the moscow census-第10部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


and　I　began　to　give。　　As　long　as　I　continued　to　give；　people　kept
coming　up；　and　excitement　ran　through　all　the　lodgings。　　People　made
them　appearance　on　the　stairs　and　galleries；　and　followed　me。　　As　I
emerged　into　the　court…yard；　a　little　boy　ran　swiftly　down　one　of　the
staircases　thrusting　the　people　aside。　　He　did　not　see　me；　and
exclaimed　hastily：　　〃He　gave　Agashka　a　ruble！〃　　When　he　reached　the
ground；　the　boy　joined　the　crowd　which　was　following　me。　　I　went　out
into　the　street：　　various　descriptions　of　people　followed　me；　and
asked　for　money。　　I　distributed　all　my　small　change；　and　entered　an
open　shop　with　the　request　that　the　shopkeeper　would　change　a　ten…
ruble　bill　for　me。　　And　then　the　same　thing　happened　as　at　the
Lyapinsky　house。　　A　terrible　confusion　ensued。　　Old　women；　noblemen；
peasants；　and　children　crowded　into　the　shop　with　outstretched　hands；
I　gave；　and　interrogated　some　of　them　as　to　their　lives；　and　took
notes。　　The　shopkeeper；　turning　up　the　furred　points　of　the　collar　of
his　coat；　sat　like　a　stuffed　creature；　glancing　at　the　crowd
occasionally；　and　then　fixing　his　eyes　beyond　them　again。　　He
evidently；　like　every　one　else；　felt　that　this　was　foolish；　but　he
could　not　say　so。

The　poverty　and　beggary　in　the　Lyapinsky　house　had　horrified　me；　and
I　felt　myself　guilty　of　it；　I　felt　the　desire　and　the　possibility　of
improvement。　　But　now；　precisely　the　same　scene　produced　on　me　an
entirely　different　effect；　I　experienced；　in　the　first　place；　a
malevolent　feeling　towards　many　of　those　who　were　besieging　me；　and
in　the　second　place；　uneasiness　as　to　what　the　shopkeepers　and
porters　would　think　of　me。

On　my　return　home　that　day；　I　was　troubled　in　my　soul。　　I　felt　that
what　I　had　done　was　foolish　and　immoral。　　But；　as　is　always　the
result　of　inward　confusion；　I　talked　a　great　deal　about　the　plan
which　I　had　undertaken；　as　though　I　entertained　not　the　slightest
doubt　of　my　success。

On　the　following　day；　I　went　to　such　of　the　people　whom　I　had
inscribed　on　my　list；　as　seemed　to　me　the　most　wretched　of　all；　and
those　who；　as　it　seemed　to　me；　would　be　the　easiest　to　help。　　As　I
have　already　said；　I　did　not　help　any　of　these　people。　　It　proved　to
be　more　difficult　to　help　them　than　I　had　thought。　　And　either
because　I　did　not　know　how；　or　because　it　was　impossible；　I　merely
imitated　these　people；　and　did　not　help　any　one。　　I　visited　the
Rzhanoff　house　several　times　before　the　final　tour；　and　on　every
occasion　the　very　same　thing　occurred：　　I　was　beset　by　a　throng　of
beggars　in　whose　mass　I　was　completely　lost。　　I　felt　the
impossibility　of　doing　any　thing；　because　there　were　too　many　of
them；　and　because　I　felt　ill…disposed　towards　them　because　there　were
so　many　of　them；　and　in　addition　to　this；　each　one　separately　did　not
incline　me　in　his　favor。　　I　was　conscious　that　every　one　of　them　was
telling　me　an　untruth；　or　less　than　the　whole　truth；　and　that　he　saw
in　me　merely　a　purse　from　which　money　might　be　drawn。　　And　it　very
frequently　seemed　to　me；　that　the　very　money　which　they　squeezed　out
of　me；　rendered　their　condition　worse　instead　of　improving　it。　　The
oftener　I　went　to　that　house；　the　more　I　entered　into　intercourse
with　the　people　there；　the　more　apparent　became　to　me　the
impossibility　of　doing　any　thing；　but　still　I　did　not　give　up　any
scheme　until　the　last　night　tour。

The　remembrance　of　that　last　tour　is　particularly　mortifying　to　me。
On　other　occasions　I　had　gone　thither　alone；　but　twenty　of　us　went
there　on　this　occasion。　　At　seven　o'clock；　all　who　wished　to　take
part　in　this　final　night　round；　began　to　assemble　at　my　house。
Nearly　all　of　them　were　strangers　to　me；students；　one　officer；　and
two　of　my　society　acquaintances；　who；　uttering　the　usual；　〃C'est　tres
interessant！〃　had　asked　me　to　include　them　in　the　number　of　the
census…takers。

My　worldly　acquaintances　had　dressed　up　especially　for　this；　in　some
sort　of　hunting…jacket；　and　tall；　travelling　boots；　in　a　costume　in
which　they　rode　and　went　hunting；　and　which；　in　their　opinion；　was
appropriate　for　an　excursion　to　a　night…lodging…house。　　They　took
with　them　special　note…books　and　remarkable　pencils。　　They　were　in
that　peculiarly　excited　state　of　mind　in　which　men　set　off　on　a　hunt；
to　a　duel；　or　to　the　wars。　　The　most　apparent　thing　about　them　was
their　folly　and　the　falseness　of　our　position；　but　all　the　rest　of　us
were　in　the　same　false　position。　　Before　we　set　out；　we　held　a
consultation；　after　the　fashion　of　a　council　of　war；　as　to　how　we
should　begin；　how　divide　our　party；　and　so　on。

This　consultation　was　exactly　such　as　takes　place　in　councils；
assemblages；　committees；　that　is　to　say；　each　person　spoke；　not
because　he　had　any　thing　to　say　or　to　ask；　but　because　each　one
cudgelled　his　brain　for　something　that　he　could　say；　so　that　he　might
not　fall　short　of　the　rest。　　But；　among　all　these　discussions；　no　one
alluded　to　that　beneficence　of　which　I　had　so　often　spoken　to　them
all。　　Mortifying　as　this　was　to　me；　I　felt　that　it　was　indispensable
that　I　should　once　more　remind　them　of　benevolence；　that　is；　of　the
point；　that　we　were　to　observe　and　take　notes　of　all　those　in
destitute　circumstances　whom　we　should　encounter　in　the　course　of　our
rounds。　　I　had　always　felt　ashamed　to　speak　of　this；　but　now；　in　the
midst　of　all　our　excited　preparations　for　our　expedition；　I　could
hardly　utter　the　words。　　All　listened　to　me；　as　it　seemed　to　me；　with
sorrow；　and；　at　the　same　time；　all　agreed　in　words；　but　it　was
evident　that　they　all　knew　that　it　was　folly；　and　that　nothing　would
come　of　it；　and　all　immediately　began　again　to　talk　about　something
else。　　This　went　on　until　the　time　arrived　for　us　to　set　out；　and　we
started。

We　reached　the　tavern；　roused　the　waiters；　and　began　to　sort　our
papers。　　When　we　were　informed　that　the　people　had　heard　about　this
round；　and　were　leaving　their　quarters；　we　asked　the　landlord　to　lock
the　gates；　and　we　went　ourselves　into　the　yard　to　reason　with　the
fleeing　people；　assuring　them　that　no　one　would　demand　their　tickets。
I　remember　the　strange　and　painful　impression　produced　on　me　by　these
alarmed　night…lodgers：　　ragged；　half…dressed；　they　all　seemed　tall　to
me　by　the　light　of　the　lantern　and　the　gloom　of　the　court…yard。
Frightened　and　terrifying　in　their　alarm；　they　stood　in　a　group
around　the　foul…smelling　out…house；　and　listened　to　our　assurances；
but　they　did　not　believe　us；　and　were　evidently　prepared　for　any
thing；　like　hunted　wild　beasts；　provided　only　that　they　could　escape
from　us。　　Gentlemen　in　divers　shapesas　policemen；　both　city　and
rural；　and　as　examining　judges；　and　judgeshunt　them　all　their
lives；　in　town　and　country；　on　the　highway　and　in　the　streets；　and　in
the　taverns；　and　in　night…lodging　houses；　and　now；　all　of　a　sudden；
these　gentlemen　had　come　and　locked　the　gates；　merely　in　order　to
count　them：　　it　was　as　difficult　for　them　to　believe　this；　as　for
hares　to　believe　that　dogs　have　come；　not　to　chase　but　to　count　them。
But　the　gates　were　locked；　and　the　startled　lodgers　returned：　　and
we；　breaking　up　into　groups；　entered　also。　　With　me　were　the　two
society　men　and　two　students。　　In　front　of　us；　in　the　dark；　went
Vanya；　in　his　coat　and　white　trousers；　with　a　lantern；　and　we
followed。　　We　went　to　quarters　with　which　I　was　familiar。　　I　knew　all
the　establishments；　and　some　of　the　people；　but　the　majority　of　the
people　were　new；　and　the　spectacle　was　new；　and　more　dreadful　than
the　one　which　I　had　witnessed　in　the　Lyapinsky　house。　　All　the
lodgings　were　full；　all　the　bunks　were　occupied；　not　by　one　person
only；　but　often　by　two。　　The　sight　was　terrible　in　that　narrow　space
into　which　the　people　were　huddled；　and　men　and　women　were　mixed
together。　　All　the　women　who　were　not　dead　drunk　slept　with　men；　and
women　with　two　children　did　the　same。　　The　sight　was　terrible；　on
account　of　the　poverty；　dirt；　rags；　and　terror　of　the　people。　　And　it
was　chiefly　dreadful　on　account　of　the　vast　numbers　of　people　who
were　in　this　situation。　　One　lodging；　and　then　a　second　like　it；　and
a　third；　and　a　tenth；　and　a　twentieth；　and　still　there　was　no　end　to
them。　　And　everywhere　there　was　the　same　foul　odor；　the　same　close
atmosphere；　the　same　crowding；　the　same　mingling　of　the　sexes；　the
same　men　and　women　intoxicated　to　stupidity；　and　the　same　terror；
submission　and　guilt　on　all　faces；　and　again　I　was　overwhelmed　with
shame　and　pain；　as　in　the　Lyapinsky　house；　and　I　understood　that　what
I　had　undertaken　was　abominable　and　foolish　and　therefore
impracticable。　　And　I　no　longer　took　notes　of　anybody；　and　I　asked　no
questions；　knowing　that　nothing　would　come　of　this。

I　was　deeply　pained。　　In　the　Lyapinsky　house　I　had　been　like　a　man
who　has　seen　a　fearful　wound；　by　chance；　on　the　body　of　another　man。
He　is　sorry　for　the　other　man；　he　is　ashamed　that　he　has　not　pitied
the　man　before；　and　he　can　still　rise　to　the　succor　of　the　sufferer。
But　now　I　was　like　a　physician；　who　has　come　with　his　medicine　to　the
sick　man；　has　uncovered　his　sore；　and　examined　it；　and　who　must
confess　to　himself　that　every　thing　that　he　has　done　has　been　in
vain；　and　that　his　remedy　is　good　for　nothing。



CHAPTER　XI。



This　visit　dealt　the　final　blow　to　my　self…delusion。　　It　now　appeared
indisputable　to　me；　that　what　I　had　undertaken　was　not　only　foolish
but　loathsome。

But；　in　spite　of　the　fact　that　I　was　aware　of　this；　it　seemed　to　me
that　I　could　not　abandon　the　whole　thing　on　the　spot。　　It　seemed　to
me　that　I　was　bound　to　carry　out　this　enterprise；　in　the　first　place；
because　by　my　article；　by　my　visits　and　promises；　I　had　aroused　the
expectations　of　the　poor；　in　the　second；　because　by　my　article　also；
and　by　my　talk；　I　had　aroused　the　sympathies　of　benevolent　persons；
many　of　whom　had　promised　me　their　co…operation　both　in　personal
labor　and　in　money。　　And　I　expected　that　both　sets　of　people　would
turn　to　me　for　an　answer　to　this。

What　happened　to　me；　so　far　as　the　appeal　of　the　needy　to　me　is
concerned；　was　as　follows：　　By　letter　and　personal　application　I
received　more　than　a　hundred；　these　applications　were　all　from　the
wealthy…poor；　if　I　may　so　express　myself。　　I　went　to　see　some　o