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chest heaved； and he groaned； while his bloodshot eyes were fixed
on the sky。 By him stood a cross…looking policeman； a pedlar； a
postman； a clerk； an old woman with a parasol； and a short…haired
boy with an empty basket。
〃They are weak。 Having been locked up in prison they've got weak；
and then they lead them through the most broiling heat；〃 said the
clerk； addressing Nekhludoff； who had just come up。
〃He'll die； most likely；〃 said the woman with the parasol； in a
doleful tone。
〃His shirt should be untied；〃 said the postman。
The policeman began； with his thick； trembling fingers； clumsily
to untie the tapes that fastened the shirt round the red； sinewy
neck。 He was evidently excited and confused； but still thought it
necessary to address the crowd。
〃What have you collected here for？ It is hot enough without your
keeping the wind off。〃
〃They should have been examined by a doctor； and the weak ones
left behind；〃 said the clerk； showing off his knowledge of the
law。
The policeman； having undone the tapes of the shirt； rose and
looked round。
〃Move on； I tell you。 It is not your business； is it？ What's
there to stare at？〃 he said； and turned to Nekhludoff for
sympathy； but not finding any in his face he turned to the convoy
soldier。
But the soldier stood aside； examining the trodden…down heel of
his boot； and was quite indifferent to the policeman's
perplexity。
〃Those whose business it is don't care。 Is it right to do men to
death like this？ A convict is a convict； but still he is a man；〃
different voices were heard saying in the crowd。
〃Put his head up higher； and give him some water；〃 said
Nekhludoff。
〃Water has been sent for；〃 said the policeman； and taking the
prisoner under the arms he with difficulty pulled his body a
little higher up。
〃What's this gathering here？〃 said a decided； authoritative
voice； and a police officer； with a wonderfully clean； shiny
blouse； and still more shiny top…boots； came up to the assembled
crowd。
〃Move on。 No standing about here；〃 he shouted to the crowd；
before he knew what had attracted it。
When he came near and saw the dying convict； he made a sign of
approval with his head； just as if he had quite expected it； and；
turning to the policeman； said； 〃How is this？〃
The policeman said that； as a gang of prisoners was passing； one
of the convicts had fallen down； and the convoy officer had
ordered him to be left behind。
〃Well； that's all right。 He must be taken to the police station。
Call an isvostchik。〃
〃A porter has gone for one；〃 said the policeman； with his fingers
raised to his cap。
The shopman began something about the heat。
〃Is it your business； eh？ Move on；〃 said the police officer； and
looked so severely at him that the clerk was silenced。
〃He ought to have a little water；〃 said Nekhludoff。 The police
officer looked severely at Nekhludoff also； but said nothing。
When the porter brought a mug full of water； he told the
policeman to offer some to the convict。 The policeman raised the
drooping head； and tried to pour a little water down the mouth；
but the prisoner could not swallow it； and it ran down his beard；
wetting his jacket and his coarse； dirty linen shirt。
〃Pour it on his head；〃 ordered the officer； and the policeman
took off the pancake…shaped cap and poured the water over the red
curls and bald part of the prisoner's head。 His eyes opened wide
as if in fear； but his position remained unchanged。
Streams of dirt trickled down his dusty face； but the mouth
continued to gasp in the same regular way； and his whole body
shook。
〃And what's this？ Take this one；〃 said the police officer；
pointing to Nekhludoff's isvostchik。 〃You； there； drive up。
〃I am engaged；〃 said the isvostchik； dismally； and without
looking up。
〃It is my isvostchik； but take him。 I will pay you；〃 said
Nekhludoff； turning to the isvostchik。
〃Well； what are you waiting for？〃 shouted the officer。 〃Catch
hold。〃
The policeman； the porter； and the convoy soldier lifted the
dying man and carried him to the trap； and put him on the seat。
But he could not sit up； his head fell back； and the whole of his
body glided off the seat。
〃Make him lie down；〃 ordered the officer。
〃It's all right； your honour； I'll manage him like this；〃 said
the policeman； sitting down by the dying man； and clasping his
strong； right arm round the body under the arms。 The convoy
soldier lifted the stockingless feet； in prison shoes； and put
them into the trap。
The police officer looked around； and noticing the pancake…shaped
hat of the convict lifted it up and put it on the wet； drooping
head。
〃Go on；〃 he ordered。
The isvostchik looked angrily round； shook his head； and；
accompanied by the convoy soldier； drove back to the police
station。 The policeman； sitting beside the convict； kept dragging
up the body that was continually sliding down from the seat；
while the head swung from side to side。
The convoy soldier； who was walking by the side of the trap； kept
putting the legs in their place。 Nekhludoff followed the trap。
CHAPTER XXXVII。
SPILLED LIKE WATER ON THE GROUND。
The trap passed the fireman who stood sentinel at the entrance；
＇the headquarters of the fire brigade and the police stations are
generally together in Moscow＇ drove into the yard of the police
station； and stopped at one of the doors。 In the yard several
firemen with their sleeves tucked up were washing some kind of
cart and talking loudly。 When the trap stopped； several policemen
surrounded it； and taking the lifeless body of the convict under
the arms； took him out of the trap； which creaked under him。 The
policeman who had brought the body got down； shook his numbed
arm； took off his cap； and crossed himself。 The body was carried
through the door and up the stairs。 Nekhludoff followed。 In the
small； dirty room where the body was taken there stood four beds。
On two of them sat a couple of sick men in dressing…gowns； one
with a crooked mouth； whose neck was bandaged； the other one in
consumption。 Two of the beds were empty； the convict was laid on
one of them。 A little man； wish glistening eyes and continually
moving brows； with only his underclothes and stockings on； came
up with quick； soft steps； looked at the convict and then at
Nekhludoff； and burst into loud laughter。 This was a madman who
was being kept in the police hospital。
〃They wish to frighten me； but no； they won't succeed；〃 he said。
The policemen who carried the corpse were followed by a police
officer and a medical assistant。 The medical assistant came up to
the body and touched the freckled hand； already growing cold；
which； though still soft； was deadly pale。 He held it for a
moment； and then let it go。 It fell lifelessly on the stomach of
the dead man。
〃He's ready；〃 said the medical assistant； but； evidently to be
quite in order； he undid the wet； brown shirt； and tossing back
the curls from his ear； put it to the yellowish； broad； immovable
chest of the convict。 All were silent。 The medical assistant
raised himself again； shook his head； and touched with his
fingers first one and then the other lid over the open； fixed
blue eyes。
〃I'm not frightened； I'm not frightened。〃 The madman kept
repeating these words； and spitting in the direction of the
medical assistant。
〃Well？〃 asked the police officer。
〃Well！ He must he put into the mortuary。〃
〃Are you sure？ Mind；〃 said the police officer。
〃It's time I should know；〃 said the medical assistant； drawing
the shirt over the body's chest。 〃However； I will send for
Mathew Ivanovitch。 Let him have a look。 Petrov； call him；〃 and
the medical assistant stepped away from the body。
〃Take him to the mortuary；〃 said the police officer。 〃And then
you must come into the office and sign；〃 he added to the convoy
soldier； who had not left the convict for a moment。
〃Yes； sir；〃 said the soldier。
The policemen lifted the body and carried it down again。
Nekhludoff wished to follow； but the madman kept him back。
〃You are not in the plot！ Well； then； give me a cigarette；〃 he
said。 Nekhludoff got out his cigarette case and gave him one。
The madman； quickly moving his brows all the time； began relating
how they tormented him by thought suggestion。
〃Why； they are all against me； and torment and torture me through
their mediums。〃
〃I beg your pardon；〃 said Nekhludoff； and without listening any
further he left the room and went out into the yard； wishing to
know where the body would be put。
The policemen with their burden had already crossed the yard； and
were coming to the door of a cellar。 Nekhludoff wished to go up
to them； but the police officer stopped him。
〃What do you want？〃
〃Nothing。〃
〃Nothing？ Then go away。〃
〃Nekhludoff obeyed； and went back to his isvostchik； who was
dozing。 He awoke him； and they drove back towards the railway
station。
They had not made a hundred steps when they met a cart
accompanied by a convoy soldier with a gun。 On the cart lay
another convict； who was already dead。 The convict lay on his
back in the cart； his shaved head； from which the pancake…shaped
cap had slid over the black…bearded face down