resurrection(复活)-第35章

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the　first。　The　corridor　had　doors　on　both　sides；　with　little
holes　in　them　about　an　inch　in　diameter。　There　was　only　an　old
jailer；　with　an　unpleasant　face；　in　this　corridor。

〃Where　is　Menshoff？〃　asked　the　inspector's　assistant。

〃The　eighth　cell　to　the　left。〃

〃And　these？　Are　they　occupied？〃　asked　Nekhludoff。

Yes；　all　but　one。〃


CHAPTER　LII。

NO。　21。

〃May　I　look　in？〃　asked　Nekhludoff。

〃Oh；　certainly；〃　answered　the　assistant；　smiling；　and　turned　to
the　jailer　with　some　question。

Nekhludoff　looked　into　one　of　the　little　holes；　and　saw　a　tall
young　man　pacing　up　and　down　the　cell。　When　the　man　heard　some
one　at　the　door　he　looked　up　with　a　frown；　but　continued　walking
up　and　down。

Nekhludoff　looked　into　another　hole。　His　eye　met　another　large
eye　looking　out　of　the　hole　at　him；　and　he　quickly　stepped　aside。
In　the　third　cell　he　saw　a　very　small　man　asleep　on　the　bed；
covered；　head　and　all；　with　his　prison　cloak。　In　the　fourth　a
broad…faced　man　was　sitting　with　his　elbows　on　his　knees　and　his
head　low　down。　At　the　sound　of　footsteps　this　man　raised　his　head
and　looked　up。　His　face；　especially　his　large　eyes；　bore　the
expression　of　hopeless　dejection。　One　could　see　that　it　did　not
even　interest　him　to　know　who　was　looking　into　his　cell。　Whoever
it　might　be；　he　evidently　hoped　for　nothing　good　from　him。
Nekhludoff　was　seized　with　dread；　and　went　to　Menshoff's　cell；
No。　21；　without　stopping　to　look　through　any　more　holes。　The
jailer　unlocked　the　door　and　opened　it。　A　young　man；　with　long
neck；　well…developed　muscles；　a　small　head；　and　kind；　round　eyes；
stood　by　the　bed；　hastily　putting　on　his　cloak；　and　looking　at
the　newcomers　with　a　frightened　face。　Nekhludoff　was　specially
struck　by　the　kind；　round　eyes　that　were　throwing　frightened　and
inquiring　glances　in　turns　at　him；　at　the　jailer；　and　at　the
assistant；　and　back　again。

〃Here's　a　gentleman　wants　to　inquire　into　your　affair。〃

〃Thank　you　kindly。〃

〃Yes；　I　was　told　about　you；〃　Nekhludoff　said；　going　through　the
cell　up　to　the　dirty　grated　window；　〃and　I　should　like　to　hear
all　about　it　from　yourself。〃

Menshoff　also　came　up　to　the　window；　and　at　once　started　telling
his　story；　at　first　looking　shyly　at　the　inspector's　assistant；
but　growing　gradually　bolder。　When　the　assistant　left　the　cell
and　went　into　the　corridor　to　give　some　order　the　man　grew　quite
bold。　The　story　was　told　with　the　accent　and　in　the　manner　common
to　a　most　ordinary　good　peasant　lad。　To　hear　it　told　by　a
prisoner　dressed　in　this　degrading　clothing；　and　inside　a　prison；
seemed　very　strange　to　Nekhludoff。　Nekhludoff　listened；　and　at
the　same　time　kept　looking　around　himat　the　low　bedstead　with
its　straw　mattress；　the　window　and　the　dirty；　damp　wall；　and　the
piteous　face　and　form　of　this　unfortunate；　disfigured　peasant　in
his　prison　cloak　and　shoes；　and　he　felt　sadder　and　sadder；　and
would　have　liked　not　to　believe　what　this　good…natured　fellow　was
saying。　It　seemed　too　dreadful　to　think　that　men　could　do　such　a
thing　as　to　take　a　man；　dress　him　in　convict　clothes；　and　put　him
in　this　horrible　place　without　any　reason　only　because　he　himself
had　been　injured。　And　yet　the　thought　that　this　seemingly　true
story；　told　with　such　a　good…natured　expression　on　the　face；
might　be　an　invention　and　a　lie　was　still　more　dreadful。　This　was
the　story：　The　village　public…house　keeper　had　enticed　the　young
fellow's　wife。　He　tried　to　get　justice　by　all　sorts　of　means。　But
everywhere　the　public…house　keeper　managed　to　bribe　the
officials；　and　was　acquitted。　Once；　he　took　his　wife　back　by
force；　but　she　ran　away　next　day。　Then　he　came　to　demand　her
back；　but；　though　he　saw　her　when　he　came　in；　the　public…house
keeper　told　him　she　was　not　there；　and　ordered　him　to　go　away。　He
would　not　go；　so　the　public…house　keeper　and　his　servant　beat　him
so　that　they　drew　blood。　The　next　day　a　fire　broke　out　in　the
public…house；　and　the　young　man　and　his　mother　were　accused　of
having　set　the　house　on　fire。　He　had　not　set　it　on　fire；　but　was
visiting　a　friend　at　the　time。

〃And　it　is　true　that　you　did　not　set　it　on　fire？〃

〃It　never　entered　my　head　to　do　it；　sir。　It　must　be　my　enemy　that
did　it　himself。　They　say　he　had　only　just　insured　it。　Then　they
said　it　was　mother　and　I　that　did　it；　and　that　we　had　threatened
him。　It　is　true　I　once　did　go　for　him；　my　heart　couldn't　stand　it
any　longer。〃

〃Can　this　be　true？〃

〃God　is　my　witness　it　is　true。　Oh；　sir；　be　so　good〃　and
Nekhludoff　had　some　difficulty　to　prevent　him　from　bowing　down　to
the　ground。　〃You　see　I　am　perishing　without　any　reason。〃　His　face
quivered　and　he　turned　up　the　sleeve　of　his　cloak　and　began　to
cry；　wiping　the　tears　with　the　sleeve　of　his　dirty　shirt。

〃Are　you　ready？〃　asked　the　assistant。

〃Yes。　Well；　cheer　up。　We　will　consult　a　good　lawyer；　and　will　do
what　we　can；〃　said　Nekhludoff；　and　went　out。　Menshoff　stood　close
to　the　door；　so　that　the　jailer　knocked　him　in　shutting　it；　and
while　the　jailer　was　locking　it　he　remained　looking　out　through
the　little　hole。


CHAPTER　LIII。

VICTIMS　OF　GOVERNMENT。

Passing　back　along　the　broad　corridor　（it　was　dinner　time；　and
the　cell　doors　were　open）；　among　the　men　dressed　in　their　light
yellow　cloaks；　short；　wide　trousers；　and　prison　shoes；　who　were
looking　eagerly　at　him；　Nekhludoff　felt　a　strange　mixture　of
sympathy　for　them；　and　horror　and　perplexity　at　the　conduct　of
those　who　put　and　kept　them　here；　and；　besides；　he　felt；　he　knew
not　why；　ashamed　of　himself　calmly　examining　it　all。

In　one　of　the　corridors；　some　one　ran；　clattering　with　his　shoes；
in　at　the　door　of　a　cell。　Several　men　came　out　from　here；　and
stood　in　Nekhludoff's　way；　bowing　to　him。

〃Please；　your　honour　（we　don't　know　what　to　call　you）；　get　our
affair　settled　somehow。〃

〃I　am　not　an　official。　I　know　nothing　about　it。〃

〃Well；　anyhow；　you　come　from　outside；　tell　somebodyone　of　the
authorities；　if　need　be；〃　said　an　indignant　voice。　〃Show　some
pity　on　us；　as　a　human　being。　Here　we　are　suffering　the　second
month　for　nothing。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？　Why？〃　said　Nekhludoff。

〃Why？　We　ourselves　don't　know　why；　but　are　sitting　here　the
second　month。〃

〃Yes；　it's　quite　true；　and　it　is　owing　to　an　accident；〃　said　the
inspector。　〃These　people　were　taken　up　because　they　had　no
passports；　and　ought　to　have　been　sent　back　to　their　native
government；　but　the　prison　there　is　burnt；　and　the　local
authorities　have　written；　asking　us　not　to　send　them　on。　So　we
have　sent　all　the　other　passportless　people　to　their　different
governments；　but　are　keeping　these。〃

〃What！　For　no　other　reason　than　that？〃　Nekhludoff　exclaimed；
stopping　at　the　door。

A　crowd　of　about　forty　men；　all　dressed　in　prison　clothes；
surrounded　him　and　the　assistant；　and　several　began　talking　at
once。　The　assistant　stopped　them。

〃Let　some　one　of　you　speak。〃

A　tall；　good…looking　peasant；　a　stone…mason；　of　about　fifty；
stepped　out　from　the　rest。　He　told　Nekhludoff　that　all　of　them
had　been　ordered　back　to　their　homes　and　were　now　being　kept　in
prison　because　they　had　no　passports；　yet　they　had　passports
which　were　only　a　fortnight　overdue。　The　same　thing　had　happened
every　year；　they　had　many　times　omitted　to　renew　their　passports
till　they　were　overdue；　and　nobody　had　ever　said　anything；　but
this　year　they　had　been　taken　up　and　were　being　kept　in　prison
the　second　month；　as　if　they　were　criminals。

〃We　are　all　masons；　and　belong　to　the　same　artel。　We　are　told
that　the　prison　in　our　government　is　burnt；　but　this　is　not　our
fault。　Do　help　us。〃

Nekhludoff　listened；　but　hardly　understood　what　the　good…looking
old　man　was　saying；　because　his　attention　was　riveted　to　a　large；
dark…grey；　many…legged　louse　that　was　creeping　along　the
good…looking　man's　cheek。

〃How's　that？　Is　it　possible　for　such　a　reason？〃　Nekhludoff　said；
turning　to　the　assistant。

〃Yes；　they　should　have　been　sent　off　and　taken　back　to　their
homes；〃　calmly　said　the　assistant；　〃but　they　seem　to　have　been
forgotten　or　something。〃

Before　the　assistant　had　finished；　a　small；　nervous　man；　also　in
prison　dress；　came　out　of　the　crowd；　and；　strangely　contorting
his　mouth；　began　to　say　that　they　were　being　ill…used　for
nothing。

〃Worse　than　dogs；〃　he　began。

〃Now；　now；　not　too　much　of　this。　Hold　your　tongue；　or　you　know〃

〃What　do　I　know？〃　screamed　the　little　man；　desperately。　〃What　is
our　crime？〃

〃Silence！〃　shouted　the　assistant；　and　the　little　man　was　silent。

〃But　what　is　the　meaning　of　all　this？〃　Nekhludoff　thought　to
himself　as　he　came　out　of　the　cell；　while　a　hundred　eyes　were
fixed　upon　him　through　the　openings　of　the　cell　doors　and　from
the　prisoners　that　met　him；　making　him　feel　as　if　he　were　running
the　gauntlet。

〃Is　it　really　possible　that　perfectly　innocent　people　are　kept
here？〃　Nekhludoff　uttered　when　they　left　the　corridor。

〃What　would　you　have　us　do？　They　lie　so。　To　hear　them　talk　they
are　all　of　them　innocent；〃　said　the　inspector's　assistant。　〃But
it　does　happen　that　some　are　really　imprisoned　for　nothing。〃

〃Well；　these　have　done　nothing。〃

〃Yes；　we　must　admit　it。　Still；　the　people　are　fearfully　spoilt。
There　are　such　typesdesperate　fellows；　with　whom　one　has　to
look　sharp。　To…day　two　of　that　sort　had　to　be　punished。〃

〃Punished？　How？〃

〃Flogged　with　a　birch…rod；　by　order。〃

〃But　corporal　punishment　is　abolished。〃

〃Not　for　such　as　are　deprived　of　their　rights。　They　are　still
liable　to　it。〃

Nekhludoff　thought　of　what　he　had　seen　the　day　before　while
waiting　in　the　hall；　and　now　understood　that　the　punishment　was
then　being　inflicted；　and　the　mixed　feeling　of　curiosity；
depression；　perplexity；　and　moral　nausea；　that　grew　into　physical
sickness；　took　hold　of　him　more　strongly　than　ever　before。

Without　listening　to　the　inspector's　assistant；　or　looking　round；
he　hurriedly　left　the　corridor；　and　went　to　the　office。　The
inspector　was　in　the　office；　occupied　with　other　business；　and
had　forgotten　to　send　for　Doukhova。　He　only　remembered　his
promise　to　have　her　called　when　Nekhludoff　entered　the　office。

〃Sit　down；　please。　I'll　send　for　her　at　once；〃　said　the
inspector。


CHAPTER　LIV。

PRISONERS　AND　FRIENDS。

The　office　consisted　of　two　rooms。　The　first　room；　with　a　large；
dilapidated　stove　and　two　dirty　windows；　had　a　black　measure　for
measuring　the　prisoners　in　one　corner；　and　in　another　corner　hung
a　large　image　of　Christ；　as　is　usual　in　places　where　they　torture
people。　In　this　room　stood　several　jailers。　In　the　next　room　sat
about　twenty　persons；　men　and　women　in　groups　and　in　pairs；
talking　in　low　voices。　There　was　a　writing　table　by　the　window。

The　inspector　sat　down　by　the　table；　and　offered　Nekhludoff　a
chair　beside　him。　Nekhludoff　sat　down；　and　looked　at　the　people
in　the　room。

The　first　who　drew　his　attention　was　a　young　man　with　a　pleasant
face；　dressed　in　a　short　jacket；　standing　in　front　of　a
middle…aged　woman　with　dark　eyebrows；　and　he　was　eagerly　telling
her　something　and　gesticulating　with　his　hands。　Beside　them　sat
an　old　man；　with　blue　spectacles；　holding　the　hand　of　a　young
woman　in　prisoner's　clothes；　who　was　telling　him　something。　A
schoolboy；　with　a　fixed；　frightened　look　on　his