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back in the cart； his shaved head； from which the pancake…shaped
cap had slid over the black…bearded face down to the nose；
shaking and thumping at every jolt。 The driver； in his heavy
boots； walked by the side of the cart； holding the reins； a
policeman followed on foot。 Nekhludoff touched his isvostchik's
shoulder。
〃Just look what they are doing；〃 said the isvostchik； stopping
his horse。
Nekhludoff got down and； following the cart； again passed the
sentinel and entered the gate of the police station。 By this time
the firemen had finished washing the cart； and a tall； bony man；
the chief of the fire brigade； with a coloured band round his
cap； stood in their place； and； with his hands in his pockets；
was severely looking at a fat…necked； well…fed； bay stallion that
was being led up and down before him by a fireman。 The stallion
was lame on one of his fore feet； and the chief of the firemen
was angrily saying something to a veterinary who stood by。
The police officer was also present。 When he saw the cart he went
up to the convoy soldier。
〃Where did you bring him from？〃 he asked； shaking his head
disapprovingly。
〃From the Gorbatovskaya；〃 answered the policeman。
〃A prisoner？〃 asked the chief of the fire brigade。
〃Yes。 It's the second to…day。〃
〃Well； I must say they've got some queer arrangements。 Though of
course it's a broiling day；〃 said the chief of the fire brigade；
then； turning to the fireman who was leading the lame stallion；
he shouted： 〃Put him into the corner stall。 And as to you； you
hound； I'll teach you how to cripple horses which are worth more
than you are； you scoundrel。〃
The dead man was taken from the cart by the policemen just in the
same way as the first had been； and carried upstairs into the
hospital。 Nekhludoff followed them as if he were hypnotised。
〃What do you want？〃 asked one of the policemen。 But Nekhludoff
did not answer； and followed where the body was being carried。
The madman； sitting on a bed； was smoking greedily the cigarette
Nekhludoff had given him。
〃Ah； you've come back；〃 he said； and laughed。 When he saw the
body he made a face； and said； 〃Again！ I am sick of it。 I am not
a boy； am I； eh？〃 and he turned to Nekhludoff with a questioning
smile。
Nekhludoff was looking at the dead man； whose face； which had
been hidden by his cap； was now visible。 This convict was as
handsome in face and body as the other was hideous。 He was a man
in the full bloom of life。 Notwithstanding that he was disfigured
by the half of his head being shaved； the straight； rather low
forehead； raised a bit over the black； lifeless eyes； was very
fine； and so was the nose above the thin； black moustaches。 There
was a smile on the lips that were already growing blue； a small
beard outlined the lower part of the face； and on the shaved side
of the head a firm； well…shaped car was visible。
One could see what possibilities of a higher life had been
destroyed in this man。 The fine bones of his hands and shackled
feet； the strong muscles of all his well…proportioned limbs；
showed what a beautiful； strong； agile human animal this had
been。 As an animal merely he had been a far more perfect one of
his kind than the bay stallion； about the laming of which the
fireman was so angry。
Yet he had been done to death； and no one was sorry for him as a
man； nor was any one sorry that so fine a working animal had
perished。 The only feeling evinced was that of annoyance because
of the bother caused by the necessity of getting this body；
threatening putrefaction； out of the way。 The doctor and his
assistant entered the hospital； accompanied by the inspector of
the police station。 The doctor was a thick…set man； dressed in
pongee silk coat and trousers of the same material； closely
fitting his muscular thighs。 The inspector was a little fat
fellow； with a red face； round as a ball； which he made still
broader by a habit he had of filling his cheeks with air； and
slowly letting it out again。 The doctor sat down on the bed by
the side of the dead man； and touched the hands in the same way
as his assistant had done； put his ear to the heart； rose； and
pulled his trousers straight。 〃Could not be more dead；〃 he said。
The inspector filled his mouth with air and slowly blew it out
again。
〃Which prison is he from？〃 he asked the convoy soldier。
The soldier told him； and reminded him of the chains on the dead
man's feet。
〃I'll have them taken off； we have got a smith about； the Lord be
thanked；〃 said the inspector； and blew up his cheeks again； he
went towards the door； slowly letting out the air。
〃Why has this happened？〃 Nekhludoff asked the doctor。
The doctor looked at him through his spectacles。
〃Why has what happened？ Why they die of sunstroke； you mean？ This
is why： They sit all through the winter without exercise and
without light； and suddenly they are taken out into the sunshine；
and on a day like this； and they march in a crowd so that they
get no air； and sunstroke is the result。〃
〃Then why are they sent out？〃
〃Oh； as to that； go and ask those who send them。 But may I ask
who are you？
〃I am a stranger。〃
〃Ah； well； good…afternoon； I have no time。〃 The doctor was vexed；
he gave his trousers a downward pull； and went towards the beds
of the sick。
〃Well； how are you getting on？〃 he asked the pale man with the
crooked mouth and bandaged neck。
Meanwhile the madman sat on a bed； and having finished his
cigarette； kept spitting in the direction of the doctor。
Nekhludoff went down into the yard and out of the gate past the
firemen's horses and the hens and the sentinel in his brass
helmet； and got into the trap； the driver of which had again
fallen asleep。
CHAPTER XXXVIII。
THE CONVICT TRAIN。
When Nekhludoff came to the station； the prisoners were all
seated in railway carriages with grated windows。 Several persons；
come to see them off； stood on the platform； but were not allowed
to come up to the carriages。
The convoy was much troubled that day。 On the way from the prison
to the station； besides the two Nekhludoff had seen； three other
prisoners had fallen and died of sunstroke。 One was taken to the
nearest police station like the first two； and the other two died
at the railway station。 ＇In Moscow； in the beginning of the eighth
decade of this century； five convicts died of sunstroke in one
day on their way from the Boutyrki prison to the Nijni railway
station。＇ The convoy men were not troubled because five men who
might have been alive died while in their charge。 This did not
trouble them； but they were concerned lest anything that the law
required in such cases should be omitted。 To convey the bodies to
the places appointed； to deliver up their papers； to take them
off the lists of those to be conveyed to Nijniall this was very
troublesome； especially on so hot a day。
It was this that occupied the convoy men； and before it could all
be accomplished Nekhludoff and the others who asked for leave to
go up to the carriages were not allowed to do so。 Nekhludoff；
however； was soon allowed to go up； because he tipped the convoy
sergeant。 The sergeant let Nekhludoff pass； but asked him to be
quick and get his talk over before any of the authorities
noticed。 There were 15 carriages in all； and except one carriage
for the officials； they were full of prisoners。 As Nekhludoff
passed the carriages he listened to what was going on in them。 In
all the carriages was heard the clanging of chains； the sound of
bustle； mixed with loud and senseless language； but not a word
was being said about their dead fellow…prisoners。 The talk was
all about sacks； drinking water； and the choice of seats。
Looking into one of the carriages； Nekhludoff saw convoy soldiers
taking the manacles off the hands of the prisoners。 The prisoners
held out their arms； and one of the soldiers unlocked the
manacles with a key and took them off； the other collected them。
After he had passed all the other carriages； Nekhludoff came up
to the women's carriages。 From the second of these he heard a
woman's groans： 〃Oh； oh； oh！ O God！ Oh； oh！ O God！〃
Nekhludoff passed this carriage and went up to a window of the
third carriage； which a soldier pointed out to him。 When he
approached his face to the window； he felt the hot air； filled
with the smell of perspiration； coming out of it； and heard
distinctly the shrill sound of women's voices。 All the seats were
filled with red； perspiring； loudly…talking women； dressed in
prison cloaks and white jackets。 Nekhludoff's face at the window
attracted their attention。 Those nearest ceased talking and drew
closer。 Maslova； in her white jacket and her head uncovered； sat
by the opposite window。 The white…skinned； smiling Theodosia sat
a little nearer。 When she recognised Nekhludoff； she nudged
Maslova and pointed to the window。 Maslova rose hurriedly； threw
her kerchief over her black hair； and with a smile on her hot；
red face came up to the window and took hold of one of the bars。
〃Well； it is hot；〃 she said； with a glad smile。
〃Did you get the things？
〃Yes； thank you。〃
〃Is there anything more you want？〃 asked Nekhludoff； while the