Book 1 Chapter 43 Nekhludoff Visits Maslova

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.