meet with success； and I hope…〃
〃I'm not thinking of that；〃 she said； looking piteously at him
with her wet； squinting eyes。
〃What is it； then？〃
〃You have been to the hospital； and they have most likely told
you about me〃
〃What of that？ That is your affair；〃 said Nekhludoff coldly； and
frowned。 The cruel feeling of wounded pride that had quieted down
rose with renewed force when she mentioned the hospital。
〃He； a man of the world； whom any girl of the best families would
think it happiness to marry； offered himself as a husband to this
woman； and she could not even wait； but began intriguing with the
medical assistant；〃 thought he； with a look of hatred。
〃Here； sign this petition；〃 he said； taking a large envelope from
his pocket； and laying the paper on the table。 She wiped the
tears with a corner of her kerchief； and asked what to write and
where。
He showed her； and she sat down and arranged the cuff of her
right sleeve with her left hand； he stood behind her； and
silently looked at her back； which shook with suppressed emotion；
and evil and good feelings were fighting in his breastfeelings
of wounded pride and of pity for her who was sufferingand the
last feeling was victorious。
He could not remember which came first； did the pity for her
first enter his heart； or did he first remember his own sinshis
own repulsive actions； the very same for which he was condemning
her？ Anyhow； he both felt himself guilty and pitied her。
Having signed the petition and wiped her inky finger on her
petticoat； she got up and looked at him。
〃Whatever happens； whatever comes of it； my resolve remains
unchanged；〃 said Nekhludoff。 The thought that he had forgiven her
heightened his feeling of pity and tenderness for her； and he
wished to comfort her。 〃I will do what I have said； wherever they
take you I shall be with you。〃
〃What's the use？〃 she interrupted hurriedly； though her whole
face lighted up。
Think what you will want on the way〃
〃I don't know of anything in particular； thank you。〃
The inspector came up； and without waiting for a remark from him
Nekhludoff took leave； and went out with peace； joy； and love
towards everybody in his heart such as he had never felt before。
The certainty that no action of Maslova could change his love for
her filled him with joy and raised him to a level which he had
never before attained。 Let her intrigue with the medical
assistant； that was her business。 He loved her not for his own
but for her sake and for God's。
And this intrigue； for which Maslova was turned out of the
hospital； and of which Nekhludoff believed she was really guilty；
consisted of the following：
Maslova was sent by the head nurse to get some herb tea from the
dispensary at the end of the corridor； and there； all alone； she
found the medical assistant； a tall man； with a blotchy face； who
had for a long time been bothering her。 In trying to get away
from him Maslova gave him such a push that he knocked his head
against a shelf； from which two bottles fell and broke。 The head
doctor； who was passing at that moment； heard the sound of
breaking glass； and saw Maslova run out； quite red； and shouted
to her：
〃Ah； my good woman； if you start intriguing here； I'll send you
about your business。 What is the meaning of it？〃 he went on；
addressing the medical assistant； and looking at him over his
spectacles。
The assistant smiled； and began to justify himself。 The doctor
gave no heed to him； but； lifting his head so that he now looked
through his spectacles； he entered the ward。 He told the
inspector the same day to send another more sedate
assistant…nurse in Maslova's place。 And this was her 〃intrigue〃
with the medical assistant。
Being turned out for a love intrigue was particularly painful to
Maslova； because the relations with men； which had long been
repulsive to her； had become specially disgusting after meeting
Nekhludoff。 The thought that； judging her by her past and present
position； every man； the blotchy assistant among them； considered
he had a right to offend her； and was surprised at her refusal；
hurt her deeply； and made her pity herself and brought tears to
her eyes。
When she went out to Nekhludoff this time she wished to clear
herself of the false charge which she knew he would certainly
have heard about。 But when she began to justify herself she felt
he did not believe her； and that her excuses would only
strengthen his suspicions； tears choked her； and she was silent。
Maslova still thought and continued to persuade herself that she
had never forgiven him； and hated him； as she told him at their
second interview； but in reality she loved him again； and loved
him so that she did all he wished her to do； left off drinking；
smoking； coquetting； and entered the hospital because she knew he
wished it。 And if every time he reminded her of it； she refused
so decidedly to accept his sacrifice and marry him； it was
because she liked repeating the proud words she had once uttered；
and because she knew that a marriage with her would be a
misfortune for him。
She had resolutely made up her mind that she would not accept his
sacrifice； and yet the thought that he despised her and believed
that she still was what she had been； and did not notice the
change that had taken place in her； was very painful。 That he
could still think she had done wrong while in the hospital
tormented her more than the news that her sentence was confirmed。
CHAPTER XXX。
THE ASTONISHING INSTITUTION CALLED CRIMINAL LAW。
Maslova might be sent off with the first gang of prisoners；
therefore Nekhludoff got ready for his departure。 But there was
so much to be done that he felt that he could not finish it；
however much time he might have。 It was quite different now from
what it had been。 Formerly he used to be obliged to look for an
occupation； the interest of which always centred in one person；
i。e。； Dmitri Ivanovitch Nekhludoff； and yet； though every
interest of his life was thus centred； all these occupations were
very wearisome。 Now all his occupations related to other people
and not to Dmitri Ivanovitch； and they were all interesting and
attractive； and there was no end to them。 Nor was this all。
Formerly Dmitri Ivanovitch Nekhludoff's occupations always made
him feel vexed and irritable； now they produced a joyful state of
mind。 The business at present occupying Nekhludoff could be
divided under three headings。 He himself； with his usual
pedantry； divided it in that way； and accordingly kept the papers
referring to it in three different portfolios。 The first referred
to Maslova； and was chiefly that of taking steps to get her
petition to the Emperor attended to； and preparing for her
probable journey to Siberia。
The second was about his estates。 In Panovo he had given the land
to the peasants on condition of their paying rent to be put to
their own communal use。 But he had to confirm this transaction by
a legal deed； and to make his will； in accordance with it。 In
Kousminski the state of things was still as he had first arranged
it； i。e。； he was to receive the rent； but the terms had to be
fixed； and also how much of the money he would use to live on；
and how much he would leave for the peasants' use。 As he did not
know what his journey to Siberia would cost him； he could not
decide to lose this revenue altogether； though he reduced the
income from it by half。
The third part of his business was to help the convicts； who
applied more and more often to him。 At first when he came in
contact with the prisoners； and they appealed to him for help； he
at once began interceding for them； hoping to lighten their fate；
but he soon had so many applications that he felt the
impossibility of attending to all of them； and that naturally led
him to take up another piece of work； which at last roused his
interest even more than the three first。 This new part of his
business was finding an answer to the following questions： What
was this astonishing institution called criminal law； of which
the results were that in the prison； with some of the inmates of
which he had lately become acquainted； and in all those other
places of confinement； from the Peter and Paul Fortress in
Petersburg to the island of Sakhalin； hundreds and thousands of
victims were pining？ What did this strange criminal law exist
for？ How had it originated？
From his personal relations with the prisoners； from notes by
some of those in confinement； and by questioning the advocate and
the prison priest； Nekhludoff came to the conclusion that the
convicts； the so…called criminals； could be divided into five
classes。 The first were quite innocent people； condemned by
judicial blunder。 Such were the Menshoffs； supposed to be
incendiaries； Maslova； and others。 There were not many of these；
according to the priest's words； only seven per cent。； but their
condition excited particular interest。
To the second class belong persons condemned for actions done
under peculiar circumstances； i。e。； in a fit of passion； jealousy；
or drunkenness； circumstances under which those who judged them
would surely have committed the same actions。
The third class consisted of people punished for having committed
actions which； according to their understanding； were quite
natural； and even good； but which those other people； the men who
made the laws； considered to be crimes。 Such were the persons who
sold spirits without a license； smugglers； those who gathered
grass and wood on large estates and in the forests belonging to
the Crown； the thieving miners； and those unbelieving people who
robbed churches。
To the fourth class belonged those who were imprisoned only
because they stood morally higher than the average level of
society。 Such were the Sectarians； the Poles； the Circassians
rebelling in order to regain their independence； the political
prisoners； the Socialists； the strikers condemned for
withstanding the authorities。 There was； according to
Nekhludoff's observations； a very large percentage belonging to
this class； among them some of the best of men。
The fifth class consisted of persons who had been far more sinned
agains