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have other defects； but you know how kind…hearted he is。 All
these miserable prisoners are his children。 He does not regard
them in any other light。 II est d'une bonte…〃 and she stopped；
finding no words to do justice to this bonte of his； and quickly
turned to a shrivelled old woman with bows of lilac ribbon all
over； who came in just then。
Having said as much as was absolutely necessary； and with as
little meaning as conventionality required； Nekhludoff rose and
went up to Meslennikoff。 〃Can you give me a few minutes' hearing；
please？〃
〃Oh； yes。 Well； what is it？〃
〃Let us come in here。〃
They entered a small Japanese sitting…room； and sat down by the
window。
CHAPTER LVIII。
THE VICE…GOVERNOR SUSPICIOUS。
〃Well？ Je suis a vous。 Will you smoke？ But wait a bit； we must be
careful and not make a mess here；〃 said Maslennikoff； and brought
an ashpan。 〃Well？〃
〃There are two matters I wish to ask you about。〃
〃Dear me！〃
An expression of gloom and dejection came over Maslennikoff's
countenance； and every trace of the excitement； like that of the
dog's whom its master has scratched behind the cars； vanished
completely。 The sound of voices reached them from the drawing…
room。 A woman's voice was heard； saying； 〃Jamais je ne croirais；〃
and a man's voice from the other side relating something in which
the names of la Comtesse Voronzoff and Victor Apraksine kept
recurring。 A hum of voices； mixed with laughter； came from
another side。 Maslennikoff tried to listen to what was going on
in the drawing…room and to what Nekhludoff was saying at the same
time。
〃I am again come about that same woman；〃 said Nekhludoff。〃
〃Oh； yes； I know。 The one innocently condemned。〃
〃I would like to ask that she should be appointed to serve in the
prison hospital。 I have been told that this could be arranged。〃
Maslennikoff compressed his lips and meditated。 〃That will be
scarcely possible；〃 he said。 〃However； I shall see what can be
done； and shall wire you an answer tomorrow。〃
〃I have been told that there were many sick； and help was
needed。〃
〃All right； all right。 I shall let you know in any case。〃
〃Please do；〃 said Nekhludoff。
The sound of a general and even a natural laugh came from the
drawing…room。
〃That's all that Victor。 He is wonderfully sharp when he is in
the right vein；〃 said Maslennikoff。
〃The next thing I wanted to tell you；〃 said Nekhludoff； 〃is that
130 persons are imprisoned only because their passports are
overdue。 They have been kept here a month。〃
And he related the circumstances of the case。
〃How have you come to know of this？〃 said Maslennikoff； looking
uneasy and dissatisfied。
〃I went to see a prisoner； and these men came and surrounded me
in the corridor； and asked 。 。 。〃
〃What prisoner did you go to see？〃
〃A peasant who is kept in prison； though innocent。 I have put his
case into the hands of a lawyer。 But that is not the point。〃
〃Is it possible that people who have done no wrong are imprisoned
only because their passports are overdue？ And 。 。 。〃
〃That's the Procureur's business；〃 Maslennikoff interrupted；
angrily。 〃There； now； you see what it is you call a prompt and
just form of trial。 It is the business of the Public Prosecutor
to visit the prison and to find out if the prisoners are kept
there lawfully。 But that set play cards； that's all they do。〃
〃Am I to understand that you can do nothing？〃 Nekhludoff said；
despondently； remembering that the advocate had foretold that the
Governor would put the blame on the Procureur。
〃Oh； yes； I can。 I shall see about it at once。〃
〃So much the worse for her。 C'est un souffre douleur；〃 came the
voice of a woman； evidently indifferent to what she was saying；
from the drawing…room。
〃So much the better。 I shall take it also；〃 a man's voice was
heard to say from the other side； followed by the playful
laughter of a woman； who was apparently trying to prevent the man
from taking something away from her。
〃No； no； not on any account；〃 the woman's voice said。
〃All right； then。 I shall do all this；〃 Maslennikoff repeated；
and put out the cigarette he held in his white； turquoise…ringed
hand。 〃And now let us join the ladies。〃
〃Wait a moment；〃 Nekhludoff said； stopping at the door of the
drawing…room。 〃I was told that some men had received corporal
punishment in the prison yesterday。 Is this true？〃
Maslennikoff blushed。
〃Oh； that's what you are after？ No； mon cher； decidedly it won't
do to let you in there； you want to get at everything。 Come；
come； Anna is calling us；〃 he said； catching Nekhludoff by the
arm； and again becoming as excited as after the attention paid
him by the important person； only now his excitement was not
joyful； but anxious。
Nekhludoff pulled his arm away； and without taking leave of any
one and without saying a word； he passed through the drawing…room
with a dejected look； went down into the hall； past the footman；
who sprang towards him； and out at the street door。
〃What is the matter with him？ What have you done to him？〃 asked
Anna of her husband。
〃This is a la Francaise；〃 remarked some one。
〃A la Francaise； indeedit is a la Zoulou。〃
〃Oh； but he's always been like that。〃
Some one rose； some one came in； and the clatter went on its
course。 The company used this episode with Nekhludoff as a
convenient topic of conversation for the rest of the 〃at…home。〃
On the day following his visit to Maslennikoff； Nekhludoff
received a letter from him； written in a fine； firm hand； on
thick； glazed paper； with a coat…of…arms； and sealed with
sealing…wax。 Maslennikoff said that he had written to the doctor
concerning Maslova's removal to the hospital； and hoped
Nekhludoff's wish would receive attention。 The letter was signed；
〃Your affectionate elder comrade；〃 and the signature ended with a
large； firm； and artistic flourish。 〃Fool！〃 Nekhludoff could not
refrain from saying； especially because in the word 〃comrade〃 he
felt Maslennikoff's condescension towards him； i。e。； while
Maslennikoff was filling this position； morally most dirty and
shameful； he still thought himself a very important man； and
wished； if not exactly to flatter Nekhludoff； at least to show
that he was not too proud to call him comrade。
CHAPTER LIX。
NEKHLUDOFF'S THIRD INTERVIEW WITH MASLOVA IN PRISON。
One of the most widespread superstitions is that every man has
his own special； definite qualities； that a man is kind； cruel；
wise； stupid； energetic； apathetic； etc。 Men are not like that。
We may say of a man that he is more often kind than cruel；
oftener wise than stupid； oftener energetic than apathetic； or
the reverse； but it would be false to say of one man that he is
kind and wise； of another that he is wicked and foolish。 And yet
we always classify mankind in this way。 And this is untrue。 Men
are like rivers： the water is the same in each； and alike in all；
but every river is narrow here； is more rapid there； here slower；
there broader； now clear； now cold； now dull； now warm。 It is the
same with men。 Every man carries in himself the germs of every
human quality； and sometimes one manifests itself； sometimes
another； and the man often becomes unlike himself； while still
remaining the same man； In some people these changes are very
rapid； and Nekhludoff was such a man。 These changes in him were
due to physical and to spiritual causes。 At this time he
experienced such a change。
That feeling of triumph and joy at the renewal of life which he
had experienced after the trial and after the first interview
with Katusha； vanished completely； and after the last interview
fear and revulsion took the place of that joy。 He was determined
not to leave her； and not to change his decision of marrying her；
if she wished it； but it seemed very hard； and made him suffer。
On the day after his visit to Maslennikoff； he again went to the
prison to see her。
The inspector allowed him to speak to her； only not in the
advocate's room nor in the office； but in the women's
visiting…room。 In spite of his kindness； the inspector was more
reserved with Nekhludoff than hitherto。
An order for greater caution had apparently been sent； as a
result of his conversation with Meslennikoff。
〃You may see her；〃 the inspector said； 〃but please remember what
I said as regards money。 And as to her removal to the hospital；
that his excellency wrote to me about； it can be done； the doctor
would agree。 Only she herself does not wish it。 She says； 'Much
need have I to carry out the slops for the scurvy beggars。' You
don't know what these people are； Prince；〃 he added。
Nekhludoff did not reply； but asked to have the interview。 The
inspector called a jailer； whom Nekhludoff followed into the
women's visiting…room； where there was no one but Maslova
waiting。 She came from behind the grating； quiet and timid； close
up to him； and said； without looking at him：
〃Forgive me； Dmitri Ivanovitch； I spoke hastily the day before
yesterday。〃
〃It is not for me to forgive you；〃 Nekhludoff began。
〃But all the same； you must leave me；〃 she interrupted； and in
the terribly squinting eyes with which she looked at him
Nekhludoff read