resurrection(复活)- 第31部分

As　they　were　speaking；　the　large　iron　door　with　a　window　in　it
opened；　and　an　officer　in　uniform；　followed　by　another　warder；
stepped　out。　The　warder　with　the　notebook　proclaimed　that　the
admittance　of　visitors　would　now　commence。　The　sentinel　stepped
aside；　and　all　the　visitors　rushed　to　the　door　as　if　afraid　of
being　too　late；　some　even　ran。　At　the　door　there　stood　a　warder
who　counted　the　visitors　as　they　came　in；　saying　aloud；　16；　17；
and　so　on。　Another　warder　stood　inside　the　building　and　also
counted　the　visitors　as　they　entered　a　second　door；　touching　each
one　with　his　hand；　so　that　when　they　went　away　again　not　one
visitor　should　be　able　to　remain　inside　the　prison　and　not　one
prisoner　might　get　out。　The　warder；　without　looking　at　whom　he
was　touching；　slapped　Nekhludoff　on　the　back；　and　Nekhludoff　felt
hurt　by　the　touch　of　the　warder's　hand；　but；　remembering　what　he
had　come　about；　he　felt　ashamed　of　feeling　dissatisfied　and
taking　offence。

The　first　apartment　behind　the　entrance　doors　was　a　large　vaulted
room　with　iron　bars　to　the　small　windows。　In　this　room；　which　was
called　the　meeting…room；　Nekhludoff　was　startled　by　the　sight　of
a　large　picture　of　the　Crucifixion。

〃What's　that　for？〃　he　thought；　his　mind　involuntarily　connecting
the　subject　of　the　picture　with　liberation　and　not　with
imprisonment。

He　went　on；　slowly　letting　the　hurrying　visitors　pass　before；　and
experiencing　a　mingled　feeling　of　horror　at　the　evil…doers　locked
up　in　this　building；　compassion　for　those　who；　like　Katusha　and
the　boy　they　tried　the　day　before；　must　be　here　though　guiltless；
and　shyness　and　tender　emotion　at　the　thought　of　the　interview
before　him。　The　warder　at　the　other　end　of　the　meeting…room　said
something　as　they　passed；　but　Nekhludoff；　absorbed　by　his　own
thoughts；　paid　no　attention　to　him；　and　continued　to　follow　the
majority　of　the　visitors；　and　so　got　into　the　men's　part　of　the
prison　instead　of　the　women's。

Letting　the　hurrying　visitors　pass　before　him；　he　was　the　last　to
get　into　the　interviewing…room。　As　soon　as　Nekhludoff　opened　the
door　of　this　room；　he　was　struck　by　the　deafening　roar　of　a
hundred　voices　shouting　at　once；　the　reason　of　which　he　did　not
at　once　understand。　But　when　he　came　nearer　to　the　people；　he　saw
that　they　were　all　pressing　against　a　net　that　divided　the　room
in　two；　like　flies　settling　on　sugar；　and　he　understood　what　it
meant。　The　two　halves　of　the　room；　the　windows　of　which　were
opposite　the　door　he　had　come　in　by；　were　separated；　not　by　one；
but　by　two　nets　reaching　from　the　floor　to　the　ceiling。　The　wire
nets　were　stretched　7　feet　apart；　and　soldiers　were　walking　up
and　down　the　space　between　them。　On　the　further　side　of　the　nets
were　the　prisoners；　on　the　nearer；　the　visitors。　Between　them　was
a　double　row　of　nets　and　a　space　of　7　feet　wide；　so　that　they
could　not　hand　anything　to　one　another；　and　any　one　whose　sight
was　not　very　good　could　not　even　distinguish　the　face　on　the
other　side。　It　was　also　difficult　to　talk；　one　had　to　scream　in
order　to　be　heard。

On　both　sides　were　faces　pressed　close　to　the　nets；　faces　of
wives；　husbands；　fathers；　mothers；　children；　trying　to　see　each
other's　features　and　to　say　what　was　necessary　in　such　a　way　as
to　be　understood。

But　as　each　one　tried　to　be　heard　by　the　one　he　was　talking　to；
and　his　neighbour　tried　to　do　the　same；　they　did　their　best　to
drown　each　other's　voices'　and　that　was　the　cause　of　the　din　and
shouting　which　struck　Nekhludoff　when　he　first　came　in。　It　was
impossible　to　understand　what　was　being　said　and　what　were　the
relations　between　the　different　people。　Next　Nekhludoff　an　old
woman　with　a　kerchief　on　her　head　stood　trembling；　her　chin
pressed　close　to　the　net；　and　shouting　something　to　a　young
fellow；　half　of　whose　head　was　shaved；　who　listened　attentively
with　raised　brows。　By　the　side　of　the　old　woman　was　a　young　man
in　a　peasant's　coat；　who　listened；　shaking　his　head；　to　a　boy
very　like　himself。　Next　stood　a　man　in　rags；　who　shouted；　waving
his　arm　and　laughing。　Next　to　him　a　woman；　with　a　good　woollen
shawl　on　her　shoulders；　sat　on　the　floor　holding　a　baby　in　her
lap　and　crying　bitterly。　This　was　apparently　the　first　time　she
saw　the　greyheaded　man　on　the　other　side　in　prison　clothes；　and
with　his　head　shaved。　Beyond　her　was　the　doorkeeper；　who　had
spoken　to　Nekhludoff　outside；　he　was　shouting　with　all　his　might
to　a　greyhaired　convict　on　the　other　side。

When　Nekhludoff　found　that　he　would　have　to　speak　in　similar
conditions；　a　feeling　of　indignation　against　those　who　were　able
to　make　and　enforce　these　conditions　arose　in　him；　he　was
surprised　that；　placed　in　such　a　dreadful　position；　no　one　seemed
offended　at　this　outrage　on　human　feelings。　The　soldiers；　the
inspector；　the　prisoners　themselves；　acted　as　if　acknowledging
all　this　to　be　necessary。

Nekhludoff　remained　in　this　room　for　about　five　minutes；　feeling
strangely　depressed；　conscious　of　how　powerless　he　was；　and　at
variance　with　all　the　world。　He　was　seized　with　a　curious　moral
sensation　like　seasickness。


CHAPTER　XLII。

VISITING　DAYTHE　WOMEN'S　WARD。

〃Well；　but　I　must　do　what　I　came　here　for；〃　he　said；　trying　to
pick　up　courage。　〃What　is　to　be　done　now？〃　He　looked　round　for　an
official；　and　seeing　a　thin　little　man　in　the　uniform　of　an
officer　going　up　and　down　behind　the　people；　he　approached　him。

〃Can　you　tell　me；　sir；〃　he　said；　with　exceedingly　strained
politeness　of　manner；　〃where　the　women　are　kept；　and　where　one　is
allowed　to　interview　them？〃

〃Is　it　the　women's　ward　you　want　to　go　to？〃

〃Yes；　I　should　like　to　see　one　of　the　women　prisoners；〃
Nekhludoff　said；　with　the　same　strained　politeness。

〃You　should　have　said　so　when　you　were　in　the　hall。　Who　is　it；
then；　that　you　want　to　see？〃

〃I　want　to　see　a　prisoner　called　Katerina　Maslova。〃

〃Is　she　a　political　one？〃

〃No；　she　is　simply　。　。　。〃

〃What！　Is　she　sentenced？〃

〃Yes；　the　day　before　yesterday　she　was　sentenced；〃　meekly
answered　Nekhludoff；　fearing　to　spoil　the　inspector's　good
humour；　which　seemed　to　incline　in　his　favour。

〃If　you　want　to　go　to　the　women's　ward　please　to　step　this　way；〃
said　the　officer；　having　decided　from　Nekhludoff's　appearance
that　he　was　worthy　of　attention。　〃Sideroff；　conduct　the　gentleman
to　the　women's　ward；〃　he　said；　turning　to　a　moustached　corporal
with　medals　on　his　breast。

〃Yes；　sir。〃

At　this　moment　heart…rending　sobs　were　heard　coming　from　some　one
near　the　net。

Everything　here　seemed　strange　to　Nekhludoff；　but　strangest　of
all　was　that　he　should　have　to　thank　and　feel　obligation　towards
the　inspector　and　the　chief　warders；　the　very　men　who　were
performing　the　cruel　deeds　that　were　done　in　this　house。

The　corporal　showed　Nekhludoff　through　the　corridor；　out　of　the
men's　into　the　women's　interviewing…room。

This　room；　like　that　of　the　men；　was　divided　by　two　wire　nets；
but　it　was　much　smaller；　and　there　were　fewer　visitors　and　fewer
prisoners；　so　that　there　was　less　shouting　than　in　the　men's
room。　Yet　the　same　thing　was　going　on　here；　only；　between　the
nets　instead　of　soldiers　there　was　a　woman　warder；　dressed　in　a
blue…edged　uniform　jacket；　with　gold　cords　on　the　sleeves；　and　a
blue　belt。　Here　also；　as　in　the　men's　room；　the　people　were
pressing　close　to　the　wire　netting　on　both　sides；　on　the　nearer
side；　the　townspeople　in　varied　attire；　on　the　further　side；　the
prisoners；　some　in　white　prison　clothes；　others　in　their　own
coloured　dresses。　The　whole　length　of　the　net　was　taken　up　by　the
people　standing　close　to　it。　Some　rose　on　tiptoe　to　be　heard
across　the　heads　of　others；　some　sat　talking　on　the　floor。

The　most　remarkable　of　the　prisoners；　both　by　her　piercing
screams　and　her　appearance；　was　a　thin；　dishevelled　gipsy。　Her
kerchief　had　slipped　off　her　curly　hair；　and　she　stood　near　a
post　in　the　middle　of　the　prisoner's　division；　shouting
something；　accompanied　by　quick　gestures；　to　a　gipsy　man　in　a
blue　coat；　girdled　tightly　below　the　waist。　Next　the　gipsy　man；　a
soldier　sat　on　the　ground　talking　to　prisoner；　next　the　soldier；
leaning　close　to　the　net；　stood　a　young　peasant；　with　a　fair
beard　and　a　flushed　face；　keeping　back　his　tears　with　difficulty。
A　pretty；　fair…haired　prisoner；　with　bright　blue　eyes；　was
speaking　to　him。　These　two　were　Theodosia　and　her　husband。　Next
to　them　was　a　tramp；　talking　to　a　broad…faced　woman；　then　two
women；　then　a　man；　then　again　a　woman；　and　in　front　of　each　a
prisoner。　Maslova　was　not　among　them。　But　some　one　stood　by　the
window　behind　the　prisoners；　and　Nekhludoff　knew　it　was　she。　His
heart　began　to　beat　faster；　and　his　breath　stopped。　The　decisive
moment　was　approaching。　He　went　up　to　the　part　of　the　net　where
he　could　see　the　prisoner；　and　recognised　her　at　once。　She　stood
behind　the　blue…eyed　Theodosia；　and　smiled；　listening　to　what
Theodosia　was　saying。　She　did　not　wear　the　prison　cloak　now；　but
a　white　dress；　tightly　drawn　in　at　the　waist　by　a　belt；　and　very
full　in　the　bosom。　From　under　her　kerchief　appeared　the　black
ringlets　of　her　fringe；　just　the　same　as　in　the　court。

〃Now；　in　a　moment　it　will　be　decided；〃　he　thought。

〃How　shall　I　call　her？　Or　will　she　come　herself？〃

〃She　was　expecting　Bertha；　that　this　man　had　come　to　see　her
never　entered　her　head。

〃Whom　do　you　want？〃　said　the　warder　who　was　walking　between　the
nets；　coming　up　to　Nekhludoff。

〃Katerina　Maslova；〃　Nekhludoff　uttered；　with　difficulty。

〃Katerina　Maslova；　some　one　to　see　you；〃　cried　the　warder。


CHAPTER　XLIII。

NEKHLUDOFF　VISITS　MASLOVA。

Maslova　looked　round；　and　with　head　thrown　back　and　expanded
chest；　came　up　to　the　net　with　that　expression　of　readiness　which
he　well　knew；　pushed　in　between　two　prisoners；　and　gazed　at
Nekhludoff　with　a　surprised　and　questioning　look。　But；　concluding
from　his　clothing　he　was　a　rich　man；　she　smiled。

〃Is　it　me　you　want？〃　she　asked；　bringing　her　smiling　face；　with
the　slightly　squinting　eyes；　nearer　the　net。

〃I；　II　wished　to　see　〃Nekhludoff　did　not　know　how　to　address
her。　〃I　wished　to　see　youI〃　He　was　not　speaking　louder　than
usual。

〃No；　nonsense；　I　tell　you！〃　shouted　the　tramp　who　stood　next　to
him。　〃Have　you