it； and expected her to influence her brother against it。
Rogozhinsky said that such an action was the height of
inconsistency； flightiness； and pride； the only possible
explanation of which was the desire to appear original； to brag；
to make one's self talked about。
〃What sense could there be in letting the land to the peasants；
on condition that they pay the rent to themselves？〃 he said。 〃If
he was resolved to do such a thing； why not sell the land to them
through the Peasants' Bank？ There might have been some sense in
that。 In fact； this act verges on insanity。〃
And Rogozhinsky began seriously thinking about putting Nekhludoff
under guardianship； and demanded of his wife that she should
speak seriously to her brother about his curious intention。
CHAPTER XXXII。
NEKHLUDOFF'S ANARCHISM。
As soon as Nekhludoff returned that evening and saw his sister's
note on the table he started to go and see her。 He found Nathalie
alone； her husband having gone to take a rest in the next room。
She wore a tightly…fitting black silk dress； with a red bow in
front。 Her black hair was crimped and arranged according to the
latest fashion。
The pains she took to appear young； for the sake of her husband；
whose equal she was in years； were very obvious。
When she saw her brother she jumped up and hurried towards him；
with her silk dress rustling。 They kissed； and looked smilingly
at each other。 There passed between them that mysterious exchange
of looks； full of meaning； in which all was true； and which
cannot be expressed in words。 Then came words which were not
true。 They had not met since their mother's death。
〃You have grown stouter and younger；〃 he said； and her lips
puckered up with pleasure。
〃And you have grown thinner。〃
〃Well； and how is your husband？〃 Nekhludoff asked。
〃He is taking a rest； he did not sleep all night。〃 There was much
to say； but it was not said in words； only their looks expressed
what their words failed to say。
〃I went to see you。〃
〃Yes； I know。 I moved because the house is too big for me。 I was
lonely there； and dull。 I want nothing of all that is there； so
that you had better take it allthe furniture； I mean； and
things。〃
〃Yes； Agraphena Petrovna told me。 I went there。 Thanks； very
much。 But〃
At this moment the hotel waiter brought in a silver tea…set。
While he set the table they were silent。 Then Nathalie sat down
at the table and made the tea； still in silence。 Nekhludoff also
said nothing。
At last Nathalie began resolutely。 〃Well； Dmitri； I know all
about it。〃 And she looked at him。
〃What of that？ l am glad you know。〃
〃How can you hope to reform her after the life she has led？〃 she
asked。
He sat quite straight on a small chair； and listened attentively；
trying to understand her and to answer rightly。 The state of mind
called forth in him by his last interview with Maslova still
filled his soul with quiet joy and good will to all men。
〃It is not her but myself I wish to reform；〃 he replied。
Nathalie sighed。
〃There are other means besides marriage to do that。〃
〃But I think it is the best。 Besides； it leads me into that world
in which I can be of use。〃
〃I cannot believe you will be happy；〃 said Nathalie。
〃It's not my happiness that is the point。〃
〃Of course； but if she has a heart she cannot be happycannot
even wish it。〃
〃She does not wish it。〃
〃I understand； but life〃
〃Yeslife？〃
〃Demands something different。〃
〃It demands nothing but that we should do what is right；〃 said
Nekhludoff； looking into her face； still handsome； though
slightly wrinkled round eyes and mouth。
〃I do not understand；〃 she said； and sighed。
〃Poor darling； how could she change so？〃 he thought； calling back
to his mind Nathalie as she had been before her marriage； and
feeling towards her a tenderness woven out of innumerable
memories of childhood。 At that moment Rogozhinsky entered the
room； with head thrown back and expanded chest； and stepping
lightly and softly in his usual manner； his spectacles； his bald
patch； and his black beard all glistening。
〃How do you do？ How do you do？〃 he said； laying an unnatural and
intentional stress on his words。 （Though； soon after the
marriage； they had tried to be more familiar with each other；
they had never succeeded。）
They shook hands； and Rogozhinsky sank softly into an easy…chair。
〃Am I not interrupting your conversation？〃
〃No； I do not wish to hide what I am saying or doing from any
one。〃
As soon as Nekhludoff saw the hairy hands； and heard the
patronising； self…assured tones； his meekness left him in a
moment。
〃Yes； we were talking about his intentions；〃 said Nathalie。
〃Shall I give you a cup of tea？〃 she added； taking the teapot。
〃Yes； please。 What particular intentions do you mean？〃
That of going to Siberia with the gang of prisoners； among whom
is the woman I consider myself to have wronged；〃 uttered
Nekhludoff。
〃I hear not only to accompany her； but more than that。〃
〃Yes； and to marry her if she wishes it。〃
〃Dear me！ But if you do not object I should like to ask you to
explain your motives。 I do not understand them。〃
〃My motives are that this womanthat this woman's first step on
her way to degradation〃 Nekhludoff got angry with himself； and
was unable to find the right expression。 〃My motives are that I
am the guilty one； and she gets the punishment。〃
〃If she is being punished she cannot be innocent； either。〃
〃She is quite innocent。〃 And Nekhludoff related the whole
incident with unnecessary warmth。
〃Yes； that was a case of carelessness on the part of the
president； the result of which was a thoughtless answer on the
part of the jury； but there is the Senate for cases like that。〃
〃The Senate has rejected the appeal。〃
〃Well； if the Senate has rejected it； there cannot have been
sufficient reasons for an appeal；〃 said Rogozhinsky； evidently
sharing the prevailing opinion that truth is the product of
judicial decrees。 〃The Senate cannot enter into the question on
its merits。 If there is a real mistake； the Emperor should be
petitioned。〃
〃That has been done； but there is no probability of success。 They
will apply to the Department of the Ministry； the Department will
consult the Senate； the Senate will repeat its decision； and； as
usual； the innocent will get punished。〃
〃In the first place； the Department of the Ministry won't consult
the Senate；〃 said Rogozhinsky； with a condescending smile； 〃it
will give orders for the original deeds to be sent from the Law
Court； and if it discovers a mistake it will decide accordingly。
And； secondly； the innocent are never punished； or at least in
very rare； exceptional cases。 It is the guilty who are punished；〃
Rogozhinsky said deliberately； and smiled self…complacently。
〃And I have become fully convinced that most of those condemned
by law are innocent。〃
〃How's that？
〃Innocent in the literal sense。 Just as this woman is innocent of
poisoning any one； as innocent as a peasant I have just come to
know； of the murder he never committed； as a mother and son who
were on the point of being condemned for incendiarism； which was
committed by the owner of the house that was set on fire。〃
〃Well； of course there always have been and always will be
judicial errors。 Human institutions cannot be perfect。〃
〃And； besides； there are a great many people convicted who are
innocent of doing anything considered wrong by the society they
have grown up in。〃
〃Excuse me； this is not so； every thief knows that stealing is
wrong； and that we should not steal； that it is immoral；〃 said
Rogozhinsky； with his quiet； self…assured； slightly contemptuous
smile； which specially irritated Nekhludoff。
〃No； he does not know it； they say to him 'don't steal；' and he
knows that the master of the factory steals his labour by keeping
back his wages； that the Government； with its officials； robs him
continually by taxation。〃
〃Why； this is anarchism；〃 Rogozhinsky said； quietly defining his
brother…in…law's words。
〃I don't know what it is； I am only telling you the truth；〃
Nekhludoff continued。 〃He knows that the Government is robbing
him； knows that we landed proprietors have robbed him long since；
robbed him of the land which should be the common property of
all； and then； if he picks up dry wood to light his fire on that
land stolen from him； we put him in jail； and try to persuade him
that he is a thief。 Of course he knows that not he but those who
robbed him of the land are thieves； and that to get any
restitution of what has been robbed is his duty towards his
family。〃
〃I don't understand； or if I do I cannot agree with it。 The land
must be somebody's property；〃 began Rogozhinsky quietly； and；
convinced that Nekhludoff was a Socialist； and that Socialism
demands that all the land should be divided equally； that such a
division would be very foolish； and that he could easily prove it
to be so； he said。 〃If you divided it equally to…day； it would
to…morrow be again in the hands of the most industrious and
clever。〃
〃Nobody is thinking of dividing the land equally。 The land must
not be anybody's property； must not be a thing to be bought and
sold or rented。〃
〃The rights of property are inborn in man； without them the
cultivation of land would present no interest。 Destroy the rights
of property and we lapse into barbarism。〃 Rogozhinsky uttered
this authoritatively； repeating the usual argument in favour of
private ownership of land which is supposed to be irrefutable；
based on the assumption that people's desire to possess land
proves that they need it。
〃On the contrary； only when the land is nobody's property will it
cease to lie idle； as it does now； while the landlords； like dogs
in the manger； unable themselves to put it to use； will not let
those use it who are able。〃
〃But； Dmitri Ivanovitch； what you are saying is sheer madness。 Is
it possible to abolish property in land in our age？ I know it is
your old hobby。 But allow me to tell you straight；〃 and
Rogozhinsky grew pale； and his voice trembled。 It was evident
that this question touched him very nearly。 〃I should advise you
to consider this question we