place talking to Nekhludoff。
After the cold and damp march and the dirt and disorder they had
found here； and after the pains they had taken to get it tidy；
after having drunk hot tea and eaten； they were all in the best
and brightest of spirits。
The fact that the tramp of feet； the screams and abuse of the
criminals； reached them through the wall； reminding them of their
surroundings； seemed only to increase the sense of coziness。 As
on an island in the midst of the sea； these people felt
themselves for a brief interval not swamped by the degradation
and sufferings which surrounded them； this made their spirits
rise； and excited them。 They talked about everything except their
present position and that which awaited them。 Then； as it
generally happens among young men； and women especially； if they
are forced to remain together； as these people were； all sorts of
agreements and disagreements and attractions； curiously blended；
had sprung up among them。 Almost all of them were in love。
Novodvoroff was in love with the pretty； smiling Grabetz。 This
Grabetz was a young； thoughtless girl who had gone in for a
course of study； perfectly indifferent to revolutionary
questions； but succumbing to the influence of the day； she
compromised herself in some way and was exiled。 The chief
interest of her life during the time of her trial in prison and
in exile was her success with men； just as it had been when she
was free。 Now on the way she comforted herself with the fact that
Novodvoroff had taken a fancy to her； and she fell in love with
him。 Vera Doukhova； who was very prone to fall in love herself；
but did not awaken love in others； though she was always hoping
for mutual love； was sometimes drawn to Nabatoff； then to
Novodvoroff。 Kryltzoff felt something like love for Mary
Pavlovna。 He loved her with a man's love； but knowing how she
regarded this sort of love； hid his feelings under the guise of
friendship and gratitude for the tenderness with which she
attended to his wants。 Nabatoff and Rintzeva were attached to
each other by very complicated ties。 Just as Mary Pavlovna was a
perfectly chaste maiden； in the same way Rintzeva was perfectly
chaste as her own husband's wife。 When only a schoolgirl of
sixteen she fell in love with Rintzeff； a student of the
Petersburg University； and married him before he left the
university； when she was only nineteen years old。 During his
fourth year at the university her husband had become involved in
the students' rows； was exiled from Petersburg； and turned
revolutionist。 She left the medical courses she was attending；
followed him； and also turned revolutionist。 If she had not
considered her husband the cleverest and best of men she would
not have fallen in love with him； and if she had not fallen in
love would not have married； but having fallen in love and
married him whom she thought the best and cleverest of men； she
naturally looked upon life and its aims in the way the best and
cleverest of men looked at them。 At first he thought the aim of
life was to learn； and she looked upon study as the aim of life。
He became a revolutionist； and so did she。 She could demonstrate
very clearly that the existing state of things could not go on；
and that it was everybody's duty to fight this state of things
and to try to bring about conditions in which the individual
could develop freely； etc。 And she imagined that she really
thought and felt all this； but in reality she only regarded
everything her husband thought as absolute truth； and only sought
for perfect agreement； perfect identification of her own soul
with his which alone could give her full moral satisfaction。 The
parting with her husband and their child； whom her mother had
taken； was very hard to bear； but she bore it firmly and quietly；
since it was for her husband's sake and for that cause which she
had not the slightest doubt was true； since he served it。 She was
always with her husband in thoughts； and did not love and could
not love any other any more than she had done before。 But
Nabatoff's devoted and pure love touched and excited her。 This
moral； firm man； her husband's friend； tried to treat her as a
sister； but something more appeared in his behaviour to her； and
this something frightened them both； and yet gave colour to their
life of hardship。
So that in all this circle only Mary Pavlovna and Kondratieff
were quite free from love affairs。
CHAPTER XIV。
CONVERSATIONS IN PRISON。
Expecting to have a private talk with Katusha； as usual； after
tea； Nekhludoff sat by the side of Kryltzoff； conversing with
him。 Among other things he told him the story of Makar's crime
and about his request to him。 Kryltzoff listened attentively；
gazing at Nekhludoff with glistening eyes。
〃Yes；〃 said Kryltzoff suddenly； 〃I often think that here we are
going side by side with them； and who are they？ The same for
whose sake we are going； and yet we not only do not know them；
but do not even wish to know them。 And they； even worse than
that； they hate us and look upon us as enemies。 This is
terrible。〃
〃There is nothing terrible about it；〃 broke in Novodvoroff。 〃The
masses always worship power only。 The government is in power； and
they worship it and hate us。 To…morrow we shall have the power；
and they will worship us；〃 he said with his grating voice。 At
that moment a volley of abuse and the rattle of chains sounded
from behind the wall； something was heard thumping against it and
screaming and shrieking； some one was being beaten； and some one
was calling out； 〃Murder！ help！〃
〃Hear them； the beasts！ What intercourse can there be between us
and such as them？〃 quietly remarked Novodvoroff。
〃You call them beasts； and Nekhludoff was just telling me about
such an action！〃 irritably retorted Kryltzoff； and went on to say
how Makar was risking his life to save a fellow…villager。 〃That
is not the action of a beast； it is heroism。〃
〃Sentimentality！〃 Novodvoroff ejaculated ironically； 〃it is
difficult for us to understand the emotions of these people and
the motives on which they act。 You see generosity in the act； and
it may be simply jealousy of that other criminal。〃
〃How is it that you never wish to see anything good in
another？ 〃 Mary Pavlovna said suddenly； flaring up。
〃How can one see what does not exist！〃
〃How does it not exist； when a man risks dying a terrible
death？〃
〃I think；〃 said Novodvoroff； 〃that if we mean to do our
work； the first condition is that〃 （here Kondratieff put
down the book he was reading by the lamplight and began
to listen attentively to his master's words） 〃we should not
give way to fancy； but look at things as they are。 We should
do all in our power for the masses； and expect nothing in
return。 The masses can only be the object of our activity；
but cannot be our fellow…workers as long as they remain in
that state of inertia they are in at present；〃 he went on； as
if delivering a lecture。 〃Therefore； to expect help from
them before the process of developmentthat process which
we are preparing them forhas taken place is an illusion。〃
〃What process of development？ 〃 Kryltzoff began； flushing
all over。 〃We say that we are against arbitrary rule
and despotism； and is this not the most awful despotism？〃
〃No despotism whatever；〃 quietly rejoined Novodvoroff。 〃I am
only saying that I know the path that the people must travel； and
can show them that path。〃
〃But how can you be sure that the path you show is the true path？
Is this not the same kind of despotism that lay at the bottom of
the Inquisition； all persecutions； and the great revolution？
They； too； knew the one true way； by means of their science。〃
〃Their having erred is no proof of my going to err； besides；
there is a great difference between the ravings of idealogues and
the facts based on sound； economic science。〃 Novodvoroff's voice
filled the room； he alone was speaking； all the rest were silent。
〃They are always disputing；〃 Mary Pavlovna said； when there was a
moment's silence。
〃And you yourself； what do you think about it？〃 Nekhludoff asked her。
〃I think Kryltzoff is right when he says we should not force our
views on the people。〃
〃And you； Katusha？ 〃 asked Nekhludoff with a smile；
waiting anxiously for her answer； fearing she would say
something awkward。
I think the common people are wronged；〃 she said； and blushed
scarlet。 〃I think they are dreadfully wronged。〃
〃That's right； Maslova； quite right；〃 cried Nabatoff。 〃They are
terribly wronged； the people； and they must not he wronged； and
therein lies the whole of our task。〃
〃A curious idea of the object of revolution；〃 Novodvoroff
remarked crossly； and began to smoke。
〃I cannot talk to him；〃 said Kryltzoff in a whisper； and was
silent。
〃And it is much better not to talk；〃 Nekhludoff said。
CHAPTER XV。
NOVODVOROFF。
Although Novodvoroff was highly esteemed of all the
revolutionists； though he was very learned； and considered very
wise； Nekhludoff reckoned him among those of the revolutionists
who； being below the average moral level； were very far below it。
His inner life was of a nature directly opposite to that of
Simonson's。 Simonson was one of those people （of an essentially
masculine type） whose actions follow the dictates of their
reason； and are determined by it。 Novodvoroff belonged； on the
contrary； to the class of people of a feminine type； whose reason
is directed partly towards the attainment of aims set by their
feelings； partly to the justification of acts suggested by their
feelings。 The whole of Novodvoroff's revolutionary activity；
though he could explain it very eloquently and very convincingly；
appeared to Nekhludoff to be founded on nothing but ambition and
the desire for supremacy。 At first his capacity for assimilating
the thoughts of others； and of expressing them correctly； had
given him a position of supremacy among pupils and teachers in
the gymnasium and the university； where qualities such as his are
highly prized； and he was satisfied。 When he had finished his
studies and received his diploma he suddenly altered his views；
and from a modern liberal he turned into a rabid Narodovoletz；