MASLOVA IN PRISON.
Though hundreds of thousands had done their very best to disfigure the small piece of land on which they were crowded together, by paying the ground with stones, scraping away every vestige of vegetation, cutting down the trees, turning away birds and beasts, and filling the air with the smoke of naphtha and coal, still spring was spring, even in the town.
The sun shone warm, the air was balmy; everywhere, where it did not get scraped away, the grass revived and sprang up between the paving-stones as well as on the narrow strips of lawn on the boulevards. The birches, the poplars, and the wild cherry unfolded their gummy and fragrant leaves, the limes were expanding their opening buds; crows, sparrows, and pigeons, filled with the joy of spring, were getting their nests ready; the flies were buzzing along the walls, warmed by the sunshine. All were glad, the plants, the birds, the insects, and the children. But men, grown-up men and women, did not leave off cheating and tormenting themselves and each other. It was not this spring morning men thought sacred and worthy of consideration not the beauty of God's world, given for a joy to all creatures, this beauty which inclines the heart to peace, to harmony, and to love, but only their own devices for enslaving one another.
Thus, in the prison office of the Government town, it was not the fact that men and animals had received the grace and gladness of spring that was considered sacred and important, but that a notice, numbered and with a superscription, had come the day before, ordering that on this 28th day of April, at 9 a.m., three prisoners at present detained in the prison, a man and two women (one of these women, as the chief criminal, to be conducted separately), had to appear at Court. So now, on the 28th of April, at 8 o'clock, a jailer and soon after him a woman warder with curly grey hair, dressed in a jacket with sleeves trimmed with gold, with a blue-edged belt round her waist, and having a look of suffering on her face, came into the corridor.
"You want Maslova?" she asked, coming up to the cell with the jailer who was on duty.
The jailer, rattling the iron padlock, opened the door of the cell, from which there came a whiff of air fouler even than that in the corridor, and called out, "Maslova! to the Court," and closed the door again.
Even into the prison yard the breeze had brought the fresh vivifying air from the fields. But in the corridor the air was laden with the germs of typhoid, the smell of sewage, putrefaction, and tar; every newcomer felt sad and dejected in it. The woman warder felt this, though she was used to bad air. She had just come in from outside, and entering the corridor, she at once became sleepy.
From inside the cell came the sound of bustle and women's voices, and the patter of bare feet on the floor.
"Now, then, hurry up, Maslova, I say!" called out the jailer, and in a minute or two a small young woman with a very full bust came briskly out of the door and went up to the jailer. She had on a grey cloak over a white jacket and petticoat. On her feet she wore linen stockings and prison shoes, and round her head was tied a white kerchief, from under which a few locks of black hair were brushed over the forehead with evident intent. The face of the woman was of that whiteness peculiar to people who have lived long in confinement, and which puts one in mind of shoots of potatoes that spring up in a cellar. Her small broad hands and full neck, which showed from under the broad collar of her cloak, were of the same hue. Her black, sparkling eyes, one with a slight squint, appeared in striking contrast to the dull pallor of her face.
She carried herself very straight, expanding her full bosom.
With her head slightly thrown back, she stood in the corridor, looking straight into the eyes of the jailer, ready to comply with any order.
The jailer was about to lock the door when a wrinkled and severe-looking old woman put out her grey head and began speaking to Maslova. But the jailer closed the door, pushing the old woman's head with it. A woman's laughter was heard from the cell, and Maslova smiled, turning to the little grated opening in the cell door. The old woman pressed her face to the grating from the other side, and said, in a hoarse voice:
"Now mind, and when they begin questioning you, just repeat over the same thing, and stick to it; tell nothing that is not wanted."
"Well, it could not be worse than it is now, anyhow; I only wish it was settled one way or another."
"Of course, it will be settled one way or another," said the jailer, with a superior's self-assured witticism. "Now, then, get along! Take your places!"
The old woman's eyes vanished from the grating, and Maslova stepped out into the middle of the corridor. The warder in front, they descended the stone stairs, past the still fouler, noisy cells of the men's ward, where they were followed by eyes looking out of every one of the gratings in the doors, and entered the office, where two soldiers were waiting to escort her. A clerk who was sitting there gave one of the soldiers a paper reeking of tobacco, and pointing to the prisoner, remarked, "Take her."
The soldier, a peasant from Nijni Novgorod, with a red, pock-marked face, put the paper into the sleeve of his coat, winked to his companion, a broad-shouldered Tchouvash, and then the prisoner and the soldiers went to the front entrance, out of the prison yard, and through the town up the middle of the roughly-paved street.
Isvostchiks [cabmen], tradespeople, cooks, workmen, and government clerks, stopped and looked curiously at the prisoner; some shook their heads and thought, "This is what evil conduct, conduct unlike ours, leads to." The children stopped and gazed at the robber with frightened looks; but the thought that the soldiers were preventing her from doing more harm quieted their fears. A peasant, who had sold his charcoal, and had had some tea in the town, came up, and, after crossing himself, gave her a copeck. The prisoner blushed and muttered something; she noticed that she was attracting everybody's attention, and that pleased her. The comparatively fresh air also gladdened her, but it was painful to step on the rough stones with the ill-made prison shoes on her feet, which had become unused to walking. Passing by a corn-dealer's shop, in front of which a few pigeons were strutting about, unmolested by any one, the prisoner almost touched a grey-blue bird with her foot; it fluttered up and flew close to her car, fanning her with its wings. She smiled, then sighed deeply as she remembered her present position.
尽管好几十万人聚居在一小块地方,竭力把土地糟蹋得面目全非,尽管他们肆意把石头砸进地里,不让花草树木生长,尽管他们除尽刚出土的小草,把煤炭和石油烧得烟雾腾腾,尽管他们滥伐树木,驱逐鸟兽,在城市里,春天毕竟还是春天.一�一光和煦,青草又到处生长,不仅在林荫道上,而且在石板缝里.凡是青草没有锄尽的地方,都一片翠绿,生意盎然.桦树,杨树和稠李纷纷一抽一出芬芳的粘一稠嫩叶,菩提树上鼓起一个个胀裂的新芽.寒鸦,麻雀和鸽子感到春天已经来临,都在欢乐地筑巢.就连苍蝇都被一�一光照暖,夜墙脚下嘤嘤嗡嗡地一�}一动.花草树木也好,鸟雀昆虫也好,儿童也好,全都欢欢喜喜,生气蓬勃.唯独人,唯独成年人,却一直在自欺欺人,折磨自己,也折磨别人.他们认为神圣而重要的,不是这春一色迷人的早晨,不是上帝为造福众生所创造的人间的美,那种使万物趋向和平,协调,互一爱一的美;他们认为神圣而重要的,是他们自己发明的统治别人的种种手段.
就因为这个缘故,省监狱办公室官员认为神圣而重要的,不是飞禽走兽和男一女老幼都在享受的春一色和欢乐,他们认为神圣而重要的,是昨天接到的那份编号盖印,写明案由的公文.公文指定今天,四月二十八日,上午九时以前把三名受过侦讯的在押犯,一男两女,解送法院受审.其中一名女的是主犯,须单独押解送审.由于接到这张传票,今晨八时监狱看守长走进又暗又臭的女监走廊.他后面跟着一个面容憔悴,鬈发花白的女人,身穿袖口镶金绦的制一服,腰束一根蓝边带子.这是女看守.
"您是要玛丝洛娃吧?"她同值班的看守来到一间直通走廊的牢房门口,问看守长说.
值班的看守哐啷一声开了铁锁,打开牢门,一股比走廊里更难闻的恶臭立即从里面冲了出来.看守吆喝道:
"玛丝洛娃,过堂去!"随即又带上牢门,等待着.
监狱院子里,空气就比较新鲜爽一快些,那是从田野上吹来的.但监狱走廊里却弥漫着令人作呕的污浊空气,里面充满伤寒菌以及粪便,煤焦油和霉烂物品的臭味,不论谁一进来都会感到郁闷和沮丧.女看守虽已闻惯这种污浊空气,但从院子里一进来,也免不了有这样的感觉.她一进走廊,就觉得浑身无力,昏昏欲睡.
牢房里传出女人的说话声和光脚板的走路声.
"喂,玛丝洛娃,快点儿,别磨磨蹭蹭的,听见没有!"看守长对着牢门喝道.
过了两分钟光景,一个个儿不高,胸部丰满的年轻女人,身穿白衣白裙,外面套着一件灰色囚袍,大踏步走出牢房,敏捷地转过身一子,在看守长旁边站住.这个女人脚穿麻布袜,外套囚犯穿的棉鞋,头上扎着一块白头巾,显然有意让几绺乌黑的鬈发从头巾里露出来.她的脸色异常苍白,仿佛储存在地窖里的土豆的新芽.那是长期坐牢的人的通病.她那双短而阔的手和从囚袍宽大领口里露出来的丰满脖子,也是那样苍白.她那双眼睛,在苍白无光的脸庞衬托下,显得格外乌黑发亮,虽然有点浮肿,但十分灵活.其中一只眼睛稍微有点斜视.她挺一直身一子站着,丰满的胸部高高地隆一起.她来到走廊里,微微仰起头,盯住看守长的眼睛,现出一副唯命是从的样子.看守长刚要关门,一个没戴头巾的白发老太婆,从牢房里探出她那张严厉,苍白而满是皱纹的脸来.老太婆对玛丝洛娃说了几句话.看守长就对着老太婆的脑袋推上牢门,把她们隔开了.牢房里响起了女人的哄笑声.玛丝洛娃也微微一笑,向牢门上装有铁栅的小窗洞转过脸去.老太婆在里面凑近窗洞,哑着嗓子说:
"千万别跟他们多罗唆,咬定了别改日,就行了."
"只要有个结局就行,不会比现在更糟的,"玛丝洛娃晃了晃脑袋,说.
"结局当然只有一个,不会有两个,"看守长煞有介事地摆出长官的架势说,显然自以为说得很俏皮."跟我来,走!"
老太婆的眼睛从窗洞里消失了.玛丝洛娃来到走廊中间,跟在看守长后面,急步走着.他们走下石楼梯,经过比女监更臭更闹,每个窗洞里都有眼睛盯着他们的男监,走进办公室.办公室里已有两个持��的押送兵等着.坐在那里的文书把一份烟味很重的公文一交一给一个押送兵,说:
"把她带去!"
那押送兵是下城的一个农民,红脸,有麻子,他把公文掖在军大衣翻袖里,目光对着那女犯,笑嘻嘻地向颧骨很高的楚瓦什同伴挤挤眼.这两个士兵押着女犯走下台阶,向大门口走去.
大门上的一扇便门开了,两个士兵押着女犯穿过这道门走到院子里,再走出围墙,来到石子铺成的大街上.
马车夫,小店老板,厨一娘一,工人,官吏纷纷站住,好奇地打量着女犯.有人摇摇头,心里想:"瞧,不象我们那样规规矩矩做人,就会弄到这个下场!"孩子们恐惧地望着这个女强盗,唯一可以放心的是她被士兵押着,不然再干坏事了.一个乡下人卖掉了煤炭,在茶馆里喝够了茶,走到她身边,画了个十字,送给她一个戈比.女犯脸红了,低下头,嘴里喃喃地说了句什么.
女犯察觉向她射来的一道道目光,并不转过头,却悄悄地斜睨着那些向她注视的人.大家在注意她,她觉得高兴.这里的空气比牢房里清爽些,带有春天的气息,这也使她高兴.不过,她好久没有在石子路上行走,这会儿又穿着笨重的囚鞋,她的脚感到疼痛.她瞧瞧自己的双脚,竭力走得轻一点.他们经过一家面粉店,店门前有许多鸽子,摇摇摆摆地走来走去,没有人来打扰它们.女犯的脚差点儿碰到一只瓦灰鸽.那只鸽子拍拍翅膀飞起来,从女犯耳边飞过,给她送来一阵清风.女犯微微一笑,接着想到自己的处境,不禁长叹了一声.
