resurrection(复活)-第62节

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severe　tone　that　the　Baron　could　not　be　seen　except　on　his
reception　days；　that　he　was　with　His　Majesty　the　Emperor　to…day；
and　the　next　day　he　would　again　have　to　deliver　a　report。
Nekhludoff　left　his　uncle's　letter　with　the　doorkeeper　and　went
on　to　see　the　Senator　Wolf。　Wolf　had　just　had　his　lunch；　and　was
as　usual　helping　digestion　by　smoking　a　cigar　and　pacing　up　and
down　the　room；　when　Nekhludoff　came　in。　Vladimir　Vasilievitch
Wolf　was　certainly　un　homme　tres　comme　il　faut；　and　prized　this
quality　very　highly；　and　from　that　elevation　he　looked　down　at
everybody　else。　He　could　not　but　esteem　this　quality　of　his　very
highly；　because　it　was　thanks　to　it　alone　that　he　had　made　a
brilliant　career；　the　very　career　he　desired；　i。e。；　by　marriage
he　obtained　a　fortune　which　brought　him　in　18；000　roubles　a　year；
and　by　his　own　exertions　the　post　of　a　senator。　He　considered
himself　not　only　un　homme　tres　comme　il　faut；　but　also　a　man　of
knightly　honour。　By　honour　he　understood　not　accepting　secret
bribes　from　private　persons。　But　he　did　not　consider　it　dishonest
to　beg　money　for　payment　of　fares　and　all　sorts　of　travelling
expenses　from　the　Crown；　and　to　do　anything　the　Government　might
require　of　him　in　return。　To　ruin　hundreds　of　innocent　people；　to
cause　them　to　be　imprisoned；　to　be　exiled　because　of　their　love
for　their　people　and　the　religion　of　their　fathers；　as　he　had
done　in　one　of　the　governments　of　Poland　when　he　was　governor
there。　He　did　not　consider　it　dishonourable；　but　even　thought　it
a　noble；　manly　and　patriotic　action。　Nor　did　he　consider　it
dishonest　to　rob　his　wife　and　sister…in…law；　as　he　had　done；　but
thought　it　a　wise　way　of　arranging　his　family　life。　His　family
consisted　of　his　commonplace　wife；　his　sister…in…law；　whose
fortune　he　had　appropriated　by　selling　her　estate　and　putting　the
money　to　his　account；　and　his　meek；　frightened；　plain　daughter；
who　lived　a　lonely；　weary　life；　from　which　she　had　lately　begun
to　look　for　relaxation　in　evangelicism；　attending　meetings　at
Aline's；　and　the　Countess　Katerina　Ivanovna。　Wolf's　son；　who　had
grown　a　beard　at　the　age　of　15；　and　had　at　that　age　begun　to
drink　and　lead　a　depraved　life；　which　he　continued　to　do　till　the
age　of　20；　when　he　was　turned　out　by　his　father　because　he　never
finished　his　studies；　moved　in　a　low　set　and　made　debts　which
committed　the　father。　The　father　had　once　paid　a　debt　of　250
roubles　for　his　son；　then　another　of　600　roubles；　but　warned　the
son　that　he　did　it　for　the　last　time；　and　that　if　the　son　did　not
reform　he　would　be　turned　out　of　the　house　and　all　further
intercourse　between　him　and　his　family　would　he　put　a　stop　to。
The　son　did　not　reform；　but　made　a　debt　of　a　thousand　roubles；
and　took　the　liberty　of　telling　his　father　that　life　at　home　was
a　torment　anyhow。　Then　Wolf　declared　to　his　son　that　he　might　go
where　he　pleasedthat　he　was　no　son　of　his　any　longer。　Since
then　Wolf　pretended　he　had　no　son；　and　no　one　at　home　dared　speak
to　him　about　his　son；　and　Vladimir　Vasilievitch　Wolf　was　firmly
convinced　that　he　had　arranged　his　family　life　in　the　best　way。
Wolf　stopped　pacing　up　and　down　his　study；　and　greeted　Nekhludoff
with　a　friendly　though　slightly　ironical　smile。　This　was　his　way
of　showing　how　comme　il　faut　he　was；　and　how　superior　to　the
majority　of　men。　He　read　the　note　which　Nekhludoff　handed　to　him。

〃Please　take　a　seat；　and　excuse　me　if　I　continue　to　walk　up　and
down；　with　your　permission；〃　he　said；　putting　his　hands　into　his
coat　pockets；　and　began　again　to　walk　with　light；　soft　steps
across　his　large；　quietly　and　stylishly　furnished　study。　〃Very
pleased　to　make　your　acquaintance　and　of　course　very　glad　to　do
anything　that　Count　Ivan　Michaelovitch　wishes；〃　he　said；　blowing
the　fragrant　blue　smoke　out　of　his　mouth　and　removing　his　cigar
carefully　so　as　not　to　drop　the　ash。

〃I　should　only　like　to　ask　that　the　case　might　come　on　soon；　so
that　if　the　prisoner　has　to　go　to　Siberia　she　might　set　off
early；〃　said　Nekhludoff。

〃Yes；　yes；　with　one　of　the　first　steamers　from　Nijni。　I　know；〃
said　Wolf；　with　his　patronising　smile；　always　knowing　in　advance
whatever　one　wanted　to　tell　him。

〃What　is　the　prisoner's　name？〃

〃Maslova。〃

Wolf　went　up　to　the　table　and　looked　at　a　paper　that　lay　on　a
piece　of　cardboard　among　other　business　papers。

〃Yes；　yes。　Maslova。　All　right；　I　will　ask　the　others。　We　shall
hear　the　case　on　Wednesday。〃

〃Then　may　I　telegraph　to　the　advocate？〃

〃The　advocate！　What's　that　for？　But　if　you　like；　why　not？〃

〃The　causes　for　appeal　may　be　insufficient；〃　said　Nekhludoff；
〃but　I　think　the　case　will　show　that　the　sentence　was　passed
owing　to　a　misunderstanding。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　it　may　be　so；　but　the　Senate　cannot　decide　the　case　on
its　merits；〃　said　Wolf；　looking　seriously　at　the　ash　of　his
cigar。　〃The　Senate　only　considers　the　exactness　of　the
application　of　the　laws　and　their　right　interpretation。〃

〃But　this　seems　to　me　to　be　an　exceptional　case。〃

〃I　know；　I　know！　All　cases　are　exceptional。　We　shall　do　our　duty。
That's　all。〃　The　ash　was　still　holding　on；　but　had　began
breaking；　and　was　in　danger　of　falling。

〃Do　you　often　come　to　Petersburg？〃　said　Wolf；　holding　his　cigar
so　that　the　ash　should　not　fall。　But　the　ash　began　to　shake；　and
Wolf　carefully　carried　it　to　the　ashpan；　into　which　it　fell。

〃What　a　terrible　thing　this　is　with　regard　to　Kaminski；〃　he　said。
〃A　splendid　young　man。　The　only　son。　Especially　the　mother's
position；〃　he　went　on；　repeating　almost　word　for　word　what　every
one　in　Petersburg　was　at　that　time　saying　about　Kaminski。　Wolf
spoke　a　little　about　the　Countess　Katerina　Ivanovna　and　her
enthusiasm　for　the　new　religious　teaching；　which　he　neither
approved　nor　disapproved　of；　but　which　was　evidently　needless　to
him　who　was　so　comme　il　faut；　and　then　rang　the　bell。

Nekhludoff　bowed。

〃If　it　is　convenient；　come　and　dine　on　Wednesday；　and　I　will　give
you　a　decisive　answer；〃　said　Wolf；　extending　his　hand。

It　was　late；　and　Nekhludoff　returned　to　his　aunt's。


CHAPTER　XVII。

COUNTESS　KATERINA　IVANOVNA'S　DINNER　PARTY。

Countess　Katerina　Ivanovna's　dinner　hour　was　half…past　seven；　and
the　dinner　was　served　in　a　new　manner　that　Nekhludoff　had　not　yet
seen　anywhere。　After　they　had　placed　the　dishes　on　the　table　the
waiters　left　the　room　and　the　diners　helped　themselves。　The　men
would　not　let　the　ladies　take　the　trouble　of　moving；　and；　as
befitted　the　stronger　sex；　they　manfully　took　on　themselves　the
burden　of　putting　the　food　on　the　ladies'　plates　and　of　filling
their　glasses。　When　one　course　was　finished；　the　Countess　pressed
the　button　of　an　electric　bell　fitted　to　the　table　and　the
waiters　stepped　in　noiselessly　and　quickly　carried　away　the
dishes；　changed　the　plates；　and　brought　in　the　next　course。　The
dinner　was　very　refined；　the　wines　very　costly。　A　French　chef　was
working　in　the　large；　light　kitchens；　with　two　white…clad
assistants。　There　were　six　persons　at　dinner；　the　Count　and
Countess；　their　son　（a　surly　officer　in　the　Guards　who　sat　with
his　elbows　on　the　table）；　Nekhludoff；　a　French　lady　reader；　and
the　Count's　chief　steward；　who　had　come　up　from　the　country。
Here；　too；　the　conversation　was　about　the　duel；　and　opinions　were
given　as　to　how　the　Emperor　regarded　the　case。　It　was　known　that
the　Emperor　was　very　much　grieved　for　the　mother's　sake；　and　all
were　grieved　for　her；　and　as　it　was　also　known　that　the　Emperor
did　not　mean　to　be　very　severe　to　the　murderer；　who　defended　the
honour　of　his　uniform；　all　were　also　lenient　to　the　officer　who
had　defended　the　honour　of　his　uniform。　Only　the　Countess
Katerina　Ivanovna；　with　her　free　thoughtlessness；　expresses　her
disapproval。

〃They　get　drunk；　and　kill　unobjectionable　young　men。　I　should　not
forgive　them　on　any　account；〃　she　said。

〃Now；　that's　a　thing　I　cannot　understand；〃　said　the　Count。

〃I　know　that　you　never　can　understand　what　I　say；〃　the　Countess
began；　and　turning　to　Nekhludoff；　she　added：

〃Everybody　understands　except　my　husband。　I　say　I　am　sorry　for
the　mother；　and　I　do　not　wish　him　to　be　contented；　having　killed
a　man。〃　Then　her　son；　who　had　been　silent　up　to　then；　took　the
murderer's　part；　and　rudely　attacked　his　mother；　arguing　that　an
officer　could　not　behave　in　any　other　way；　because　his
fellow…officers　would　condemn　him　and　turn　him　out　of　the
regiment。　Nekhludoff　listened　to　the　conversation　without　joining
in。　Having　been　an　officer　himself；　he　understood；　though　he　did
not　agree　with；　young　Tcharsky's　arguments；　and　at　the　same　time
he　could　not　help　contrasting　the　fate　of　the　officer　with　that
of　a　beautiful　young　convict　whom　he　had　seen　in　the　prison；　and
who　was　condemned　to　the　mines　for　having　killed　another　in　a
fight。　Both　had　turned　murderers　through　drunkenness。　The　peasant
had　killed　a　man　in　a　moment　of　irritation；　and　he　was　parted
from　his　wife　and　family；　had　chains　on　his　legs；　and　his　head
shaved；　and　was　going　to　hard　labour　in　Siberia；　while　the
officer　was　sitting　in　a　fine　room　in　the　guardhouse；　eating　a
good　dinner；　drinking　good　wine；　and　reading　books；　and　would　be
set　free　in　a　day　or　two　to　live　as　he　had　done　before；　having
only　becom