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middle； heavy carts rumbled unceasingly； cabs rattled and
tramcars passed ringing by。 The air vibrated with the pealing and
clanging of church bells； that were calling the people to attend
to a service like that which was now being conducted in the
prison。 And the people； dressed in their Sunday best； were
passing on their way to their different parish churches。
The isvostchik did not drive Nekhludoff up to the prison itself；
but to the last turning that led to the prison。
Several personsmen and womenmost of them carrying small
bundles； stood at this turning； about 100 steps from the prison。
To the right there were several low wooden buildings； to the
left； a two…storeyed house with a signboard。 The huge brick
building； the prison proper； was just in front； and the visitors
were not allowed to come up to it。 A sentinel was pacing up and
down in front of it； and shouted at any one who tried to pass
him。
At the gate of the wooden buildings； to the right； opposite the
sentinel； sat a warder on a bench； dressed in uniform； with gold
cords； a notebook in his hands。 The visitors came up to him； and
named the persons they wanted to see； and he put the names down。
Nekhludoff also went up； and named Katerina Maslova。 The warder
wrote down the name。
〃Whydon't they admit us yet？〃 asked Nekhludoff。
〃The service is going on。 When the mass is over； you'll be
admitted。〃
Nekhludoff stepped aside from the waiting crowd。 A man in
tattered clothes； crumpled hat； with bare feet and red stripes
all over his face； detached himself from the crowd； and turned
towards the prison。
〃Now； then； where are you going？〃 shouted the sentinel with the
gun。
〃And you hold your row；〃 answered the tramp； not in the least
abashed by the sentinel's words； and turned back。 〃Well； if
you'll not let me in； I'll wait。 But； no！ Must needs shout； as if
he were a general。〃
The crowd laughed approvingly。 The visitors were； for the greater
part； badly…dressed people； some were ragged； but there were also
some respectable…looking men and women。 Next to Nekhludoff stood
a clean…shaven； stout； and red…cheeked man； holding a bundle；
apparently containing under…garments。 This was the doorkeeper of
a bank； he had come to see his brother； who was arrested for
forgery。 The good…natured fellow told Nekhludoff the whole story
of his life； and was going to question him in turn； when their
attention was aroused by a student and a veiled lady； who drove
up in a trap； with rubber tyres； drawn by a large thoroughbred
horse。 The student was holding a large bundle。 He came up to
Nekhludoff； and asked if and how he could give the rolls he had
brought in alms to the prisoners。 His fiancee wished it （this
lady was his fiancee）； and her parents had advised them to take
some rolls to the prisoners。
〃I myself am here for the first time；〃 said Nekhludoff； 〃and
don't know； but I think you had better ask this man；〃 and he
pointed to the warder with the gold cords and the book； sitting
on the right。
As they were speaking； the large iron door with a window in it
opened； and an officer in uniform； followed by another warder；
stepped out。 The warder with the notebook proclaimed that the
admittance of visitors would now commence。 The sentinel stepped
aside； and all the visitors rushed to the door as if afraid of
being too late； some even ran。 At the door there stood a warder
who counted the visitors as they came in； saying aloud； 16； 17；
and so on。 Another warder stood inside the building and also
counted the visitors as they entered a second door； touching each
one with his hand； so that when they went away again not one
visitor should be able to remain inside the prison and not one
prisoner might get out。 The warder； without looking at whom he
was touching； slapped Nekhludoff on the back； and Nekhludoff felt
hurt by the touch of the warder's hand； but； remembering what he
had come about； he felt ashamed of feeling dissatisfied and
taking offence。
The first apartment behind the entrance doors was a large vaulted
room with iron bars to the small windows。 In this room； which was
called the meeting…room； Nekhludoff was startled by the sight of
a large picture of the Crucifixion。
〃What's that for？〃 he thought； his mind involuntarily connecting
the subject of the picture with liberation and not with
imprisonment。
He went on； slowly letting the hurrying visitors pass before； and
experiencing a mingled feeling of horror at the evil…doers locked
up in this building； compassion for those who； like Katusha and
the boy they tried the day before； must be here though guiltless；
and shyness and tender emotion at the thought of the interview
before him。 The warder at the other end of the meeting…room said
something as they passed； but Nekhludoff； absorbed by his own
thoughts； paid no attention to him； and continued to follow the
majority of the visitors； and so got into the men's part of the
prison instead of the women's。
Letting the hurrying visitors pass before him； he was the last to
get into the interviewing…room。 As soon as Nekhludoff opened the
door of this room； he was struck by the deafening roar of a
hundred voices shouting at once； the reason of which he did not
at once understand。 But when he came nearer to the people； he saw
that they were all pressing against a net that divided the room
in two； like flies settling on sugar； and he understood what it
meant。 The two halves of the room； the windows of which were
opposite the door he had come in by； were separated； not by one；
but by two nets reaching from the floor to the ceiling。 The wire
nets were stretched 7 feet apart； and soldiers were walking up
and down the space between them。 On the further side of the nets
were the prisoners； on the nearer； the visitors。 Between them was
a double row of nets and a space of 7 feet wide； so that they
could not hand anything to one another； and any one whose sight
was not very good could not even distinguish the face on the
other side。 It was also difficult to talk； one had to scream in
order to be heard。
On both sides were faces pressed close to the nets； faces of
wives； husbands； fathers； mothers； children； trying to see each
other's features and to say what was necessary in such a way as
to be understood。
But as each one tried to be heard by the one he was talking to；
and his neighbour tried to do the same； they did their best to
drown each other's voices' and that was the cause of the din and
shouting which struck Nekhludoff when he first came in。 It was
impossible to understand what was being said and what were the
relations between the different people。 Next Nekhludoff an old
woman with a kerchief on her head stood trembling； her chin
pressed close to the net； and shouting something to a young
fellow； half of whose head was shaved； who listened attentively
with raised brows。 By the side of the old woman was a young man
in a peasant's coat； who listened； shaking his head； to a boy
very like himself。 Next stood a man in rags； who shouted； waving
his arm and laughing。 Next to him a woman； with a good woollen
shawl on her shoulders； sat on the floor holding a baby in her
lap and crying bitterly。 This was apparently the first time she
saw the greyheaded man on the other side in prison clothes； and
with his head shaved。 Beyond her was the doorkeeper； who had
spoken to Nekhludoff outside； he was shouting with all his might
to a greyhaired convict on the other side。
When Nekhludoff found that he would have to speak in similar
conditions； a feeling of indignation against those who were able
to make and enforce these conditions arose in him； he was
surprised that； placed in such a dreadful position； no one seemed
offended at this outrage on human feelings。 The soldiers； the
inspector； the prisoners themselves； acted as if acknowledging
all this to be necessary。
Nekhludoff remained in this room for about five minutes； feeling
strangely depressed； conscious of how powerless he was； and at
variance with all the world。 He was seized with a curious moral
sensation like seasickness。
CHAPTER XLII。
VISITING DAYTHE WOMEN'S WARD。
〃Well； but I must do what I came here for；〃 he said； trying to
pick up courage。 〃What is to be done now？〃 He looked round for an
official； and seeing a thin little man in the uniform of an
officer going up and down behind the people； he approached him。
〃Can you tell me； sir；〃 he said； with exceedingly strained
politeness of manner； 〃where the women are kept； and where one is
allowed to interview them？〃
〃Is it the women's ward you want to go to？〃
〃Yes； I should like to see one of the women prisoners；〃
Nekhludoff said； with the same strained politeness。
〃You should have said so when you were in the hall。 Who is it；
then； that you want to see？〃
〃I want to see a prisoner called Katerina Maslova。〃
〃Is she a political one？〃
〃No； she is simply 。 。 。〃
〃What！ Is she sentenced？〃
〃Yes； the day before yesterday she was sentenced；〃 meekly
answered Nekhludoff； fearing to spoil the inspector's good
humour； which seemed to incline in his favour。
〃If you want to go to the women's ward please to step this way；〃
sai