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railways； and the watchmen or their wives have to meet every
train。＇ imprisoned for three months because she did not come out
with the flags to meet a train that was passing； and an accident
had occurred。 She was a short； snub…nosed woman； with small；
black eyes； kind and talkative。 The third of the women who were
sewing was Theodosia； a quiet young girl； white and rosy； very
pretty； with bright child's eyes； and long fair plaits which she
wore twisted round her head。 She was in prison for attempting to
poison her husband。 She had done this immediately after her
wedding （she had been given in marriage without her consent at
the age of 16） because her husband would give her no peace。 But
in the eight months during which she had been let out on bail；
she had not only made it up with her husband； but come to love
him； so that when her trial came they were heart and soul to one
another。 Although her husband； her father…in…law； but especially
her mother…in…law； who had grown very fond of her； did all they
could to get her acquitted； she was sentenced to hard labour in
Siberia。 The kind； merry； ever…smiling Theodosia had a place next
Maslova's on the shelf bed； and had grown so fond of her that she
took it upon herself as a duty to attend and wait on her。 Two
other women were sitting without any work at the other end of the
shelf bedstead。 One was a woman of about 40； with a pale； thin
face； who once probably had been very handsome。 She sat with her
baby at her thin； white breast。 The crime she had committed was
that when a recruit was； according to the peasants' view；
unlawfully taken from their village； and the people stopped the
police officer and took the recruit away from him； she （an aunt
of the lad unlawfully taken） was the first to catch hold of the
bridle of the horse on which he was being carried off。 The other；
who sat doing nothing； was a kindly； grey…haired old woman；
hunchbacked and with a flat bosom。 She sat behind the stove on
the bedshelf； and pretended to catch a fat four…year…old boy； who
ran backwards and forwards in front of her； laughing gaily。 This
boy had only a little shirt on and his hair was cut short。 As he
ran past the old woman he kept repeating； 〃There； haven't caught
me！〃 This old woman and her son were accused of incendiarism。
She bore her imprisonment with perfect cheerfulness； but was
concerned about her son； and chiefly about her 〃old man；〃 who she
feared would get into a terrible state with no one to wash for
him。 Besides these seven women； there were four standing at one
of the open windows； holding on to the iron bars。 They were
making signs and shouting to the convicts whom Maslova had met
when returning to prison； and who were now passing through the
yard。 One of these women was big and heavy； with a flabby body；
red hair； and freckled on her pale yellow face； her hands； and
her fat neck。 She shouted something in a loud； raucous voice； and
laughed hoarsely。 This woman was serving her term for theft。
Beside her stood an awkward； dark little woman； no bigger than a
child of ten； with a long waist and very short legs； a red；
blotchy face； thick lips which did not hide her long teeth； and
eyes too far apart。 She broke by fits and starts into screeching
laughter at what was going on in the yard。 She was to be tried
for stealing and incendiarism。 They called her Khoroshavka。
Behind her； in a very dirty grey chemise； stood a thin；
miserable…looking pregnant woman； who was to be tried for
concealment of theft。 This woman stood silent； but kept smiling
with pleasure and approval at what was going on below。 With these
stood a peasant woman of medium height； the mother of the boy who
was playing with the old woman and of a seven…year…old girl。
These were in prison with her because she had no one to leave
them with。 She was serving her term of imprisonment for illicit
sale of spirits。 She stood a little further from the window
knitting a stocking； and though she listened to the other
prisoners' words she shook her head disapprovingly； frowned； and
closed her eyes。 But her seven…year…old daughter stood in her
little chemise； her flaxen hair done up in a little pigtail； her
blue eyes fixed； and； holding the red…haired woman by the skirt；
attentively listened to the words of abuse that the women and the
convicts flung at each other； and repeated them softly； as if
learning them by heart。 The twelfth prisoner； who paid no
attention to what was going on； was a very tall； stately girl；
the daughter of a deacon； who had drowned her baby in a well。 She
went about with bare feet； wearing only a dirty chemise。 The
thick； short plait of her fair hair had come undone and hung down
dishevelled； and she paced up and down the free space of the
cell； not looking at any one； turning abruptly every time she
came up to the wall。
CHAPTER XXXI。
THE PRISONERS。
When the padlock rattled and the door opened to let Maslova into
the cell； all turned towards her。 Even the deacon's daughter
stopped for a moment and looked at her with lifted brows before
resuming her steady striding up and down。
Korableva stuck her needle into the brown sacking and looked
questioningly at Maslova through her spectacles。 〃Eh； eh； deary
me； so you have come back。 And I felt sure they'd acquit you。 So
you've got it？〃 She took off her spectacles and put her work down
beside her on the shelf bed。
〃And here have I and the old lady been saying； 'Why； it may well
be they'll let her go free at once。' Why； it happens； ducky；
they'll even give you a heap of money sometimes； that's sure；〃
the watchman's wife began； in her singing voice： 〃Yes； we were
wondering； 'Why's she so long？' And now just see what it is。
Well； our guessing was no use。 The Lord willed otherwise；〃 she
went on in musical tones。
〃Is it possible？ Have they sentenced you？〃 asked Theodosia； with
concern； looking at Maslova with her bright blue； child…like
eyes； and her merry young face changed as if she were going to
cry。
Maslova did not answer； but went on to her place； the second from
the end； and sat down beside Korableva。
〃Have you eaten anything？〃 said Theodosia； rising and coming up
to Maslova。
Maslova gave no reply； but putting the rolls on the bedstead；
took off her dusty cloak； the kerchief off her curly black head；
and began pulling off her shoes。 The old woman who had been
playing with the boy came up and stood in front of Maslova。 〃Tz；
tz； tz；〃 she clicked with her tongue； shaking her head pityingly。
The boy also came up with her； and； putting out his upper lip；
stared with wide open eyes at the roll Maslova had brought。 When
Maslova saw the sympathetic faces of her fellow…prisoners； her
lips trembled and she felt inclined to cry； but she succeeded in
restraining herself until the old woman and the boy came up。
When she heard the kind； pitying clicking of the old woman's
tongue； and met the boy's serious eyes turned from the roll to
her face； she could bear it no longer； her face quivered and she
burst into sobs。
〃Didn't I tell you to insist on having a proper advocate？〃 said
Norableva。 〃Well； what is it？ Exile？〃
Maslova could not answer； but took from inside the roll a box of
cigarettes； on which was a picture of a lady with hair done up
very high and dress cut low in front； and passed the box to
Korableva。 Korableva looked at it and shook her head； chiefly
because see did not approve of Maslova's putting her money to
such bad use； but still she took out a cigarette； lit it at the
lamp； took a puff； and almost forced it into Maslova's hand。
Maslova； still crying； began greedily to inhale the tobacco
smoke。 〃Penal servitude；〃 she muttered； blowing out the smoke and
sobbing。
〃Don't they fear the Lord； the cursed soul…slayers？〃 muttered
Korableva； 〃sentencing the lass for nothing。〃 At this moment the
sound of loud； coarse laughter came from the women who were still
at the window。 The little girl also laughed； and her childish
treble mixed with the hoarse and screeching laughter of the
others。 One of the convicts outside had done something that
produced this effect on the onlookers。
〃Lawks！ see the shaved hound； what he's doing；〃 said the
red…haired woman； her whole fat body shaking with laughter； and
leaning against the grating she shouted meaning less obscene
words。
〃Ugh； the fat fright's cackling；〃 said Korableva； who disliked
the red…haired woman。 Then； turning to Maslova again； she asked：
〃How many years？〃
〃Four；〃 said Maslova； and the tears ran down her cheeks in such
profusion that one fell on the cigarette。 Maslova crumpled it up
angrily and took another。
Though the watchman's wife did not smoke she picked up the
cigarette Maslova had thrown away and began straightening it out；
talking unceasingly。
〃There； now； ducky； so it's true；〃 she said。 〃Truth's gone to the
dogs and they do what they please； and here we were guessing that
you'd go free。 Norableva says； 'She'll go free。' I say； 'No；' say
I。 'No； dear； my heart tells me they'll give it her。' And so it's
turned out；〃 she went on； evidently listening with pleasure to
her own voice。
The women who had been standing by the window now also came up to
Ma