support the establishments where they are formed. These establishments are well known: factories, mills, workshops, public-houses, gin-shops, brothels. And we do not destroy these places, but, looking at them as necessary, we support and regulate them. We educate in this way not one, but millions of people, and then catch one of them and imagine that we have done something, that we have guarded ourselves, and nothing more can be expected of us. Have we not sent him from the Moscow to the Irkoutsk Government?' Thus thought Nekhludoff with unusual clearness and vividness, sitting in his high-backed chair next to the colonel, and listening to the different intonations of the advocates', prosecutor's, and president's voices, and looking at their self-confident gestures. 'And how much and what hard effort this pretence requires,' continued Nekhludoff in his mind, glancing round the enormous room, the portraits, lamps, armchairs, uniforms, the thick walls and large windows; and picturing to himself the tremendous size of the building, and the still more ponderous dimensions of the whole of this organisation, with its army of officials, scribes, watchmen, messengers, not only in this place, but all over Russia, who receive wages for carrying on this comedy which no one needs. 'Supposing we spent one-hundredth of these efforts helping these castaways, whom we now only regard as hands and bodies, required by us for our own peace and comfort. Had some one chanced to take pity on him and given some help at the time when poverty made them send him to town, it might have been sufficient,' Nekhludoff thought, looking at the boy's piteous face. 'Or even later, when, after 12 hours' work at the factory, he was going to the public-house, led away by his companions, had some one then come and said, 'Don't go, Vania; it is not right,' he would not have gone, nor got into bad ways, and would not have done any wrong.
'But no; no one who would have taken pity on him came across this apprentice in the years he lived like a poor little animal in the town, and with his hair cut close so as not to breed vermin, and ran errands for the workmen. No, all he heard and saw, from the older workmen and his companions, since he came to live in town, was that he who cheats, drinks, swears, who gives another a thrashing, who goes on the loose, is a fine fellow. Ill, his constitution undermined by unhealthy labour, drink, and debauchery—bewildered as in a dream, knocking aimlessly about town, he gets into some sort of a shed, and takes from there some old mats, which nobody needs —and here we, all of us educated people, rich or comfortably off, meet together, dressed in good clothes and fine uniforms, in a splendid apartment, to mock this unfortunate brother of ours whom we ourselves have ruined.
'Terrible! It is difficult to say whether the cruelty or the absurdity is greater, but the one and the other seem to reach their climax.'
Nekhludoff thought all this, no longer listening to what was going on, and he was horror-struck by that which was being revealed to him. He could not understand why he had not been able to see all this before, and why others were unable to see it.
CHAPTER XXXV.
THE PROCUREUR—NEKHLUDOFF REFUSES TO SERVE.
During an interval Nekhludoff got up and went out into the corridor, with the intention of not returning to the court. Let them do what they liked with him, he could take no more part in this awful and horrid tomfoolery.
Having inquired where the Procureur's cabinet was he went straight to him. The attendant did not wish to let him in, saying that the Procureur was busy, but Nekhludoff paid no heed and went to the door, where he was met by an official. He asked to be announced to the Procureur, saying he was on the jury and had a very important communication to make.
His title and good clothes were of assistance to him. The official announced him to the Procureur, and Nekhludoff was let in. The Procureur met him standing, evidently annoyed at the persistence with which Nekhludoff demanded admittance.
'What is it you want?' the Procureur asked, severely.
'I am on the jury; my name is Nekhludoff, and it is absolutely necessary for me to see the prisoner Maslova,' Nekhludoff said, quickly and resolutely, blushing, and feeling that he was taking a step which would have a decisive influence on his life.
The Procureur was a short, dark man, with short, grizzly hair, quick, sparkling eyes, and a thick beard cut close on his projecting lower jaw.
'Maslova? Yes, of course, I know. She was accused of poisoning,' the Procureur said, quietly. 'But why do you want to see her?' And then, as if wishing to tone down his question, he added, 'I cannot give you the permission without knowing why you require it.'
'I require it for a particularly important reason.'
'Yes?' said the Procureur, and, lifting his eyes, looked attentively at Nekhludoff. 'Has her case been heard or not?'
'She was tried yesterday, and unjustly sentenced; she is innocent.'
'Yes? If she was sentenced only yesterday,' went on the Procureur, paying no attention to Nekhludoff's statement concerning Maslova's innocence, 'she must still be in the preliminary detention prison until the sentence is delivered in its final form. Visiting is allowed there only on certain days; I should advise you to inquire there.'
'But I must see her as soon as possible,' Nekhludoff said, his jaw trembling as he felt the decisive moment approaching.
'Why must you?' said the Procureur, lifting his brows with some agitation.
'Because I betrayed her and brought her to the condition which exposed her to this accusation.'
'All the same, I cannot see what it has to do with visiting her.'
'This: that whether I succeed or not in getting the sentence changed I want to follow her, and—marry her,' said Nekhludoff, touched to tears by his own conduct, and at the same time pleased to see the effect he produced on the Procureur.
'Really! Dear me!' said the Procureur. 'This is certainly a very exceptional case. I believe you are a member of the Krasnoporsk rural administration?' he asked, as if he remembered having heard before of this Nekhludoff, who was now making so strange a declaration.
'I beg your pardon, but I do not think that has anything to do with my request,' answered Nekhludoff, flushing angrily.
'Certainly not,' said the Procureur, with a scarcely perceptible smile and not in the least abashed; 'only your wish is so extraordinary and so out of the common.'
'Well; but can I get the permission?'
'The permission? Yes, I will give you an order of admittance directly. Take a seat.'
He went up to the table, sat down, and began to write. 'Please sit down.'
Nekhludoff continued to stand.
Having written an order of admittance, and handed it to
Nekhludoff, the Procureur looked curiously at him.
'I must also state that I can no longer take part in the sessions.'
'Then you will have to lay valid reasons before the Court, as you, of course, know.'
'My reasons are that I consider all judging not only useless, but immoral.'
'Yes,' said the Procureur, with the same scarcely perceptible smile, as if to show that this kind of declaration was well known to him and belonged to the amusing sort. 'Yes, but you will certainly understand that I as Procureur, can not agree with you on this point. Therefore, I should advise you to apply to the Court, which will consider your declaration, and find it valid or not valid, and in the latter case will impose a fine. Apply, then, to the Court.'
'I have made my declaration, and shall apply nowhere else,'
Nekhludoff said, angrily.
'Well, then, good-afternoon,' said the Procureur, bowing his head, evidently anxious to be rid of this strange visitor.
'Who was that you had here?' asked one of the members of the
