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 behind the gate, notwithstanding the pure white layer of snow which had covered everything—­the sidewalk, the roof and the walls—­made a gloomy impression.  The proud looking superintendent, walking out to the gate and glancing at Nekhludoff’s pass in the light of the lantern, shrugged his broad shoulders, but obeyed the order and invited the visitors to follow him.  He first led them to the yard, and then to a door on the right hand and up the stairs leading to the office.  Offering them seats, he asked them in what way he could serve them, and learning from Nekhludoff that he wished to see Maslova, he sent the jailer for her and prepared himself to answer the questions which the Englishman wished to ask him, before going to the cell.