按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Himwho？〃
〃Why； Schegloff； him as has just gone by。〃
〃What's he； this Schegloff？〃
〃What； she don't know Schegloff？ Why； he ran twice from Siberia。
Now they've got him； but he'll run away。 The warders themselves
are afraid of him；〃 said Khoroshavka； who managed to exchange
notes with the male prisoners and knew all that went on in the
prison。 〃He'll run away； that's flat。〃
〃If he does go away you and I'll have to stay；〃 said Korableva；
turning to Maslova； 〃but you'd better tell us now what the
advocate says about petitioning。 Now's the time to hand it in。〃
Maslova answered that she knew nothing about it。
At that moment the red…haired woman came up to the 〃aristocracy〃
with both freckled hands in her thick hair； scratching her head
with her nails。
〃I'll tell you all about it； Katerina；〃 she began。 〃First and
foremost； you'll have to write down you're dissatisfied with the
sentence； then give notice to the Procureur。〃
〃What do you want here？〃 said Korableva angrily； 〃smell the
vodka； do you？ Your chatter's not wanted。 We know what to do
without your advice。〃
〃No one's speaking to you； what do you stick your nose in for？〃
〃It's vodka you want； that's why you come wriggling yourself in
here。〃
〃Well； offer her some；〃 said Maslova； always ready to share
anything she possessed with anybody。
〃I'll offer her something。〃
〃Come on then；〃 said the red…haired one； advancing towards
Korableva。 〃Ah！ think I'm afraid of such as you？〃
〃Convict fright！〃
〃That's her as says it。〃
〃Slut！〃
〃I？ A slut？ Convict！ Murderess！〃 screamed the red…haired one。
〃Go away； I tell you；〃 said Korableva gloomily； but the
red…haired one came nearer and Korableva struck her in the chest。
The red…haired woman seemed only to have waited for this； and
with a sudden movement caught hold of Korableva's hair with one
hand and with the other struck her in the face。 Korableva seized
this hand； and Maslova and Khoroshavka caught the red…haired
woman by her arms； trying to pull her away； but she let go the
old woman's hair with her hand only to twist it round her fist。
Korableva； with her head bent to one side； was dealing out blows
with one arm and trying to catch the red…haired woman's hand with
her teeth； while the rest of the women crowded round； screaming
and trying to separate the fighters； even the consumptive one
came up and stood coughing and watching the fight。 The children
cried and huddled together。 The noise brought the woman warder
and a jailer。 The fighting women were separated； and Korableva；
taking out the bits of torn hair from her head； and the
red…haired one； holding her torn chemise together over her yellow
breast； began loudly to complain。
〃I know； it's all the vodka。 Wait a bit； I'll tell the inspector
tomorrow。 He'll give it you。 Can't I smell it？ Mind； get it all
out of the way； or it will be the worse for you；〃 said the
warder。 〃We've no time to settle your disputes。 Get to your
places and be quiet。〃
But quiet was not soon re…established。 For a long time the women
went on disputing and explaining to one another whose fault it
all was。 At last the warder and the jailer left the cell； the
women grew quieter and began going to bed； and the old woman went
to the icon and commenced praying。
〃The two jailbirds have met；〃 the red…haired woman suddenly
called out in a hoarse voice from the other end of the shelf
beds； accompanying every word with frightfully vile abuse。
〃Mind you don't get it again；〃 Korableva replied； also adding
words of abuse； and both were quiet again。
〃Had I not been stopped I'd have pulled your damned eyes out；〃
again began the red…haired one； and an answer of the same kind
followed from Korableva。 Then again a short interval and more
abuse。 But the intervals became longer and longer； as when a
thunder…cloud is passing； and at last all was quiet。
All were in bed； some began to snore； and only the old woman； who
always prayed a long time； went on bowing before the icon and the
deacon's daughter； who had got up after the warder left； was
pacing up and down the room again。 Maslova kept thinking that she
was now a convict condemned to hard labour； and had twice been
reminded of thisonce by Botchkova and once by the red…haired
womanand she could not reconcile herself to the thought。
Korableva； who lay next to her； turned over in her bed。
〃There now；〃 said Maslova in a low voice； 〃who would have thought
it？ See what others do and get nothing for it。〃
〃Never mind； girl。 People manage to live in Siberia。 As for you；
you'll not be lost there either；〃 Korableva said； trying to
comfort her。
〃I know I'll not be lost； still it is hard。 It's not such a fate
I wantI； who am used to a comfortable life。〃
〃Ah； one can't go against God；〃 said Korableva； with a sigh。
〃One can't； my dear。〃
〃I know； granny。 Still； it's hard。〃
They were silent for a while。
〃Do you hear that baggage？〃 whispered Korableva； drawing
Maslova's attention to a strange sound proceeding from the other
end of the room。
This sound was the smothered sobbing of the red…haired woman。 The
red…haired woman was crying because she had been abused and had
not got any of the vodka she wanted so badly； also because she
remembered how all her life she had been abused； mocked at；
offended； beaten。 Remembering this； she pitied herself； and；
thinking no one heard her； began crying as children cry； sniffing
with her nose and swallowing the salt tears。
〃I'm sorry for her；〃 said Maslova。
〃Of course one is sorry；〃 said Korableva； 〃but she shouldn't come
bothering。〃 Resurrection
CHAPTER XXXIII。
THE LEAVEN AT WORKNEKHLUDOFF'S DOMESTIC CHANGES。
The next morning Nekhludoff awoke； conscious that something had
happened to him； and even before he had remembered what it was he
knew it to be something important and good。
〃Katushathe trial！〃 Yes； he must stop lying and tell the whole
truth。
By a strange coincidence on that very morning he received the
long…expected letter from Mary Vasilievna； the wife of the
Marechal de Noblesse； the very letter he particularly needed。
She gave him full freedom； and wished him happiness in his
intended marriage。
〃Marriage！〃 he repeated with irony。 〃How far I am from all that
at present。〃
And he remembered the plans he had formed the day before； to tell
the husband everything； to make a clean breast of it； and express
his readiness to give him any kind of satisfaction。 But this
morning this did not seem so easy as the day before。 And； then；
also； why make a man unhappy by telling him what he does not
know？ Yes； if he came and asked； he would tell him all； but to go
purposely and tellno！ that was unnecessary。
And telling the whole truth to Missy seemed just as difficult
this morning。 Again； he could not begin to speak without offence。
As in many worldly affairs； something had to remain unexpressed。
Only one thing he decided on； i。e。； not to visit there； and to
tell the truth if asked。
But in connection with Katusha； nothing was to remain unspoken。
〃I shall go to the prison and shall tell her every thing； and ask
her to forgive me。 And if need beyes； if need be； I shall