Part 3 Chapter 1

MASLOVA MAKES NEW FRIENDS.

The gang of prisoners to which Maslova belonged had walked about three thousand three hundred miles. She and the other prisoners condemned¹ for criminal offences had travelled by rail and by steamboats as far as the town of Perm. It was only here that Nekhludoff succeeded in obtaining a permission for her to continue the journey with the political prisoners, as Vera Doukhova, who was among the latter, advised him to do. The journey up to Perm had been very trying to Maslova both morally and physically². Physically, because of the overcrowding, the dirt, and the disgusting vermin, which gave her no peace; morally, because of the equally disgusting men. The men, like the vermin, though they changed at each halting-place, were everywhere alike importunate³; they swarmed⁴ round her, giving her no rest. Among the women prisoners and the men prisoners, the jailers and the convoy⁵ soldiers, the habit of a kind of cynical⁶ debauch⁷ was so firmly established that unless a female prisoner was willing to utilise her position as a woman she had to be constantly on the watch. To be continually in a state of fear and strife⁸ was very trying. And Maslova was specially⁹ exposed to attacks, her appearance being attractive and her past known to every one. The decided¹⁰ resistance with which she now met the importunity¹¹ of all the men seemed offensive to them, and awakened¹² another feeling, that of ill-will towards her. But her position was made a little easier by her intimacy¹³ with Theodosia, and Theodosia's husband, who, having heard of the molestations his wife was subject to, had in Nijni been arrested at his own desire in order to be able to protect her, and was now travelling with the gang as a prisoner. Maslova's position became much more bearable when she was allowed to join the political prisoners, who were provided with better accomodations, better food, and were treated less rudely, but besides all this Maslova's condition was much improved because among the political prisoners she was no longer molested¹⁴ by the men, and could live without being reminded of that past which she was so anxious to forget. But the chief advantage of the change lay in the fact that she made the acquaintance of several persons who exercised a decided and most beneficial influence on her character. Maslova was allowed to stop with the political prisoners at all the halting-places, but being a strong and healthy woman she was obliged to march with the criminal convicts. In this way she walked all the way from Tomsk. Two political prisoners also marched with the gang, Mary Pavlovna Schetinina, the girl with the hazel eyes who had attracted Nekhludoff's attention when he had been to visit Doukhova in prison, and one Simonson, who was on his way to the Takoutsk district, the dishevelled dark young fellow with deep-lying eyes, whom Nekhludoff had also noticed during that visit. Mary Pavlovna was walking because she had given her place on the cart to one of the criminals, a woman expecting to be confined, and Simonson because he did not dare to avail himself of a class privilege.

These three always started early in the morning before the rest of the political prisoners, who followed later on in the carts.

They were ready to start in this way just outside a large town, where a new convoy officer had taken charge of the gang.

It was early on a dull September morning. It kept raining and snowing alternately, and the cold wind blew in sudden gusts¹⁵. The whole gang of prisoners, consisting of four hundred men and fifty women, was already assembled in the court of the halting station. Some of them were crowding round the chief of the convoy, who was giving to specially appointed prisoners money for two days' keep to distribute among the rest, while others were purchasing food from women who had been let into the courtyard. One could hear the voices of the prisoners counting their money and making their purchases, and the shrill¹⁶ voices of the women with the food.

Simonson, in his rubber jacket and rubber overshoes fastened with a string over his worsted stockings (he was a vegetarian¹⁷ and would not wear the skin of slaughtered¹⁸ animals), was also in the courtyard waiting for the gang to start. He stood by the porch and jotted¹⁹ down in his notebook a thought that had occurred to him. This was what he wrote: "If a bacteria watched and examined a human nail it would pronounce it inorganic²⁰ matter, and thus we, examining our globe and watching its crust, pronounce it to be inorganic. This is incorrect."

Katusha and Mary Pavlovna, both wearing top-boots and with shawls tied round their heads, came out of the building into the courtyard where the women sat sheltered from the wind by the northern wall of the court, and vied with one another, offering their goods, hot meat pie, fish, vermicelli, buckwheat porridge, liver, beef, eggs, milk. One had even a roast pig to offer.

Having bought some eggs, bread, fish, and some rusks, Maslova was putting them into her bag, while Mary Pavlovna was paying the women, when a movement arose among the convicts. All were silent and took their places. The officer came out and began giving the last orders before starting. Everything was done in the usual manner. The prisoners were counted, the chains on their legs examined, and those who were to march in couples linked together with manacles. But suddenly the angry, authoritative²¹ voice of the officer shouting something was heard, also the sound of a blow and the crying of a child. All was silent for a moment and then came a hollow murmur²² from the crowd. Maslova and Mary Pavlovna advanced towards the spot whence the noise proceeded.

包括玛丝洛娃在内的那批犯人，走了将近五千俄里路。在到彼尔姆①以前，玛丝洛娃一直同刑事犯一起坐火车，乘轮船。到了彼尔姆，聂赫留朵夫才算向有关方面疏通好，把玛丝洛娃调到政治犯队伍中。这个主意是同行的薇拉给他出的。

--------

①西伯利亚西部城市。

在到达彼尔姆以前，玛丝洛娃在肉体上和精神上都感到十分痛苦。肉体上痛苦，是由于拥挤、肮脏以及虱子等小虫的骚扰。精神上痛苦，是由于跟虫子一样讨厌的男人——虽然每到一站都换一批，但都同样死乞白赖，纠缠不清，使人不得安宁。在女犯人同男犯人、男看守、男押解人员之间淫乱成风，因此一个女犯人，尤其是年轻的，要是不愿牺牲自己做女人的贞洁，就得时刻小心戒备。经常处于这种恐惧和挣扎中，那是很痛苦的。玛丝洛娃由于相貌迷人和尽人皆知的身世，特别容易受到这一类袭击。现在她对纠缠她的男人一律严加抗拒，这样使他们觉得受了侮辱，他们就会恼羞成怒。这种状况在她同费多霞和塔拉斯接近后有所改善。塔拉斯知道妻子受到男人的进攻后，就自愿加入犯人队伍来保护她，因此从下城起他就以犯人身分同他们一起赶路。

玛丝洛娃调到政治犯队伍后，她的处境各方面都有所改善。且不说政治犯的膳宿比较好，受到的待遇不那么粗暴，玛丝洛娃自从加入政治犯队伍后，不再受男人迫害，日子过得比较太平，没有人再提起她现在极想忘却的往事。不过，这次调动的最大好处是她认识了几个人，这几个人对她起了极好的影响，决定了她的前途。

玛丝洛娃获准在旅途中跟政治犯同住，但她身体健康，赶路还得跟刑事犯一起。她从托木斯克①起就一直这样步行。跟她一起步行的还有两名政治犯：一名是谢基尼娜，也就是聂赫留朵夫到狱里探望薇拉时，惊奇地看到的那个生有羔羊般眼睛的美丽姑娘；另一名是流放到雅库茨克省②的名叫西蒙松的男犯，他肤色浅黑，头发蓬松，眼睛在前额下凹得很深，聂赫留朵夫那次探监也见到过他。谢基尼娜所以步行，因为把座位让给一个怀孕的女刑事犯坐了。至于西蒙松步行，那是因为他觉得享受阶级特权③是不合理的。这三人同其他政治犯不同，大清早就跟刑事犯一起上路。其他政治犯坐大车，要晚一点出发。在到达大城市前，这种方式一直维持到最后一个旅站。到了大城市，就会有新的押解官来接班。

--------

①西伯利亚东北部城市。

②在西伯利亚中部。

③指俄国民粹派因出身贵族，享有坐车赶路的特权。

这是一个阴雨连绵的九月早晨。天忽而落雪，忽而下雨，寒风阵阵。这批犯人总共有四百名男的和近五十名女的，都集合在旅站院子里，其中一部分围着把两天伙食费发给犯人头的押解官，一部分在向放进院子里的女贩购买食物。犯人纷纷数钱买食物，女贩们尖声说话，一片喧闹。

玛丝洛娃和谢基尼娜都穿着高统皮靴和羊皮袄，扎着头巾，从旅站房间出来，向女贩们走去。女贩都坐在北面墙脚背风的地方，嘈杂地叫卖各种东西：新鲜面包、馅饼、鱼、面条、麦粥、牛肝、牛肉、鸡蛋、牛奶等等。有个女贩甚至带了一头烤乳猪来卖。

西蒙松穿一件橡胶短上衣，脚穿羊毛袜，外套胶鞋，用带子扎紧（他是个素食者，不穿戴皮革制品）。他也来到院子里，等待出发。他站在台阶旁，在笔记本里记着刚想到的话：

“要是细菌能观察和研究人的指甲，它准会认为指甲是无机物。同样，我们观察地球外壳，也会认为地球是无机物。这是不正确的。”

玛丝洛娃同女贩讲好价钱，买了几个鸡蛋、一串面包圈、几条鱼和几个新鲜小麦面包，放进袋子里；谢基尼娜在同女贩算帐、付钱。这时犯人们不再说话，纷纷站好队。押解官走出来，在出发前对犯人作最后一次训话。

一切都照规定办理：清点人数，检查镣铐，把犯人排成双行，一对对用手铐锁在一起。但突然响起军官的怒斥声、打人的响声和孩子的哭声。人群里顿时静了下来，接着发出低低的埋怨声。玛丝洛娃和谢基尼娜向喧闹的地方走去。

1 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

2 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

3 importunate   

adj.强求的；纠缠不休的

参考例句：

• I would not have our gratitude become indiscreet or importunate.我不愿意让我们的感激变成失礼或勉强。
• The importunate memory was kept before her by its ironic contrast to her present situation.萦绕在心头的这个回忆对当前的情景来说，是个具有讽刺性的对照。

4 swarmed   

密集( swarm的过去式和过去分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去

参考例句：

• When the bell rang, the children swarmed out of the school. 铃声一响，孩子们蜂拥而出离开了学校。
• When the rain started the crowd swarmed back into the hotel. 雨一开始下，人群就蜂拥回了旅社。

5 convoy   

vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队

参考例句：

• The convoy was snowed up on the main road.护送队被大雪困在干路上了。
• Warships will accompany the convoy across the Atlantic.战舰将护送该船队过大西洋。

6 cynical   

adj.(对人性或动机)怀疑的，不信世道向善的

参考例句：

• The enormous difficulty makes him cynical about the feasibility of the idea.由于困难很大，他对这个主意是否可行持怀疑态度。
• He was cynical that any good could come of democracy.他不相信民主会带来什么好处。

7 debauch   

v.使堕落，放纵

参考例句：

• He debauched many innocent girls.他诱使许多清白的女子堕落了。
• A scoffer，a debauched person,and,in brief，a man of Belial.一个玩世不恭的人，一个生活放荡的家伙，总而言之，是个恶棍。

8 strife   

n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争

参考例句：

• We do not intend to be drawn into the internal strife.我们不想卷入内乱之中。
• Money is a major cause of strife in many marriages.金钱是造成很多婚姻不和的一个主要原因。

9 specially   

adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地

参考例句：

• They are specially packaged so that they stack easily.它们经过特别包装以便于堆放。
• The machine was designed specially for demolishing old buildings.这种机器是专为拆毁旧楼房而设计的。

10 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

11 importunity   

n.硬要，强求

参考例句：

• They got only blushes, ejaculations, tremors, and titters, in return for their importunity. 她们只是用脸红、惊叫、颤抖和傻笑来回答他们的要求。 来自辞典例句
• His importunity left me no alternative but to agree. 他的强硬要求让我只能答应而没有别的选择。 来自互联网

12 awakened   

v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到

参考例句：

• She awakened to the sound of birds singing. 她醒来听到鸟的叫声。
• The public has been awakened to the full horror of the situation. 公众完全意识到了这一状况的可怕程度。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 intimacy   

n.熟悉，亲密，密切关系，亲昵的言行

参考例句：

• His claims to an intimacy with the President are somewhat exaggerated.他声称自己与总统关系密切，这有点言过其实。
• I wish there were a rule book for intimacy.我希望能有个关于亲密的规则。

14 molested   

v.骚扰( molest的过去式和过去分词 )；干扰；调戏；猥亵

参考例句：

• The bigger children in the neighborhood molested the younger ones. 邻居家的大孩子欺负小孩子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He molested children and was sent to jail. 他猥亵儿童，进了监狱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 gusts   

一阵强风( gust的名词复数 )； （怒、笑等的）爆发； （感情的）迸发； 发作

参考例句：

• Her profuse skirt bosomed out with the gusts. 她的宽大的裙子被风吹得鼓鼓的。
• Turbulence is defined as a series of irregular gusts. 紊流定义为一组无规则的突风。

16 shrill   

adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫

参考例句：

• Whistles began to shrill outside the barn.哨声开始在谷仓外面尖叫。
• The shrill ringing of a bell broke up the card game on the cutter.刺耳的铃声打散了小汽艇的牌局。

17 vegetarian   

n.素食者；adj.素食的

参考例句：

• She got used gradually to the vegetarian diet.她逐渐习惯吃素食。
• I didn't realize you were a vegetarian.我不知道你是个素食者。

18 slaughtered   

v.屠杀，杀戮，屠宰( slaughter的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The invading army slaughtered a lot of people. 侵略军杀了许多人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Hundreds of innocent civilians were cruelly slaughtered. 数百名无辜平民遭残杀。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 jotted   

v.匆忙记下( jot的过去式和过去分词 )；草草记下，匆匆记下

参考例句：

• I jotted down her name. 我匆忙记下了她的名字。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The policeman jotted down my address. 警察匆匆地将我的地址记下。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

20 inorganic   

adj.无生物的；无机的

参考例句：

• The fundamentals of inorganic chemistry are very important.无机化学的基础很重要。
• This chemical plant recently bought a large quantity of inorganic salt.这家化工厂又买进了大量的无机盐。

21 authoritative   

adj.有权威的，可相信的；命令式的；官方的

参考例句：

• David speaks in an authoritative tone.大卫以命令的口吻说话。
• Her smile was warm but authoritative.她的笑容很和蔼，同时又透着威严。

22 murmur   

n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言

参考例句：

• They paid the extra taxes without a murmur.他们毫无怨言地交了附加税。
• There was a low murmur of conversation in the hall.大厅里有窃窃私语声。