just as if he were speaking of a shot being fired； 〃we succeeded
at once。 I went to fetch her myself。 Well； friend； so I got to
town； put up the mare； took the paper； and went to the prison。
'What do you want？' 'This is what I want；' say I； 'you've got my
wife here in prison。' 'And have you got a paper？' I gave him the
paper。 He gave it a look。 'Wait；' says he。 So I sat down on a
bench。 It was already past noon by the sun。 An official comes
out。 'You are Vargoushoff？' 'I am。' 'Well； you may take her。' The
gates opened； and they led her out in her own clothes quite all
right。 'Well； come along。 Have you come on foot？' 'No； I have the
horse here。' So I went and paid the ostler； and harnessed； put in
all the hay that was left； and covered it with sacking for her to
sit on。 She got in and wrapped her shawl round her； and off we
drove。 She says nothing and I say nothing。 just as we were coming
up to the house she says； 'And how's mother； is she alive？' 'Yes；
she's alive。' 'And father； is he alive？ 'Yes； he is。' 'Forgive
me； Taras；' she says； 'for my folly。 I did not myself know what I
was doing。' So I say； 'Words won't mend matters。 I have forgiven
you long ago；' and I said no more。 We got home； and she just fell
at mother's feet。 Mother says； 'The Lord will forgive you。' And
father said； 'How d'you do？' and 'What's past is past。 Live as
best you can。 Now；' says he； 'is not the time for all that；
there's the harvest to be gathered in down at Skorodino；' he
says。 'Down on the manured acre； by the Lord's help； the ground
has borne such rye that the sickle can't tackle it。 It's all
interwoven and heavy； and has sunk beneath its weight； that must
be reaped。 You and Taras had better go and see to it to…morrow。'
Well； friend； from that moment she took to the work and worked so
that every one wondered。 At that time we rented three desiatins；
and by God's help we had a wonderful crop both of oats and rye。 I
mow and she binds the sheaves； and sometimes we both of us reap。
I am good at work and not afraid of it； but she's better still at
whatever she takes up。 She's a smart woman； young； and full of
life； and as to work； friend； she'd grown that eager that I had
to stop her。 We get home； our fingers swollen； our arms aching；
and she； instead of resting； rushes off to the barn to make
binders for the sheaves for next day。 Such a change！〃
〃Well； and to you？ Was she kinder； now？〃 asked the gardener。
〃That's beyond question。 She clings to me as if we were one soul。
Whatever I think she understands。 Even mother； angry as she was；
could not help saying： 'It's as if our Theodosia had been
transformed； she's quite a different woman now！' We were once
going to cart the sheaves with two carts。 She and I were in the
first； and I say； 'How could you think of doing that； Theodosia？'
and she says； 'How could I think of it？ just so； I did not wish
to live with you。 I thought I'd rather die than live with you！' I
say； 'And now？' and she says； 'Now you're in my heart！'〃 Taras
stopped； and smiled joyfully； shook his head as if surprised。
〃Hardly had we got the harvest home when I went to soak the hemp；
and when I got home there was a summons； she must go to be tried；
and we had forgotten all about the matter that she was to be
tried for。〃
〃It can only be the evil one；〃 said the gardener。 〃Could any man
of himself think of destroying a living soul？ We had a fellow
once〃 and the gardener was about to commence his tale when the
train began to stop。
〃It seems we are coming to a station；〃 he said。 〃I'll go and have
a drink。〃
The conversation stopped； and Nekhludoff followed the gardener
out of the carriage onto the wet platform of the station。
CHAPTER XLII。
LE VRAI GRAND MONDE。
Before Nekhludoff got out he had noticed in the station yard
several elegant equipages； some with three； some with four；
well…fed horses； with tinkling bells on their harness。 When he
stepped out on the wet； dark…coloured boards of the platform； he
saw a group of people in front of the first…class carriage； among
whom were conspicuous a stout lady with costly feathers on her
hat； and a waterproof； and a tall； thin…legged young man in a
cycling suit。 The young man had by his side an enormous； well…fed
dog； with a valuable collar。 Behind them stood footmen； holding
wraps and umbrellas； and a coachman； who had also come to meet
the train。
On the whole of the group； from the fat lady down to the coachman
who stood holding up his long coat； there lay the stamp of wealth
and quiet self…assurance。 A curious and servile crowd rapidly
gathered round this groupthe station…master； in his red cap； a
gendarme； a thin young lady in a Russian costume； with beads
round her neck； who made a point of seeing the trains come in all
through the summer； a telegraph clerk； and passengers； men and
women。
In the young man with the dog Nekhludoff recognised young
Korchagin； a gymnasium student。 The fat lady was the Princess's
sister； to whose estate the Korchagins were now moving。 The
guard； with his gold cord and shiny top…boots； opened the carriage
door and stood holding it as a sign of deference； while Philip
and a porter with a white apron carefully carried out the
long…faced Princess in her folding chair。 The sisters greeted
each other； and French sentences began flying about。 Would the
Princess go in a closed or an open carriage？ At last the
procession started towards the exit； the lady's maid； with her
curly fringe； parasol and leather case in the rear。
Nekhludoff not wishing to meet them and to have to take leave
over again； stopped before he got to the door； waiting for the
procession to pass。
The Princess； her son； Missy； the doctor； and the maid went out
first； the old Prince and his sister…in…law remained behind。
Nekhludoff was too far to catch anything but a few disconnected
French sentences of their conversation One of the sentences
uttered by the Prince； as it often happens； for some
unaccountable reason remained in his memory with all its
intonations and the sound of the voice。
〃Oh； il est du vrai grand monde； du vrai grand monde；〃 said the
Prince in his loud； self…assured tone as he went out of the
station with his sister…in…law； accompanied by the respectful
guards and porters。
At this moment from behind the corner of the station suddenly
appeared a crowd of workmen in bark shoes； wearing sheepskin
coats and carrying bags on their backs。 The workmen went up to
the nearest carriage with soft yet determined steps； and were
about to get in； but were at once driven away by a guard。 Without
stopping； the workmen passed on； hurrying and jostling one
another； to the next carriage and began getting in； catching
their bags against the corners and door of the carriage； but
another guard caught sight of them from the door of the station；
and shouted at them severely。 The workmen； who had already got
in； hurried out again and went on； with the same soft and firm
steps； still further towards Nekhludoff's carriage。 A guard was
again going to stop them； but Nekhludoff said there was plenty of
room inside； and that they had better get in。 They obeyed and got
in； followed by Nekhludoff。
The workmen were about to take their seats； when the gentleman
with the cockade and the two ladies； looking at this attempt to
settle in their carriage as a personal insult to themselves；
indignantly protested and wanted to turn them out。 The
workmenthere were 20 of them； old men and quite young ones； all
of them wearied； sunburnt； with haggard facesbegan at once to
move on through the carriage； catching the seats； the walls； and
the doors with their bags。 They evidently felt they had offended
in some way； and seemed ready to go on indefinitely wherever they
were ordered to go。
〃Where are you pushing to； you fiends？ Sit down here；〃 shouted
another guard they met。
〃Voild encore des nouvelles；〃 exclaimed the younger of the two
ladies； quite convinced that she would attract Nekhludoff's
notice by her good French。
The other lady with the bracelets kept sniffing and making faces；
and remarked something about how pleasant it was to sit with
smelly peasants。
The workmen； who felt the joy and calm experienced by people who
have escaped some kind of danger； threw off their heavy bags with
a movement of their shoulders and stowed them away under the
seats。
The gardener had left his own seat to talk with Taras； and now
went back； so that there were two unoccupied seats opposite and
one next to Taras。 Three of the workmen took these seats； but
when Nekhludoff came up to them； in his gentleman's clothing；
they got so confused that they rose to go away； but Nekhludoff
asked them to stay； and himself sat down on the arm of the seat；
by the passage down the middle of the carriage。
One of the workmen； a man of about 50； exchanged a surprised and
even frightened look with a young man。 That Nekhludoff； instead
of scolding and driving them away； as was natural to a gentleman；
should give up his seat to them； astonished and perplexed them。
They even feared that this might have some evil result for them。
However； they soon noticed that there was no underlying plot when
they heard Nekhludoff talking quite simply with Taras； and they
grew quiet and told one of the lads to sit down on his bag and
give his seat to Nekhludoff。 At first the elderly workman who sat
opposite Nekhludoff shrank and drew back his legs for fear of
touching the gentleman； but after a while he grew quite friendly；
and in talking to him and Taras even slapped Nekhludoff on the
knee when he wanted to draw special attention to what he was
saying。
He told them all about his position and his work in the peat
bogs； whence he was now returning home。 He had been working there
for two and a half months； and was bringing home his wages； which
only came to 10 roubles； since part had been paid beforehand when
he was hired。 They worked； as he explained； up to their knees in
water from sunrise to sunset； with two hours' interval for
dinner。
〃Those who are not used to it find it hard； of course；〃 he said；
〃 but when one's hardened it doesn't matter； if only the food is
right。 At first the food wa