resurrection(复活)-第79节

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sunny　road　with　ringing　bells。

When　Nekhludoff　drove　up　to　the　prison　the　gang　had　not　left　the
yard。　The　work　of　delivering　and　receiving　the　prisoners　that　had
commenced　at　4　A。M。　was　still　going　on。　The　gang　was　to　consist
of　623　men　and　64　women；　they　had　all　to　be　received　according　to
the　registry　lists。　The　sick　and　the　weak　to　be　sorted　out；　and
all　to　be　delivered　to　the　convoy。　The　new　inspector；　with　two
assistants；　the　doctor　and　medical　assistant；　the　officer　of　the
convoy；　and　the　clerk；　were　sitting　in　the　prison　yard　at　a　table
covered　with　writing　materials　and　papers；　which　was　placed　in
the　shade　of　a　wall。　They　called　the　prisoners　one　by　one；
examined　and　questioned　them；　and　took　notes。　The　rays　of　the　sun
had　gradually　reached　the　table；　and　it　was　growing　very　hot　and
oppressive　for　want　of　air　and　because　of　the　breathing　crowd　of
prisoners　that　stood　close　by。

〃Good　gracious；　will　this　never　come　to　an　end！〃　the　convoy
officer；　a　tall；　fat；　red…faced　man　with　high　shoulders；　who　kept
puffing　the　smoke；　of　his　cigarette　into　his　thick　moustache；
asked；　as　he　drew　in　a　long　puff。　〃You　are　killing　me。　From　where
have　you　got　them　all？　Are　there　many　more？〃　the　clerk　inquired。

〃Twenty…four　men　and　the　women。〃

〃What　are　you　standing　there　for？　Come　on；〃　shouted　the　convoy
officer　to　the　prisoners　who　had　not　yet　passed　the　revision；　and
who　stood　crowded　one　behind　the　other。　The　prisoners　had　been
standing　there　more　than　three　hours；　packed　in　rows　in　the　full
sunlight；　waiting　their　turns。

While　this　was　going　on　in　the　prison　yard；　outside　the　gate；
besides　the　sentinel　who　stood　there　as　usual　with　a　gun；　were
drawn　up　about　20　carts；　to　carry　the　luggage　of　the　prisoners
and　such　prisoners　as　were　too　weak　to　walk；　and　a　group　of
relatives　and　friends　waiting　to　see　the　prisoners　as　they　came
out　and　to　exchange　a　few　words　if　a　chance　presented　itself　and
to　give　them　a　few　things。　Nekhludoff　took　his　place　among　the
group。　He　had　stood　there　about　an　hour　when　the　clanking　of
chains；　the　noise　of　footsteps；　authoritative　voices；　the　sound
of　coughing；　and　the　low　murmur　of　a　large　crowd　became　audible。

This　continued　for　about　five　minutes；　during　which　several
jailers　went　in　and　out　of　the　gateway。　At　last　the　word　of
command　was　given。　The　gate　opened　with　a　thundering　noise；　the
clattering　of　the　chains　became　louder；　and　the　convoy　soldiers；
dressed　in　white　blouses　and　carrying　guns；　came　out　into　the
street　and　took　their　places　in　a　large；　exact　circle　in　front　of
the　gate；　this　was　evidently　a　usual；　often…practised　manoeuvre。
Then　another　command　was　given；　and　the　prisoners　began　coming
out　in　couples；　with　flat；　pancake…shaped　caps　on　their　shaved
heads　and　sacks　over　their　shoulders；　dragging　their　chained　legs
and　swinging　one　arm；　while　the　other　held　up　a　sack。

First　came　the　men　condemned　to　hard　labour；　all　dressed　alike　in
grey　trousers　and　cloaks　with　marks　on　the　back。　All　of
themyoung　and　old；　thin　and　fat；　pale　and　red；　dark　and　bearded
and　beardless；　Russians；　Tartars；　and　Jewscame　out；　clattering
with　their　chains　and　briskly　swinging　their　arms　as　if　prepared
to　go　a　long　distance；　but　stopped　after　having　taken　ten　steps；
and　obediently　took　their　places　behind　each　other；　four　abreast。
Then　without　interval　streamed　out　more　shaved　men；　dressed　in
the　same　manner　but　with　chains　only　on　their　legs。　These　were
condemned　to　exile。　They　came　out　as　briskly　and　stopped　as
suddenly；　taking　their　places　four　in　a　row。　Then　came　those
exiled　by　their　Communes。　Then　the　women　in　the　same　order；　first
those　condemned　to　hard　labour；　with　grey　cloaks　and　kerchiefs；
then　the　exiled　women；　and　those　following　their　husbands　of
their　own　free　will；　dressed　in　their　own　town　or　village
clothing。　Some　of　the　women　were　carrying　babies　wrapped　in　the
fronts　of　their　grey　cloaks。

With　the　women　came　the　children；　boys　and　girls；　who；　like　colts
in　a　herd　of　horses；　pressed　in　among　the　prisoners。

The　men　took　their　places　silently；　only　coughing　now　and　then；
or　making　short　remarks。

The　women　talked　without　intermission。　Nekhludoff　thought　he　saw
Maslova　as　they　were　coming　out；　but　she　was　at　once　lost　in　the
large　crowd；　and　he　could　only　see　grey　creatures；　seemingly
devoid　of　all　that　was　human；　or　at　any　rate　of　all　that　was
womanly；　with　sacks　on　their　backs　and　children　round　them；
taking　their　places　behind　the　men。

Though　all　the　prisoners　had　been　counted　inside　the　prison
walls；　the　convoy　counted　them　again；　comparing　the　numbers　with
the　list。　This　took　very　long；　especially　as　some　of　the
prisoners　moved　and　changed　places；　which　confused　the　convoy。

The　convoy　soldiers　shouted　and　pushed　the　prisoners　（who
complied　obediently；　but　angrily）　and　counted　them　over　again。
When　all　had　been　counted；　the　convoy　officer　gave　a　command；　and
the　crowd　became　agitated。　The　weak　men　and　women　and　children
rushed；　racing　each　other；　towards　the　carts；　and　began　placing
their　bags　on　the　carts　and　climbing　up　themselves。　Women　with
crying　babies；　merry　children　quarrelling　for　places；　and　dull；
careworn　prisoners　got　into　the　carts。

Several　of　the　prisoners　took　off　their　caps　and　came　up　to　the
convoy　officer　with　some　request。　Nekhludoff　found　out　later　that
they　were　asking　for　places　on　the　carts。　Nekhludoff　saw　how　the
officer；　without　looking　at　the　prisoners；　drew　in　a　whiff　from
his　cigarette；　and　then　suddenly　waved　his　short　arm　in　front　of
one　of　the　prisoners；　who　quickly　drew　his　shaved　head　back
between　his　shoulders　as　if　afraid　of　a　blow；　and　sprang　back。

〃I　will　give　you　a　lift　such　that　you'll　remember。　You'll　get
there　on　foot　right　enough；〃　shouted　the　officer。　Only　one　of　the
men　was　granted　his　requestan　old　man　with　chains　on　his　legs；
and　Nekhludoff　saw　the　old　man　take　off　his　pancake…shaped　cap；
and　go　up　to　the　cart　crossing　himself。　He　could　not　manage　to
get　up　on　the　cart　because　of　the　chains　that　prevented　his
lifting　his　old　legs；　and　a　woman　who　was　sitting　in　the　cart　at
last　pulled　him　in　by　the　arm。

When　all　the　sacks　were　in　the　carts；　and　those　who　were　allowed
to　get　in　were　seated；　the　officer　took　off　his　cap；　wiped　his
forehead；　his　bald　head　and　fat；　red　neck；　and　crossed　himself。

〃March；〃　commanded　the　officer。　The　soldiers'　guns　gave　a　click；
the　prisoners　took　off　their　caps　and　crossed　themselves；　those
who　were　seeing　them　off　shouted　something；　the　prisoners　shouted
in　answer；　a　row　arose　among　the　women；　and　the　gang；　surrounded
by　the　soldiers　in　their　white　blouses；　moved　forward；　raising
the　dust　with　their　chained　feet。　The　soldiers　went　in　front；
then　came　the　convicts　condemned　to　hard　labour；　clattering　with
their　chains；　then　the　exiled　and　those　exiled　by　the　Communes；
chained　in　couples　by　their　wrists；　then　the　women。　After　them；
on　the　carts　loaded　with　sacks；　came　the　weak。　High　up　on　one　of
the　carts　sat　a　woman　closely　wrapped　up；　and　she　kept　shrieking
and　sobbing。


CHAPTER　XXXV。　

NOT　MEN　BUT　STRANGE　AND　TERRIBLE　CREATURES？

The　procession　was　such　a　long　one　that　the　carts　with　the
luggage　and　the　weak　started　only　when　those　in　front　were
already　out　of　sight。　When　the　last　of　the　carts　moved；
Nekhludoff　got　into　the　trap　that　stood　waiting　for　him　and　told
the　isvostchik　to　catch　up　the　prisoners　in　front；　so　that　he
could　see　if　he　knew　any　of　the　men　in　the　gang；　and　then　try　and
find　out　Maslova　among　the　women　and　ask　her　if　she　had　received
the　things　he　sent。

It　was　very　hot；　and　a　cloud　of　dust　that　was　raised　by　a
thousand　tramping　feet　stood　all　the　time　over　the　gang　that　was
moving　down。　the　middle　of　the　street。　The　prisoners　were　walking
quickly；　and　the　slow…going　isvostchik's　horse　was　some　time　in
catching　them　up。　Row　upon　row　they　passed；　those　strange　and
terrible…looking　creatures；　none　of　whom　Nekhludoff　knew。

On　they　went；　all　dressed　alike；　moving　a　thousand　feet　all　shod
alike；　swinging　their　free　arms　as　if　to　keep　up　their　spirits。
There　were　so　many　of　them；　they　all　looked　so　much　alike；　and
they　were　all　placed　in　such　unusual；　peculiar　circumstances；
that　they　seemed　to　Nekhludoff　to　be　not　men　but　some　sort　of
strange　and　terrible　creatures。　This　impression　passed　when　he
recognised　in　the　crowd　of　convicts　the　murderer　Federoff；　and
among　the　exiles　Okhotin　the　wit；　and　another　tramp　who　had
appealed　to　him　for　assistance。　Almost　all　the　prisoners　turned
and　looked　at　the　trap　that　was　passing　them　and　at　the　gentleman
inside。　Federoff　tossed　his　head　backwards　as　a　sign　that　he　had
recognised　Nekhludoff；　Okhotin　winked；　but　neither　of　them　bowed；
considering　it　not　the　thing。

As　soon　as　Nekhludoff　came　up　to　the　women　he　saw　Maslova；　she
was　in　the　second　row。　The　first　in　the　row　was　a　short…legged；
black…eyed；　hideous　woman；　who　had　her　cloak　tucked　up　in　her
girdle。　This　was　Koroshavka。　The　next　was　a　pregnant　woman；　who
dragged　herself　along　with　difficulty。　The　third　was　Maslova；　she
was　carrying　her　sack　on　her　shoulder；　and　looking　straight
before　her。　Her　face　looked　calm　and　determined。　The　four