resurrection(复活)-第26节

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railways；　and　the　watchmen　or　their　wives　have　to　meet　every
train。＇　imprisoned　for　three　months　because　she　did　not　come　out
with　the　flags　to　meet　a　train　that　was　passing；　and　an　accident
had　occurred。　She　was　a　short；　snub…nosed　woman；　with　small；
black　eyes；　kind　and　talkative。　The　third　of　the　women　who　were
sewing　was　Theodosia；　a　quiet　young　girl；　white　and　rosy；　very
pretty；　with　bright　child's　eyes；　and　long　fair　plaits　which　she
wore　twisted　round　her　head。　She　was　in　prison　for　attempting　to
poison　her　husband。　She　had　done　this　immediately　after　her
wedding　（she　had　been　given　in　marriage　without　her　consent　at
the　age　of　16）　because　her　husband　would　give　her　no　peace。　But
in　the　eight　months　during　which　she　had　been　let　out　on　bail；
she　had　not　only　made　it　up　with　her　husband；　but　come　to　love
him；　so　that　when　her　trial　came　they　were　heart　and　soul　to　one
another。　Although　her　husband；　her　father…in…law；　but　especially
her　mother…in…law；　who　had　grown　very　fond　of　her；　did　all　they
could　to　get　her　acquitted；　she　was　sentenced　to　hard　labour　in
Siberia。　The　kind；　merry；　ever…smiling　Theodosia　had　a　place　next
Maslova's　on　the　shelf　bed；　and　had　grown　so　fond　of　her　that　she
took　it　upon　herself　as　a　duty　to　attend　and　wait　on　her。　Two
other　women　were　sitting　without　any　work　at　the　other　end　of　the
shelf　bedstead。　One　was　a　woman　of　about　40；　with　a　pale；　thin
face；　who　once　probably　had　been　very　handsome。　She　sat　with　her
baby　at　her　thin；　white　breast。　The　crime　she　had　committed　was
that　when　a　recruit　was；　according　to　the　peasants'　view；
unlawfully　taken　from　their　village；　and　the　people　stopped　the
police　officer　and　took　the　recruit　away　from　him；　she　（an　aunt
of　the　lad　unlawfully　taken）　was　the　first　to　catch　hold　of　the
bridle　of　the　horse　on　which　he　was　being　carried　off。　The　other；
who　sat　doing　nothing；　was　a　kindly；　grey…haired　old　woman；
hunchbacked　and　with　a　flat　bosom。　She　sat　behind　the　stove　on
the　bedshelf；　and　pretended　to　catch　a　fat　four…year…old　boy；　who
ran　backwards　and　forwards　in　front　of　her；　laughing　gaily。　This
boy　had　only　a　little　shirt　on　and　his　hair　was　cut　short。　As　he
ran　past　the　old　woman　he　kept　repeating；　〃There；　haven't　caught
me！〃　This　old　woman　and　her　son　were　accused　of　incendiarism。
She　bore　her　imprisonment　with　perfect　cheerfulness；　but　was
concerned　about　her　son；　and　chiefly　about　her　〃old　man；〃　who　she
feared　would　get　into　a　terrible　state　with　no　one　to　wash　for
him。　Besides　these　seven　women；　there　were　four　standing　at　one
of　the　open　windows；　holding　on　to　the　iron　bars。　They　were
making　signs　and　shouting　to　the　convicts　whom　Maslova　had　met
when　returning　to　prison；　and　who　were　now　passing　through　the
yard。　One　of　these　women　was　big　and　heavy；　with　a　flabby　body；
red　hair；　and　freckled　on　her　pale　yellow　face；　her　hands；　and
her　fat　neck。　She　shouted　something　in　a　loud；　raucous　voice；　and
laughed　hoarsely。　This　woman　was　serving　her　term　for　theft。
Beside　her　stood　an　awkward；　dark　little　woman；　no　bigger　than　a
child　of　ten；　with　a　long　waist　and　very　short　legs；　a　red；
blotchy　face；　thick　lips　which　did　not　hide　her　long　teeth；　and
eyes　too　far　apart。　She　broke　by　fits　and　starts　into　screeching
laughter　at　what　was　going　on　in　the　yard。　She　was　to　be　tried
for　stealing　and　incendiarism。　They　called　her　Khoroshavka。
Behind　her；　in　a　very　dirty　grey　chemise；　stood　a　thin；
miserable…looking　pregnant　woman；　who　was　to　be　tried　for
concealment　of　theft。　This　woman　stood　silent；　but　kept　smiling
with　pleasure　and　approval　at　what　was　going　on　below。　With　these
stood　a　peasant　woman　of　medium　height；　the　mother　of　the　boy　who
was　playing　with　the　old　woman　and　of　a　seven…year…old　girl。
These　were　in　prison　with　her　because　she　had　no　one　to　leave
them　with。　She　was　serving　her　term　of　imprisonment　for　illicit
sale　of　spirits。　She　stood　a　little　further　from　the　window
knitting　a　stocking；　and　though　she　listened　to　the　other
prisoners'　words　she　shook　her　head　disapprovingly；　frowned；　and
closed　her　eyes。　But　her　seven…year…old　daughter　stood　in　her
little　chemise；　her　flaxen　hair　done　up　in　a　little　pigtail；　her
blue　eyes　fixed；　and；　holding　the　red…haired　woman　by　the　skirt；
attentively　listened　to　the　words　of　abuse　that　the　women　and　the
convicts　flung　at　each　other；　and　repeated　them　softly；　as　if
learning　them　by　heart。　The　twelfth　prisoner；　who　paid　no
attention　to　what　was　going　on；　was　a　very　tall；　stately　girl；
the　daughter　of　a　deacon；　who　had　drowned　her　baby　in　a　well。　She
went　about　with　bare　feet；　wearing　only　a　dirty　chemise。　The
thick；　short　plait　of　her　fair　hair　had　come　undone　and　hung　down
dishevelled；　and　she　paced　up　and　down　the　free　space　of　the
cell；　not　looking　at　any　one；　turning　abruptly　every　time　she
came　up　to　the　wall。


CHAPTER　XXXI。

THE　PRISONERS。

When　the　padlock　rattled　and　the　door　opened　to　let　Maslova　into
the　cell；　all　turned　towards　her。　Even　the　deacon's　daughter
stopped　for　a　moment　and　looked　at　her　with　lifted　brows　before
resuming　her　steady　striding　up　and　down。

Korableva　stuck　her　needle　into　the　brown　sacking　and　looked
questioningly　at　Maslova　through　her　spectacles。　〃Eh；　eh；　deary
me；　so　you　have　come　back。　And　I　felt　sure　they'd　acquit　you。　So
you've　got　it？〃　She　took　off　her　spectacles　and　put　her　work　down
beside　her　on　the　shelf　bed。

〃And　here　have　I　and　the　old　lady　been　saying；　'Why；　it　may　well
be　they'll　let　her　go　free　at　once。'　Why；　it　happens；　ducky；
they'll　even　give　you　a　heap　of　money　sometimes；　that's　sure；〃
the　watchman's　wife　began；　in　her　singing　voice：　〃Yes；　we　were
wondering；　'Why's　she　so　long？'　And　now　just　see　what　it　is。
Well；　our　guessing　was　no　use。　The　Lord　willed　otherwise；〃　she
went　on　in　musical　tones。

〃Is　it　possible？　Have　they　sentenced　you？〃　asked　Theodosia；　with
concern；　looking　at　Maslova　with　her　bright　blue；　child…like
eyes；　and　her　merry　young　face　changed　as　if　she　were　going　to
cry。

Maslova　did　not　answer；　but　went　on　to　her　place；　the　second　from
the　end；　and　sat　down　beside　Korableva。

〃Have　you　eaten　anything？〃　said　Theodosia；　rising　and　coming　up
to　Maslova。

Maslova　gave　no　reply；　but　putting　the　rolls　on　the　bedstead；
took　off　her　dusty　cloak；　the　kerchief　off　her　curly　black　head；
and　began　pulling　off　her　shoes。　The　old　woman　who　had　been
playing　with　the　boy　came　up　and　stood　in　front　of　Maslova。　〃Tz；
tz；　tz；〃　she　clicked　with　her　tongue；　shaking　her　head　pityingly。
The　boy　also　came　up　with　her；　and；　putting　out　his　upper　lip；
stared　with　wide　open　eyes　at　the　roll　Maslova　had　brought。　When
Maslova　saw　the　sympathetic　faces　of　her　fellow…prisoners；　her
lips　trembled　and　she　felt　inclined　to　cry；　but　she　succeeded　in
restraining　herself　until　the　old　woman　and　the　boy　came　up。
When　she　heard　the　kind；　pitying　clicking　of　the　old　woman's
tongue；　and　met　the　boy's　serious　eyes　turned　from　the　roll　to
her　face；　she　could　bear　it　no　longer；　her　face　quivered　and　she
burst　into　sobs。

〃Didn't　I　tell　you　to　insist　on　having　a　proper　advocate？〃　said
Norableva。　〃Well；　what　is　it？　Exile？〃

Maslova　could　not　answer；　but　took　from　inside　the　roll　a　box　of
cigarettes；　on　which　was　a　picture　of　a　lady　with　hair　done　up
very　high　and　dress　cut　low　in　front；　and　passed　the　box　to
Korableva。　Korableva　looked　at　it　and　shook　her　head；　chiefly
because　see　did　not　approve　of　Maslova's　putting　her　money　to
such　bad　use；　but　still　she　took　out　a　cigarette；　lit　it　at　the
lamp；　took　a　puff；　and　almost　forced　it　into　Maslova's　hand。
Maslova；　still　crying；　began　greedily　to　inhale　the　tobacco
smoke。　〃Penal　servitude；〃　she　muttered；　blowing　out　the　smoke　and
sobbing。

〃Don't　they　fear　the　Lord；　the　cursed　soul…slayers？〃　muttered
Korableva；　〃sentencing　the　lass　for　nothing。〃　At　this　moment　the
sound　of　loud；　coarse　laughter　came　from　the　women　who　were　still
at　the　window。　The　little　girl　also　laughed；　and　her　childish
treble　mixed　with　the　hoarse　and　screeching　laughter　of　the
others。　One　of　the　convicts　outside　had　done　something　that
produced　this　effect　on　the　onlookers。

〃Lawks！　see　the　shaved　hound；　what　he's　doing；〃　said　the
red…haired　woman；　her　whole　fat　body　shaking　with　laughter；　and
leaning　against　the　grating　she　shouted　meaning　less　obscene
words。

〃Ugh；　the　fat　fright's　cackling；〃　said　Korableva；　who　disliked
the　red…haired　woman。　Then；　turning　to　Maslova　again；　she　asked：
〃How　many　years？〃

〃Four；〃　said　Maslova；　and　the　tears　ran　down　her　cheeks　in　such
profusion　that　one　fell　on　the　cigarette。　Maslova　crumpled　it　up
angrily　and　took　another。

Though　the　watchman's　wife　did　not　smoke　she　picked　up　the
cigarette　Maslova　had　thrown　away　and　began　straightening　it　out；
talking　unceasingly。

〃There；　now；　ducky；　so　it's　true；〃　she　said。　〃Truth's　gone　to　the
dogs　and　they　do　what　they　please；　and　here　we　were　guessing　that
you'd　go　free。　Norableva　says；　'She'll　go　free。'　I　say；　'No；'　say
I。　'No；　dear；　my　heart　tells　me　they'll　give　it　her。'　And　so　it's
turned　out；〃　she　went　on；　evidently　listening　with　pleasure　to
her　own　voice。

The　women　who　had　been　standing　by　the　window　now　also　came　up　to
Ma