would not have gone, or got drunk, and the burglary would never have
occurred.

But no one pitied the boy during the time that he, like an animal,
spent his school years in the city, and, with close-cropped hair, to
prevent his getting vermin, ran errands for the workmen. On the
contrary, the only thing he had heard from the workmen and his
comrades was to the effect that a brave fellow was he who cheated,
drank, reviled, fought, or led a depraved life.

And when, sickly and depraved from the unhealthy work, from drink and
lewdness, foolish and capricious, he aimlessly prowled around the
city, as in a dream, entered some shed and abstracted a few worthless
mats, then, instead of destroying the causes that led this boy into
his present condition, we intend to mend matters by punishing him!

It is dreadful!

Thus Nekhludoff thought, and no longer listened to what was going on
around him. He was himself terrified at this revelation. He wondered
why he had not seen it before--how others failed to see it.




CHAPTER XXXV.


As soon as the first recess was taken, Nekhludoff rose and went out of
the court, intending to return no more. They might do with him what