Maslova looked round, and with head thrown back and expanded
chest, came up to the net with that expression of readiness which
he well knew, pushed in between two prisoners, and gazed at
Nekhludoff with a surprised and questioning look. But, concluding
from his clothing he was a rich man, she smiled.
"Is it me you want?" she asked, bringing her smiling face, with
the slightly squinting eyes, nearer the net.
"I, I--I wished to see--" Nekhludoff did not know how to address
her. "I wished to see you--I--" He was not speaking louder than
usual.
"No; nonsense, I tell you!" shouted the tramp who stood next to
him. "Have you taken it or not?"
"Dying, I tell you; what more do you want?" some one else was
screaming at his other side. Maslova could not hear what
Nekhludoff was saying, but the expression of his face as he was
speaking reminded her of him. She did not believe her own eyes;
still the smile vanished from her face and a deep line of
suffering appeared on her brow.
"I cannot hear what you are saying," she called out, wrinkling
her brow and frowning more and more.
"I have come," said Nekhludoff. "Yes, I am doing my duty--I am
confessing," thought Nekhludoff; and at this thought the tears
came in his eyes, and he felt a choking sensation in his throat,
and holding on with both hands to the net, he made efforts to
keep from bursting into tears.
"I say, why do you shove yourself in where you're not wanted?"
some one shouted at one side of him.
"God is my witness; I know nothing," screamed a prisoner from the
other side.
Noticing his excitement, Maslova recognised him.
"You're like . . . but no; I don't know you," she shouted,
without looking at him, and blushing, while her face grew still
more stern.
"I have come to ask you to forgive me," he said, in a loud but
monotonous voice, like a lesson learnt by heart. Having said
these words he became confused; but immediately came the thought
that, if he felt ashamed, it was all the better; he had to bear
this shame, and he continued in a loud voice: "Forgive me; I have wronged you terribly."
She stood motionless and without taking her squinting eyes off
him.
He could not continue to speak, and stepping away from the net he
tried to suppress the sobs that were choking him.
The inspector, the same officer who had directed Nekhludoff to
the women's ward, and whose interest he seemed to have aroused,
came into the room, and, seeing Nekhludoff not at the net, asked
him why he was not talking to her whom he wanted to see.
Nekhludoff blew his nose, gave himself a shake, and, trying to
appear calm, said: "It's so inconvenient through these nets; nothing can be heard."