resurrection(复活)-第58部分

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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　each　other　by　light　emanating　from　their　astral
bodies。　The　General；　with　his　bushy　grey　eyebrows　gravely
contracted；　sat　gazing　at　the　hands　on　the　saucer；　and；　imagining
that　it　was　moving　of　its　own　accord；　kept　pulling　the　saucer
towards　b。　The　pale…faced　young　artist；　with　his　thin　hair　combed
back　behind　his　cars；　was　looking　with　his　lifeless　blue　eyes
into　a　dark　corner　of　the　drawing…room；　nervously　moving　his　lips
and　pulling　the　saucer　towards　l。

The　General　made　a　wry　face　at　the　interruption；　but　after　a
moment's　pause　he　took　the　card；　put　on　his　pince…nez；　and；
uttering　a　groan；　rose；　in　spite　of　the　pain　in　his　back；　to　his
full　height；　rubbing　his　numb　fingers。

〃Ask　him　into　the　study。〃

〃With　your　excellency's　permission　I　will　finish　it　alone；〃　said
the　artist；　rising。　〃I　feel　the　presence。〃

〃All　right；　finish　alone；〃　the　General　said；　severely　and
decidedly；　and　stepped　quickly；　with　big；　firm　and　measured
strides；　into　his　study。

〃Very　pleased　to　see　you；〃　said　the　General　to　Nekhludoff；
uttering　the　friendly　words　in　a　gruff　tone；　and　pointing　to　an
armchair　by　the　side　of　the　writing…table。　〃Have　you　been　in
Petersburg　long？〃

Nekhludoff　replied　that　he　had　only　lately　arrived。

〃Is　the　Princess；　your　mother；　well？〃

〃My　mother　is　dead。〃

〃Forgive　me；　I　am　very　sorry。　My　son　told　me　he　had　met　you。〃

The　General's　son　was　making　the　same　kind　of　career　for　himself
that　the　father　had　done；　and；　having　passed　the　Military
Academy；　was　now　serving　in　the　Inquiry　Office；　and　was　very
proud　of　his　duties　there。　His　occupation　was　the　management　of
Government　spies。

〃Why；　I　served　with　your　father。　We　were　friendscomrades。　And
you；　are　you　also　in　the　Service？〃

〃No；　I　am　not。〃

The　General　bent　his　head　disapprovingly。

〃I　have　a　request　to　make；　General。〃

〃Very　pleased。　In　what　way　can　I　be　of　service　to　you？〃　If　my
request　is　out　of　place　pray　pardon　me。　But　I　am　obliged　to　make
it。〃

〃What　is　it？〃

〃There　is　a　certain　Gourkevitch　imprisoned　in　the　fortress；　his
mother　asks　for　an　interview　with　him；　or　at　least　to　be　allowed
to　send　him　some　books。〃

The　General　expressed　neither　satisfaction　nor　dissatisfaction　at
Nekhludoff's　request；　but　bending　his　head　on　one　side　he　closed
his　eyes　as　if　considering。　In　reality　he　was　not　considering
anything；　and　was　not　even　interested　in　Nekhludoff's　questions；
well　knowing　that　he　would　answer　them　according　to　the　law。　He
was　simply　resting　mentally　and　not　thinking　at　all。

〃You　see；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃this　does　not　depend　on　me。　There　is
a　regulation；　confirmed　by　His　Majesty；　concerning　interviews；
and　as　to　books；　we　have　a　library；　and　they　may　have　what　is
permitted。〃

〃Yes；　but　he　wants　scientific　books；　he　wishes　to　study。〃

〃Don't　you　believe　it；〃　growled　the　General。　〃It's　not　study　he
wants；　it　is　just　only　restlessness。〃

〃But　what　is　to　be　done？　They　must　occupy　their　time　somehow　in
their　hard　condition；〃　said　Nekhludoff。

〃They　are　always　complaining；〃　said　the　General。　〃We　know　them。〃

He　spoke　of　them　in　a　general　way；　as　if　they　were　all　a
specially　bad　race　of　men。　〃They　have　conveniences　here　which　can
be　found　in　few　places　of　confinement；〃　said　the　General；　and　he
began　to　enumerate　the　comforts　the　prisoners　enjoyed；　as　if　the
aim　of　the　institution　was　to　give　the　people　imprisoned　there　a
comfortable　home。

〃It　is　true　it　used　to　be　rather　rough；　but　now　they　are　very
well　kept　here；〃　he　continued。　〃They　have　three　courses　for
dinnerand　one　of　them　meatcutlets；　or　rissoles；　and　on
Sundays　they　get　a　fourtha　sweet　dish。　God　grant　every　Russian
may　eat　as　well　as　they　do。〃

Like　all　old　people；　the　General；　having　once　got　on　to　a
familiar　topic；　enumerated　the　various　proofs　he　had　often　given
before　of　the　prisoners　being　exacting　and　ungrateful。

〃They　get　books　on　spiritual　subjects　and　old　journals。　We　have　a
library。　Only　they　rarely　read。　At　first　they　seem　interested；
later　on　the　new　books　remain　uncut；　and　the　old　ones　with　their
leaves　unturned。　We　tried　them；〃　said　the　old　General；　with　the
dim　likeness　of　a　smile。　〃We　put　bits　of　paper　in　on　purpose；
which　remained　just　as　they　had　been　placed。　Writing　is　also　not
forbidden；〃　he　continued。　〃A　slate　is　provided；　and　a　slate
pencil；　so　that　they　can　write　as　a　pastime。　They　can　wipe　the
slate　and　write　again。　But　they　don't　write；　either。　Oh；　they
very　soon　get　quite　tranquil。　At　first　they　seem　restless；　but
later　on　they　even　grow　fat　and　become　very　quiet。〃　Thus　spoke
the　General；　never　suspecting　the　terrible　meaning　of　his　words。

Nekhludoff　listened　to　the　hoarse　old　voice；　looked　at　the　stiff
limbs；　the　swollen　eyelids　under　the　grey　brows；　at　the　old；
clean…shaved；　flabby　jaw；　supported　by　the　collar　of　the　military
uniform；　at　the　white　cross　that　this　man　was　so　proud　of；
chiefly　because　he　had　gained　it　by　exceptionally　cruel　and
extensive　slaughter；　and　knew　that　it　was　useless　to　reply　to　the
old　man　or　to　explain　the　meaning　of　his　own　words　to　him。

He　made　another　effort；　and　asked　about　the　prisoner　Shoustova；
for　whose　release；　as　he　had　been　informed　that　morning；　orders
were　given。

〃ShoustovaShoustova？　I　cannot　remember　all　their　names；　there
are　so　many　of　them；〃　he　said；　as　if　reproaching　them　because
there　were　so　many。　He　rang；　and　ordered　the　secretary　to　be
called。　While　waiting　for　the　latter；　he　began　persuading
Nekhludoff　to　serve；　saying　that　〃honest　noblemen；〃　counting
himself　among　the　number；　〃were　particularly　needed　by　the　Tsar
andthe　country；〃　he　added；　evidently　only　to　round　off　his
sentence。　〃I　am　old；　yet　I　am　serving　still；　as　well　as　my
strength　allows。〃

The　secretary；　a　dry；　emaciated　man；　with　restless；　intelligent
eyes；　came　in　and　reported　that　Shoustova　was　imprisoned　in　some
queer；　fortified　place；　and　that　he　had　received　no　orders
concerning　her。

〃When　we　get　the　order　we　shall　let　her　out　the　same　day。　We　do
not　keep　them；　we　do　not　value　their　visits　much；〃　said　the
General；　with　another　attempt　at　a　playful　smile；　which　only
distorted　his　old　face。

Nekhludoff　rose；　trying　to　keep　from　expressing　the　mixed
feelings　of　repugnance　and　pity　which　he　felt　towards　this
terrible　old　man。　The　old　man　on　his　part　considered　that　he
should　not　be　too　severe　on　the　thoughtless　and　evidently
misguided　son　of　his　old　comrade；　and　should　not　leave　him
without　advice。

〃Good…bye；　my　dear　fellow；　do　not　take　it　amiss。　It　is　my
affection　that　makes　me　say　it。　Do　not　keep　company　with　such
people　as　we　have　at　our　place　here。　There　are　no　innocent　ones
among　them。　All　these　people　are　most　immoral。　We　know　them；〃　he
said；　in　a　tone　that　admitted　no　possibility　of　doubt。　And　he　did
not　doubt；　not　because　the　thing　was　so；　but　because　if　it　was
not　so；　he　would　have　to　admit　himself　to　be　not　a　noble　hero
living　out　the　last　days　of　a　good　life；　but　a　scoundrel；　who
sold；　and　still　continued　in　his　old　age　to　sell；　his　conscience。

〃Best　of　all；　go　and　serve；〃　he　continued；　〃the　Tsar　needs　honest
menand　the　country；〃　he　added。　〃Well；　supposing　I　and　the
others　refused　to　serve；　as　you　are　doing？　Who　would　be　left？
Here　we　are；　finding　fault　with　the　order　of　things；　and　yet　not
wishing　to　help　the　Government。〃

With　a　deep　sigh　Nekhludoff　made　a　low　bow；　shook　the　large；　bony
hand　condescendingly　stretched　out　to　him　and　left　the　room。

The　General　shook　his　head　reprovingly；　and　rubbing　his　back；　he
again　went　into　the　drawing…room　where　the　artist　was　waiting　for
him。　He　had　already　written　down　the　answer　given　by　the　soul　of
Joan　of　Arc。　The　General　put　on　his　pince…nez　and　read；　〃Will
know　one　another　by　light　emanating　from　their　astral　bodies。〃

〃Ah；〃　said　the　General；　with　approval；　and　closed　his　eyes。　〃But
how　is　one　to　know　if　the　light　of　all　is　alike？〃　he　asked；　and
again　crossed　fingers　with　the　artist　on　the　saucer。

The　isvostchik　drove　Nekhludoff　out　of　the　gate。

It　is　dull　here；　sir；　he　said；　turning　to　Nekhludoff。　〃I　almost
wished　to　drive　off　without　waiting　for　you。〃

Nekhlud