resurrection(复活)-第76节

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failure　to　this　superficial　way　of　reading；　hoped　to　find　the
answer　later　on。　He　would　not　allow　himself　to　believe　in　the
truth　of　the　answer　which　began；　more　and　more　often；　to　present
itself　to　him。


CHAPTER　XXXI。

NEKHLUDOFF'S　SISTER　AND　HER　HUSBAND。

The　gang　of　prisoners；　with　Maslova　among　them；　was　to　start　on
the　5th　July。　Nekhludoff　arranged　to　start　on　the　same　day。

The　day　before；　Nekhludoff's　sister　and　her　husband　came　to　town
to　see　him。

Nekhludoff's　sister；　Nathalie　Ivanovna　Rogozhinsky；　was　10　years
older　than　her　brother。　She　had　been　very　fond　of　him　when　he　was
a　boy；　and　later　on；　just　before　her　marriage；　they　grew　very
close　to　each　other；　as　if　they　were　equals；　she　being　a　young
woman　of　25；　he　a　lad　of　15。　At　that　time　she　was　in　love　with
his　friend；　Nikolenka　Irtenieff；　since　dead。　They　both　loved
Nikolenka；　and　loved　in　him　and　in　themselves　that　which　is　good；
and　which　unites　all　men。　Since　then　they　had　both　been　depraved；
he　by　military　service　and　a　vicious　life；　she　by　marriage　with　a
man　whom　she　loved　with　a　sensual　love；　who　did　not　care　for　the
things　that　had　once　been　so　dear　and　holy　to　her　and　to　her
brother；　nor　even　understand　the　meaning　of　those　aspirations
towards　moral　perfection　and　the　service　of　mankind；　which　once
constituted　her　life；　and　put　them　down　to　ambition　and　the　wish
to　show　off；　that　being　the　only　explanation　comprehensible　to
him。

Nathalie's　husband　had　been　a　man　without　a　name　and　without
means；　but　cleverly　steering　towards　Liberalism　or　Conservatism；
according　to　which　best　suited　his　purpose；　he　managed　to　make　a
comparatively　brilliant　judicial　career。　Some　peculiarity　which
made　him　attractive　to　women　assisted　him　when　he　was　no　longer
in　his　first　youth。　While　travelling　abroad　he　made　Nekhludoff's
acquaintance；　and　managed　to　make　Nathalie；　who　was　also　no
longer　a　girl；　fall　in　love　with　him；　rather　against　her　mother's
wishes　who　considered　a　marriage　with　him　to　be　a　misalliance　for
her　daughter。　Nekhludoff；　though　he　tried　to　hide　it　from
himself；　though　he　fought　against　it；　hated　his　brother…in…law。

Nekhludoff　had　a　strong　antipathy　towards　him　because　of　the
vulgarity　of　his　feelings；　his　assurance　and　narrowness；　but
chiefly　because　of　Nathalie；　who　managed　to　love　him　in　spite　of
the　narrowness　of　his　nature；　and　loved　him　so　selfishly；　so
sensually；　and　stifled　for　his　sake　all　the　good　that　had　been　in
her。

It　always　hurt　Nekhludoff　to　think　of　Nathalie　as　the　wife　of
that　hairy；　self…assured　man　with　the　shiny；　bald　patch　on　his
head。　He　could　not　even　master　a　feeling　of　revulsion　towards
their　children；　and　when　he　heard　that　she　was　again　going　to
have　a　baby；　he　felt　something　like　sorrow　that　she　had　once　more
been　infected　with　something　bad　by　this　man　who　was　so　foreign
to　him。　The　Rogozhinskys　had　come　to　Moscow　alone；　having　left
their　two　childrena　boy　and　a　girlat　home；　and　stopped　in　the
best　rooms　of　the　best　hotel。　Nathalie　at　once　went　to　her
mother's　old　house；　but　hearing　from　Agraphena　Petrovna　that　her
brother　had　left；　and　was　living　in　a　lodging…house；　she　drove
there。　The　dirty　servant　met　her　in　the　stuffy　passage；　dark　but
for　a　lamp　which　burnt　there　all　day。　He　told　her　that　the　Prince
was　not　in。

Nathalie　asked　to　be　shown　into　his　rooms；　as　she　wished　to　leave
a　note　for　him；　and　the　man　took　her　up。

Nathalie　carefully　examined　her　brother's　two　little　rooms。　She
noticed　in　everything　the　love　of　cleanliness　and　order　she　knew
so　well　in　him；　and　was　struck　by　the　novel　simplicity　of　the
surroundings。　On　his　writing…table　she　saw　the　paper…weight　with
the　bronze　dog　on　the　top　which　she　remembered；　the　tidy　way　in
which　his　different　portfolios　and　writing　utensils　were　placed
on　the　table　was　also　familiar；　and　so　was　the　large；　crooked
ivory　paper　knife　which　marked　the　place　in　a　French　book　by
Tard；　which　lay　with　other　volumes　on　punishment　and　a　book　in
English　by　Henry　George。　She　sat　down　at　the　table　and　wrote　a
note　asking　him　to　be　sure　to　come　that　same　day；　and　shaking　her
head　in　surprise　at　what　she　saw；　she　returned　to　her　hotel。

Two　questions　regarding　her　brother　now　interested　Nathalie：　his
marriage　with　Katusha；　which　she　had　heard　spoken　about　in　their
townfor　everybody　was　speaking　about　itand　his　giving　away
the　land　to　the　peasants；　which　was　also　known；　and　struck　many
as　something　of　a　political　nature；　and　dangerous。　The　Carriage
with　Katusha　pleased　her　in　a　way。　She　admired　that　resoluteness
which　was　so　like　him　and　herself　as　they　used　to　be　in　those
happy　times　before　her　marriage。　And　yet　she　was　horrified　when
she　thought　her　brother　was　going　to　marry　such　a　dreadful　woman。
The　latter　was　the　stronger　feeling　of　the　two；　and　she　decided
to　use　all　her　influence　to　prevent　him　from　doing　it；　though　she
knew　how　difficult　this　would　be。

The　other　matter；　the　giving　up　of　the　land　to　the　peasants；　did
not　touch　her　so　nearly；　but　her　husband　was　very　indignant　about
it；　and　expected　her　to　influence　her　brother　against　it。

Rogozhinsky　said　that　such　an　action　was　the　height　of
inconsistency；　flightiness；　and　pride；　the　only　possible
explanation　of　which　was　the　desire　to　appear　original；　to　brag；
to　make　one's　self　talked　about。

〃What　sense　could　there　be　in　letting　the　land　to　the　peasants；
on　condition　that　they　pay　the　rent　to　themselves？〃　he　said。　〃If
he　was　resolved　to　do　such　a　thing；　why　not　sell　the　land　to　them
through　the　Peasants'　Bank？　There　might　have　been　some　sense　in
that。　In　fact；　this　act　verges　on　insanity。〃

And　Rogozhinsky　began　seriously　thinking　about　putting　Nekhludoff
under　guardianship；　and　demanded　of　his　wife　that　she　should
speak　seriously　to　her　brother　about　his　curious　intention。


CHAPTER　XXXII。

NEKHLUDOFF'S　ANARCHISM。

As　soon　as　Nekhludoff　returned　that　evening　and　saw　his　sister's
note　on　the　table　he　started　to　go　and　see　her。　He　found　Nathalie
alone；　her　husband　having　gone　to　take　a　rest　in　the　next　room。
She　wore　a　tightly…fitting　black　silk　dress；　with　a　red　bow　in
front。　Her　black　hair　was　crimped　and　arranged　according　to　the
latest　fashion。

The　pains　she　took　to　appear　young；　for　the　sake　of　her　husband；
whose　equal　she　was　in　years；　were　very　obvious。

When　she　saw　her　brother　she　jumped　up　and　hurried　towards　him；
with　her　silk　dress　rustling。　They　kissed；　and　looked　smilingly
at　each　other。　There　passed　between　them　that　mysterious　exchange
of　looks；　full　of　meaning；　in　which　all　was　true；　and　which
cannot　be　expressed　in　words。　Then　came　words　which　were　not
true。　They　had　not　met　since　their　mother's　death。

〃You　have　grown　stouter　and　younger；〃　he　said；　and　her　lips
puckered　up　with　pleasure。

〃And　you　have　grown　thinner。〃

〃Well；　and　how　is　your　husband？〃　Nekhludoff　asked。

〃He　is　taking　a　rest；　he　did　not　sleep　all　night。〃　There　was　much
to　say；　but　it　was　not　said　in　words；　only　their　looks　expressed
what　their　words　failed　to　say。

〃I　went　to　see　you。〃

〃Yes；　I　know。　I　moved　because　the　house　is　too　big　for　me。　I　was
lonely　there；　and　dull。　I　want　nothing　of　all　that　is　there；　so
that　you　had　better　take　it　allthe　furniture；　I　mean；　and
things。〃

〃Yes；　Agraphena　Petrovna　told　me。　I　went　there。　Thanks；　very
much。　But〃

At　this　moment　the　hotel　waiter　brought　in　a　silver　tea…set。
While　he　set　the　table　they　were　silent。　Then　Nathalie　sat　down
at　the　table　and　made　the　tea；　still　in　silence。　Nekhludoff　also
said　nothing。

At　last　Nathalie　began　resolutely。　〃Well；　Dmitri；　I　know　all
about　it。〃　And　she　looked　at　him。

〃What　of　that？　l　am　glad　you　know。〃

〃How　can　you　hope　to　reform　her　after　the　life　she　has　led？〃　she
asked。

He　sat　quite　straight　on　a　small　chair；　and　listened　attentively；
trying　to　understand　her　and　to　answer　rightly。　The　state　of　mind
called　forth　in　him　by　his　last　interview　with　Maslova　still
filled　his　soul　with　quiet　joy　and　good　will　to　all　men。

〃It　is　not　her　but　myself　I　wish　to　reform；〃　he　replied。

Nathalie　sighed。

〃There　are　other　means　besides　marriage　to　do　that。〃

〃But　I　think　it　is　the　best。　Besides；　it　leads　me　into　that　world
in　which　I　can　be　of　use。〃

〃I　cannot　believe　you　will　be　happy；〃　said　Nathalie。

〃It's　not　my　happiness　that　is　the　point。〃

〃Of　course；　but　if　she　has　a　heart　she　cannot　be　happycannot
even　wish　it。〃

〃She　does　not　wish　it。〃

〃I　understand；　but　life〃

〃Yeslife？〃

〃Demands　something　different。〃

〃It　demands　nothing　but　that　we　should　do　what　is　right；〃　said
Nekhludoff；　looking　into　her　face；　still　handsome；　though
slightly　wrinkled　round　eyes　and　mouth。

〃I　do　not　understand；〃　she　said；　and　sighed。

〃Poor　darling；　how　could　she　change　so？〃　he　thought；　calling　back
to　his　mind　Nathalie　as　she　had　been　before　her　marriage；　and
feeling　towards　her　a　tenderness　woven　out　of　innumerable
memories　of　childhood。　At　that　moment　Rogozhinsky　entered　the
room；　with　head　thrown　back　and　expanded　chest；　and　stepping
lightly　and　softly　in　his　usual　manner；　his　spectacles；　his　bald
patch；　and　his　black　beard　all　glistening。

〃How　do　you　do？　How　do　you　do？〃　he　said；　laying