resurrection(复活)-第67章

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consumption。　Two　of　the　beds　were　empty；　the　convict　was　laid　on
one　of　them。　A　little　man；　wish　glistening　eyes　and　continually
moving　brows；　with　only　his　underclothes　and　stockings　on；　came
up　with　quick；　soft　steps；　looked　at　the　convict　and　then　at

Nekhludoff；　and　burst　into　loud　laughter。　This　was　a　madman　who
was　being　kept　in　the　police　hospital。

〃They　wish　to　frighten　me；　but　no；　they　won't　succeed；〃　he　said。

The　policemen　who　carried　the　corpse　were　followed　by　a　police
officer　and　a　medical　assistant。　The　medical　assistant　came　up　to
the　body　and　touched　the　freckled　hand；　already　growing　cold；
which；　though　still　soft；　was　deadly　pale。　He　held　it　for　a
moment；　and　then　let　it　go。　It　fell　lifelessly　on　the　stomach　of
the　dead　man。

〃He's　ready；〃　said　the　medical　assistant；　but；　evidently　to　be
quite　in　order；　he　undid　the　wet；　brown　shirt；　and　tossing　back
the　curls　from　his　ear；　put　it　to　the　yellowish；　broad；　immovable
chest　of　the　convict。　All　were　silent。　The　medical　assistant
raised　himself　again；　shook　his　head；　and　touched　with　his
fingers　first　one　and　then　the　other　lid　over　the　open；　fixed
blue　eyes。

〃I'm　not　frightened；　I'm　not　frightened。〃　The　madman　kept
repeating　these　words；　and　spitting　in　the　direction　of　the
medical　assistant。

〃Well？〃　asked　the　police　officer。

〃Well！　He　must　he　put　into　the　mortuary。〃

〃Are　you　sure？　Mind；〃　said　the　police　officer。

〃It's　time　I　should　know；〃　said　the　medical　assistant；　drawing
the　shirt　over　the　body's　chest。　〃However；　I　will　send　for
Mathew　Ivanovitch。　Let　him　have　a　look。　Petrov；　call　him；〃　and
the　medical　assistant　stepped　away　from　the　body。

〃Take　him　to　the　mortuary；〃　said　the　police　officer。　〃And　then
you　must　come　into　the　office　and　sign；〃　he　added　to　the　convoy
soldier；　who　had　not　left　the　convict　for　a　moment。

〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　the　soldier。

The　policemen　lifted　the　body　and　carried　it　down　again。
Nekhludoff　wished　to　follow；　but　the　madman　kept　him　back。

〃You　are　not　in　the　plot！　Well；　then；　give　me　a　cigarette；〃　he
said。　Nekhludoff　got　out　his　cigarette　case　and　gave　him　one。

The　madman；　quickly　moving　his　brows　all　the　time；　began　relating
how　they　tormented　him　by　thought　suggestion。

〃Why；　they　are　all　against　me；　and　torment　and　torture　me　through
their　mediums。〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　said　Nekhludoff；　and　without　listening　any
further　he　left　the　room　and　went　out　into　the　yard；　wishing　to
know　where　the　body　would　be　put。

The　policemen　with　their　burden　had　already　crossed　the　yard；　and
were　coming　to　the　door　of　a　cellar。　Nekhludoff　wished　to　go　up
to　them；　but　the　police　officer　stopped　him。

〃What　do　you　want？〃

〃Nothing。〃

〃Nothing？　Then　go　away。〃

〃Nekhludoff　obeyed；　and　went　back　to　his　isvostchik；　who　was
dozing。　He　awoke　him；　and　they　drove　back　towards　the　railway
station。

They　had　not　made　a　hundred　steps　when　they　met　a　cart
accompanied　by　a　convoy　soldier　with　a　gun。　On　the　cart　lay
another　convict；　who　was　already　dead。　The　convict　lay　on　his
back　in　the　cart；　his　shaved　head；　from　which　the　pancake…shaped
cap　had　slid　over　the　black…bearded　face　down　to　the　nose；
shaking　and　thumping　at　every　jolt。　The　driver；　in　his　heavy
boots；　walked　by　the　side　of　the　cart；　holding　the　reins；　a
policeman　followed　on　foot。　Nekhludoff　touched　his　isvostchik's
shoulder。

〃Just　look　what　they　are　doing；〃　said　the　isvostchik；　stopping
his　horse。

Nekhludoff　got　down　and；　following　the　cart；　again　passed　the
sentinel　and　entered　the　gate　of　the　police　station。　By　this　time
the　firemen　had　finished　washing　the　cart；　and　a　tall；　bony　man；
the　chief　of　the　fire　brigade；　with　a　coloured　band　round　his
cap；　stood　in　their　place；　and；　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets；
was　severely　looking　at　a　fat…necked；　well…fed；　bay　stallion　that
was　being　led　up　and　down　before　him　by　a　fireman。　The　stallion
was　lame　on　one　of　his　fore　feet；　and　the　chief　of　the　firemen
was　angrily　saying　something　to　a　veterinary　who　stood　by。

The　police　officer　was　also　present。　When　he　saw　the　cart　he　went
up　to　the　convoy　soldier。

〃Where　did　you　bring　him　from？〃　he　asked；　shaking　his　head
disapprovingly。

〃From　the　Gorbatovskaya；〃　answered　the　policeman。

〃A　prisoner？〃　asked　the　chief　of　the　fire　brigade。

〃Yes。　It's　the　second　to…day。〃

〃Well；　I　must　say　they've　got　some　queer　arrangements。　Though　of
course　it's　a　broiling　day；〃　said　the　chief　of　the　fire　brigade；
then；　turning　to　the　fireman　who　was　leading　the　lame　stallion；
he　shouted：　〃Put　him　into　the　corner　stall。　And　as　to　you；　you
hound；　I'll　teach　you　how　to　cripple　horses　which　are　worth　more
than　you　are；　you　scoundrel。〃

The　dead　man　was　taken　from　the　cart　by　the　policemen　just　in　the
same　way　as　the　first　had　been；　and　carried　upstairs　into　the
hospital。　Nekhludoff　followed　them　as　if　he　were　hypnotised。

〃What　do　you　want？〃　asked　one　of　the　policemen。　But　Nekhludoff
did　not　answer；　and　followed　where　the　body　was　being　carried。
The　madman；　sitting　on　a　bed；　was　smoking　greedily　the　cigarette
Nekhludoff　had　given　him。

〃Ah；　you've　come　back；〃　he　said；　and　laughed。　When　he　saw　the
body　he　made　a　face；　and　said；　〃Again！　I　am　sick　of　it。　I　am　not
a　boy；　am　I；　eh？〃　and　he　turned　to　Nekhludoff　with　a　questioning
smile。

　Nekhludoff　was　looking　at　the　dead　man；　whose　face；　which　had
been　hidden　by　his　cap；　was　now　visible。　This　convict　was　as
handsome　in　face　and　body　as　the　other　was　hideous。　He　was　a　man
in　the　full　bloom　of　life。　Notwithstanding　that　he　was　disfigured
by　the　half　of　his　head　being　shaved；　the　straight；　rather　low
forehead；　raised　a　bit　over　the　black；　lifeless　eyes；　was　very
fine；　and　so　was　the　nose　above　the　thin；　black　moustaches。　There
was　a　smile　on　the　lips　that　were　already　growing　blue；　a　small
beard　outlined　the　lower　part　of　the　face；　and　on　the　shaved　side
of　the　head　a　firm；　well…shaped　car　was　visible。

One　could　see　what　possibilities　of　a　higher　life　had　been
destroyed　in　this　man。　The　fine　bones　of　his　hands　and　shackled
feet；　the　strong　muscles　of　all　his　well…proportioned　limbs；
showed　what　a　beautiful；　strong；　agile　human　animal　this　had
been。　As　an　animal　merely　he　had　been　a　far　more　perfect　one　of
his　kind　than　the　bay　stallion；　about　the　laming　of　which　the
fireman　was　so　angry。

Yet　he　had　been　done　to　death；　and　no　one　was　sorry　for　him　as　a
man；　nor　was　any　one　sorry　that　so　fine　a　working　animal　had
perished。　The　only　feeling　evinced　was　that　of　annoyance　because
of　the　bother　caused　by　the　necessity　of　getting　this　body；
threatening　putrefaction；　out　of　the　way。　The　doctor　and　his
assistant　entered　the　hospital；　accompanied　by　the　inspector　of
the　police　station。　The　doctor　was　a　thick…set　man；　dressed　in
pongee　silk　coat　and　trousers　of　the　same　material；　closely
fitting　his　muscular　thighs。　The　inspector　was　a　little　fat
fellow；　with　a　red　face；　round　as　a　ball；　which　he　made　still
broader　by　a　habit　he　had　of　filling　his　cheeks　with　air；　and
slowly　letting　it　out　again。　The　doctor　sat　down　on　the　bed　by
the　side　of　the　dead　man；　and　touched　the　hands　in　the　same　way
as　his　assistant　had　done；　put　his　ear　to　the　heart；　rose；　and
pulled　his　trousers　straight。　〃Could　not　be　more　dead；〃　he　said。

The　inspector　filled　his　mouth　with　air　and　slowly　blew　it　out
again。

〃Which　prison　is　he　from？〃　he　asked　the　convoy　soldier。

The　soldier　told　him；　and　reminded　him　of　the　chains　on　the　dead
man's　feet。

〃I'll　have　them　taken　off；　we　have　got　a　smith　about；　the　Lord　be
thanked；〃　said　the　inspector；　and　blew　up　his　cheeks　again；　he
went　towards　the　door；　slowly　letting　out　the　air。

〃Why　has　this　happened？〃　Nekhludoff　asked　the　doctor。

The　doctor　looked　at　him　through　his　spectacles。

〃Why　has　what　happened？　Why　they　die　of　sunstroke；　you　mean？　This
is　why：　They　sit　all　through　the　winter　without　exercise　and
without　light；　and　suddenly　they　are　taken　out　into　the　sunshine；
and　on　a　day　like　this；　and　they　march　in　a　crowd　so　that　they
get　no　air；　and　sunstroke　is　the　result。〃

〃Then　why　are　they　sent　out？〃

〃Oh；　as　to　that；　go　and　ask　those　who　send　them。　But　may　I　ask
who　are　you？

〃I　am　a　stranger。〃

〃Ah；　well；　good…afternoon；　I　have　no　time。〃　The　doctor　was　vexed；
he　gave　his　trousers　a　downward　pull；　and　went　towards　the　beds
of　the　sick。

〃Well；　how　are　you　getting　on？〃　he　asked　the　pale　man　with　the
crooked　mouth　and　bandaged　neck。

Meanwhile　the　madman　sat　on　a　bed；　and　having　finished　his
cigarette；　kept　spitting　in　the　direction　of　the　doctor。

Nekhludoff　went　down　into　the　yard　and　out　of　the　gate　past　the
firemen's　horses　and　the　hens　and　the　sentinel　in　his　brass
helmet；　and　got　into　the　trap；　the　driver　of　which　had　again
fallen　asleep。


CHAPTER　XXXVIII。

THE　CONVICT　TRAIN。

When　Nekhludoff　came　to　the　station；　the　prisoners　were　all
seated　in　railway　carriages　with　grated　windows。　Several　persons；
come　to　see　them　off；　stood　on　the　platform；　but　were　not　allowed
to　come　up　to　the　carriages。

The　convoy　was　much　troubled　that　day。　On　the　way　from　the　prison
to　the　station；　besides　the　two　Nekhludoff　had　seen；　three　other
prisoners　had　fallen　and　died　of　sunstroke。　One　was　taken　to　the
nearest　police　station　like　the　first　two；　and　the　other　two　died
at　the　railway　station。　＇In　Moscow；　in　the　beginning　of　the　eighth
decade　of　this　century；　five　convicts　died　of　sunstroke　in　one
day　on　their　way　from　the　Boutyrki　prison　to　the　Nijni　railway
station。＇　The　convoy　men　were　not　troubled　because　five　men　who
might　have　been　alive　died　while　in　their　charge。　　This　did　not
trouble　them；　but　they　were　concerned　lest　anything　that　the　law
required　in　such　cases　should　be　omitted。　To　convey　the　bodies　to
the　places　appointed；　to　deliver　up　their　papers；　to　take　them
off　the　lists　of　those　to　be　conveyed　to　Nijniall　this　was　very
troublesome；　especially　on　so　hot　a　day。

It　was　this　that　occupied　the　convoy　men；　and　before　it　could　all
be　accomplished　Nekhludoff　and　the　others　who　asked　for　leave　to
go　up　to　the　carriages　were　not　allowed　to　do　so。　Nekhludoff；
however；　was　soon　allowed　to　go　up；　because　he　tipped　the　convoy
sergeant。　The　sergeant　let　Nekhludoff　pass；　but　asked　him　to　be
quick　and　get　his　talk　over　before　any　of　the　authorities
noticed。　There　were　15　carriages　in　all；　and　except　one　carriage
for　the　officials；　they　were　full　of　prisoners。　As　Nekhludoff
passed　the　carriages　he　listened　to　what　was　going　on　in　them。　In
all　the　carriages　was　heard　the　clanging　of　chains；　the　sound　of
bustle；　mixed　with　loud　and　senseless　language；　but　not　a　word
was　being　said　about　their　dead　fellow…prisoners。　The　talk　was
all　about　sacks；　drinking　water；　and　the　choice　of　seats。

Looking　into　one　of　the　carriages；　Nekhludoff　saw　convoy　soldiers
taking　the　manacles　off　the　hands　of　the　prisoners。　The　prisoners
held　out　their　arms；　and　one　of　the　soldiers　unlocked　the
manacles　with　a　key　and　took　them　off；　the　other　collected　them。

After　he　had　passed　all　the　other　carriages；　Nekhludoff　came　up
to　the　women's　carriages。　From　the　second　of　these　he　heard　a
woman's　groans：　〃Oh；　oh；　oh！　O　God！　Oh；　oh！　O　God！〃

Nekhludoff　passed　this　carriage　a