GRAND　MONDE。

Before　Nekhludoff　got　out　he　had　noticed　in　the　station　yard
several　elegant　equipages；　some　with　three；　some　with　four；
well…fed　horses；　with　tinkling　bells　on　their　harness。　When　he
stepped　out　on　the　wet；　dark…coloured　boards　of　the　platform；　he
saw　a　group　of　people　in　front　of　the　first…class　carriage；　among
whom　were　conspicuous　a　stout　lady　with　costly　feathers　on　her
hat；　and　a　waterproof；　and　a　tall；　thin…legged　young　man　in　a
cycling　suit。　The　young　man　had　by　his　side　an　enormous；　well…fed
dog；　with　a　valuable　collar。　Behind　them　stood　footmen；　holding
wraps　and　umbrellas；　and　a　coachman；　who　had　also　come　to　meet
the　train。

On　the　whole　of　the　group；　from　the　fat　lady　down　to　the　coachman
who　stood　holding　up　his　long　coat；　there　lay　the　stamp　of　wealth
and　quiet　self…assurance。　A　curious　and　servile　crowd　rapidly
gathered　round　this　groupthe　station…master；　in　his　red　cap；　a
gendarme；　a　thin　young　lady　in　a　Russian　costume；　with　beads
round　her　neck；　who　made　a　point　of　seeing　the　trains　come　in　all
through　the　summer；　a　telegraph　clerk；　and　passengers；　men　and
women。

In　the　young　man　with　the　dog　Nekhludoff　recognised　young
Korchagin；　a　gymnasium　student。　The　fat　lady　was　the　Princess's
sister；　to　whose　estate　the　Korchagins　were　now　moving。　The
guard；　with　his　gold　cord　and　shiny　top…boots；　opened　the　carriage
door　and　stood　holding　it　as　a　sign　of　deference；　while　Philip
and　a　porter　with　a　white　apron　carefully　carried　out　the
long…faced　Princess　in　her　folding　chair。　The　sisters　greeted
each　other；　and　French　sentences　began　flying　about。　Would　the
Princess　go　in　a　closed　or　an　open　carriage？　At　last　the
procession　started　towards　the　exit；　the　lady's　maid；　with　her
curly　fringe；　parasol　and　leather　case　in　the　rear。

Nekhludoff　not　wishing　to　meet　them　and　to　have　to　take　leave
over　again；　stopped　before　he　got　to　the　door；　waiting　for　the
procession　to　pass。

The　Princess；　her　son；　Missy；　the　doctor；　and　the　maid　went　out
first；　the　old　Prince　and　his　sister…in…law　remained　behind。
Nekhludoff　was　too　far　to　catch　anything　but　a　few　disconnected
French　sentences　of　their　conversation　One　of　the　sentences
uttered　by　the　Prince；　as　it　often　happens；　for　some
unaccountable　reason　remained　in　his　memory　with　all　its
intonations　and　the　sound　of　the　voice。

〃Oh；　il　est　du　vrai　grand　monde；　du　vrai　grand　monde；〃　said　the
Prince　in　his　loud；　self…assured　tone　as　he　went　out　of　the