resurrection(复活)-第78部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


just　as　if　he　were　speaking　of　a　shot　being　fired；　〃we　succeeded
at　once。　I　went　to　fetch　her　myself。　Well；　friend；　so　I　got　to
town；　put　up　the　mare；　took　the　paper；　and　went　to　the　prison。
'What　do　you　want？'　'This　is　what　I　want；'　say　I；　'you've　got　my
wife　here　in　prison。'　'And　have　you　got　a　paper？'　I　gave　him　the
paper。　He　gave　it　a　look。　'Wait；'　says　he。　So　I　sat　down　on　a
bench。　It　was　already　past　noon　by　the　sun。　An　official　comes
out。　'You　are　Vargoushoff？'　'I　am。'　'Well；　you　may　take　her。'　The
gates　opened；　and　they　led　her　out　in　her　own　clothes　quite　all
right。　'Well；　come　along。　Have　you　come　on　foot？'　'No；　I　have　the
horse　here。'　So　I　went　and　paid　the　ostler；　and　harnessed；　put　in
all　the　hay　that　was　left；　and　covered　it　with　sacking　for　her　to
sit　on。　She　got　in　and　wrapped　her　shawl　round　her；　and　off　we
drove。　She　says　nothing　and　I　say　nothing。　just　as　we　were　coming
up　to　the　house　she　says；　'And　how's　mother；　is　she　alive？'　'Yes；
she's　alive。'　'And　father；　is　he　alive？　'Yes；　he　is。'　'Forgive
me；　Taras；'　she　says；　'for　my　folly。　I　did　not　myself　know　what　I
was　doing。'　So　I　say；　'Words　won't　mend　matters。　I　have　forgiven
you　long　ago；'　and　I　said　no　more。　We　got　home；　and　she　just　fell
at　mother's　feet。　Mother　says；　'The　Lord　will　forgive　you。'　And
father　said；　'How　d'you　do？'　and　'What's　past　is　past。　Live　as
best　you　can。　Now；'　says　he；　'is　not　the　time　for　all　that；
there's　the　harvest　to　be　gathered　in　down　at　Skorodino；'　he
says。　'Down　on　the　manured　acre；　by　the　Lord's　help；　the　ground
has　borne　such　rye　that　the　sickle　can't　tackle　it。　It's　all
interwoven　and　heavy；　and　has　sunk　beneath　its　weight；　that　must
be　reaped。　You　and　Taras　had　better　go　and　see　to　it　to…morrow。'
Well；　friend；　from　that　moment　she　took　to　the　work　and　worked　so
that　every　one　wondered。　At　that　time　we　rented　three　desiatins；
and　by　God's　help　we　had　a　wonderful　crop　both　of　oats　and　rye。　I
mow　and　she　binds　the　sheaves；　and　sometimes　we　both　of　us　reap。
I　am　good　at　work　and　not　afraid　of　it；　but　she's　better　still　at
whatever　she　takes　up。　She's　a　smart　woman；　young；　and　full　of
life；　and　as　to　work；　friend；　she'd　grown　that　eager　that　I　had
to　stop　her。　We　get　home；　our　fingers　swollen；　our　arms　aching；
and　she；　instead　of　resting；　rushes　off　to　the　barn　to　make
binders　for　the　sheaves　for　next　day。　Such　a　change！〃

〃Well；　and　to　you？　Was　she　kinder；　now？〃　asked　the　gardener。

〃That's　beyond　question。　She　clings　to　me　as　if　we　were　one　soul。
Whatever　I　think　she　understands。　Even　mother；　angry　as　she　was；
could　not　help　saying：　'It's　as　if　our　Theodosia　had　been
transformed；　she's　quite　a　different　woman　now！'　We　were　once
going　to　cart　the　sheaves　with　two　carts。　She　and　I　were　in　the
first；　and　I　say；　'How　could　you　think　of　doing　that；　Theodosia？'
and　she　says；　'How　could　I　think　of　it？　just　so；　I　did　not　wish
to　live　with　you。　I　thought　I'd　rather　die　than　live　with　you！'　I
say；　'And　now？'　and　she　says；　'Now　you're　in　my　heart！'〃　Taras
stopped；　and　smiled　joyfully；　shook　his　head　as　if　surprised。
〃Hardly　had　we　got　the　harvest　home　when　I　went　to　soak　the　hemp；
and　when　I　got　home　there　was　a　summons；　she　must　go　to　be　tried；
and　we　had　forgotten　all　about　the　matter　that　she　was　to　be
tried　for。〃

〃It　can　only　be　the　evil　one；〃　said　the　gardener。　〃Could　any　man
of　himself　think　of　destroying　a　living　soul？　We　had　a　fellow
once〃　and　the　gardener　was　about　to　commence　his　tale　when　the
train　began　to　stop。

〃It　seems　we　are　coming　to　a　station；〃　he　said。　〃I'll　go　and　have
a　drink。〃

The　conversation　stopped；　and　Nekhludoff　followed　the　gardener
out　of　the　carriage　onto　the　wet　platform　of　the　station。


CHAPTER　XLII。

LE　VRAI　GRAND　MONDE。

Before　Nekhludoff　got　out　he　had　noticed　in　the　station　yard
several　elegant　equipages；　some　with　three；　some　with　four；
well…fed　horses；　with　tinkling　bells　on　their　harness。　When　he
stepped　out　on　the　wet；　dark…coloured　boards　of　the　platform；　he
saw　a　group　of　people　in　front　of　the　first…class　carriage；　among
whom　were　conspicuous　a　stout　lady　with　costly　feathers　on　her
hat；　and　a　waterproof；　and　a　tall；　thin…legged　young　man　in　a
cycling　suit。　The　young　man　had　by　his　side　an　enormous；　well…fed
dog；　with　a　valuable　collar。　Behind　them　stood　footmen；　holding
wraps　and　umbrellas；　and　a　coachman；　who　had　also　come　to　meet
the　train。

On　the　whole　of　the　group；　from　the　fat　lady　down　to　the　coachman
who　stood　holding　up　his　long　coat；　there　lay　the　stamp　of　wealth
and　quiet　self…assurance。　A　curious　and　servile　crowd　rapidly
gathered　round　this　groupthe　station…master；　in　his　red　cap；　a
gendarme；　a　thin　young　lady　in　a　Russian　costume；　with　beads
round　her　neck；　who　made　a　point　of　seeing　the　trains　come　in　all
through　the　summer；　a　telegraph　clerk；　and　passengers；　men　and
women。

In　the　young　man　with　the　dog　Nekhludoff　recognised　young
Korchagin；　a　gymnasium　student。　The　fat　lady　was　the　Princess's
sister；　to　whose　estate　the　Korchagins　were　now　moving。　The
guard；　with　his　gold　cord　and　shiny　top…boots；　opened　the　carriage
door　and　stood　holding　it　as　a　sign　of　deference；　while　Philip
and　a　porter　with　a　white　apron　carefully　carried　out　the
long…faced　Princess　in　her　folding　chair。　The　sisters　greeted
each　other；　and　French　sentences　began　flying　about。　Would　the
Princess　go　in　a　closed　or　an　open　carriage？　At　last　the
procession　started　towards　the　exit；　the　lady's　maid；　with　her
curly　fringe；　parasol　and　leather　case　in　the　rear。

Nekhludoff　not　wishing　to　meet　them　and　to　have　to　take　leave
over　again；　stopped　before　he　got　to　the　door；　waiting　for　the
procession　to　pass。

The　Princess；　her　son；　Missy；　the　doctor；　and　the　maid　went　out
first；　the　old　Prince　and　his　sister…in…law　remained　behind。
Nekhludoff　was　too　far　to　catch　anything　but　a　few　disconnected
French　sentences　of　their　conversation　One　of　the　sentences
uttered　by　the　Prince；　as　it　often　happens；　for　some
unaccountable　reason　remained　in　his　memory　with　all　its
intonations　and　the　sound　of　the　voice。

〃Oh；　il　est　du　vrai　grand　monde；　du　vrai　grand　monde；〃　said　the
Prince　in　his　loud；　self…assured　tone　as　he　went　out　of　the
station　with　his　sister…in…law；　accompanied　by　the　respectful
guards　and　porters。

At　this　moment　from　behind　the　corner　of　the　station　suddenly
appeared　a　crowd　of　workmen　in　bark　shoes；　wearing　sheepskin
coats　and　carrying　bags　on　their　backs。　The　workmen　went　up　to
the　nearest　carriage　with　soft　yet　determined　steps；　and　were
about　to　get　in；　but　were　at　once　driven　away　by　a　guard。　Without
stopping；　the　workmen　passed　on；　hurrying　and　jostling　one
another；　to　the　next　carriage　and　began　getting　in；　catching
their　bags　against　the　corners　and　door　of　the　carriage；　but
another　guard　caught　sight　of　them　from　the　door　of　the　station；
and　shouted　at　them　severely。　The　workmen；　who　had　already　got
in；　hurried　out　again　and　went　on；　with　the　same　soft　and　firm
steps；　still　further　towards　Nekhludoff's　carriage。　A　guard　was
again　going　to　stop　them；　but　Nekhludoff　said　there　was　plenty　of
room　inside；　and　that　they　had　better　get　in。　They　obeyed　and　got
in；　followed　by　Nekhludoff。

The　workmen　were　about　to　take　their　seats；　when　the　gentleman
with　the　cockade　and　the　two　ladies；　looking　at　this　attempt　to
settle　in　their　carriage　as　a　personal　insult　to　themselves；
indignantly　protested　and　wanted　to　turn　them　out。　The
workmenthere　were　20　of　them；　old　men　and　quite　young　ones；　all
of　them　wearied；　sunburnt；　with　haggard　facesbegan　at　once　to
move　on　through　the　carriage；　catching　the　seats；　the　walls；　and
the　doors　with　their　bags。　They　evidently　felt　they　had　offended
in　some　way；　and　seemed　ready　to　go　on　indefinitely　wherever　they
were　ordered　to　go。

〃Where　are　you　pushing　to；　you　fiends？　Sit　down　here；〃　shouted
another　guard　they　met。

〃Voild　encore　des　nouvelles；〃　exclaimed　the　younger　of　the　two
ladies；　quite　convinced　that　she　would　attract　Nekhludoff's
notice　by　her　good　French。

The　other　lady　with　the　bracelets　kept　sniffing　and　making　faces；
and　remarked　something　about　how　pleasant　it　was　to　sit　with
smelly　peasants。

The　workmen；　who　felt　the　joy　and　calm　experienced　by　people　who
have　escaped　some　kind　of　danger；　threw　off　their　heavy　bags　with
a　movement　of　their　shoulders　and　stowed　them　away　under　the
seats。

The　gardener　had　left　his　own　seat　to　talk　with　Taras；　and　now
went　back；　so　that　there　were　two　unoccupied　seats　opposite　and
one　next　to　Taras。　Three　of　the　workmen　took　these　seats；　but
when　Nekhludoff　came　up　to　them；　in　his　gentleman's　clothing；
they　got　so　confused　that　they　rose　to　go　away；　but　Nekhludoff
asked　them　to　stay；　and　himself　sat　down　on　the　arm　of　the　seat；
by　the　passage　down　the　middle　of　the　carriage。

One　of　the　workmen；　a　man　of　about　50；　exchanged　a　surprised　and
even　frightened　look　with　a　young　man。　That　Nekhludoff；　instead
of　scolding　and　driving　them　away；　as　was　natural　to　a　gentleman；
should　give　up　his　seat　to　them；　astonished　and　perplexed　them。
They　even　feared　that　this　might　have　some　evil　result　for　them。

However；　they　soon　noticed　that　there　was　no　underlying　plot　when
they　heard　Nekhludoff　talking　quite　simply　with　Taras；　and　they
grew　quiet　and　told　one　of　the　lads　to　sit　down　on　his　bag　and
give　his　seat　to　Nekhludoff。　At　first　the　elderly　workman　who　sat
opposite　Nekhludoff　shrank　and　drew　back　his　legs　for　fear　of
touching　the　gentleman；　but　after　a　while　he　grew　quite　friendly；
and　in　talking　to　him　and　Taras　even　slapped　Nekhludoff　on　the
knee　when　he　wanted　to　draw　special　attention　to　what　he　was
saying。

He　told　them　all　about　his　position　and　his　work　in　the　peat
bogs；　whence　he　was　now　returning　home。　He　had　been　working　there
for　two　and　a　half　months；　and　was　bringing　home　his　wages；　which
only　came　to　10　roubles；　since　part　had　been　paid　beforehand　when
he　was　hired。　They　worked；　as　he　explained；　up　to　their　knees　in
water　from　sunrise　to　sunset；　with　two　hours'　interval　for
dinner。

〃Those　who　are　not　used　to　it　find　it　hard；　of　course；〃　he　said；
〃　but　when　one's　hardened　it　doesn't　matter；　if　only　the　food　is
right。　At　first　the　food　wa