Resurrection Leo Tolstoy (ebook reader for pc .txt) đ
- Author: Leo Tolstoy
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The women were silent, and sat listening.
âThere they are, hauling him along, the devils!â KhoroshĂĄvka said. âTheyâll do him to death, they will. The jailers are so enraged with him because he never would give in to them.â
All was quiet again upstairs, and the watchmanâs wife finished her story of how she was that frightened when she went into the barn and saw them flogging a peasant, her inside turned at the sight, and so on. KhoroshĂĄvka related how ScheglĂłff had been flogged, and never uttered a sound. Then Theodosia put away the tea things, and KorablĂ©va and the watchmanâs wife took up their sewing. MĂĄslova sat down on the bedstead, with her arms round her knees, dull and depressed. She was about to lie down and try to sleep, when the woman warder called her into the office to see a visitor.
âNow, mind, and donât forget to tell him about us,â the old woman (MenshĂłva) said, while MĂĄslova was arranging the kerchief on her head before the dim looking-glass. âWe did not set fire to the house, but he himself, the fiend, did it; his workman saw him do it, and will not damn his soul by denying it. You just tell to ask to see my MĂtri. MĂtri will tell him all about it, as plain as can be. Just think of our being locked up in prison when we never dreamt of any ill, while he, the fiend, is enjoying himself at the pub, with another manâs wife.â
âThatâs not the law,â remarked KorablĂ©va.
âIâll tell himâ âIâll tell him,â answered MĂĄslova. âSuppose I have another drop, just to keep up courage,â she added, with a wink; and KorablĂ©va poured out half a cup of vodka, which MĂĄslova drank. Then, having wiped her mouth and repeating the words âjust to keep up courage,â tossing her head and smiling gaily, she followed the warder along the corridor.
XLVIINekhlĂșdoff had to wait in the hall for a long time. When he had arrived at the prison and rung at the entrance door, he handed the permission of the Procureur to the jailer on duty who met him.
âNo, no,â the jailer on duty said hurriedly, âthe inspector is engaged.â
âIn the office?â asked NekhlĂșdoff.
âNo, here in the interviewing-room.â
âWhy, is it a visiting day today?â
âNo; itâs special business.â
âI should like to see him. What am I to do?â said NekhlĂșdoff.
âWhen the inspector comes out youâll tell himâ âwait a bit,â said the jailer.
At this moment a sergeant-major, with a smooth, shiny face and moustaches impregnated with tobacco smoke, came out of a side door, with the gold cords of his uniform glistening, and addressed the jailer in a severe tone.
âWhat do you mean by letting anyone in here? The officeâ ââ
âI was told the inspector was here,â said NekhlĂșdoff, surprised at the agitation he noticed in the sergeant-majorâs manner.
At this moment the inner door opened, and PetrĂłv came out, heated and perspiring.
âHeâll remember it,â he muttered, turning to the sergeant-major. The latter pointed at NekhlĂșdoff by a look, and PetrĂłv knitted his brows and went out through a door at the back.
âWho will remember it? Why do they all seem so confused? Why did the sergeant-major make a sign to him?â NekhlĂșdoff thought.
The sergeant-major, again addressing NekhlĂșdoff, said: âYou cannot meet here; please step across to the office.â And NekhlĂșdoff was about to comply when the inspector came out of the door at the back, looking even more confused than his subordinates, and sighing continually. When he saw NekhlĂșdoff he turned to the jailer.
âFedĂłtoff, have MĂĄslova, cell 5, womenâs ward, taken to the office.â
âWill you come this way, please,â he said, turning to NekhlĂșdoff. They ascended a steep staircase and entered a little room with one window, a writing-table, and a few chairs in it. The inspector sat down.
âMine are heavy, heavy duties,â he remarked, again addressing NekhlĂșdoff, and took out a cigarette.
âYou are tired, evidently,â said NekhlĂșdoff.
âTired of the whole of the serviceâ âthe duties are very trying. One tries to lighten their lot and only makes it worse; my only thought is how to get away. Heavy, heavy duties!â
NekhlĂșdoff did not know what the inspectorâs particular difficulties were, but he saw that today he was in a peculiarly dejected and hopeless condition, calling for pity.
âYes, I should think the duties were heavy for a kindhearted man,â he said. âWhy do you serve in this capacity?â
âI have a family.â
âBut, if it is so hardâ ââ
âWell, still you know it is possible to be of use in some measure; I soften down all I can. Another in my place would conduct the affairs quite differently. Why, we have more than 2,000 persons here. And what persons! One must know how to manage them. It is easier said than done, you know. After all, they are also men; one cannot help pitying them.â The inspector began telling NekhlĂșdoff of a fight that had lately taken place among the convicts, which had ended by one man being killed.
The story was interrupted by the entrance of MĂĄslova, who was accompanied by a jailer.
NekhlĂșdoff saw her through the doorway before she had noticed the inspector. She was following the warder briskly, smiling and tossing her head. When she saw the inspector she suddenly changed, and gazed at him with a frightened look; but, quickly recovering, she addressed NekhlĂșdoff boldly and gaily.
âHow dâyou do?â she said, drawling out her words, and smilingly took his hand and shook it vigorously, not like the first time.
âHere, Iâve brought you a petition to sign,â said NekhlĂșdoff, rather surprised by the boldness with which she greeted him today.
âThe advocate has written out a petition which you will have to sign, and then we shall send it to Petersburg.â
âAll right! That can be done. Anything you like,â she said, with a wink and a smile.
And NekhlĂșdoff drew a folded paper from his
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