peasants driven to the town had found means of profiting by the
conditions of town life and had become like the gentlefolk and
were pleased with their position； others were in a worse position
than they had been in the country and were more to be pitied than
the country people。
Such seemed the bootmakers Nekhludoff saw in the cellar； the
pale； dishevelled washerwomen with their thin； bare； arms ironing
at an open window； out of which streamed soapy steam； such the
two house…painters with their aprons； stockingless feet； all
bespattered and smeared with paint； whom Nekhludoff mettheir
weak； brown arms bared to above the elbowscarrying a pailful of
paint； and quarrelling with each other。 Their faces looked
haggard and cross。 The dark faces of the carters jolting along in
their carts bore the same expression； and so did the faces of the
tattered men and women who stood begging at the street corners。
The same kind of faces were to be seen at the open； windows of
the eating…houses which Nekhludoff passed。 By the dirty tables on
which stood tea things and bottles； and between which waiters
dressed in white shirts were rushing hither and thither； sat
shouting and singing red； perspiring men with stupefied faces。
One sat by the window with lifted brows and pouting lips and
fixed eyes as if trying to remember something。
〃And why are they all gathered here？〃 Nekhludoff thought；
breathing in together with the dust which the cold wind blew
towards him the air filled with the smell of rank oil and fresh
paint。
In one street he met a row of carts loaded with something made of
iron； that rattled so on the uneven pavement that it made his
ears and head ache。 He started walking still faster in order to
pass the row of carts； when he heard himself called by name。 He
stopped and saw an officer with sharp pointed moustaches and
shining face who sat in the trap of a swell isvostchik and waved
his hand in a friendly manner； his smile disclosing unusually
long； white teeth。
〃Nekhludoff！ Can it be you？〃
Nekhludoff's first feeling was one of pleasure。 〃Ah； Schonbock！〃
he exclaimed joyfully； but he knew the next moment that there was
nothing to be joyful about。
This was that Schonbock who had been in the house of Nekhludoff's
aunts that day； and whom Nekhludoff had quite lost out of sight；
but about whom he had heard that in spite of his debts he had
somehow managed to remain in the cavalry； and by some means or
other still kept his place among the rich。 His gay； contented
appearance corroborated this report。
〃What a good thing that I have caught you。 There is no one in
town。 Ah； old fellow； you have grown old；〃 he said； getting out
of the trap and moving his shoulders about。 〃I only knew you by
your walk。 Look here； we must dine together。 Is there any place
where they feed one decently？〃
〃I don't think I can spare the time；〃 Nekhludoff answered；
thinking only of how he could best get rid of his companion
without hurting him。
〃And what has brought you here？〃 he asked。
〃Business； old fellow。 Guardianship business。 I am a guardian
now。 I am managing Samanoff's affairsthe millionaire； you know。
He has softening of the brain； and he's got fifty…four thousand
desiatins of land；〃 he said； with peculiar pride； as if he had
himself made all these desiatins。 〃The affairs were terribly
neglected。 All the land was let to the peasants。 They did not pay
anything。 There were more than eighty thousand roubles debts。 I
changed it all in one year； and have got 70 per cent。 more out of
it。 What do you think of that？〃 he asked proudly。
Nekhludoff remembered having heard that this Schonbock； just
because； he had spent all he had； had attained by some special
influence the post of guardian to a rich old man who was
squandering his propertyand was now evidently living by this
guardianship。
〃How am I to get rid of him without offending him？〃 thought
Nekhludoff； looking at this full； shiny face with the stiffened
moustache and listening to his friendly； good…humoured chatter
about where one gets fed best； and his bragging about his doings
as a guardian。
〃Well； then； where do we dine？〃
〃Really； I have no time to spare；〃 said Nekhludoff； glancing at
his watch。
〃Then； look here。 To…night； at the raceswill you be there？〃
〃No； I shall not be there。〃
〃Do come。 I have none of my own now； but I back Grisha's horses。
You remember； he has a fine stud。 You'll come； won't you？ And
we'll have some supper together。〃
〃No； I cannot have supper with you either；〃 said Nekhludoff with
a smile。
〃Well； that's too bad！ And where are you off to now？ Shall I give
you a lift？〃
〃I am going to see an advocate； close to here round the corner。〃
〃Oh； yes； of course。 You have got something to do with the
prisonshave turned into a prisoners' mediator； I hear；〃 said
Schonbock； laughing。 〃The Korchagins told me。 They have left town
already。 What does it all mean？ Tell me。〃
〃Yes； yes； it is quite true；〃 Nekhludoff answered； 〃but I cannot
tell you about it in the street。〃
〃Of course； you always were a crank。 But you will come to the
races？〃
〃No。 I neither can nor wish to come。 Please do not be angry with
me。〃
〃Angry？ Dear me； no。 Where do you live？〃 And suddenly his face
became serious； his eyes fixed； and he drew up his brows。 He
seemed to be trying to remember something； and Nekhludoff noticed
the same dull expression as that of the man with the raised brows
and pouting lips whom he had seen at the window of the
eating…house。
〃How cold it is！ Is it not？ Have you got the parcels？〃 said
Schonbock； turning to the isvostchik。
〃All right。 Good…bye。 I am very glad indeed to have met you；〃 and
warmly pressing Nekhludoff's hand； he jumped into the trap and
waved his white…gloved hand in front of his shiny face； with his
usual smile； showing his exceptionally white teeth。
〃Can I have also been like that？〃 Nekhludoff thought； as he
continued his way to the advocate's。 〃Yes； I wished to be like
that； though I was not quite like it。 And I thought of living my
life in that way。〃
CHAPTER XI。
AN ADVOCATE'S VIEWS ON JUDGES AND PROSECUTORS。
Nekhludoff was admitted by the advocate before his turn。 The
advocate at once commenced to talk about the Menshoffs' case；
which he had read with indignation at the inconsistency of the
accusation。
〃This case is perfectly revolting；〃 he said； 〃it is very likely
that the owner himself set fire to the building in order to get
the insurance money； and the chief thing is that there is no
evidence to prove the Menshoffs' guilt。 There are no proofs
whatever。 It is all owing to the special zeal of the examining
magistrate and the carelessness of the prosecutor。 If they are
tried here； and not in a provincial court； I guarantee that they
will be acquitted； and I shall charge nothing。 Now then； the next
case； that of Theodosia Birukoff。 The appeal to the Emperor is
written。 If you go to Petersburg； you'd better take it with you；
and hand it in yourself； with a request of your own； or else they
will only make a few inquiries； and nothing will come of it。 You
must try and get at some of the influential members of the Appeal
Committee。〃
〃Well； is this all？〃
〃No； here I have a letter 。 。 。 I see you have turned into a
pipea spout through which all the complaints of the prison are
poured；〃 said the advocate； with a smile。 〃It is too much； you'll
not be able to manage it。〃
〃No； but this is a striking case；〃 said Nekhludoff； and gave a
brief outline of the case of a peasant who began to read the
Gospels to the peasants in the village； and to discuss them with
his friends。 The priests regarded this as a crime and informed
the authorities。 The magistrate examined him and the public
prosecutor drew up an act of indictment； and the law courts
committed him for trial。
〃This is really too terrible；〃 Nekhludoff said。 〃Can it be true？〃
〃What are you surprised at？〃
〃Why； everything。 I can understand the police…officer； who simply
obeys orders； but the prosecutor drawing up an act of that kind。
An educated man 。 。 。〃
〃That is where the mistake lies； that we are in the habit of
considering that the prosecutors and the judges in general are
some kind of liberal persons。 There was a time when they were
such； but now it is quite different。 They are just officials；
only troubled about pay…day。 They receive their salaries and want
them increased； and there their principles end。 They will accuse；
judge； and sentence any one you like。〃
〃Yes； but do laws really exist that can condemn a man to Siberia
for reading the Bible with his friends？〃
〃Not only to be exiled to the less remote parts of Siberia； but
even to the mines； if you can only prove that reading the Bible
they took the liberty of explaining it to others not according to
orders； and in this way condemned the explanations given by the
Church。 Blaming the Greek orthodox religion in the presence of
the common people means； according to Statute 。 。 。 the mines。〃
〃Impossible！〃
〃I assure you it is so。 I always tell these gentlemen； the
judges；〃 the advocate continued； 〃that I cannot look at them
without gratitude； because if I am not in prison； and you； and
all of us； it is only owing to their kindness。 To deprive us of
our privileges； and send us all to the less remote parts of
Siberia； would be an easy thing for them。〃
〃Well； if it is so； and if everything depends on the Procureur
and others who can； at will； either enforce the laws or not； what
are the trials for？〃
The advocate burst into a merry laugh。 〃You do put strange
questions。 My dear sir； that is philosophy。 Well； we might have a
talk about that； too。 Could you come on Saturday？ You will meet
men of science； literary men； and artists at my house； and then
we might discuss these general questions；〃 said the advocate；
pronouncing the words 〃general questions〃 with ironical pathos。
〃You have met my wife？ Do come。〃
〃Thank you； I will try to；〃 said Nekhludoff； and felt that he was
saying an untruth； and knew that if he tried to do anything it
would be to keep away froth the advocate's literary evening； and
the circle of the men of science； art； and literatur