caressing and melodious voice.

"It is possible that they convicted you?" asked Theodosia, with gentle
compassion, looking at Maslova with her childish, light-blue eyes, and
her cheerful, young face changed, and she seemed to be ready to cry.

Maslova made no answer, but silently went to her place, next to
Korableva's, and sat down.

"You have probably not eaten anything," said Theodosia, rising and
going over to Maslova.

Again Maslova did not answer, but placed the two lunch-rolls at the
head of the cot and began to undress. She took off the dusty coat, and
the 'kerchief from her curling black hair and sat down.

The hunch-backed old woman also came and stopped in front of Maslova,
compassionately shaking her head.

The boy came behind the old woman, and, with a protruding corner of
the upper lip and wide-open eyes, gazed on the rolls brought by
Maslova. Seeing all these compassionate faces, after what had
happened, Maslova almost cried and her lips began to twitch. She
tried to and did restrain herself until the old woman and the child
approached. When, however, she heard the kind, compassionate
exclamation of pity from the old woman, and, especially, when her eyes
met the serious eyes of the boy who looked now at her, now at the
rolls, she could restrain herself no longer. Her whole face began to
twitch and she burst into sobs.

"I told her to take a good lawyer," said Korableva. "Well? To
Siberia?" she asked.

Maslova wished to answer but could not, and, crying, she produced from
the roll the box of cigarettes, on which a picture of a red lady with
a high chignon and triangle-shaped, low cut neck was printed, and gave
it to Korableva. The latter looked at the picture, disapprovingly
shook her head, chiefly because Maslova spent money so foolishly, and,
lighting a cigarette over the lamp, inhaled the smoke several times,
then thrust it at Maslova. Maslova, without ceasing to cry, eagerly
began to inhale the smoke.

"Penal servitude," she murmured, sobbing.

"They have no fear of God, these cursed blood-suckers!" said
Korableva. "They have condemned an innocent girl."

At this moment there was a loud outburst of laughter among those
standing near the window. The delicate laughter of the little girl
mingled with the hoarse and shrill laughter of the women. This
merriment was caused by some act of a prisoner without.

"Oh, the scoundrel! See what he is doing!" said the red-headed woman,
pressing her fa