"No, I am not."
The General bent his head disapprovingly.
"I have a request to make, General."
"Very pleased. In what way can I be of service to you?" If my request is out of place pray pardon me. But I am obliged to make it."
"What is it?"
"There is a certain Gourkevitch imprisoned in the fortress; his mother asks for an interview with him, or at least to be allowed to send him some books."
The General expressed neither satisfaction nor dissatisfaction at Nekhludoff's request, but bending his head on one side he closed his eyes as if considering. In reality he was not considering anything, and was not even interested in Nekhludoff's questions, well knowing that he would answer them according to the law. He was simply resting mentally and not thinking at all.
"You see," he said at last, "this does not depend on me. There is a regulation, confirmed by His Majesty, concerning interviews; and as to books, we have a library, and they may have what is permitted."
"Yes, but he wants scientific books; he wishes to study."
"Don't you believe it," growled the General. "It's not study he wants; it is just only restlessness."
"But what is to be done? They must occupy their time somehow in their hard condition," said Nekhludoff.
"They are always complaining," said the General. "We know them."
He spoke of them in a general way, as if they were all a specially bad race of men. "They have conveniences here which can be found in few places of confinement," said the General, and he began to enumerate the comforts the prisoners enjoyed, as if the aim of the institution was to give the people imprisoned there a comfortable home.