"But how do you know that yours is the right path? Is it not the same despotism which gave rise to the Inquisition and the executions of the Great Revolution? They, too, knew the only scientific path." "The fact that people erred does not prove that I am erring. Besides, there is a great difference between the ravings of ideologists and the data of positive economic science." Novodvoroff's voice filled the entire cell. He alone was speaking; all the others were silent. "Those eternal discussions!" said Maria Pablovna at a momentary lull. "And what do you think of it?" Nekhludoff asked Maria Pablovna. "I think that Anatolie is right--that we have no right to force our ideas on the people." "That is a strange conception of our ideas," said Novodvoroff, and he began to smoke angrily. "I cannot talk to them," Kryltzoff said in a whisper, and became silent. "And it is much better not to talk," said Nekhludoff. CHAPTER VI. An officer entered the cell and announced that the time for departing had arrived. He counted every prisoner, pointing at every one with his finger. When he reached Nekhludoff he said, familiarly: "It is too late to remain now, Prince; it is time to go." Nekhludoff, knowing what that meant, approached him and thrust three rubles into his hand. "Nothing can be done with you--stay here a while longer." Simonson, who was all the while silently sitting on his bunk, his hands clasped behind his head, firmly arose, and carefully making his way through those sitting around the bunk, went over to Nekhludoff. "Can you hear me now?" asked Simonson. "Certainly," said Nekhludoff, also rising to follow him. Maslova saw Nekhludoff rising, and their eyes meeting, she turned red in the face and doubtfully, as it seemed, shook her head. "My business with you is the following," began Simonson, when they reached the corridor. "Knowing your relations toward Catherine Michaelovna," and he looked straight into Nekhludoff's face, "I consider it my duty----" But at the very door two voices were shouting at the same time. "I tell you, heathen, they are not mine," shouted one voice. "Choke yourself, you devil!" the other said, hoarsely. At that moment Maria Pablovna entered the corridor. "You cannot talk here," she said. "Walk in here; only Verotchka is there." And she opened the door of a tiny cell, evidently intended for solitary confinement, and now at the disposal of the political prisoners. On one of the bunks lay Vera Efremovna, with her head covered. "She is ill and asleep; she cannot hear you, and I will go," said Maria Pablovna. "On the contrary, stay here," said Simonson. "I keep nothing secret, especially from you." "Very well," said Maria Pablovna, and childishly moving her whole body from side to side, and thus getting into a snug corner of the bunks, she prepared to listen, at the same time looking somewhere in the distance with her beautiful, sheepish eyes.