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and responsible an office。
Nekhludoff told him that the person he was interested in was a
woman； that she was sentenced； though innocent； and that a
petition had been sent to the Emperor in her behalf。
〃Yes； well？〃 said the General。
〃I was promised in Petersburg that the news concerning her fate
should be sent to me not later than this month and to this
place…〃
The General stretched his hand with its stumpy fingers towards
the table； and rang a bell； still looking at Nekhludoff and
puffing at his cigarette。
〃So I would like to ask you that this woman should he allowed to
remain here until the answer to her petition comes。〃
The footman； an orderly in uniform； came in。
〃Ask if Anna Vasilievna is up；〃 said the General to the orderly；
〃and bring some more tea。〃 Then； turning to Nekhludoff； 〃Yes； and
what else？〃
〃My other request concerns a political prisoner who is with the
same gang。〃
〃Dear me；〃 said the General； with a significant shake of the
head。
〃He is seriously illdying； and he will probably he left here in
the hospital； so one of the women prisoners would like to stay
behind with him。〃
〃She is no relation of his？〃
〃No； but she is willing to marry him if that will enable her to
remain with him。〃
The General looked fixedly with twinkling eyes at his
interlocutor； and； evidently with a wish to discomfit him；
listened； smoking in silence。
When Nekhludoff had finished； the General took a book off the
table； and； wetting his finger； quickly turned over the pages and
found the statute relating to marriage。
〃What is she sentenced to？〃 he asked； looking up from the book。
〃She？ To hard labour。〃
〃Well； then； the position of one sentenced to that cannot be
bettered by marriage。〃
〃Yes； but…〃
〃Excuse me。 Even if a free man should marry her； she would have
to serve her term。 The question in such cases is； whose is the
heavier punishment； hers or his？〃
〃They are both sentenced to hard labour。〃
〃Very well； so they are quits；〃 said the General； with a laugh。
She's got what he has； only as he is sick he may be left behind；
and of course what can be done to lighten his fate shall be done。
But as for her； even if she did marry him； she could not remain
behind。〃
〃The Generaless is having her coffee；〃 the footman announced。
The General nodded and continued：
〃However； I shall think about it。 What are their names？ Put them
down here。〃
Nekhludoff wrote down the names。
Nekhludoff's request to be allowed to see the dying man the
General answered by saying； 〃Neither can I do that。 Of course I
do not suspect you； but you take an interest in him and in the
others； and you have money； and here with us anything can be done
with money。 I have been told to put down bribery。 But how can I
put down bribery when everybody takes bribes？ And the lower their
rank the more ready they are to be bribed。 How can one find it
out across more than three thousand miles？ There any official is
a little Tsar； just as I am here；〃 and he laughed。 〃You have in
all likelihood been to see the political prisoners； you gave
money and got permission to see them；〃 he said； with a smile。
〃Is it not so？
〃Yes； it is。〃
〃I quite understand that you had to do it。 You pity a political
prisoner and wish to see him。 And the inspector or the convoy
soldier accepts； because he has a salary of twice twenty copecks
and a family； and he can't help accepting it。 In his place and
yours I should have acted in the same way as you and he did。 But
in my position I do not permit myself to swerve an inch from the
letter of the law； just because I am a man； and might be
influenced by pity。 But I am a member of the executive； and I
have been placed in a position of trust on certain conditions；
and these conditions I must carry out。 Well； so this business is
finished。 And now let us hear what is going on in the
metropolis。〃 And the General began questioning with the evident
desire to hear the news and to show how very human he was。
CHAPTER XXIII。
THE SENTENCE COMMUTED。
〃By…the…way； where are you staying？〃 asked the General as he was
taking leave of Nekhludoff。 〃At Duke's？ Well； it's horrid enough
there。 Come and dine with us at five o'clock。 You speak English？
〃Yes； I do。〃
〃That's good。 You see； an English traveller has just arrived
here。 He is studying the question of transportation and examining
the prisons of Siberia。 Well； he is dining with us to…night； and
you come and meet him。 We dine at five； and my wife expects
punctuality。 Then I shall also give you an answer what to do
about that woman； and perhaps it may be possible to leave some
one behind with the sick prisoner。〃
Having made his bow to the General； Nekhludoff drove to the
post…office； feeling himself in an extremely animated and
energetic frame of mind。
The post…office was a low…vaulted room。 Several officials sat
behind a counter serving the people； of whom there was quite a
crowd。 One official sat with his head bent to one side and kept
stamping the envelopes； which he slipped dexterously under the
stamp。 Nekhludoff had not long to wait。 As soon as he had given
his name； everything that had come for him by post was at once
handed to him。 There was a good deal： letters； and money； and
books； and the last number of Fatherland Notes。 Nekhludoff took
all these things to a wooden bench； on which a soldier with a
book in his hand sat waiting for something； took the seat by his
side； and began sorting the letters。 Among them was one
registered letter in a fine envelope； with a distinctly stamped
bright red seal。 He broke the seal； and seeing a letter from
Selenin and some official paper inside the envelope； he felt the
blood rush to his face； and his heart stood still。 It was the
answer to Katusha's petition。 What would that answer be？
Nekhludoff glanced hurriedly through the letter； written in an
illegibly small； hard； and cramped hand； and breathed a sigh of
relief。 The answer was a favourable one。
〃Dear friend；〃 wrote Selenin； 〃our last talk has made a profound
impression on me。 You were right concerning Maslova。 I looked
carefully through the case； and see that shocking injustice has
been done her。 It could he remedied only by the Committee of
Petitions before which you laid it。 I managed to assist at the
examination of the case； and I enclose herewith the copy of the
mitigation of the sentence。 Your aunt； the Countess Katerina
Ivanovna； gave me the address which I am sending this to。 The
original document has been sent to the place where she was
imprisoned before her trial； and will from there he probably sent
at once to the principal Government office in Siberia。 I hasten
to communicate this glad news to you and warmly press your hand。
〃Yours；
〃SELENIN。〃
The document ran thus： 〃His Majesty's office for the reception of
petitions； addressed to his Imperial name〃here followed the
date〃by order of the chief of his Majesty's office for the
reception of petitions addressed to his Imperial name。 The
meschanka Katerina Maslova is hereby informed that his Imperial
Majesty； with reference to her most loyal petition； condescending
to her request； deigns to order that her sentence to hard labour
should be commuted to one of exile to the less distant districts
of Siberia…〃
This was joyful and important news； all that Nekhludoff could
have hoped for Katusha； and for himself also； had happened。 It
was true that the new position she was in brought new
complications with it。 While she was a convict； marriage with her
could only be fictitious； and would have had no meaning except
that he would have been in a position to alleviate her condition。
And now there was nothing to prevent their living together； and
Nekhludoff had not prepared himself for that。 And； besides； what
of her relations to Simonson？ What was the meaning of her words
yesterday？ If she consented to a union with Simonson； would it be
well？ He could not unravel all these questions； and gave up
thinking about it。 〃It will all clear itself up later on；〃 he
thought； 〃I must not think about it now； but convey the glad news
to her as soon as possible； and set her free。 He thought that the
copy of the document he had received would suffice； so when he
left the post…office he told the isvostchik to drive him to the
prison。
Though he had received no order from the governor to visit the
prison that morning； he knew by experience that it was easy to
get from the subordinates what the higher officials would not
grant； so now he meant to try and get into the prison to bring
Katusha the joyful news； and perhaps to get her set free； and at
the same time to inquire about Kryltzoff's state of health； and
tell him and Mary Pavlovna what the general had said。 The prison
inspector was a tall； imposing…looking man； with moustaches and
whiskers that twisted towards the corners of his mouth。 He
received Nekhludoff very gravely； and told him plainly that he
could not grant an outsider the permission to interview the
prisoners without a special order from his chief。 To Nekhludoff's
remark that he had been allowed to visit the prisoners even in