to improve somewhat their lot after all.
Another one in my place would hardly exert himself as I do. It is no
easy matter to handle two thousand people. They are also human and one
feels pity for them, and yet they can't be allowed to have all their
own way."

And the inspector related the case of a recent fight among the
prisoners which ended in murder.

His story was interrupted by the entrance of Maslova, who was preceded
by the warden.

Nekhludoff got sight of her when she appeared on the threshold and
before she saw the inspector. Her face was red, and she walked briskly
behind the warden, smiling and shaking her head. Noticing the
inspector she gazed at him with frightened face, but immediately
recovered herself and boldly and cheerfully turned to Nekhludoff.

"How do you do?" she said, drawlingly, smiling and vigorously shaking
his hand, not as on the former occasion.

"Here I have brought you the petition to sign," said Nekhludoff,
somewhat surprised at the forward manner in which she accosted him.
"The lawyer wrote it. It must be signed and sent to St. Petersburg."

"Why, certainly. I will do anything," she said, winking one eye and
smiling.

"May she sign it here?" Nekhludoff asked of the inspector.

"Come here and sit down," said the inspector. "Here is a pen for you.
Can you write?"

"I could write once," she said, smiling, and, arranging her skirt and
waist-sleeve, sat down, clumsily took the pen into her small,
energetic hand, began to laugh and looked round at Nekhludoff.

He pointed out to her where to sign.

Diligently dipping and shaking the pen she signed her name.

"Do you wish anything else?" she asked, looking now at Nekhludoff, now
at the inspector, and depositing the pen now on the ink-stand, now on
the paper.

"I wish to tell you something," said Nekhludoff, taking the pen from
her hand.

"Very well; go on," she uttered, and suddenly, as though meditating or
growing sleepy, her face became grave.

The inspector rose and walked out, leaving Nekhludoff with her alone.

CHAPTER XLVI.

The warden who brought Maslova to the office seated himself on the
window-sill, away from the table. This was a decisive moment for
Nekhludoff. He had been constantly reproaching himself for not telling
her at their first meeting of his intention to marry her, and was now
determined to do so. She was sitting on one side of the table, and
Nekhludoff seated himself on the other side, oppo