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stranger； as though he had only just found out what a good fellow
he was。
The grand piano was a splendid instrument； the symphony was well
performed。 At least； so it seemed to Nekhludoff； who knew and
liked that symphony。 Listening to the beautiful andante； he felt
a tickling in his nose； he was so touched by his many virtues。
Nekhludoff thanked his hostess for the enjoyment that he had been
deprived of for so long； and was about to say goodbye and go when
the daughter of the house came up to him with a determined look
and said； with a blush； 〃You asked about my children。 Would you
like to see them？〃
〃She thinks that everybody wants to see her children；〃 said her
mother； smiling at her daughter's winning tactlessness。 〃The
Prince is not at all interested。〃
〃On the contrary； I am very much interested；〃 said Nekhludoff；
touched by this overflowing； happy mother…love。 〃Please let me
see them。〃
〃She's taking the Prince to see her babies；〃 the General shouted；
laughing from the card…table； where he sat with his son…in…law；
the mine owner and the aide…de…camp。 〃Go； go； pay your tribute。〃
The young woman； visibly excited by the thought that judgment was
about to be passed on her children； went quickly towards the
inner apartments； followed by Nekhludoff。 In the third； a lofty
room； papered with white and lit up by a shaded lamp； stood two
small cots； and a nurse with a white cape on her shoulders sat
between the cots。 She had a kindly； true Siberian face； with its
high cheek…bones。
The nurse rose and bowed。 The mother stooped over the first cot；
in which a two…year…old little girl lay peacefully sleeping with
her little mouth open and her long； curly hair tumbled over the
pillow。
〃This is Katie；〃 said the mother； straightening the white and
blue crochet coverlet； from under which a little white foot
pushed itself languidly out。
〃Is she not pretty？ She's only two years old； you know。〃
〃Lovely。〃
〃And this is Vasiuk； as 'grandpapa' calls him。 Quite a different
type。 A Siberian； is he not？〃
〃A splendid boy；〃 said Nekhludoff； as he looked at the little
fatty lying asleep on his stomach。
〃Yes；〃 said the mother； with a smile full of meaning。
Nekhludoff recalled to his mind chains； shaved heads； fighting
debauchery； the dying Kryltzoff； Katusha and the whole of her
past； and he began to feel envious and to wish for what he saw
here； which now seemed to him pure and refined happiness。
After having repeatedly expressed his admiration of the children；
thereby at least partially satisfying their mother； who eagerly
drank in this praise； he followed her back to the drawing…room；
where the Englishman was waiting for him to go and visit the
prison； as they had arranged。 Having taken leave of their hosts；
the old and the young ones； the Englishman and Nekhludoff went
out into the porch of the General's house。
The weather had changed。 It was snowing； and the snow fell
densely in large flakes； and already covered the road； the roof
and the trees in the garden； the steps of the porch； the roof of
the trap and the back of the horse。
The Englishman had a trap of his own； and Nekhludoff； having told
the coachman to drive to the prison； called his isvostchik and
got in with the heavy sense of having to fulfil an unpleasant
duty； and followed the Englishman over the soft snow； through
which the wheels turned with difficulty。
CHAPTER XXV。
MASLOVA'S DECISION。
The dismal prison house； with its sentinel and lamp burning under
the gateway； produced an even more dismal impression； with its
long row of lighted windows； than it had done in the morning； in
spite of the white covering that now lay over everythingthe
porch； the roof and the walls。
The imposing inspector came up to the gate and read the pass that
had been given to Nekhludoff and the Englishman by the light of
the lamp； shrugged his fine shoulders in surprise； but； in
obedience to the order； asked the visitors to follow him in。 He
led them through the courtyard and then in at a door to the right
and up a staircase into the office。 He offered them a seat and
asked what he could do for them； and when he heard that
Nekhludoff would like to see Maslova at once； he sent a jailer to
fetch her。 Then he prepared himself to answer the questions which
the Englishman began to put to him； Nekhludoff acting as
interpreter。
〃How many persons is the prison built to hold？〃 the Englishman
asked。 〃How many are confined in it？ How many men？ How many
women？ Children？ How many sentenced to the mines？ How many
exiles？ How many sick persons？〃
Nekhludoff translated the Englishman's and the inspector's words
without paying any attention to their meaning； and felt an
awkwardness he had not in the least expected at the thought of
the impending interview。 When； in the midst of a sentence he was
translating for the Englishman； he heard the sound of approaching
footsteps； and the office door opened； and； as had happened many
times before； a jailer came in； followed by Katusha； and he saw
her with a kerchief tied round her head； and in a prison jacket a
heavy sensation came over him。 〃I wish to live； I want a family；
children； I want a human life。〃 These thoughts flashed through
his mind as she entered the room with rapid steps and blinking
her eyes。
He rose and made a few steps to meet her； and her face appeared
hard and unpleasant to him。 It was again as it had been at the
time when she reproached him。 She flushed and turned pale； her
fingers nervously twisting a corner of her jacket。 She looked up
at him； then cast down her eyes。
〃You know that a mitigation has come？〃
〃Yes； the jailer told me。〃
〃So that as soon as the original document arrives you may come
away and settle where you like。 We shall consider〃
She interrupted him hurriedly。 〃What have I to consider？ Where
Valdemar Simonson goes； there I shall follow。〃 In spite of the
excitement she was in she raised her eyes to Nekhludoff's and
pronounced these words quickly and distinctly； as if she had
prepared what she had to say。
〃Indeed！〃
〃Well； Dmitri Ivanovitch； you see he wishes me to live with
him〃 and she stopped； quite frightened； and corrected herself。
〃He wishes me to be near him。 What more can I desire？ I must look
upon it as happiness。 What else is there for me〃
〃One of two things；〃 thought he。 〃Either she loves Simonson and
does not in the least require the sacrifice I imagined I was
bringing her； or she still loves me and refuses me for my own
sake； and is burning her ships by uniting her fate with
Simonson。〃 And Nekhludoff felt ashamed and knew that he was
blushing。
〃And you yourself； do you love him？〃 he asked。
〃Loving or not loving； what does it matter？ I have given up all
that。 And then Valdemar Simonson is quite an exceptional man。〃
〃Yes； of course；〃 Nekhludoff began。 〃He is a splendid man； and I
think〃
But she again interrupted him； as if afraid that he might say too
much or that she should not say all。 〃No； Dmitri Ivanovitch； you
must forgive me if I am not doing what you wish；〃 and she looked
at him with those unfathomable； squinting eyes of hers。 〃Yes； it
evidently must be so。 You must live； too。〃
She said just what he had been telling himself a few moments
before； but he no longer thought so now and felt very
differently。 He was not only ashamed； but felt sorry to lose all
he was losing with her。 〃I did not expect this；〃 he said。
〃Why should you live here and suffer？ You have suffered enough。〃
〃I have not suffered。 It was good for me； and I should like to go
on serving you if I could。〃
〃We do not want anything；〃 she said； and looked at him。
〃You have done so much for me as it is。 If it had not been for
you〃 She wished to say more； but her voice trembled。
〃You certainly have no reason to thank me；〃 Nekhludoff said。
〃Where is the use of our reckoning？ God will make up our
accounts；〃 she said； and her black eyes began to glisten with the
tears that filled them。
〃What a good woman you are；〃 he said。
〃I good？〃 she said through her tears； and a pathetic smile lit up
her face。
〃Are you ready？〃 the Englishman asked。
〃Directly；〃 replied Nekhludoff and asked her about Kryltzoff。
She got over her emotion and quietly told him all she knew。
Kryltzoff was very weak and had been sent into the infirmary。
Mary Pavlovna was very anxious； and had asked to be allowed to go
to the infirmary as a nurse； but could not get the permission。
〃Am I to go？〃 she asked； noticing that the Englishman was
waiting。
〃I will not say good…bye； I shall see you again；〃 said
Nekhludoff； holding out his hand。
〃Forgive me；〃 she said so low that he could hardly hear her。
Their eyes met； and Nekhludoff knew by the strange look of her
squinting eyes and the pathetic smile with which she said not
〃Good…bye〃 but 〃Forgive me；〃 that of the two reasons that might
have led to her resolution； the second was the real one。 She
loved him； and thought that by uniting herself to him she would
be spoiling his life。 By going with Simonson she thought she
would be setting Nekhludoff free； and felt glad that she had done
what she meant to do； and yet she suffered at pa