n drive at once to the
prison.

The superintendent of the prison told him that he could not admit him
without a permit from the general. The copy of the petition from their
majesty's bureau also did not prevail with the superintendent. He
positively refused admittance. He also refused to admit him to see
Kryltzoff.

CHAPTER VIII.

After the disappointment at the prison, Nekhludoff drove down to the
Governor's Bureau to find out whether they had received there any news
concerning the pardon of Maslova. There was no news there, so he drove
back to his hotel, and wrote at once to the lawyer and to Selenin
concerning it. Having finished the letters, he glanced at his watch;
it was already time to go to the general.

On the way he thought again of how he might hand over the pardon to
Katiousha; of the place she would be sent to, and how he would live
with her.

At dinner in the general's house all were not only very friendly to
Nekhludoff, but, as it seemed, very favorably inclined to him, as he
was a new, interesting personality. The general, who came in to dinner
with a white cross on his breast, greeted Nekhludoff like an old
friend. On the general's inquiry as to what he had done since he saw
him in the morning, Nekhludoff answered that he had been at the
postoffice, that he had found out the facts concerning the pardoning
of the person they were talking of in the morning, and he asked
permission to visit her.

The general seemed displeased, began to frown and said nothing.

"Will you have some whisky?" he said in French to the Englishman who
had walked up to him. The Englishman took some, and related that he
had been to see the cathedral of the city, and the factory, and
expressed the desire to see the great jail in which criminals were
confined on their way to Siberia.

"This idea is excellent!" exclaimed the general, turning to
Nekhludoff. "You may go together. Give them a pass!" he added, turning
to his lieutenant.

"What time do you wish to go?" Nekhludoff asked the Englishman.

"I prefer to visit prisons in the evening," the Englishman replied.
"All are then at home, and there are no preparations."

After dinner, Nekhludoff followed her into the ante-chamber, where
the Englishman was already waiting for him to visit the prison, as
they had agreed. Having taken leave of the whole family, he walked
out, followed by the Englishman.

The sombre looking prison, the soldier on guard, the lantern