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c'est mon opinion bien arretee；〃 he added； giving utterance to an
opinion he had for the last twelve months been reading in the
retrograde Conservative paper。 〃I know you are a Liberal。〃
〃I don't know whether I am a Liberal or something else；〃
Nekhludoff said； smiling； it always surprised him to find himself
ranked with a political party and called a Liberal； when he
maintained that a man should be heard before he was judged； that
before being tried all men were equal； that nobody at all ought
to be ill…treated and beaten； but especially those who had not
yet been condemned by law。 〃I don't know whether I am a Liberal
or not； but I do know that however had the present way of
conducting a trial is； it is better than the old。〃
〃And whom have you for an advocate？〃
〃I have spoken to Fanarin。〃
〃Dear me； Fanarin！〃 said Meslennikoff； with a grimace；
recollecting how this Fanarin had examined him as a witness at a
trial the year before and had； in the politest manner； held him
up to ridicule for half an hour。
〃I should not advise you to have anything to do with him。
Fanarin est un homme tare。〃
〃I have one more request to make；〃 said Nekhludoff； without
answering him。 〃There's a girl whom I knew long ago； a teacher；
she is a very pitiable little thing； and is now also imprisoned；
and would like to see me。 Could you give me a permission to visit
her？〃
Meslennikoff bent his head on one side and considered。
〃She's a political one？〃
〃Yes； I have been told so。〃
〃Well； you see； only relatives get permission to visit political
prisoners。 Still； I'll give you an open order。 Je sais que vous
n'abuserez pas。 What's the name of your protegee？ Doukhova？ Elle
est jolie？〃
〃Hideuse。〃
Maslennikoff shook his head disapprovingly； went up to the table；
and wrote on a sheet of paper； with a printed heading： 〃The
bearer； Prince Dmitri Ivanovitch Nekhludoff； is to be allowed to
interview in the prison office the meschanka Maslova； and also
the medical assistant； Doukhova；〃 and he finished with an
elaborate flourish。
〃Now you'll be able to see what order we have got there。 And it
is very difficult to keep order； it is so crowded； especially
with people condemned to exile； but I watch strictly； and love
the work。 You will see they are very comfortable and contented。
But one must know how to deal with them。 Only a few days ago we
had a little troubleinsubordination； another would have called
it mutiny； and would have made many miserable； but with us it all
passed quietly。 We must have solicitude on one hand； firmness and
power on the other；〃 and he clenched the fat； white；
turquoise…ringed fist； which issued out of the starched cuff of
his shirt sleeve； fastened with a gold stud。 〃Solicitude and firm
power。〃
〃Well； I don't know about that；〃 said Nekhludoff。 〃I went there
twice； and felt very much depressed。〃
〃Do you know； you ought to get acquainted with the Countess
Passek；〃 continued Maslennikoff； growing talkative。 〃She has
given herself up entirely to this sort of work。 Elle fait
beaucoup de bien。 Thanks to herand； perhaps I may add without
false modesty； to meeverything has been changed； changed in
such a way that the former horrors no longer exist； and they are
really quite comfortable there。 Well； you'll see。 There's
Fanarin。 I do not know him personally； besides； my social
position keeps our ways apart； but he is positively a bad man；
and besides； he takes the liberty of saying such things in the
courtsuch things！〃
〃Well； thank you；〃 Nekhludoff said； taking the paper； and without
listening further he bade good…day to his former comrade。
〃And won't you go in to see my wife？〃
〃No； pray excuse me； I have no time now。〃
〃Dear me； why she will never forgive me；〃 said Maslennikoff；
accompanying his old acquaintance down to the first landing； as
he was in the habit of doing to persons of not the greatest； but
the second greatest importance； with whom he classed Nekhludoff；
〃now do go in； if only for a moment。〃
But Nekhludoff remained firm； and while the footman and the
door…keeper rushed to give him his stick and overcoat； and opened
the door； outside of which there stood a policeman； Nekhludoff
repeated that he really could not come in。
〃Well； then； on Thursday； please。 It is her 'at…home。' I will
tell her you will come；〃 shouted Maslennikoff from the stairs。
CHAPTER LI。
THE CELLS。
Nekhludoff drove that day straight from Maslennikoff's to the
prison； and went to the inspector's lodging； which he now knew。
He was again struck by the sounds of the same piano of inferior
quality； but this time it was not a rhapsody that was being
played； but exercises by Clementi； again with the same vigour；
distinctness； and quickness。 The servant with the bandaged eye
said the inspector was in； and showed Nekhludoff to a small
drawing…room； in which there stood a sofa and； in front of it； a
table； with a large lamp； which stood on a piece of crochet work；
and the paper shade of which was burnt on one side。 The chief
inspector entered； with his usual sad and weary look。
〃Take a seat； please。 What is it you want？〃 he said； buttoning up
the middle button of his uniform。
〃I have just been to the vice…governor's； and got this order from
him。 I should like to see the prisoner Maslova。〃
〃Markova？〃 asked the inspector； unable to bear distinctly because
of the music。
〃Maslova！〃
〃Well； yes。〃 The inspector got up and went to the door whence
proceeded Clementi's roulades。
〃Mary； can't you stop just a minute？〃 he said； in a voice that
showed that this music was the bane of his life。 〃One can't hear
a word。〃
The piano was silent； but one could hear the sound of reluctant
steps； and some one looked in at the door。
The inspector seemed to feel eased by the interval of silence；
lit a thick cigarette of weak tobacco； and offered one to
Nekhludoff。
Nekhludoff refused。
〃What I want is to see Maslova。〃
〃Oh； yes； that can be managed。 Now； then； what do you want？〃 he
said； addressing a little girl of five or six； who came into the
room and walked up to her father with her head turned towards
Nekhludoff； and her eyes fixed on him。
〃There； now； you'll fall down；〃 said the inspector； smiling； as
the little girl ran up to him； and； not looking where she was
going； caught her foot in a little rug。
〃Well； then； if I may； I shall go。〃
〃It's not very convenient to see Maslova to…day；〃 said the
inspector。
〃How's that？〃
〃Well； you know； it's all your own fault；〃 said the inspector；
with a slight smile。 〃Prince； give her no money into her hands。
If you like； give it me。 I will keep it for her。 You see； you
gave her some money yesterday； she got some spirits （it's an evil
we cannot manage to root out）； and to…day she is quite tipsy；
even violent。〃
〃Can this be true？〃
〃Oh； yes； it is。 I have even been obliged to have recourse to
severe measures； and to put her into a separate cell。 She is a
quiet woman in an ordinary way。 But please do not give her any
money。 These people are so〃 What had happened the day before
came vividly back to Nekhludoff's mind； and again he was seized
with fear。
〃And Doukho