"I myself am here for the first time," said Nekhludoff, "and

don't know; but I think you had better ask this man," and he

pointed to the warder with the gold cords and the book, sitting

As they were speaking, the large iron door with a window in it

opened, and an officer in uniform, followed by another warder,

stepped out. The warder with the notebook proclaimed that the

admittance of visitors would now commence. The sentinel stepped

aside, and all the visitors rushed to the door as if afraid of