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visiting a friend at the time。
〃And it is true that you did not set it on fire？〃
〃It never entered my head to do it； sir。 It must be my enemy that
did it himself。 They say he had only just insured it。 Then they
said it was mother and I that did it； and that we had threatened
him。 It is true I once did go for him； my heart couldn't stand it
any longer。〃
〃Can this be true？〃
〃God is my witness it is true。 Oh； sir； be so good〃 and
Nekhludoff had some difficulty to prevent him from bowing down to
the ground。 〃You see I am perishing without any reason。〃 His face
quivered and he turned up the sleeve of his cloak and began to
cry； wiping the tears with the sleeve of his dirty shirt。
〃Are you ready？〃 asked the assistant。
〃Yes。 Well； cheer up。 We will consult a good lawyer； and will do
what we can；〃 said Nekhludoff； and went out。 Menshoff stood close
to the door； so that the jailer knocked him in shutting it； and
while the jailer was locking it he remained looking out through
the little hole。
CHAPTER LIII。
VICTIMS OF GOVERNMENT。
Passing back along the broad corridor （it was dinner time； and
the cell doors were open）； among the men dressed in their light
yellow cloaks； short； wide trousers； and prison shoes； who were
looking eagerly at him； Nekhludoff felt a strange mixture of
sympathy for them； and horror and perplexity at the conduct of
those who put and kept them here； and； besides； he felt； he knew
not why； ashamed of himself calmly examining it all。
In one of the corridors； some one ran； clattering with his shoes；
in at the door of a cell。 Several men came out from here； and
stood in Nekhludoff's way； bowing to him。
〃Please； your honour （we don't know what to call you）； get our
affair settled somehow。〃
〃I am not an official。 I know nothing about it。〃
〃Well； anyhow； you come from outside； tell somebodyone of the
authorities； if need be；〃 said an indignant voice。 〃Show some
pity on us； as a human being。 Here we are suffering the second
month for nothing。〃
〃What do you mean？ Why？〃 said Nekhludoff。
〃Why？ We ourselves don't know why； but are sitting here the
second month。〃
〃Yes； it's quite true； and it is owing to an accident；〃 said the
inspector。 〃These people were taken up because they had no
passports； and ought to have been sent back to their native
government； but the prison there is burnt； and the local
authorities have written； asking us not to send them on。 So we
have sent all the other passportless people to their different
governments； but are keeping these。〃
〃What！ For no other reason than that？〃 Nekhludoff exclaimed；
stopping at the door。
A crowd of about forty men； all dressed in prison clothes；
surrounded him and the assistant； and several began talking at
once。 The assistant stopped them。
〃Let some one of you speak。〃
A tall； good…looking peasant； a stone…mason； of about fifty；
stepped out from the rest。 He told Nekhludoff that all of them
had been ordered back to their homes and were now being kept in
prison because they had no passports； yet they had passports
which were only a fortnight overdue。 The same thing had happened
every year； they had many times omitted to renew their passports
till they were overdue； and nobody had ever said anything； but
this year they had been taken up and were being kept in prison
the second month； as if they were criminals。
〃We are all masons； and belong to the same artel。 We are told
that the prison in our government is burnt； but this is not our
fault。 Do help us。〃
Nekhludoff listened； but hardly understood what the good…looking
old man was saying； because his attention was riveted to a large；
dark…grey； many…legged louse that was creeping along the
good…looking man's cheek。
〃How's that？ Is it possible for such a reason？〃 Nekhludoff said；
turning to the assistant。
〃Yes； they should have been sent off and taken back to their
homes；〃 calmly said the assistant； 〃but they seem to have been
forgotten or something。〃
Before the assistant had finished； a small； nervous man； also in
prison dress； came out of the crowd； and； strangely contorting
his mouth； began to say that they were being ill…used for
nothing。
〃Worse than dogs；〃 he began。
〃Now； now； not too much of this。 Hold your tongue； or you know〃
〃What do I know？〃 screamed the little man； desperately。 〃What is
our crime？〃
〃Silence！〃 shouted the assistant； and the little man was silent。
〃But what is the meaning of all this？〃 Nekhludoff thought to
himself as he came out of the cell； while a hundred eyes were
fixed upon him through the openings of the cell doors and from
the prisoners that met him； making him feel as if he were running
the gauntlet。
〃Is it really possible that perfectly innocent people are kept
here？〃 Nekhludoff uttered when they left the corridor。
〃What would you have us do？ They lie so。 To hear them talk they
are all of them innocent；〃 said the inspector's assistant。 〃But
it does happen that some are really imprisoned for nothing。〃
〃Well； these have done nothing。〃
〃Yes； we must admit it。 Still； the people are fearfully spoilt。
There are such typesdesperate fellows； with whom one has to
look sharp。 To…day two of that sort had to be punished。〃
〃Punished？ How？〃
〃Flogged with a birch…rod； by order。〃
〃But corporal punishment is abolished。〃
〃Not for such as are deprived of their rights。 They are still
liable to it。〃
Nekhludoff thought of what he had seen the day before while
waiting in the hall； and now understood that the punishment was
then being inflicted； and the mixed feeling of curiosity；
depression； perplexity； and moral nausea； that grew into physical
sickness； took hold of him more strongly than ever before。
Without listening to the inspector's assistant； or looking round；
he hurriedly left the corridor； and went to the office。 The
inspector was in the office； occupied with other business； and
had forgotten to send for Doukhova。 He only remembered his
promise to have her called when Nekhludoff entered the office。
〃Sit down； please。 I'll send for her at once；〃 said the
inspector。
CHAPTER LIV。
PRISONERS AND FRIENDS。
The office consisted of two rooms。 The first room； with a large；
dilapidated stove and two dirty windows； had a black measure for
measuring the prisoners in one corner； and in another corner hung
a large image of Christ； as is usual in places where they torture
people。 In this room stood several jailers。 In the next room sat
about twenty persons； men and women in groups and in pairs；
talking in low voices。 There was a writing table by the window。
The inspector sat down by the table； and offered Nekhludoff a
chair beside him。 Nekhludoff sat down； and looked at the people
in the room。
The first who drew his attention was a young man with a pleasant
face； dressed in a short jacket； standing in front of a
middle…aged woman with dark eyebrows； and he was eagerly telling
her something and gesticulating with his hands。 Beside them sat
an old man； with blue spectacles； holding the hand of a young
woman in prisoner's clothes； who was telling him something。 A
schoolboy； with a fixed； frightened look on his face； was gazing
at the old man。 In one corner sat a pair of lovers。 She was quite
young and pretty； and had short； fair hair； looked energetic； and
was elegantly dressed； he had fine features； wavy hair； and wore
a rubber jacket。 They sat in their corner and seemed stupefied
with love。 Nearest to the table sat a grey…haired woman dressed
in black； evidently the mother of a young； consumptive…looking
fellow； in the same kind of jacket。 Her head lay on his shoulder。
She was trying to say something； but the tears prevented her from
speaking； she began several times； but had to stop。 The young man
held a paper in his hand； and； apparently not knowing what to do；
kept folding and pressing it with an angry look on his face。
Beside them was a short…haired； stout； rosy girl； with very
prominent eyes； dressed in a grey dress and a cape； she sat
beside the weeping mother； tenderly stroking her。 Everything
about this girl was beautiful； her large； white hands； her short；
wavy hair； her firm nose and lips； but the chief charm of her
face lay in her kind； truthful hazel eyes。 The beautiful eyes
turned away from the mother for a moment when Nekhludoff came in；
and met his look。 But she turned back at once and said something
to the mother。
Not far from the lovers a dark； dishevelled man； with a gloomy
face； sat angrily talking to a beardless visitor； who looked as
if he belonged to the Scoptsy sect。
At the very door stood a young man in a rubber jacket； who seemed
more concerned about the impression he produced on the onlooker
than about what he was saying。 Nekhludoff； sitting by the
inspector's side； looked round with strained curiosity。 A little
boy with closely…cropped hair came up to him and addressed him in
a thin little voice。
〃And whom are you waiting for？〃
Nekhludoff was surprised at the question； but looking at the boy；
and seeing the serious little face with its bright； attentive
eyes fixed on him； answered him seriously that he was waiting for
a woman of his acquaintan