resurrection(复活)-第26章

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carriages　were　gliding　by　faster；　and　at　last　the　third…class
carriages　still　faster。　But　she　ran　on；　and　when　the　last
carriage　with　the　lamps　at　the　back　had　gone　by；　she　had　already
reached　the　tank　which　fed　the　engines；　and　was　unsheltered　from
the　wind；　which　was　blowing　her　shawl　about　and　making　her　skirt
cling　round　her　legs。　The　shawl　flew　off　her　head；　but　still　she
ran　on。

〃Katerina　Michaelovna；　you've　lost　your　shawl！〃　screamed　the
little　girl；　who　was　trying　to　keep　up　with　her。

Katusha　stopped；　threw　back　her　head；　and　catching　hold　of　it
with　both　hands　sobbed　aloud。　〃Gone！〃　she　screamed。

〃He　is　sitting　in　a　velvet　arm…chair　and　joking　and　drinking；　in
a　brightly　lit　carriage；　and　I；　out　here　in　the　mud；　in　the
darkness；　in　the　wind　and　the　rain；　am　standing　and　weeping；〃　she
thought　to　herself；　and　sat　down　on　the　ground；　sobbing　so　loud
that　the　little　girl　got　frightened；　and　put　her　arms　round　her；
wet　as　she　was。

〃Come　home；　dear；〃　she　said。

〃When　a　train　passesthen　under　a　carriage；　and　there　will　be　an
end；〃　Katusha　was　thinking；　without　heeding　the　girl。

And　she　made　up　her　mind　to　do　it；　when；　as　it　always　happens；
when　a　moment　of　quiet　follows　great　excitement；　he；　the
childhis　childmade　himself　known　within　her。　Suddenly　all
that　a　moment　before　had　been　tormenting　her；　so　that　it　had
seemed　impossible　to　live；　all　her　bitterness　towards　him；　and
the　wish　to　revenge　herself；　even　by　dying；　passed　away；　she　grew
quieter；　got　up；　put　the　shawl　on　her　head；　and　went　home。

Wet；　muddy；　and　quite　exhausted；　she　returned；　and　from　that　day
the　change　which　brought　her　where　she　now　was　began　to　operate
in　her　soul。　Beginning　from　that　dreadful　night；　she　ceased
believing　in　God　and　in　goodness。　She　had　herself　believed　in
God；　and　believed　that　other　people　also　believed　in　Him；　but
after　that　night　she　became　convinced　that　no　one　believed；　and
that　all　that　was　said　about　God　and　His　laws　was　deception　and
untruth。　He　whom　she　loved；　and　who　had　loved　heryes；　she　knew
thathad　thrown　her　away；　had　abused　her　love。　Yet　he　was　the
best　of　all　the　people　she　knew。　All　the　rest　were　still　worse。
All　that　afterwards　happened　to　her　strengthened　her　in　this
belief　at　every　step。　His　aunts；　the　pious　old　ladies；　turned　her
out　when　she　could　no　longer　serve　them　as　she　used　to。　And　of
all　those　she　met；　the　women　used　her　as　a　means　of　getting
money；　the　men；　from　the　old　police　officer　down　to　the　warders
of　the　prison；　looked　at　her　as　on　an　object　for　pleasure。　And　no
one　in　the　world　cared　for　aught　but　pleasure。　In　this　belief　the
old　author　with　whom　she　had　come　together　in　the　second　year　of
her　life　of　independence　had　strengthened　her。　He　had　told　her
outright　that　it　was　this　that　constituted　the　happiness　of　life；
and　he　called　it　poetical　and　aesthetic。

Everybody　lived　for　himself　only；　for　his　pleasure；　and　all　the
talk　concerning　God　and　righteousness　was　deception。　And　if
sometimes　doubts　arose　in　her　mind　and　she　wondered　why
everything　was　so　ill…arranged　in　the　world　that　all　hurt　each
other；　and　made　each　other　suffer；　she　thought　it　best　not　to
dwell　on　it；　and　if　she　felt　melancholy　she　could　smoke；　or；
better　still；　drink；　and　it　would　pass。


CHAPTER　XXXVIII。

SUNDAY　IN　PRISONPREPARING　FOR　MASS。

On　Sunday　morning　at　five　o'clock；　when　a　whistle　sounded　in　the
corridor　of　the　women's　ward　of　the　prison；　Korableva；　who　was
already　awake；　called　Maslova。

〃Oh；　dear！　life　again；〃　thought　Maslova；　with　horror；
involuntarily　breathing　in　the　air　that　had　become　terribly
noisome　towards　the　morning。　She　wished　to　fall　asleep　again；　to
enter　into　the　region　of　oblivion；　but　the　habit　of　fear　overcame
sleepiness；　and　she　sat　up　and　looked　round；　drawing　her　feet
under　her。　The　women　had　all　got　up；　only　the　elder　children　were
still　asleep。　The　spirit…trader　was　carefully　drawing　a　cloak
from　under　the　children；　so　as　not　to　wake　them。　The　watchman's
wife　was　hanging　up　the　rags　to　dry　that　served　the　baby　as
swaddling　clothes；　while　the　baby　was　screaming　desperately　in
Theodosia's　arms；　who　was　trying　to　quiet　it。　The　consumptive
woman　was　coughing　with　her　hands　pressed　to　her　chest；　while　the
blood　rushed　to　her　face；　and　she　sighed　loudly；　almost
screaming；　in　the　intervals　of　coughing。　The　fat；　red…haired
woman　was　lying　on　her　back；　with　knees　drawn　up；　and　loudly
relating　a　dream。　The　old　woman　accused　of　incendiarism　was
standing　in　front　of　the　image；　crossing　herself　and　bowing；　and
repeating　the　same　words　over　and　over　again。　The　deacon's
daughter　sat　on　the　bedstead；　looking　before　her；　with　a　dull；
sleepy　face。　Khoroshavka　was　twisting　her　black；　oily；　coarse
hair　round　her　fingers。　The　sound　of　slipshod　feet　was　heard　in
the　passage；　and　the　door　opened　to　let　in　two　convicts；　dressed
in　jackets　and　grey　trousers　that　did　not　reach　to　their　ankles。
With　serious；　cross　faces　they　lifted　the　stinking　tub　and
carried　it　out　of　the　cell。　The　women　went　out　to　the　taps　in　the
corridor　to　wash。　There　the　red…haired　woman　again　began　a
quarrel　with　a　woman　from　another　cell。

〃Is　it　the　solitary　cell　you　want？〃　shouted　an　old　jailer；
slapping　the　red…haired　woman　on　her　bare；　fat　back；　so　that　it
sounded　through　the　corridor。　〃You　be　quiet。〃


〃Lawks！　the　old　one's　playful；〃　said　the　woman；　taking　his　action
for　a　caress。

〃Now；　then；　be　quick；　get　ready　for　the　mass。〃　Maslova　had　hardly
time　to　do　her　hair　and　dress　when　the　inspector　came　with　his
assistants。

〃Come　out　for　inspection；〃　cried　a　jailer。

Some　more　prisoners　came　out　of　other　cells　and　stood　in　two　rows
along　the　corridor；　each　woman　had　to　place　her　hand　on　the
shoulder　of　the　woman　in　front　of　her。　They　were　all　counted。

After　the　inspection　the　woman　warder　led　the　prisoners　to
church。　Maslova　and　Theodosia　were　in　the　middle　of　a　column　of
over　a　hundred　women；　who　had　come　out　of　different　cells。　All
were　dressed　in　white　skirts；　white　jackets；　and　wore　white
kerchiefs　on　their　heads；　except　a　few　who　had　their　own　coloured
clothes　on。　These　were　wives　who；　with　their　children；　were
following　their　convict　husbands　to　Siberia。　The　whole　flight　of
stairs　was　filled　by　the　procession。　The　patter　of　softly…shod
feet　mingled　with　the　voices　and　now　and　then　a　laugh。　When
turning；　on　the　landing；　Maslova　saw　her　enemy；　Botchkova；　in
front；　and　pointed　out　her　angry　face　to　Theodosia。　At　the　bottom
of　the　stairs　the　women　stopped　talking。　Bowing　and　crossing
themselves；　they　entered　the　empty　church；　which　glistened　with
gilding。　Crowding　and　pushing　one　another；　they　took　their　places
on　the　right。

After　the　women　came　the　men　condemned　to　banishment；　those
serving　their　term　in　the　prison；　and　those　exiled　by　their
Communes；　and；　coughing　loudly；　they　took　their　stand；　crowding
the　left　side　and　the　middle　of　the　church。

On　one　side　of　the　gallery　above　stood　the　men　sentenced　to　penal
servitude　in　Siberia；　who　had　been　let　into　the　church　before　the
others。　Each　of　them　had　half　his　head　shaved；　and　their　presence
was　indicated　by　the　clanking　of　the　chains　on　their　feet。　On　the
other　side　of　the　gallery　stood　those　in　preliminary　confinement；
without　chains；　their　heads　not　shaved。

The　prison　church　had　been　rebuilt　and　ornamented　by　a　rich
merchant；　who　spent　several　tens　of　thousands　of　roubles　on　it；
and　it　glittered　with　gay　colours　and　gold。　For　a　time　there　was
silence　in　the　church；　and　only　coughing；　blowing　of　noses；　the
crying　of　babies；　and　now　and　then　the　rattling　of　chains；　was
heard。　But　at　last　the　convicts　that　stood　in　the　middle　moved；
pressed　against　each　other；　leaving　a　passage　in　the　centre　of
the　church；　down　which　the　prison　inspector　passed　to　take　his
place　in　front　of　every　one　in　the　nave。


CHAPTER　XXXIX。

THE　PRISON　CHURCHBLIND　LEADERS　OF　THE　BLIND。

The　service　began。

It　consisted　of　the　following。　The　priest；　having　dressed　in　a
strange　and　very　inconvenient　garb；　made　of　gold　cloth；　cut　and
arranged　little　bits　of　bread　on　a　saucer；　and　then　put　them　into
a　cup　with　wine；　repeating　at　the　same　time　different　names　and
prayers。　Meanwhile　the　deacon　first　read　Slavonic　prayers；
difficult　to　understand　in　themselves；　and　rendered　still　more
incomprehensible　by　being　read　very　fast；　and　then　sang　them　turn
and　turn　about　with　the　convicts。　The　contents　of　the　prayers
were　chiefly　the　desire　for　the　welfare　of　the　Emperor　and　his
family。　These　petitions　were　repeated　many　times；　separately　and
together　with　other　prayers；　the　people　kneeling。　Besides　this；
several　verses　from　the　Acts　of　the　Apostles　were　read　by　the
deacon　in　a　peculiarly　strained　voice；　which　made　it　impossible
to　understand　what　he　read；　and　then　the　priest　read　very
distinctly　a　part　of　the　Gospel　according　to　St。　Mark；　in　which
it　said　that　Christ；　having　risen　from　the　dead　before　flying　up
to　heaven　to　sit　down　at　His　Father's　right　hand；　first　showed
Himself　to　Mary　Magdalene；　out　of　whom　He　had　driven　seven
devils；　and　then　to　eleven　of　His　disciples；　and　ordered　them　to
preach　the　Gospel　to　the　whole　creation；　and　the　priest　added
that　if　any　one　did　not　believe　this　he　would　perish；　but　he　that
believed　it　and　was　baptised　should　be　saved；　and　should　besides
drive　out　devils　and　cure　people　by　laying　his　hands　on　them；
should　talk　in　strange　tongues；　should　take　up　serpents；　and　if
he　drank　poison　should　not　die；　but　remain　well。

The　essence　of　the　service　consisted　in　the　supposition　that　the
bits　cut　up　by　the　priest　and　put　by　him　into　the　wine；　when
manipulated　and　prayed　over　in　a　certain　way；　turned　into　the
flesh　and　blood　of　God。

These　manipulations　consisted　in　the　priest's　regularly　lifting
and　holding　up　his　arms；　though　hampered　by　the　gold　cloth　sack
he　had　on；　then；　sinking　on　to　his　knees　and　kissing　the　table
and　all　that　was　on　it；　but　chiefly　in　his　taking　a　cloth　by　two
of　its　corners　and　waving　it　regularly　and　softly　over　the　silver
saucer　and　golden　cup。　It　was　supposed　that；　at　this　point；　the
bread　and　the　wine　turned　into　flesh　and　blood；　therefore；　this
part　of　the　service　was　performed　with　the　greatest　solemnity。

〃Now；　to　the　blessed；　most　pure；　and　most　holy　Mother　of　God；〃
the　priest　cried　from　the　golden　partition　which　divided　part　of
the　church　from　the　rest；　and　the　choir　began　solemnly　to　sing
that　it　was　very　right　to　glorify　the　Virgin　Mary；　who　had　borne
Christ　without　losing　her　virginity；　and　was　therefore　worthy　of
greater　honour　than　some　kind　of　cherubim；　and　greater　glory　than
some　kind　of　seraphim。　After　this　the　transformation　was
considered　accomplished；　and　the　priest　having　taken　the　napkin
off　the　saucer；　cut　the　middle　bit　of　bread　in　four；　and　put　it
into　the　wine；　and　then　into　his　mouth。　He　was　supposed　to　have
eaten　a　bit　of　God's　flesh　and　swallowed　a　little　of　His　blood。
Then　the　priest　drew　a　curtain；　opened　the　middle　door　in　the
partition；　and；　taking　the　gold　cup　in　his　hands；　came　out　of　the
door；　inviting　those　who　wished　to　do　so　also　to　come　and　eat
some　of　God's　flesh　and　blood　that　was　contained　in　the　cup。　A
few　children　appeared　to　w