resurrection(复活)-第98章

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〃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
station　with　his　sister…in…law；　accompanied　by　the　respectful
guards　and　porters。

At　this　moment　from　behind　the　corner　of　the　station　suddenly
appeared　a　crowd　of　workmen　in　bark　shoes；　wearing　sheepskin
coats　and　carrying　bags　on　their　backs。　The　workmen　went　up　to
the　nearest　carriage　with　soft　yet　determined　steps；　and　were
about　to　get　in；　but　were　at　once　driven　away　by　a　guard。　Without
stopping；　the　workmen　passed　on；　hurrying　and　jostling　one
another；　to　the　next　carriage　and　began　getting　in；　catching
their　bags　against　the　corners　and　door　of　the　carriage；　but
another　guard　caught　sight　of　them　from　the　door　of　the　station；
and　shouted　at　them　severely。　The　workmen；　who　had　already　got
in；　hurried　out　again　and　went　on；　with　the　same　soft　and　firm
steps；　still　further　towards　Nekhludoff's　carriage。　A　guard　was
again　going　to　stop　them；　but　Nekhludoff　said　there　was　plenty　of
room　inside；　and　that　they　had　better　get　in。　They　obeyed　and　got
in；　followed　by　Nekhludoff。

The　workmen　were　about　to　take　their　seats；　when　the　gentleman
with　the　cockade　and　the　two　ladies；　looking　at　this　attempt　to
settle　in　their　carriage　as　a　personal　insult　to　themselves；
indignantly　protested　and　wanted　to　turn　them　out。　The
workmenthere　were　20　of　them；　old　men　and　quite　young　ones；　all
of　them　wearied；　sunburnt；　with　haggard　facesbegan　at　once　to
move　on　through　the　carriage；　catching　the　seats；　the　walls；　and
the　doors　with　their　bags。　They　evidently　felt　they　had　offended
in　some　way；　and　seemed　ready　to　go　on　indefinitely　wherever　they
were　ordered　to　go。

〃Where　are　you　pushing　to；　you　fiends？　Sit　down　here；〃　shouted
another　guard　they　met。

〃Voild　encore　des　nouvelles；〃　exclaimed　the　younger　of　the　two
ladies；　quite　convinced　that　she　would　attract　Nekhludoff's
notice　by　her　good　French。

The　other　lady　with　the　bracelets　kept　sniffing　and　making　faces；
and　remarked　something　about　how　pleasant　it　was　to　sit　with
smelly　peasants。

The　workmen；　who　felt　the　joy　and　calm　experienced　by　people　who
have　escaped　some　kind　of　danger；　threw　off　their　heavy　bags　with
a　movement　of　their　shoulders　and　stowed　them　away　under　the
seats。

The　gardener　had　left　his　own　seat　to　talk　with　Taras；　and　now
went　back；　so　that　there　were　two　unoccupied　seats　opposite　and
one　next　to　Taras。　Three　of　the　workmen　took　these　seats；　but
when　Nekhludoff　came　up　to　them；　in　his　gentleman's　clothing；
they　got　so　confused　that　they　rose　to　go　away；　but　Nekhludoff
asked　them　to　stay；　and　himself　sat　down　on　the　arm　of　the　seat；
by　the　passage　down　the　middle　of　the　carriage。

One　of　the　workmen；　a　man　of　about　50；　exchanged　a　surprised　and
even　frightened　look　with　a　young　man。　That　Nekhludoff；　instead
of　scolding　and　driving　them　away；　as　was　natural　to　a　gentleman；
should　give　up　his　seat　to　them；　astonished　and　perplexed　them。
They　even　feared　that　this　might　have　some　evil　result　for　them。

However；　they　soon　noticed　that　there　was　no　underlying　plot　when
they　heard　Nekhludoff　talking　quite　simply　with　Taras；　and　they
grew　quiet　and　told　one　of　the　lads　to　sit　down　on　his　bag　and
give　his　seat　to　Nekhludoff。　At　first　the　elderly　workman　who　sat
opposite　Nekhludoff　shrank　and　drew　back　his　legs　for　fear　of
touching　the　gentleman；　but　after　a　while　he　grew　quite　friendly；
and　in　talking　to　him　and　Taras　even　slapped　Nekhludoff　on　the
knee　when　he　wanted　to　draw　special　attention　to　what　he　was
saying。

He　told　them　all　about　his　position　and　his　work　in　the　peat
bogs；　whence　he　was　now　returning　home。　He　had　been　working　there
for　two　and　a　half　months；　and　was　bringing　home　his　wages；　which
only　came　to　10　roubles；　since　part　had　been　paid　beforehand　when
he　was　hired。　They　worked；　as　he　explained；　up　to　their　knees　in
water　from　sunrise　to　sunset；　with　two　hours'　interval　for
dinner。

〃Those　who　are　not　used　to　it　find　it　hard；　of　course；〃　he　said；
〃　but　when　one's　hardened　it　doesn't　matter；　if　only　the　food　is
right。　At　first　the　food　was　bad。　Later　the　people　complained；
and　they　got　good　food；　and　it　was　easy　to　work。〃

Then　he　told　them　how；　during　28　years　he　went　out　to　work；　and
sent　all　his　earnings　home。　First　to　his　father；　then　to　his
eldest　brother；　and　now　to　his　nephew；　who　was　at　the　head　of　the
household。　On　himself　he　spent　only　two　or　three　roubles　of　the
50　or　60　he　earned　a　year；　just　for　luxuriestobacco　and
matches。

〃I'm　a　sinner；　when　tired　I　even　drink　a　little　vodka　sometimes；〃
he　added；　with　a　guilty　smile。

Then　he　told　them　how　the　women　did　the　work　at　home；　and　how　the
contractor　had　treated　them　to　half　a　pail　of　vodka　before　they
started　to…day；　how　one　of　them　had　died；　and　another　was
returning　home　ill。　The　sick　workman　he　was　talking　about　was　in
a　corner　of　the　same　carriage。　He　was　a　young　lad；　with　a　pale；
sallow　face　and　bluish　lips。　He　was　evidently　tormented　by
intermittent　fever。　Nekhludoff　went　up　to　him；　but　the　lad　looked
up　with　such　a　severe　and　suffering　expression　that　Nekhludoff
did　not　care　to　bother　him　with　questions；　but　advised　the　elder
man　to　give　him　quinine；　and　wrote　down　the　name　of　the　medicine。
He　wished　to　give　him　some　money；　but　the　old　workman　said　he
would　pay　for　it　himself。

〃Well；　much　as　I　have　travelled；　I　have　never　met　such　a
gentleman　before。　Instead　of　punching　your　head；　he　actually
gives　up　his　place　to　you；〃　said　the　old　man　to　Taras。　〃It　seems
there　are　all　sorts　of　gentlefolk；　too。〃

〃Yes；　this　is　quite　a　new　and　different　world；〃　thought
Nekhludoff；　looking　at　these　spare；　sinewy；　limbs；　coarse；
home…made　garments；　and　sunburnt；　kindly；　though　weary…looking
faces；　and　feeling　himself　surrounded　on　all　sides　with　new
people　and　the　serious　interests；　joys；　and　sufferings　of　a　life
of　labour。

〃Here　is　le　vrai　grand　monde；〃　thought　Nekhludoff；　remembering
the　words　of　Prince　Korchagin　and　all　that　idle；　luxurious　world
to　which　the　Korchagins　belonged；　with　their　petty；　mean
interests。　And　he　felt　the　joy　of　a　traveller　on　discovering　a
new；　unknown；　and　beautiful　world。

END　OF　BOOK　II。



BOOK　III。
　
　
CHAPTER　I。

MASLOVA　MAKES　NEW　FRIENDS。

The　gang　of　prisoners　to　which　Maslova　belonged　had　walked　about
three　thousand　three　hundred　miles。　She　and　the　other　prisoners
condemned　for　criminal　offences　had　travelled　by　rail　and　by
steamboats　as　far　as　the　town　of　Perm。　It　was　only　here　that
Nekhludoff　succeeded　in　obtaining　a　permission　for　her　to
continue　the　journey　with　the　political　prisoners；　as　Vera
Doukhova；　who　was　among　the　latter；　advised　him　to　do。　The
journey　up　to　Perm　had　been　very　trying　to　Maslova　both　morally
and　physically。　Physically；　because　of　the　overcrowding；　the
dirt；　and　the　disgusting　vermin；　which　gave　her　no　peace；
morally；　because　of　the　equally　disgusting　men。　The　men；　like　the
vermin；　though　they　changed　at　each　halting…place；　were
everywhere　alike　importunate；　they　swarmed　round　her；　giving　her
no　rest。　Among　the　women　prisoners　and　the　men　prisoners；　the
jailers　and　the　convoy　soldiers；　the　habit　of　a　kind　of　cynical
debauch　was　so　firmly　established　that　unless　a　female　prisoner
was　willing　to　utilise　her　position　as　a　woman　she　had　to　be
constantly　on　the　watch。　To　be　continually　in　a　state　of　fear　and
strife　was　very　trying。　And　Maslova　was　specially　exposed　to
attacks；　her　appearance　being　attractive　and　her　past　known　to
every　one。　The　decided　resistance　with　which　she　now　met　the
importunity　of　all　the　men　seemed　offensive　to　them；　and　awakened
another　feeling；　that　of　ill…will　towards　her。　But　her　position
was　made　a　little　easier　by　her　intimacy　with　Theodosia；　and
Theodosia's　husband；　who；　having　heard　of　the　molestations　his
wife　was　subject　to；　had　in　Nijni　been　arrested　at　his　own　desire
in　order　to　be　able　to　protect　her；　and　was　now　travelling　with
the　gang　as　a　prisoner。　Maslova's　position　became　much　more
bearable　when　she　was　allowed　to　join　the　political　prisoners；
who　were　provided　with　better　accomodations；　better　food；　and
were　treated　less