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reception…room inquired what Nekhludoff wanted； and when he heard
that Nekhludoff meant to hand in a petition to the Emperor； he
asked him if he would allow the petition to be read first。
Nekhludoff gave it him； and the official took it into the study。
The abbess； with her hood and flowing veil and her long train
trailing behind； left the study and went out； her white hands
（with their well…tended nails） holding a topaz rosary。 Nekhludoff
was not immediately asked to come in。 Toporoff was reading the
petition and shaking his head。 He was unpleasantly surprised by
the clear and emphatic wording of it。
〃If it gets into the hands of the Emperor it may cause
misunderstandings； and unpleasant questions may be asked；〃 he
thought as he read。 Then he put the petition on the table； rang；
and ordered Nekhludoff to be asked in。
He remembered the case of the sectarians； he had had a petition
from them before。 The case was this： These Christians； fallen
away from the Greek Orthodox Church； were first exhorted and then
tried by law； but were acquitted。 Then the Archdeacon and the
Governor arranged； on the plea that their marriages were illegal；
to exile these sectarians； separating the husbands； wives； and
children。 These fathers and wives were now petitioning that they
should not he parted。 Toporoff recollected the first time the
case came to his notice： he had at that time hesitated whether he
had not better put a stop to it。 But then he thought no harm
could result from his confirming the decision to separate and
exile the different members of the sectarian families； whereas
allowing the peasant sect to remain where it was might have a bad
effect on the rest of the inhabitants of the place and cause them
to fall away from Orthodoxy。 And then the affair also proved the
zeal of the Archdeacon； and so he let the case proceed along the
lines it had taken。 But now that they had a defender such as
Nekhludoff； who had some influence in Petersburg； the case might
be specially pointed out to the Emperor as something cruel； or it
might get into the foreign papers。 Therefore he at once took an
unexpected decision。
〃How do you do？〃 he said； with the air of a very busy man；
receiving Nekhludoff standing； and at once starting on the
business。 〃I know this case。 As soon as I saw the names I
recollected this unfortunate business；〃 he said； taking up the
petition and showing it to Nekhludoff。 〃And I am much indebted to
you for reminding me of it。 It is the over…zealousness of the
provincial authorities。〃
Nekhludoff stood silent； looking with no kindly feelings at the
immovable； pale mask of a face before him。
〃And I shall give orders that these measures should he revoked
and the people reinstated in their homes。〃
〃So that I need not make use of this petition？〃
〃I promise you most assuredly；〃 answered Toporoff； laying a
stress on the word I； as if quite convinced that his honesty； his
word was the best guarantee。 〃It will be best if I write at once。
Take a seat； please。〃
He went up to the table and began to write。 As Nekhludoff sat
down he looked at the narrow； bald skull； at the fat； blue…veined
hand that was swiftly guiding the pen； and wondered why this
evidently indifferent man was doing what he did and why he was
doing it with such care。
〃Well； here you are；〃 said Toporoff； sealing the envelope； 〃you
may let your clients know；〃 and he stretched his lips to imitate
a smile。
〃Then what did these people suffer for？〃 Nekhludoff asked； as he
took the envelope。
Toporoff raised his head and smiled； as if Nekhludoff's question
gave him pleasure。 〃That I cannot tell。 All I can say is that the
interests of the people guarded by us are so important that too
great a zeal in matters of religion is not so dangerous or so
harmful as the indifference which is now spreading〃
〃But how is it that in the name of religion the very first
demands of righteousness are violatedfamilies are separated？〃
Toporoff continued to smile patronisingly； evidently thinking
what Nekhludoff said very pretty。 Anything that Nekhludoff could
say he would have considered very pretty and very one…sided； from
the height of what he considered his far…reaching office in the
State。
〃It may seem so from the point of view of a private individual；〃
he said； 〃but from an administrative point of view it appears in
a rather different light。 However； I must bid you good…bye； now；〃
said Toporoff； bowing his head and holding out his hand； which
Nekhludoff pressed。
〃The interests of the people！ Your interests is what you mean！〃
thought Nekhludoff as he went out。 And he ran over in his mind
the people in whom is manifested the activity of the institutions
that uphold religion and educate the people。 He began with the
woman punished for the illicit sale of spirits； the boy for
theft； the tramp for tramping； the incendiary for setting a house
on fire； the banker for fraud； and that unfortunate Lydia
Shoustova imprisoned only because they hoped to get such
information as they required from her。 Then he thought of the
sectarians punished for violating Orthodoxy； and Gourkevitch for
wanting constitutional government； and Nekhludoff clearly saw
that all these people were arrested； locked up； exiled； not
really because they transgressed against justice or behaved
unlawfully； but only because they were an obstacle hindering the
officials and the rich from enjoying the property they had taken
away from the people。 And the woman who sold wine without having
a license； and the thief knocking about the town； and Lydia
Shoustova hiding proclamations； and the sectarians upsetting
superstitions； and Gourkevitch desiring a constitution； were a
real hindrance。 It seemed perfectly clear to Nekhludoff that all
these officials； beginning with his aunt's husband； the Senators；
and Toporoff； down to those clean and correct gentlemen who sat
at the tables in the Ministry Office； were not at all troubled by
the fact that that in such a state of things the innocent had to
suffer； but were only concerned how to get rid of the really
dangerous； so that the rule that ten guilty should escape rather
than that one innocent should be condemned was not observed； but；
on the contrary； for the sake of getting rid of one really
dangerous person； ten who seemed dangerous were punished； as；
when cutting a rotten piece out of anything； one has to cut away
some that is good。
This explanation seemed very simple and clear to Nekhludoff； but
its very simplicity and clearness made him hesitate to accept it。
Was it possible that so complicated a phenomenon could have so
simple and terrible an explanation？ Was it possible that all
these words about justice； law； religion； and God； and so on；
were mere words； hiding the coarsest cupidity and cruelty？
CHAPTER XXVIII。
THE MEANING OF MARIETTE'S ATTRACTION。
Nekhludoff would have left Petersburg on the evening of the same
day； but he had promised Mariette to meet her at the theatre； and
though he knew that he ought not to keep that promise； he
deceived himself into the belief that it would not be right to
break his word。
〃Am I capable of withstanding these temptations？〃 he asked
himself not quite honestly。 〃I shall try for the last time。〃
He dressed in his evening clothes； and arrived at the theatre
during the second act of the eternal Dame aux Camelias； in which
a foreign actress once again； and in a novel manner； showed how
women die of consumption。
The theatre was quite full。 Mariette's box was at once； and with
great deference； shown to Nekhludoff at his request。 A liveried
servant stood in the corridor outside； he bowed to Nekhludoff as
to one whom he knew； and opened the door of the box。
All the people who sat and stood in the boxes on the opposite
side； those who sat near and those who were in the parterre； with
their grey； grizzly； bald； or curly headsall were absorbed in
watching the thin； bony actress who； dressed in silks and laces；
was wriggling before them； and speaking in an unnatural voice。
Some one called 〃Hush！〃 when the door opened； and two streams；
one of cool； the other of hot； air touched Nekhludoff's face。
Mariette and a lady whom he did not know； with a red cape and a
big； heavy head…dress； were in the box； and two men also；
Mariette's husband； the General； a tall； handsome man with a
severe； inscrutable countenance； a Roman nose； and a uniform
padded round the chest； and a fair man； with a bit of shaved chin
between pompous whiskers。
Mariette； graceful； slight； elegant； her low…necked dress showing
her firm； shapely； slanting shoulders； with a little black mole
where they joined her neck； immediately turned； and pointed with
her face to a chair behind her in an engaging manner； and smiled
a smile that seemed full of meaning to Nekhludoff。
The husband looked at him in the quiet way in which he did
everything； and bowed。 In the look he exchanged with his wife；
the master； the owner of a beautiful woman； was to be seen at
once。
When the monologue was over the theatre resounded with the
clapping of hands。 Mariette rose； and holding up her rustling
silk skirt； went into the back of the box