the forged coupon()-第14章
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ALL were silent in the common cell。 Stepan was lying in his bed； but
was not yet asleep。 Vassily approached him； and； pulling him by his leg；
asked him in a whisper to get up and to come to him。 Stepan stepped out
of his bed； and came up to Vassily。
〃Do me a kindness； brother；〃 said Vassily。 〃Help me！〃
〃In what？〃
〃I am going to fly from the prison。〃
Vassily told Stepan that he had everything ready for his flight。
〃To…morrow I shall stir them up〃 He pointed to the prisoners asleep
in their beds。 〃They will give me away； and I shall be transferred to the
cell in the upper floor。 I know my way from there。 What I want you for
is to unscrew the prop in the door of the mortuary。〃 〃I can do that。 But
where will you go？〃
〃I don't care where。 Are not there plenty of wicked people in every
place？〃
〃Quite so； brother。 But it is not our business to judge them。〃
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〃I am not a murderer； to be sure。 I have not destroyed a living soul in
my life。 As for stealing； I don't see any harm in that。 As if they have not
robbed us！〃
〃Let them answer for it themselves； if they do。〃
〃Bother them all！ Suppose I rob a church； who will be hurt？ This
time I will take care not to break into a small shop； but will get hold of a
lot of money； and then I will help people with it。 I will give it to all good
people。〃
One of the prisoners rose in his bed and listened。 Stepan and Vassily
broke off their conversation。 The next day Vassily carried out his idea。
He began complaining of the bread in prison； saying it was moist； and
induced the prisoners to call the governor and to tell him of their
discontent。 The governor came； abused them all； and when he heard it was
Vassily who had stirred up the men； he ordered him to be transferred into
solitary confinement in the cell on the upper floor。 This was all Vassily
wanted。
IX
VASSILY knew well that cell on the upper floor。 He knew its floor；
and began at once to take out bits of it。 When he had managed to get
under the floor he took out pieces of the ceiling beneath； and jumped down
into the mortuary a floor below。 That day only one corpse was lying on
the table。 There in the corner of the room were stored bags to make hay
mattresses for the prisoners。 Vassily knew about the bags； and that was
why the mortuary served his purposes。 The prop in the door had been
unscrewed and put in again。 He took it out； opened the door； and went out
into the passage to the lavatory which was being built。 In the lavatory
was a large hole connecting the third floor with the basement floor。 After
having found the door of the lavatory he went back to the mortuary；
stripped the sheet off the dead body which was as cold as ice （in taking off
the sheet Vassily touched his hand）； took the bags； tied them together to
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make a rope； and carried the rope to the lavatory。 Then he attached it to the
cross…beam； and climbed down along it。 The rope did not reach the ground；
but he did not know how much was wanting。 Anyhow； he had to take the
risk。 He remained hanging in the air； and then jumped down。 His legs
were badly hurt； but he could still walk on。 The basement had two
windows； he could have climbed out of one of them but for the grating
protecting them。 He had to break the grating； but there was no tool to do it
with。 Vassily began to look around him； and chanced on a piece of plank
with a sharp edge； armed with that weapon he tried to loosen the bricks
which held the grating。 He worked a long time at that task。 The cock
crowed for the second time； but the grating still held。 At last he had
loosened one side； and then he pushed the plank under the loosened end
and pressed with all his force。 The grating gave way completely； but at that
moment one of the bricks fell down heavily。 The noise could have been
heard by the sentry。 Vassily stood motionless。 But silence reigned。 He
climbed out of the window。 His way of escape was to climb the wall。
An outhouse stood in the corner of the courtyard。 He had to reach its roof；
and pass thence to the top of the wall。 But he would not be able to reach
the roof without the help of the plank； so he had to go back through the
basement window to fetch it。 A moment later he came out of the window
with the plank in his hands； he stood still for a while listening to the steps
of the sentry。 His expectations were justified。 The sentry was walking up
and down on the other side of the courtyard。 Vassily came up to the
outhouse； leaned the plank against it； and began climbing。 The plank
slipped and fell on the ground。 Vassily had his stockings on； he took
them off so that be could cling with his bare feet in coming down。 Then
he leaned the plank again against the house； and seized the water…pipe with
his hands。 If only this time the plank would hold！ A quick movement
up the water…pipe； and his knee rested on the roof。 The sentry was
approaching。 Vassily lay motionless。 The sentry did not notice him； and
passed on。 Vassily leaped to his feet； the iron roof cracked under him。
Another step or two； and he would reach the wall。 He could touch it with
his hand now。 He leaned forward with one hand； then with the other；
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stretched out his body as far as he could； and found himself on the wall。
Only； not to break his legs in jumping down； Vassily turned round；
remained hanging in the air by his hands； stretched himself out； loosened
the grip of one hand； then the other。 〃Help； me； God！〃 He was on the
ground。 And the ground was soft。 His legs were not hurt； and he ran at
the top of his speed。 In a suburb； Malania opened her door； and he crept
under her warm coverlet； made of small pieces of different colours
stitched together。
X
THE wife of Peter Nikolaevich Sventizky； a tall and handsome woman；
as quiet and sleek as a well…fed heifer； had seen from her window how her
husband had been murdered and dragged away into the fields。 The horror
of such a sight to Natalia Ivanovna was so intense how could it be
otherwise？that all her other feelings vanished。 No sooner had the crowd
disappeared from view behind the garden fence； and the voices had
become still； no sooner had the barefooted Malania； their servant； run in
with her eyes starting out of her head； calling out in a voice more suited to
the proclamation of glad tidings the news that Peter Nikolaevich had been
murdered and thrown into the ravine； than Natalia Ivanovna felt that
behind her first sensation of horror； there was another sensation； a feeling
of joy at her deliverance from the tyrant； who through all the nineteen
years of their married life had made her work without a moment's rest。 Her
joy made her aghast； she did not confess it to herself； but hid it the more
from those around。 When his mutilated； yellow and hairy body was
being washed and put into the coffin； she cried with horror； and wept and
sobbed。 When the coroner a special coroner for serious casescame
and was taking her evidence； she noticed in the room； where the inquest
was taking place； two peasants in irons； who had been charged as the
principal culprits。 One of them was an old man with a curly white beard；
and a calm and severe countenance。 The other was rather young； of a
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gipsy type； with bright eyes and curly dishevelled hair。 She declared that
they were the two men who had first seized hold of Peter Nikolaevich's
hands。 In spite of the gipsy…like peasant looking at her with his eyes
glistening from under his moving eyebrows； and saying reproachfully： 〃A
great sin； lady； it is。 Remember your death hour！〃 in spite of that； she
did not feel at all sorry for them。 On the contrary； she began to hate them
during the inquest； and wished desperately to take revenge on her
husband's murderers。
A month later； after the case； which was committed for trial by court…
martial； had ended in eight men being sentenced to hard labour； and in
two the old man with the white beard； and the gipsy boy； as she called
the otherbeing condemned to be hanged； Natalia felt vaguely uneasy。 But
unpleasant doubts soon pass away under the solemnity of a trial。 Since
such high authorities considered that this was the right thing to do； it must
be right。
The execution was to take place in the village itself。 One Sunday
Malania came home from church in her new dress and her new boots； and
announced to her mistress that the gallows were being erected； and that the
hangman was expected from Moscow on Wednesday。 She also announced
that the families of the convicts were raging； and that their cries could be
heard all over the village。
Natalia Ivanovna did not go out of her house； she did not wish to see
the gallows and the people in the village； she only wanted what had to
happen to be over quickly。 She only considered her own feelings； and did
not care for the convicts and their families。
On Tuesday the village constable called on Natalia Ivanovna。 He was a
friend； and she offered him vodka and
