resurrection(复活)-第67部分

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meet　with　success；　and　I　hope…〃

〃I'm　not　thinking　of　that；〃　she　said；　looking　piteously　at　him
with　her　wet；　squinting　eyes。

〃What　is　it；　then？〃

〃You　have　been　to　the　hospital；　and　they　have　most　likely　told
you　about　me〃

〃What　of　that？　That　is　your　affair；〃　said　Nekhludoff　coldly；　and
frowned。　The　cruel　feeling　of　wounded　pride　that　had　quieted　down
rose　with　renewed　force　when　she　mentioned　the　hospital。

〃He；　a　man　of　the　world；　whom　any　girl　of　the　best　families　would
think　it　happiness　to　marry；　offered　himself　as　a　husband　to　this
woman；　and　she　could　not　even　wait；　but　began　intriguing　with　the
medical　assistant；〃　thought　he；　with　a　look　of　hatred。

〃Here；　sign　this　petition；〃　he　said；　taking　a　large　envelope　from
his　pocket；　and　laying　the　paper　on　the　table。　She　wiped　the
tears　with　a　corner　of　her　kerchief；　and　asked　what　to　write　and
where。

He　showed　her；　and　she　sat　down　and　arranged　the　cuff　of　her
right　sleeve　with　her　left　hand；　he　stood　behind　her；　and
silently　looked　at　her　back；　which　shook　with　suppressed　emotion；
and　evil　and　good　feelings　were　fighting　in　his　breastfeelings
of　wounded　pride　and　of　pity　for　her　who　was　sufferingand　the
last　feeling　was　victorious。

He　could　not　remember　which　came　first；　did　the　pity　for　her
first　enter　his　heart；　or　did　he　first　remember　his　own　sinshis
own　repulsive　actions；　the　very　same　for　which　he　was　condemning
her？　Anyhow；　he　both　felt　himself　guilty　and　pitied　her。

Having　signed　the　petition　and　wiped　her　inky　finger　on　her
petticoat；　she　got　up　and　looked　at　him。

〃Whatever　happens；　whatever　comes　of　it；　my　resolve　remains
unchanged；〃　said　Nekhludoff。　The　thought　that　he　had　forgiven　her
heightened　his　feeling　of　pity　and　tenderness　for　her；　and　he
wished　to　comfort　her。　〃I　will　do　what　I　have　said；　wherever　they
take　you　I　shall　be　with　you。〃

〃What's　the　use？〃　she　interrupted　hurriedly；　though　her　whole
face　lighted　up。

Think　what　you　will　want　on　the　way〃

〃I　don't　know　of　anything　in　particular；　thank　you。〃

The　inspector　came　up；　and　without　waiting　for　a　remark　from　him
Nekhludoff　took　leave；　and　went　out　with　peace；　joy；　and　love
towards　everybody　in　his　heart　such　as　he　had　never　felt　before。
The　certainty　that　no　action　of　Maslova　could　change　his　love　for
her　filled　him　with　joy　and　raised　him　to　a　level　which　he　had
never　before　attained。　Let　her　intrigue　with　the　medical
assistant；　that　was　her　business。　He　loved　her　not　for　his　own
but　for　her　sake　and　for　God's。

And　this　intrigue；　for　which　Maslova　was　turned　out　of　the
hospital；　and　of　which　Nekhludoff　believed　she　was　really　guilty；
consisted　of　the　following：

Maslova　was　sent　by　the　head　nurse　to　get　some　herb　tea　from　the
dispensary　at　the　end　of　the　corridor；　and　there；　all　alone；　she
found　the　medical　assistant；　a　tall　man；　with　a　blotchy　face；　who
had　for　a　long　time　been　bothering　her。　In　trying　to　get　away
from　him　Maslova　gave　him　such　a　push　that　he　knocked　his　head
against　a　shelf；　from　which　two　bottles　fell　and　broke。　The　head
doctor；　who　was　passing　at　that　moment；　heard　the　sound　of
breaking　glass；　and　saw　Maslova　run　out；　quite　red；　and　shouted
to　her：

〃Ah；　my　good　woman；　if　you　start　intriguing　here；　I'll　send　you
about　your　business。　What　is　the　meaning　of　it？〃　he　went　on；
addressing　the　medical　assistant；　and　looking　at　him　over　his
spectacles。

The　assistant　smiled；　and　began　to　justify　himself。　The　doctor
gave　no　heed　to　him；　but；　lifting　his　head　so　that　he　now　looked
through　his　spectacles；　he　entered　the　ward。　He　told　the
inspector　the　same　day　to　send　another　more　sedate
assistant…nurse　in　Maslova's　place。　And　this　was　her　〃intrigue〃
with　the　medical　assistant。

Being　turned　out　for　a　love　intrigue　was　particularly　painful　to
Maslova；　because　the　relations　with　men；　which　had　long　been
repulsive　to　her；　had　become　specially　disgusting　after　meeting
Nekhludoff。　The　thought　that；　judging　her　by　her　past　and　present
position；　every　man；　the　blotchy　assistant　among　them；　considered
he　had　a　right　to　offend　her；　and　was　surprised　at　her　refusal；
hurt　her　deeply；　and　made　her　pity　herself　and　brought　tears　to
her　eyes。

When　she　went　out　to　Nekhludoff　this　time　she　wished　to　clear
herself　of　the　false　charge　which　she　knew　he　would　certainly
have　heard　about。　But　when　she　began　to　justify　herself　she　felt
he　did　not　believe　her；　and　that　her　excuses　would　only
strengthen　his　suspicions；　tears　choked　her；　and　she　was　silent。

Maslova　still　thought　and　continued　to　persuade　herself　that　she
had　never　forgiven　him；　and　hated　him；　as　she　told　him　at　their
second　interview；　but　in　reality　she　loved　him　again；　and　loved
him　so　that　she　did　all　he　wished　her　to　do；　left　off　drinking；
smoking；　coquetting；　and　entered　the　hospital　because　she　knew　he
wished　it。　And　if　every　time　he　reminded　her　of　it；　she　refused
so　decidedly　to　accept　his　sacrifice　and　marry　him；　it　was
because　she　liked　repeating　the　proud　words　she　had　once　uttered；
and　because　she　knew　that　a　marriage　with　her　would　be　a
misfortune　for　him。

She　had　resolutely　made　up　her　mind　that　she　would　not　accept　his
sacrifice；　and　yet　the　thought　that　he　despised　her　and　believed
that　she　still　was　what　she　had　been；　and　did　not　notice　the
change　that　had　taken　place　in　her；　was　very　painful。　That　he
could　still　think　she　had　done　wrong　while　in　the　hospital
tormented　her　more　than　the　news　that　her　sentence　was　confirmed。


CHAPTER　XXX。

THE　ASTONISHING　INSTITUTION　CALLED　CRIMINAL　LAW。

Maslova　might　be　sent　off　with　the　first　gang　of　prisoners；
therefore　Nekhludoff　got　ready　for　his　departure。　But　there　was
so　much　to　be　done　that　he　felt　that　he　could　not　finish　it；
however　much　time　he　might　have。　It　was　quite　different　now　from
what　it　had　been。　Formerly　he　used　to　be　obliged　to　look　for　an
occupation；　the　interest　of　which　always　centred　in　one　person；
i。e。；　Dmitri　Ivanovitch　Nekhludoff；　and　yet；　though　every
interest　of　his　life　was　thus　centred；　all　these　occupations　were
very　wearisome。　Now　all　his　occupations　related　to　other　people
and　not　to　Dmitri　Ivanovitch；　and　they　were　all　interesting　and
attractive；　and　there　was　no　end　to　them。　Nor　was　this　all。
Formerly　Dmitri　Ivanovitch　Nekhludoff's　occupations　always　made
him　feel　vexed　and　irritable；　now　they　produced　a　joyful　state　of
mind。　The　business　at　present　occupying　Nekhludoff　could　be
divided　under　three　headings。　He　himself；　with　his　usual
pedantry；　divided　it　in　that　way；　and　accordingly　kept　the　papers
referring　to　it　in　three　different　portfolios。　The　first　referred
to　Maslova；　and　was　chiefly　that　of　taking　steps　to　get　her
petition　to　the　Emperor　attended　to；　and　preparing　for　her
probable　journey　to　Siberia。

The　second　was　about　his　estates。　In　Panovo　he　had　given　the　land
to　the　peasants　on　condition　of　their　paying　rent　to　be　put　to
their　own　communal　use。　But　he　had　to　confirm　this　transaction　by
a　legal　deed；　and　to　make　his　will；　in　accordance　with　it。　In
Kousminski　the　state　of　things　was　still　as　he　had　first　arranged
it；　i。e。；　he　was　to　receive　the　rent；　but　the　terms　had　to　be
fixed；　and　also　how　much　of　the　money　he　would　use　to　live　on；
and　how　much　he　would　leave　for　the　peasants'　use。　As　he　did　not
know　what　his　journey　to　Siberia　would　cost　him；　he　could　not
decide　to　lose　this　revenue　altogether；　though　he　reduced　the
income　from　it　by　half。

The　third　part　of　his　business　was　to　help　the　convicts；　who
applied　more　and　more　often　to　him。　At　first　when　he　came　in
contact　with　the　prisoners；　and　they　appealed　to　him　for　help；　he
at　once　began　interceding　for　them；　hoping　to　lighten　their　fate；
but　he　soon　had　so　many　applications　that　he　felt　the
impossibility　of　attending　to　all　of　them；　and　that　naturally　led
him　to　take　up　another　piece　of　work；　which　at　last　roused　his
interest　even　more　than　the　three　first。　This　new　part　of　his
business　was　finding　an　answer　to　the　following　questions：　What
was　this　astonishing　institution　called　criminal　law；　of　which
the　results　were　that　in　the　prison；　with　some　of　the　inmates　of
which　he　had　lately　become　acquainted；　and　in　all　those　other
places　of　confinement；　from　the　Peter　and　Paul　Fortress　in
Petersburg　to　the　island　of　Sakhalin；　hundreds　and　thousands　of
victims　were　pining？　What　did　this　strange　criminal　law　exist
for？　How　had　it　originated？

From　his　personal　relations　with　the　prisoners；　from　notes　by
some　of　those　in　confinement；　and　by　questioning　the　advocate　and
the　prison　priest；　Nekhludoff　came　to　the　conclusion　that　the
convicts；　the　so…called　criminals；　could　be　divided　into　five
classes。　The　first　were　quite　innocent　people；　condemned　by
judicial　blunder。　Such　were　the　Menshoffs；　supposed　to　be
incendiaries；　Maslova；　and　others。　There　were　not　many　of　these；
according　to　the　priest's　words；　only　seven　per　cent。；　but　their
condition　excited　particular　interest。

To　the　second　class　belong　persons　condemned　for　actions　done
under　peculiar　circumstances；　i。e。；　in　a　fit　of　passion；　jealousy；
or　drunkenness；　circumstances　under　which　those　who　judged　them
would　surely　have　committed　the　same　actions。

The　third　class　consisted　of　people　punished　for　having　committed
actions　which；　according　to　their　understanding；　were　quite
natural；　and　even　good；　but　which　those　other　people；　the　men　who
made　the　laws；　considered　to　be　crimes。　Such　were　the　persons　who
sold　spirits　without　a　license；　smugglers；　those　who　gathered
grass　and　wood　on　large　estates　and　in　the　forests　belonging　to
the　Crown；　the　thieving　miners；　and　those　unbelieving　people　who
robbed　churches。

To　the　fourth　class　belonged　those　who　were　imprisoned　only
because　they　stood　morally　higher　than　the　average　level　of
society。　Such　were　the　Sectarians；　the　Poles；　the　Circassians
rebelling　in　order　to　regain　their　independence；　the　political
prisoners；　the　Socialists；　the　strikers　condemned　for
withstanding　the　authorities。　There　was；　according　to
Nekhludoff's　observations；　a　very　large　percentage　belonging　to
this　class；　among　them　some　of　the　best　of　men。

The　fifth　class　consisted　of　persons　who　had　been　far　more　sinned
agains