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particular hurry about it； because this man was the only one
among all the political prisoners whom he disliked。 Novodvoroff's
eyes glistened through his spectacles as he looked at Nekhludoff
and held his narrow hand out to him。
〃Well； are you having a pleasant journey？〃 he asked； with
apparent irony。
〃Yes； there is much that is interesting；〃 Nekhludoff answered； as
if he did not notice the irony； but took the question for
politeness； and passed on to Kryltzoff。
Though Nekhludoff appeared indifferent； he was really far from
indifferent； and these words of Novodvoroff； showing his evident
desire to say or do something unpleasant； interfered with the
state of kindness in which Nekhludoff found himself； and he felt
depressed and sad。
〃Well； how are you？〃 he asked； pressing Kryltzoff's cold and
trembling hand。
〃Pretty well； only I cannot get warm； I got wet through；〃
Kryltzoff answered； quickly replacing his hands into the sleeves
of his cloak。 〃And here it is also beastly cold。 There； look； the
window…panes are broken；〃 and he pointed to the broken panes
behind the iron bars。 〃And how are you？ Why did you not come？〃
〃I was not allowed to； the authorities were so strict； but to…day
the officer is lenient。〃
〃Lenient indeed！〃 Kryltzoff remarked。 〃Ask Mary what she did this
morning。〃
Mary Pavlovna from her place in the corner related what had
happened about the little girl that morning when they left the
halting station。
〃I think it is absolutely necessary to make a collective
protest；〃 said Vera Doukhova； in a determined tone； and yet
looking now at one； now at another； with a frightened； undecided
look。 〃Valdemar Simonson did protest； but that is not
sufficient。〃
〃What protest！〃 muttered Kryltzoff； cross and frowning。 Her want
of simplicity； artificial tone and nervousness had evidently been
irritating him for a long time。
〃Are you looking for Katusha？〃 he asked； addressing Nekhludoff。
〃She is working all the time。 She has cleaned this； the men's
room； and now she has gone to clean the women's！ Only it is not
possible to clean away the fleas。 And what is Mary doing there？〃
he asked； nodding towards the corner where Mary Pavlovna sat。
〃She is combing out her adopted daughter's hair；〃 replied
Rintzeva。
〃But won't she let the insects loose on us？〃 asked Kryltzoff。
〃No； no； I am very careful。 She is a clean little girl now。 You
take her；〃 said Mary； turning to Rintzeva； 〃while I go and help
Katusha； and I will also bring him his plaid。〃
Rintzeva took the little girl on her lap； pressing her plump；
bare； little arms to her bosom with a mother's tenderness； and
gave her a bit of sugar。 As Mary Pavlovna left the room； two men
came in with boiling water and provisions。
CHAPTER XII。
NABATOFF AND MARKEL。
One of the men who came in was a short； thin； young man； who had
a cloth…covered sheepskin coat on； and high top…boots。 He stepped
lightly and quickly； carrying two steaming teapots； and holding a
loaf wrapped in a cloth under his arm。
〃Well； so our prince has put in an appearance again；〃 he said； as
he placed the teapot beside the cups； and handed the bread to
Rintzeva。 〃We have bought wonderful things；〃 he continued； as he
took off his sheepskin； and flung it over the heads of the others
into the corner of the bedstead。 〃Markel has bought milk and
eggs。 Why； we'll have a regular ball to…day。 And Rintzeva is
spreading out her aesthetic cleanliness；〃 he said； and looked
with a smile at Rintzeva； 〃and now she will make the tea。〃
The whole presence of this manhis motion； his voice； his
lookseemed to breathe vigour and merriment。 The other newcomer
was just the reverse of the first。 He looked despondent and sad。
He was short； bony； had very prominent cheek bones； a sallow
complexion； thin lips and beautiful； greenish eyes； rather far
apart。 He wore an old wadded coat； top…boots and goloshes； and
was carrying two pots of milk and two round boxes made of birch
bark； which he placed in front of Rintzeva。 He bowed to
Nekhludoff； bending only his neck； and with his eyes fixed on
him。 Then； having reluctantly given him his damp hand to shake；
he began to take out the provisions。
Both these political prisoners were of the people； the first was
Nabatoff； a peasant； the second； Markel Kondratieff； a factory
hand。 Markel did not come among the revolutionists till he was
quite a man； Nabatoff only eighteen。 After leaving the village
school； owing to his exceptional talents Nabatoff entered the
gymnasium； and maintained himself by giving lessons all the time
he studied there； and obtained the gold medal。 He did not go to
the university because； while still in the seventh class of the
gymnasium； he made up his mind to go among the people and
enlighten his neglected brethren。 This he did； first getting the
place of a Government clerk in a large village。 He was soon
arrested because he read to the peasants and arranged a
co…operative industrial association among them。 They kept him
imprisoned for eight months and then set him free； but he
remained under police supervision。 As soon as he was liberated he
went to another village； got a place as schoolmaster； and did the
same as he had done in the first village。 He was again taken up
and kept fourteen months in prison； where his convictions became
yet stronger。 After that he was exiled to the Perm Government；
from where he escaped。 Then he was put to prison for seven months
and after that exiled to Archangel。 There he refused to take the
oath of allegiance that was required of them and was condemned to
be exiled to the Takoutsk Government； so that half his life since
he reached manhood was passed in prison and exile。 All these
adventures did not embitter him nor weaken his energy； but rather
stimulated it。 He was a lively young fellow； with a splendid
digestion； always active； gay and vigorous。 He never repented of
anything； never looked far ahead； and used all his powers； his
cleverness； his practical knowledge to act in the present。 When
free he worked towards the aim he had set himself； the
enlightening and the uniting of the working men； especially the
country labourers。 When in prison he was just as energetic and
practical in finding means to come in contact with the outer
world； and in arranging his own life and the life of his group as
comfortably as the conditions would allow。 Above all things he
was a communist。 He wanted； as it seemed to him； nothing for
himself and contented himself with very little； but demanded very
much for the group of his comrades； and could work for it either
physically or mentally day and night； without sleep or food。 As a
peasant he had been industrious； observant； clever at his work；
and naturally self…controlled； polite without any effort； and
attentive not only to the wishes but also the opinions of others。
His widowed mother； an illiterate； superstitious； old peasant
woman； was still living； and Nabatoff helped her and went to see
her while he was free。 During the time he spent at home he
entered into all the interests of his mother's life； helped her
in her work； and continued his intercourse with former
playfellows； smoked cheap tobacco with them in so…called 〃dog's
feet；〃 ＇a kind of cigarette that the peasants smoke； made of a
bit of paper and bent at one end into a hook＇ took part in their
fist fights； and explained to them how they were all being
deceived by the State； and how they ought to disentangle
themselves out of the deception they were kept in。 When he
thought or spoke of what a revolution would do for the people he
always imagined this people from whom he had sprung himself left
in very nearly the same conditions as they were in； only with
sufficient land and without the gentry and without officials。 The
revolution； according to him； and in this he differed from
Novodvoroff and Novodvoroff's follower； Markel Kondratieff；
should not alter the elementary forms of the life of the people；
should not break down the whole edifice； but should only alter
the inner walls of the beautiful； strong； enormous old structure
he loved so dearly。 He was also a typical peasant in his views on
religion； never thinking about metaphysical questions； about the
origin of all origin； or the future life。 God was to him； as
also to Arago； an hypothesis； which he had had no need of up to
now。 He had no business with the origin of the world； whether
Moses or Darwin was right。 Darwinism； which seemed so important
to his fellows； was only the same kind of plaything of the mind
as the creation in six days。 The question how the world had
originated did not interest him； just because the question how it
would be best to live in this world was ever before him。 He never
thought about future life； always bearing in the depth of his
soul the firm and quiet conviction inherited from his
forefathers； and common to all labourers on the land； that just
as in the world of plants and animals nothing ceases to exist；
but continually changes its form； the manure into grain； the
grain into a food； the tadpole into a frog； the caterpillar into
a butterfly； the acorn into an oak； so man also does not perish；
but only und