the moscow census-第14部分

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the　night…lodging　houses。

Two　years　ago；　we　took　from　the　country　a　peasant　boy　to　wait　on
table。　　For　some　reason；　he　did　not　get　on　well　with　the　footman；　and
he　was　sent　away：　　he　entered　the　service　of　a　merchant；　won　the
favor　of　his　master；　and　now　he　goes　about　with　a　vest　and　a　watch…
chain；　and　dandified　boots。　　In　his　place；　we　took　another　peasant；　a
married　man：　　he　became　a　drunkard；　and　lost　money。　　We　took　a　third：
he　took　to　drunk；　and；　having　drank　up　every　thing　he　had；　he
suffered　for　a　long　while　from　poverty　in　the　night…lodging　house。
An　old　man；　the　cook；　took　to　drink　and　fell　sick。　　Last　year　a
footman　who　had　formerly　been　a　hard　drinker；　but　who　had　refrained
from　liquor　for　five　years　in　the　country；　while　living　in　Moscow
without　his　wife　who　encouraged　him；　took　to　drink　again；　and　ruined
his　whole　life。　　A　young　lad　from　our　village　lives　with　my　brother
as　a　table…servant。　　His　grandfather；　a　blind　old　man；　came　to　me
during　my　sojourn　in　the　country；　and　asked　me　to　remind　this
grandson　that　he　was　to　send　ten　rubies　for　the　taxes；　otherwise　it
would　be　necessary　for　him　to　sell　his　cow。　　〃He　keeps　saying；　I　must
dress　decently；〃　said　the　old　man：　　〃well；　he　has　had　some　shoes
made；　and　that's　all　right；　but　what　does　he　want　to　set　up　a　watch
for？〃　said　the　grandfather；　expressing　in　these　words　the　most
senseless　supposition　that　it　was　possible　to　originate。　　The
supposition　really　was　senseless；　if　we　take　into　consideration　that
the　old　man　throughout　Lent　had　eaten　no　butter；　and　that　he　had　no
split　wood　because　he　could　not　possibly　pay　one　ruble　and　twenty
kopeks　for　it；　but　it　turned　out　that　the　old　man's　senseless　jest
was　an　actual　fact。　　The　young　fellow　came　to　see　me　in　a　fine　black
coat；　and　shoes　for　which　he　had　paid　eight　rubles。　　He　had　recently
borrowed　ten　rubles　from　my　brother；　and　had　spent　them　on　these
shoes。　　And　my　children；　who　have　known　the　lad　from　childhood；　told
me　that　he　really　considers　it　indispensable　to　fit　himself　out　with
a　watch。　　He　is　a　very　good　boy；　but　he　thinks　that　people　will　laugh
at　him　so　long　as　he　has　no　watch；　and　a　watch　is　necessary。　　During
the　present　year；　a　chambermaid；　a　girl　of　eighteen；　entered　into　a
connection　with　the　coachman　in　our　house。　　She　was　discharged。　　An
old　woman；　the　nurse；　with　whom　I　spoke　in　regard　to　the　unfortunate
girl；　reminded　me　of　a　girl　whom　I　had　forgotten。　　She　too；　ten　yeans
ago；　during　a　brief　stay　of　ours　in　Moscow；　had　become　connected　with
a　footman。　　She　too　had　been　discharged；　and　she　had　ended　in　a
disorderly　house；　and　had　died　in　the　hospital　before　reaching　the
age　of　twenty。　　It　is　only　necessary　to　glance　about　one；　to　be
struck　with　terror　at　the　pest　which　we　disseminate　directly　by　our
luxurious　life　among　the　people　whom　we　afterwards　wish　to　help；　not
to　mention　the　factories　and　establishments　which　serve　our　luxurious
tastes。

＇And　thus；　having　penetrated　into　the　peculiar　character　of　city
poverty；　which　I　was　unable　to　remedy；　I　perceived　that　its　prime
cause　is　this；　that　I　take　absolute　necessaries　from　the　dwellers　in
the　country；　and　carry　them　all　to　the　city。　　The　second　cause　is
this；　that　by　making　use　here；　in　the　city；　of　what　I　have　collected
in　the　country；　I　tempt　and　lead　astray；　by　my　senseless　luxury；
those　country　people　who　come　hither　because　of　me；　in　order　in　some
way　to　get　back　what　they　have　been　deprived　of　in　the　country。＇　｛13｝



CHAPTER　XIV。



I　reached　the　same　conclusion　from　a　totally　different　point。　　On
recalling　all　my　relations　with　the　city　poor　during　that　time；　I　saw
that　one　of　the　reasons　why　I　could　not　help　the　city　poor　was；　that
the　poor　were　disingenuous　and　untruthful　with　me。　　They　all　looked
upon　me；　not　as　a　man；　but　as　means。　　I　could　not　get　near　them；　and
I　thought　that　perhaps　I　did　not　understand　how　to　do　it；　but　without
uprightness；　no　help　was　possible。　　How　can　one　help　a　man　who　does
not　disclose　his　whole　condition？　　At　first　I　blamed　them　for　this
（it　is　so　natural　to　blame　some　one　else）；　but　a　remark　from　an
observing　man　named　Siutaeff；　who　was　visiting　me　at　the　time；
explained　this　matter　to　me；　and　showed　me　where　the　cause　of　my　want
of　success　lay。　　I　remember　that　Siutaeff's　remark　struck　me　very
forcibly　at　the　time；　but　I　only　understood　its　full　significance
later　on。　　It　was　at　the　height　of　my　self…delusion。　　I　was　sitting
with　my　sister；　and　Siutaeff　was　there　also　at　her　house；　and　my
sister　was　questioning　me　about　my　undertaking。　　I　told　her　about　it；
and；　as　always　happens　when　you　have　no　faith　in　your　course；　I
talked　to　her　with　great　enthusiasm　and　warmth；　and　at　great　length；
of　what　I　had　done；　and　of　what　might　possibly　come　of　it。　　I　told
her　every　thing；how　we　were　going　to　keep　track　of　pauperism　in
Moscow；　how　we　were　going　to　keep　an　eye　on　the　orphans　and　old
people；　how　we　were　going　to　send　away　all　country　people　who　had
grown　poor　here；　how　we　were　going　to　smooth　the　pathway　to　reform
for　the　depraved；　how；　if　only　the　matter　could　be　managed；　there
would　not　be　a　man　left　in　Moscow；　who　could　not　obtain　assistance。
My　sister　sympathized　with　me；　and　we　discussed　it。　　In　the　middle　of
our　conversation；　I　glanced　at　Siutaeff。　　As　I　was　acquainted　with
his　Christian　life；　and　with　the　significance　which　he　attached　to
charity；　I　expected　his　sympathy；　and　spoke　so　that　he　understood
this；　I　talked　to　my　sister；　but　directed　my　remarks　more　at　him。　　He
sat　immovable　in　his　dark　tanned　sheepskin　jacket；which　he　wore；
like　all　peasants；　both　out　of　doors　and　in　the　house；and　as　though
he　did　not　hear　us；　but　were　thinking　of　his　own　affairs。　　His　small
eyes　did　not　twinkle；　and　seemed　to　be　turned　inwards。　　Having
finished　what　I　had　to　say；　I　turned　to　him　with　a　query　as　to　what
he　thought　of　it。

〃It's　all　a　foolish　business；〃　said　he。

〃Why？〃

〃Your　whole　society　is　foolish；　and　nothing　good　can　come　out　of　it；〃
he　repeated　with　conviction。

〃Why　not？　　Why　is　it　a　stupid　business　to　help　thousands；　at　any　rate
hundreds；　of　unfortunate　beings？　　Is　it　a　bad　thing；　according　to　the
Gospel；　to　clothe　the　naked；　and　feed　the　hungry？〃

〃I　know；　I　know；　but　that　is　not　what　you　are　doing。　　Is　it　necessary
to　render　assistance　in　that　way？　　You　are　walking　along；　and　a　man
asks　you　for　twenty　kopeks。　　You　give　them　to　him。　　Is　that　alms？　　Do
you　give　spiritual　alms；teach　him。　　But　what　is　it　that　you　have
given？　　It　was　only　for　the　sake　of　getting　rid　of　him。〃

〃No；　and；　besides；　that　is　not　what　we　are　talking　about。　　We　want　to
know　about　this　need；　and　then　to　help　by　both　money　and　deeds；　and
to　find　work。〃

〃You　can　do　nothing　with　those　people　in　that　way。〃

〃So　they　are　to　be　allowed　to　die　of　hunger　and　cold？〃

〃Why　should　they　die？　　Are　there　many　of　them　there？〃

〃What；　many　of　them？〃　said　I；　thinking　that　he　looked　at　the　matter
so　lightly　because　he　was　not　aware　how　vast　was　the　number　of　these
people。

〃Why；　do　you　know；〃　said　I；　〃I　believe　that　there　are　twenty　thousand
of　these　cold　and　hungry　people　in　Moscow。　　And　how　about　Petersburg
and　the　other　cities？〃

He　smiled。

〃Twenty　thousand！　　And　how　many　households　are　there　in　Russia　alone；
do　you　think？　　Are　there　a　million？〃

〃Well；　what　then？〃

〃What　then？〃　and　his　eyes　flashed；　and　he　grew　animated。　　〃Come；　let
us　divide　them　among　ourselves。　　I　am　not　rich；　I　will　take　two
persons　on　the　spot。　　There　is　the　lad　whom　you　took　into　your
kitchen；　I　invited　him　to　come　to　my　house；　and　he　did　not　come。
Were　there　ten　times　as　many；　let　us　divide　them　among　us。　　Do　you
take　some；　and　I　will　take　some。　　We　will　work　together。　　He　will　see
how　I　work；　and　he　will　learn。　　He　will　see　how　I　live；　and　we　will
sit　down　at　the　same　table　together；　and　he　will　hear　my　words　and
yours。　　This　charity　society　of　yours　is　nonsense。〃

These　simple　words　impressed　me。　　I　could　not　but　admit　their
justice；　but　it　seemed　to　me　at　that　time；　that；　in　spite　of　their
truth；　still　that　which　I　had　planned　might　possibly　prove　of
service。　　But　the　further　I　carried　this　business；　the　more　I
associated　with　the　poor；　the　more　frequently　did　this　remark　recur
to　my　mind；　and　the　greater　was　the　significance　which　it　acquired
for　me。

I　arrive　in　a　costly　fur　coat；　or　with　my　horses；　or　the　man　who
lacks　shoes　sees　my　two…thousand…ruble　apartments。　　He　sees　how；　a
little　while　ago；　I　gave　five　rubles　without　begrudging　them；　merely
because　I　took　a　whim　to　do　so。　　He　surely　knows　that　if　I　give　away
rubles　in　that　manner；　it　is　only　because　I　have　hoarded　up　so　many
of　them；　that　I　have　a　great　many　superfluous　ones；　which　I　not　only
have　not　given　away；　but　which　I　have　easily　taken　from　other　people。
＇What　else　could　he　see　in　me　but　one　of　those　persons　who　have　got
possession　of　what　belongs　to　him？　　And　what　other　feeling　can　he
cherish　towards　me；　than　a　desire　to　obtain　from　me　as　many　of　those
rubles；　which　have　been　stolen　from　him　and　from　others；　as　possible？
I　wish　to　get　close　to　him；　and　I　complain　that　he　is　not　frank；　and
here　I　am；　afraid　to　sit　down　on　his　bed　for　fear　of　getting　lice；　or
catching　something　infectious；　and　I　am　afraid　to　admit　him　to　my
room；　and　he；　coming　to　me　naked；　waits；　generally　in　the　vestibule；
or；　if　very　fortunate；　in　the　ante…chamber。　　And　yet　I　declare　that
he　is　to　blame　because　I　cannot　enter　into　intimate　relations　with
him；　and　because　me　is　not　frank。

Let　the　sternest　man　try　the　experiment　of　eating　a　dinner　of　five
courses　in　the　midst　of　people　who　have　had　very　little　or　nothing
but　black　bread　to　eat。　　Not　a　man　will　have　the　spirit　to　eat；　and
to　watch　how　the　hungry　lick　their　chops　around　him。　　Hence；　then；　in
order　to　eat　daintily　amid　the　famishing；　the　first　indispensable
requisite　is　to　hide　from　them；　in　order　that　they　may　not　see　it。
This　is　the　very　thing；　and　the　first　thing；　that　we　do。

And　I　took　a　simpler　view　of　our　life；　and　perceived　that　an　approach
to　the　poor　is　not　difficult　to　us　through　accidental　causes；　but
that　we　deliberately　arrange　our　lives　in　such　a　fashion　so　that　this
approach　may