Resurrection

Nekhludoff meant to rearrange the whole of his external life, to

let his large house and move to an hotel, but Agraphena Petrovna

pointed out that it was useless to change anything before the

winter. No one would rent a town house for the summer; anyhow, he

would have to live and keep his things somewhere. And so all his

efforts to change his manner of life (he meant to live more

simply: as the students live) led to nothing. Not only did

everything remain as it was, but the house was suddenly filled

with new activity. All that was made of wool or fur was taken out

to be aired and beaten. The gate-keeper, the boy, the cook, and

Corney himself took part in this activity. All sorts of strange

furs, which no one ever used, and various uniforms were taken out

and hung on a line, then the carpets and furniture were brought

out, and the gate-keeper and the boy rolled their sleeves up

their muscular arms and stood beating these things, keeping

strict time, while the rooms were filled with the smell of

naphthaline.

When Nekhludoff crossed the yard or looked out of the window and

saw all this going on, he was surprised at the great number of

things there were, all quite useless. Their only use, Nekhludoff

thought, was the providing of exercise for Agraphena Petrovna,

Corney, the gate-keeper, the boy, and the cook.

"But it's not worth while altering my manner of life now," he

thought, "while Maslova's case is not decided. Besides, it is too

difficult. It will alter of itself when she will be set free or

exiled, and I follow her."

On the appointed day Nekhludoff drove up to the advocate

Fanarin's own splendid house, which was decorated with huge palms

and other plants, and wonderful curtains, in fact, with all the

expensive luxury witnessing to the possession of much idle money,

i.e., money acquired without labour, which only those possess who

grow rich suddenly. In the waiting-room, just as in a doctor's

waiting-room, he found many dejected-looking people sitting round

several tables, on which lay illustrated papers meant to amuse

them, awaiting their turns to be admitted to the advocate. The

advocate's assistant sat in the room at a high desk, and having

recognised Nekhludoff, he came up to him and said he would go and

announce him at once. But the assistant had not reached the door

before it opened and the sounds of loud, animated voices were

heard; the voice of a middle-aged, sturdy merchant, with a red

face and thick moustaches, and the voice of Fanarin himself.

Fanarin was also a middle-aged man of medium height, with a worn

look on his face. Both faces bore the expression which you see on

the faces of those who have just concluded a profitable but not

quite honest transaction.