resurrection(复活)-第28章

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middle；　heavy　carts　rumbled　unceasingly；　cabs　rattled　and
tramcars　passed　ringing　by。　The　air　vibrated　with　the　pealing　and
clanging　of　church　bells；　that　were　calling　the　people　to　attend
to　a　service　like　that　which　was　now　being　conducted　in　the
prison。　And　the　people；　dressed　in　their　Sunday　best；　were
passing　on　their　way　to　their　different　parish　churches。

The　isvostchik　did　not　drive　Nekhludoff　up　to　the　prison　itself；
but　to　the　last　turning　that　led　to　the　prison。

Several　personsmen　and　womenmost　of　them　carrying　small
bundles；　stood　at　this　turning；　about　100　steps　from　the　prison。
To　the　right　there　were　several　low　wooden　buildings；　to　the
left；　a　two…storeyed　house　with　a　signboard。　The　huge　brick
building；　the　prison　proper；　was　just　in　front；　and　the　visitors
were　not　allowed　to　come　up　to　it。　A　sentinel　was　pacing　up　and
down　in　front　of　it；　and　shouted　at　any　one　who　tried　to　pass
him。

At　the　gate　of　the　wooden　buildings；　to　the　right；　opposite　the
sentinel；　sat　a　warder　on　a　bench；　dressed　in　uniform；　with　gold
cords；　a　notebook　in　his　hands。　The　visitors　came　up　to　him；　and
named　the　persons　they　wanted　to　see；　and　he　put　the　names　down。
Nekhludoff　also　went　up；　and　named　Katerina　Maslova。　The　warder
wrote　down　the　name。

〃Whydon't　they　admit　us　yet？〃　asked　Nekhludoff。

〃The　service　is　going　on。　When　the　mass　is　over；　you'll　be
admitted。〃

Nekhludoff　stepped　aside　from　the　waiting　crowd。　A　man　in
tattered　clothes；　crumpled　hat；　with　bare　feet　and　red　stripes
all　over　his　face；　detached　himself　from　the　crowd；　and　turned
towards　the　prison。

〃Now；　then；　where　are　you　going？〃　shouted　the　sentinel　with　the
gun。

〃And　you　hold　your　row；〃　answered　the　tramp；　not　in　the　least
abashed　by　the　sentinel's　words；　and　turned　back。　〃Well；　if
you'll　not　let　me　in；　I'll　wait。　But；　no！　Must　needs　shout；　as　if
he　were　a　general。〃

The　crowd　laughed　approvingly。　The　visitors　were；　for　the　greater
part；　badly…dressed　people；　some　were　ragged；　but　there　were　also
some　respectable…looking　men　and　women。　Next　to　Nekhludoff　stood
a　clean…shaven；　stout；　and　red…cheeked　man；　holding　a　bundle；
apparently　containing　under…garments。　This　was　the　doorkeeper　of
a　bank；　he　had　come　to　see　his　brother；　who　was　arrested　for
forgery。　The　good…natured　fellow　told　Nekhludoff　the　whole　story
of　his　life；　and　was　going　to　question　him　in　turn；　when　their
attention　was　aroused　by　a　student　and　a　veiled　lady；　who　drove
up　in　a　trap；　with　rubber　tyres；　drawn　by　a　large　thoroughbred
horse。　The　student　was　holding　a　large　bundle。　He　came　up　to
Nekhludoff；　and　asked　if　and　how　he　could　give　the　rolls　he　had
brought　in　alms　to　the　prisoners。　His　fiancee　wished　it　（this
lady　was　his　fiancee）；　and　her　parents　had　advised　them　to　take
some　rolls　to　the　prisoners。

〃I　myself　am　here　for　the　first　time；〃　said　Nekhludoff；　〃and
don't　know；　but　I　think　you　had　better　ask　this　man；〃　and　he
pointed　to　the　warder　with　the　gold　cords　and　the　book；　sitting
on　the　right。

As　they　were　speaking；　the　large　iron　door　with　a　window　in　it
opened；　and　an　officer　in　uniform；　followed　by　another　warder；
stepped　out。　The　warder　with　the　notebook　proclaimed　that　the
admittance　of　visitors　would　now　commence。　The　sentinel　stepped
aside；　and　all　the　visitors　rushed　to　the　door　as　if　afraid　of
being　too　late；　some　even　ran。　At　the　door　there　stood　a　warder
who　counted　the　visitors　as　they　came　in；　saying　aloud；　16；　17；
and　so　on。　Another　warder　stood　inside　the　building　and　also
counted　the　visitors　as　they　entered　a　second　door；　touching　each
one　with　his　hand；　so　that　when　they　went　away　again　not　one
visitor　should　be　able　to　remain　inside　the　prison　and　not　one
prisoner　might　get　out。　The　warder；　without　looking　at　whom　he
was　touching；　slapped　Nekhludoff　on　the　back；　and　Nekhludoff　felt
hurt　by　the　touch　of　the　warder's　hand；　but；　remembering　what　he
had　come　about；　he　felt　ashamed　of　feeling　dissatisfied　and
taking　offence。

The　first　apartment　behind　the　entrance　doors　was　a　large　vaulted
room　with　iron　bars　to　the　small　windows。　In　this　room；　which　was
called　the　meeting…room；　Nekhludoff　was　startled　by　the　sight　of
a　large　picture　of　the　Crucifixion。

〃What's　that　for？〃　he　thought；　his　mind　involuntarily　connecting
the　subject　of　the　picture　with　liberation　and　not　with
imprisonment。

He　went　on；　slowly　letting　the　hurrying　visitors　pass　before；　and
experiencing　a　mingled　feeling　of　horror　at　the　evil…doers　locked
up　in　this　building；　compassion　for　those　who；　like　Katusha　and
the　boy　they　tried　the　day　before；　must　be　here　though　guiltless；
and　shyness　and　tender　emotion　at　the　thought　of　the　interview
before　him。　The　warder　at　the　other　end　of　the　meeting…room　said
something　as　they　passed；　but　Nekhludoff；　absorbed　by　his　own
thoughts；　paid　no　attention　to　him；　and　continued　to　follow　the
majority　of　the　visitors；　and　so　got　into　the　men's　part　of　the
prison　instead　of　the　women's。

Letting　the　hurrying　visitors　pass　before　him；　he　was　the　last　to
get　into　the　interviewing…room。　As　soon　as　Nekhludoff　opened　the
door　of　this　room；　he　was　struck　by　the　deafening　roar　of　a
hundred　voices　shouting　at　once；　the　reason　of　which　he　did　not
at　once　understand。　But　when　he　came　nearer　to　the　people；　he　saw
that　they　were　all　pressing　against　a　net　that　divided　the　room
in　two；　like　flies　settling　on　sugar；　and　he　understood　what　it
meant。　The　two　halves　of　the　room；　the　windows　of　which　were
opposite　the　door　he　had　come　in　by；　were　separated；　not　by　one；
but　by　two　nets　reaching　from　the　floor　to　the　ceiling。　The　wire
nets　were　stretched　7　feet　apart；　and　soldiers　were　walking　up
and　down　the　space　between　them。　On　the　further　side　of　the　nets
were　the　prisoners；　on　the　nearer；　the　visitors。　Between　them　was
a　double　row　of　nets　and　a　space　of　7　feet　wide；　so　that　they
could　not　hand　anything　to　one　another；　and　any　one　whose　sight
was　not　very　good　could　not　even　distinguish　the　face　on　the
other　side。　It　was　also　difficult　to　talk；　one　had　to　scream　in
order　to　be　heard。

On　both　sides　were　faces　pressed　close　to　the　nets；　faces　of
wives；　husbands；　fathers；　mothers；　children；　trying　to　see　each
other's　features　and　to　say　what　was　necessary　in　such　a　way　as
to　be　understood。

But　as　each　one　tried　to　be　heard　by　the　one　he　was　talking　to；
and　his　neighbour　tried　to　do　the　same；　they　did　their　best　to
drown　each　other's　voices'　and　that　was　the　cause　of　the　din　and
shouting　which　struck　Nekhludoff　when　he　first　came　in。　It　was
impossible　to　understand　what　was　being　said　and　what　were　the
relations　between　the　different　people。　Next　Nekhludoff　an　old
woman　with　a　kerchief　on　her　head　stood　trembling；　her　chin
pressed　close　to　the　net；　and　shouting　something　to　a　young
fellow；　half　of　whose　head　was　shaved；　who　listened　attentively
with　raised　brows。　By　the　side　of　the　old　woman　was　a　young　man
in　a　peasant's　coat；　who　listened；　shaking　his　head；　to　a　boy
very　like　himself。　Next　stood　a　man　in　rags；　who　shouted；　waving
his　arm　and　laughing。　Next　to　him　a　woman；　with　a　good　woollen
shawl　on　her　shoulders；　sat　on　the　floor　holding　a　baby　in　her
lap　and　crying　bitterly。　This　was　apparently　the　first　time　she
saw　the　greyheaded　man　on　the　other　side　in　prison　clothes；　and
with　his　head　shaved。　Beyond　her　was　the　doorkeeper；　who　had
spoken　to　Nekhludoff　outside；　he　was　shouting　with　all　his　might
to　a　greyhaired　convict　on　the　other　side。

When　Nekhludoff　found　that　he　would　have　to　speak　in　similar
conditions；　a　feeling　of　indignation　against　those　who　were　able
to　make　and　enforce　these　conditions　arose　in　him；　he　was
surprised　that；　placed　in　such　a　dreadful　position；　no　one　seemed
offended　at　this　outrage　on　human　feelings。　The　soldiers；　the
inspector；　the　prisoners　themselves；　acted　as　if　acknowledging
all　this　to　be　necessary。

Nekhludoff　remained　in　this　room　for　about　five　minutes；　feeling
strangely　depressed；　conscious　of　how　powerless　he　was；　and　at
variance　with　all　the　world。　He　was　seized　with　a　curious　moral
sensation　like　seasickness。


CHAPTER　XLII。

VISITING　DAYTHE　WOMEN'S　WARD。

〃Well；　but　I　must　do　what　I　came　here　for；〃　he　said；　trying　to
pick　up　courage。　〃What　is　to　be　done　now？〃　He　looked　round　for　an
official；　and　seeing　a　thin　little　man　in　the　uniform　of　an
officer　going　up　and　down　behind　the　people；　he　approached　him。

〃Can　you　tell　me；　sir；〃　he　said；　with　exceedingly　strained
politeness　of　manner；　〃where　the　women　are　kept；　and　where　one　is
allowed　to　interview　them？〃

〃Is　it　the　women's　ward　you　want　to　go　to？〃

〃Yes；　I　should　like　to　see　one　of　the　women　prisoners；〃
Nekhludoff　said；　with　the　same　strained　politeness。

〃You　should　have　said　so　when　you　were　in　the　hall。　Who　is　it；
then；　that　you　want　to　see？〃

〃I　want　to　see　a　prisoner　called　Katerina　Maslova。〃

〃Is　she　a　political　one？〃

〃No；　she　is　simply　。　。　。〃

〃What！　Is　she　sentenced？〃

〃Yes；　the　day　before　yesterday　she　was　sentenced；〃　meekly
answered　Nekhludoff；　fearing　to　spoil　the　inspector's　good
humour；　which　seemed　to　incline　in　his　favour。

〃If　you　want　to　go　to　the　women's　ward　please　to　step　this　way；〃
said　the　officer；　having　decided　from　Nekhludoff's　appearance
that　he　was　worthy　of　attention。　〃Sideroff；　conduct　the　gentleman
to　the　women's　ward；〃　he　said；　turning　to　a　moustached　corporal
with　medals　on　his　breast。

〃Yes；　sir。〃

At　this　moment　heart…rending　sobs　were　heard　coming　from　some　one
near　the　net。

Everything　here　seemed　strange　to　Nekhludoff；　but　strangest　of
all　was　that　he　should　have　to　thank　and　feel　obligation　towards
the　inspector　and　the　chief　warders；　the　very　men　who　were
performing　the　cruel　deeds　that　were　done　in　this　house。

The　corporal　showed　Nekhludoff　through　the　corridor；　out　of　the
men's　into　the　women's　interviewing…room。

This　room；　like　that　of　the　men；　was　divided　by　two　wire　nets；
but　it　was　much　smaller；　and　there　were　fewer　visitors　and　fewer
prisoners；　so　that　there　was　less　shouting　than　in　the　men's
room。　Yet　the　same　thing　was　going　on　here；　only；　between　the
nets　instead　of　soldiers　there　was　a　woman　warder；　dressed　in　a
blue…edged　uniform　jacket；　with　gold　cords　on　the　sleeves；　and　a
blue　belt。　Here　also；　as　in　the　men's　room；　the　people　were
pressing　close　to　the　wire　netting　on　both　sides；　on　the　nearer
side；　the　townspeople　in　varied　attire；　on　the　further　side；　the
prisoners；　some　in　white　prison　clothes；　others　in　their　own
coloured　dresses。　The　whole　length　of　the　net　was　taken　up　by　the
people　standing　close　to　it。　Some　rose　on　tiptoe　to　be　heard
across　the　heads　of　others；　some　sat　talking　on　the　floor。

The　most　remarkable　of　the　prisoners；　both　by　her　piercing
screams　and　her　appearance；　was　a　thin；　dishevelled　gipsy。　Her
kerchief　had　slipped　off　her　curly　hair；　and　she　stood　near　a
post　in　the　middle　of　the　prisoner's　division；　shouting
something；　accompanied　by　quick　gestures；　to　a　gipsy　man　in　a
blue　coat；　girdled　tightly　below　the　waist。　Next　the　gipsy　man；　a
soldier　sat　on　the　ground　talking　to　prisoner；　next　the　soldier；
leaning　close　to　the　net；　stood　a　young　peasant；　with　a　fair
beard　and　a　flushed　face；　keeping