resurrection(复活)-第74章

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CHAPTER　V。

THE　POLITICAL　PRISONERS。

Until　they　left　Perm　Nekhludoff　only　twice　managed　to　see
Katusha；　once　in　Nijni；　before　the　prisoners　were　embarked　on　a
barge　surrounded　with　a　wire　netting；　and　again　in　Perm　in　the
prison　office。　At　both　these　interviews　he　found　her　reserved　and
unkind。　She　answered　his　questions　as　to　whether　she　was　in　want
of　anything；　and　whether　she　was　comfortable；　evasively　and
bashfully；　and；　as　he　thought；　with　the　same　feeling　of　hostile
reproach　which　she　had　shown　several　times　before。　Her　depressed
state　of　mind；　which　was　only　the　result　of　the　molestations　from
the　men　that　she　was　undergoing　at　the　time；　tormented
Nekhludoff。　He　feared　lest；　influenced　by　the　hard　and　degrading
circumstances　in　which　she　was　placed　on　the　journey；　she　should
again　get　into　that　state　of　despair　and　discord　with　her　own
self　which　formerly　made　her　irritable　with　him；　and　which　had
caused　her　to　drink　and　smoke　excessively　to　gain　oblivion。　But
he　was　unable　to　help　her　in　any　way　during　this　part　of　the
journey；　as　it　was　impossible　for　him　to　be　with　her。　It　was　only
when　she　joined　the　political　prisoners　that　he　saw　how　unfounded
his　fears　were；　and　at　each　interview　he　noticed　that　inner
change　he　so　strongly　desired　to　see　in　her　becoming　more　and
more　marked。　The　first　time　they　met　in　Tomsk　she　was　again　just
as　she　had　been　when　leaving　Moscow。　She　did　not　frown　or　become
confused　when　she　saw　him；　but　met　him　joyfully　and　simply；
thanking　him　for　what　he　had　done　for　her；　especially　for
bringing　her　among　the　people　with　whom　she　now　was。

After　two　months'　marching　with　the　gang；　the　change　that　had
taken　place　within　her　became　noticeable　in　her　appearance。　She
grew　sunburned　and　thinner；　and　seemed　older；　wrinkles　appeared
on　her　temples　and　round　her　mouth。　She　had　no　ringlets　on　her
forehead　now；　and　her　hair　was　covered　with　the　kerchief；　in　the
way　it　was　arranged；　as　well　as　in　her　dress　and　her　manners；
there　was　no　trace　of　coquetry　left。　And　this　change；　which　had
taken　place　and　was　still　progressing　in　her；　made　Nekhludoff
very　happy。

He　felt　for　her　something　he　had　never　experienced　before。　This
feeling　had　nothing　in　common　with　his　first　poetic　love　for　her；
and　even　less　with　the　sensual　love　that　had　followed；　nor　even
with　the　satisfaction　of　a　duty　fulfilled；　not　unmixed　with
self…admiration；　with　which　he　decided　to　marry　her　after　the
trial。　The　present　feeling　was　simply　one　of　pity　and　tenderness。
He　had　felt　it　when　he　met　her　in　prison　for　the　first　time；　and
then　again　when；　after　conquering　his　repugnance；　he　forgave　her
the　imagined　intrigue　with　the　medical　assistant　in　the　hospital
（the　injustice　done　her　had　since　been　discovered）；　it　was　the
same　feeling　he　now　had；　only　with　this　difference；　that　formerly
it　was　momentary；　and　that　now　it　had　become　permanent。　Whatever
he　was　doing；　whatever　he　was　thinking　now；　a　feeling　of　pity　and
tenderness　dwelt　with　him；　and　not　only　pity　and　tenderness　for
her；　but　for　everybody。　This　feeling　seemed　to　have　opened　the
floodgates　of　love；　which　had　found　no　outlet　in　Nekhludoff's
soul；　and　the　love　now　flowed　out　to　every　one　he　met。

During　this　journey　Nekhludoff's　feelings　were　so　stimulated　that
he　could　not　help　being　attentive　and　considerate　to　everybody；
from　the　coachman　and　the　convoy　soldiers　to　the　prison
inspectors　and　governors　whom　he　had　to　deal　with。　Now　that
Maslova　was　among　the　political　prisoners；　Nekhludoff　could　not
help　becoming　acquainted　with　many　of　them；　first　in
Ekaterinburg；　where　they　had　a　good　deal　of　freedom　and　were　kept
altogether　in　a　large　cell；　and　then　on　the　road　when　Maslova　was
marching　with　three　of　the　men　and　four　of　the　women。　Coming　in
contact　with　political　exiles　in　this　way　made　Nekhludoff
completely　change　his　mind　concerning　them。

From　the　very　beginning　of　the　revolutionary　movement　in　Russia；
but　especially　since　that　first　of　March；　when　Alexander　II　was
murdered；　Nekhludoff　regarded　the　revolutionists　with　dislike　and
contempt。　He　was　repulsed　by　the　cruelty　and　secrecy　of　the
methods　they　employed　in　their　struggles　against　the　government；
especially　the　cruel　murders　they　committed；　and　their　arrogance
also　disgusted　him。　But　having　learned　more　intimately　to　know
them　and　all　they　had　suffered　at　the　hands　of　the　government；　he
saw　that　they　could　not　be　other　than　they　were

Terrible　and　endless　as　were　the　torments　which　were　inflicted　on
the　criminals；　there　was　at　least　some　semblance　of　justice　shown
them　before　and　after　they　were　sentenced；　but　in　the　case　of　the
political　prisoners　there　was　not　even　that　semblance；　as
Nekhludoff　saw　in　the　case　of　Sholostova　and　that　of　many　and
many　of　his　new　acquaintances。　These　people　were　dealt　with　like
fish　caught　with　a　net；　everything　that　gets　into　the　nets　is
pulled　ashore；　and　then　the　big　fish　which　are　required　are
sorted　out　and　the　little　ones　are　left　to　perish　unheeded　on　the
shore。　Having　captured　hundreds　that　were　evidently　guiltless；
and　that　could　not　be　dangerous　to　the　government；　they　left　them
imprisoned　for　years；　where　they　became　consumptive；　went　out　of
their　minds　or　committed　suicide；　and　kept　them　only　because　they
had　no　inducement　to　set　them　free；　while　they　might　be　of　use　to
elucidate　some　question　at　a　judicial　inquiry；　safe　in　prison。
The　fate　of　these　persons；　often　innocent　even　from　the
government　point　of　view；　depended　on　the　whim；　the　humour　of；　or
the　amount　of　leisure　at　the　disposal　of　some　police　officer　or
spy；　or　public　prosecutor；　or　magistrate；　or　governor；　or
minister。　Some　one　of　these　officials　feels　dull；　or　inclined　to
distinguish　himself；　and　makes　a　number　of　arrests；　and　imprisons
or　sets　free；　according　to　his　own　fancy　or　that　of　the　higher
authorities。　And　the　higher　official；　actuated　by　like　motives；
according　to　whether　he　is　inclined　to　distinguish　himself；　or　to
what　his　relations　to　the　minister　are；　exiles　men　to　the　other
side　of　the　world　or　keeps　them　in　solitary　confinement；　condemns
them　to　Siberia；　to　hard　labour；　to　death；　or　sets　them　free　at
the　request　of　some　lady。

They　were　dealt　with　as　in　war；　and　they　naturally　employed　the
means　that　were　used　against　them。　And　as　the　military　men　live
in　an　atmosphere　of　public　opinion　that　not　only　conceals　from
them　the　guilt　of　their　actions；　but　sets　these　actions　up　as
feats　of　heroism；　so　these　political　offenders　were　also
constantly　surrounded　by　an　atmosphere　of　public　opinion　which
made　the　cruel　actions　they　committed；　in　the　face　of　danger　and
at　the　risk　of　liberty　and　life；　and　all　that　is　dear　to　men；
seem　not　wicked　but　glorious　actions。　Nekhludoff　found　in　this
the　explanation　of　the　surprising　phenomenon　that　men；　with　the
mildest　characters；　who　seemed　incapable　of　witnessing　the
sufferings　of　any　living　creature；　much　less　of　inflicting　pain；
quietly　prepared　to　murder　men；　nearly　all　of　them　considering
murder　lawful　and　just　on　certain　occasions　as　a　means　for
self…defence；　for　the　attainment　of　higher　aims　or　for　the
general　welfare。

The　importance　they　attribute　to　their　cause；　and　consequently　to
themselves；　flowed　naturally　from　the　importance　the　government
attached　to　their　actions；　and　the　cruelty　of　the　punishments　it
inflicted　on　them。　When　Nekhludoff　came　to　know　them　better　he
became　convinced　that　they　were　not　the　right…down　villains　that
some　imagined　them　to　be；　nor　the　complete　heroes　that　others
thought　them；　but　ordinary　people；　just　the　same　as　others；　among
whom　there　were　some　good　and　some　bad；　and　some　mediocre；　as
there　are　everywhere。

There　were　some　among　them　who　had　turned　revolutionists　because
they　honestly　considered　it　their　duty　to　fight　the　existing
evils；　but　there　were　also　those　who　chose　this　work　for　selfish；
ambitious　motives；　the　majority；　however；　was　attracted　to　the
revolutionary　idea　by　the　desire　for　danger；　for　risks；　the
enjoyment　of　playing　with　one's　life；　which；　as　Nekhludoff　knew
from　his　military　experiences；　is　quite　common　to　the　most
ordinary　people　while　they　are　young　and　full　of　energy。　But
wherein　they　differed　from　ordinary　people　was　that　their　moral
standard　was　a　higher　one　than　that　of　ordinary　men。　They
considered　not　only　self…control；　hard　living；　truthfulness；　but
also　the　readiness　to　sacrifice　everything；　even　life；　for　the
common　welfare　as　their　duty。　Therefore　the　best　among　them　stood
on　a　moral　level　that　is　not　often　reached；　while　the　worst　were
far　below　the　ordinary　level；　many　of　them　being　untruthful；
hypocritical　and　at　the　same　time　self…satisfied　and　proud。　So
that　Nekhludoff　learned　not　only　to　respect　but　to　love　some　of
his　new　acquaintances；　while　he　remained　more　than　indifferent　to
others。


CHAPTER　VI。

KRYLTZOFF'S　STORY。

Nekhludoff　grew　especially　fond　of　Kryltzoff；　a　consumptive　young
man　condemned　to　hard　labour；　who　was　going　with　the　same　gang　as
Katusha。　Nekhludoff　had　made　his　acquaintance　already　in
Ekaterinburg；　and　talked　with　him　several　times　on　the　road　after
that。　Once；　in　summer；　Nekhludoff　spent　nearly　the　whole　of　a　day
with　him　at　a　halting　station；　and　Kryltzoff；　having　once　started
talking；　told　him　his　story　and　how　he　had　become　a
revolutionist。　Up　to　the　time　of　his　imprisonment　his　story　was
soon　told。　He　lost　his　father；　a　rich　landed　proprietor　in　the
south　of　Russia；　when　still　a　child。　He　was　the　only　son；　and　his
mother　brought　him　up。　He　learned　easily　in　the　university；　as
well　as　the　gymnasium；　and　was　first　in　the　mathematical　faculty
in　his　year。　He　was　offered　a　choice　of　remaining　in　the
university　or　going　abroad。　He　hesitated。　He　loved　a　girl　and　was
thinking　of　marriage；　and　taking　part　in　the　rural
administration。　He　did　not　like　giving　up　either　offer；　and　could
not　make　up　his　mind。　At　this　time　his　fellow…students　at　the
university　asked　him　for　money　for　a　common　cause。　He　did　not
know　that　this　common　cause　was　revolutionary；　which　he　was　not
interested　in　at　that　time；　but　gave　the　money　from　a　sense　of
comradeship　and　vanity；　so　that　it　should　not　be　said　that　he　was
afraid。　Those　who　received　the　money　were　caught；　a　note　was
found　which　proved　that　the　money　had　been　given　by　Kryltzoff。　he
was　arrested；　and　first　kept　at　the　police　station；　then
imprisoned。

〃The　prison　where　I　was　put；〃　Kryltzoff　went　on　to　relate　（he　was
sitting　on　the　high　shelf　bedstead；　his　elbows　on　his　knees；　with
sunken　chest；　the　beautiful；　intelligent　eyes　with　which　he
looked　at　Nekhludoff　glistening　feverishly）　〃they　were　not
specially　strict　in　that　prison。　We　managed　to　converse；　not　only
by　tapping　the　wall；　but　could　walk　about　the　corridors；　share
our　provisions　and　our　tobacco；　and　in　the　evenings　we　even　sang
in　chorus。　I　had　a　fine　voiceyes；　if　it　had　not　been　for　mother
it　would　have　been　all　right；　even　pleasant　and　interesting。　Here
I　made　the　acquaintance　of　the　famous　Petroffhe　afterwards
killed　himself　with　a　piece　of　glass　at　the　fortress　and　also
of　others。　But　I　was　not　yet　a　revolutionary。　I　also　became
acquainted　with　my　neighbours　in　the　cells　next　to　mi