the moscow census-第23部分

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old　coachman　sat　all　night　long　in　that　temperature　on　his　box。　　But
I　know　that　they　really　do　not　see　this。　　And　if　they；　these　young
women　and　girls；　do　not　see　this；　on　account　of　the　hypnotic　state
superinduced　in　them　by　balls；　it　is　impossible　to　condemn　them。
They；　poor　things；　have　done　what　is　considered　right　by　their
elders；　but　how　are　their　elders　to　explain　away　this　their　cruelty
to　the　people？

The　elders　always　offer　the　explanation：　　〃I　compel　no　one。　　I
purchase　my　things；　I　hire　my　men；　my　maid…servants；　and　my　coachman。
There　is　nothing　wrong　in　buying　and　hiring。　　I　force　no　one's
inclination：　　I　hire；　and　what　harm　is　there　in　that？〃

I　recently　went　to　see　an　acquaintance。　　As　I　passed　through　one　of
the　rooms；　I　was　surprised　to　see　two　women　seated　at　a　table；　as　I
knew　that　my　friend　was　a　bachelor。　　A　thin；　yellow；　old…fashioned
woman；　thirty　years　of　age；　in　a　dress　that　had　been　carelessly
thrown　on；　was　doing　something　with　her　hands　and　fingers　on　the
table；　with　great　speed；　trembling　nervously　the　while；　as　though　in
a　fit。　　Opposite　her　sat　a　young　girl；　who　was　also　engaged　in
something；　and　who　trembled　in　the　same　manner。　　Both　women　appeared
to　be　afflicted　with　St。　Vitus'　dance。　　I　stepped　nearer　to　them；　and
looked　to　see　what　they　were　doing。　　They　raised　their　eyes　to　me；
but　went　on　with　their　work　with　the　same　intentness。　　In　front　of
them　lay　scattered　tobacco　and　paper　cases。　　They　were　making
cigarettes。　　The　woman　rubbed　the　tobacco　between　her　hands；　pushed
it　into　the　machine；　slipped　on　the　cover；　thrust　the　tobacco
through；　then　tossed　it　to　the　girl。　　The　girl　twisted　the　paper；
and；　making　it　fast；　threw　it　aside；　and　took　up　another。　　All　thus
was　done　with　such　swiftness；　with　such　intentness；　as　it　is
impossible　to　describe　to　a　man　who　has　never　seen　it　done。　　I
expressed　my　surprise　at　their　quickness。

〃I　have　been　doing　nothing　else　for　fourteen　years；〃　said　the　woman。

〃Is　it　hard？〃

〃Yes：　　it　pains　my　chest；　and　makes　my　breathing　hard。〃

It　was　not　necessary　for　her　to　add　this；　however。　　A　look　at　the
girl　sufficed。　　She　had　worked　at　this　for　three　years；　but　any　one
who　had　not　seen　her　at　this　occupation　would　have　said　that　here　was
a　strong　organism　which　was　beginning　to　break　down。

My　friend；　a　kind　and　liberal　man；　hires　these　women　to　fill　his
cigarettes　at　two　rubles　fifty　kopeks　the　thousand。　　He　has　money；
and　he　spends　it　for　work。　　What　harm　is　there　in　that？　　My　friend
rises　at　twelve　o'clock。　　He　passes　the　evening；　from　six　until　two；
at　cards；　or　at　the　piano。　　He　eats　and　drinks　savory　things；　others
do　all　his　work　for　him。　　He　has　devised　a　new　source　of　pleasure；
smoking。　　He　has　taken　up　smoking　within　my　memory。

Here　is　a　woman；　and　here　is　a　girl；　who　can　barely　support
themselves　by　turning　themselves　into　machines；　and　they　pass　their
whole　lives　inhaling　tobacco；　and　thereby　running　their　health。　　He
has　money　which　he　never　earned；　and　he　prefers　to　play　at　whist　to
making　his　own　cigarettes。　　He　gives　these　women　money　on　condition
that　they　shall　continue　to　live　in　the　same　wretched　manner　in　which
they　are　now　living；　that　is　to　say；　by　making　his　cigarettes。

I　love　cleanliness；　and　I　give　money　only　on　the　condition　that　the
laundress　shall　wash　the　shirt　which　I　change　twice　a　day；　and　that
shirt　has　destroyed　the　laundress's　last　remaining　strength；　and　she
has　died。　　What　is　there　wrong　about　that？　　People　who　buy　and　hire
will　continue　to　force　other　people　to　make　velvet　and　confections；
and　will　purchase　them；　without　me；　and　no　matter　what　I　may　do；　they
will　hire　cigarettes　made　and　shirts　washed。　　Then　why　should　I
deprive　myself　of　velvet　and　confections　and　cigarettes　and　clean
shirts；　if　things　are　definitively　settled　thus？　　This　is　the
argument　which　I　often；　almost　always；　hear。　　This　is　the　very
argument　which　makes　the　mob　which　is　destroying　something；　lose　its
senses。　　This　is　the　very　argument　by　which　dogs　are　guided　when　one
of　them　has　flung　himself　on　another　dog；　and　overthrown　him；　and　the
rest　of　the　pack　rush　up　also；　and　tear　their　comrade　in　pieces。
Other　people　have　begun　it；　and　have　wrought　mischief；　then　why
should　not　I　take　advantage　of　it？　　Well；　what　will　happen　if　I　wear
a　soiled　shirt；　and　make　my　own　cigarettes？　　Will　that　make　it　easier
for　anybody　else？　ask　people　who　would　like　to　justify　their　course。
If　it　were　not　so　far　from　the　truth；　it　would　be　a　shame　to　answer
such　a　question；　but　we　have　become　so　entangled　that　this　question
seems　very　natural　to　us；　and　hence；　although　it　is　a　shame；　it　is
necessary　to　reply　to　it。

What　difference　will　it　make　if　I　wear　one　shirt　a　week；　and　make　may
own　cigarettes；　or　do　not　smoke　at　all？　　This　difference；　that　some
laundress　and　some　cigarette…maker　will　exert　their　strength　less；
and　that　what　I　have　spent　for　washing　and　for　the　making　of
cigarettes　I　can　give　to　that　very　laundress；　or　even　to　other
laundresses　and　toilers　who　are　worn　out　with　their　labor；　and　who；
instead　of　laboring　beyond　their　strength；　will　then　be　able　to　rest；
and　drink　tea。　　But　to　this　I　hear　an　objection。　　（It　is　so
mortifying　to　rich　and　luxurious　people　to　understand　their
position。）　　To　this　they　say：　　〃If　I　go　about　in　a　dirty　shirt；　and
give　up　smoking；　and　hand　over　this　money　to　the　poor；　the　poor　will
still　be　deprived　of　every　thing；　and　that　drop　in　the　sea　of　yours
will　help　not　at　all。〃

Such　an　objection　it　is　a　shame　to　answer。　　It　is　such　a　common
retort。　｛30｝

If　I　had　gone　among　savages；　and　they　had　regaled　me　with　cutlets
which　struck　me　as　savory；　and　if　I　should　learn　on　the　following　day
that　these　savory　cutlets　had　been　made　from　a　prisoner　whom　they　had
slain　for　the　sake　of　the　savory　cutlets；　if　I　do　not　admit　that　it
is　a　good　thing　to　eat　men；　then；　no　matter　how　dainty　the　cutlets；
no　matter　how　universal　the　practice　of　eating　men　may　be　among　my
fellows；　however　insignificant　the　advantage　to　prisoners；　prepared
for　consumption；　may　be　my　refusal　to　eat　of　the　cutlets；　I　will　not
and　I　can　not　eat　any　more　of　them。　　I　may；　possibly；　eat　human
flesh；　when　hunger　compels　me　to　it；　but　I　will　not　make　a　feast；　and
I　will　not　take　part　in　feasts；　of　human　flesh；　and　I　will　not　seek
out　such　feasts；　and　pride　myself　on　my　share　in　them。


LIFE　IN　THE　COUNTRY。


But　what　is　to　be　done？　　Surely　it　is　not　we　who　have　done　this？　　And
if　not　we；　who　then？

We　say：　　〃We　have　not　done　this；　this　has　done　itself；〃　as　the
children　say；　when　they　break　any　thing；　that　it　broke　itself。　　We
say；　that；　so　long　as　there　is　a　city　already　in　existence；　we；　by
living　in　it；　support　the　people；　by　purchasing　their　labor　and
services。　　But　this　is　not　so。　　And　this　is　why。　　We　only　need　to
look　ourselves；　at　the　way　we　have　in　the　country；　and　at　the　manner
in　which　we　support　people　there。

The　winter　passes　in　town。　　Easter　Week　passes。　　On　the　boulevards；
in　the　gardens　in　the　parks；　on　the　river；　there　is　music。　　There　are
theatres；　water…trips；　walks；　all　sorts　of　illuminations　and
fireworks。　　But　in　the　country　there　is　something　even　better；there
are　better　air；　trees　and　meadows；　and　the　flowers　are　fresher。　　One
should　go　thither　where　all　these　things　have　unfolded　and　blossomed
forth。　　And　the　majority　of　wealthy　people　do　go　to　the　country　to
breathe　the　superior　air；　to　survey　these　superior　forests　and
meadows。　　And　there　the　wealthy　settle　down　in　the　country；　and　the
gray　peasants；　who　nourish　themselves　on　bread　and　onions；　who　toil
eighteen　hours　a　day；　who　get　no　sound　sleep　by　night；　and　who　are
clad　in　blouses。　　Here　no　one　has　led　these　people　astray。　　There
have　been　no　factories　nor　industrial　establishments；　and　there　are
none　of　those　idle　hands；　of　which　there　are　so　many　in　the　city。
Here　the　whole　population　never　succeeds；　all　summer　long；　in
completing　all　their　tasks　in　season；　and　not　only　are　there　no　idle
hands；　but　a　vast　quantity　of　property　is　ruined　for　the　lack　of
hands；　and　a　throng　of　people；　children；　old　men；　and　women；　will
perish　through　overstraining　their　powers　in　work　which　is　beyond
their　strength。　　How　do　the　rich　order　their　lives　there？　　In　this
fashion：…

If　there　is　an　old…fashioned　house；　built　under　the　serf　regime；　that
house　is　repaired　and　embellished；　if　there　is　none；　then　a　new　one
is　erected；　of　two　or　three　stories。　　The　rooms；　of　which　there　are
from　twelve　to　twenty；　and　even　more；　are　all　six　arshins　in　height。
｛31｝　　Wood　floors　are　laid　down。　　The　windows　consist　of　one　sheet　of
glass。　　There　are　rich　rugs　and　costly　furniture。　　The　roads　around
the　house　are　macadamized；　the　ground　is　levelled；　flower…beds　are
laid　out；　croquet…grounds　are　prepared；　swinging…rings　for　gymnastics
are　erected；　reflecting　globes；　often　orangeries；　and　hotbeds；　and
lofty　stables　always　with　complicated　scroll…work　on　the　gables　and
ridges。

And　here；　in　the　country；　an　honest　educated　official；　or　noble
family　dwells。　　All　the　members　of　the　family　and　their　guests　have
assembled　in　the　middle　of　June；　because　up　to　June；　that　is　to　say；
up　to　the　beginning　of　mowing…time；　they　have　been　studying　and
undergoing　examinations；　and　they　live　there　until　September；　that　is
to　say；　until　harvest　and　sowing…time。　　The　members　of　this　family
（as　is　the　case　with　nearly　every　one　in　that　circle）　have　lived　in
the　country　from　the　beginning　of　the　press　of　work；　the　suffering
time；　not　until　the　end　of　the　season　of　toil　（for　in　September
sowing　is　still　in　progress；　as　well　as　the　digging　of　potatoes）；　but
until　the　strain　of　work　has　relaxed　a　little。　　During　the　whole　of
their　residence　in　the　country；　all　around　them　and　beside　them；　that
summer　toil　of　the　peasantry　has　been　going　on；　of　whose　fatigues；　no
matter　how　much　we　may　have　heard；　no　matter　how　much　we　may　have
heard　about　it；　no　matter　how　much　we　may　have　gazed　upon　it；　we　can
form　no　idea；　unless　we　have　had　personal　experience　of　it。　　And　the
members　of　this　family；　about　ten　in　number；　live　exactly　as　they　do
in　the　city。

At　St。　Peter's　Day；　｛32｝　a　strict　fast；　when　the