resurrection(复活)-第32节

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swaddling　clothes；　while　the　baby　was　screaming　desperately　in
Theodosia's　arms；　who　was　trying　to　quiet　it。　The　consumptive
woman　was　coughing　with　her　hands　pressed　to　her　chest；　while　the
blood　rushed　to　her　face；　and　she　sighed　loudly；　almost
screaming；　in　the　intervals　of　coughing。　The　fat；　red…haired
woman　was　lying　on　her　back；　with　knees　drawn　up；　and　loudly
relating　a　dream。　The　old　woman　accused　of　incendiarism　was
standing　in　front　of　the　image；　crossing　herself　and　bowing；　and
repeating　the　same　words　over　and　over　again。　The　deacon's
daughter　sat　on　the　bedstead；　looking　before　her；　with　a　dull；
sleepy　face。　Khoroshavka　was　twisting　her　black；　oily；　coarse
hair　round　her　fingers。　The　sound　of　slipshod　feet　was　heard　in
the　passage；　and　the　door　opened　to　let　in　two　convicts；　dressed
in　jackets　and　grey　trousers　that　did　not　reach　to　their　ankles。
With　serious；　cross　faces　they　lifted　the　stinking　tub　and
carried　it　out　of　the　cell。　The　women　went　out　to　the　taps　in　the
corridor　to　wash。　There　the　red…haired　woman　again　began　a
quarrel　with　a　woman　from　another　cell。

〃Is　it　the　solitary　cell　you　want？〃　shouted　an　old　jailer；
slapping　the　red…haired　woman　on　her　bare；　fat　back；　so　that　it
sounded　through　the　corridor。　〃You　be　quiet。〃


〃Lawks！　the　old　one's　playful；〃　said　the　woman；　taking　his　action
for　a　caress。

〃Now；　then；　be　quick；　get　ready　for　the　mass。〃　Maslova　had　hardly
time　to　do　her　hair　and　dress　when　the　inspector　came　with　his
assistants。

〃Come　out　for　inspection；〃　cried　a　jailer。

Some　more　prisoners　came　out　of　other　cells　and　stood　in　two　rows
along　the　corridor；　each　woman　had　to　place　her　hand　on　the
shoulder　of　the　woman　in　front　of　her。　They　were　all　counted。

After　the　inspection　the　woman　warder　led　the　prisoners　to
church。　Maslova　and　Theodosia　were　in　the　middle　of　a　column　of
over　a　hundred　women；　who　had　come　out　of　different　cells。　All
were　dressed　in　white　skirts；　white　jackets；　and　wore　white
kerchiefs　on　their　heads；　except　a　few　who　had　their　own　coloured
clothes　on。　These　were　wives　who；　with　their　children；　were
following　their　convict　husbands　to　Siberia。　The　whole　flight　of
stairs　was　filled　by　the　procession。　The　patter　of　softly…shod
feet　mingled　with　the　voices　and　now　and　then　a　laugh。　When
turning；　on　the　landing；　Maslova　saw　her　enemy；　Botchkova；　in
front；　and　pointed　out　her　angry　face　to　Theodosia。　At　the　bottom
of　the　stairs　the　women　stopped　talking。　Bowing　and　crossing
themselves；　they　entered　the　empty　church；　which　glistened　with
gilding。　Crowding　and　pushing　one　another；　they　took　their　places
on　the　right。

After　the　women　came　the　men　condemned　to　banishment；　those
serving　their　term　in　the　prison；　and　those　exiled　by　their
Communes；　and；　coughing　loudly；　they　took　their　stand；　crowding
the　left　side　and　the　middle　of　the　church。

On　one　side　of　the　gallery　above　stood　the　men　sentenced　to　penal
servitude　in　Siberia；　who　had　been　let　into　the　church　before　the
others。　Each　of　them　had　half　his　head　shaved；　and　their　presence
was　indicated　by　the　clanking　of　the　chains　on　their　feet。　On　the
other　side　of　the　gallery　stood　those　in　preliminary　confinement；
without　chains；　their　heads　not　shaved。

The　prison　church　had　been　rebuilt　and　ornamented　by　a　rich
merchant；　who　spent　several　tens　of　thousands　of　roubles　on　it；
and　it　glittered　with　gay　colours　and　gold。　For　a　time　there　was
silence　in　the　church；　and　only　coughing；　blowing　of　noses；　the
crying　of　babies；　and　now　and　then　the　rattling　of　chains；　was
heard。　But　at　last　the　convicts　that　stood　in　the　middle　moved；
pressed　against　each　other；　leaving　a　passage　in　the　centre　of
the　church；　down　which　the　prison　inspector　passed　to　take　his
place　in　front　of　every　one　in　the　nave。


CHAPTER　XXXIX。

THE　PRISON　CHURCHBLIND　LEADERS　OF　THE　BLIND。

The　service　began。

It　consisted　of　the　following。　The　priest；　having　dressed　in　a
strange　and　very　inconvenient　garb；　made　of　gold　cloth；　cut　and
arranged　little　bits　of　bread　on　a　saucer；　and　then　put　them　into
a　cup　with　wine；　repeating　at　the　same　time　different　names　and
prayers。　Meanwhile　the　deacon　first　read　Slavonic　prayers；
difficult　to　understand　in　themselves；　and　rendered　still　more
incomprehensible　by　being　read　very　fast；　and　then　sang　them　turn
and　turn　about　with　the　convicts。　The　contents　of　the　prayers
were　chiefly　the　desire　for　the　welfare　of　the　Emperor　and　his
family。　These　petitions　were　repeated　many　times；　separately　and
together　with　other　prayers；　the　people　kneeling。　Besides　this；
several　verses　from　the　Acts　of　the　Apostles　were　read　by　the
deacon　in　a　peculiarly　strained　voice；　which　made　it　impossible
to　understand　what　he　read；　and　then　the　priest　read　very
distinctly　a　part　of　the　Gospel　according　to　St。　Mark；　in　which
it　said　that　Christ；　having　risen　from　the　dead　before　flying　up
to　heaven　to　sit　down　at　His　Father's　right　hand；　first　showed
Himself　to　Mary　Magdalene；　out　of　whom　He　had　driven　seven
devils；　and　then　to　eleven　of　His　disciples；　and　ordered　them　to
preach　the　Gospel　to　the　whole　creation；　and　the　priest　added
that　if　any　one　did　not　believe　this　he　would　perish；　but　he　that
believed　it　and　was　baptised　should　be　saved；　and　should　besides
drive　out　devils　and　cure　people　by　laying　his　hands　on　them；
should　talk　in　strange　tongues；　should　take　up　serpents；　and　if
he　drank　poison　should　not　die；　but　remain　well。

The　essence　of　the　service　consisted　in　the　supposition　that　the
bits　cut　up　by　the　priest　and　put　by　him　into　the　wine；　when
manipulated　and　prayed　over　in　a　certain　way；　turned　into　the
flesh　and　blood　of　God。

These　manipulations　consisted　in　the　priest's　regularly　lifting
and　holding　up　his　arms；　though　hampered　by　the　gold　cloth　sack
he　had　on；　then；　sinking　on　to　his　knees　and　kissing　the　table
and　all　that　was　on　it；　but　chiefly　in　his　taking　a　cloth　by　two
of　its　corners　and　waving　it　regularly　and　softly　over　the　silver
saucer　and　golden　cup。　It　was　supposed　that；　at　this　point；　the
bread　and　the　wine　turned　into　flesh　and　blood；　therefore；　this
part　of　the　service　was　performed　with　the　greatest　solemnity。

〃Now；　to　the　blessed；　most　pure；　and　most　holy　Mother　of　God；〃
the　priest　cried　from　the　golden　partition　which　divided　part　of
the　church　from　the　rest；　and　the　choir　began　solemnly　to　sing
that　it　was　very　right　to　glorify　the　Virgin　Mary；　who　had　borne
Christ　without　losing　her　virginity；　and　was　therefore　worthy　of
greater　honour　than　some　kind　of　cherubim；　and　greater　glory　than
some　kind　of　seraphim。　After　this　the　transformation　was
considered　accomplished；　and　the　priest　having　taken　the　napkin
off　the　saucer；　cut　the　middle　bit　of　bread　in　four；　and　put　it
into　the　wine；　and　then　into　his　mouth。　He　was　supposed　to　have
eaten　a　bit　of　God's　flesh　and　swallowed　a　little　of　His　blood。
Then　the　priest　drew　a　curtain；　opened　the　middle　door　in　the
partition；　and；　taking　the　gold　cup　in　his　hands；　came　out　of　the
door；　inviting　those　who　wished　to　do　so　also　to　come　and　eat
some　of　God's　flesh　and　blood　that　was　contained　in　the　cup。　A
few　children　appeared　to　wish　to　do　so。

After　having　asked　the　children　their　names；　the　priest　carefully
took　out　of　the　cup；　with　a　spoon；　and　shoved　a　bit　of　bread
soaked　in　wine　deep　into　the　mouth　of　each　child　in　turn；　and　the
deacon；　while　wiping　the　children's　mouths；　sang；　in　a　merry
voice；　that　the　children　were　eating　the　flesh　and　drinking　the
blood　of　God。　After　this　the　priest　carried　the　cup　back　behind
the　partition；　and　there　drank　all　the　remaining　blood　and　ate　up
all　the　bits　of　flesh；　and　after　having　carefully　sucked　his
moustaches　and　wiped　his　mouth；　he　stepped　briskly　from　behind
the　partition；　the　soles　of　his　calfskin　boots　creaking。　The
principal　part　of　this　Christian　service　was　now　finished；　but
the　priest；　wishing　to　comfort　the　unfortunate　prisoners；　added
to　the　ordinary　service　another。　This　consisted　of　his　going　up
to　the　gilt　hammered…out　image　（with　black　face　and　hands）
supposed　to　represent　the　very　God　he　had　been　eating；
illuminated　by　a　dozen　wax　candles；　and　proceeding；　in　a　strange；
discordant　voice；　to　hum　or　sing　the　following　words：

Jesu　sweetest；　glorified　of　the　Apostles；　Jesu　lauded　by　the
martyrs；　almighty　Monarch；　save　me；　Jesu　my　Saviour。　Jesu；　most
beautiful；　have　mercy　on　him　who　cries　to　Thee；　Saviour　Jesu。
Born　of　prayer　Jesu；　all　thy　saints；　all　thy　prophets；　save　and
find　them　worthy　of　the　joys　of　heaven。　Jesu；　lover　of　men。〃

Then　he　stopped；　drew　breath；　crossed　himself；　bowed　to　the
ground；　and　every　one　did　the　samethe　inspector；　the　warders；
the　prisoners；　and　from　above　the　clinking　of　the　chains　sounded
more　unintermittently。　Then　he　continued：　〃Of　angels　the　Creator
and　Lord　of　powers；　Jesu　most　wonderful；　the　angels'　amazement；
Jesu　most　powerful；　of　our　forefathers　the　Redeemer。　Jesu
sweetest；　of　patriarchs　the　praise。　Jesu　most　glorious；　of　kings
the　strength。　Jesu　most　good；　of　prophets　the　fulfilment。　Jesu
most　amazing；　of　martyrs　the　strength。　Jesu　most　humble；　of　monks
the　joy。　Jesu　most　merciful；　of　priests　the　sweetness。　Jesu　most