resurrection(复活)-第30章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


before。　There　was　nothing　personal　in　this　feeling：　he　wanted
nothing　from　her　for　himself；　but　only　wished　that　she　might　not
remain　as　she　now　was；　that　she　might　awaken　and　become　again
what　she　had　been。

〃Katusha；　why　do　you　speak　like　that？　I　know　you；　I　remember
youand　the　old　days　in　Papovo。〃

〃What's　the　use　of　recalling　what's　past？〃　she　remarked；　drily。

〃I　am　recalling　it　in　order　to　put　it　right；　to　atone　for　my　sin；
Katusha；〃　and　he　was　going　to　say　that　he　would　marry　her；　but；
meeting　her　eyes；　he　read　in　them　something　so　dreadful；　so
coarse；　so　repellent；　that　he　could　not　go　on。

At　this　moment　the　visitors　began　to　go。　The　inspector　came　up　to
Nekhludoff　and　said　that　the　time　was　up。

〃Good…bye；　I　have　still　much　to　say　to　you；　but　you　see　it　is
impossible　to　do　so　now；〃　said　Nekhludoff；　and　held　out　his　hand。
〃I　shall　come　again。〃

〃I　think　you　have　said　all。〃

She　took　his　hand　but　did　not　press　it。

〃No；　I　shall　try　to　see　you　again；　somewhere　where　we　can　talk；
and　then　I　shall　tell　you　what　I　have　to　say…something　very
important。〃

〃Well；　then；　come；　why　not？〃　she　answered；　and　smiled　with　that
habitual；　inviting；　and　promising　smile　which　she　gave　to　the　men
whom　she　wished　to　please。

〃You　are　more　than　a　sister　to　me；〃　said　Nekhludoff。

〃That's　odd；〃　she　said　again；　and　went　behind　the　grating。


CHAPTER　XLIV。

MASLOVA'S　VIEW　OF　LIFE。

Before　the　first　interview；　Nekhludoff　thought　that　when　she　saw
him　and　knew　of　his　intention　to　serve　her；　Katusha　would　be
pleased　and　touched；　and　would　be　Katusha　again；　but；　to　his
horror；　he　found　that　Katusha　existed　no　more；　and　there　was
Maslova　in　her　place。　This　astonished　and　horrified　him。

What　astonished　him　most　was　that　Katusha　was　not　ashamed　of　her
positionnot　the　position　of　a　prisoner　（she　was　ashamed　of
that）；　but　her　position　as　a　prostitute。　She　seemed　satisfied；
even　proud　of　it。　And；　yet；　how　could　it　be　otherwise？　Everybody；
in　order　to　be　able　to　act；　has　to　consider　his　occupation
important　and　good。　Therefore；　in　whatever　position　a　person　is；
he　is　certain　to　form　such　a　view　of　the　life　of　men　in　general
which　will　make　his　occupation　seem　important　and　good。

It　is　usually　imagined　that　a　thief；　a　murderer；　a　spy；　a
prostitute；　acknowledging　his　or　her　profession　as　evil；　is
ashamed　of　it。　But　the　contrary　is　true。　People　whom　fate　and
their　sin…mistakes　have　placed　in　a　certain　position；　however
false　that　position　may　be；　form　a　view　of　life　in　general　which
makes　their　position　seem　good　and　admissible。　In　order　to　keep
up　their　view　of　life；　these　people　instinctively　keep　to　the
circle　of　those　people　who　share　their　views　of　life　and　their
own　place　in　it。　This　surprises　us；　where　the　persons　concerned
are　thieves；　bragging　about　their　dexterity；　prostitutes　vaunting
their　depravity；　or　murderers　boasting　of　their　cruelty。　This
surprises　us　only　because　the　circle；　the　atmosphere　in　which
these　people　live；　is　limited；　and　we　are　outside　it。　But　can　we
not　observe　the　same　phenomenon　when　the　rich　boast　of　their
wealth；　i。e。；　robbery；　the　commanders　in　the　army　pride　themselves
on　victories；　i。e。；　murder；　and　those　in　high　places　vaunt　their
power；　i。e。；　violence？　We　do　not　see　the　perversion　in　the　views
of　life　held　by　these　people；　only　because　the　circle　formed　by
them　is　more　extensive；　and　we　ourselves　are　moving　inside　of　it。

And　in　this　manner　Maslova　had　formed　her　views　of　life　and　of
her　own　position。　She　was　a　prostitute　condemned　to　Siberia；　and
yet　she　had　a　conception　of　life　which　made　it　possible　for　her
to　be　satisfied　with　herself；　and　even　to　pride　herself　on　her
position　before　others。

According　to　this　conception；　the　highest　good　for　all　men
without　exceptionold；　young；　schoolboys；　generals；　educated　and
uneducated；　was　connected　with　the　relation　of　the　sexes；
therefore；　all　men；　even　when　they　pretended　to　be　occupied　with
other　things；　in　reality　took　this　view。　She　was　an　attractive
woman；　and　therefore　she　was　an　important　and　necessary　person。
The　whole　of　her　former　and　present　life　was　a　confirmation　of
the　correctness　of　this　conception。

With　such　a　view　of　life；　she　was　by　no　means　the　lowest；　but　a
very　important　person。　And　Maslova　prized　this　view　of　life　more
than　anything；　she　could　not　but　prize　it；　for；　if　she　lost　the
importance　that　such　a　view　of　life　gave　her　among　men；　she　would
lose　the　meaning　of　her　life。　And；　in　order　not　to　lose　the
meaning　of　her　life；　she　instinctively　clung　to　the　set　that
looked　at　life　in　the　same　way　as　she　did。　Feeling　that
Nekhludoff　wanted　to　lead　her　out　into　another　world；　she
resisted　him；　foreseeing　that　she　would　have　to　lose　her　place　in
life；　with　the　self…possession　and　self…respect　it　gave　her。　For
this　reason　she　drove　from　her　the　recollections　of　her　early
youth　and　her　first　relations　with　Nekhludoff。　These
recollections　did　not　correspond　with　her　present　conception　of
the　world；　and　were　therefore　quite　rubbed　out　of　her　mind；　or；
rather；　lay　somewhere　buried　and　untouched；　closed　up　and
plastered　over　so　that　they　should　not　escape；　as　when　bees；　in
order　to　protect　the　result　of　their　labour；　will　sometimes
plaster　a　nest　of　worms。　Therefore；　the　present　Nekhludoff　was
not　the　man　she　had　once　loved　with　a　pure　love；　but　only　a　rich
gentleman　whom　she　could；　and　must；　make　use　of；　and　with　whom
she　could　only　have　the　same　relations　as　with　men　in　general。

〃No；　I　could　not　tell　her　the　chief　thing；〃　thought　Nekhludoff；
moving　towards　the　front　doors　with　the　rest　of　the　people。　〃I
did　not　tell　her　that　I　would　marry　her；　I　did　not　tell　her　so；
but　I　will；〃　he　thought。

The　two　warders　at　the　door　let　out　the　visitors；　counting　them
again；　and　touching　each　one　with　their　hands；　so　that　no　extra
person　should　go　out；　and　none　remain　within。　The　slap　on　his
shoulder　did　not　offend　Nekhludoff　this　time；　he　did　not　even
notice　it。


CHAPTER　XLV。

FANARIN；　THE　ADVOCATETHE　PETITION。

Nekhludoff　meant　to　rearrange　the　whole　of　his　external　life；　to
let　his　large　house　and　move　to　an　hotel；　but　Agraphena　Petrovna
pointed　out　that　it　was　useless　to　change　anything　before　the
winter。　No　one　would　rent　a　town　house　for　the　summer；　anyhow；　he
would　have　to　live　and　keep　his　things　somewhere。　And　so　all　his
efforts　to　change　his　manner　of　life　（he　meant　to　live　more
simply：　as　the　students　live）　led　to　nothing。　Not　only　did
everything　remain　as　it　was；　but　the　house　was　suddenly　filled
with　new　activity。　All　that　was　made　of　wool　or　fur　was　taken　out
to　be　aired　and　beaten。　The　gate…keeper；　the　boy；　the　cook；　and
Corney　himself　took　part　in　this　activity。　All　sorts　of　strange
furs；　which　no　one　ever　used；　and　various　uniforms　were　taken　out
and　hung　on　a　line；　then　the　carpets　and　furniture　were　brought
out；　and　the　gate…keeper　and　the　boy　rolled　their　sleeves　up
their　muscular　arms　and　stood　beating　these　things；　keeping
strict　time；　while　the　rooms　were　filled　with　the　smell　of
naphthaline。

When　Nekhludoff　crossed　the　yard　or　looked　out　of　the　window　and
saw　all　this　going　on；　he　was　surprised　at　the　great　number　of
things　there　were；　all　quite　useless。　Their　only　use；　Nekhludoff
thought；　was　the　providing　of　exercise　for　Agraphena　Petrovna；
Corney；　the　gate…keeper；　the　boy；　and　the　cook。

〃But　it's　not　worth　while　altering　my　manner　of　life　now；〃　he
thought；　〃while　Maslova's　case　is　not　decided。　Besides；　it　is　too
difficult。　It　will　alter　of　itself　when　she　will　be　set　free　or
exiled；　and　I　follow　her。〃

On　the　appointed　day　Nekhludoff　drove　up　to　the　advocate
Fanarin's　own　splendid　house；　which　was　decorated　with　huge　palms
and　other　plants；　and　wonderful　curtains；　in　fact；　with　all　the
expensive　luxury　witnessing　to　the　possession　of　much　idle　money；
i。e。；　money　acquired　without　labour；　which　only　those　possess　who
grow　rich　suddenly。　In　the　waiting…room；　just　as　in　a　doctor's
waiting…room；　he　found　many　dejected…looking　people　sitting　round
several　tables；　on　which　lay　illustrated　papers　meant　to　amuse
them；　awaiting　their　turns　to　be　admitted　to　the　advocate。　The
advocate's　assistant　sat　in　the　room　at　a　high　desk；　and　having
recognised　Nekhludoff；　he　came　up　to　him　and　said　he　would　go　and
announce　him　at　once。　But　the　assistant　had　not　reached　the　door
before　it　opened　and　the　sounds　of　loud；　animated　voices　were
heard；　the　voice　of　a　middle…aged；　sturdy　merchant；　with　a　red
face　and　thick　moustaches；　and　the　voice　of　Fanarin　himself。
Fanarin　was　also　a　middle…aged　man　of　medium　height；　with　a　worn
look　on　his　face。　Both　faces　bore　the　expression　which　you　see　on
the　faces　of　those　who　have　just　concluded　a　profitable　but　not
quite　honest　transaction。

〃Your　own　fault；　you　know；　my　dear　sir；〃　Fanarin　said；　smiling。

〃We'd　all　be　in　'eaven　were　it　not　for　hour　sins。〃

〃Oh。　yes；　yes；　we　all　know　that；〃　and　both　laughed　un…naturally。

〃Oh；　Prince　Nekhludoff！　Please　to　step　in；〃　said　Fanarin；　seeing
him；　and；　nodding　once　more　to　the　merchant；　he　led　Nekhludoff
into　his　business　cabinet；　furnished　in　a　severely　correct　style。

〃Won't　you　smoke？〃　said　the　advocate；　sitting　down　opposite
Nekhludoff　and　trying　to　conceal　a　smile；　apparently　still
excited　by　the　success　of　the　accomplished　transaction。

〃Thanks；　I　have　come　about　Maslova's　case。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　directly！　But　oh；　what　rogues　these　fat　money　bags
are！〃　he　said。　〃You　saw　this　here　fellow。　Why；　he　has　about
twelve　million　roubles；　and　he　cannot　speak　correctly；　and　if　he
can　get　a　twenty…five　rouble　note　out　of　you　he'll　have　it；　if
he's　to　wrench　it　out　with　his　teeth。〃

〃He　says　〃'eaven　and　hour；'　and　you　say　'this　here　fellow；'〃
Nekhludoff　thought；　with　an　insurmountable　feeling　of　aversion
towards　this　man　who　wished　to　show　by　his　free　and　easy　manner
that　he　and　Nekhludoff　belonged　to　one　and　the　same　camp；　while
his　other　clients　belonged　to　another。

〃He　has　worried　me　to　deatha　fearful　scoundrel。　I　felt　I　must
relieve　my　feelings；〃　said　the　advocate；　as　if　to　excuse　his
speaking　about　things　that　had　no　reference　to　business。　〃Well；
how　about　your　case？　I　have　read　it　attentively；　but　do　not
approve　of　it。　I　mean　that　greenhorn　of　an　advocate　has　left　no
valid　reason　for　an　appeal。〃

〃Well；　then；　what　have　you　decided？〃

〃One　moment。　Tell　him；〃　he　said　to　his　assistant；　who　had　just
come　in；　〃that　I　keep　to　what　I　have　said。　If　he　can；　it's　all
right；　if　not；　no　matter。〃

〃But　he　won't　agree。〃

〃Well；　no　matter；〃　and　the　advocate　frowned。

〃There　now；　and　it　is　said　that　we　advocates　get　our　money　for
nothing；〃　he　remarked；　after　a　pause。　〃I　have　freed　one　insolvent
debtor　from　a　totally　false　charge；　and　now　they　all　flock　to　me。
Yet　every　such　case　costs　enormous　labour。　Why；　don't　we；　too；
'lose　bits　of　flesh　in　the　inkstand？'　as　some　writer　or　other　has
said。　Well；　as　to　your　case；　or；　rather；　the　case　you　are　taking
an　interest　in。　It　has　been　conducted　abominably。　There　is　no
good　reason　for　appealing。　Still；〃　he　continued；　〃we　can　but　try
to　get　the　sentence　revoked。　This　is　what　I　have　noted　down。〃　He
took　up　several　sheets　of　paper　covered　with　writing；　an