Chapter 49 Part One - Forty Six

The prison guards blow their whistles in the corridor at the appointed time.Iron locks and iron doors rattled, corridor doors and cell doors opened one after another, and bare feet and the heels of cotton shoes made slapping and thumping sounds.The male prisoners emptying the toilets were busy back and forth in the corridor, filling the air with a foul stench.Both male and female prisoners are washing their faces, getting dressed, and then going to roll rolls in the corridor, and after the roll call, they turn on the water to make tea. When drinking tea today, the people in each cell were angry and talked about one thing, that is, two male prisoners will be flogged today.One of the two male prisoners was the young shop assistant Vasilyev.He was very cultured and killed his mistress in a fit of jealousy.He was liked by fellow inmates because he was optimistic, generous, and tough with his superiors.He understands the law and demands to act according to the law.The officer therefore disliked him.Three weeks ago, a guard beat the male prisoner who was emptying the toilet because the male prisoner splashed feces on his new uniform.Vasilyev complained for the prisoner, saying that there is no law that allows beating prisoners. "I'll show you what the law is!" said the guard, scolding Vasilyev.Vasilyev retaliated.The guard wanted to beat him, but Vasilyev grabbed his hand, squeezed it tightly for about three minutes, then twisted his hand to make him turn around, and pushed him out of the door.The guard reported to the top, and the warden ordered Vapiriev to be put in a single cell.

The single cell was a row of dark barns with a lock on the outside.This kind of cell is dark and cold, with no beds, no tables and chairs, and the people locked in it can only sit or lie down on the dirty mud floor, letting the rats run around or on them, and the rats there So many and so bold that not even a loaf of bread could be kept in the dark.Rats used to snatch the bread from the hands of the prisoners, and they would bite the bodies of the prisoners if they did not move.Vasilyev refused to stay in a single cell because he was innocent.Several guards dragged him away.He struggled desperately, and the other two male prisoners helped him free himself from the guards.The guards all came running up, and one of them, Petrov, was famous for his strength.The prisoners were no match and were pushed into single cells one by one.The prefect was immediately reported that something resembling a riot had taken place.An official document was received in the prison, ordering the two chief criminals, Vasilyev and the vagabond Nepomnyasi, to be beaten thirty times with sticks each.

The sentence will be carried out in the women's prison visiting room. All the prisoners heard about this incident yesterday evening, so the prisoners in each cell were talking about the punishment that was about to be executed. Korabreva, the Beauty, Fedosya, and Maslova were sitting in their corner, having drunk vodka, all flushed and refreshed.Now Maslova always had wine on hand, and she always generously invited her companions to drink with her.Now they were having tea and talking about it. "Is he making trouble or something?" Korabreva said of Vasilyev, nibbling on bits of candy with her strong teeth. "He's just fighting for his comrades. No one likes beating anyone these days."

"I hear he's a nice guy," put in Fedosya, who was sitting on a piece of wood opposite the plank shop, with her two long braids in her hair and no kerchief.There is a teapot on the bunk. "I say you have to tell him about it, Miss Maslova," said the crossing worker, referring here to Nekhludoff. "I'll tell him. He'll do anything for me," replied Maslova, smiling, shaking her head. "But I just don't know when he will come. It is said that they will be cleaned up soon," Fedosia said. "It's terrible!" she said again with a sigh.

"I once saw a farmer beating up in the township office. That day my father-in-law sent me to look for the head of the township. When I got there, I looked up and saw him..." The road worker told a long story. Halfway through the story of the crossing worker, he was interrupted by voices and footsteps in the corridor upstairs. The women fell silent and listened attentively. "They're coming for people, the devils," said the Beauty. "He'll beat him to death. The guards hate him because he never bows to them." The noise upstairs fell silent again.The crossroad worker went on to tell her story of how they had beaten the peasant in the barn of the village hall, and frightened her out of her wits.The Beauty said that Sheglov had been whipped, but he didn't say a word.Then Fedosya put away the tea-things, and Kolabreva and the crossing-man began to sew, while Maslova sat on the bunk with her knees crossed, feeling very bored.As soon as she was about to lie down and sleep, the female guard ran over and called her, saying that she was being visited and asked her to go to the office.

"You must tell him about us," said old woman Minshova to Maslova, who was arranging her kerchief in front of the half-peeled mercury mirror. A workman saw it too, and he wouldn't say anything against his conscience. Tell him to call Mitri. Mitri will tell him the whole story. Otherwise it would be too strange. Come on, we were imprisoned for no reason, but that scoundrel took over his wife and ate, drank and had fun in the hotel." "It's outrageous!" said Korabreva affirmatively. "I'll tell, I'll tell him," Maslova answered. "Otherwise, it would be nice to have a drink to strengthen your courage," she added with a wink.

Kolabreva poured her half a glass of wine.Maslova gulped it down, wiped her mouth, said again cheerfully, "It's good to be bold," then shook her head, and followed the guard along the corridor with a smile.