Resurrection

At the usual time the jailer's whistle sounded in the corridors of

the prison, the iron doors of the cells rattled, bare feet

pattered, heels clattered, and the prisoners who acted as

scavengers passed along the corridors, filling the air with

disgusting smells. The prisoners washed, dressed, and came out

for revision, then went to get boiling water for their tea.

The conversation at breakfast in all the cells was very lively.

It was all about two prisoners who were to be flogged that day.

One, Vasiliev, was a young man of some education, a clerk, who

had killed his mistress in a fit of jealousy. His

fellow-prisoners liked him because he was merry and generous and

firm in his behaviour with the prison authorities. He knew the

laws and insisted on their being carried out. Therefore he was

disliked by the authorities. Three weeks before a jailer struck

one of the scavengers who had spilt some soup over his new

uniform. Vasiliev took the part of the scavenger, saying that it

was not lawful to strike a prisoner.

"I'll teach you the law," said the jailer, and gave Vasiliev a

scolding. Vasiliev replied in like manner, and the jailer was

going to hit him, but Vasiliev seized the jailer's hands, held

them fast for about three minutes, and, after giving the hands a

twist, pushed the jailer out of the door. The jailer complained

to the inspector, who ordered Vasiliev to be put into a solitary

cell.

The solitary cells were a row of dark closets, locked from

outside, and there were neither beds, nor chairs, nor tables in

them, so that the inmates had to sit or lie on the dirty floor,

while the rats, of which there were a great many in those cells,

ran across them. The rats were so bold that they stole the bread

from the prisoners, and even attacked them if they stopped

moving. Vasiliev said he would not go into the solitary cell,

because he had not done anything wrong; but they used force. Then

he began struggling, and two other prisoners helped him to free

himself from the jailers. All the jailers assembled, and among

them was Petrov, who was distinguished for his strength. The

prisoners got thrown down and pushed into the solitary cells.

The governor was immediately informed that something very like a

rebellion had taken place. And he sent back an order to flog the

two chief offenders, Vasiliev and the tramp, Nepomnishy, giving

each thirty strokes with a birch rod. The flogging was appointed

to take place in the women's interviewing-room.

All this was known in the prison since the evening, and it was

being talked about with animation in all the cells.

Korableva, Khoroshevka, Theodosia, and Maslova sat together in

their corner, drinking tea, all of them flushed and animated by

the vodka they had drunk, for Maslova, who now had a constant

supply of vodka, freely treated her companions to it.