Resurrection

"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

Court, as he entered, just after Nekhludoff left the room.

"Nekhludoff, you know; the same that used to make all sorts of

strange statements at the Krasnoporsk rural meetings. Just fancy!

He is on the jury, and among the prisoners there is a woman or

girl sentenced to penal servitude, whom he says he betrayed, and

now he wants to marry her."

"You don't mean to say so."

"That's what he told me. And in such a strange state of

excitement!"

"There is something abnormal in the young men of to-day."

"Oh, but he is not so very young."

"Yes. But how tiresome your famous Ivoshenka was. He carries the

day by wearying one out. He talked and talked without end."

"Oh, that kind of people should be simply stopped, or they will

become real obstructionists."