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eyes fixed on him； answered him seriously that he was waiting for
a woman of his acquaintance。
〃Is she； then； your sister？〃 the boy asked。
〃No； not my sister；〃 Nekhludoff answered in surprise。
〃And with whom are you here？〃 he inquired of the boy。
〃I？ With mamma； she is a political one；〃 he replied。
〃Mary Pavlovna； take Kolia！〃 said the inspector； evidently
considering Nekhludoff's conversation with the boy illegal。
Mary Pavlovna； the beautiful girl who had attracted Nekhludoff's
attention； rose tall and erect； and with firm； almost manly
steps； approached Nekhludoff and the boy。
〃What is he asking you？ Who you are？〃 she inquired with a slight
smile； and looking straight into his face with a trustful look in
her kind； prominent eyes； and as simply as if there could be no
doubt whatever that she was and must be on sisterly terms with
everybody。
〃He likes to know everything；〃 she said； looking at the boy with
so sweet and kind a smile that both the boy and Nekhludoff were
obliged to smile back。
〃He was asking me whom I have come to see。〃
〃Mary Pavlovna； it is against the rules to speak to strangers。
You know it is；〃 said the inspector。
〃All right； all right；〃 she said； and went back to the
consumptive lad's mother； holding Kolia's little hand in her
large； white one； while he continued gazing up into her face。
〃Whose is this little boy？〃 Nekhludoff asked of the inspector。
〃His mother is a political prisoner； and he was born in prison；〃
said the inspector； in a pleased tone； as if glad to point out
how exceptional his establishment was。
〃Is it possible？〃
〃Yes； and now he is going to Siberia with her。〃
〃And that young girl？〃
〃I cannot answer your question；〃 said the inspector； shrugging
his shoulders。 〃Besides； here is Doukhova。〃
CHAPTER LV。
VERA DOUKHOVA EXPLAINS。
Through a door； at the back of the room； entered； with a
wriggling gait； the thin； yellow Vera Doukhova； with her large；
kind eyes。
〃Thanks for having come；〃 she said； pressing Nekhludoff's hand。
〃Do you remember me？ Let us sit down。〃
〃I did not expect to see you like this。〃
〃Oh； I am very happy。 It is so delightful； so delightful； that I
desire nothing better；〃 said Vera Doukhova； with the usual
expression of fright in the large； kind； round eyes fixed on
Nekhludoff； and twisting the terribly thin； sinewy neck；
surrounded by the shabby； crumpled； dirty collar of her bodice。
Nekhludoff asked her how she came to be in prison。
In answer she began relating all about her affairs with great
animation。 Her speech was intermingled with a great many long
words； such as propaganda； disorganisation； social groups；
sections and sub…sections； about which she seemed to think
everybody knew； but which Nekhludoff had never heard of。
She told him all the secrets of the Nardovolstvo； ＇literally；
〃People's Freedom；〃 a revolutionary movement＇ evidently
convinced that he was pleased to hear them。 Nekhludoff looked at
her miserable little neck； her thin； unkempt hair； and wondered
why she had been doing all these strange things； and why she was
now telling all this to him。 He pitied her； but not as he had
pitied Menshoff； the peasant； kept for no fault of his own in the
stinking prison。 She was pitiable because of the confusion that
filled her mind。 It was clear that she considered herself a
heroine； and was ready to give her life for a cause； though she
could hardly have explained what that cause was and in what its
success would lie。
The business that Vera Doukhova wanted to see Nekhludoff about
was the following： A friend of hers； who had not even belonged to
their 〃sub…group；〃 as she expressed it； had been arrested with
her about five months before； and imprisoned in the
Petropavlovsky fortress because some prohibited books and papers
（which she had been asked to keep） had been found in her
possession。 Vera Doukhova felt herself in some measure to blame
for her friend's arrest； and implored Nekhludoff； who had
connections among influential people； to do all he could in order
to set this friend free。
Besides this； Doukhova asked him to try and get permission for
another friend of hers； Gourkevitch （who was also imprisoned in
the Petropavlovsky fortress）； to see his parents； and to procure
some scientific books which he required for his studies。
Nekhludoff promised to do what he could when he went to
Petersburg。
As to her own story； this is what she said： Having finished a
course of midwifery； she became connected with a group of
adherents to the Nardovolstvo； and made up her mind to agitate in
the revolutionary movement。 At first all went on smoothly。 She
wrote proclamations and occupied herself with propaganda work in
the factories； then； an important member having been arrested；
their papers were seized and all concerned were arrested。 〃I was
also arrested； and shall be exiled。 But what does it matter？ I
feel perfectly happy。〃 She concluded her story with a piteous
smile。
Nekhludoff made some inquiries concerning the girl with the
prominent eyes。 Vera Doukhova told him that this girl was the
daughter of a general； and had been long attached to the
revolutionary party； and was arrested because she had pleaded
guilty to having shot a gendarme。 She lived in a house with some
conspirators； where they had a secret printing press。 One night；
when the police came to search this house； the occupiers resolved
to defend themselves； put out the light； and began destroying the
things that might incriminate them。 The police forced their way
in； and one of the conspirators fired； and mortally wounded a
gendarme。 When an inquiry was instituted； this girl said that it
was she who had fired； although she had never had a revolver in
her hands； and would not have hurt a fly。 And she kept to it； and
was now condemned to penal servitude in Siberia。
〃An altruistic； fine character；〃 said Vera Doukhova； approvingly。
The third business that Vera Doukhova wanted to talk about
concerned Maslova。 She knew； as everybody does know in prison；
the story of Maslova's life and his connection with her； and
advised him to take steps to get her removed into the political
prisoner's ward； or into the hospital to help to nurse the sick；
of which there were very many at that time； so that extra nurses
were needed。
Nekhludoff thanked her for the advice； and said he would try to
act upon it。
CHAPTER LVI。
NEKHLUDOFF AND THE PRISONERS。
Their conversation was interrupted by the inspector； who said
that the time was up； and the prisoners and their friends must
part。 Nekhludoff took leave of Vera Doukhova and went to the
door； where he stopped to watch what was going on。
The inspector's order called forth only heightened animation
among the prisoners in the room； but no one seemed to think of
going。 Some rose and continued to talk standing； some went on
talking without rising。 A few began crying and taking leave of
each other。 The mother and her consumptive son seemed especially
pathetic。 The young fellow kept twisting his bit of paper and his
face seemed angry； so great were his efforts not to be infected
by his mother's emotion。 The mother； hearing that it was time to
part； put her head on his shoulder and sobbed and sniffed aloud。
The girl with the prominent eyesNekhludoff could not help
watching herwas standing opposite the sobbing mother； and was
saying something to her in a soothing tone。 The old man with the
blue spectacles stood holding his daughter's hand and nodding in
answer to what she said。 The young lovers rose； and； holding each
other's hands； looked silently into one another's eyes。
〃These are the only two who are merry；〃 said a young man with a
short coat who stood by Nekhludoff's side； also looking at those
who were about to part； and pointed to the lovers。 Feeling
Nekhludoff's and the young man's eyes fixed on them； the lovers
the young man with the rubber coat and the pretty girlstretched
out their arms； and with their hands clasped in each other's；
danced round and round again。 〃To…night they are going to be
married here in prison； and she will follow him to Siberia；〃 said
the young man。
〃What is he？〃
〃A convict； condemned to penal servitude。 Let those two at least
have a little joy； or else it is too painful；〃 the young man
added； listening to the sobs of the consumptive lad's mother。
〃Now； my good people！ Please； please do not oblige me to have
recourse to severe measures；〃 the inspector said； repeating the
same words several times over。 〃Do； please；〃 he went on in a
weak； hesitating manner。 〃It is high time。 What do you mean by
it？ This sort of thing is quite impossible。 I am now asking you
for the last time；〃 he repeated wearily； now putting out his
cigarette and then lighting another。
It was evident that； artful； old； and common as were the devices
enabling men to do evil to others without feeling responsible for
it； the inspector could not but feel conscious that he was one of
those who were guilty of causing the sorrow which manifested
itself in this room。 And it was apparent that this troubled him
sorely。 At length the prisoners and their visitors began to
gothe first ou