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〃We shall do what we can。 I shall speak about it at the Ministry
of Justice； and when we get their answer we shall do what we
can。〃
Nekhludoff left the study； and went into the office again。 Just
as in the Senate office； he saw； in a splendid apartment； a
number of very elegant officials； clean； polite； severely correct
and distinguished in dress and in speech。
〃How many there are of them； how very many and how well fed they
all look！ And what clean shirts and hands they all have； and how
well all their boots are polished！ Who does it for them？ How
comfortable they all are； as compared not only with the
prisoners； but even with the peasants！〃 These thoughts again
involuntarily came to Nekhludoff's mind。
CHAPTER XIX。
AN OLD GENERAL OF REPUTE。
The man on whom depended the easing of the fate of the Petersburg
prisoners was an old General of reputea baron of German
descent； who； as it was said of him； had outlived his wits。 He
had received a profusion of orders； but only wore one of them；
the Order of the White Cross。 He had received this order； which
he greatly valued； while serving in the Caucasus； because a
number of Russian peasants； with their hair cropped； and dressed
in uniform and armed with guns and bayonets； had killed at his
command more than a thousand men who were defending their
liberty； their homes； and their families。 Later on he served in
Poland； and there also made Russian peasants commit many
different crimes； and got more orders and decorations for his
uniform。 Then he served somewhere else； and now that he was a
weak； old man he had this position； which insured him a good
house； an income and respect。 He strictly observed all the
regulations which were prescribed 〃from above；〃 and was very
zealous in the fulfilment of these regulations； to which he
ascribed a special importance； considering that everything else
in the world might be changed except the regulations prescribed
〃from above。〃 His duty was to keep political prisoners； men and
women； in solitary confinement in such a way that half of them
perished in 10 years' time； some going out of their minds； some
dying of consumption； some committing suicide by starving
themselves to death； cutting their veins with bits of glass；
hanging； or burning themselves to death。
The old General was not ignorant of this； it all happened within
his knowledge； but these cases no more touched his conscience
than accidents brought on by thunderstorms； floods； etc。 These
cases occurred as a consequence of the fulfilment of regulations
prescribed 〃from above〃 by His Imperial Majesty。 These
regulations had to be carried out without fail； and therefore it
was absolutely useless to think of the consequences of their
fulfilment。 The old General did not even allow himself to think
of such things； counting it his patriotic duty as a soldier not
to think of them for fear of getting weak in the carrying out of
these； according to his opinion； very important obligations。 Once
a week the old General made the round of the cells； one of the
duties of his position； and asked the prisoners if they had any
requests to make。 The prisoners had all sorts of requests。 He
listened to them quietly； in impenetrable silence； and never
fulfilled any of their requests； because they were all in
disaccord with the regulations。 Just as Nekhludoff drove up to
the old General's house； the high notes of the bells on the
belfry clock chimed 〃Great is the Lord；〃 and then struck two。 The
sound of these chimes brought back to Nekhludoff's mind what he
had read in the notes of the Decembrists ＇the Decembrists were a
group who attempted； but failed； to put an end to absolutism in
Russia at the time of the accession of Nicholas the First＇ about
the way this sweet music repeated every hour re…echoes in the
hearts of those imprisoned for life。
Meanwhile the old General was sitting in his darkened
drawing…room at an inlaid table； turning a saucer on a piece of
paper with the aid of a young artist； the brother of one of his
subordinates。 The thin； weak； moist fingers of the artist were
pressed against the wrinkled and stiff…jointed fingers of the old
General； and the hands joined in this manner were moving together
with the saucer over a paper that had all the letters of the
alphabet written on it。 The saucer was answering the questions
put by the General as to how souls will recognise each other
after death。
When Nekhludoff sent in his card by an orderly acting as footman；
the soul of Joan of Arc was speaking by the aid of the saucer。
The soul of Joan of Arc had already spelt letter by letter the
words： 〃They well knew each other；〃 and these words had been
written down。 When the orderly came in the saucer had stopped
first on b； then on y； and began jerking hither and thither。 This
jerking was caused by the General's opinion that the next letter
should be b； i。e。； Joan of Arc ought to say that the souls will
know each other by being cleansed of all that is earthly； or
something of the kind； clashing with the opinion of the artist；
who thought the next letter should be l； i。e。； that the souls
should know each other by light emanating from their astral
bodies。 The General； with his bushy grey eyebrows gravely
contracted； sat gazing at the hands on the saucer； and； imagining
that it was moving of its own accord； kept pulling the saucer
towards b。 The pale…faced young artist； with his thin hair combed
back behind his cars； was looking with his lifeless blue eyes
into a dark corner of the drawing…room； nervously moving his lips
and pulling the saucer towards l。
The General made a wry face at the interruption； but after a
moment's pause he took the card； put on his pince…nez； and；
uttering a groan； rose； in spite of the pain in his back； to his
full height； rubbing his numb fingers。
〃Ask him into the study。〃
〃With your excellency's permission I will finish it alone；〃 said
the artist； rising。 〃I feel the presence。〃
〃All right； finish alone；〃 the General said； severely and
decidedly； and stepped quickly； with big； firm and measured
strides； into his study。
〃Very pleased to see you；〃 said the General to Nekhludoff；
uttering the friendly words in a gruff tone； and pointing to an
armchair by the side of the writing…table。 〃Have you been in
Petersburg long？〃
Nekhludoff replied that he had only lately arrived。
〃Is the Princess； your mother； well？〃
〃My mother is dead。〃
〃Forgive me； I am very sorry。 My son told me he had met you。〃
The General's son was making the same kind of career for himself
that the father had done； and； having passed the Military
Academy； was now serving in the Inquiry Office； and was very
proud of his duties there。 His occupation was the management of
Government spies。
〃Why； I served with your father。 We were friendscomrades。 And
you； are you also in the Service？〃
〃No； I am not。〃
The General bent his head disapprovingly。
〃I have a request to make； General。〃
〃Very pleased。 In what way can I be of service to you？〃 If my
request is out of place pray pardon me。 But I am obliged to make
it。〃
〃What is it？〃
〃There is a certain Gourkevitch imprisoned in the fortress； his
mother asks for an interview with him； or at least to be allowed
to send him some books。〃
The General expressed neither satisfaction nor dissatisfaction at
Nekhludoff's request； but bending his head on one side he closed
his eyes as if considering。 In reality he was not considering
anything； and was not even interested in Nekhludoff's questions；
well knowing that he would answer them according to the law。 He
was simply resting mentally and not thinking at all。
〃You see；〃 he said at last； 〃this does not depend on me。 There is
a regulation； confirmed by His Majesty； concerning interviews；
and as to books； we have a library； and they may have what is
permitted。〃
〃Yes； but he wants scientific books； he wishes to study。〃
〃Don't you believe it；〃 growled the General。 〃It's not study he
wants； it is just only restlessness。〃
〃But what is to be done？ They must occupy their time somehow in
their hard condition；〃 said Nekhludoff。
〃They are always complaining；〃 said the General。 〃We know them。〃
He spoke of them in a general way； as if they were all a
specially bad race of men。 〃They have conveniences here which can
be found in few places of confinement；〃 said the General； and he
began to enumerate the comforts the prisoners enjoyed； as if the
aim of the institution was to give the people imprisoned there a
comfortable home。
〃It is true it used to be rather rough； but now they are very
well kept here；〃 he continued。 〃They have three courses for
dinnerand one of them meatcutlets； or rissoles； and on
Sundays they get a fourtha sweet dish。 God grant every Russian
may eat as well as they do。〃
Like all old people； the General； having once got on to a
familiar topic； enumerated the various proofs he had often given
before of the prisoners being exacting and ungrateful。
〃They get books on spiritual subjects and old journals。 We have a
library。 Only they rarely read。 At first they seem interested；
later on the new books remain uncut； and the old ones wit