resurrection(复活)-第52章

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blood；　will　save　us。　Brothers　and　sisters；〃　he　said；　again　with
tears　in　his　voice；　〃let　us　praise　the　Lord；　who　has　given　His
only　begotten　son　for　the　redemption　of　mankind。　His　holy　blood
。　。　。〃

Nekhludoff　felt　so　deeply　disgusted　that　he　rose　silently；　and
frowning　and　keeping　back　a　groan　of　shame；　he　left　on　tiptoe；
and　went　to　his　room。


CHAPTER　XVIII。

OFFICIALDOM。

Hardly　had　Nekhludoff　finished　dressing　the　next　morning；　just　as
he　was　about　to　go　down；　the　footman　brought　him　a　card　from　the
Moscow　advocate。　The　advocate　had　come　to　St。　Petersburg　on
business　of　his　own；　and　was　going　to　be　present　when　Maslova's
case　was　examined　in　the　Senate；　if　that　would　be　soon。　The
telegram　sent　by　Nekhludoff　crossed　him　on　the　way。　Having　found
out　from　Nekhludoff　when　the　case　was　going　to　be　heard；　and
which　senators　were　to　be　present；　he　smiled。　〃Exactly；　all　the
three　types　of　senators；〃　he　said。　〃Wolf　is　a　Petersburg
official；　Skovorodnikoff　is　a　theoretical；　and　Bay　a　practical
lawyer；　and　therefore　the　most　alive　of　them　all；〃　said　the
advocate。　〃There　is　most　hope　of　him。　Well；　and　how　about　the
Petition　Committee？〃

〃Oh；　I'm　going　to　Baron　Vorobioff　to…day。　I　could　not　get　an
audience　with　him　yesterday。

〃Do　you　know　why　he　is　BARON　Vorobioff？〃　said　the　advocate；
noticing　the　slightly　ironical　stress　that　Nekhludoff　put　on　this
foreign　title；　followed　by　so　very　Russian　a　surname。

〃That　was　because　the　Emperor　Paul　rewarded　the　grandfatherI
think　he　was　one　of　the　Court　footmenby　giving　him　this　title。
He　managed　to　please　him　in　some　way；　so　he　made　him　a　baron。
'It's　my　wish；　so　don't　gainsay　me！'　And　so　there's　a　BARON
Vorobioff；　and　very　proud　of　the　title。　He　is　a　dreadful　old
humbug。〃

Well；　I'm　going　to　see　him；〃　said　Nekhludoff。

〃That's　good；　we　can　go　together。　I　shall　give　you　a　lift。〃

As　they　were　going　to　start；　a　footman　met　Nekhludoff　in　the
ante…room；　and　handed　him　a　note　from　Mariette：

Pour　vous　faire　plaisir；　f'ai　agi　tout　a　fait　contre　mes
principes　et　j'ai　intercede　aupres　de　mon　mari　pour　votre
protegee。　II　se　trouve　que　cette　personne　pout　etre　relaxee
immediatement。　Mon　mari　a　ecrit　au　commandant。　Venez　donc
disinterestedly。　Je　vous　attends。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　M。

〃Just　fancy！〃　said　Nekhludoff　to　the　advocate。　〃Is　this　not
dreadful？　A　woman　whom　they　are　keeping　in　solitary　confinement
for　seven　months　turns　out　to　be　quite　innocent；　and　only　a　word
was　needed　to　get　her　released。〃

〃That's　always　so。　Well；　anyhow；　you　have　succeeded　in　getting
what　you　wanted。〃

〃Yes；　but　this　success　grieves　me。　Just　think　what　must　be　going
on　there。　Why　have　they　been　keeping　her？〃

〃Oh；　it's　best　not　to　look　too　deeply　into　it。　Well；　then；　I
shall　give　you　a　lift；　if　I　may；〃　said　the　advocate；　as　they　left
the　house；　and　a　fine　carriage　that　the　advocate　had　hired　drove
up　to　the　door。　〃It's　Baron　Vorobioff　you　are　going　to　see？〃

The　advocate　gave　the　driver　his　directions；　and　the　two　good
horses　quickly　brought　Nekhludoff　to　the　house　in　which　the　Baron
lived。　The　Baron　was　at　home。　A　young　official　in　uniform；　with　a
long；　thin　neck；　a　much　protruding　Adam's　apple；　and　an　extremely
light　walk；　and　two　ladies　were　in　the　first　room。

〃Your　name；　please？〃　the　young　man　with　the　Adam's　apple　asked；
stepping　with　extreme　lightness　and　grace　across　from　the　ladies
to　Nekhludoff。

Nekhludoff　gave　his　name。

〃The　Baron　was　just　mentioning　you；〃　said　the　young　man；　the
Baron's　adjutant；　and　went　out　through　an　inner　door。　He
returned；　leading　a　weeping　lady　dressed　in　mourning。　With　her
bony　fingers　the　lady　was　trying　to　pull　her　tangled　veil　over
her　face　in　order　to　hide　her　tears。

〃Come　in；　please；〃　said　the　young　man　to　Nekhludoff；　lightly
stepping　up　to　the　door　of　the　study　and　holding　it　open。　When
Nekhludoff　came　in；　he　saw　before　him　a　thick…set　man　of　medium
height；　with　short　hair；　in　a　frock　coat；　who　was　sitting　in　an
armchair　opposite　a　large　writing…table；　and　looking　gaily　in
front　of　himself。　The　kindly；　rosy　red　face；　striking　by　its
contrast　with　the　white　hair；　moustaches；　and　beard；　turned
towards　Nekhludoff　with　a　friendly　smile。

〃Very　glad　to　see　you。　Your　mother　and　I　were　old　acquaintances
and　friends。　I　have　seen　you　as　a　boy；　and　later　on　as　an
officer。　Sit　down　and　tell　me　what　I　can　do　for　you。　Yes；　yes；〃
he　said；　shaking　his　cropped　white　head；　while　Nekhludoff　was
telling　him　Theodosia's　story。　〃Go　on；　go　on。　I　quite　understand。
It　is　certainly　very　touching。　And　have　you　handed　in　the
petition？〃

〃I　have　got　the　petition　ready；〃　Nekhludoff　said；　getting　it　out
of　his　pocket；　〃but　I　thought　of　speaking　to　you　first　in　hopes
that　the　case　would　then　get　special　attention　paid　to　it。〃

〃You　have　done　very　well。　I　shall　certainly　report　it　myself；〃
said　the　Baron；　unsuccessfully　trying　to　put　an　expression　of
pity　on　his　merry　face。　〃Very　touching！　It　is　clear　she　was　but　a
child；　the　husband　treated　her　roughly；　this　repelled　her；　but　as
time　went　on　they　fell　in　love　with　each　other。　Yes　I　will　report
the　case。〃

〃Count　Ivan　Michaelovitch　was　also　going　to　speak　about　it。〃

Nekhludoff　had　hardly　got　these　words　out　when　the　Baron's　face
changed。

〃You　had　better　hand　in　the　petition　into　the　office；　after　all；
and　I　shall　do　what　I　can；〃　he　said。

At　this　moment　the　young　official　again　entered　the　room；
evidently　showing　off　his　elegant　manner　of　walking。

〃That　lady　is　asking　if　she　may　say　a　few　words　more。〃

〃Well；　ask　her　in。　Ah；　mon　cher；　how　many　tears　we　have　to　see
shed！　If　only　we　could　dry　them　all。　One　does　all　that　lies
within　one's　power。〃

The　lady　entered。

〃I　forgot　to　ask　you　that　he　should　not　be　allowed　to　give　up　the
daughter；　because　he　is　ready　。　。　。〃

〃But　I　have　already　told　you　that　I　should　do　all　I　can。〃

〃Baron；　for　the　love　of　God！　You　will　save　the　mother？〃

She　seized　his　hand；　and　began　kissing　it。

〃Everything　shall　be　done。〃

When　the　lady　went　out　Nekhludoff　also　began　to　take　leave。

〃We　shall　do　what　we　can。　I　shall　speak　about　it　at　the　Ministry
of　Justice；　and　when　we　get　their　answer　we　shall　do　what　we
can。〃

Nekhludoff　left　the　study；　and　went　into　the　office　again。　Just
as　in　the　Senate　office；　he　saw；　in　a　splendid　apartment；　a
number　of　very　elegant　officials；　clean；　polite；　severely　correct
and　distinguished　in　dress　and　in　speech。

〃How　many　there　are　of　them；　how　very　many　and　how　well　fed　they
all　look！　And　what　clean　shirts　and　hands　they　all　have；　and　how
well　all　their　boots　are　polished！　Who　does　it　for　them？　How
comfortable　they　all　are；　as　compared　not　only　with　the
prisoners；　but　even　with　the　peasants！〃　These　thoughts　again
involuntarily　came　to　Nekhludoff's　mind。


CHAPTER　XIX。

AN　OLD　GENERAL　OF　REPUTE。

The　man　on　whom　depended　the　easing　of　the　fate　of　the　Petersburg
prisoners　was　an　old　General　of　reputea　baron　of　German
descent；　who；　as　it　was　said　of　him；　had　outlived　his　wits。　He
had　received　a　profusion　of　orders；　but　only　wore　one　of　them；
the　Order　of　the　White　Cross。　He　had　received　this　order；　which
he　greatly　valued；　while　serving　in　the　Caucasus；　because　a
number　of　Russian　peasants；　with　their　hair　cropped；　and　dressed
in　uniform　and　armed　with　guns　and　bayonets；　had　killed　at　his
command　more　than　a　thousand　men　who　were　defending　their
liberty；　their　homes；　and　their　families。　Later　on　he　served　in
Poland；　and　there　also　made　Russian　peasants　commit　many
different　crimes；　and　got　more　orders　and　decorations　for　his
uniform。　Then　he　served　somewhere　else；　and　now　that　he　was　a
weak；　old　man　he　had　this　position；　which　insured　him　a　good
house；　an　income　and　respect。　He　strictly　observed　all　the
regulations　which　were　prescribed　〃from　above；〃　and　was　very
zealous　in　the　fulfilment　of　these　regulations；　to　which　he
ascribed　a　special　importance；　considering　that　everything　else
in　the　world　might　be　changed　except　the　regulations　prescribed
〃from　above。〃　His　duty　was　to　keep　political　prisoners；　men　and
women；　in　solitary　confinement　in　such　a　way　that　half　of　them
perished　in　10　years'　time；　some　going　out　of　their　minds；　some
dying　of　consumption；　some　committing　suicide　by　starving
themselves　to　death；　cutting　their　veins　with　bits　of　glass；
hanging；　or　burning　themselves　to　death。

The　old　General　was　not　ignorant　of　this；　it　all　happened　within
his　knowledge；　but　these　cases　no　more　touched　his　conscience
than　accidents　brought　on　by　thunderstorms；　floods；　etc。　These
cases　occurred　as　a　consequence　of　the　fulfilment　of　regulations
prescribed　〃from　above〃　by　His　Imperial　Majesty。　These
regulations　had　to　be　carried　out　without　fail；　and　therefore　it
was　absolutely　useless　to　think　of　the　consequences　of　their
fulfilment。　The　old　General　did　not　even　allow　himself　to　think
of　such　things；　counting　it　his　patriotic　duty　as　a　soldier　not
to　think　of　them　for　fear　of　getting　weak　in　the　carrying　out　of
these；　according　to　his　opinion；　very　important　obligations。　Once
a　week　the　old　General　made　the　round　of　the　cells；　one　of　the
duties　of　his　position；　and　asked　the　prisoners　if　they　had　any
requests　to　make。　The　prisoners　had　all　sorts　of　requests。　He
listened　to　them　quietly；　in　impenetrable　silence；　and　never
fulfilled　any　of　their　requests；　because　they　were　all　in
disaccord　with　the　regulations。　Just　as　Nekhludoff　drove　up　to
the　old　General's　house；　the　high　notes　of　the　bells　on　the
belfry　clock　chimed　〃Great　is　the　Lord；〃　and　then　struck　two。　The
sound　of　these　chimes　brought　back　to　Nekhludoff's　mind　what　he
had　read　in　the　notes　of　the　Decembrists　＇the　Decembrists　were　a
group　who　attempted；　but　failed；　to　put　an　end　to　absolutism　in
Russia　at　the　time　of　the　accession　of　Nicholas　the　First＇　about
the　way　this　sweet　music　repeated　every　hour　re…echoes　in　the
hearts　of　those　imprisoned　for　life。

Meanwhile　the　old　General　was　sitting　in　his　darkened
drawing…room　at　an　inlaid　table；　turning　a　saucer　on　a　piece　of
paper　with　the　aid　of　a　young　artist；　the　brother　of　one　of　his
subordinates。　The　thin；　weak；　moist　fingers　of　the　artist　were
pressed　against　the　wrinkled　and　stiff…jointed　fingers　of　the　old
General；　and　the　hands　joined　in　this　manner　were　moving　together
with　the　saucer　over　a　paper　that　had　all　the　letters　of　the
alphabet　written　on　it。　The　saucer　was　answering　the　questions
put　by　the　General　as　to　how　souls　will　recognise　each　other
after　death。

When　Nekhludoff　sent　in　his　card　by　an　orderly　acting　as　footman；
the　soul　of　Joan　of　Arc　was　speaking　by　the　aid　of　the　saucer。
The　soul　of　Joan　of　Arc　had　already　spelt　letter　by　letter　the
words：　〃They　well　knew　each　other；〃　and　these　words　had　been
written　down。　When　the　orderly　came　in　the　saucer　had　stopped
first　on　b；　then　on　y；　and　began　jerking　hither　and　thither。　This
jerking　was　caused　by　the　General's　opinion　that　the　next　letter
should　be　b；　i。e。；　Joan　of　Arc　ought　to　say　that　the　souls　will
know　each　other　by　being　cleansed　of　all　that　is　earthly；　or
something　of　the　kind；　clashing　with　the　opinion　of　the　artist；
who　thought　the　next　letter　should　be　l；　i。e。；　that　the　souls
should　know　ea