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remark that he had been allowed to visit the prisoners even in
the cities he answered：
〃That may be so； but I do not allow it；〃 and his tone implied；
〃You city gentlemen may think to surprise and perplex us； but we
in Eastern Siberia also know what the law is； and may even teach
it you。〃 The copy of a document straight from the Emperor's own
office did not have any effect on the prison inspector either。 He
decidedly refused to let Nekhludoff come inside the prison walls。
He only smiled contemptuously at Nekhludoff's naive conclusion；
that the copy he had received would suffice to set Maslova free；
and declared that a direct order from his own superiors would be
needed before any one could be set at liberty。 The only things he
agreed to do were to communicate to Maslova that a mitigation had
arrived for her； and to promise that he would not detain her an
hour after the order from his chief to liberate her would arrive。
He would also give no news of Kryltzoff； saying he could not even
tell if there was such a prisoner； and so Nekhludoff； having
accomplished next to nothing； got into his trap and drove back to
his hotel。
The strictness of the inspector was chiefly due to the fact that
an epidemic of typhus had broken out in the prison； owing to
twice the number of persons that it was intended for being
crowded in it。 The isvostchik who drove Nekhludoff said； 〃Quite a
lot of people are dying in the prison every day； some kind of
disease having sprung up among them； so that as many as twenty
were buried in one day。〃
CHAPTER XXIV。
THE GENERAL'S HOUSEHOLD。
In spite of his ineffectual attempt at the prison； Nekhludoff；
still in the same vigorous； energetic frame of mind； went to the
Governor's office to see if the original of the document had
arrived for Maslova。 It had not arrived； so Nekhludoff went back
to the hotel and wrote without delay to Selenin and the advocate
about it。 When he had finished writing he looked at his watch and
saw it was time to go to the General's dinner party。
On the way he again began wondering how Katusha would receive the
news of the mitigation of her sentence。 Where she would be
settled？ How he should live with her？ What about Simonson？ What
would his relations to her be？ He remembered the change that had
taken place in her； and this reminded him of her past。 〃I must
forget it for the present；〃 he thought； and again hastened to
drive her out of his mind。 〃When the time comes I shall see；〃 he
said to himself； and began to think of what he ought to say to
the General。
The dinner at the General's； with the luxury habitual to the
lives of the wealthy and those of high rank； to which Nekhludoff
had been accustomed； was extremely enjoyable after he had been so
long deprived not only of luxury but even of the most ordinary
comforts。 The mistress of the house was a Petersburg grande dame
of the old school； a maid of honour at the court of Nicholas I。；
who spoke French quite naturally and Russian very unnaturally。
She held herself very erect and； moving her hands； she kept her
elbows close to her waist。 She was quietly and； somewhat sadly
considerate for her husband； and extremely kind to all her
visitors； though with a tinge of difference in her behaviour
according to their position。 She received Nekhludoff as if he
were one of them； and her fine； almost imperceptible flattery
made him once again aware of his virtues and gave him a feeling
of satisfaction。 She made him feel that she knew of that honest
though rather singular step of his which had brought him to
Siberia； and held him to be an exceptional man。 This refined
flattery and the elegance and luxury of the General's house had
the effect of making Nekhludoff succumb to the enjoyment of the
handsome surroundings； the delicate dishes and the case and
pleasure of intercourse with educated people of his own class； so
that the surroundings in the midst of which he had lived for the
last months seemed a dream from which he had awakened to reality。
Besides those of the household； the General's daughter and her
husband and an aide…de…camp； there were an Englishman； a merchant
interested in gold mines； and the governor of a distant Siberian
town。 All these people seemed pleasant to Nekhludoff。 The
Englishman； a healthy man with a rosy complexion； who spoke very
bad French； but whose command of his own language was very good
and oratorically impressive； who had seen a great deal； was very
interesting to listen to when he spoke about America； India；
Japan and Siberia。
The young merchant interested in the gold mines； the son of a
peasant； whose evening dress was made in London； who had diamond
studs to his shirt； possessed a fine library； contributed freely
to philanthropic work； and held liberal European views； seemed
pleasant to Nekhludoff as a sample of a quite new and good type
of civilised European culture； grafted on a healthy； uncultivated
peasant stem。
The governor of the distant Siberian town was that same man who
had been so much talked about in Petersburg at the time
Nekhludoff was there。 He was plump； with thin； curly hair； soft
blue eyes； carefully…tended white hands； with rings on the
fingers； a pleasant smile； and very big in the lower part of his
body。 The master of the house valued this governor because of all
the officials he was the only one who would not be bribed。 The
mistress of the house； who was very fond of music and a very good
pianist herself； valued him because he was a good musician and
played duets with her。
Nekhludoff was in such good humour that even this man was not
unpleasant to him； in spite of what he knew of his vices。 The
bright； energetic aide…de…camp； with his bluey grey chin； who was
continually offering his services； pleased Nekhludoff by his good
nature。 But it was the charming young couple； the General's
daughter and her husband； who pleased Nekhludoff best。 The
daughter was a plain…looking； simple…minded young woman； wholly
absorbed in her two children。 Her husband； whom she had fallen in
love with and married after a long struggle with her parents； was
a Liberal； who had taken honours at the Moscow University； a
modest and intellectual young man in Government service； who made
up statistics and studied chiefly the foreign tribes； which he
liked and tried to save from dying out。
All of them were not only kind and attentive to Nekhludoff； but
evidently pleased to see him； as a new and interesting
acquaintance。 The General； who came in to dinner in uniform and
with a white cross round his neck； greeted Nekhludoff as a
friend； and asked the visitors to the side table to take a glass
of vodka and something to whet their appetites。 The General asked
Nekhludoff what he had been doing since he left that morning； and
Nekhludoff told him he had been to the post…office and received
the news of the mitigation of that person's sentence that he had
spoken of in the morning； and again asked for a permission to
visit the prison。
The General； apparently displeased that business should be
mentioned at dinner； frowned and said nothing。
〃Have a glass of vodka〃 he said； addressing the Englishman； who
had just come up to the table。 The Englishman drank a glass； and
said he had been to see the cathedral and the factory； but would
like to visit the great transportation prison。
〃Oh； that will just fit in；〃 said the General to Nekhludoff。
〃You will he able to go together。 Give them a pass；〃 he added；
turning to his aide…de…camp。
〃When would you like to go？〃 Nekhludoff asked。
〃I prefer visiting the prisons in the evening；〃 the Englishman
answered。 〃All are indoors and there is no preparation； you find
them all as they are。〃
〃Ah； he would like to see it in all its glory！ Let him do so。 I
have written about it and no attention has been paid to it。 Let
him find out from foreign publications；〃 the General said； and
went up to the dinner table； where the mistress of the house was
showing the visitors their places。 Nekhludoff sat between his
hostess and the Englishman。 In front of him sat the General's
daughter and the ex…director of the Government department in
Petersburg。 The conversation at dinner was carried on by fits and
starts； now it was India that the Englishman talked about； now
the Tonkin expedition that the General strongly disapproved of；
now the universal bribery and corruption in Siberia。 All these
topics did not interest Nekhludoff much。
But after dinner； over their coffee； Nekhludoff and the
Englishman began a very interesting conversation about Gladstone；
and Nekhludoff thought he had said many clever things which were
noticed by his interlocutor。 And Nekhludoff felt it more and more
pleasant to be sipping his coffee seated in an easy…chair among
amiable； well…bred people。 And when at the Englishman's request
the hostess went up to the piano with the ex…director of the
Government department； and they began to play in well…practised
style Beethoven's fifth symphony； Nekhludoff fell into a mental
state of perfect self…satisfaction to which he had long been a
stranger； as though he had only just found out what a good fellow
he was。
The grand piano was a splendi