resurrection(复活)-第3章

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　M。　K。

Nekhludoff　made　a　grimace。　This　note　was　a　continuation　of　that
skilful　manoeuvring　which　the　Princess　Korchagin　had　already
practised　for　two　months　in　order　to　bind　him　closer　and　closer
with　invisible　threads。　And　yet；　beside　the　usual　hesitation　of
men　past　their　youth　to　marry　unless　they　are　very　much　in　love；
Nekhludoff　had　very　good　reasons　why；　even　if　he　did　make　up　his
mind　to　it；　he　could　not　propose　at　once。　It　was　not　that　ten
years　previously　he　had　betrayed　and　forsaken　Maslova；　he　had
quite　forgotten　that；　and　he　would　not　have　considered　it　a
reason　for　not　marrying。　No！　The　reason　was　that　he　had　a　liaison
with　a　married　woman；　and；　though　he　considered　it　broken　off；
she　did　not。

Nekhludoff　was　rather　shy　with　women；　and　his　very　shyness
awakened　in　this　married　woman；　the　unprincipled　wife　of　the
marechal　de　noblesse　of　a　district　where　Nekhludoff　was　present
at　an　election；　the　desire　of　vanquishing　him。　This　woman　drew
him　into　an　intimacy　which　entangled　him　more　and　more；　while　it
daily　became　more　distasteful　to　him。　Having　succumbed　to　the
temptation；　Nekhludoff　felt　guilty；　and　had　not　the　courage　to
break　the　tie　without　her　consent。　And　this　was　the　reason　he　did
not　feel　at　liberty　to　propose　to　Korchagin　even　if　he　had　wished
to　do　so。　Among　the　letters　on　the　table　was　one　from　this
woman's　husband。　Seeing　his　writing　and　the　postmark；　Nekhludoff
flushed；　and　felt　his　energies　awakening；　as　they　always　did　when
he　was　facing　any　kind　of　danger。

But　his　excitement　passed　at　once。　The　marechal　do　noblesse；　of
the　district　in　which　his　largest　estate　lay；　wrote　only　to　let
Nekhludoff　know　that　there　was　to　be　a　special　meeting　towards
the　end　of　May；　and　that　Nekhludoff　was　to　be　sure　and　come　to
〃donner　un　coup　d'epaule；〃　at　the　important　debates　concerning
the　schools　and　the　roads；　as　a　strong　opposition　by　the
reactionary　party　was　expected。

The　marechal　was　a　liberal；　and　was　quite　engrossed　in　this
fight；　not　even　noticing　the　misfortune　that　had　befallen　him。

Nekhludoff　remembered　the　dreadful　moments　he　had　lived　through；
once　when　he　thought　that　the　husband　had　found　him　out　and　was
going　to　challenge　him；　and　he　was　making　up　his　mind　to　fire
into　the　air；　also　the　terrible　scene　he　had　with　her　when　she
ran　out　into　the　park；　and　in　her　excitement　tried　to　drown
herself　in　the　pond。

〃Well；　I　cannot　go　now；　and　can　do　nothing　until　I　get　a　reply
from　her；〃　thought　Nekhludoff。　A　week　ago　he　had　written　her　a
decisive　letter；　in　which　he　acknowledged　his　guilt；　and　his
readiness　to　atone　for　it；　but　at　the　same　time　he　pronounced
their　relations　to　be　at　an　end；　for　her　own　good；　as　he
expressed　it。　To　this　letter　he　had　as　yet　received　no　answer。
This　might　prove　a　good　sign；　for　if　she　did　not　agree　to　break
off　their　relations；　she　would　have　written　at　once；　or　even　come
herself；　as　she　had　done　before。　Nekhludoff　had　heard　that　there
was　some　officer　who　was　paying　her　marked　attention；　and　this
tormented　him　by　awakening　jealousy；　and　at　the　same　time
encouraged　him　with　the　hope　of　escape　from　the　deception　that
was　oppressing　him。

The　other　letter　was　from　his　steward。　The　steward　wrote　to　tell
him　that　a　visit　to　his　estates　was　necessary　in　order　to　enter
into　possession；　and　also　to　decide　about　the　further　management
of　his　lands；　whether　it　was　to　continue　in　the　same　way　as　when
his　mother　was　alive；　or　whether；　as　he　had　represented　to　the
late　lamented　princess；　and　now　advised　the　young　prince；　they
had　not　better　increase　their　stock　and　farm　all　the　land　now
rented　by　the　peasants　themselves。　The　steward　wrote　that　this
would　be　a　far　more　profitable　way　of　managing　the　property；　at
the　same　time；　he　apologised　for　not　having　forwarded　the　3；000
roubles　income　due　on　the　1st。　This　money　would　he　sent　on　by　the
next　mail。　The　reason　for　the　delay　was　that　he　could　not　get　the
money　out　of　the　peasants；　who　had　grown　so　untrustworthy　that　he
had　to　appeal　to　the　authorities。　This　letter　was　partly
disagreeable；　and　partly　pleasant。　It　was　pleasant　to　feel　that
he　had　power　over　so　large　a　property；　and　yet　disagreeable；
because　Nekhludoff　had　been　an　enthusiastic　admirer　of　Henry
George　and　Herbert　Spencer。　Being　himself　heir　to　a　large
property；　he　was　especially　struck　by　the　position　taken　up　by
Spencer　in　Social　Statics；　that　justice　forbids　private
landholding；　and　with　the　straightforward　resoluteness　of　his
age；　had　not　merely　spoken　to　prove　that　land　could　not　be　looked
upon　as　private　property；　and　written　essays　on　that　subject　at
the　university；　but　had　acted　up　to　his　convictions；　and；
considering　it　wrong　to　hold　landed　property；　had　given　the　small
piece　of　land　he　had　inherited　from　his　father　to　the　peasants。
Inheriting　his　mother's　large　estates；　and　thus　becoming　a　landed
proprietor；　he　had　to　choose　one　of　two　things：　either　to　give　up
his　property；　as　he　had　given　up　his　father's　land　ten　years
before；　or　silently　to　confess　that　all　his　former　ideas　were
mistaken　and　false。

He　could　not　choose　the　former　because　he　had　no　means　but　the
landed　estates　（he　did　not　care　to　serve）；　moreover；　he　had
formed　luxurious　habits　which　he　could　not　easily　give　up。
Besides；　he　had　no　longer　the　same　inducements；　his　strong
convictions；　the　resoluteness　of　youth；　and　the　ambitious　desire
to　do　something　unusual　were　gone。　As　to　the　second　course；　that
of　denying　those　clear　and　unanswerable　proofs　of　the　injustice
of　landholding；　which　he　had　drawn　from　Spencer's　Social　Statics；
and　the　brilliant　corroboration　of　which　he　had　at　a　later　period
found　in　the　works　of　Henry　George；　such　a　course　was　impossible
to　him。


CHAPTER　IV。

MISSY。

WHEN　Nekhludoff　had　finished　his　coffee；　he　went　to　his　study　to
look　at　the　summons；　and　find　out　what　time　he　was　to　appear　at
the　court；　before　writing　his　answer　to　the　princess。　Passing
through　his　studio；　where　a　few　studies　hung　on　the　walls　and；
facing　the　easel；　stood　an　unfinished　picture；　a　feeling　of
inability　to　advance　in　art；　a　sense　of　his　incapacity；　came　over
him。　He　had　often　had　this　feeling；　of　late；　and　explained　it　by
his　too　finely…developed　aesthetic　taste；　still；　the　feeling　was
a　very　unpleasant　one。　Seven　years　before　this　he　had　given　up
military　service；　feeling　sure　that　he　had　a　talent　for　art；　and
had　looked　down　with　some　disdain　at　all　other　activity　from　the
height　of　his　artistic　standpoint。　And　now　it　turned　out　that　he
had　no　right　to　do　so；　and　therefore　everything　that　reminded　him
of　all　this　was　unpleasant。　He　looked　at　the　luxurious　fittings
of　the　studio　with　a　heavy　heart；　and　it　was　in　no　cheerful　mood
that　he　entered　his　study；　a　large；　lofty　room　fitted　up　with　a
view　to　comfort；　convenience；　and　elegant　appearance。　He　found
the　summons　at　once　in　a　pigeon　hole；　labelled　〃immediate；〃　of
his　large　writing　table。　He　had　to　appear　at　the　court　at　11
o'clock。

Nekhludoff　sat　down　to　write　a　note　in　reply　to　the　princess；
thanking　her　for　the　invitation；　and　promising　to　try　and　come　to
dinner。　Having　written　one　note；　he　tore　it　up；　as　it　seemed　too
intimate。　He　wrote　another；　but　it　was　too　cold；　he　feared　it
might　give　offence；　so　he　tore　it　up；　too。　He　pressed　the　button
of　an　electric　bell；　and　his　servant；　an　elderly；　morose…looking
man；　with　whiskers　and　shaved　chin　and　lip；　wearing　a　grey　cotton
apron；　entered　at　the　door。

〃Send　to　fetch　an　isvostchik；　please。〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃And　tell　the　person　who　is　waiting　that　I　send　thanks　for　the
invitation；　and　shall　try　to　come。〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃It　is　not　very　polite；　but　I　can't　write；　no　matter；　I　shall　see
her　today；〃　thought　Nekhludoff；　and　went　to　get　his　overcoat。

When　he　came　out　of　the　house；　an　isvostchik　he　knew；　with
india…rubber　tires　to　his　trap；　was　at　the　door　waiting　for　him。
〃You　had　hardly　gone　away　from　Prince　Korchagin's　yesterday；〃　he
said；　turning　half　round；　〃when　I　drove　up；　and　the　Swiss　at　the
door　says；　'just　gone。'〃　The　isvostchik　knew　that　Nekhludoff
visited　at　the　Korchagins；　and　called　there　on　the　chance　of
being　engaged　by　him。

〃Even　the　isvostchiks　know　of　my　relations　with　the　Korchagins；〃
thought　Nekhludoff；　and　again　the　question　whether　he　should　not
marry　Princess　Korchagin　presented　itself　to　him；　and　he　could
not　decide　it　either　way；　any　more　than　most　of　the　questions
that　arose　in　his　mind　at　this　time。

It　was　in　favour　of　marriage　in　general；　that　besides　the
comforts　of　hearth　and　home；　it　made　a　moral　life　possible；　and
chiefly　that　a　family　would；　so　Nekhludoff　thought；　give　an　aim
to　his　now　empty　life。

Against　marriage　in　general　was　the　fear；　common　to　bachelors
past　their　first　youth；　of　losing　freedom；　and　an　unconscious　awe
before　this　mysterious　creature；　a　woman。

In　this　particular　case；　in　favour　of　marrying　Missy　（her　name
was　Mary；　but；　as　is　usual　among　a　certain　set；　a　nickname　had
been　given　her）　was　that　she　came　of　good　family；　and　differed　in
everything；　manner　of　speaking；　walking；　laughing；　from　the
common　people；　not　by　anything　exceptional；　but　by　her　〃good
breeding〃he　could　find　no　other　term　for　this　quality；　though
he　prized　it　very　highly…and；　besides；　she　thought　more　of　him
than　of　anybody　else；　therefore　evidently　understood　him。　This
understanding　of　him；　i。e。；　the　recognition　of　his　superior
merits；　was　to　Nekhludoff　a　proof　of　her　good　sense　and　correct
judgment。　Against　marrying　Missy　in　particular；　was；　that　in　all
likelihood；　a　girl　with　even　higher　qualities　could　be　found；
that　she　was　already　27；　and　that　he　was　hardly　her　first　love。
This　last　idea　was　painful　to　him。　His　pride　would　not　reconcile
itself　with　the　thought　that　she　had　loved　some　one　else；　even　in
the　past。　Of　course；　she　could　not　have　known　that　she　should
meet　him；　but　the　thought　that　she　was　capable　of　loving　another
offended　him。　So　that　he　had　as　many　reasons　for　marrying　as
against　it；　at　any　rate；　they　weighed　equally　with　Nekhludoff；
who　laughed　at　himself；　and　called　himself　the　ass　of　the　fable；
remaining　like　that　animal　undecided　which　haycock　to　turn　to。

〃At　any　rate；　before　I　get　an　answer　from　Mary　Vasilievna　（the
marechal's　wife）；　and　finish　completely　with　her；　I　can　do
nothing；〃　he　said　to　himself。　And　the　conviction　that　he　might；
and　was　even　obliged；　to　delay　his　decision；　was　comforting。
〃Well；　I　shall　consider　all　that　later　on；〃　he　said　to　himself；
as　the　trap　drove　silently　along　the　asphalt　pavement　up　to　the
doors　of　the　Court。

〃Now　I　must　fulfil　my　public　duties　conscientiously；　as　I　am　in
the　habit　of　always　doing；　and　as　I　consider　it　right　to　do。
Besides；　they　are　often　interesting。〃　And　he　entered　the　hall　of
the　Law　Courts；　past　the　doorkeeper。


CHAPTER　V。

THE　JURYMEN。

The　corridors　of　the　Court　were　already　full　of　activity。　The
attendants　hurried；　out　of　breath；　dragging　their　feet　along　the
ground　without　lifting　them；　backwards　and　forwards；　with　all
sorts　of　messages　and　papers。　Ushers；　advocates；　and　law　officers
passed　hither　and　thither。　Plaintiffs；　and　those　of　the　accused
who　were　not　guard