murder would not matter to him more than those
he had committed before； but before he got a
night's lodging； he felt suddenly so exhausted that
he could not walk any farther。 He stepped down
into the gutter and remained lying there the rest
of the night； and the next day and the next night。
PART SECOND
I
THE whole time he was lying in the gutter Stepan
saw continually before his eyes the thin； kindly；
and frightened face of Maria Semenovna； and
seemed to hear her voice。 〃How can you？〃 she
went on saying in his imagination； with her pe…
culiar lisping voice。 Stepan saw over again and
over again before him all he had done to her。 In
horror he shut his eyes； and shook his hairy head；
to drive away these thoughts and recollections。
For a moment he would get rid of them； but in
their place horrid black faces with red eyes ap…
peared and frightened him continuously。 They
grinned at him； and kept repeating； 〃Now you
have done away with her you must do away with
yourself； or we will not leave you alone 〃 He
opened his eyes； and again he saw HER and heard
her voice； and felt an immense pity for her and
a deep horror and disgust with himself。 Once
more he shut his eyes； and the black faces reap…
peared。 Towards the evening of the next day
he rose and went； with hardly any strength left；
to a public…house。 There he ordered a drink； and
repeated his demands over and over again； but
no quantity of liquor could make him intoxicated。
He was sitting at a table； and swallowed silently
one glass after another。
A police officer came in。 〃Who are you？〃 he
asked Stepan。
〃I am the man who murdered all the Dobrot…
vorov people last night；〃 he answered。
He was arrested； bound with ropes； and brought
to the nearest police…station； the next day he was
transferred to the prison in the town。 The in…
spector of the prison recognised him as an old in…
mate； and a very turbulent one； and； hearing that
he had now become a real criminal； accosted him
very harshly。
〃You had better be quiet here；〃 he said in a
hoarse voice； frowning； and protruding his lower
jaw。 〃The moment you don't behave； I'll flog
you to death！ Don't try to escapeI will see
to that！〃
〃I have no desire to escape；〃 said Stepan； drop…
ping his eyes。 〃I surrendered of my own free
will。〃
〃Shut up！ You must look straight into your
superior's eyes when you talk to him；〃 cried the
inspector； and struck Stepan with his fist under
the jaw。
At that moment Stepan again saw the murdered
woman before him； and heard her voice； he did
not pay attention； therefore； to the inspector's
words。
〃What？〃 he asked； coming to his senses when
he felt the blow on his face。
〃Be off！ Don't pretend you don't hear。〃
The inspector expected Stepan to be violent； to
talk to the other prisoners； to make attempts to
escape from prison。 But nothing of the kind ever
happened。 Whenever the guard or the inspector
himself looked into his cell through the hole in
the door； they saw Stepan sitting on a bag filled
with straw； holding his head with his hands and
whispering to himself。 On being brought before
the examining magistrate charged with the inquiry
into his case； he did not behave like an ordinary
convict。 He was very absent…minded； hardly list…
ening to the questions； but when he heard what
was asked； he answered truthfully； causing the
utmost perplexity to the magistrate； who； accus…
tomed as he was to the necessity of being very
clever and very cunning with convicts； felt a
strange sensation just as if he were lifting up his
foot to ascend a step and found none。 Stepan
told him the story of all his murders； and did it
frowning； with a set look； in a quiet； businesslike
voice； trying to recollect all the circumstances of
his crimes。 〃He stepped out of the house；〃 said
Stepan； telling the tale of his first murder； 〃and
stood barefooted at the door； I hit him； and he
just groaned； I went to his wife； 。 。 。〃 And
so on。
One day the magistrate； visiting the prison cells；
asked Stepan whether there was anything he had
to complain of； or whether he had any wishes that
might be granted him。 Stepan said he had no
wishes whatever； and had nothing to complain of
the way he was treated in prison。 The magis…
trate； on leaving him； took a few steps in the foul
passage； then stopped and asked the governor who
had accompanied him in his visit how this pris…
oner was behaving。
〃I simply wonder at him；〃 said the governor；
who was very pleased with Stepan； and spoke
kindly of him。 〃He has now been with us about
two months； and could be held up as a model of
good behaviour。 But I am afraid he is plotting
some mischief。 He is a daring man； and excep…
tionally strong。〃
II
DURING the first month in prison Stepan suffered
from the same agonising vision。 He saw the
grey wall of his cell； he heard the sounds of the
prison； the noise of the cell below him； where a
number of convicts were confined together； the
striking of the prison clock； the steps of the sentry
in the passage； but at the same time he saw HER
with that kindly face which conquered his heart
the very first time he met her in the street； with
that thin； strongly…marked neck； and he heard her
soft； lisping； pathetic voice： 〃To destroy some…
body's soul 。 。 。 and； worst of all； your own。
。 。 。 How can you？ 。 。 。〃
After a while her voice would die away； and
then black faces would appear。 They would ap…
pear whether he had his eyes open or shut。 With
his closed eyes he saw them more distinctly。 When
he opened his eyes they vanished for a moment；
melting away into the walls and the door； but
after a while they reappeared and surrounded him
from three sides； grinning at him and saying over
and over： 〃Make an end！ Make an end！ Hang
yourself！ Set yourself on fire！〃 Stepan shook
all over when he heard that； and tried to say all
the prayers he knew： 〃Our Lady〃 or 〃Our
Father 〃 At first this seemed to help。 In say…
ing his prayers he began to recollect his whole
life； his father； his mother； the village； the dog
〃Wolf；〃 the old grandfather lying on the stove；
the bench on which the children used to play； then
the girls in the village with their songs； his horses
and how they had been stolen； and how the thief
was caught and how he killed him with a stone。
He recollected also the first prison he was in and
his leaving it； and the fat innkeeper； the carter's
wife and the children。 Then again SHE came to
his mind and again he was terrified。 Throwing
his prison overcoat off his shoulders； he jumped
out of bed； and； like a wild animal in a cage； be…
gan pacing up and down his tiny cell； hastily turn…
ing round when he had reached the damp walls。
Once more he tried to pray； but it was of no use
now。
The autumn came with its long nights。 One
evening when the wind whistled and howled in the
pipes； Stepan； after he had paced up and down his
cell for a long time； sat down on his bed。 He felt
he could not struggle any more； the black demons
had overpowered him； and he had to submit。 For
some time he had been looking at the funnel of the
oven。 If he could fix on the knob of its lid a loop
made of thin shreds of narrow linen straps it
would hold。 。 。 。 But he would have to man…
age it very cleverly。 He set to work； and spent
two days in making straps out of the linen bag on
which he slept。 When the guard came into the
cell he covered the bed with his overcoat。 He
tied the straps with big knots and made them
double； in order that they might be strong enough
to hold his weight。 During these preparations he
was free from tormenting visions。 When the
straps were ready he made a slip…knot out of them；
and put it round his neck； stood up in his bed； and
hanged himself。 But at the very moment that his
tongue began to protrude the straps got loose； and
he fell down。 The guard rushed in at the noise。
The doctor was called in； Stepan was brought to
the infirmary。 The next day he recovered； and
was removed from the infirmary； no more to soli…
tary confinement； but to share the common cell
with other prisoners。
In the common cell he lived in the company of
twenty men； but felt as if he were quite alone。
He did not notice the presence of the rest； did not
speak to anybody； and was tormented by the old
agony。 He felt it most of all when the men were
sleeping and he alone could not get one moment
of sleep。 Continually he saw HER before his eyes；
heard her voice； and then again the black devils
with their horrible eyes came and tortured him in
the usual way。
He again tried to say his prayers； but； just as
before； it did not help him。 One day when； after
his prayers； she was again before his eyes； he be…
gan to implore her dear soul to forgive him his sin；
and release him。 Towards morning； when he fell
down quite exhausted on his crushed linen bag； he
fell asleep at once； and in his dream she came to
him with her thin； wrinkled； and severed neck。
〃Will you forgive me？〃 he asked。 She looked
at him with her mild eyes and did not answer。
〃Will you forgive me？〃 And so he asked her
three times。 But she did not say a word； and he
awoke。 From that time onwards he suffered less；
and seemed to come to his senses； looked around
him； and began for the first time to talk to the
other men in the cell。
III
STEPAN'S cell was shared among others by the
former yard…porter； Vassily； who had been sen…
tenced to deportation for robbery； and by Chouev；
sentenced also to deportation。 Vassily sang songs
the whole day long with his fine voice； or told his
adventures to the other men in the cell。 Chouev
was working at something all day； mending his
clothes； or reading the Gospel and the Psalter。
Stepan asked him why he was put into prison；
and Chouev answered that he was being perse…
cuted because of his true Christian faith by the
priests； who were all of them hypocrites and hated
those who followed the law of Christ。 Stepan
asked what that true law was； and Chouev made
clear to him that the true law consists in not wor…
shipping gods made with hands； but worshipping
the spirit and the truth。 He told him how