this class； among them some of the best of men。
The fifth class consisted of persons who had been far more sinned
against by society than they had sinned against it。 These were
castaways； stupefied by continual oppression and temptation； such
as the boy who had stolen the rugs； and hundreds of others whom
Nekhludoff had seen in the prison and out of it。 The conditions
under which they lived seemed to lead on systematically to those
actions which are termed crimes。 A great many thieves and
murderers with whom he had lately come in contact； according to
Nekhludoff's estimate； belonged to this class。 To this class
Nekhludoff also reckoned those depraved； demoralised creatures
whom the new school of criminology classify as the criminal type；
and the existence of which is considered to be the chief proof of
the necessity of criminal law and punishment。 This demoralised；
depraved； abnormal type was； according to Nekhludoff； exactly the
same as that against whom society had sinned； only here society
had sinned not directly against them； but against their parents
and forefathers。
Among this latter class Nekhludoff was specially struck by one
Okhotin； an inveterate thief； the illegitimate son of a
prostitute； brought up in a doss…house； who； up to the age of 30；
had apparently never met with any one whose morality was above
that of a policeman； and who had got into a band of thieves when
quite young。 He was gifted with an extraordinary sense of humour；
by means of which he made himself very attractive。 He asked
Nekhludoff for protection； at the same time making fun of
himself； the lawyers； the prison； and laws human and divine。
Another was the handsome Fedoroff； who； with a band of robbers；
of whom he was the chief； had robbed and murdered an old man； an
official。 Fedoroff was a peasant； whose father had been
unlawfully deprived of his house； and who； later on； when serving
as a soldier； had suffered much because he had fallen in love
with an officer's mistress。 He had a fascinating； passionate
nature； that longed for enjoyment at any cost。 He had never met
anybody who restrained himself for any cause whatever； and had
never heard a word about any aim in life other than enjoyment。
Nekhludoff distinctly saw that both these men were richly endowed
by nature； but had been neglected and crippled like uncared…for
plants。
He had also met a tramp and a woman who had repelled him by their
dulness and seeming cruelty； but even in them he could find no
trace of the criminal type written about by the Italian school；
but only saw in them people who were repulsive to him personally；
just in the same way as some he had met outside the prison； in
swallow…tail coats wearing epaulettes； or bedecked with lace。 And
so the investigation of the reasons why all these very different
persons were put in prison； while others just like them were
going about free and even judging them； formed a fourth task for
Nekhludoff。
He hoped to find an answer to this question in books； and bought
all that referred to it。 He got the works of Lombroso； Garofalo；
Ferry； List； Maudsley； Tard； and read them carefully。 But as he
read he became more and more disappointed。 It happened to him as
it always happens to those who turn to science not in order to
play a part in it； nor to write； nor to dispute； nor to teach；
but simply for an answer to an every…day question of life。
Science answered thousands of different very subtle and ingenious
questions touching criminal law； but not the one he was trying to
solve。 He asked a very simple question： 〃Why； and with what
right； do some people lock up； torment； exile； flog； and kill
others； while they are themselves just like those whom they
torment； flog； and kill？〃 And in answer he got deliberations as
to whether human beings had free will or not。 Whether signs of
criminality could be detected by measuring the skulls or not。
What part heredity played in crime。 Whether immorality could be
inherited。 What madness is； what degeneration is； and what
temperament is。 How climate； food； ignorance； imitativeness；
hypnotism； or passion act。 What society is。 What are its duties；
etc。； etc。
These disquisitions reminded him of the answer he once got from a
little boy whom he met coming home from school。 Nekhludoff asked
him if he had learned his spelling。
〃I have；〃 answered the boy。
〃Well； then； tell me； how do you spell 'leg'？
〃A dog's leg； or what kind of leg？〃 the boy answered； with a sly
look。
Answers in the form of new questions； like the boy's； was all
Nekhludoff got in reply to his one primary question。 He found
much that was clever； learned much that was interesting； but what
he did not find was an answer to the principal question： By what
right some people punish others？
Not only did he not find any answer； but all the arguments were
brought forward in order to explain and vindicate punishment； the
necessity of which was taken as an axiom。
Nekhludoff read much； but only in snatches； and putting down his
failure to this superficial way of reading； hoped to find the
answer later on。 He would not allow himself to believe in the
truth of the answer which began； more and more often； to present
itself to him。
CHAPTER XXXI。
NEKHLUDOFF'S SISTER AND HER HUSBAND。
The gang of prisoners； with Maslova among them； was to start on
the 5th July。 Nekhludoff arranged to start on the same day。
The day before； Nekhludoff's sister and her husband came to town
to see him。
Nekhludoff's sister； Nathalie Ivanovna Rogozhinsky； was 10 years
older than her brother。 She had been very fond of him when he was
a boy； and later on； just before her marriage； they grew very
close to each other； as if they were equals； she being a young
woman of 25； he a lad of 15。 At that time she was in love with
his friend； Nikolenka Irtenieff； since dead。 They both loved
Nikolenka； and loved in him and in themselves that which is good；
and which unites all men。 Since then they had both been depraved；
he by military service and a vicious life； she by marriage with a
man whom she loved with a sensual love； who did not care for the
things that had once been so dear and holy to her and to her
brother； nor even understand the meaning of those aspirations
towards moral perfection and the service of mankind； which once
constituted her life； and put them down to ambition and the wish
to show off； that being the only explanation comprehensible to
him。
Nathalie's husband had been a man without a name and without
means； but cleverly steering towards Liberalism or Conservatism；
according to which best suited his purpose； he managed to make a
comparatively brilliant judicial career。 Some peculiarity which
made him attractive to women assisted him when he was no longer
in his first youth。 While travelling abroad he made Nekhludoff's
acquaintance； and managed to make Nathalie； who was also no
longer a girl； fall in love with him； rather against her mother's
wishes who considered a marriage with him to be a misalliance for
her daughter。 Nekhludoff； though he tried to hide it from
himself； though he fought against it； hated his brother…in…law。
Nekhludoff had a strong antipathy towards him because of the
vulgarity of his feelings； his assurance and narrowness； but
chiefly because of Nathalie； who managed to love him in spite of
the narrowness of his nature； and loved him so selfishly； so
sensually； and stifled for his sake all the good that had been in
her。
It always hurt Nekhludoff to think of Nathalie as the wife of
that hairy； self…assured man with the shiny； bald patch on his
head。 He could not even master a feeling of revulsion towards
their children； and when he heard that she was again going to
have a baby； he felt something like sorrow that she had once more
been infected with something bad by this man who was so foreign
to him。 The Rogozhinskys had come to Moscow alone； having left
their two childrena boy and a girlat home； and stopped in the
best rooms of the best hotel。 Nathalie at once went to her
mother's old house； but hearing from Agraphena Petrovna that her
brother had left； and was living in a lodging…house； she drove
there。 The dirty servant met her in the stuffy passage； dark but
for a lamp which burnt there all day。 He told her that the Prince
was not in。
Nathalie asked to be shown into his rooms； as she wished to leave
a note for him； and the man took her up。
Nathalie carefully examined her brother's two little rooms。 She
noticed in everything the love of cleanliness and order she knew
so well in him； and was struck by the novel simplicity of the
surroundings。 On his writing…table she saw the paper…weight with
the bronze dog on the top which she remembered； the tidy way in
which his different portfolios and writing utensils were placed
on the table was also familiar； and so was the large； crooked
ivory paper knife which marked the place in a French book by
Tard； which lay with other volumes on punishment and a book in
English by Henry George。 She sat down at the table and wrote a
note asking him to be sure to come that same day； and shaking her
head in surprise at what she saw； she returned to her hotel。
Two questions regarding her brother now interested Nathalie： his
marriage with Katusha； which she had heard spoken about in their
townfor everybody was speaking about itand his giving away
the land to the peasants； which was also known； and struck many
as something of a political nature； and dangerous。 The Carriage
with Katusha pleased her in a way。 She admired that resoluteness
which was so like him and herself as they used to be in those
happy times before her marriage。 And yet she was horrified when
she thought her brother was going to marry such a dreadful woman。
The latter was the stronger feeling of the two； and she decided
to use all her influence to prevent him from doing it； though she
knew how difficult this would be。
The other matter； the giving up of the land to the peasants； did
not touch her so nearly； but her husband was very indignant about
it； and expected her to influence her brother against it。
Rogozhinsky said that such an action was the height of
inconsisten