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journey he could not help paying this man in his own coin； and
could not stifle the strong antipathy he felt for him。
CHAPTER XVI。
SIMONSON SPEAKS TO NEKHLUDOFF。
The voices of officials sounded from the next room。 All the
prisoners were silent； and a sergeant； followed by two convoy
soldiers； entered。 The time of the inspection had come。 The
sergeant counted every one； and when Nekhludoff's turn came he
addressed him with kindly familiarity。
〃You must not stay any longer； Prince； after the inspection； you
must go now。〃
Nekhludoff knew what this meant； went up to the sergeant and
shoved a three…rouble note into his hand。
〃Ah； well； what is one to do with you； stay a bit longer； if you
like。〃 The sergeant was about to go when another sergeant；
followed by a convict； a spare man with a thin beard and a bruise
under his eye； came in。
〃It's about the girl I have come；〃 said the convict。
〃Here's daddy come；〃 came the ringing accents of a child's voice；
and a flaxen head appeared from behind Rintzeva； who； with
Katusha's and Mary Pavlovna's help； was making a new garment for
the child out of one of Rintzeva's own petticoats。
〃Yes； daughter； it's me；〃 Bousovkin； the prisoner； said softly。
〃She is quite comfortable here；〃 said Mary Pavlovna； looking with
pity at Bousovkin's bruised face。 〃Leave her with us。〃
〃The ladies are making me new clothes；〃 said the girl； pointing
to Rintzeva's sewing〃nice red ones；〃 she went on； prattling。
〃Do you wish to sleep with us？〃 asked Rintzeva； caressing the
child。
〃Yes； I wish。 And daddy； too。〃
〃No； daddy can't。 Well； leave her then；〃 she said； turning to the
father。
〃Yes； you may leave her；〃 said the first sergeant； and went out
with the other。
As soon as they were out of the room Nabatoff went up to
Bousovkin； slapped him on the shoulder； and said： 〃I say； old
fellow； is it true that Karmanoff wishes to exchange？〃
Bousovkin's kindly； gentle face turned suddenly sad and a veil
seemed to dim his eyes。
〃We have heard nothinghardly；〃 he said； and with the same
dimness still over his eyes he turned to the child。
〃Well； Aksutka； it seems you're to make yourself comfortable with
the ladies；〃 and he hurried away。
〃It's true about the exchange； and he knows it very well；〃 said
Nabatoff。
〃What are you going to do？〃
〃I shall tell the authorities in the next town。 I know both
prisoners by sight；〃 said Nekhludoff。
All were silent； fearing a recommencement of the dispute。
Simonson； who had been lying with his arms thrown back behind his
head； and not speaking； rose； and determinately walked up to
Nekhludoff； carefully passing round those who were sitting。
〃Could you listen to me now？
〃Of course；〃 and Nekhludoff rose and followed him。
Katusha looked up with an expression of suspense； and meeting
Nekhludoff's eyes； she blushed and shook her head。
〃What I want to speak to you about is this；〃 Simonson began； when
they had come out into the passage。 In the passage the din of the
criminal's voices and shouts sounded louder。 Nekhludoff made a
face； but Simonson did not seem to take any notice。
〃Knowing of your relations to Katerina Maslova；〃 he began
seriously and frankly； with his kind eyes looking straight into
Nekhludoff's face； 〃I consider it my duty〃He was obliged to
stop because two voices were heard disputing and shouting； both
at once； close to the door。
〃I tell you； blockhead； they are not mine；〃 one voice shouted。
〃May you choke； you devil；〃 snorted the other。
At this moment Mary Pavlovna came out into the passage。
〃How can one talk here？〃 she said； 〃go in； Vera is alone there；〃
and she went in at the second door； and entered a tiny room；
evidently meant for a solitary cell； which was now placed at the
disposal of the political women prisoners； Vera Doukhova lay
covered up； head and all； on the bed。
〃She has got a headache； and is asleep； so she cannot hear you；
and I will go away；〃 said Mary Pavlovna。
〃On the contrary； stay here；〃 said Simonson； 〃I have no secrets
from any one； certainly none from you。〃
〃All right；〃 said Mary Pavlovna； and moving her whole body from
side to side； like a child； so as to get farther back on to the
bed； she settled down to listen； her beautiful hazel eyes seeming
to look somewhere far away。
〃Well； then； this is my business；〃 Simonson repeated。 〃Knowing of
your relations to Katerina Maslova； I consider myself bound to
explain to you my relations to her。〃
Nekhludoff could not help admiring the simplicity and
truthfulness with which Simonson spoke to him。
〃What do you mean？〃
〃I mean that I should like to marry Katerina Maslova〃
〃How strange！〃 said Mary Pavlovna； fixing her eyes on Simonson。
〃And so I made up my mind to ask her to be my wife；〃 Simonson
continued。
〃What can I do？ It depends on her；〃 said Nekhludoff。
〃Yes； but she will not come to any decision without you。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Because as long as your relations with her are unsettled she
cannot make up her mind。〃
〃As far as I am concerned； it is finally settled。 I should like
to do what I consider to be my duty and also to lighten her fate；
but on no account would I wish to put any restraint on her。〃
〃Yes； but she does not wish to accept your sacrifice。〃
〃It is no sacrifice。〃
〃And I know that this decision of hers is final。〃
〃Well； then； there is no need to speak to me；〃 said Nekhludoff。
〃She wants you to acknowledge that you think as she does。〃
〃How can I acknowledge that I must not do what I consider to be
my duty？ All I can say is that I am not free； but she is。〃
Simonson was silent； then； after thinking a little； he said：
〃Very well； then； I'll tell her。 You must not think I am in love
with her；〃 he continued； 〃I love her as a splendid； unique；
human being who has suffered much。 I want nothing from her。 I
have only an awful longing to help her； to lighten her posi〃
Nekhludoff was surprised to hear the trembling in Simonson's
voice。
〃To lighten her position；〃 Simonson continued。 〃If she does not
wish to accept your help； let her accept mine。 If she consents； I
shall ask to be sent to the place where she will be imprisoned。
Four years are not an eternity。 I would live near her； and
perhaps might lighten her fate〃 and he again stopped； too
agitated to continue。
〃What am I to say？〃 said Nekhludoff。 〃I am very glad she has
found such a protector as you〃
〃That's what I wanted to know；〃 Simonson interrupted。
〃I wanted to know if； loving her and wishing her happiness； you
would consider it good for her to marry me？〃
〃Oh； yes；〃 said Nekhludoff decidedly。
〃It all depends on her； I only wish that this suffering soul
should find rest；〃 said Simonson； with such childlike tenderness
as no one could have expected from so morose…looking a man。
Simonson rose； and stretching his lips out to Nekhludoff； smiled
shyly and kissed him。
〃So I shall tell her；〃 and he went away。
CHAPTER XVII。
〃I HAVE NOTHING MORE TO SAY。〃
〃What do you think of that？〃 said Mary Pavlovna。 〃In lovequite
in love。 Now； that's a thing I never should have expected； that
Valdemar Simonson should be in love； and in the silliest； most
boyish manner。 It is strange； and； to say the truth； it is sad；〃
and she sighed。
〃But she？ Katusha？ How does she look at it； do you think？〃
Nekhludoff asked。
〃She？〃 Mary Pavlovna waited； evidently wishing to give as exact
an answer as possible。 〃She？ Well； you see； in spite of her past
she has one of the most moral naturesand such fine feelings。
She loves youloves you well； and is happy to be able to do you
even the negative good of not letting you get entangled with her。
Marriage with you would be a terrible fall for her； worse than
all that's past； and therefore she will never consent to it。 And
yet your presence troubles her。〃
〃Well； what am I to do？ Ought I to vanish？〃
Mary Pavlovna smiled her sweet； childlike smile； and said； 〃Yes；
partly。〃
〃How is one to vanish partly？〃
〃I am talking nonsense。 But as for her； I should like to tell you
that she probably sees the silliness of this rapturous kind of
love （he has not spoken to her）； and is both flattered and afraid
of it。 I am not competent to judge in such affairs； you know；
still I believe that on his part it is the most ordinary man's
feeling； though it is masked。 He says that this love arouses his
energy and is Platonic； but I know that even if it is
exceptional； still at the bottom it is degrading。〃
Mary Pavlovna had wandered from the subject； having started on
her favourite theme。
〃Well； but what am I to do？〃 Nekhludoff asked。
〃I think you should tell her everything； it is always best that
everything should be clear。 Have a talk with her； I shall call
her。 Shall I？〃 said Mary Pavlovna。
〃If you please；〃 said Nekhludoff； and Mary Pavlovna went。
A strange feeling overcame Nekhludoff when he was alone in the
little room with the sleeping Vera Doukhova； listening to her
soft breathing； broken now and then by moans； and to the
incessant dirt that came through the two doors that separated him
from the criminals。 What Simonson had told him freed him from the
self…imposed duty； which had