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.He was seized with a curious moralsensation like seasickness.CHAPTER XLII.VISITING DAY--THE WOMEN'S WARD."Well, but I must do what I came here for," he said, trying topick up courage."What is to be done now?" He looked round for anofficial, and seeing a thin little man in the uniform of anofficer going up and down behind the people, he approached him."Can you tell me, sir," he said, with exceedingly strainedpoliteness of manner, "where the women are kept, and where one isallowed to interview them?""Is it the women's ward you want to go to?""Yes, I should like to see one of the women prisoners,"Nekhludoff said, with the same strained politeness."You should have said so when you were in the hall.Who is it,then, that you want to see?""I want to see a prisoner called Katerina Maslova.""Is she a political one?""No, she is simply.""What! Is she sentenced?""Yes; the day before yesterday she was sentenced," meeklyanswered Nekhludoff, fearing to spoil the inspector's goodhumour, which seemed to incline in his favour."If you want to go to the women's ward please to step this way,"said the officer, having decided from Nekhludoff's appearancethat he was worthy of attention."Sideroff, conduct the gentlemanto the women's ward," he said, turning to a moustached corporalwith medals on his breast."Yes, sir."Get any book for free on: www.Abika.com The Resurrection 117At this moment heart-rending sobs were heard coming from some onenear the net.Everything here seemed strange to Nekhludoff; but strangest ofall was that he should have to thank and feel obligation towardsthe inspector and the chief warders, the very men who wereperforming the cruel deeds that were done in this house.The corporal showed Nekhludoff through the corridor, out of themen's into the women's interviewing-room.This room, like that of the men, was divided by two wire nets;but it was much smaller, and there were fewer visitors and fewerprisoners, so that there was less shouting than in the men'sroom.Yet the same thing was going on here, only, between thenets instead of soldiers there was a woman warder, dressed in ablue-edged uniform jacket, with gold cords on the sleeves, and ablue belt.Here also, as in the men's room, the people werepressing close to the wire netting on both sides; on the nearerside, the townspeople in varied attire; on the further side, theprisoners, some in white prison clothes, others in their owncoloured dresses.The whole length of the net was taken up by thepeople standing close to it.Some rose on tiptoe to be heardacross the heads of others; some sat talking on the floor.The most remarkable of the prisoners, both by her piercingscreams and her appearance, was a thin, dishevelled gipsy.Herkerchief had slipped off her curly hair, and she stood near apost in the middle of the prisoner's division, shoutingsomething, accompanied by quick gestures, to a gipsy man in ablue coat, girdled tightly below the waist.Next the gipsy man, asoldier sat on the ground talking to prisoner; next the soldier,leaning close to the net, stood a young peasant, with a fairbeard and a flushed face, keeping back his tears with difficulty.A pretty, fair-haired prisoner, with bright blue eyes, wasspeaking to him.These two were Theodosia and her husband.Nextto them was a tramp, talking to a broad-faced woman; then twowomen, then a man, then again a woman, and in front of each aprisoner.Maslova was not among them.But some one stood by thewindow behind the prisoners, and Nekhludoff knew it was she.Hisheart began to beat faster, and his breath stopped.The decisivemoment was approaching.He went up to the part of the net wherehe could see the prisoner, and recognised her at once.She stoodbehind the blue-eyed Theodosia, and smiled, listening to whatTheodosia was saying.She did not wear the prison cloak now, buta white dress, tightly drawn in at the waist by a belt, and veryfull in the bosom.From under her kerchief appeared the blackringlets of her fringe, just the same as in the court."Now, in a moment it will be decided," he thought."How shall I call her? Or will she come herself?""She was expecting Bertha; that this man had come to see hernever entered her head.Get any book for free on: www.Abika.com The Resurrection 118"Whom do you want?" said the warder who was walking between thenets, coming up to Nekhludoff."Katerina Maslova," Nekhludoff uttered, with difficulty."Katerina Maslova, some one to see you," cried the warder.CHAPTER XLIII.NEKHLUDOFF VISITS MASLOVA.Maslova looked round, and with head thrown back and expandedchest, came up to the net with that expression of readiness whichhe well knew, pushed in between two prisoners, and gazed atNekhludoff with a surprised and questioning look.But, concludingfrom his clothing he was a rich man, she smiled."Is it me you want?" she asked, bringing her smiling face, withthe slightly squinting eyes, nearer the net."I, I--I wished to see "Nekhludoff did not know how to addressher."I wished to see you--I--" He was not speaking louder thanusual."No; nonsense, I tell you!" shouted the tramp who stood next tohim."Have you taken it or not?""Dying, I tell you; what more do you want?" some one else wasscreaming at his other side.Maslova could not hear whatNekhludoff was saying, but the expression of his face as he wasspeaking reminded her of him.She did not believe her own eyes;still the smile vanished from her face and a deep line ofsuffering appeared on her brow."I cannot hear what you are saying," she called out, wrinklingher brow and frowning more and more."I have come," said Nekhludoff."Yes, I am doing my duty--I amconfessing," thought Nekhludoff; and at this thought the tearscame in his eyes, and he felt a choking sensation in his throat,and holding on with both hands to the net, he made efforts tokeep from bursting into tears."I say, why do you shove yourself in where you're not wanted?"some one shouted at one side of him."God is my witness; I know nothing," screamed a prisoner from theother side.Noticing his excitement, Maslova recognised him."You're like.but no; I don't know you," she shouted,without looking at him, and blushing, while her face grew stillmore stern."I have come to ask you to forgive me," he said, in a loud butGet any book for free on: www.Abika.com The Resurrection 119monotonous voice, like a lesson learnt by heart.Having saidthese words he became confused; but immediately came the thoughtthat, if he felt ashamed, it was all the better; he had to bearthis shame, and he continued in a loud voice:"Forgive me; I have wronged you terribly."She stood motionless and without taking her squinting eyes offhim.He could not continue to speak, and stepping away from the net hetried to suppress the sobs that were choking him.The inspector, the same officer who had directed Nekhludoff tothe women's ward, and whose interest he seemed to have aroused,came into the room, and, seeing Nekhludoff not at the net, askedhim why he was not talking to her whom he wanted to see.Nekhludoff blew his nose, gave himself a shake, and, trying toappear calm, said:"It's so inconvenient through these nets; nothing can be heard."Again the inspector considered for a moment."Ah, well, she can be brought out here for awhile.MaryKarlovna," turning to the warder, "lead Maslova out."A minute later Maslova came out of the side door.Steppingsoftly, she came up close to Nekhludoff, stopped, and looked upat him from under her brows
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