resurrection(复活)-第21章

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money。

〃Belease　to　giff　it　accurately；〃　said　Carolina　Albertovna
Kitaeva。

The　attendant　was　hurt　by　her　want　of　confidence；　and　that　was
why　he　treated　Maslova　so　brusquely。　Maslova　was　glad　of　the
money；　because　it　could　give　her　the　only　thing　she　now　desired。
〃If　I　could　but　get　cigarettes　and　take　a　whiff！〃　she　said　to
herself；　and　all　her　thoughts　centred　on　the　one　desire　to　smoke
and　drink。　She　longed　for　spirits　so　that　she　tasted　them　and
felt　the　strength　they　would　give　her；　and　she　greedily　breathed
in　the　air　when　the　fumes　of　tobacco　reached　her　from　the　door　of
a　room　that　opened　into　the　corridor。　But　she　had　to　wait　long；
for　the　secretary；　who　should　have　given　the　order　for　her　to　go；
forgot　about　the　prisoners　while　talking　and　even　disputing　with
one　of　the　advocates　about　the　article　forbidden　by　the　censor。

At　last；　about　five　o'clock；　she　was　allowed　to　go；　and　was　led
away　through　the　back　door　by　her　escort；　the　Nijni　man　and　the
Tchoovash。　Then；　still　within　the　entrance　to　the　Law　Courts；　she
gave　them　50　copecks；　asking　them　to　get　her　two　rolls　and　some
cigarettes。　The　Tchoovash　laughed；　took　the　money；　and　said；　〃All
right；　I'll　get　'em；〃　and　really　got　her　the　rolls　and　the
cigarettes　and　honestly　returned　the　change。　She　was　not　allowed
to　smoke　on　the　way；　and；　with　her　craving　unsatisfied；　she
continued　her　way　to　the　prison。　When　she　was　brought　to　the　gate
of　the　prison；　a　hundred　convicts　who　had　arrived　by　rail　were
being　led　in。　The　convicts；　bearded；　clean…shaven；　old；　young；
Russians；　foreigners；　some　with　their　heads　shaved　and　rattling
with　the　chains　on　their　feet；　filled　the　anteroom　with　dust；
noise　and　an　acid　smell　of　perspiration。　Passing　Maslova；　all　the
convicts　looked　at　her；　and　some　came　up　to　her　and　brushed　her
as　they　passed。

〃Ay；　here's　a　wencha　fine　one；〃　said　one。

〃My　respects　to　you；　miss；〃　said　another；　winking　at　her。　One
dark　man　with　a　moustache；　the　rest　of　his　face　and　the　back　of
his　head　clean　shaved；　rattling　with　his　chains　and　catching　her
feet　in　them；　sprang　near　and　embraced　her。

〃What！　don't　you　know　your　chum？　Come；　come；　don't　give　yourself
airs；〃　showing　his　teeth　and　his　eyes　glittering　when　she　pushed
him　away。

〃You　rascal！　what　are　you　up　to？〃　shouted　the　inspector's
assistant；　coming　in　from　behind。　The　convict　shrank　back　and
jumped　away。　The　assistant　assailed　Maslova。

〃What　are　you　here　for？〃

Maslova　was　going　to　say　she　had　been　brought　back　from　the　Law
Courts；　but　she　was　so　tired　that　she　did　not　care　to　speak。

〃She　has　returned　from　the　Law　Courts；　sir；〃　said　one　of　the
soldiers；　coming　forward　with　his　fingers　lifted　to　his　cap。

〃Well；　hand　her　over　to　the　chief　warder。　I　won't　have　this　sort
of　thing。〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Sokoloff；　take　her　in！〃　shouted　the　assistant　inspector。

The　chief　warder　came　up；　gave　Maslova　a　slap　on　the　shoulder；
and　making　a　sign　with　his　head　for　her　to　follow　led　her　into
the　corridor　of　the　women's　ward。　There　she　was　searched；　and　as
nothing　prohibited　was　found　on　her　（she　had　hidden　her　box　of
cigarettes　inside　a　roll）　she　was　led　to　the　cell　she　had　left　in
the　morning。


CHAPTER　XXX。

THE　CELL。

The　cell　in　which　Maslova　was　imprisoned　was　a　large　room　21　feet
long　and　10　feet　broad；　it　had　two　windows　and　a　large　stove。
Two…thirds　of　the　space　were　taken　up　by　shelves　used　as　beds。
The　planks　they　were　made　of　had　warped　and　shrunk。　Opposite　the
door　hung　a　dark…coloured　icon　with　a　wax　candle　sticking　to　it
and　a　bunch　of　everlastings　hanging　down　from　it。　By　the　door　to
the　right　there　was　a　dark　spot　on　the　floor　on　which　stood　a
stinking　tub。　The　inspection　had　taken　place　and　the　women　were
locked　up　for　the　night。

The　occupants　of　this　room　were　15　persons；　including　three
children。　It　was　still　quite　light。　Only　two　of　the　women　were
lying　down：　a　consumptive　woman　imprisoned　for　theft；　and　an
idiot　who　spent　most　of　her　time　in　sleep　and　who　was　arrested
because　she　had　no　passport。　The　consumptive　woman　was　not
asleep；　but　lay　with　wide　open　eyes；　her　cloak　folded　under　her
head；　trying　to　keep　back　the　phlegm　that　irritated　her　throat；
and　not　to　cough。

Some　of　the　other　women；　most　of　whom　had　nothing　on　but　coarse
brown　holland　chemises；　stood　looking　out　of　the　window　at　the
convicts　down　in　the　yard；　and　some　sat　sewing。　Among　the　latter
was　the　old　woman；　Korableva；　who　had　seen　Maslova　off　in　the
morning。　She　was　a　tall；　strong；　gloomy…looking　woman；　her　fair
hair；　which　had　begun　to　turn　grey　on　the　temples；　hung　down　in　a
short　plait。　She　was　sentenced　to　hard　labour　in　Siberia　because
she　had　killed　her　husband　with　an　axe　for　making　up　to　their
daughter。　She　was　at　the　head　of　the　women　in　the　cell；　and　found
means　of　carrying　on　a　trade　in　spirits　with　them。　Beside　her　sat
another　woman　sewing　a　coarse　canvas　sack。　This　was　the　wife　of　a
railway　watchman；　＇There　are　small　watchmen's　cottages　at
distances　of　about　one　mile　from　each　other　along　the　Russian
railways；　and　the　watchmen　or　their　wives　have　to　meet　every
train。＇　imprisoned　for　three　months　because　she　did　not　come　out
with　the　flags　to　meet　a　train　that　was　passing；　and　an　accident
had　occurred。　She　was　a　short；　snub…nosed　woman；　with　small；
black　eyes；　kind　and　talkative。　The　third　of　the　women　who　were
sewing　was　Theodosia；　a　quiet　young　girl；　white　and　rosy；　very
pretty；　with　bright　child's　eyes；　and　long　fair　plaits　which　she
wore　twisted　round　her　head。　She　was　in　prison　for　attempting　to
poison　her　husband。　She　had　done　this　immediately　after　her
wedding　（she　had　been　given　in　marriage　without　her　consent　at
the　age　of　16）　because　her　husband　would　give　her　no　peace。　But
in　the　eight　months　during　which　she　had　been　let　out　on　bail；
she　had　not　only　made　it　up　with　her　husband；　but　come　to　love
him；　so　that　when　her　trial　came　they　were　heart　and　soul　to　one
another。　Although　her　husband；　her　father…in…law；　but　especially
her　mother…in…law；　who　had　grown　very　fond　of　her；　did　all　they
could　to　get　her　acquitted；　she　was　sentenced　to　hard　labour　in
Siberia。　The　kind；　merry；　ever…smiling　Theodosia　had　a　place　next
Maslova's　on　the　shelf　bed；　and　had　grown　so　fond　of　her　that　she
took　it　upon　herself　as　a　duty　to　attend　and　wait　on　her。　Two
other　women　were　sitting　without　any　work　at　the　other　end　of　the
shelf　bedstead。　One　was　a　woman　of　about　40；　with　a　pale；　thin
face；　who　once　probably　had　been　very　handsome。　She　sat　with　her
baby　at　her　thin；　white　breast。　The　crime　she　had　committed　was
that　when　a　recruit　was；　according　to　the　peasants'　view；
unlawfully　taken　from　their　village；　and　the　people　stopped　the
police　officer　and　took　the　recruit　away　from　him；　she　（an　aunt
of　the　lad　unlawfully　taken）　was　the　first　to　catch　hold　of　the
bridle　of　the　horse　on　which　he　was　being　carried　off。　The　other；
who　sat　doing　nothing；　was　a　kindly；　grey…haired　old　woman；
hunchbacked　and　with　a　flat　bosom。　She　sat　behind　the　stove　on
the　bedshelf；　and　pretended　to　catch　a　fat　four…year…old　boy；　who
ran　backwards　and　forwards　in　front　of　her；　laughing　gaily。　This
boy　had　only　a　little　shirt　on　and　his　hair　was　cut　short。　As　he
ran　past　the　old　woman　he　kept　repeating；　〃There；　haven't　caught
me！〃　This　old　woman　and　her　son　were　accused　of　incendiarism。
She　bore　her　imprisonment　with　perfect　cheerfulness；　but　was
concerned　about　her　son；　and　chiefly　about　her　〃old　man；〃　who　she
feared　would　get　into　a　terrible　state　with　no　one　to　wash　for
him。　Besides　these　seven　women；　there　were　four　standing　at　one
of　the　open　windows；　holding　on　to　the　iron　bars。　They　were
making　signs　and　shouting　to　the　convicts　whom　Maslova　had　met
when　returning　to　prison；　and　who　were　now　passing　through　the
yard。　One　of　these　women　was　big　and　heavy；　with　a　flabby　body；
red　hair；　and　freckled　on　her　pale　yellow　face；　her　hands；　and
her　fat　neck。　She　shouted　something　in　a　loud；　raucous　voice；　and
laughed　hoarsely。　This　woman　was　serving　her　term　for　theft。
Beside　her　stood　an　awkward；　dark　little　woman；　no　bigger　than　a
child　of　ten；　with　a　long　waist　and　very　short　legs；　a　red；
blotchy　face；　thick　lips　which　did　not　hide　her　long　teeth；　and
eyes　too　far　apart。　She　broke　by　fits　and　starts　into　screeching
laughter　at　what　was　going　on　in　the　yard。　She　was　to　be　tried
for　stealing　and　incendiarism。　They　called　her　Khoroshavka。
Behind　her；　in　a　very　dirty　grey　chemise；　stood　a　thin；
miserable…looking　pregnant　woman；　who　was　to　be　tried　for
concealment　of　theft。　This　woman　stood　silent；　but　kept　smiling
with　pleasure　and　approval　at　what　was　going　on　below。　With　these
stood　a　peasant　woman　of　medium　height；　the　mother　of　the　boy　who
was　playing　with　the　old　woman　and　of　a　seven…year…old　girl。
These　were　in　prison　with　her　because　she　had　no　one　to　leave
them　with。　She　was　serving　her　term　of　imprisonment　for　illicit
sale　of　spirits。　She　stood　a　little　further　from　the　window
knitting　a　stocking；　and　though　she　listened　to　the　other
prisoners'　words　she　shook　her　head　disapprovingly；　frowned；　and
closed　her　eyes。　But　her　seven…year…old　daughter　stood　in　her
little　chemise；　her　flaxen　hair　done　up　in　a　little　pigtail；　her
blue　eyes　fixed；　and；　holding　the　red…haired　woman　by　the　skirt；
attentively　listened　to　the　words　of　abuse　that　the　women　and　the
convicts　flung　at　each　other；　and　repeated　them　softly；　as　if
learning　them　by　heart。　The　twelfth　prisoner；　who　paid　no
attention　to　what　was　going　on；　was　a　very　tall；　stately　girl；
the　daughter　of　a　deacon；　who　had　drowned　her　baby　in　a　well。　She
went　about　with　bare　feet；　wearing　only　a　dirty　chemise。　The
thick；　short　plait　of　her　fair　hair　had　come　undone　and　hung　down
dishevelled；　and　she　paced　up　and　down　the　free　space　of　the
cell；　not　looking　at　any　one；　turning　abruptly　every　time　she
came　up　to　the　wall。


CHAPTER　XXXI。

THE　PRISONERS。

When　the　padlock　rattled　and　the　door　opened　to　let　Maslova　into
the　cell；　all　turned　towards　her。　Even　the　deacon's　daughter
stopped　for　a　moment　and　looked　at　her　with　lifted　brows　before
resuming　her　steady　striding　up　and　down。

Korableva　stuck　her　needle　into　the　brown　sacking　and　looked
questioningly　at　Maslova　through　her　spectacles。　〃Eh；　eh；　deary
me；　so　you　have　come　back。　And　I　felt　sure　they'd　acquit　you。　So
you've　got　it？〃　She　took　off　her　spectacles　and　put　her　work　down
beside　her　on　the　shelf　bed。

〃And　here　have　I　and　the　old　lady　been　saying；　'Why；　it　may　well
be　they'll　let　her　go　free　at　once。'　Why；　it　happens；　ducky；
they'll　even　give　you　a　heap　of　money　sometimes；　that's　sure；〃
the　watchman's　wife　began；　in　her　singing　voice：　〃Yes；　we　were
wondering；　'Why's　she　so　long？'　And　now　just　see　what　it　is。
Well；　our　guessing　was　no　use。　The　Lord　willed　otherwise；〃　she
went　on　in　musical　tones。

〃Is　it　possible？　Have　they　sentenced　you？〃　asked　Theodosia；　with
concern；　looking　at　Maslova　with　her　bright　blue；　child…like
eyes；　and　her　merry　young　face　changed　as　if　she　were　going　to
cry。

Maslova　did　not　answer；　but　went　on　to　her　place；　the　second　from
the　end；　and　sat　down　beside　Korableva。

〃Have　you　eaten　anything？〃　said　Theodosia；　rising　and　comi