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her own voice。
The women who had been standing by the window now also came up to
Maslova； the convicts who had amused them having gone away。 The
first to come up were the woman imprisoned for illicit trade in
spirits； and her little girl。 〃Why such a hard sentence？〃 asked
the woman； sitting down by Maslova and knitting fast。
〃Why so hard？ Because there's no money。 That's why！ Had there
been money； and had a good lawyer that's up to their tricks been
hired； they'd have acquitted her； no fear；〃 said Korableva。
〃There's what's…his…namethat hairy one with the long nose。 He'd
bring you out clean from pitch； mum； he would。 Ah； if we'd only
had him！〃
〃Him； indeed；〃 said Khoroshavka。 〃Why； he won't spit at you for
less than a thousand roubles。〃
〃Seems you've been born under an unlucky star；〃 interrupted the
old woman who was imprisoned for incendiarism。 〃Only think； to
entice the lad's wife and lock him himself up to feed vermin； and
me； too； in my old days〃 she began to retell her story for the
hundredth time。 〃If it isn't the beggar's staff it's the prison。
Yes； the beggar's staff and the prison don't wait for an
invitation。〃
〃Ah； it seems that's the way with all of them；〃 said the spirit
trader； and after looking at her little girl she put down her
knitting； and； drawing the child between her knees； began to
search her head with deft fingers。 〃Why do you sell spirits？〃 she
went on。 〃Why？ but what's one to feed the children on？〃
These words brought back to Maslova's mind her craving for drink。
〃A little vodka；〃 she said to Korableva； wiping the tears with
her sleeve and sobbing less frequently。
〃All right； fork out；〃 said Korableva。
CHAPTER XXXII。
A PRISON QUARREL。
Maslova got the money； which she had also hidden in a roll； and
passed the coupon to Korableva。 Korableva accepted it； though she
could not read； trusting to Khoroshavka； who knew everything； and
who said that the slip of paper was worth 2 roubles 50 copecks；
then climbed up to the ventilator； where she had hidden a small
flask of vodka。 Seeing this； the women whose places were further
off went away。 Meanwhile Maslova shook the dust out of her cloak
and kerchief； got up on the bedstead； and began eating a roll。
〃I kept your tea for you；〃 said Theodosia； getting down from the
shelf a mug and a tin teapot wrapped in a rag； 〃but I'm afraid it
is quite cold。〃 The liquid was quite cold and tasted more of tin
than of tea； yet Maslova filled the mug and began drinking it
with her roll。 〃Finashka； here you are；〃 she said； breaking off a
bit of the roll and giving it to the boy； who stood looking at
her mouth。
Meanwhile Korableva handed the flask of vodka and a mug to
Maslova； who offered some to her and to Khoroshavka。 These
prisoners were considered the aristocracy of the cell because
they had some money； and shared what they possessed with the
others。
In a few moments Maslova brightened up and related merrily what
had happened at the court； and what had struck her most； i。e。；
how all the men had followed her wherever she went。 In the court
they all looked at her； she said； and kept coming into the
prisoners' room while she was there。
〃One of the soldiers even says； 'It's all to look at you that
they come。' One would come in； 'Where is such a paper？' or
something； but I see it is not the paper he wants； he just
devours me with his eyes；〃 she said； shaking her head。 〃Regular
artists。〃
〃Yes； that's so；〃 said the watchman's wife； and ran on in her
musical strain； 〃they're like flies after sugar。〃
〃And here； too；〃 Maslova interrupted her； 〃the same thing。 They
can do without anything else。 But the likes of them will go
without bread sooner than miss that！ Hardly had they brought me
back when in comes a gang from the railway。 They pestered me so；
I did not know how to rid myself of them。 Thanks to the
assistant； he turned them off。 One bothered so； I hardly got
away。〃
〃What's he like？〃 asked Khoroshevka。
〃Dark； with moustaches。〃
〃It must be him。〃
〃Himwho？〃
〃Why； Schegloff； him as has just gone by。〃
〃What's he； this Schegloff？〃
〃What； she don't know Schegloff？ Why； he ran twice from Siberia。
Now they've got him； but he'll run away。 The warders themselves
are afraid of him；〃 said Khoroshavka； who managed to exchange
notes with the male prisoners and knew all that went on in the
prison。 〃He'll run away； that's flat。〃
〃If he does go away you and I'll have to stay；〃 said Korableva；
turning to Maslova； 〃but you'd better tell us now what the
advocate says about petitioning。 Now's the time to hand it in。〃
Maslova answered that she knew nothing about it。
At that moment the red…haired woman came up to the 〃aristocracy〃
with both freckled hands in her thick hair； scratching her head
with her nails。
〃I'll tell you all about it； Katerina；〃 she began。 〃First and
foremost； you'll have to write down you're dissatisfied with the
sentence； then give notice to the Procureur。〃
〃What do you want here？〃 said Korableva angrily； 〃smell the
vodka； do you？ Your chatter's not wanted。 We know what to do
without your advice。〃
〃No one's speaking to you； what do you stick your nose in for？〃
〃It's vodka you want； that's why you come wriggling yourself in
here。〃
〃Well； offer her some；〃 said Maslova； always ready to share
anything she possessed with anybody。
〃I'll offer her something。〃
〃Come on then；〃 said the red…haired one； advancing towards
Korableva。 〃Ah！ think I'm afraid of such as you？〃
〃Convict fright！〃
〃That's her as says it。〃
〃Slut！〃
〃I？ A slut？ Convict！ Murderess！〃 screamed the red…haired one。
〃Go away； I tell you；〃 said Korableva gloomily； but the
red…haired one came nearer and Korableva struck her in the chest。
The red…haired woman seemed only to have waited for this； and
with a sudden movement caught hold of Korableva's hair with one
hand and with the other struck her in the face。 Korableva seized
this hand； and Maslova and Khoroshavka caught the red…haired
woman by her arms； trying to pull her away； but she let go the
old woman's hair with her hand only to twist it round her fist。
Korableva； with her head bent to one side； was dealing out blows
with one arm and trying to catch the red…haired woman's hand with
her teeth； while the rest of the women crowded round； screaming
and trying to separate the fighters； even the consumptive one
came up and stood coughing and watching the fight。 The children
cried and huddled together。 The noise brought the woman warder
and a jailer。 The fighting women were separated； and Korableva；
taking out the bits of torn hair from her head； and the
red…haired one； holding her torn chemise together over her yellow
breast； began loudly to complain。
〃I know； it's all the vodka。 Wait a bit； I'll tell the inspector
tomorrow。 He'll give it you。 Can't I smell it？ Mind； get it all
out of the way； or it will be the worse for you；〃 said the
warder。 〃We've no time to settle your disputes。 Get to your
places and be quiet。〃
But quiet was not soon re…established。 For a long time the women
went on disputing and explaining to one another whose fault it
all was。 At last the warder and the jailer left the cell； the
women grew quieter and began going to bed； and the old woman went
to the icon and commenced praying。
〃The two jailbirds have met；〃 the red…haired woman suddenly
called out in a hoarse voice from the other end of the shelf
beds； accompanying every word with frightfully vile abuse。
〃Mind you don't get it again；〃 Korableva replied； also adding
words of abuse； and both were quiet again。
〃Had I not been stopped I'd have pulled your damned eyes out；〃
again began the red…haired one； and an answer of the same kind
followed from Korableva。 Then again a short interval and more
abuse。 But the intervals became longer and longer； as when a
thunder…cloud is passing； and at last all was quiet。
All were in bed； some began to snore； and only the old woman； who
always prayed a long time； went on bowing before the icon and the
deacon's daughter； who had got up after the warder left； was
pacing up and down the room again。 Maslova kept thinking that she
was now a convict condemned to hard labour； and had twice been
reminded of thisonce by Botchkova and once by the red…haired
womanand she could not reconcile herself to the thought。
Korableva； who lay next to her； turned over in her bed。
〃There now；〃 said Maslova in a low voice； 〃who would have thought
it？ See what others do and get nothing for it。〃
〃Never mind； girl。 People manage to live in Siberia。 As for you；
you'll not be lost there either；〃 Korableva said； trying to
comfort her。
〃I know I'll not be lost； still it is hard。 It's not such a fate
I wantI； who am used to a comfortable life。〃
〃Ah； one can't go against God；〃 said Korableva； with a sigh。
〃One can't； my dear。〃
〃I know； granny。 Still； it's hard。〃
They were silent for a while。
〃Do you hear that baggage？〃 whispered Korableva； drawing
Maslova's attention to a strange sound proceeding from the other
end of the room。
This sound was the smothered sobbing of the red…haired woman。 The
red…haired woman was crying because she had been abused an