the forged coupon()-第10章
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all means； she taught； were justified in such a struggle； not excluding
murder。 And yet； with all her revolutionary ideas； Katia Turchaninova was
in her soul a very kind girl； ready to sacrifice herself for the welfare and
the happiness of other people； and sincerely pleased when she could do a
kindness to anybody； a child； an old person； or an animal。
She went in the summer to stay with a friend； a schoolmistress in a
small town on the river Volga。 Turin lived near that town； on his father's
estate。 He often came to see the two girls； they gave each other books to
read； and had long discussions； expressing their common indignation with
the state of affairs in the country。 The district doctor； a friend of theirs；
used also to join them on many occasions。
The estate of the Turins was situated in the neighbourhood of the
Liventsov estate； the one that was entrusted to the management of Peter
Nikolaevich Sventizky。 Soon after Peter Nikolaevich had settled there；
and begun to enforce order； young Turin； having observed an independent
tendency in the peasants on the Liventsov estate； as well as their
determination to uphold their rights； became interested in them。 He came
often to the village to talk with the men； and developed his socialistic
theories； insisting particularly on the nationalisation of the land。
After Peter Nikolaevich had been murdered； and the murderers sent to
trial； the revolutionary group of the small town boiled over with
indignation； and did not shrink from openly expressing it。 The fact of
Turin's visits to the village and his propaganda work among the students；
became known to the authorities during the trial。 A search was made in his
house； and； as the police found a few revolutionary leaflets among his
effects； he was arrested and transferred to prison in St。 Petersburg。
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Katia Turchaninova followed him to the metropolis； and went to visit
him in prison。 She was not admitted on the day she came； and was told
to come on the day fixed by regulations for visits to the prisoners。 When
that day arrived； and she was finally allowed to see him； she had to talk to
him through two gratings separating the prisoner from his visitor。 This
visit increased her indignation against the authorities。 And her feelings
become all the more revolutionary after a visit she paid to the office of a
gendarme officer who had to deal with the Turin case。 The officer； a
handsome man； seemed obviously disposed to grant her exceptional
favours in visiting the prisoner； if she would allow him to make love to her。
Disgusted with him； she appealed to the chief of police。 He pretendedjust
as the officer did when talking officially to her to be powerless himself；
and to depend entirely on orders coming from the minister of state。 She
sent a petition to the minister asking for an interview； which was refused。
Then she resolved to do a desperate thing and bought a revolver。
XXII
THE minister was receiving petitioners at the usual hour appointed for
the reception。 He had talked successively to three of them； and now a
pretty young woman with black eyes； who was holding a petition in her
left hand； approached。 The minister's eyes gleamed when he saw how
attractive the petitioner was； but recollecting his high position he put on a
serious face。
〃What do you want？〃 he asked； coming down to where she stood。
Without answering his question the young woman quickly drew a revolver
from under her cloak and aiming it at the minister's chest fired but
missed him。
The minister rushed at her； trying to seize her hand； but she escaped；
and taking a step back； fired a second time。 The minister ran out of the
room。 The woman was immediately seized。 She was trembling violently；
and could not utter a single word； after a while she suddenly burst into a
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hysterical laugh。 The minister was not even wounded。
That woman was Katia Turchaninova。 She was put into the prison of
preliminary detention。 The minister received congratulations and marks
of sympathy from the highest quarters； and even from the emperor himself；
who appointed a commission to investigate the plot that had led to the
attempted assassination。 As a matter of fact there was no plot whatever；
but the police officials and the detectives set to work with the utmost zeal
to discover all the threads of the non…existing conspiracy。 They did
everything to deserve the fees they were paid； they got up in the small
hours of the morning； searched one house after another； took copies of
papers and of books they found； read diaries； personal letters； made
extracts from them on the very best notepaper and in beautiful handwriting；
interrogated Katia Turchaninova ever so many times； and confronted her
with all those whom they suspected of conspiracy； in order to extort from
her the names of her accomplices。
The minister； a good…natured man at heart； was sincerely sorry for the
pretty girl。 But he said to himself that he was bound to consider his high
state duties imposed upon him； even though they did not imply much work
and trouble。 So； when his former colleague； a chamberlain and a friend
of the Turins； met him at a court ball and tried to rouse his pity for Turin
and the girl Turchaninova； he shrugged his shoulders； stretching the red
ribbon on his white waistcoat； and said： 〃Je ne demanderais pas mieux
que de relacher cette pauvre fillette； mais vous savez le devoir。〃 And in the
meantime Katia Turchaninova was kept in prison。 She was at times in a
quiet mood； communicated with her fellow…prisoners by knocking on the
walls； and read the books that were sent to her。 But then came days when
she had fits of desperate fury； knocking with her fists against the wall；
screaming and laughing like a mad…woman。
XXIII
ONE day Maria Semenovna came home from the treasurer's office；
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where she had received her pension。 On her way she met a schoolmaster；
a friend of hers。
〃Good day； Maria Semenovna！ Have you received your money？〃 the
schoolmaster asked； in a loud voice from the other side of the street。
〃I have；〃 answered Maria Semenovna。 〃But it was not much； just
enough to fill the holes。〃
〃Oh； there must be some tidy pickings out of such a lot of money；〃
said the schoolmaster； and passed on； after having said good…bye。
〃Good…bye；〃 said Maria Semenovna。 While she was looking at her
friend； she met a tall man face to face； who had very long arms and a stern
look in his eyes。 Coming to her house； she was very startled on again
seeing the same man with the long arms； who had evidently followed her。
He remained standing another moment after she had gone in； then turned
and walked away。
Maria Semenovna felt somewhat frightened at first。 But when she had
entered the house； and had given her father and her nephew Fedia the
presents she had brought for them； and she had patted the dog Treasure；
who whined with joy； she forgot her fears。 She gave the money to her
father and began to work； as there was always plenty for her to do。
The man she met face to face was Stepan。
After he had killed the innkeeper； he did not return to town。 Strange to
say； he was not sorry to have committed that murder。 His mind went back
to the murdered man over and over again during the following day； and he
liked the recollection of having done the thing so skilfully； so cleverly； that
nobody…would ever discover it； and he would not therefore be prevented
from murdering other people in the same way。 Sitting in the public…house
and having his tea； he looked at the people around him with the same
thought how he should murder them。 In the evening he called at a carter's；
a man from his village； to spend the night at his house。 The carter was
not in。 He said he would wait for him； and in the meanwhile began talking
to the carter's wife。 But when she moved to the stove； with her back
turned to him； the idea entered his mind to kill her。 He marvelled at
himself at first； and shook his head； but the next moment he seized the
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knife he had hidden in his boot； knocked the woman down on the floor；
and cut her throat。 When the children began to scream； he killed them also
and went away。 He did not look out for another place to spend the night；
but at once left the town。 In a village some distance away he went to the
inn and slept there。 The next day he returned to the district town； and
there he overheard in the street Maria Semenovna's talk with the
schoolmaster。 Her look frightened him； but yet he made up his mind to
creep into her house； and rob her of the money she had received。 When the
night came he broke the lock and entered the house。 The first person who
heard his steps was the younger daughter； the married one。 She screamed。
Stepan stabbed her immediately with his knife。 Her husband woke up
and fell upon Stepan； seized him by his throat； and struggled with him
desperately。 But Stepan was the stronger man and overpowered him。 After
murdering him； Stepan； excited by the long fig
