ling of pity for herself and the useless
reprobation of him, she yearned for wine. And she would have broken
her word and drunk some wine had she been in the prison. But here wine
could only be obtained from the assistant surgeon, and she was afraid
of him, because he pursued her with his attentions, and all relations
with men were disgusting to her. For some time she sat on a bench in
the corridor, and returning to her closet, without heeding her
companion's questions, she wept for a long time over her ruined life.

CHAPTER IX.

Nekhludoff had four cases in hand: Maslova's appeal, the petition of
Theodosia Birukova, the case of Shustova's release, by request of Vera
Bogodukhovskaia, and the obtaining of permission for a mother to visit
her son kept in a fortress, also by Bogodukhovskaia's request.

Since his visit to Maslenikoff, especially since his trip to the
country, Nekhludoff felt an aversion for that sphere in which he had
been living heretofore, and in which the sufferings borne by millions
of people in order to secure the comforts and pleasures of a few, were
so carefully concealed that the people of that sphere did not and
could not see these sufferings, and consequently the cruelty and
criminality of their own lives.

Nekhludoff could no longer keep up relations with these people without
reproving himself. And yet the habits of his past life, the ties of
friendship and kinship, and especially his one great aim of helping
Maslova and the other unfortunates, drew him into that sphere against
his will; and he was compelled to ask the aid and services of people
whom he had not only ceased to respect but who called forth his
indignation and contempt.

Arriving at St. Petersburg, and stopping at his aunt's, the wife of an
ex-Minister of State, he found himself in the very heart of the
aristocratic circle. It was unpleasant to him, but he could do no
different. Not to stop at his aunt's was to offend her. Besides,
through her connections she could be of great service to him in those
affairs for the sake of which he came to St. Petersburg.

"What wonders I hear about you!" said Countess Catherine Ivanovna
Charskaia, while Nekhludoff was drinking the coffee brought him
immediately after his arrival. "Vous posez pour un Howard. You are
helping the convicts; making the rounds of the prisons; reforming
them."

"You are mistaken; I never had such intentions."

"Why, that is not bad. Only, I understand,