"He said: 'Wherever you may be, I will be with you,'" said Maslova.

"He may go if he likes; he needn't if he don't. I will not ask him. He
is now going to St. Petersburg to try to get me out. All the ministers
there are his relatives," she continued, "but I don't care for them."

"Sure enough," Korableva suddenly assented, reaching down into her
bag, and evidently thinking of something else. "What do you say--shall
we have some wine?"

"Not I," answered Maslova. "Drink yourselves."




PART SECOND.




CHAPTER I.


The Senate could hear the case in two weeks, and by that time
Nekhludoff intended to be in St. Petersburg, and, in case of an
adverse decision, to petition the Emperor, as the lawyer had advised.
In case the appeal failed, for which, his lawyer had told him, he must
be prepared, as the grounds of appeal were very weak, the party of
convicts to which Maslova belonged would be transported in May. It was