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badly。〃
〃Get to your place； it is no business of yours。〃
〃It is my business to tell you that you have behaved badly and I
have said it；〃 said Simonson； looking intently into the officer's
face from under his bushy eyebrows。
〃Ready？ March！〃 the officer called out； paying no heed to
Simonson； and； taking hold of the driver's shoulder； he got into
the trap。 The gang started and spread out as it stepped on to the
muddy high road with ditches on each side； which passed through a
dense forest。
CHAPTER III。
MARY PAVLOVNA。
In spite of the hard conditions in which they were placed； life
among the political prisoners seemed very good to Katusha after
the depraved； luxurious and effeminate life she had led in town
for the last six years； and after two months' imprisonment with
criminal prisoners。 The fifteen to twenty miles they did per day；
with one day's rest after two days' marching； strengthened her
physically； and the fellowship with her new companions opened out
to her a life full of interests such as she had never dreamed of。
People so wonderful （as she expressed it） as those whom she was
now going with she had not only never met but could not even have
imagined。
〃There now； and I cried when I was sentenced；〃 she said。 〃Why； I
must thank God for it all the days of my life。 I have learned to
know what I never should have found out else。〃
The motives she understood easily and without effort that guided
these people； and； being of the people； fully sympathised with
them。 She understood that these persons were for the people and
against the upper classes； and though themselves belonging to the
upper classes had sacrificed their privileges； their liberty and
their lives for the people。 This especially made her value and
admire them。 She was charmed with all the new companions； but
particularly with Mary Pavlovna； and she was not only charmed
with her； but loved her with a peculiar； respectful and rapturous
love。 She was struck by the fact that this beautiful girl； the
daughter of a rich general； who could speak three languages； gave
away all that her rich brother sent her； and lived like the
simplest working girl； and dressed not only simply； but poorly；
paying no heed to her appearance。 This trait and a complete
absence of coquetry was particularly surprising and therefore
attractive to Maslova。 Maslova could see that Mary Pavlovna knew；
and was even pleased to know； that she was handsome； and yet the
effect her appearance had on men was not at all pleasing to her；
she was even afraid of it； and felt an absolute disgust to all
love affairs。 Her men companions knew it； and if they felt
attracted by her never permitted themselves to show it to her；
but treated her as they would a man； but with strangers； who
often molested her； the great physical strength on which she
prided herself stood her in good stead。
〃It happened once；〃 she said to Katusha； 〃that a man followed me
in the street and would not leave me on any account。 At last I
gave him such a shaking that he was frightened and ran away。〃
She became a revolutionary； as she said； because she felt a
dislike to the life of the well…to…do from childhood up； and
loved the life of the common people； and she was always being
scolded for spending her time in the servants' hall； in the
kitchen or the stables instead of the drawing…room。
〃And I found it amusing to be with cooks and the coachmen； and
dull with our gentlemen and ladies；〃 she said。 〃Then when I came
to understand things I saw that our life was altogether wrong； I
had no mother and I did not care for my father； and so when I was
nineteen I left home； and went with a girl friend to work as a
factory hand。〃
After she left the factory she lived in the country； then
returned to town and lived in a lodging； where they had a secret
printing press。 There she was arrested and sentenced to hard
labour。 Mary Pavlovna said nothing about it herself； but Katusha
heard from others that Mary Pavlovna was sentenced because； when
the lodging was searched by the police and one of the
revolutionists fired a shot in the dark； she pleaded guilty。
As soon as she had learned to know Mary Pavlovna； Katusha noticed
that； whatever the conditions she found herself in； Mary Pavlovna
never thought of herself； but was always anxious to serve； to
help some one； in matters small or great。 One of her present
companions； Novodvoroff； said of her that she devoted herself to
philanthropic amusements。 And this was true。 The interest of her
whole life lay in the search for opportunities of serving others。
This kind of amusement had become the habit； the business of her
life。 And she did it all so naturally that those who knew her no
longer valued but simply expected it of her。
When Maslova first came among them； Mary Pavlovna felt repulsed
and disgusted。 Katusha noticed this； but she also noticed that；
having made an effort to overcome these feelings； Mary Pavlovna
became particularly tender and kind to her。 The tenderness and
kindness of so uncommon a being touched Maslova so much that she
gave her whole heart； and unconsciously accepting her views；
could not help imitating her in everything。
This devoted love of Katusha touched Mary Pavlovna in her turn；
and she learned to love Katusha。
These women were also united by the repulsion they both felt to
sexual love。 The one loathed that kind of love； having
experienced all its horrors； the other； never having experienced
it； looked on it as something incomprehensible and at the same
time as something repugnant and offensive to human dignity。
CHAPTER IV。
SIMONSON。
Mary Pavlovna's influence was one that Maslova submitted to
because she loved Mary Pavlovna。 Simonson influenced her because
he loved her。
Everybody lives and acts partly according to his own； partly
according to other people's； ideas。 This is what constitutes one
of the great differences among men。 To some； thinking is a kind
of mental game； they treat their reason as if it were a fly…wheel
without a connecting strap； and are guided in their actions by
other people's ideas； by custom or laws； while others look upon
their own ideas as the chief motive power of all their actions；
and always listen to the dictates of their own reason and submit
to it； accepting other people's opinions only on rare occasions
and after weighing them critically。 Simonson was a man of the
latter sort； he settled and verified everything according to his
own reason and acted on the decisions he arrived at。 When a
schoolboy he made up his mind that his father's income； made as a
paymaster in government office was dishonestly gained； and he
told his father that it ought to be given to the people。 When his
father； instead of listening to him； gave him a scolding； he left
his father's house and would not make use of his father's means。
Having come to the conclusion that all the existing misery was a
result of the people's ignorance； he joined the socialists； who
carried on propaganda among the people； as soon as he left the
university and got a place as a village schoolmaster。 He taught
and explained to his pupils and to the peasants what he
considered to be just； and openly blamed what he thought unjust。
He was arrested and tried。 During his trial he determined to tell
his judges that his was a just cause； for which he ought not to
be tried or punished。 When the judges paid no heed to his words；
but went on with the trial； he decided not to answer them and
kept resolutely silent when they questioned him。 He was exiled to
the Government of Archangel。 There he formulated a religious
teaching which was founded on the theory that everything in the
world was alive； that nothing is lifeless； and that all the
objects we consider to be without life or inorganic are only
parts of an enormous organic body which we cannot compass。 A
man's task is to sustain the life of that huge organism and all
its animate parts。 Therefore he was against war； capital
punishment and every kind of killing； not only of human beings；
but also of animals。 Concerning marriage； too； he had a peculiar
idea of his own； he thought that increase was a lower function of
man； the highest function being to serve the already existing
lives。 He found a confirmation of his theory in the fact that
there were phacocytes in the blood。 Celibates； according to his
opinion； were the same as phacocytes； their function being to
help the weak and the sickly particles of the organism。 From the
moment he came to this conclusion he began to consider himself as
well as Mary Pavlovna as phacocytes； and to live accordingly；
though as a youth he had been addicted to vice。 His love for
Katusha did not infringe this conception； because he loved her
platonically； and such love he considered could not hinder his
activity as a phacocytes； but acted； on the contrary； as an
inspiration。
Not only moral； but also most practical questions he decided in
his own way。 He applied a theory of his own to all practical
business； had rules relating to the number of hours for rest and
for work； to the kind of food to eat； the way to dress； to heat
and light up the rooms。 With all