按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃But all the same； you must leave me；〃 she interrupted； and in
the terribly squinting eyes with which she looked at him
Nekhludoff read the former strained； angry expression。
〃Why should I leave you？〃
〃So。〃
〃But why so？〃
She again looked up； as it seemed to him； with the same angry
look。
〃Well； then； thus it is；〃 she said。 〃You must leave me。 It is
true what I am saying。 I cannot。 You just give it up altogether。〃
Her lips trembled and she was silent for a moment。 〃It is true。
I'd rather hang myself。〃
Nekhludoff felt that in this refusal there was hatred and
unforgiving resentment； but there was also something besides；
something good。 This confirmation of the refusal in cold blood at
once quenched all the doubts in Nekhludoff's bosom； and brought
back the serious； triumphant emotion he had felt in relation to
Katusha。
〃Katusha； what I have said I will again repeat；〃 he uttered； very
seriously。 〃I ask you to marry me。 If you do not wish it； and for
as long as you do not wish it； I shall only continue to follow
you； and shall go where you are taken。〃
〃That is your business。 I shall not say anything more；〃 she
answered； and her lips began to tremble again。
He； too； was silent； feeling unable to speak。
〃I shall now go to the country； and then to Petersburg；〃 he said；
when he was quieter again。 〃I shall do my utmost to get your…
our case； I mean； reconsidered； and by the help of God the
sentence may be revoked。〃
〃And if it is not revoked； never mind。 I have deserved it； if not
in this case； in other ways；〃 she said； and he saw how difficult
it was for her to keep down her tears。
〃Well； have you seen Menshoff？〃 she suddenly asked； to hide her
emotion。 〃It's true they are innocent； isn't it？〃
〃Yes； I think so。〃
〃Such a splendid old woman；〃 she said。
There was another pause。
〃Well； and as to the hospital？〃 she suddenly said； and looking at
him with her squinting eyes。 〃If you like； I will go； and I shall
not drink any spirits； either。〃
Nekhludoff looked into her eyes。 They were smiling。
〃Yes； yes； she is quite a different being；〃 Nekhludoff thought。
After all his former doubts； he now felt something he had never
before experiencedthe certainty that love is invincible。
When Maslova returned to her noisome cell after this interview；
she took off her cloak and sat down in her place on the shelf
bedstead with her hands folded on her lap。 In the cell were only
the consumptive woman； the Vladimir woman with her baby；
Menshoff's old mother； and the watchman's wife。 The deacon's
daughter had the day before been declared mentally diseased and
removed to the hospital。 The rest of the women were away； washing
clothes。 The old woman was asleep； the cell door stood open； and
the watchman's children were in the corridor outside。 The
Vladimir woman； with her baby in her arms； and the watchman's
wife； with the stocking she was knitting with deft fingers； came
up to Maslova。 〃Well； have you had a chat？〃 they asked。 Maslova
sat silent on the high bedstead； swinging her legs； which did not
reach to the floor。
〃What's the good of snivelling？〃 said the watchman's wife。 〃The
chief thing's not to go down into the dumps。 Eh； Katusha？ Now；
then！〃 and she went on； quickly moving her fingers。
Maslova did not answer。
〃And our women have all gone to wash；〃 said the Vladimir woman。
〃I heard them say much has been given in alms to…day。 Quite a lot
has been brought。〃
〃Finashka；〃 called out the watchman's wife； 〃where's the little
imp gone to？〃
She took a knitting needle； stuck it through both the ball and
the stocking； and went out into the corridor。
At this moment the sound of women's voices was heard from the
corridor； and the inmates of the cell entered； with their prison
shoes； but no stockings on their feet。 Each was carrying a roll；
some even two。 Theodosia came at once up to Maslova。
〃What's the matter； is anything wrong？〃 Theodosia asked； looking
lovingly at Maslova with her clear； blue eyes。 〃This is for our
tea；〃 and she put the rolls on a shelf。
〃Why； surely he has not changed his mind about marrying？〃 asked
Korableva。
〃No； he has not； but I don't wish to；〃 said Maslova； 〃and so I
told him。〃
〃More fool you！〃 muttered Korableva in her deep tones。
〃If one's not to live together； what's the use of marrying？〃 said
Theodosia。
〃There's your husbandhe's going with you；〃 said the watchman's
wife。
〃Well； of course； we're married；〃 said Theodosia。 〃But why should
he go through the ceremony if he is not to live with her？〃
〃Why； indeed！ Don't be a fool！ You know if he marries her she'll
roll in wealth；〃 said Korableva。
〃He says； 'Wherever they take you； I'll follow；'〃 said Maslova。
〃If he does； it's well； if he does not； well also。 I am not going
to ask him to。 Now he is going to try and arrange the matter in
Petersburg。 He is related to all the Ministers there。 But； all
the same； I have no need of him；〃 she continued。
〃Of course not；〃 suddenly agreed Korableva； evidently thinking
about something else as she sat examining her bag。 〃Well； shall
we have a drop？〃
〃You have some；〃 replied Maslova。 〃I won't。〃
END OF BOOK I。
BOOK II。
CHAPTER I。
PROPERTY IN LAND。
It was possible for Maslova's case to come before the Senate in a
fortnight； at which time Nekhludoff meant to go to Petersburg；
and； if need be； to appeal to the Emperor （as the advocate who
had drawn up the petition advised） should the appeal be
disregarded （and； according to the advocate； it was best to be
prepared for that； since the causes for appeal were so slight）。
The party of convicts； among whom was Maslova； would very likely
leave in the beginning of June。 In order to be able to follow her
to Siberia； as Nekhludoff was firmly resolved to do； he was now
obliged to visit his estates； and settle matters there。
Nekhludoff first went to the nearest； Kousminski； a large estate
that lay in the black earth district； and from which he derived
the greatest part of his income。
He had lived on that estate in his childhood and youth； and had
been there twice since； and once； at his mother's request； he had
taken a German steward there； and had with him verified the
accounts。 The state of things there and the peasants' relations
to the management； i。e。； the landlord； had therefore been long
known to him。 The relations of the peasants to the administration
were those of utter dependence on that management。 Nekhludoff
knew all this when still a university student； he had confessed
and preached Henry Georgeism； and； on the basis of that teaching；
had given the land inherited from his father to the peasants。 It
is true that after entering the army； when he got into the habit
of spending 20；000 roubles a year； those former occupations
ceased to be regarded as a duty； and were forgotten； and he not
only left off asking himself where the money his mother allowed
him came from； but even avoided thinking about it。 But his
mother's death； the coming into the property； and the necessity
of managing it； again raised the question as to what his position
in reference to private property in land was。 A month before
Nekhludoff would have answered that he had not the strength to
alter the existing order of things； that it was not he who was
administering the estate； and would one way or another have eased
his conscience； continuing to live far from his estates； and
having the money sent him。 But now he decided that he could not
leave things to go on as they were； but would have to alter them
in a way unprofitable to himself； even though he had all these
complicated and difficult relations with the prison world which
made money necessary； as well as a probable journey to Siberia
before him。 Therefore he decided not to farm the land； but to let
it to the peasants at a low rent； to enable them to cultivate it
without depending on a landlord。 More than once； when comparing
the position of a landowner with that of an owner of serfs；
Nekhludoff had compared the renting of land to the peasants
instead of cultivating it with hired labour； to the old system by
which serf proprietors used to exact a money payment from their
serfs in place of labour。 It was not a solution of the problem；
and yet a step towards the solution； it was a movement towards a
less rude form of slavery。 And it was in this way he meant to
act。
Nekhludoff reached Kousminski about noon。 Trying to simplify his
life in every way； he did not telegraph； but hired a cart and
pair at the station。 The driver was a young fellow in a nankeen
coat； with a belt below his long waist。 He was glad to talk to
the gentleman； especially because while they were talking his
broken…winded white horse and the emaciated spavined one could go
at a foot…pace； which they always liked to do。
The driver spoke about the steward at Kousminski without knowing
that he was driving 〃the master。〃 Nekhludoff had purposely not
told him who he was。
〃That ostentatious German；〃 said the driver （who had been to town
and read novels） as he sat sideways on the box； passing his hand
from the top to the bottom of his long whip； and trying to show
off his accomplishments〃