resurrection(复活)-第2章

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to　the　midwife　she　had　127　roubles　in　all；　27　which　she　had
earned　and　100　given　her　by　her　betrayer。　When　she　left　she　had
but　six　roubles；　she　did　not　know　how　to　keep　money；　but　spent　it
on　herself；　and　gave　to　all　who　asked。　The　midwife　took　40
roubles　for　two　months'　board　and　attendance；　25　went　to　get　the
baby　into　the　foundlings'　hospital；　and　40　the　midwife　borrowed
to　buy　a　cow　with。　Twenty　roubles　went　just　for　clothes　and
dainties。　Having　nothing　left　to　live　on；　Katusha　had　to　look　out
for　a　place　again；　and　found　one　in　the　house　of　a　forester。　The
forester　was　a　married　man；　but　he；　too；　began　to　annoy　her　from
the　first　day。　He　disgusted　her；　and　she　tried　to　avoid　him。　But
he；　more　experienced　and　cunning；　besides　being　her　master；　who
could　send　her　wherever　he　liked；　managed　to　accomplish　his
object。　His　wife　found　it　out；　and；　catching　Katusha　and　her
husband　in　a　room　all　by　themselves；　began　beating　her。　Katusha
defended　herself；　and　they　had　a　fight；　and　Katusha　got　turned
out　of　the　house　without　being　paid　her　wages。

Then　Katusha　went　to　live　with　her　aunt　in　town。　The　aunt's
husband；　a　bookbinder；　had　once　been　comfortably　off；　but　had
lost　all　his　customers；　and　had　taken　to　drink；　and　spent　all　he
could　lay　hands　on　at　the　public…house。　The　aunt　kept　a　little
laundry；　and　managed　to　support　herself；　her　children；　and　her
wretched　husband。　She　offered　Katusha　the　place　of　an　assistant
laundress；　but　seeing　what　a　life　of　misery　and　hardship　her
aunt's　assistants　led；　Katusha　hesitated；　and　applied　to　a
registry　office　for　a　place。　One　was　found　for　her　with　a　lady
who　lived　with　her　two　sons；　pupils　at　a　public　day　school。　A
week　after　Katusha　had　entered　the　house　the　elder；　a　big　fellow
with　moustaches；　threw　up　his　studies　and　made　love　to　her；
continually　following　her　about。　His　mother　laid　all　the　blame　on
Katusha；　and　gave　her　notice。

It　so　happened　that；　after　many　fruitless　attempts　to　find　a
situation；　Katusha　again　went　to　the　registry　office；　and　there
met　a　woman　with　bracelets　on　her　bare；　plump　arms　and　rings　on
most　of　her　fingers。　Hearing　that　Katusha　was　badly　in　want　of　a
place；　the　woman　gave　her　her　address；　and　invited　her　to　come　to
her　house。　Katusha　went。　The　woman　received　her　very　kindly；　set
cake　and　sweet　wine　before　her；　then　wrote　a　note　and　gave　it　to
a　servant　to　take　to　somebody。　In　the　evening　a　tall　man；　with
long；　grey　hair　and　a　white　beard；　entered　the　room；　and　sat　down
at　once　near　Katusha；　smiling　and　gazing　at　her　with　glistening
eyes。　He　began　joking　with　her。　The　hostess　called　him　away　into
the　next　room；　and　Katusha　heard　her　say；　〃A　fresh　one　from　the
country；〃　Then　the　hostess　called　Katusha　aside　and　told　her　that
the　man　was　an　author；　and　that　he　had　a　great　deal　of　money；　and
that　if　he　liked　her　he　would　not　grudge　her　anything。　He　did
like　her；　and　gave　her　25　roubles；　promising　to　see　her　often。
The　25　roubles　soon　went；　some　she　paid　to　her　aunt　for　board　and
lodging；　the　rest　was　spent　on　a　hat；　ribbons；　and　such　like。　A
few　days　later　the　author　sent　for　her；　and　she　went。　He　gave　her
another　25　roubles；　and　offered　her　a　separate　lodging。

Next　door　to　the　lodging　rented　for　her　by　the　author　there　lived
a　jolly　young　shopman；　with　whom　Katusha　soon　fell　in　love。　She
told　the　author；　and　moved　to　a　little　lodging　of　her　own。　The
shopman；　who　promised　to　marry　her；　went　to　Nijni　on　business
without　mentioning　it　to　her；　having　evidently　thrown　her　up；　and
Katusha　remained　alone。　She　meant　to　continue　living　in　the
lodging　by　herself；　but　was　informed　by　the　police　that　in　this
case　she　would　have　to　get　a　license。　She　returned　to　her　aunt。
Seeing　her　fine　dress；　her　hat；　and　mantle；　her　aunt　no　longer
offered　her　laundry　work。　As　she　understood　things；　her　niece　had
risen　above　that　sort　of　thing。　The　question　as　to　whether　she
was　to　become　a　laundress　or　not　did　not　occur　to　Katusha；
either。　She　looked　with　pity　at　the　thin；　hard…worked
laundresses；　some　already　in　consumption；　who　stood　washing　or
ironing　with　their　thin　arms　in　the　fearfully　hot　front　room；
which　was　always　full　of　soapy　steam　and　draughts　from　the
windows；　and　thought　with　horror　that　she　might　have　shared　the
same　fate。

Katusha　had　begun　to　smoke　some　time　before；　and　since　the　young
shopman　had　thrown　her　up　she　was　getting　more　and　more　into　the
habit　of　drinking。　It　was　not　so　much　the　flavour　of　wine　that
tempted　her　as　the　fact　that　it　gave　her　a　chance　of　forgetting
the　misery　she　suffered；　making　her　feel　more　unrestrained　and
more　confident　of　her　own　worth；　which　she　was　not　when　quite
sober；　without　wine　she　felt　sad　and　ashamed。　Just　at　this　time　a
woman　came　along　who　offered　to　place　her　in　one　of　the　largest
establishments　in　the　city；　explaining　all　the　advantages　and
benefits　of　the　situation。　Katusha　had　the　choice　before　her　of
either　going　into　service　or　accepting　this　offerand　she　chose
the　latter。　Besides；　it　seemed　to　her　as　though；　in　this　way；　she
could　revenge　herself　on　her　betrayer　and　the　shopman　and　all
those　who　had　injured　her。　One　of　the　things　that　tempted　her；
and　was　the　cause　of　her　decision；　was　the　woman　telling　her　she
might　order　her　own　dressesvelvet；　silk；　satin；　low…necked　ball
dresses；　anything　she　liked。　A　mental　picture　of　herself　in　a
bright　yellow　silk　trimmed　with　black　velvet　with　low　neck　and
short　sleeves　conquered　her；　and　she　gave　up　her　passport。　On　the
same　evening　the　procuress　took　an　isvostchik　and　drove　her　to
the　notorious　house　kept　by　Carolina　Albertovna　Kitaeva。

From　that　day　a　life　of　chronic　sin　against　human　and　divine　laws
commenced　for　Katusha　Maslova；　a　life　which　is　led　by　hundreds　of
thousands　of　women；　and　which　is　not　merely　tolerated　but
sanctioned　by　the　Government；　anxious　for　the　welfare　of　its
subjects；　a　life　which　for　nine　women　out　of　ten　ends　in　painful
disease；　premature　decrepitude；　and　death。

Katusha　Maslova　lived　this　life　for　seven　years。　During　these
years　she　twice　changed　houses；　and　had　once　been　to　the
hospital。　In　the　seventh　year　of　this　life；　when　she　was
twenty…six　years　old；　happened　that　for　which　she　was　put　in
prison　and　for　which　she　was　now　being　taken　to　be　tried；　after
more　than　three　months　of　confinement　with　thieves　and　murderers
in　the　stifling　air　of　a　prison。


CHAPTER　III。

NEKHLUDOFF。

When　Maslova；　wearied　out　by　the　long　walk；　reached　the　building；
accompanied　by　two　soldiers；　Prince　Dmitri　Ivanovitch　Nekhludoff；
who　had　seduced　her；　was　still　lying　on　his　high　bedstead；　with　a
feather　bed　on　the　top　of　the　spring　mattress；　in　a　fine；　clean；
well…ironed　linen　night　shirt；　smoking　a　cigarette；　and
considering　what　he　had　to　do　to…day；　and　what　had　happened
yesterday。

Recalling　the　evening　he　had　spent　with　the　Korchagins；　a　wealthy
and　aristocratic　family；　whose　daughter　every　one　expected　he
would　marry；　he　sighed；　and；　throwing　away　the　end　of　his
cigarette；　was　going　to　take　another　out　of　the　silver　case；　but；
changing　his　mind；　he　resolutely　raised　his　solid　frame；　and；
putting　down　his　smooth；　white　legs；　stepped　into　his　slippers；
threw　his　silk　dressing　gown　over　his　broad　shoulders；　and　passed
into　his　dressing…room；　walking　heavily　and　quickly。　There　he
carefully　cleaned　his　teeth；　many　of　which　were　filled；　with
tooth　powder；　and　rinsed　his　mouth　with　scented　elixir。　After
that　he　washed　his　hands　with　perfumed　soap；　cleaned　his　long
nails　with　particular　care；　then；　from　a　tap　fixed　to　his　marble
washstand；　he　let　a　spray　of　cold　water　run　over　his　face　and
stout　neck。　Having　finished　this　part　of　the　business；　he　went
into　a　third　room；　where　a　shower　bath　stood　ready　for　him。
Having　refreshed　his　full；　white；　muscular　body；　and　dried　it
with　a　rough　bath　sheet；　he　put　on　his　fine　undergarments　and　his
boots；　and　sat　down　before　the　glass　to　brush　his　black　beard　and
his　curly　hair；　that　had　begun　to　get　thin　above　the　forehead。
Everything　he　used；　everything　belonging　to　his　toilet；　his
linen；　his　clothes；　boots；　necktie；　pin；　studs；　was　of　the　best
quality；　very　quiet；　simple；　durable　and　costly。

Nekhludoff　dressed　leisurely；　and　went　into　the　dining…room。　A
table；　which　looked　very　imposing　with　its　four　legs　carved　in
the　shape　of　lions'　paws；　and　a　huge　side…board　to　match；　stood
in　the　oblong　room；　the　floor　of　which　had　been　polished　by　three
men　the　day　before。　On　the　table；　which　was　covered　with　a　fine；
starched　cloth；　stood　a　silver　coffeepot　full　of　aromatic　coffee；
a　sugar　basin；　a　jug　of　fresh　cream；　and　a　bread　basket　filled
with　fresh　rolls；　rusks；　and　biscuits；　and　beside　the　plate　lay
the　last　number　of　the　Revue　des　Deux　Mondes；　a　newspaper；　and
several　letters。

Nekhludoff　was　just　going　to　open　his　letters；　when　a　stout；
middle…aged　woman　in　mourning；　a　lace　cap　covering　the　widening
parting　of　her　hair；　glided　into　the　room。　This　was　Agraphena
Petrovna；　formerly　lady's　maid　to　Nekhludoff's　mother。　Her
mistress　had　died　quite　recently　in　this　very　house；　and　she
remained　with　the　son　as　his　housekeeper。　Agraphena　Petrovna　had
spent　nearly　ten　years；　at　different　times；　abroad　with
Nekhludoff's　mother；　and　had　the　appearance　and　manners　of　a
lady。　She　had　lived　with　the　Nekhludoffs　from　the　time　she　was　a
child；　and　had　known　Dmitri　Ivanovitch　at　the　time　when　he　was
still　little　Mitinka。

〃Good…morning；　Dmitri　Ivanovitch。〃

〃Good…morning；　Agraphena　Petrovna。　What　is　it　you　want？〃
Nekhludoff　asked。

〃A　letter　from　the　princess；　either　from　the　mother　or　the
daughter。　The　maid　brought　it　some　time　ago；　and　is　waiting　in　my
room；〃　answered　Agraphena　Petrovna；　handing　him　the　letter　with　a
significant　smile。

〃All　right！　Directly！〃　said　Nekhludoff；　taking　the　letter　and
frowning　as　he　noticed　Agraphena　Petrovna's　smile。

That　smile　meant　that　the　letter　was　from　the　younger　Princess
Korchagin；　whom　Agraphena　Petrovna　expected　him　to　marry。　This
supposition　of　hers　annoyed　Nekhludoff。

〃Then　I'll　tell　her　to　wait？〃　and　Agraphena　Petrovna　took　a　crumb
brush　which　was　not　in　its　place；　put　it　away；　and　sailed　out　of
the　room。

Nekhludoff　opened　the　perfumed　note；　and　began　reading　it。

The　note　was　written　on　a　sheet　of　thick　grey　paper；　with　rough
edges；　the　writing　looked　English。　It　said：

Having　assumed　the　task　of　acting　as　your　memory；　I　take　the
liberty　of　reminding　you　that　on　this　the　28th　day　of　April　you
have　to　appear　at　the　Law　Courts；　as　juryman；　and；　in
consequence；　can　on　no　account　accompany　us　and　Kolosoff　to　the
picture　gallery；　as；　with　your　habitual　flightiness；　you　promised
yesterday；　a　moins　que　vous　ne　soyez　dispose　a　payer　la　cour
d'assise　les　300　roubles　d'amende　que　vous　vous　refusez　pour
votre　cheval；　for　not　appearing　in　time。　I　remembered　it　last
night　after　you　were　gone；　so　do　not　forget。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Princess　M。　Korchagin。

On　the　other　side　was　a　postscript。

Maman　vous　fait　dire　que　votre　convert　vous　attendra　jusqu'a　la
nuit。　Venez　absolument　a　quelle　heure　que　cela　soit。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　M。　K。

Nekhludoff　made　a　grimace。　This　note　was　a　continuation　of　that
skilful　mano