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diff --git a/38025-h/38025-h.htm b/38025-h/38025-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..212e9d9 --- /dev/null +++ b/38025-h/38025-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,19917 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" +"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" /> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Fables for Children, Stories for Children, Natural Science Stories, Popular Education, Decembrists, Moral Tales, by Leo Tolstoy</title> + +<style type="text/css"> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; +} + +.p2 {margin-top: 2em;} +.p4 {margin-top: 4em;} +.p6 {margin-top: 6em;} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; +} + +hr.tb {width: 45%;} +hr.chap {width: 65%} +hr.full {width: 95%;} + +hr.r5 {width: 5%; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;} +hr.r65 {width: 65%; margin-top: 3em; margin-bottom: 3em;} + +ul.index { list-style-type: none; } +li.ifrst { margin-top: 1em; } +li.indx { margin-top: .5em; } +li.isub1 {text-indent: 1em;} +li.isub2 {text-indent: 2em;} +li.isub3 {text-indent: 3em;} + +.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; +} /* page numbers */ + +.blockquot { + margin-left: 5%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + +.center {text-align: center;} + +.right {text-align: right;} + +.big {font-size: 130%;} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + +.caption {font-weight: bold;} + +.indent {margin-left: 1em;} + +.smcaplc { text-transform: lowercase; font-variant: small-caps; } + +/* Images */ +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; +} + +/* Footnotes */ +.footnotes {border: dashed 1px;} + +.footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + +.footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + +.fnanchor { + vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: + none; +} + +/* Poetry */ +.poem { + margin-left:10%; + margin-right:10%; + text-align: left; +} + +.poem br {display: none;} + +.poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + +.poem span.i0 { + display: block; + margin-left: 0em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; +} + +.poem span.i2 { + display: block; + margin-left: 2em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; +} + +.poem span.i4 { + display: block; + margin-left: 4em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; +} + +/* Table of contents */ + .toc {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .toc .label {text-align: right; position: absolute; right: 10%;} + + .toc {list-style-type: none;} + .toc ul {list-style-type: none;} + +/* Transcriber's notes */ +.transnote {background-color: #E6E6FA; + color: black; + font-size:smaller; + padding:0.5em; + margin-bottom:5em; + font-family:sans-serif, serif; } + + hr.pg { width: 100%; + margin-top: 3em; + margin-bottom: 0em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + height: 4px; + border-width: 4px 0 0 0; /* remove all borders except the top one */ + border-style: solid; + border-color: #000000; + clear: both; } + pre {font-size: 85%;} + </style> +</head> +<body> + +<div style='text-align:center; font-size:1.2em; font-weight:bold'>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Fables for Children, Stories for Children, Natural Science Stories, Popular Education, Decembrists, Moral Tales, by Leo Tolstoy</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and +most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions +whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms +of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online +at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you +are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the +country where you are located before using this eBook. +</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: Fables for Children, Stories for Children, Natural Science Stories, Popular Education, Decembrists, Moral Tales</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: Leo Tolstoy</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Translator: Leo Wiener</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: November 15, 2011 [eBook #38025]<br /> +[Most recently updated: October 28, 2021]</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Character set encoding: UTF-8</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Produced by: Anna Hall, Albert László, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team</div> +<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FABLES FOR CHILDREN, STORIES FOR CHILDREN, NATURAL SCIENCE STORIES, POPULAR EDUCATION, DECEMBRISTS, MORAL TALES ***</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_i" id="Page_i">[Pg i]</a></span></p> + + + +<h1><span class="smcap">The Complete Works of</span><br /> +COUNT TOLSTÓY<br /> +<span class="smcap">Volume XII.</span></h1> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_ii" id="Page_ii">[Pg ii]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 413px;"> +<a href="images/i_005.jpg"> +<img src="images/i_005_s.jpg" width="413" height="600" alt="" title="" /> +</a> +<span class="caption">"The clerk beat Sidor's face until the +blood came" +<br /> +<i>Photogravure from Painting by A. Kivshénko</i></span> +</div> + + + + +<p class="center big">FABLES FOR CHILDREN ⚘ +STORIES FOR CHILDREN +⚘ NATURAL SCIENCE +STORIES ⚘ POPULAR EDUCATION ⚘ +DECEMBRISTS +⚘ MORAL TALES ⚘ ⚘ ⚘</p> + +<p class="center big">By COUNT LEV N. T́OLSTÓY</p> + +<p class="center">Translated from the Original Russian and Edited by</p> + +<p class="center big">LEO WIENER</p> + +<p class="center">Assistant Professor of Slavic Languages at Harvard University</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 306px;"> +<a href="images/i_008.jpg"> +<img src="images/i_008_s.jpg" width="306" height="300" alt="" title="" /> +</a> +</div> + +<p class="center">BOSTON ⚘ DANA ESTES & +COMPANY ⚘ PUBLISHERS +</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_iii" id="Page_iii">[Pg iii]</a><br /><a name="Page_iv" id="Page_iv">[Pg iv]</a></span></p> + + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p class="center">EDITION DE LUXE</p> + +<p class="center">Limited to One Thousand Copies, +of which this is +No. 411</p> + +<p class="center"><i>Copyright, 1904</i><br /> +<span class="smcap">By Dana Estes & Company</span></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Entered at Stationers' Hall</i></p> + +<p class="center">Colonial Press: Electrotyped and Printed by +C. H. Simonds & Co., Boston, Mass., U. S. A.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_v" id="Page_v">[Pg v]</a></span></p> + +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + + +<ul class="toc"> +<li> <span class="label right"><span class="smcaplc">PAGE</span></span></li> +</ul> + +<h3>FABLES FOR CHILDREN</h3> +<ul class="toc"> +<li><span class="smcap">Æsop's Fables</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_3">3</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap">Adaptations and Imitations of Hindoo Fables</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_19">19</a></span></li> +</ul> + +<h3>STORIES FOR CHILDREN</h3> +<ul class="toc"> +<li><span class="smcap">The Foundling</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_39">39</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap">The Peasant and the Cucumbers</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_40">40</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap">The Fire</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_41">41</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap">The Old Horse</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_43">43</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap">How I Learned to Ride</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_46">46</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap">The Willow</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_49">49</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap">Búlka</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_51">51</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap">Búlka and the Wild Boar</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_53">53</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap">Pheasants</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_56">56</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap">Milton and Búlka</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_58">58</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap">The Turtle</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_60">60</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap">Búlka and the Wolf</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_62">62</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap">What Happened to Búlka in Pyatigórsk</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_65">65</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap">Búlka's and Milton's End</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_68">68</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap">The Gray Hare</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_70">70</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap">God Sees the Truth, but Does Not Tell at Once</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_72">72</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap">Hunting Worse than Slavery</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_82">82</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap">A Prisoner of the Caucasus</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_92">92</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap">Ermák</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_124">124</a></span></li> +</ul> + +<h3>NATURAL SCIENCE STORIES</h3> +<ul class="toc"> +<li><span class="smcap">Stories From Physics:</span><br /></li> +<li><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vi" id="Page_vi">[Pg vi]</a></span><span class="smcap indent">The Magnet</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_137">137</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap indent">Moisture</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_140">140</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap indent">The Different Connection of Particles</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_142">142</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap indent">Crystals</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_143">143</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap indent">Injurious Air</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_146">146</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap indent">How Balloons Are Made</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_150">150</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap indent">Galvanism</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_152">152</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap indent">The Sun's Heat</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_156">156</a></span></li> +<li><br /></li> +<li><span class="smcap">Stories From Zoology:</span><br /></li> +<li><span class="smcap indent">The Owl and the Hare</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_159">159</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap indent">How the Wolves Teach Their Whelps</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_160">160</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap indent">Hares and Wolves</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_161">161</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap indent">The Scent</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_162">162</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap indent">Touch and Sight</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_164">164</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap indent">The Silkworm</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_165">165</a></span></li> +<li><br /></li> +<li><span class="smcap">Stories From Botany:</span><br /></li> +<li><span class="smcap indent">The Apple-Tree</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_170">170</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap indent">The Old Poplar</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_172">172</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap indent">The Bird-Cherry</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_174">174</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap indent">How Trees Walk</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_176">176</a></span></li> +<li><hr class="tb" /></li> +<li><span class="smcap">The Decembrists</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_181">181</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap">On Popular Education</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_251">251</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap">What Men Live By</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_327">327</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap">The Three Hermits</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_363">363</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap">Neglect the Fire</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_375">375</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap">The Candle</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_395">395</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap">The Two Old Men</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_409">409</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap">Where Love Is, There God Is Also</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_445">445</a></span></li> +</ul> + +<h3>TEXTS FOR CHAPBOOK ILLUSTRATIONS</h3> +<ul class="toc"> +<li><span class="smcap">The Fiend Persists, but God Resists</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_463">463</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap">Little Girls Wiser than Old People</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_466">466</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap">The Two Brothers and the Gold</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_469">469</a></span></li> +<li><span class="smcap">Ilyás</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_472">472</a></span></li> +<li><hr class="tb" /></li> +<li><span class="smcap">A Fairy-Tale about Iván the Fool</span> <span class="label"><a href="#Page_481">481</a></span></li> +</ul> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vii" id="Page_vii">[Pg vii]</a></span></p> + + +<h2>LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> +<ul class="toc"> +<li>"<span class="smcap">The clerk beat Sídor's face until the blood came</span>" (<i>The Candle, see page 397</i>) <span class="label"><i>Frontispiece</i></span></li> +<li>"'<span class="smcap">Whose knife is this?</span>'" <span class="label"><a href="#Page_73">73</a></span></li> +<li>"'<span class="smcap">God will forgive you</span>'" <span class="label"><a href="#Page_81">81</a></span></li> +<li>"<span class="smcap">They rode off to the mountains</span>" <span class="label"><a href="#Page_96">96</a></span></li> +<li>"'<span class="smcap">Whither are you bound?</span>'" <span class="label"><a href="#Page_332">332</a></span></li> +<li>"<span class="smcap">But the candle was still burning</span>" <span class="label"><a href="#Page_403">403</a></span></li> +</ul> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_viii" id="Page_viii">[Pg viii]</a></span><br /></p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</a></span></p> + + +<h2>FABLES FOR CHILDREN<br /> +1869-1872</h2> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</a></span><br /></p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span></p> +<p class="big center"><a name="FABLES_FOR_CHILDREN" id="FABLES_FOR_CHILDREN"></a>FABLES FOR CHILDREN</p> + + + +<h2><a name="I_AESOPS_FABLES" id="I_AESOPS_FABLES"></a>I. ÆSOP'S FABLES</h2> + + +<h3>THE ANT AND THE DOVE</h3> + +<p>An Ant came down to the brook: he wanted to drink. +A wave washed him down and almost drowned him. A +Dove was carrying a branch; she saw the Ant was drowning, +so she cast the branch down to him in the brook. +The Ant got up on the branch and was saved. Then a +hunter placed a snare for the Dove, and was on the point +of drawing it in. The Ant crawled up to the hunter and +bit him on the leg; the hunter groaned and dropped the +snare. The Dove fluttered upwards and flew away.</p> + + +<h3>THE TURTLE AND THE EAGLE</h3> + +<p>A Turtle asked an Eagle to teach her how to fly. The +Eagle advised her not to try, as she was not fit for it; +but she insisted. The Eagle took her in his claws, raised +her up, and dropped her: she fell on stones and broke to +pieces.</p> + +<h3>THE POLECAT</h3> + +<p>A Polecat entered a smithy and began to lick the filings. +Blood began to flow from the Polecat's mouth, but +he was glad and continued to lick; he thought that the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span> +blood was coming from the iron, and lost his whole +tongue.</p> + +<h3>THE LION AND THE MOUSE</h3> + +<p>A Lion was sleeping. A Mouse ran over his body. +He awoke and caught her. The Mouse besought him; +she said:</p> + +<p>"Let me go, and I will do you a favour!"</p> + +<p>The Lion laughed at the Mouse for promising him a +favour, and let her go.</p> + +<p>Then the hunters caught the Lion and tied him with a +rope to a tree. The Mouse heard the Lion's roar, ran up, +gnawed the rope through, and said:</p> + +<p>"Do you remember? You laughed, not thinking that +I could repay, but now you see that a favour may come +also from a Mouse."</p> + +<h3>THE LIAR</h3> + +<p>A Boy was watching the sheep and, pretending that he +saw a wolf, he began to cry:</p> + +<p>"Help! A wolf! A wolf!"</p> + +<p>The peasants came running up and saw that it was not +so. After doing this for a second and a third time, it +happened that a wolf came indeed. The Boy began to +cry:</p> + +<p>"Come, come, quickly, a wolf!"</p> + +<p>The peasants thought that he was deceiving them as +usual, and paid no attention to him. The wolf saw +there was no reason to be afraid: he leisurely killed the +whole flock.</p> + +<h3>THE ASS AND THE HORSE</h3> + +<p>A man had an Ass and a Horse. They were walking +on the road; the Ass said to the Horse:</p> + +<p>"It is heavy for me.—I shall not be able to carry it +all; take at least a part of my load."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span></p> + +<p>The Horse paid no attention to him. The Ass fell +down from overstraining himself, and died. When the +master transferred the Ass's load on the Horse, and added +the Ass's hide, the Horse began to complain:</p> + +<p>"Oh, woe to me, poor one, woe to me, unfortunate +Horse! I did not want to help him even a little, and +now I have to carry everything, and his hide, too."</p> + +<h3>THE JACKDAW AND THE DOVES</h3> + +<p>A Jackdaw saw that the Doves were well fed,—so +she painted herself white and flew into the dove-cot. +The Doves thought at first that she was a dove like +them, and let her in. But the Jackdaw forgot herself +and croaked in jackdaw fashion. Then the Doves began +to pick at her and drove her away. The Jackdaw flew +back to her friends, but the jackdaws were frightened at +her, seeing her white, and themselves drove her away.</p> + +<h3>THE WOMAN AND THE HEN</h3> + +<p>A Hen laid an egg each day. The Mistress thought +that if she gave her more to eat, she would lay twice as +much. So she did. The Hen grew fat and stopped laying.</p> + + +<h3>THE LION, THE BEAR, AND THE FOX</h3> + +<p>A Lion and a Bear procured some meat and began to +fight for it. The Bear did not want to give in, nor did +the Lion yield. They fought for so long a time that they +both grew feeble and lay down. A Fox saw the meat +between them; she grabbed it and ran away with it.</p> + + +<h3>THE DOG, THE COCK, AND THE FOX</h3> + +<p>A Dog and a Cock went to travel together. At night +the Cock fell asleep in a tree, and the Dog fixed a place<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span> +for himself between the roots of that tree. When the +time came, the Cock began to crow. A Fox heard the +Cock, ran up to the tree, and began to beg the Cock to +come down, as she wanted to give him her respects for +such a fine voice.</p> + +<p>The Cock said:</p> + +<p>"You must first wake up the janitor,—he is sleeping +between the roots. Let him open up, and I will come +down."</p> + +<p>The Fox began to look for the janitor, and started +yelping. The Dog sprang out at once and killed the +Fox.</p> + +<h3>THE HORSE AND THE GROOM</h3> + +<p>A Groom stole the Horse's oats, and sold them, but +he cleaned the Horse each day. Said the Horse:</p> + +<p>"If you really wish me to be in good condition, do not +sell my oats."</p> + +<h3>THE FROG AND THE LION</h3> + +<p>A Lion heard a Frog croaking, and thought it was a +large beast that was calling so loud. He walked up, +and saw a Frog coming out of the swamp. The Lion +crushed her with his paw and said:</p> + +<p>"There is nothing to look at, and yet I was frightened."</p> + +<h3>THE GRASSHOPPER AND THE ANTS</h3> + +<p>In the fall the wheat of the Ants got wet; they were +drying it. A hungry Grasshopper asked them for something +to eat. The Ants said:</p> + +<p>"Why did you not gather food during the summer?"</p> + +<p>She said:</p> + +<p>"I had no time: I sang songs."</p> + +<p>They laughed, and said:</p> + +<p>"If you sang in the summer, dance in the winter!"</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span></p> + +<h3>THE HEN AND THE GOLDEN EGGS</h3> + +<p>A master had a Hen which laid golden eggs. He +wanted more gold at once, and so killed the Hen (he +thought that inside of her there was a large lump of gold), +but she was just like any other hen.</p> + + +<h3>THE ASS IN THE LION'S SKIN</h3> + +<p>An Ass put on a lion's skin, and all thought it was a +lion. Men and animals ran away from him. A wind +sprang up, and the skin was blown aside, and the Ass +could be seen. People ran up and beat the Ass.</p> + +<h3>THE HEN AND THE SWALLOW</h3> + +<p>A Hen found some snake's eggs and began to sit on +them. A Swallow saw it and said:</p> + +<p>"Stupid one! You will hatch them out, and, when +they grow up, you will be the first one to suffer from +them."</p> + +<h3>THE STAG AND THE FAWN</h3> + +<p>A Fawn once said to a Stag:</p> + +<p>"Father, you are larger and fleeter than the dogs, and, +besides, you have huge antlers for defence; why, then, are +you so afraid of the dogs?"</p> + +<p>The Stag laughed, and said:</p> + +<p>"You speak the truth, my child. The trouble is,—the +moment I hear the dogs bark, I run before I have +time to think."</p> + +<h3>THE FOX AND THE GRAPES</h3> + +<p>A Fox saw some ripe bunches of grapes hanging high, +and tried to get at them, in order to eat them.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span></p> + +<p>She tried hard, but could not get them. To drown her +annoyance she said:</p> + +<p>"They are still sour."</p> + +<h3>THE MAIDS AND THE COCK</h3> + +<p>A mistress used to wake the Maids at night and, as +soon as the cocks crowed, put them to work. The Maids +found that hard, and decided to kill the Cock, so that the +mistress should not be wakened. They killed him, but +now they suffered more than ever: the mistress was +afraid that she would sleep past the time and so began +to wake the Maids earlier.</p> + +<h3>THE FISHERMAN AND THE FISH</h3> + +<p>A Fisherman caught a Fish. Said the Fish:</p> + +<p>"Fisherman, let me go into the water; you see I am +small: you will have little profit of me. If you let me +go, I shall grow up, and then you will catch me when it +will be worth while."</p> + +<p>But the Fisherman said:</p> + +<p>"A fool would be he who should wait for greater profit, +and let the lesser slip out of his hands."</p> + +<h3>THE FOX AND THE GOAT</h3> + +<p>A Goat wanted to drink. He went down the incline +to the well, drank his fill, and gained in weight. He +started to get out, but could not do so. He began to +bleat. A Fox saw him and said:</p> + +<p>"That's it, stupid one! If you had as much sense in +your head as there are hairs in your beard, you would +have thought of how to get out before you climbed down."</p> + +<h3>THE DOG AND HER SHADOW</h3> + +<p>A Dog was crossing the river over a plank, carrying a +piece of meat in her teeth. She saw herself in the water<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span> +and thought that another dog was carrying a piece of +meat. She dropped her piece and dashed forward to take +away what the other dog had: the other meat was gone, +and her own was carried away by the stream.</p> + +<p>And thus the Dog was left without anything.</p> + +<h3>THE CRANE AND THE STORK</h3> + +<p>A peasant put out his nets to catch the Cranes for +tramping down his field. In the nets were caught the +Cranes, and with them one Stork.</p> + +<p>The Stork said to the peasant:</p> + +<p>"Let me go! I am not a Crane, but a Stork; we are +most honoured birds; I live on your father's house. You +can see by my feathers that I am not a Crane."</p> + +<p>The peasant said:</p> + +<p>"With the Cranes I have caught you, and with them +will I kill you."</p> + +<h3>THE GARDENER AND HIS SONS</h3> + +<p>A Gardener wanted his Sons to get used to gardening. +As he was dying, he called them up and said to them:</p> + +<p>"Children, when I am dead, look for what is hidden in +the vineyard."</p> + +<p>The Sons thought that it was a treasure, and when +their father died, they began to dig there, and dug up the +whole ground. They did not find the treasure, but they +ploughed the vineyard up so well that it brought forth +more fruit than ever.</p> + +<h3>THE WOLF AND THE CRANE</h3> + +<p>A Wolf had a bone stuck in his throat, and could not +cough it up. He called the Crane, and said to him:</p> + +<p>"Crane, you have a long neck. Thrust your head into +my throat and draw out the bone! I will reward you."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span></p> + +<p>The Crane stuck his head in, pulled out the bone, and +said:</p> + +<p>"Give me my reward!"</p> + +<p>The Wolf gnashed his teeth and said:</p> + +<p>"Is it not enough reward for you that I did +not bite off your head when it was between my +teeth?"</p> + +<h3>THE HARES AND THE FROGS</h3> + +<p>The Hares once got together, and began to complain +about their life:</p> + +<p>"We perish from men, and from dogs, and from eagles, +and from all the other beasts. It would be better to die +at once than to live in fright and suffer. Come, let us +drown ourselves!"</p> + +<p>And the Hares raced away to drown themselves in a +lake. The Frogs heard the Hares and plumped into the +water. So one of the Hares said:</p> + +<p>"Wait, boys! Let us put off the drowning! Evidently +the Frogs are having a harder life than we: they are +afraid even of us."</p> + +<h3>THE FATHER AND HIS SONS</h3> + +<p>A Father told his Sons to live in peace: they paid no +attention to him. So he told them to bring the bath +broom, and said:</p> + +<p>"Break it!"</p> + +<p>No matter how much they tried, they could not +break it. Then the Father unclosed the broom, +and told them to break the rods singly. They +broke it.</p> + +<p>The Father said:</p> + +<p>"So it is with you: if you live in peace, no one will +overcome you; but if you quarrel, and are divided, any +one will easily ruin you."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span></p> + +<h3>THE FOX</h3> + +<p>A Fox got caught in a trap. She tore off her tail, and +got away. She began to contrive how to cover up her +shame. She called together the Foxes, and begged them +to cut off their tails.</p> + +<p>"A tail," she said, "is a useless thing. In vain do we +drag along a dead weight."</p> + +<p>One of the Foxes said:</p> + +<p>"You would not be speaking thus, if you were not tailless!"</p> + +<p>The tailless Fox grew silent and went away.</p> + +<h3>THE WILD ASS AND THE TAME ASS</h3> + +<p>A Wild Ass saw a Tame Ass. The Wild Ass went up +to him and began to praise his life, saying how smooth his +body was, and what sweet feed he received. Later, when +the Tame Ass was loaded down, and a driver began to +goad him with a stick, the Wild Ass said:</p> + +<p>"No, brother, I do not envy you: I see that your life +is going hard with you."</p> + +<h3>THE STAG</h3> + +<p>A Stag went to the brook to quench his thirst. He +saw himself in the water, and began to admire his horns, +seeing how large and branching they were; and he looked +at his feet, and said: "But my feet are unseemly and +thin."</p> + +<p>Suddenly a Lion sprang out and made for the Stag. +The Stag started to run over the open plain. He was getting +away, but there came a forest, and his horns caught +in the branches, and the lion caught him. As the Stag +was dying, he said:</p> + +<p>"How foolish I am! That which I thought to be +unseemly and thin was saving me, and what I gloried in +has been my ruin."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span></p> + +<h3>THE DOG AND THE WOLF</h3> + +<p>A Dog fell asleep back of the yard. A Wolf ran up and +wanted to eat him.</p> + +<p>Said the Dog:</p> + +<p>"Wolf, don't eat me yet: now I am lean and bony. Wait +a little,—my master is going to celebrate a wedding; +then I shall have plenty to eat; I shall grow fat. It will +be better to eat me then."</p> + +<p>The Wolf believed her, and went away. Then he came +a second time, and saw the Dog lying on the roof. The +Wolf said to her:</p> + +<p>"Well, have they had the wedding?"</p> + +<p>The Dog replied:</p> + +<p>"Listen, Wolf! If you catch me again asleep in front +of the yard, do not wait for the wedding."</p> + +<h3>THE GNAT AND THE LION</h3> + +<p>A Gnat came to a Lion, and said:</p> + +<p>"Do you think that you have more strength than I? +You are mistaken! What does your strength consist in? +Is it that you scratch with your claws, and gnaw with +your teeth? That is the way the women quarrel with +their husbands. I am stronger than you: if you wish +let us fight!"</p> + +<p>And the Gnat sounded his horn, and began to bite the +Lion on his bare cheeks and his nose. The Lion struck +his face with his paws and scratched it with his +claws. He tore his face until the blood came, and +gave up.</p> + +<p>The Gnat trumpeted for joy, and flew away. Then he +became entangled in a spider's web, and the spider began +to suck him up. The Gnat said:</p> + +<p>"I have vanquished the strong beast, the Lion, and +now I perish from this nasty spider."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span></p> + +<h3>THE HORSE AND HIS MASTERS</h3> + +<p>A gardener had a Horse. She had much to do, but +little to eat; so she began to pray to God to get another +master. And so it happened. The gardener sold the +Horse to a potter. The Horse was glad, but the potter +had even more work for her to do. And again the Horse +complained of her lot, and began to pray that she might +get a better master. And this prayer, too, was fulfilled. +The potter sold the Horse to a tanner. When the Horse +saw the skins of horses in the tanner's yard, she began to +cry:</p> + +<p>"Woe to me, wretched one! It would be better if I +could stay with my old masters. It is evident they have +sold me now not for work, but for my skin's sake."</p> + +<h3>THE OLD MAN AND DEATH</h3> + +<p>An Old Man cut some wood, which he carried away. +He had to carry it far. He grew tired, so he put down +his bundle, and said:</p> + +<p>"Oh, if Death would only come!"</p> + +<p>Death came, and said:</p> + +<p>"Here I am, what do you want?"</p> + +<p>The Old Man was frightened, and said:</p> + +<p>"Lift up my bundle!"</p> + +<h3>THE LION AND THE FOX</h3> + +<p>A Lion, growing old, was unable to catch the animals, +and so intended to live by cunning. He went into a den, +lay down there, and pretended that he was sick. The animals +came to see him, and he ate up those that went into +his den. The Fox guessed the trick. She stood at the +entrance of the den, and said:</p> + +<p>"Well, Lion, how are you feeling?"</p> + +<p>The Lion answered:</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Poorly. Why don't you come in?"</p> + +<p>The Fox replied:</p> + +<p>"I do not come in because I see by the tracks that +many have entered, but none have come out."</p> + +<h3>THE STAG AND THE VINEYARD</h3> + +<p>A Stag hid himself from the hunters in a vineyard. +When the hunters missed him, the Stag began to nibble +at the grape-vine leaves.</p> + +<p>The hunters noticed that the leaves were moving, and +so they thought, "There must be an animal under those +leaves," and fired their guns, and wounded the Stag.</p> + +<p>The Stag said, dying:</p> + +<p>"It serves me right for wanting to eat the leaves that +saved me."</p> + +<h3>THE CAT AND THE MICE</h3> + +<p>A house was overrun with Mice. A Cat found his +way into the house, and began to catch them. The Mice +saw that matters were bad, and said:</p> + +<p>"Mice, let us not come down from the ceiling! The +Cat cannot get up there."</p> + +<p>When the Mice stopped coming down, the Cat decided +that he must catch them by a trick. He grasped the ceiling +with one leg, hung down from it, and made believe +that he was dead.</p> + +<p>A Mouse looked out at him, but said:</p> + +<p>"No, my friend! Even if you should turn into a bag, +I would not go up to you."</p> + +<h3>THE WOLF AND THE GOAT</h3> + +<p>A Wolf saw a Goat browsing on a rocky mountain, and +he could not get at her; so he said to her:</p> + +<p>"Come down lower! The place is more even, and the +grass is much sweeter to feed on."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span></p> + +<p>But the Goat answered:</p> + +<p>"You are not calling me down for that, Wolf: you are +troubling yourself not about my food, but about yours."</p> + + +<h3>THE REEDS AND THE OLIVE-TREE</h3> + +<p>The Olive-tree and the Reeds quarrelled about who was +stronger and sounder. The Olive-tree laughed at the +Reeds because they bent in every wind. The Reeds kept +silence. A storm came: the Reeds swayed, tossed, bowed +to the ground,—and remained unharmed. The Olive-tree +strained her branches against the wind,—and broke.</p> + +<h3>THE TWO COMPANIONS</h3> + +<p>Two Companions were walking through the forest +when a Bear jumped out on them. One started to run, +climbed a tree, and hid himself, but the other remained +in the road. He had nothing to do, so he fell down on +the ground and pretended that he was dead.</p> + +<p>The Bear went up to him, and sniffed at him; but he +had stopped breathing.</p> + +<p>The Bear sniffed at his face; he thought that he was +dead, and so went away.</p> + +<p>When the Bear was gone, the Companion climbed down +from the tree and laughing, said: "What did the Bear +whisper in your ear?"</p> + +<p>"He told me that those who in danger run away from +their companions are bad people."</p> + +<h3>THE WOLF AND THE LAMB</h3> + +<p>A Wolf saw a Lamb drinking at a river. The Wolf +wanted to eat the Lamb, and so he began to annoy him. +He said:</p> + +<p>"You are muddling my water and do not let me +drink."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span></p> + +<p>The Lamb said:</p> + +<p>"How can I muddle your water? I am standing downstream +from you; besides, I drink with the tips of my +lips."</p> + +<p>And the Wolf said:</p> + +<p>"Well, why did you call my father names last summer?"</p> + +<p>The Lamb said:</p> + +<p>"But, Wolf, I was not yet born last summer."</p> + +<p>The Wolf got angry, and said:</p> + +<p>"It is hard to get the best of you. Besides, my stomach +is empty, so I will devour you."</p> + + +<h3>THE LION, THE WOLF, AND THE FOX</h3> + +<p>An old, sick Lion was lying in his den. All the animals +came to see the king, but the Fox kept away. So +the Wolf was glad of the chance, and began to slander the +Fox before the Lion.</p> + +<p>"She does not esteem you in the least," he said, "she +has not come once to see the king."</p> + +<p>The Fox happened to run by as he was saying these +words. She heard what the Wolf had said, and thought:</p> + +<p>"Wait, Wolf, I will get my revenge on you."</p> + +<p>So the Lion began to roar at the Fox, but she said:</p> + +<p>"Do not have me killed, but let me say a word! I did +not come to see you because I had no time. And I had +no time because I ran over the whole world to ask the +doctors for a remedy for you. I have just got it, and so I +have come to see you."</p> + +<p>The Lion said:</p> + +<p>"What is the remedy?"</p> + +<p>"It is this: if you flay a live Wolf, and put his warm +hide on you—"</p> + +<p>When the Lion stretched out the Wolf, the Fox laughed, +and said:</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span></p> + +<p>"That's it, my friend: masters ought to be led to do +good, not evil."</p> + + +<h3>THE LION, THE ASS, AND THE FOX</h3> + +<p>The Lion, the Ass, and the Fox went out to hunt. They +caught a large number of animals, and the Lion told the +Ass to divide them up. The Ass divided them into three +equal parts and said: "Now, take them!"</p> + +<p>The Lion grew angry, ate up the Ass, and told the Fox +to divide them up anew. The Fox collected them all into +one heap, and left a small bit for herself. The Lion +looked at it and said:</p> + +<p>"Clever Fox! Who taught you to divide so well?"</p> + +<p>She said:</p> + +<p>"What about that Ass?"</p> + + +<h3>THE PEASANT AND THE WATER-SPRITE</h3> + +<p>A Peasant lost his axe in the river; he sat down on the +bank in grief, and began to weep.</p> + +<p>The Water-sprite heard the Peasant and took pity on +him. He brought a gold axe out of the river, and said: +"Is this your axe?"</p> + +<p>The Peasant said: "No, it is not mine."</p> + +<p>The Water-sprite brought another, a silver axe.</p> + +<p>Again the Peasant said: "It is not my axe."</p> + +<p>Then the Water-sprite brought out the real axe.</p> + +<p>The Peasant said: "Now this is my axe."</p> + +<p>The Water-sprite made the Peasant a present of all three +axes, for having told the truth.</p> + +<p>At home the Peasant showed his axes to his friends, +and told them what had happened to him.</p> + +<p>One of the peasants made up his mind to do the same: +he went to the river, purposely threw his axe into the +water, sat down on the bank, and began to weep.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span></p> + +<p>The Water-sprite brought out a gold axe, and asked: "Is +this your axe?"</p> + +<p>The Peasant was glad, and called out: "It is mine, +mine!"</p> + +<p>The Water-sprite did not give him the gold axe, and did +not bring him back his own either, because he had told an +untruth.</p> + +<h3>THE RAVEN AND THE FOX</h3> + +<p>A Raven got himself a piece of meat, and sat down on +a tree. The Fox wanted to get it from him. She went +up to him, and said:</p> + +<p>"Oh, Raven, as I look at you,—from your size and +beauty,—you ought to be a king! And you would +certainly be a king, if you had a good voice."</p> + +<p>The Raven opened his mouth wide, and began to croak +with all his might and main. The meat fell down. The +Fox caught it and said:</p> + +<p>"Oh, Raven! If you had also sense, you would certainly +be a king."</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="II_ADAPTATIONS_AND_IMITATIONS" id="II_ADAPTATIONS_AND_IMITATIONS"></a>II. ADAPTATIONS AND IMITATIONS +OF HINDOO FABLES</h2> + + +<h3>THE SNAKE'S HEAD AND TAIL</h3> + +<p>The Snake's Tail had a quarrel with the Snake's Head +about who was to walk in front. The Head said:</p> + +<p>"You cannot walk in front, because you have no eyes +and no ears."</p> + +<p>The Tail said:</p> + +<p>"Yes, but I have strength, I move you; if I want to, I +can wind myself around a tree, and you cannot get off the +spot."</p> + +<p>The Head said:</p> + +<p>"Let us separate!"</p> + +<p>And the Tail tore himself loose from the Head, and +crept on; but the moment he got away from the Head, he +fell into a hole and was lost.</p> + +<h3>FINE THREAD</h3> + +<p>A Man ordered some fine thread from a Spinner. The +Spinner spun it for him, but the Man said that the thread +was not good, and that he wanted the finest thread he +could get. The Spinner said:</p> + +<p>"If this is not fine enough, take this!" and she pointed +to an empty space.</p> + +<p>He said that he did not see any. The Spinner said:</p> + +<p>"You do not see it, because it is so fine. I do not see +it myself."</p> + +<p>The Fool was glad, and ordered some more thread of +this kind, and paid her for what he got.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span></p> + +<h3>THE PARTITION OF THE INHERITANCE</h3> + +<p>A Father had two Sons. He said to them: "When I +die, divide everything into two equal parts."</p> + +<p>When the Father died, the Sons could not divide without +quarrelling. They went to a Neighbour to have him +settle the matter. The Neighbour asked them how their +Father had told them to divide. They said:</p> + +<p>"He ordered us to divide everything into two equal +parts."</p> + +<p>The Neighbour said:</p> + +<p>"If so, tear all your garments into two halves, break +your dishes into two halves, and cut all your cattle into +two halves!"</p> + +<p>The Brothers obeyed their Neighbour, and lost everything.</p> + +<h3>THE MONKEY</h3> + +<p>A Man went into the woods, cut down a tree, and +began to saw it. He raised the end of the tree on a +stump, sat astride over it, and began to saw. Then he +drove a wedge into the split that he had sawed, and went +on sawing; then he took out the wedge and drove it in +farther down.</p> + +<p>A Monkey was sitting on a tree and watching him. +When the Man lay down to sleep, the Monkey seated +herself astride the tree, and wanted to do the same; but +when she took out the wedge, the tree sprang back and +caught her tail. She began to tug and to cry. The Man +woke up, beat the Monkey, and tied a rope to her.</p> + +<h3>THE MONKEY AND THE PEASE</h3> + +<p>A Monkey was carrying both her hands full of pease. +A pea dropped on the ground; the Monkey wanted to +pick it up, and dropped twenty peas. She rushed to pick<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span> +them up and lost all the rest. Then she flew into a rage, +swept away all the pease and ran off.</p> + +<h3>THE MILCH COW</h3> + +<p>A Man had a Cow; she gave each day a pot full of +milk. The Man invited a number of guests. To have as +much milk as possible, he did not milk the Cow for ten +days. He thought that on the tenth day the Cow would +give him ten pitchers of milk.</p> + +<p>But the Cow's milk went back, and she gave less milk +than before.</p> + +<h3>THE DUCK AND THE MOON</h3> + +<p>A Duck was swimming in the pond, trying to find +some fish, but she did not find one in a whole day. +When night came, she saw the Moon in the water; she +thought that it was a fish, and plunged in to catch the +Moon. The other ducks saw her do it and laughed at +her.</p> + +<p>That made the Duck feel so ashamed and bashful that +when she saw a fish under the Water, she did not try to +catch it, and so died of hunger.</p> + +<h3>THE WOLF IN THE DUST</h3> + +<p>A Wolf wanted to pick a sheep out of a flock, and +stepped into the wind, so that the dust of the flock might +blow on him.</p> + +<p>The Sheep Dog saw him, and said:</p> + +<p>"There is no sense, Wolf, in your walking in the dust: +it will make your eyes ache."</p> + +<p>But the Wolf said:</p> + +<p>"The trouble is, Doggy, that my eyes have been aching +for quite awhile, and I have been told that the dust from +a flock of sheep will cure the eyes."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span></p> + +<h3>THE MOUSE UNDER THE GRANARY</h3> + +<p>A Mouse was living under the granary. In the floor +of the granary there was a little hole, and the grain fell +down through it. The Mouse had an easy life of it, but +she wanted to brag of her ease: she gnawed a larger hole +in the floor, and invited other mice.</p> + +<p>"Come to a feast with me," said she; "there will be +plenty to eat for everybody."</p> + +<p>When she brought the mice, she saw there was no +hole. The peasant had noticed the big hole in the floor, +and had stopped it up.</p> + +<h3>THE BEST PEARS</h3> + +<p>A master sent his Servant to buy the best-tasting pears. +The Servant came to the shop and asked for pears. The +dealer gave him some; but the Servant said:</p> + +<p>"No, give me the best!"</p> + +<p>The dealer said:</p> + +<p>"Try one; you will see that they taste good."</p> + +<p>"How shall I know," said the Servant, "that they all +taste good, if I try one only?"</p> + +<p>He bit off a piece from each pear, and brought them +to his master. Then his master sent him away.</p> + +<h3>THE FALCON AND THE COCK</h3> + +<p>The Falcon was used to the master, and came to his +hand when he was called; the Cock ran away from his +master and cried when people went up to him. So the +Falcon said to the Cock:</p> + +<p>"In you Cocks there is no gratitude; one can see that +you are of a common breed. You go to your masters +only when you are hungry. It is different with us wild +birds. We have much strength, and we can fly faster +than anybody; still we do not fly away from people, but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> +of our own accord go to their hands when we are called. +We remember that they feed us."</p> + +<p>Then the Cock said:</p> + +<p>"You do not run away from people because you have +never seen a roast Falcon, but we, you know, see roast +Cocks."</p> + +<h3>THE JACKALS AND THE ELEPHANT</h3> + +<p>The Jackals had eaten up all the carrion in the woods, +and had nothing to eat. So an old Jackal was thinking +how to find something to feed on. He went to an Elephant, +and said:</p> + +<p>"We had a king, but he became overweening: he told +us to do things that nobody could do; we want to choose +another king, and my people have sent me to ask you to +be our king. You will have an easy life with us. Whatever +you will order us to do, we will do, and we will +honour you in everything. Come to our kingdom!"</p> + +<p>The Elephant consented, and followed the Jackal. +The Jackal brought him to a swamp. When the Elephant +stuck fast in it, the Jackal said:</p> + +<p>"Now command! Whatever you command, we will +do."</p> + +<p>The Elephant said:</p> + +<p>"I command you to pull me out from here."</p> + +<p>The Jackal began to laugh, and said:</p> + +<p>"Take hold of my tail with your trunk, and I will +pull you out at once."</p> + +<p>The Elephant said:</p> + +<p>"Can I be pulled out by a tail?"</p> + +<p>But the Jackal said to him:</p> + +<p>"Why, then, do you command us to do what is impossible? +Did we not drive away our first king for telling +us to do what could not be done?"</p> + +<p>When the Elephant died in the swamp the Jackals +came and ate him up.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>THE HERON, THE FISHES, AND THE CRAB</h3> + +<p>A Heron was living near a pond. She grew old, and +had no strength left with which to catch the fish. She +began to contrive how to live by cunning. So she said +to the Fishes:</p> + +<p>"You Fishes do not know that a calamity is in store +for you: I have heard the people say that they are going +to let off the pond, and catch every one of you. I know +of a nice little pond back of the mountain. I should +like to help you, but I am old, and it is hard for me to +fly."</p> + +<p>The Fishes begged the Heron to help them. So the +Heron said:</p> + +<p>"All right, I will do what I can for you, and will +carry you over: only I cannot do it at once,—I will +take you there one after another."</p> + +<p>And the Fishes were happy; they kept begging her: +"Carry me over! Carry me over!"</p> + +<p>And the Heron started carrying them. She would +take one up, would carry her into the field, and would eat +her up. And thus she ate a large number of Fishes.</p> + +<p>In the pond there lived an old Crab. When the Heron +began to take out the Fishes, he saw what was up, and +said:</p> + +<p>"Now, Heron, take me to the new abode!"</p> + +<p>The Heron took the Crab and carried him off. When +she flew out on the field, she wanted to throw the Crab +down. But the Crab saw the fish-bones on the ground, +and so squeezed the Heron's neck with his claws, and +choked her to death. Then he crawled back to the pond, +and told the Fishes.</p> + + +<h3>THE WATER-SPRITE AND THE PEARL</h3> + +<p>A Man was rowing in a boat, and dropped a costly +pearl into the sea. The Man returned to the shore, took<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span> +a pail, and began to draw up the water and to pour it out +on the land. He drew the water and poured it out for +three days without stopping.</p> + +<p>On the fourth day the Water-sprite came out of the sea, +and asked:</p> + +<p>"Why are you drawing the water?"</p> + +<p>The Man said:</p> + +<p>"I am drawing it because I have dropped a pearl into it."</p> + +<p>The Water-sprite asked him:</p> + +<p>"Will you stop soon?"</p> + +<p>The Man said:</p> + +<p>"I will stop when I dry up the sea."</p> + +<p>Then the Water-sprite returned to the sea, brought back +that pearl, and gave it to the Man.</p> + +<h3>THE BLIND MAN AND THE MILK</h3> + +<p>A Man born blind asked a Seeing Man:</p> + +<p>"Of what colour is milk?"</p> + +<p>The Seeing Man said: "The colour of milk is the same +as that of white paper."</p> + +<p>The Blind Man asked: "Well, does that colour rustle +in your hands like paper?"</p> + +<p>The Seeing Man said: "No, it is as white as white +flour."</p> + +<p>The Blind Man asked: "Well, is it as soft and as +powdery as flour?"</p> + +<p>The Seeing Man said: "No, it is simply as white as a +white hare."</p> + +<p>The Blind Man asked: "Well, is it as fluffy and soft +as a hare?"</p> + +<p>The Seeing Man said: "No, it is as white as snow."</p> + +<p>The Blind Man asked: "Well, is it as cold as snow?"</p> + +<p>And no matter how many examples the Seeing Man +gave, the Blind Man was unable to understand what the +white colour of milk was like.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span></p> + +<h3>THE WOLF AND THE BOW</h3> + +<p>A hunter went out to hunt with bow and arrows. He +killed a goat. He threw her on his shoulders and carried +her along. On his way he saw a boar. He threw down +the goat, and shot at the boar and wounded him. The +boar rushed against the hunter and butted him to death, +and himself died on the spot. A Wolf scented the blood, +and came to the place where lay the goat, the boar, the +man, and his bow. The Wolf was glad, and said:</p> + +<p>"Now I shall have enough to eat for a long time; +only I will not eat everything at once, but little by +little, so that nothing may be lost: first I will eat the +tougher things, and then I will lunch on what is soft +and sweet."</p> + +<p>The Wolf sniffed at the goat, the boar, and the man, +and said:</p> + +<p>"This is all soft food, so I will eat it later; let me first +start on these sinews of the bow."</p> + +<p>And he began to gnaw the sinews of the bow. When +he bit through the string, the bow sprang back and hit him +on his belly. He died on the spot, and other wolves ate +up the man, the goat, the boar, and the Wolf.</p> + +<h3>THE BIRDS IN THE NET</h3> + +<p>A Hunter set out a net near a lake and caught a number +of birds. The birds were large, and they raised the +net and flew away with it. The Hunter ran after them. +A Peasant saw the Hunter running, and said:</p> + +<p>"Where are you running? How can you catch up +with the birds, while you are on foot?"</p> + +<p>The Hunter said:</p> + +<p>"If it were one bird, I should not catch it, but now I +shall."</p> + +<p>And so it happened. When evening came, the birds<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span> +began to pull for the night each in a different direction: +one to the woods, another to the swamp, a third to the +field; and all fell with the net to the ground, and the +Hunter caught them.</p> + +<h3>THE KING AND THE FALCON</h3> + +<p>A certain King let his favourite Falcon loose on a +hare, and galloped after him.</p> + +<p>The Falcon caught the hare. The King took him away, +and began to look for some water to drink. The King +found it on a knoll, but it came only drop by drop. The +King fetched his cup from the saddle, and placed it under +the water. The Water flowed in drops, and when the +cup was filled, the King raised it to his mouth and +wanted to drink it. Suddenly the Falcon fluttered on the +King's arm and spilled the water. The King placed +the cup once more under the drops. He waited for +a long time for the cup to be filled even with the brim, +and again, as he carried it to his mouth, the Falcon +flapped his wings and spilled the water.</p> + +<p>When the King filled his cup for the third time and +began to carry it to his mouth, the Falcon again spilled +it. The King flew into a rage and killed him by flinging +him against a stone with all his force. Just then the +King's servants rode up, and one of them ran up-hill to +the spring, to find as much water as possible, and to fill +the cup. But the servant did not bring the water; he +returned with the empty cup, and said:</p> + +<p>"You cannot drink that water; there is a snake in the +spring, and she has let her venom into the water. It is +fortunate that the Falcon has spilled the water. If you +had drunk it, you would have died."</p> + +<p>The King said:</p> + +<p>"How badly I have repaid the Falcon! He has saved +my life, and I killed him."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span></p> + +<h3>THE KING AND THE ELEPHANTS</h3> + +<p>An Indian King ordered all the Blind People to be assembled, +and when they came, he ordered that all the +Elephants be shown to them. The Blind Men went to +the stable and began to feel the Elephants. One felt a +leg, another a tail, a third the stump of a tail, a fourth a +belly, a fifth a back, a sixth the ears, a seventh the tusks, +and an eighth a trunk.</p> + +<p>Then the King called the Blind Men, and asked them: +"What are my Elephants like?"</p> + +<p>One Blind Man said: "Your Elephants are like posts." +He had felt the legs.</p> + +<p>Another Blind Man said: "They are like bath brooms." +He had felt the end of the tail.</p> + +<p>A third said: "They are like branches." He had felt +the tail stump.</p> + +<p>The one who had touched a belly said: "The Elephants +are like a clod of earth."</p> + +<p>The one who had touched the sides said: "They are +like a wall."</p> + +<p>The one who had touched a back said: "They are like +a mound."</p> + +<p>The one who had touched the ears said: "They are +like a mortar."</p> + +<p>The one who had touched the tusks said: "They are +like horns."</p> + +<p>The one who had touched the trunk said that they +were like a stout rope.</p> + +<p>And all the Blind Men began to dispute and to quarrel.</p> + +<h3>WHY THERE IS EVIL IN THE WORLD</h3> + +<p>A Hermit was living in the forest, and the animals +were not afraid of him. He and the animals talked together +and understood each other.</p> + +<p>Once the Hermit lay down under a tree, and a Raven<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span> +a Dove, a Stag, and a Snake gathered in the same place, +to pass the night. The animals began to discuss why +there was evil in the world.</p> + +<p>The Raven said:</p> + +<p>"All the evil in the world comes from hunger. When +I eat my fill, I sit down on a branch and croak a little, +and it is all jolly and good, and everything gives me +pleasure; but let me just go without eating a day or two, +and everything palls on me so that I do not feel like +looking at God's world. And something draws me on, +and I fly from place to place, and have no rest. When I +catch a glimpse of some meat, it makes me only feel +sicker than ever, and I make for it without much thinking. +At times they throw sticks and stones at me, and +the wolves and dogs grab me, but I do not give in. Oh, +how many of my brothers are perishing through hunger! +All evil comes from hunger."</p> + +<p>The Dove said:</p> + +<p>"According to my opinion, the evil does not come from +hunger, but from love. If we lived singly, the trouble +would not be so bad. One head is not poor, and if it is, +it is only one. But here we live in pairs. And you +come to like your mate so much that you have no rest: +you keep thinking of her all the time, wondering whether +she has had enough to eat, and whether she is warm. +And when your mate flies away from you, you feel entirely +lost, and you keep thinking that a hawk may have +carried her off, or men may have caught her; and you +start out to find her, and fly to your ruin,—either into +the hawk's claws, or into a snare. And when your mate +is lost, nothing gives you any joy. You do not eat or +drink, and all the time search and weep. Oh, so many +of us perish in this way! All the evil is not from hunger, +but from love."</p> + +<p>The Snake said:</p> + +<p>"No, the evil is not from hunger, nor from love, but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span> +from rage. If we lived peacefully, without getting into a +rage, everything would be nice for us. But, as it is, +whenever a thing does not go exactly right, we get angry, +and then nothing pleases us. All we think about is how +to revenge ourselves on some one. Then we forget ourselves, +and only hiss, and creep, and try to find some one +to bite. And we do not spare a soul,—we even bite +our own father and mother. We feel as though we could +eat ourselves up. And we rage until we perish. All the +evil in the World comes from rage."</p> + +<p>The Stag said:</p> + +<p>"No, not from rage, or from love, or from hunger does +all the evil in the world come, but from terror. If it +were possible not to be afraid, everything would be well. +We have swift feet and much strength: against a small +animal we defend ourselves with our horns, and from a +large one we flee. But how can I help becoming frightened? +Let a branch crackle in the forest, or a leaf rustle, +and I am all atremble with fear, and my heart flutters as +though it wanted to jump out, and I fly as fast as I can. +Again, let a hare run by, or a bird flap its wings, or a dry +twig break off, and you think that it is a beast, and you +run straight up against him. Or you run away from a +dog and run into the hands of a man. Frequently you +get frightened and run, not knowing whither, and at full +speed rush down a steep hill, and get killed. We have +no rest. All the evil comes from terror."</p> + +<p>Then the Hermit said:</p> + +<p>"Not from hunger, not from love, not from rage, not +from terror are all our sufferings, but from our bodies +comes all the evil in the world. From them come hunger, +and love, and rage, and terror."</p> + +<h3>THE WOLF AND THE HUNTERS</h3> + +<p>A Wolf devoured a sheep. The Hunters caught the +Wolf and began to beat him. The Wolf said:</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span></p> + +<p>"In vain do you beat me: it is not my fault that I am +gray,—God has made me so."</p> + +<p>But the Hunters said:</p> + +<p>"We do not beat the Wolf for being gray, but for eating +the sheep."</p> + +<h3>THE TWO PEASANTS</h3> + +<p>Once upon a time two Peasants drove toward each +other and caught in each other's sleighs. One cried:</p> + +<p>"Get out of my way,—I am hurrying to town."</p> + +<p>But the other said:</p> + +<p>"Get out of my way, I am hurrying home."</p> + +<p>They quarrelled for some time. A third Peasant saw +them and said:</p> + +<p>"If you are in a hurry, back up!"</p> + +<h3>THE PEASANT AND THE HORSE</h3> + +<p>A Peasant went to town to fetch some oats for his +Horse. He had barely left the village, when the Horse +began to turn around, toward the house. The Peasant +struck the Horse with his whip. She went on, and kept +thinking about the Peasant:</p> + +<p>"Whither is that fool driving me? He had better go +home."</p> + +<p>Before reaching town, the Peasant saw that the Horse +trudged along through the mud with difficulty, so he +turned her on the pavement; but the Horse began to turn +back from the street. The Peasant gave the Horse the +whip, and jerked at the reins; she went on the pavement, +and thought:</p> + +<p>"Why has he turned me on the pavement? It will +only break my hoofs. It is rough underfoot."</p> + +<p>The Peasant went to the shop, bought the oats, and +drove home. When he came home, he gave the Horse +some oats. The Horse ate them and thought:</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span></p> + +<p>"How stupid men are! They are fond of exercising +their wits on us, but they have less sense than we. What +did he trouble himself about? He drove me somewhere. +No matter how far we went, we came home in the end. +So it would have been better if we had remained at home +from the start: he could have been sitting on the oven, +and I eating oats."</p> + +<h3>THE TWO HORSES</h3> + +<p>Two Horses were drawing their carts. The Front +Horse pulled well, but the Hind Horse kept stopping all +the time. The load of the Hind Horse was transferred +to the front cart; when all was transferred, the Hind +Horse went along with ease, and said to the Front Horse:</p> + +<p>"Work hard and sweat! The more you try, the harder +they will make you work."</p> + +<p>When they arrived at the tavern, their master said:</p> + +<p>"Why should I feed two Horses, and haul with one +only? I shall do better to give one plenty to eat, and to +kill the other: I shall at least have her hide."</p> + +<p>So he did.</p> + +<h3>THE AXE AND THE SAW</h3> + +<p>Two Peasants went to the forest to cut wood. One of +them had an axe, and the other a saw. They picked out +a tree, and began to dispute. One said that the tree had +to be chopped, while the other said that it had to be sawed +down.</p> + +<p>A third Peasant said:</p> + +<p>"I will easily make peace between you: if the axe is +sharp, you had better chop it; but if the saw is sharp you +had better saw it."</p> + +<p>He took the axe, and began to chop it; but the axe +was so dull that it was not possible to cut with it. Then +he took the saw; the saw was worthless, and did not +saw. So he said:</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Stop quarrelling awhile; the axe does not chop, and +the saw does not saw. First grind your axe and file your +saw, and then quarrel."</p> + +<p>But the Peasants grew angrier still at one another, because +one had a dull axe, and the other a dull saw. And +they came to blows.</p> + +<h3>THE DOGS AND THE COOK</h3> + +<p>A Cook was preparing a dinner. The Dogs were lying +at the kitchen door. The Cook killed a calf and threw +the guts out into the yard. The Dogs picked them up +and ate them, and said:</p> + +<p>"He is a good Cook: he cooks well."</p> + +<p>After awhile the Cook began to clean pease, turnips, +and onions, and threw out the refuse. The Dogs made +for it; but they turned their noses up, and said:</p> + +<p>"Our Cook has grown worse: he used to cook well, +but now he is no longer any good."</p> + +<p>But the Cook paid no attention to the Dogs, and continued +to fix the dinner in his own way. The family, +and not the Dogs, ate the dinner, and praised it.</p> + +<h3>THE HARE AND THE HARRIER</h3> + +<p>A Hare once said to a Harrier:</p> + +<p>"Why do you bark when you run after us? You +would catch us easier, if you ran after us in silence. +With your bark you only drive us against the hunter: +he hears where we are running; and he rushes out with +his gun and kills us, and does not give you anything."</p> + +<p>The Harrier said:</p> + +<p>"That is not the reason why I bark. I bark because, +when I scent your odour, I am angry, and happy because +I am about to catch you; I do not know why, but I cannot +keep from barking."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span></p> + +<h3>THE OAK AND THE HAZELBUSH</h3> + +<p>An old Oak dropped an acorn under a Hazelbush. The +Hazelbush said to the Oak:</p> + +<p>"Have you not enough space under your own branches? +Drop your acorns in an open space. Here I am myself +crowded by my shoots, and I do not drop my nuts to the +ground, but give them to men."</p> + +<p>"I have lived for two hundred years," said the Oak, +"and the Oakling which will sprout from that acorn will +live just as long."</p> + +<p>Then the Hazelbush flew into a rage, and said:</p> + +<p>"If so, I will choke your Oakling, and he will not live +for three days."</p> + +<p>The Oak made no reply, but told his son to sprout out +of that acorn. The acorn got wet and burst, and clung +to the ground with his crooked rootlet, and sent up a +sprout.</p> + +<p>The Hazelbush tried to choke him, and gave him no +sun. But the Oakling spread upwards and grew stronger +in the shade of the Hazelbush. A hundred years passed. +The Hazelbush had long ago dried up, but the Oak from +that acorn towered to the sky and spread his tent in all +directions.</p> + +<h3>THE HEN AND THE CHICKS</h3> + +<p>A Hen hatched some Chicks, but did not know how to +take care of them. So she said to them:</p> + +<p>"Creep back into your shells! When you are inside +your shells, I will sit on you as before, and will take care +of you."</p> + +<p>The Chicks did as they were ordered and tried to creep +into their shells, but were unable to do so, and only +crushed their wings. Then one of the Chicks said to his +mother:</p> + +<p>"If we are to stay all the time in our shells, you ought +never to have hatched us."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>THE CORN-CRAKE AND HIS MATE</h3> + +<p>A Corn-crake had made a nest in the meadow late in +the year, and at mowing time his Mate was still sitting +on her eggs. Early in the morning the peasants came to +the meadow, took off the coats, whetted their scythes, +and started one after another to mow down the grass and +to put it down in rows. The Corn-crake flew up to see +what the mowers were doing. When he saw a peasant +swing his scythe and cut a snake in two, he rejoiced and +flew back to his Mate and said:</p> + +<p>"Don't fear the peasants! They have come to cut the +snakes to pieces; they have given us no rest for quite +awhile."</p> + +<p>But his Mate said:</p> + +<p>"The peasants are cutting the grass, and with the grass +they are cutting everything which is in their way,—the +snakes, and the Corn-crake's nest, and the Corn-crake's +head. My heart forebodes nothing good: but I cannot +carry away the eggs, nor fly from the nest, for fear of +chilling them."</p> + +<p>When the mowers came to the nest of the Corn-crake, +one of the peasants swung his scythe and cut off the head +of the Corn-crake's Mate, and put the eggs in his bosom +and gave them to his children to play with.</p> + + +<h3>THE COW AND THE BILLY GOAT</h3> + +<p>An old woman had a Cow and a Billy Goat. The two +pastured together. At milking the Cow was restless. +The old woman brought out some bread and salt, and +gave it to the Cow, and said:</p> + +<p>"Stand still, motherkin; take it, take it! I will bring +you some more, only stand still."</p> + +<p>On the next evening the Goat came home from the +field before the Cow, and spread his legs, and stood in +front of the old woman. The old woman wanted to strike<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span> +him with the towel, but he stood still, and did not stir. +He remembered that the woman had promised the Cow +some bread if she would stand still. When the woman +saw that he would not budge, she picked up a stick, and +beat him with it.</p> + +<p>When the Goat went away, the woman began once +more to feed the Cow with bread, and to talk to her.</p> + +<p>"There is no honesty in men," thought the Goat. "I +stood still better than the Cow, and was beaten for it."</p> + +<p>He stepped aside, took a run, hit against the milk-pail, +spilled the milk, and hurt the old woman.</p> + + +<h3>THE FOX'S TAIL</h3> + +<p>A Man caught a Fox, and asked her:</p> + +<p>"Who has taught you Foxes to cheat the dogs with +your tails?"</p> + +<p>The Fox asked: "How do you mean, to cheat? We +do not cheat the dogs, but simply run from them as fast +as we can."</p> + +<p>The Man said:</p> + +<p>"Yes, you do cheat them with your tails. When the +dogs catch up with you and are about to clutch you, you +turn your tails to one side; the dogs turn sharply after +the tail, and then you run in the opposite direction."</p> + +<p>The Fox laughed, and said:</p> + +<p>"We do not do so in order to cheat the dogs, but in +order to turn around; when a dog is after us, and we see +that we cannot get away straight ahead, we turn to one +side, and in order to do that suddenly, we have to swing +the tail to the other side, just as you do with your arms, +when you have to turn around. That is not our invention; +God himself invented it when He created us, so that +the dogs might not be able to catch all the Foxes."</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span></p> + + +<h2><a name="STORIES_FOR_CHILDREN" id="STORIES_FOR_CHILDREN"></a>STORIES FOR CHILDREN<br /> +1869-1872</h2> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38-39]</a><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39"></a></span></p> + + +<p class="big center">STORIES FOR CHILDREN</p> + + +<h2><a name="THE_FOUNDLING" id="THE_FOUNDLING"></a>THE FOUNDLING</h2> + + +<p>A poor woman had a daughter by the name of Másha. +Másha went in the morning to fetch water, and saw at the +door something wrapped in rags. When she touched +the rags, there came from it the sound of "Ooah, ooah, +ooah!" Másha bent down and saw that it was a tiny, red-skinned +baby. It was crying aloud: "Ooah, ooah!"</p> + +<p>Másha took it into her arms and carried it into the +house, and gave it milk with a spoon. Her mother said:</p> + +<p>"What have you brought?"</p> + +<p>"A baby. I found it at our door."</p> + +<p>The mother said:</p> + +<p>"We are poor as it is; we have nothing to feed the +baby with; I will go to the chief and tell him to take +the baby."</p> + +<p>Másha began to cry, and said:</p> + +<p>"Mother, the child will not eat much; leave it here! +See what red, wrinkled little hands and fingers it has!"</p> + +<p>Her mother looked at them, and she felt pity for the +child. She did not take the baby away. Másha fed and +swathed the child, and sang songs to it, when it went to +sleep.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="THE_PEASANT_AND_THE_CUCUMBERS" id="THE_PEASANT_AND_THE_CUCUMBERS"></a>THE PEASANT AND THE CUCUMBERS</h2> + + +<p>A peasant once went to the gardener's, to steal cucumbers. +He crept up to the cucumbers, and thought:</p> + +<p>"I will carry off a bag of cucumbers, which I will sell; +with the money I will buy a hen. The hen will lay eggs, +hatch them, and raise a lot of chicks. I will feed the +chicks and sell them; then I will buy me a young sow, +and she will bear a lot of pigs. I will sell the pigs, and +buy me a mare; the mare will foal me some colts. I +will raise the colts, and sell them. I will buy me a house, +and start a garden. In the garden I will sow cucumbers, +and will not let them be stolen, but will keep a sharp +watch on them. I will hire watchmen, and put them in +the cucumber patch, while I myself will come on them, +unawares, and shout: 'Oh, there, keep a sharp lookout!'"</p> + +<p>And this he shouted as loud as he could. The watchmen +heard it, and they rushed out and beat the peasant.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="THE_FIRE" id="THE_FIRE"></a>THE FIRE</h2> + + +<p>During harvest-time the men and women went out to +work. In the village were left only the old and the very +young. In one hut there remained a grandmother with +her three grandchildren.</p> + +<p>The grandmother made a fire in the oven, and lay down +to rest herself. Flies kept alighting on her and biting +her. She covered her head with a towel and fell asleep. +One of the grandchildren, Másha (she was three years +old), opened the oven, scraped some coals into a potsherd, +and went into the vestibule. In the vestibule lay sheaves: +the women were getting them bound.</p> + +<p>Másha brought the coals, put them under the sheaves, +and began to blow. When the straw caught fire, she was +glad; she went into the hut and took her brother Kiryúsha +by the arm (he was a year and a half old, and had +just learned to walk), and brought him out, and said to +him:</p> + +<p>"See, Kiryúsha, what a fire I have kindled."</p> + +<p>The sheaves were already burning and crackling. When +the vestibule was filled with smoke, Másha became frightened +and ran back into the house. Kiryúsha fell over +the threshold, hurt his nose, and began to cry; Másha +pulled him into the house, and both hid under a bench.</p> + +<p>The grandmother heard nothing, and did not wake. +The elder boy, Ványa (he was eight years old), was in the +street. When he saw the smoke rolling out of the vestibule, +he ran to the door, made his way through the smoke +into the house, and began to waken his grandmother; +but she was dazed from her sleep, and, forgetting the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span> +children, rushed out and ran to the farmyards to call the +people.</p> + +<p>In the meantime Másha was sitting under the bench +and keeping quiet; but the little boy cried, because he had +hurt his nose badly. Ványa heard his cry, looked under +the bench, and called out to Másha:</p> + +<p>"Run, you will burn!"</p> + +<p>Másha ran to the vestibule, but could not pass for the +smoke and fire. She turned back. Then Ványa raised a +window and told her to climb through it. When she got +through, Ványa picked up his brother and dragged him +along. But the child was heavy and did not let his +brother take him. He cried and pushed Ványa. Ványa +fell down twice, and when he dragged him up to the window, +the door of the hut was already burning. Ványa +thrust the child's head through the window and wanted to +push him through; but the child took hold of him with +both his hands (he was very much frightened) and would +not let them take him out. Then Ványa cried to Másha:</p> + +<p>"Pull him by the head!" while he himself pushed him +behind.</p> + +<p>And thus they pulled him through the window and +into the street.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="THE_OLD_HORSE" id="THE_OLD_HORSE"></a>THE OLD HORSE</h2> + + +<p>In our village there was an old, old man, Pímen Timoféich. +He was ninety years old. He was living at the +house of his grandson, doing no work. His back was +bent: he walked with a cane and moved his feet +slowly.</p> + +<p>He had no teeth at all, and his face was wrinkled. His +nether lip trembled; when he walked and when he talked, +his lips smacked, and one could not understand what he +was saying.</p> + +<p>We were four brothers, and we were fond of riding. +But we had no gentle riding-horses. We were allowed to +ride only on one horse,—the name of that horse was +Raven.</p> + +<p>One day mamma allowed us to ride, and all of us went +with the valet to the stable. The coachman saddled Raven +for us, and my eldest brother was the first to take a +ride. He rode for a long time; he rode to the threshing-floor +and around the garden, and when he came back, we +shouted:</p> + +<p>"Now gallop past us!"</p> + +<p>My elder brother began to strike Raven with his feet +and with the whip, and Raven galloped past us.</p> + +<p>After him, my second brother mounted the horse. He, +too, rode for quite awhile, and he, too, urged Raven on +with the whip and galloped up the hill. He wanted to +ride longer, but my third brother begged him to let him +ride at once.</p> + +<p>My third brother rode to the threshing-floor, and around +the garden, and down the village, and raced up-hill to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span> +stable. When he rode up to us Raven was panting, and +his neck and shoulders were dark from sweat.</p> + +<p>When my turn came, I wanted to surprise my brothers and +to show them how well I could ride, so I began to +drive Raven with all my might, but he did not want to +get away from the stable. And no matter how much I +beat him, he would not run, but only shied and turned +back. I grew angry at the horse, and struck him as hard +as I could with my feet and with the whip. I tried to +strike him in places where it would hurt most; I broke +the whip and began to strike his head with what was left +of the whip. But Raven would not run. Then I turned +back, rode up to the valet, and asked him for a stout +switch. But the valet said to me:</p> + +<p>"Don't ride any more, sir! Get down! What use is +there in torturing the horse?"</p> + +<p>I felt offended, and said:</p> + +<p>"But I have not had a ride yet. Just watch me gallop! +Please, give me a good-sized switch! I will heat +him up."</p> + +<p>Then the valet shook his head, and said:</p> + +<p>"Oh, sir, you have no pity; why should you heat him +up? He is twenty years old. The horse is worn out; +he can barely breathe, and is old. He is so very old! +Just like Pímen Timoféich. You might just as well sit +down on Timoféich's back and urge him on with a switch. +Well, would you not pity him?"</p> + +<p>I thought of Pímen, and listened to the valet's words. +I climbed down from the horse and, when I saw how his +sweaty sides hung down, how he breathed heavily through +his nostrils, and how he switched his bald tail, I understood +that it was hard for the horse. Before that I +used to think that it was as much fun for him as +for me. I felt so sorry for Raven that I began to kiss +his sweaty neck and to beg his forgiveness for having +beaten him.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span></p> + +<p>Since then I have grown to be a big man, and I always +am careful with the horses, and always think of Raven +and of Pímen Timoféitch whenever I see anybody torture +a horse.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="HOW_I_LEARNED_TO_RIDE" id="HOW_I_LEARNED_TO_RIDE"></a>HOW I LEARNED TO RIDE</h2> + + +<p>When I was a little fellow, we used to study every day, +and only on Sundays and holidays went out and played +with our brothers. Once my father said:</p> + +<p>"The children must learn to ride. Send them to the +riding-school!"</p> + +<p>I was the youngest of the brothers, and I asked:</p> + +<p>"May I, too, learn to ride?"</p> + +<p>My father said:</p> + +<p>"You will fall down."</p> + +<p>I began to beg him to let me learn, and almost cried. +My father said:</p> + +<p>"All right, you may go, too. Only look out! Don't +cry when you fall off. He who does not once fall down +from a horse will not learn to ride."</p> + +<p>When Wednesday came, all three of us were taken to +the riding-school. We entered by a large porch, and from +the large porch went to a smaller one. Beyond the porch +was a very large room: instead of a floor it had sand. +And in this room were gentlemen and ladies and just such +boys as we. That was the riding-school. The riding-school +was not very light, and there was a smell of horses, +and you could hear them snap whips and call to the +horses, and the horses strike their hoofs against the +wooden walls. At first I was frightened and could not +see things well. Then our valet called the riding-master, +and said:</p> + +<p>"Give these boys some horses: they are going to learn +how to ride."</p> + +<p>The master said:</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span></p> + +<p>"All right!"</p> + +<p>Then he looked at me, and said:</p> + +<p>"He is very small, yet."</p> + +<p>But the valet said:</p> + +<p>"He promised not to cry when he falls down."</p> + +<p>The master laughed and went away.</p> + +<p>Then they brought three saddled horses, and we took off +our cloaks and walked down a staircase to the riding-school. +The master was holding a horse by a cord, and +my brothers rode around him. At first they rode at a +slow pace, and later at a trot. Then they brought +a pony. It was a red horse, and his tail was cut off. +He was called Ruddy. The master laughed, and said +to me:</p> + +<p>"Well, young gentleman, get on your horse!"</p> + +<p>I was both happy and afraid, and tried to act in such +a manner as not to be noticed by anybody. For a long +time I tried to get my foot into the stirrup, but could not +do it because I was too small. Then the master raised +me up in his hands and put me on the saddle. He said:</p> + +<p>"The young master is not heavy,—about two pounds +in weight, that is all."</p> + +<p>At first he held me by my hand, but I saw that my +brothers were not held, and so I begged him to let go of +me. He said:</p> + +<p>"Are you not afraid?"</p> + +<p>I was very much afraid, but I said that I was not. I +was so much afraid because Ruddy kept dropping his +ears. I thought he was angry at me. The master said:</p> + +<p>"Look out, don't fall down!" and let go of me. At +first Ruddy went at a slow pace, and I sat up straight. +But the saddle was sleek, and I was afraid I would slip +off. The master asked me:</p> + +<p>"Well, are you fast in the saddle?"</p> + +<p>I said:</p> + +<p>"Yes, I am."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span></p> + +<p>"If so, go at a slow trot!" and the master clicked his +tongue.</p> + +<p>Ruddy started at a slow trot, and began to jog me. +But I kept silent, and tried not to slip to one side. The +master praised me:</p> + +<p>"Oh, a fine young gentleman, indeed!"</p> + +<p>I was very glad to hear it.</p> + +<p>Just then the master's friend went up to him and +began to talk with him, and the master stopped looking +at me.</p> + +<p>Suddenly I felt that I had slipped a little to one side +on my saddle. I wanted to straighten myself up, but +was unable to do so. I wanted to call out to the master +to stop the horse, but I thought it would be a disgrace if +I did it, and so kept silence. The master was not looking +at me and Ruddy ran at a trot, and I slipped still more to +one side. I looked at the master and thought that he +would help me, but he was still talking with his friend, +and without looking at me kept repeating:</p> + +<p>"Well done, young gentleman!"</p> + +<p>I was now altogether to one side, and was very much +frightened. I thought that I was lost; but I felt +ashamed to cry. Ruddy shook me up once more, and I +slipped off entirely and fell to the ground. Then Ruddy +stopped, and the master looked at the horse and saw that +I was not on him. He said:</p> + +<p>"I declare, my young gentleman has dropped off!" and +walked over to me.</p> + +<p>When I told him that I was not hurt, he laughed and +said:</p> + +<p>"A child's body is soft."</p> + +<p>I felt like crying. I asked him to put me again on +the horse, and I was lifted on the horse. After that I +did not fall down again.</p> + +<p>Thus we rode twice a week in the riding-school, and I +soon learned to ride well, and was not afraid of anything.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="THE_WILLOW" id="THE_WILLOW"></a>THE WILLOW</h2> + + +<p>During Easter week a peasant went out to see whether +the ground was all thawed out.</p> + +<p>He went into the garden and touched the soil with a +stick. The earth was soft. The peasant went into the +woods; here the catkins were already swelling on the +willows. The peasant thought:</p> + +<p>"I will fence my garden with willows; they will grow +up and will make a good hedge!"</p> + +<p>He took his axe, cut down a dozen willows, sharpened +them at the end, and stuck them in the ground.</p> + +<p>All the willows sent up sprouts with leaves, and underground +let out just such sprouts for roots; and some of +them took hold of the ground and grew, and others did +not hold well to the ground with their roots, and died +and fell down.</p> + +<p>In the fall the peasant was glad at the sight of his +willows: six of them had taken root. The following +spring the sheep killed two willows by gnawing at them, +and only two were left. Next spring the sheep nibbled +at these also. One of them was completely ruined, and +the other came to, took root, and grew to be a tree. In +the spring the bees just buzzed in the willow. In swarming +time the swarms were often put out on the willow, +and the peasants brushed them in. The men and women +frequently ate and slept under the willow, and the children +climbed on it and broke off rods from it.</p> + +<p>The peasant that had set out the willow was long dead, +and still it grew. His eldest son twice cut down its +branches and used them for fire-wood. The willow kept<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span> +growing. They trimmed it all around, and cut it down +to a stump, but in the spring it again sent out twigs, +thinner ones than before, but twice as many as ever, as is +the case with a colt's forelock.</p> + +<p>And the eldest son quit farming, and the village was +given up, but the willow grew in the open field. Other +peasants came there, and chopped the willow, but still it +grew. The lightning struck it; but it sent forth side +branches, and it grew and blossomed. A peasant wanted +to cut it down for a block, but he gave it up, it was too +rotten. It leaned sidewise, and held on with one side +only; and still it grew, and every year the bees came +there to gather the pollen.</p> + +<p>One day, early in the spring, the boys gathered under +the willow, to watch the horses. They felt cold, so they +started a fire. They gathered stubbles, wormwood, and +sticks. One of them climbed on the willow and broke +off a lot of twigs. They put it all in the hollow of the +willow and set fire to it. The tree began to hiss and its +sap to boil, and the smoke rose and the tree burned; its +whole inside was smudged. The young shoots dried up, +the blossoms withered.</p> + +<p>The children drove the horses home. The scorched +willow was left all alone in the field. A black raven +flew by, and he sat down on it, and cried:</p> + +<p>"So you are dead, old smudge! You ought to have +died long ago!"</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="BULKA" id="BULKA"></a>BÚLKA</h2> + + +<p>I had a small bulldog. He was called Búlka. He +was black; only the tips of his front feet were white. +All bulldogs have their lower jaws longer than the upper, +and the upper teeth come down behind the nether teeth, +but Búlka's lower jaw protruded so much that I could +put my finger between the two rows of teeth. His face +was broad, his eyes large, black, and sparkling; and his +teeth and incisors stood out prominently. He was as +black as a negro. He was gentle and did not bite, but +he was strong and stubborn. If he took hold of a thing, +he clenched his teeth and clung to it like a rag, and it +was not possible to tear him off, any more than as though +he were a lobster.</p> + +<p>Once he was let loose on a bear, and he got hold of the +bear's ear and stuck to him like a leech. The bear struck +him with his paws and squeezed him, and shook him +from side to side, but could not tear himself loose from +him, and so he fell down on his head, in order to crush +Búlka; but Búlka held on to him until they poured cold +water over him.</p> + +<p>I got him as a puppy, and raised him myself. When +I went to the Caucasus, I did not want to take him along, +and so went away from him quietly, ordering him to be +shut up. At the first station I was about to change the +relay, when suddenly I saw something black and shining +coming down the road. It was Búlka in his brass collar. +He was flying at full speed toward the station. He +rushed up to me, licked my hand, and stretched himself +out in the shade under the cart. His tongue stuck out a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span> +whole hand's length. He now drew it in to swallow the +spittle, and now stuck it out again a whole hand's length. +He tried to breathe fast, but could not do so, and his +sides just shook. He turned from one side to the other, +and struck his tail against the ground.</p> + +<p>I learned later that after I had left he had broken a +pane, jumped out of the window, and followed my track +along the road, and thus raced twenty versts through the +greatest heat.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="BULKA_AND_THE_WILD_BOAR" id="BULKA_AND_THE_WILD_BOAR"></a>BÚLKA AND THE WILD BOAR</h2> + + +<p>Once we went into the Caucasus to hunt the wild boar, +and Búlka went with me. The moment the hounds +started, Búlka rushed after them, following their sound, +and disappeared in the forest. That was in the month of +November; the boars and sows are then very fat.</p> + +<p>In the Caucasus there are many edible fruits in the +forests where the boars live: wild grapes, cones, apples, +pears, blackberries, acorns, wild plums. And when all +these fruits get ripe and are touched by the frost, the +boars eat them and grow fat.</p> + +<p>At that time a boar gets so fat that he cannot run from +the dogs. When they chase him for about two hours, he +makes for the thicket and there stops. Then the hunters +run up to the place where he stands, and shoot him. +They can tell by the bark of the hounds whether the boar +has stopped, or is running. If he is running, the hounds +yelp, as though they were beaten; but when he stops, +they bark as though at a man, with a howling sound.</p> + +<p>During that chase I ran for a long time through the +forest, but not once did I cross a boar track. Finally I +heard the long-drawn bark and howl of the hounds, and +ran up to that place. I was already near the boar. I +could hear the crashing in the thicket. The boar was +turning around on the dogs, but I could not tell by the +bark that they were not catching him, but only circling +around him. Suddenly I heard something rustle behind +me, and I saw that it was Búlka. He had evidently +strayed from the hounds in the forest and had lost his +way, and now was hearing their barking and making for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span> +them, like me, as fast as he could. He ran across a +clearing through the high grass, and all I could see of +him was his black head and his tongue clinched between +his white teeth. I called him back, but he did not look +around, and ran past me and disappeared in the thicket. +I ran after him, but the farther I went, the more and +more dense did the forest grow. The branches kept +knocking off my cap and struck me in the face, and the +thorns caught in my garments. I was near to the barking, +but could not see anything.</p> + +<p>Suddenly I heard the dogs bark louder, and something +crashed loudly, and the boar began to puff and snort. I +immediately made up my mind that Búlka had got up +to him and was busy with him. I ran with all my might +through the thicket to that place. In the densest part of +the thicket I saw a dappled hound. She was barking and +howling in one spot, and within three steps from her +something black could be seen moving around.</p> + +<p>When I came nearer, I could make out the boar, and I +heard Búlka whining shrilly. The boar grunted and made +for the hound; the hound took her tail between her legs +and leaped away. I could see the boar's side and head. +I aimed at his side and fired. I saw that I had hit him. +The boar grunted and crashed through the thicket away +from me. The dogs whimpered and barked in his track; +I tried to follow them through the undergrowth. Suddenly +I saw and heard something almost under my feet. +It was Búlka. He was lying on his side and whining. +Under him there was a puddle of blood. I thought the +dog was lost; but I had no time to look after him, I continued +to make my way through the thicket. Soon I saw +the boar. The dogs were trying to catch him from behind, +and he kept turning, now to one side, and now to +another. When the boar saw me, he moved toward me. +I fired a second time, almost resting the barrel against +him, so that his bristles caught fire, and the boar groaned<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span> +and tottered, and with his whole cadaver dropped heavily +on the ground.</p> + +<p>When I came up, the boar was dead, and only here and +there did his body jerk and twitch. Some of the dogs, +with bristling hair, were tearing his belly and legs, while +the others were lapping the blood from his wound.</p> + +<p>Then I thought of Búlka, and went back to find him. +He was crawling toward me and groaning. I went up to +him and looked at his wound. His belly was ripped +open, and a whole piece of his guts was sticking out of +his body and dragging on the dry leaves. When my companions +came up to me, we put the guts back and sewed +up his belly. While we were sewing him up and sticking +the needle through his skin, he kept licking my hand.</p> + +<p>The boar was tied up to the horse's tail, to pull him out +of the forest, and Búlka was put on the horse, and thus +taken home. Búlka was sick for about six weeks, and +got well again.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="PHEASANTS" id="PHEASANTS"></a>PHEASANTS</h2> + + +<p>Wild fowls are called pheasants in the Caucasus. There +are so many of them that they are cheaper there than +tame chickens. Pheasants are hunted with the "hobby," +by scaring up, and from under dogs. This is the way +they are hunted with the "hobby." They take a piece of +canvas and stretch it over a frame, and in the middle of +the frame they make a cross piece. They cut a hole in the +canvas. This frame with the canvas is called a hobby. +With this hobby and with the gun they start out at dawn +to the forest. The hobby is carried in front, and through +the hole they look out for the pheasants. The pheasants +feed at daybreak in the clearings. At times it is a whole +brood,—a hen with all her chicks, and at others a cock +with his hen, or several cocks together.</p> + +<p>The pheasants do not see the man, and they are not +afraid of the canvas and let the hunter come close to +them. Then the hunter puts down the hobby, sticks his +gun through the rent, and shoots at whichever bird he +pleases.</p> + +<p>This is the way they hunt by scaring up. They let a +watch-dog into the forest and follow him. When the dog +finds a pheasant, he rushes for it. The pheasant flies on +a tree, and then the dog begins to bark at it. The hunter +follows up the barking and shoots the pheasant in the +tree. This chase would be easy, if the pheasant alighted +on a tree in an open place, or if it sat still, so that it +might be seen. But they always alight on dense trees, +in the thicket, and when they see the hunter they hide +themselves in the branches. And it is hard to make one's<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> +way through the thicket to the tree on which a pheasant +is sitting, and hard to see it. So long as the dog alone +barks at it, it is not afraid: it sits on a branch and preens +and flaps its wings at the dog. But the moment it sees a +man, it immediately stretches itself out along a bough, so +that only an experienced hunter can tell it, while an inexperienced +one will stand near by and see nothing.</p> + +<p>When the Cossacks steal up to the pheasants, they pull +their caps over their faces and do not look up, because a +pheasant is afraid of a man with his gun, but more still +of his eyes.</p> + +<p>This is the way they hunt from under dogs. They take +a setter and follow him to the forest. The dog scents the +place where the pheasants have been feeding at daybreak, +and begins to make out their tracks. No matter how the +pheasants may have mixed them up, a good dog will +always find the last track, that takes them out from the +spot where they have been feeding. The farther the dog +follows the track, the stronger will the scent be, and thus +he will reach the place where the pheasant sits or walks +about in the grass in the daytime. When he comes near +to where the bird is, he thinks that it is right before him, +and starts walking more cautiously so as not to frighten +it, and will stop now and then, ready to jump and catch it. +When the dog comes up very near to the pheasant, it flies +up, and the hunter shoots it.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="MILTON_AND_BULKA" id="MILTON_AND_BULKA"></a>MILTON AND BÚLKA</h2> + + +<p>I bought me a setter to hunt pheasants with. The +name of the dog was Milton. He was a big, thin, gray, +spotted dog, with long lips and ears, and he was very +strong and intelligent. He did not fight with Búlka. No +dog ever tried to get into a fight with Búlka. He needed +only to show his teeth, and the dogs would take their +tails between their legs and slink away.</p> + +<p>Once I went with Milton to hunt pheasants. Suddenly +Búlka ran after me to the forest. I wanted to drive +him back, but could not do so; and it was too far for me +to take him home. I thought he would not be in my +way, and so walked on; but the moment Milton scented +a pheasant in the grass and began to search for it, Búlka +rushed forward and tossed from side to side. He tried +to scare up the pheasant before Milton. He heard something +in the grass, and jumped and whirled around; but +he had a poor scent and could not find the track himself, +but watched Milton, to see where he was running. The +moment Milton started on the trail, Búlka ran ahead of +him. I called Búlka back and beat him, but could not +do a thing with him. The moment Milton began to search, +he darted forward and interfered with him.</p> + +<p>I was already on the point of going home, because I +thought that the chase was spoiled; but Milton found a +better way of cheating Búlka. This is what he did: the +moment Búlka rushed ahead of him, he gave up the trail +and turned in another direction, pretending that he was +searching there. Búlka rushed there where Milton was, +and Milton looked at me and wagged his tail and went<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span> +back to the right trail. Búlka again ran up to Milton and +rushed past him, and again Milton took some ten steps to +one side and cheated Búlka, and again led me straight; +and so he cheated Búlka all the way and did not let him +spoil the chase.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="THE_TURTLE" id="THE_TURTLE"></a>THE TURTLE</h2> + + +<p>Once I went with Milton to the chase. Near the forest +he began to search. He straightened out his tail, pricked +his ears, and began to sniff. I fixed the gun and followed +him. I thought that he was looking for a partridge, hare, +or pheasant. But Milton did not make for the forest, but +for the field. I followed him and looked ahead of me. +Suddenly I saw what he was searching for. In front of +him was running a small turtle, of the size of a cap. Its +bare, dark gray head on a long neck was stretched out like +a pestle; the turtle in walking stretched its bare legs far +out, and its back was all covered with bark.</p> + +<p>When it saw the dog, it hid its legs and head and let +itself down on the grass so that only its shell could be +seen. Milton grabbed it and began to bite at it, but could +not bite through it, because the turtle has just such a shell +on its belly as it has on its back, and has only openings +in front, at the back, and at the sides, where it puts forth +its head, its legs, and its tail.</p> + +<p>I took the turtle away from Milton, and tried to see how +its back was painted, and what kind of a shell it had, and +how it hid itself. When you hold it in your hands +and look between the shell, you can see something black +and alive inside, as though in a cellar. I threw away the +turtle, and walked on, but Milton would not leave it, and +carried it in his teeth behind me. Suddenly Milton +whimpered and dropped it. The turtle had put forth its +foot inside of his mouth, and had scratched it. That +made him so angry that he began to bark; he grasped it +once more and carried it behind me. I ordered Milton to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span> +throw it away, but he paid no attention to me. Then I +took the turtle from him and threw it away. But he did +not leave it. He hurriedly dug a hole near it; when the +hole was dug, he threw the turtle into it and covered it +up with dirt.</p> + +<p>The turtles live on land and in the water, like snakes +and frogs. They breed their young from eggs. These +eggs they lay on the ground, and they do not hatch them, +but the eggs burst themselves, like fish spawn, and the +turtles crawl out of them. There are small turtles, not +larger than a saucer, and large ones, seven feet in length +and weighing seven hundredweights. The large turtles +live in the sea.</p> + +<p>One turtle lays in the spring hundreds of eggs. The +turtle's shells are its ribs. Men and other animals have +each rib separate, while the turtle's ribs are all grown together +into a shell. But the main thing is that with all +the animals the ribs are inside the flesh, while the turtle +has the ribs on the outside, and the flesh beneath them.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="BULKA_AND_THE_WOLF" id="BULKA_AND_THE_WOLF"></a>BÚLKA AND THE WOLF</h2> + + +<p>When I left the Caucasus, they were still fighting there, +and in the night it was dangerous to travel without a +guard.</p> + +<p>I wanted to leave as early as possible, and so did not +lie down to sleep.</p> + +<p>My friend came to see me off, and we sat the whole +evening and night in the village street, in front of my +cabin.</p> + +<p>It was a moonlit night with a mist, and so bright that +one could read, though the moon was not to be seen.</p> + +<p>In the middle of the night we suddenly heard a pig +squealing in the yard across the street. One of us cried: +"A wolf is choking the pig!"</p> + +<p>I ran into the house, grasped a loaded gun, and ran +into the street. They were all standing at the gate of +the yard where the pig was squealing, and cried to me: +"Here!" Milton rushed after me,—no doubt he thought +that I was going out to hunt with the gun; but Búlka +pricked his short ears, and tossed from side to side, as +though to ask me whom he was to clutch. When I ran +up to the wicker fence, I saw a beast running straight +toward me from the other side of the yard. That was +the wolf. He ran up to the fence and jumped on it. I +stepped aside and fixed my gun. The moment the wolf +jumped down from the fence to my side, I aimed, almost +touching him with the gun, and pulled the trigger; but +my gun made "Click" and did not go off. The Wolf did +not stop, but ran across the street.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span></p> + +<p>Milton and Búlka made for him. Milton was near to +the wolf, but was afraid to take hold of him; and no +matter how fast Búlka ran on his short legs, he could +not keep up with him. We ran as fast as we could after +the wolf, but both the wolf and the dogs disappeared from +sight. Only at the ditch, at the end of the village, did +we hear a low barking and whimpering, and saw the dust +rise in the mist of the moon and the dogs busy with the +wolf. When we ran up to the ditch, the wolf was no +longer there, and both dogs returned to us with raised tails +and angry faces. Búlka snarled and pushed me with his +head: evidently he wanted to tell me something, but did +not know how.</p> + +<p>We examined the dogs, and found a small wound on +Búlka's head. He had evidently caught up with the +wolf before he got to the ditch, but had not had a chance +to get hold of him, while the wolf snapped at him and +ran away. It was a small wound, so there was no danger.</p> + +<p>We returned to the cabin, and sat down and talked +about what had happened. I was angry because the gun +had missed fire, and thought of how the wolf would have +remained on the spot, if the gun had shot. My friend +wondered how the wolf could have crept into the yard. +An old Cossack said that there was nothing remarkable +about it, because that was not a wolf, but a witch who +had charmed my gun. Thus we sat and kept talking. +Suddenly the dogs darted off, and we saw the same wolf +in the middle of the street; but this time he ran so fast +when he heard our shout that the dogs could not catch +up with him.</p> + +<p>After that the old Cossack was fully convinced that it +was not a wolf, but a witch; but I thought that it was +a mad wolf, because I had never seen or heard of such +a thing as a wolf's coming back toward the people, after it +had been driven away.</p> + +<p>In any case I poured some powder on Búlka's wound,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span> +and set it on fire. The powder flashed up and burned out +the sore spot.</p> + +<p>I burned out the sore with powder, in order to burn +away the poisonous saliva, if it had not yet entered the +blood. But if the saliva had already entered the blood, I +knew that the blood would carry it through the whole +body, and then it would not be possible to cure him.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="WHAT_HAPPENED_TO_BULKA_IN_PYATIGORSK" id="WHAT_HAPPENED_TO_BULKA_IN_PYATIGORSK"></a>WHAT HAPPENED TO BÚLKA IN PYATIGÓRSK</h2> + + +<p>From the Cossack village I did not travel directly to +Russia, but first to Pyatigórsk, where I stayed two +months. Milton I gave away to a Cossack hunter, and +Búlka I took along with me to Pyatigórsk.</p> + +<p>Pyatigórsk [in English, Five-Mountains] is called so +because it is situated on Mount Besh-tau. And besh +means in Tartar "five," and tau "mountain." From +this mountain flows a hot sulphur stream. It is as hot as +boiling water, and over the spot where the water flows +from the mountain there is always a steam as from a +samovár.</p> + +<p>The whole place, on which the city stands, is very +cheerful. From the mountain flow the hot springs, and +at the foot of the mountain is the river Podkúmok. On +the slopes of the mountain are forests; all around the city +are fields, and in the distance are seen the mountains of +the Caucasus. On these the snow never melts, and they +are always as white as sugar. One large mountain, +Elbrus, is like a white loaf of sugar; it can be seen from +everywhere when the weather is clear. People come to +the hot springs to be cured, and over them there are arbours +and awnings, and all around them are gardens with +walks. In the morning the music plays, and people +drink the water, or bathe, or stroll about.</p> + +<p>The city itself is on the mountain, but at the foot of it +there is a suburb. I lived in that suburb in a small +house. The house stood in a yard, and before the windows +was a small garden, and in the garden stood the +landlord's beehives, not in hollow stems, as in Russia, but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span> +in round, plaited baskets. The bees are there so gentle +that in the morning I used to sit with Búlka in that +garden, amongst the beehives.</p> + +<p>Búlka walked about between the hives, and sniffed, and +listened to the bees' buzzing; he walked so softly among +them that he did not interfere with them, and they did +not bother him.</p> + +<p>One morning I returned home from the waters, and sat +down in the garden to drink coffee. Búlka began to +scratch himself behind his ears, and made a grating noise +with his collar. The noise worried the bees, and so I +took the collar off. A little while later I heard a strange +and terrible noise coming from the city. The dogs +barked, howled, and whimpered, people shouted, and the +noise descended lower from the mountain and came +nearer and nearer to our suburb.</p> + +<p>Búlka stopped scratching himself, put his broad head +with its white teeth between his fore legs, stuck out his +tongue as he wished, and lay quietly by my side. When +he heard the noise he seemed to understand what it was. +He pricked his ears, showed his teeth, jumped up, and +began to snarl. The noise came nearer. It sounded as +though all the dogs of the city were howling, whimpering, +and barking. I went to the gate to see what it was, and +my landlady came out, too. I asked her:</p> + +<p>"What is this?"</p> + +<p>She said:</p> + +<p>"The prisoners of the jail are coming down to kill the +dogs. The dogs have been breeding so much that the +city authorities have ordered all the dogs in the city to +be killed."</p> + +<p>"So they would kill Búlka, too, if they caught him?"</p> + +<p>"No, they are not allowed to kill dogs with collars."</p> + +<p>Just as I was speaking, the prisoners were coming up +to our house. In front walked the soldiers, and behind +them four prisoners in chains. Two of the prisoners had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span> +in their hands long iron hooks, and two had clubs. In +front of our house, one of the prisoners caught a watch-dog +with his hook and pulled it up to the middle of the +street, and another began to strike it with the club.</p> + +<p>The little dog whined dreadfully, but the prisoners +shouted and laughed. The prisoner with the hook turned +over the dog, and when he saw that it was dead, he +pulled out the hook and looked around for other dogs.</p> + +<p>Just then Búlka rushed headlong at that prisoner, as +though he were a bear. I happened to think that he was +without his collar, so I shouted: "Búlka, back!" and +told the prisoners not to strike the dog. But the prisoner +laughed when he saw Búlka, and with his hook +nimbly struck him and caught him by his thigh. Búlka +tried to get away; but the prisoner pulled him up toward +him and told the other prisoner to strike him. The other +raised his club, and Búlka would have been killed, but he +jerked, and broke the skin at the thigh and, taking his +tail between his legs, flew, with the red sore on his body, +through the gate and into the house, and hid himself +under my bed.</p> + +<p>He was saved because the skin had broken in the spot +where the hook was.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="BULKAS_AND_MILTONS_END" id="BULKAS_AND_MILTONS_END"></a>BÚLKA'S AND MILTON'S END</h2> + + +<p>Búlka and Milton died at the same time. The old +Cossack did not know how to get along with Milton. +Instead of taking him out only for birds, he went with +him to hunt wild boars. And that same fall a tusky boar +ripped him open. Nobody knew how to sew him up, and +so he died.</p> + +<p>Búlka, too, did not live long after the prisoners had +caught him. Soon after his salvation from the prisoners +he began to feel unhappy, and started to lick everything +that he saw. He licked my hands, but not as formerly +when he fawned. He licked for a long time, and pressed +his tongue against me, and then began to snap. Evidently +he felt like biting my hand, but did not want to +do so. I did not give him my hand. Then he licked my +boot and the foot of a table, and then he began to snap at +these things. That lasted about two days, and on the +third he disappeared, and no one saw him or heard of +him.</p> + +<p>He could not have been stolen or run away from me. +This happened six weeks after the wolf had bitten him. +Evidently the wolf had been mad. Búlka had gone mad, +and so went away. He had what hunters call the rabies. +They say that this madness consists in this, that the mad +animal gets cramps in its throat. It wants to drink and +cannot, because the water makes the cramps worse. And +so it gets beside itself from pain and thirst, and begins to +bite. Evidently Búlka was beginning to have these +cramps when he started to lick and then to bite my +hand and the foot of the table.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span></p> + +<p>I went everywhere in the neighbourhood and asked +about Búlka, but could not find out what had become of +him, or how he had died. If he had been running about +and biting, as mad dogs do, I should have heard of him. +No doubt he ran somewhere into a thicket and there died +by himself.</p> + +<p>The hunters say that when an intelligent dog gets the +rabies, he runs to the fields and forests, and there tries to +find the herb which he needs, and rolls in the dew, and +gets cured. Evidently Búlka never got cured. He never +came back.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="THE_GRAY_HARE" id="THE_GRAY_HARE"></a>THE GRAY HARE</h2> + + +<p>A gray hare was living in the winter near the village. +When night came, he pricked one ear and listened; then +he pricked his second ear, moved his whiskers, sniffed, +and sat down on his hind legs. Then he took a leap or +two over the deep snow, and again sat down on his hind +legs, and looked around him. Nothing could be seen but +snow. The snow lay in waves and glistened like sugar. +Over the hare's head hovered a frost vapour, and through +this vapour could be seen the large, bright stars.</p> + +<p>The hare had to cross the highway, in order to come to +a threshing-floor he knew of. On the highway the runners +could be heard squeaking, and the horses snorting, +and seats creaking in the sleighs.</p> + +<p>The hare again stopped near the road. Peasants were +walking beside the sleighs, and the collars of their caftans +were raised. Their faces were scarcely visible. +Their beards, moustaches, and eyelashes were white. +Steam rose from their mouths and noses. Their horses +were sweaty, and the hoarfrost clung to the sweat. +The horses jostled under their arches, and dived in and +out of snow-drifts. The peasants ran behind the horses +and in front of them, and beat them with their whips. +Two peasants walked beside each other, and one of them +told the other how a horse of his had once been stolen.</p> + +<p>When the carts passed by, the hare leaped across the +road and softly made for the threshing-floor. A dog saw +the hare from a cart. He began to bark and darted after +the hare. The hare leaped toward the threshing-floor +over the snow-drifts, which held him back; but the dog<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span> +stuck fast in the snow after the tenth leap, and stopped. +Then the hare, too, stopped and sat up on his hind legs, +and then softly went on to the threshing-floor.</p> + +<p>On his way he met two other hares on the sowed winter +field. They were feeding and playing. The hare +played awhile with his companions, dug away the frosty +snow with them, ate the wintergreen, and went on.</p> + +<p>In the village everything was quiet; the fires were out. +All one could hear was a baby's cry in a hut and the +crackling of the frost in the logs of the cabins. The +hare went to the threshing-floor, and there found some +companions. He played awhile with them on the +cleared floor, ate some oats from the open granary, +climbed on the kiln over the snow-covered roof, and +across the wicker fence started back to his ravine.</p> + +<p>The dawn was glimmering in the east; the stars grew +less, and the frost vapours rose more densely from the +earth. In the near-by village the women got up, and +went to fetch water; the peasants brought the feed from +the barn; the children shouted and cried. There were +still more carts going down the road, and the peasants +talked aloud to each other.</p> + +<p>The hare leaped across the road, went up to his old +lair, picked out a high place, dug away the snow, lay with +his back in his new lair, dropped his ears on his back, and +fell asleep with open eyes.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="GOD_SEES_THE_TRUTH_BUT_DOES_NOT_TELL" id="GOD_SEES_THE_TRUTH_BUT_DOES_NOT_TELL"></a>GOD SEES THE TRUTH, BUT DOES NOT TELL +AT ONCE</h2> + + +<p>In the city of Vladímir there lived a young merchant, +Aksénov by name. He had two shops and a house.</p> + +<p>Aksénov was a light-complexioned, curly-headed, fine-looking +man and a very jolly fellow and good singer. In +his youth Aksénov had drunk much, and when he was +drunk he used to become riotous, but when he married +he gave up drinking, and that now happened very rarely +with him.</p> + +<p>One day in the summer Aksénov went to the Nízhni-Nóvgorod +fair. As he bade his family good-bye, his wife +said to him:</p> + +<p>"Iván Dmítrievich, do not start to-day! I have had a +bad dream about you."</p> + +<p>Aksénov laughed, and said:</p> + +<p>"Are you afraid that I might go on a spree at the +fair?"</p> + +<p>His wife said:</p> + +<p>"I do not know what I am afraid of, but I had a bad +dream: I dreamed that you came to town, and when you +took off your cap I saw that your head was all gray."</p> + +<p>Aksénov laughed.</p> + +<p>"That means that I shall make some profit. If I +strike a good bargain, you will see me bring you some +costly presents."</p> + +<p>And he bade his family farewell, and started.</p> + +<p>In the middle of his journey he met a merchant whom +he knew, and they stopped together in a hostelry for the +night. They drank their tea together, and lay down to +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span> +sleep in two adjoining rooms. Aksénov did not like +to sleep long; he awoke in the middle of the night and, +as it was easier to travel when it was cool, wakened his +driver and told him to hitch the horses. Then he went +to the "black" hut, paid his bill, and went away.</p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 446px;"> +<a href="images/i_088.jpg"> +<img src="images/i_088_s.jpg" width="446" height="600" alt="" title="" /> +</a> +<span class="caption">"'Whose knife is this?'"<br /> +<i>Photogravure from Painting by A. Kivshénko</i></span> +</div> + +<p>When he had gone about forty versts, he again stopped +to feed the horses and to rest in the vestibule of a hostelry. +At dinner-time he came out on the porch, and +ordered the samovár to be prepared for him. He took +out his guitar and began to play. Suddenly a tróyka +with bells drove up to the hostelry, and from the cart +leaped an officer with two soldiers, and he went up to +Aksénov, and asked him who he was and where he came +from.</p> + +<p>Aksénov told him everything as it was, and said:</p> + +<p>"Would you not like to drink tea with me?"</p> + +<p>But the officer kept asking him questions:</p> + +<p>"Where did you stay last night? Were you alone, or +with a merchant? Did you see the merchant in the +morning? Why did you leave so early in the morning?"</p> + +<p>Aksénov wondered why they asked him about all that; +he told them everything as it was, and said:</p> + +<p>"Why do you ask me this? I am not a thief, nor a +robber. I am travelling on business of my own, and you +have nothing to ask me about."</p> + +<p>Then the officer called the soldiers, and said:</p> + +<p>"I am the chief of the rural police, and I ask you this, +because the merchant with whom you passed last night +has been found with his throat cut. Show me your +things, and you look through them!"</p> + +<p>They entered the house, took his valise and bag, and +opened them and began to look through them. Suddenly +the chief took a knife out of the bag, and cried out:</p> + +<p>"Whose knife is this?"</p> + +<p>Aksénov looked, and saw that they had taken out a +blood-stained knife from his bag, and he was frightened<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span> +"How did the blood get on the knife?"</p> + +<p>Aksénov wanted to answer, but could not pronounce +a word.</p> + +<p>"I—I do not know—I—the knife—is not mine!"</p> + +<p>Then the chief said:</p> + +<p>"In the morning the merchant was found in his bed +with his throat cut. No one but you could have done +it. The house was locked from within, and there was no +one in the house but you. Here is the bloody knife in +your bag, and your face shows your guilt. Tell me, +how did you kill him, and how much money did you rob +him of?"</p> + +<p>Aksénov swore that he had not done it; that he had +not seen the merchant after drinking tea with him; that +he had with him his own eight thousand; that the knife +was not his. But his voice faltered, his face was pale, +and he trembled from fear, as though he were guilty.</p> + +<p>The chief called in the soldiers, told them to bind him +and to take him to the cart. When he was rolled into +the cart with his legs tied, he made the sign of the cross +and began to cry. They took away his money and +things, and sent him to jail to the nearest town. They +sent to Vladímir to find out what kind of a man Aksénov +was, and all the merchants and inhabitants of Vladímir +testified to the fact that Aksénov had drunk and caroused +when he was young, but that he was a good man. Then +they began to try him. He was tried for having killed +the Ryazán merchant and having robbed him of twenty +thousand roubles.</p> + +<p>The wife was grieving for her husband and did not +know what to think. Her children were still young, and +one was still at the breast. She took them all and went +with them to the town where her husband was kept in +prison. At first she was not admitted, but later she implored +the authorities, and she was taken to her husband. +When she saw him in prison garb and in chains, together<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span> +with murderers, she fell to the ground and could not +come to for a long time. Then she placed her children +about her, sat down beside him, and began to tell him +about house matters, and to ask him about everything +which had happened. He told her everything. She said:</p> + +<p>"What shall I do?"</p> + +<p>He said:</p> + +<p>"We must petition the Tsar. An innocent man cannot +be allowed to perish."</p> + +<p>His wife said that she had already petitioned the Tsar, +but that the petition had not reached him. Aksénov said +nothing, and only lowered his head. Then his wife said:</p> + +<p>"You remember the dream I had about your getting +gray. Indeed, you have grown gray from sorrow. If you +had only not started then!"</p> + +<p>And she looked over his hair, and said:</p> + +<p>"Iván, my darling, tell your wife the truth: did you +not do it?"</p> + +<p>Aksénov said, "And you, too, suspect me!" and covered +his face with his hands, and began to weep.</p> + +<p>Then a soldier came, and told his wife that she must +leave with her children. And Aksénov for the last time +bade his family farewell.</p> + +<p>When his wife had left, Aksénov thought about what +they had been talking of. When he recalled that his +wife had also suspected him and had asked him whether +he had killed the merchant, he said to himself: "Evidently +none but God can know the truth, and He alone +must be asked, and from Him alone can I expect mercy." +And from that time on Aksénov no longer handed in petitions +and stopped hoping, but only prayed to God.</p> + +<p>Aksénov was sentenced to be beaten with the knout, +and to be sent to hard labour. And it was done.</p> + +<p>He was beaten with the knout, and later, when the +knout sores healed over, he was driven with other convicts +to Siberia.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span></p> + +<p>In Siberia, Aksénov passed twenty-six years at hard +labour. His hair turned white like snow, and his beard +grew long, narrow, and gray. All his mirth went away. +He stooped, began to walk softly, spoke little, never +laughed, and frequently prayed to God.</p> + +<p>In the prison Aksénov learned to make boots, and with +the money which he earned he bought himself the +"Legends of the Holy Martyrs," and read them while it +was light in the prison; on holidays he went to the prison +church and read the Epistles, and sang in the choir,—his +voice was still good. The authorities were fond of +Aksénov for his gentleness, and his prison comrades +respected him and called him "grandfather" and "God's +man." When there were any requests to be made of the +authorities, his comrades always sent him to speak for +them, and when the convicts had any disputes between +themselves, they came to Aksénov to settle them.</p> + +<p>No one wrote Aksénov letters from his home, and he did +not know whether his wife and children were alive, or not.</p> + +<p>Once they brought some new prisoners to the prison. +In the evening the old prisoners gathered around the new +men, and asked them from what town they came, or from +what village, and for what acts they had been sent up. +Aksénov, too, sat down on the bed-boards near the new +prisoners and, lowering his head, listened to what they +were saying. One of the new prisoners was a tall, sound-looking +old man of about sixty years of age, with a gray, +clipped beard. He was telling them what he had been +sent up for:</p> + +<p>"Yes, brothers, I have come here for no crime at all. +I had unhitched a driver's horse from the sleigh. I was +caught. They said, 'You stole it.' And I said, 'I only +wanted to get home quickly, for I let the horse go. Besides, +the driver is a friend of mine. I am telling you the +truth.'—'No,' they said, 'you have stolen it.' But they +did not know what I had been stealing, or where I had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span> +been stealing. There were crimes for which I ought to +have been sent up long ago, but they could not convict +me, and now I am here contrary to the law. 'You are +lying,—you have been in Siberia, but you did not make +a long visit there—'"</p> + +<p>"Where do you come from?" asked one of the prisoners.</p> + +<p>"I am from the city of Vladímir, a burgher of that +place. My name is Makár, and by my father Seménovich."</p> + +<p>Aksénov raised his head, and asked:</p> + +<p>"Seménovich, have you not heard in Vladímir about +the family of Merchant Aksénov? Are they alive?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I have heard about them! They are rich merchants, +even though their father is in Siberia. He is as +much a sinner as I, I think. And you, grandfather, what +are you here for?"</p> + +<p>Aksénov did not like to talk of his misfortune. He +sighed, and said:</p> + +<p>"For my sins have I passed twenty-six years at hard +labour."</p> + +<p>Makár Seménovich said:</p> + +<p>"For what sins?"</p> + +<p>Aksénov said, "No doubt, I deserved it," and did not +wish to tell him any more; but the other prison people +told the new man how Aksénov had come to be in +Siberia. They told him how on the road some one had +killed a merchant and had put the knife into his bag, and +he thus was sentenced though he was innocent.</p> + +<p>When Makár Seménovich heard that, he looked at +Aksénov, clapped his knees with his hands, and said:</p> + +<p>"What a marvel! What a marvel! But you have grown +old, grandfather!"</p> + +<p>He was asked what he was marvelling at, and where +he had seen Aksénov, but Makár Seménovich made no +reply, and only said:</p> + +<p>"It is wonderful, boys, where we were fated to meet!"</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span></p> + +<p>And these words made Aksénov think that this man +might know something about who had killed the merchant. +He said:</p> + +<p>"Seménovich, have you heard before this about that +matter, or have we met before?"</p> + +<p>"Of course I have heard. The earth is full of rumours. +That happened a long time ago: I have forgotten what I +heard," said Makár Seménovich.</p> + +<p>"Maybe you have heard who killed the merchant?" +asked Aksénov.</p> + +<p>Makár Seménovich laughed and said:</p> + +<p>"I suppose he was killed by the man in whose bag the +knife was found. Even if somebody stuck that knife into +that bag, he was not caught, so he is no thief. And how +could the knife have been put in? Was not the bag +under your head? You would have heard him."</p> + +<p>The moment Aksénov heard these words, he thought +that that was the man who had killed the merchant. He +got up and walked away. All that night Aksénov could +not fall asleep. He felt sad, and had visions: now he saw +his wife such as she had been when she bade him farewell +for the last time, as he went to the fair. He saw her, as +though she was alive, and he saw her face and eyes, and +heard her speak to him and laugh. Then he saw his +children such as they had been then,—just as little,—one +of them in a fur coat, the other at the breast. And +he thought of himself, such as he had been then,—gay +and young; he recalled how he had been sitting on the +porch of the hostelry, where he was arrested, and had +been playing the guitar, and how light his heart had been +then. And he recalled the pillory, where he had been +whipped, and the executioner, and the people all around, +and the chains, and the prisoners, and his prison life of +the last twenty-six years, and his old age. And such +gloom came over him that he felt like laying hands on +himself.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span></p> + +<p>"And all that on account of that evil-doer!" thought +Aksénov.</p> + +<p>And such a rage fell upon him against Makár Seménovich, +that he wanted to have his revenge upon him, even +if he himself were to be ruined by it. He said his prayers +all night long, but could not calm himself. In the daytime +he did not walk over to Makár Seménovich, and did +not look at him.</p> + +<p>Thus two weeks passed. At night Aksénov could not +sleep, and he felt so sad that he did not know what to do +with himself.</p> + +<p>Once, in the night, he walked all over the prison, and +saw dirt falling from underneath one bedplace. He stopped +to see what it was. Suddenly Makár Seménovich jumped +up from under the bed and looked at Aksénov with a +frightened face. Aksénov wanted to pass on, so as not to +see him; but Makár took him by his arm, and told him +that he had dug a passage way under the wall, and that +he each day carried the dirt away in his boot-legs and +poured it out in the open, whenever they took the convicts +out to work. He said:</p> + +<p>"Keep quiet, old man,—I will take you out, too. +And if you tell, they will whip me, and I will not forgive +you,—I will kill you."</p> + +<p>When Aksénov saw the one who had done him evil, he +trembled in his rage, and pulled away his arm, and said:</p> + +<p>"I have no reason to get away from here, and there is +no sense in killing me,—you killed me long ago. And +whether I will tell on you or not depends on what God will +put into my soul."</p> + +<p>On the following day, when the convicts were taken +out to work, the soldiers noticed that Makár Seménovich +was pouring out the dirt, and so they began to search in +the prison, and found the hole. The chief came to the +prison and began to ask all who had dug the hole. Everybody +denied it. Those who knew had not seen Makár<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span> +Seménovich, because they knew that for this act he would +be whipped half-dead. Then the chief turned to Aksénov. +He knew that Aksénov was a just man, and said:</p> + +<p>"Old man, you are a truthful man, tell me before God +who has done that."</p> + +<p>Makár Seménovich stood as though nothing had happened +and looked at the chief, and did not glance at +Aksénov. Aksénov's arms and lips trembled, and he could +not utter a word for long time. He thought: "If I +protect him, why should I forgive him, since he has ruined +me? Let him suffer for my torments! And if I tell on +him, they will indeed whip him to death. And suppose +that I have a wrong suspicion against him. Will that +make it easier for me?"</p> + +<p>The chief said once more:</p> + +<p>"Well, old man, speak, tell the truth! Who has been +digging it?"</p> + +<p>Aksénov looked at Makár Seménovich, and said:</p> + +<p>"I cannot tell, your Honour. God orders me not to +tell. And I will not tell. Do with me as you please,—you +have the power."</p> + +<p>No matter how much the chief tried, Aksénov would +not say anything more. And so they did not find out +who had done the digging.</p> + +<p>On the following night, as Aksénov lay down on the +bed-boards and was just falling asleep, he heard somebody +come up to him and sit down at his feet. He looked in +the darkness and recognized Makár. Aksénov said:</p> + +<p>"What more do you want of me? What are you +doing here?"</p> + +<p>Makár Seménovich was silent. Aksénov raised himself, +and said:</p> + +<p>"What do you want? Go away, or I will call the +soldier."</p> + +<p>Makár bent down close to Aksénov, and said to him in +a whisper:</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 406px;"> +<a href="images/i_100.jpg"> +<img src="images/i_100_s.jpg" width="406" height="600" alt="" title="" /> +</a> +<span class="caption">"'God will forgive you'"<br /> +<i>Photogravure from Painting by A. Kivshénko</i></span> +</div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span></p> +<p>"Iván Dmítrievich, forgive me!"</p> + +<p>Aksénov said:</p> + +<p>"For what shall I forgive you?"</p> + +<p>"It was I who killed the merchant and put the knife +into your bag. I wanted to kill you, too, but they made +a noise in the yard, so I put the knife into your bag and +climbed through the window."</p> + +<p>Aksénov was silent and did not know what to say. +Makár Seménovich slipped down from the bed, made a +low obeisance, and said:</p> + +<p>"Iván Dmítrievich, forgive me, forgive me for God's +sake! I will declare that it was I who killed the merchant,—you +will be forgiven. You will return home."</p> + +<p>Aksénov said:</p> + +<p>"It is easy for you to speak so, but see how I have +suffered! Where shall I go now? My wife has died, +my children have forgotten me. I have no place to go +to—"</p> + +<p>Makár Seménovich did not get up from the floor. He +struck his head against the earth, and said:</p> + +<p>"Iván Dmítrievich, forgive me! When they whipped +me with the knout I felt better than now that I am looking +at you. You pitied me, and did not tell on me. +Forgive me, for Christ's sake! Forgive me, the accursed +evil-doer!" And he burst out into tears.</p> + +<p>When Aksénov heard Makár Seménovich crying, he +began to weep himself, and said:</p> + +<p>"God will forgive you. Maybe I am a hundred times +worse than you!"</p> + +<p>And suddenly a load fell off from his soul. And he no +longer pined for his home, and did not wish to leave the +prison, but only thought of his last hour.</p> + +<p>Makár Seménovich did not listen to Aksénov, but declared +his guilt. When the decision came for Aksénov +to leave,—he was dead.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="HUNTING_WORSE_THAN_SLAVERY" id="HUNTING_WORSE_THAN_SLAVERY"></a>HUNTING WORSE THAN SLAVERY</h2> + + +<p>We were hunting bears. My companion had a chance +to shoot at a bear: he wounded him, but only in a soft +spot. A little blood was left on the snow, but the bear +got away.</p> + +<p>We met in the forest and began to discuss what to do: +whether to go and find that bear, or to wait two or three +days until the bear should lie down again.</p> + +<p>We asked the peasant bear drivers whether we could +now surround the bear. An old bear driver said:</p> + +<p>"No, we must give the bear a chance to calm himself. +In about five days it will be possible to surround him, +but if we go after him now he will only be frightened +and will not lie down."</p> + +<p>But a young bear driver disputed with the old man, +and said that he could surround him now.</p> + +<p>"Over this snow," he said, "the bear cannot get away +far,—he is fat. He will lie down to-day again. And if +he does not, I will overtake him on snow-shoes."</p> + +<p>My companion, too, did not want to surround the bear +now, and advised waiting.</p> + +<p>But I said:</p> + +<p>"What is the use of discussing the matter? Do as +you please, but I will go with Demyán along the track. +If we overtake him, so much is gained; if not,—I have +nothing else to do to-day anyway, and it is not yet late."</p> + +<p>And so we did.</p> + +<p>My companions went to the sleigh, and back to the +village, but Demyán and I took bread with us, and +remained in the woods.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span></p> + +<p>When all had left us, Demyán and I examined our +guns, tucked our fur coats over our belts, and followed +the track.</p> + +<p>It was fine weather, chilly and calm. But walking on +snow-shoes was a hard matter: the snow was deep and +powdery.</p> + +<p>The snow had not settled in the forest, and, besides, +fresh snow had fallen on the day before, so that the +snow-shoes sunk half a foot in the snow, and in places +even deeper.</p> + +<p>The bear track could be seen a distance away. We +could see the way the bear had walked, for in spots +he had fallen in the snow to his belly and had swept the +snow aside. At first we walked in plain sight of the track, +through a forest of large trees; then, when the track +went into a small pine wood, Demyán stopped.</p> + +<p>"We must now give up the track," he said. "He will, no +doubt, lie down here. He has been sitting on his +haunches,—you can see it by the snow. Let us go +away from the track, and make a circle around him. +But we must walk softly and make no noise, not even +cough, or we shall scare him."</p> + +<p>We went away from the track, to the left. We walked +about five hundred steps and there we again saw the +track before us. We again followed the track, and this +took us to the road. We stopped on the road and began +to look around, to see in what direction the bear had +gone. Here and there on the road we could see the +bear's paws with all the toes printed on the snow, while +in others we could see the tracks of a peasant's bast shoes. +He had, evidently, gone to the village.</p> + +<p>We walked along the road. Demyán said to me:</p> + +<p>"We need not watch the road; somewhere he will +turn off the road, to the right or to the left,—we shall +see in the snow. Somewhere he will turn off,—he will +not go to the village."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span></p> + +<p>We walked thus about a mile along the road; suddenly +we saw the track turn off from the road. We looked at +it, and see the wonder! It was a bear's track, but leading +not from the road to the woods, but from the woods +to the road: the toes were turned to the road. I said:</p> + +<p>"That is another bear."</p> + +<p>Demyán looked at it, and thought awhile.</p> + +<p>"No," he said, "that is the same bear, only he has +begun to cheat. He left the road backwards."</p> + +<p>We followed the track, and so it was. The bear had +evidently walked about ten steps backwards from the +road, until he got beyond a fir-tree, and then he had +turned and gone on straight ahead. Demyán stopped, +and said:</p> + +<p>"Now we shall certainly fall in with him. He has no +place but this swamp to lie down in. Let us surround +him."</p> + +<p>We started to surround him, going through the dense +pine forest. I was getting tired, and it was now much +harder to travel. Now I would strike against a juniper-bush, +and get caught in it; or a small pine-tree would +get under my feet; or the snow-shoes would twist, as I +was not used to them; or I would strike a stump or a +block under the snow. I was beginning to be worn out. +I took off my fur coat, and the sweat was just pouring +down from me. But Demyán sailed along as in a boat. +It looked as though the snow-shoes walked under him of +their own accord. He neither caught in anything, nor +did his shoes turn on him.</p> + +<p>And he even threw my fur coat over his shoulders, +and kept urging me on.</p> + +<p>We made about three versts in a circle, and walked +past the swamp. Demyán suddenly stopped in front +of me, and waved his hand. I walked over to him. +Demyán bent down, and pointed with his hand, and +whispered to me:</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Do you see, a magpie is chattering on a windfall: the +bird is scenting the bear from a distance. It is he."</p> + +<p>We walked to one side, made another verst, and again +hit the old trail. Thus we had made a circle around the +bear, and he was inside of it. We stopped. I took off +my hat and loosened my wraps: I felt as hot as in a +bath, and was as wet as a mouse. Demyán, too, was all +red, and he wiped his face with his sleeve.</p> + +<p>"Well," he said, "we have done our work, sir, so we +may take a rest."</p> + +<p>The evening glow could be seen through the forest. +We sat down on the snow-shoes to rest ourselves. We +took the bread and salt out of the bags; first I ate a little +snow, and then the bread. The bread tasted to me better +than any I had eaten in all my life. We sat awhile; it +began to grow dark. I asked Demyán how far it was to +the village.</p> + +<p>"About twelve versts. We shall reach it in the night; +but now we must rest. Put on your fur coat, sir, or you +will catch a cold."</p> + +<p>Demyán broke off some pine branches, knocked down +the snow, made a bed, and we lay down beside each +other, with our arms under our heads. I do not remember +how I fell asleep. I awoke about two hours later. +Something crashed.</p> + +<p>I had been sleeping so soundly that I forgot where I +was. I looked around me: what marvel was that? +Where was I? Above me were some white chambers, +and white posts, and on everything glistened white tinsel. +I looked up: there was a white, checkered cloth, and +between the checks was a black vault in which burned +fires of all colours. I looked around, and I recalled that +we were in the forest, and that the snow-covered trees +had appeared to me as chambers, and that the fires were +nothing but the stars that flickered between the branches.</p> + +<p>In the night a hoarfrost had fallen, and there was hoarfrost<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span> +on the branches, and on my fur coat, and Demyán +was all covered with hoarfrost, and hoarfrost fell from +above. I awoke Demyán. We got up on our snow-shoes +and started. The forest was quiet. All that could be +heard was the sound we made as we slid on our snow-shoes +over the soft snow, or when a tree would crackle +from the frost, and a hollow sound would pass through +the whole woods. Only once did something living stir +close to us and run away again. I thought it was the +bear. We walked over to the place from where the noise +had come, and we saw hare tracks. The young aspens +were nibbled down. The hares had been feeding on them.</p> + +<p>We came out to the road, tied the snow-shoes behind us, +and walked down the road. It was easy to walk. The +snow-shoes rattled and rumbled over the beaten road; the +snow creaked under our boots; the cold hoarfrost stuck to +our faces like down. And the stars seemed to run toward +us along the branches: they would flash, and go out +again,—just as though the sky were walking round and +round.</p> + +<p>My companion was asleep,—I awoke him. We told +him how we had made a circle around the bear, and told +the landlord to collect the drivers for the morning. We +ate our supper and lay down to sleep.</p> + +<p>I was so tired that I could have slept until dinner, but +my companion woke me. I jumped up and saw that my +companion was all dressed and busy with his gun.</p> + +<p>"Where is Demyán?"</p> + +<p>"He has been in the forest for quite awhile. He has +investigated the circle, and has been back to take the +drivers out."</p> + +<p>I washed myself, put on my clothes, and loaded my +guns. We seated ourselves in the sleigh, and started.</p> + +<p>There was a severe frost, the air was calm, and the sun +could not be seen: there was a mist above, and the hoarfrost +was settling.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span></p> + +<p>We travelled about three versts by the road, and reached +the forest. We saw a blue smoke in a hollow, and peasants, +men and women, were there with clubs.</p> + +<p>We climbed out of the sleigh and went up to the people. +The peasants were sitting and baking potatoes, and joking +with the women.</p> + +<p>Demyán was with them. The people got up, and +Demyán took them away to place them in our last night's +circuit. The men and women stretched themselves out +in single file,—there were thirty of them and they could +be seen only from the belt up,—and went into the +woods; then my companion and I followed their tracks.</p> + +<p>Though they had made a path, it was hard to walk; +still, we could not fall, for it was like walking between +two walls.</p> + +<p>Thus we walked for half a verst. I looked up, and +there was Demyán running to us from the other side on +snow-shoes, and waving his hand for us to come to him.</p> + +<p>We went up to him, and he showed us where to stand. +I took up my position and looked around.</p> + +<p>To the left of me was a tall pine forest. I could see +far through it, and beyond the trees I saw the black spot +of a peasant driver. Opposite me was a young pine +growth, as tall as a man's stature. In this pine growth +the branches were hanging down and stuck together from +the snow. The path through the middle of the pine grove +was covered with snow. This path was leading toward +me. To the right of me was a dense pine forest, and +beyond the pine grove there was a clearing. And on +this clearing I saw Demyán place my companion.</p> + +<p>I examined my two guns and cocked them, and began +to think where to take up a stand. Behind me, about +three steps from me, there was a pine-tree. "I will stand +by that pine, and will lean the other gun against it." I +made my way to that pine, walking knee-deep in snow. +I tramped down a space of about four feet each way, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span> +there took my stand. One gun I took into my hands, and +the other, with hammers raised, I placed against the tree. +I unsheathed my dagger and put it back in the scabbard, +to be sure that in case of need it would come out easily.</p> + +<p>I had hardly fixed myself, when Demyán shouted from +the woods:</p> + +<p>"Start it now, start it!"</p> + +<p>And as Demyán shouted this, the peasants in the circuit +cried, each with a different tone of voice: "Come +now! OO-oo-oo!" and the women cried, in their thin +voices: "Ai! Eekh!"</p> + +<p>The bear was in the circle. Demyán was driving him. +In the circuit the people shouted, and only my companion +and I stood still, did not speak or move, and waited for +the bear. I stood, and looked, and listened, and my heart +went pitapat. I was clutching my gun and trembling. +Now, now he will jump out, I thought, and I will aim +and shoot, and he will fall— Suddenly I heard to the +left something tumbling through the snow, only it was +far away. I looked into the tall pine forest: about fifty +steps from me, behind the trees, stood something large and +black. I aimed and waited. I thought it might come +nearer. I saw it move its ears and turn around. Now I +could see the whole of him from the side. It was a huge +beast. I aimed hastily. Bang! I heard the bullet strike +the tree. Through the smoke I saw the bear make back +for the cover and disappear in the forest. "Well," I +thought, "my business is spoiled: he will not run up to +me again; either my companion will have a chance to +shoot at him, or he will go through between the peasants, +but never again toward me." I reloaded the gun, and +stood and listened. The peasants were shouting on all +sides, but on the right, not far from my companion, I +heard a woman yell, "Here he is! Here he is! Here he +is! This way! This way! Oi, oi, oi! Ai, ai, ai!"</p> + +<p>There was the bear, in full sight. I was no longer expecting<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span> +the bear to come toward me, and so looked to the +right toward my companion. I saw Demyán running +without the snow-shoes along the path, with a stick in his +hand, and going up to my companion, sitting down near +him, and pointing with the stick at something, as though +he were aiming. I saw my companion raise his gun and +aim at where Demyán was pointing. Bang! he fired +it off.</p> + +<p>"Well," I thought, "he has killed him." But I saw +that my companion was not running toward the bear. +"Evidently he missed him, or did not strike him right. +He will get away," I thought, "but he will not come +toward me."</p> + +<p>What was that? Suddenly I heard something in front +of me: somebody was flying like a whirlwind, and scattering +the snow near by, and panting. I looked ahead of +me, but he was making headlong toward me along the path +through the dense pine growth. I could see that he was +beside himself with fear. When he was within five steps +of me I could see the whole of him: his chest was black +and his head was enormous, and of a reddish colour. He +was flying straight toward me, and scattering the snow in +all directions. I could see by the bear's eyes that he did +not see me and in his fright was rushing headlong. He +was making straight for the pine where I was standing. +I raised my gun, and shot, but he came still nearer. I +saw that I had not hit him: the bullet was carried past +him. He heard nothing, plunged onward, and did not +see me. I bent down the gun, almost rested it against +his head. Bang! This time I hit him, but did not +kill him.</p> + +<p>He raised his head, dropped his ears, showed his teeth,—and +straight toward me. I grasped the other gun; but +before I had it in my hand, he was already on me, knocked +me down, and flew over me. "Well," I thought, "that is +good, he will not touch me." I was just getting up, when<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span> +I felt something pressing against me and holding me +down. In his onrush he ran past me, but he turned +around and rushed against me with his whole breast. +I felt something heavy upon me, something warm over +my face, and I felt him taking my face into his jaws. My +nose was already in his mouth, and I felt hot, and smelled +his blood. He pressed my shoulders with his paws, and +I could not stir. All I could do was to pull my head out +of his jaws and press it against my breast, and I turned +my nose and eyes away. But he was trying to get +at my eyes and nose. I felt him strike the teeth of his +upper jaw into my forehead, right below the hair, and +the lower jaw into the cheek-bones below the eyes, and he +began to crush me. It was as though my head were cut +with knives. I jerked and pulled out my head, but he +chawed and chawed and snapped at me like a dog. I +would turn my head away, and he would catch it again. +"Well," I thought, "my end has come." Suddenly I felt +lighter. I looked up, and he was gone: he had jumped +away from me, and was running now.</p> + +<p>When my companion and Demyán saw that the bear +had knocked me into the snow, they dashed for me. My +companion wanted to get there as fast as possible, but lost +his way; instead of running on the trodden path, he ran +straight ahead, and fell down. While he was trying to +get out of the snow, the bear was gnawing at me. Demyán +ran up to me along the path, without a gun, just with +the stick which he had in his hands, and he shouted, +"He is eating up the gentleman! He is eating up the +gentleman!" And he kept running and shouting, "Oh, +you wretched beast! What are you doing? Stop! Stop!"</p> + +<p>The bear listened to him, stopped, and ran away. +When I got up, there was much blood on the snow, just +as though a sheep had been killed, and over my eyes the +flesh hung in rags. While the wound was fresh I felt no +pain.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span></p> + +<p>My companion ran up to me, and the peasants gathered +around me. They looked at my wounds, and washed +them with snow. I had entirely forgotten about the +wounds, and only asked, "Where is the bear? Where +has he gone?"</p> + +<p>Suddenly we heard, "Here he is! Here he is!" We +saw the bear running once more against us. We grasped +our guns, but before we fired he ran past us. The bear +was mad: he wanted to bite me again, but when he saw +so many people he became frightened. We saw by the +track that the bear was bleeding from the head. We +wanted to follow him up, but my head hurt me, and so +we drove to town to see a doctor.</p> + +<p>The doctor sewed up my wounds with silk, and they +began to heal.</p> + +<p>A month later we went out again to hunt that bear; +but I did not get the chance to kill him. The bear would +not leave the cover, and kept walking around and around +and roaring terribly. Demyán killed him. My shot had +crushed his lower jaw and knocked out a tooth.</p> + +<p>This bear was very large, and he had beautiful black +fur. I had the skin stuffed, and it is lying now in my +room. The wounds on my head have healed, so that one +can scarcely see where they were.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span></p> + + +<h2><a name="A_PRISONER_OF_THE_CAUCASUS" id="A_PRISONER_OF_THE_CAUCASUS"></a>A PRISONER OF THE CAUCASUS</h2> + + +<h3>I.</h3> + +<p>A certain gentleman was serving as an officer in the +Caucasus. His name was Zhilín.</p> + +<p>One day he received a letter from home. His old +mother wrote to him:</p> + +<p>"I have grown old, and I should like to see my darling +son before my death. Come to bid me farewell and bury +me, and then, with God's aid, return to the service. I +have also found a bride for you: she is bright and pretty +and has property. If you take a liking to her, you can +marry her, and stay here for good."</p> + +<p>Zhilín reflected: "Indeed, my old mother has grown +feeble; perhaps I shall never see her again. I must go; +and if the bride is a good girl, I may marry her."</p> + +<p>He went to the colonel, got a furlough, bade his companions +good-bye, treated his soldiers to four buckets of +vódka, and got himself ready to go.</p> + +<p>At that time there was a war in the Caucasus. Neither +in the daytime, nor at night, was it safe to travel on the +roads. The moment a Russian walked or drove away +from a fortress, the Tartars either killed him or took him +as a prisoner to the mountains. It was a rule that a +guard of soldiers should go twice a week from fortress to +fortress. In front and in the rear walked soldiers, and +between them were other people.</p> + +<p>It was in the summer. The carts gathered at daybreak +outside the fortress, and the soldiers of the convoy came<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span> +out, and all started. Zhilín rode on horseback, and his +cart with his things went with the caravan.</p> + +<p>They had to travel twenty-five versts. The caravan +proceeded slowly; now the soldiers stopped, and now a +wheel came off a cart, or a horse stopped, and all had to +stand still and wait.</p> + +<p>The sun had already passed midday, but the caravan +had made only half the distance. It was dusty and hot; +the sun just roasted them, and there was no shelter: it +was a barren plain, with neither tree nor bush along the +road.</p> + +<p>Zhilín rode out ahead. He stopped and waited for the +caravan to catch up with him. He heard them blow +the signal-horn behind: they had stopped again.</p> + +<p>Zhilín thought: "Why can't I ride on, without the +soldiers? I have a good horse under me, and if I run +against Tartars, I will gallop away. Or had I better not +go?"</p> + +<p>He stopped to think it over. There rode up to him +another officer, Kostylín, with a gun, and said:</p> + +<p>"Let us ride by ourselves, Zhilín! I cannot stand it +any longer: I am hungry, and it is so hot. My shirt +is dripping wet."</p> + +<p>Kostylín was a heavy, stout man, with a red face, and +the perspiration was just rolling down his face. Zhilín +thought awhile and said:</p> + +<p>"Is your gun loaded?"</p> + +<p>"It is."</p> + +<p>"Well, then, we will go, but on one condition, that we +do not separate."</p> + +<p>And so they rode ahead on the highway. They rode +through the steppe, and talked, and looked about them. +They could see a long way off.</p> + +<p>When the steppe came to an end, the road entered a +cleft between two mountains. So Zhilín said:</p> + +<p>"We ought to ride up the mountain to take a look;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span> +for here they may leap out on us from the mountain +without our seeing them."</p> + +<p>But Kostylín said:</p> + +<p>"What is the use of looking? Let us ride on!"</p> + +<p>Zhilín paid no attention to him.</p> + +<p>"No," he said, "you wait here below, and I will take +a look up there."</p> + +<p>And he turned his horse to the left, up-hill. The +horse under Zhilín was a thoroughbred (he had paid a +hundred roubles for it when it was a colt, and had himself +trained it), and it carried him up the slope as though +on wings. The moment he reached the summit, he saw +before him a number of Tartars on horseback, about +eighty fathoms away. There were about thirty of them. +When he saw them, he began to turn back; and the +Tartars saw him, and galloped toward him, and on the +ride took their guns out of the covers. Zhilín urged his +horse down-hill as fast as its legs would carry him, and +he shouted to Kostylín:</p> + +<p>"Take out the gun!" and he himself thought about +his horse: "Darling, take me away from here! Don't +stumble! If you do, I am lost. If I get to the gun, they +shall not catch me."</p> + +<p>But Kostylín, instead of waiting, galloped at full speed +toward the fortress, the moment he saw the Tartars. He +urged the horse on with the whip, now on one side, and +now on the other. One could see through the dust only +the horse switching her tail.</p> + +<p>Zhilín saw that things were bad. The gun had disappeared, +and he could do nothing with a sword. He turned +his horse back to the soldiers, thinking that he might get +away. He saw six men crossing his path. He had a +good horse under him, but theirs were better still, and +they crossed his path. He began to check his horse: he +wanted to turn around; but the horse was running at +full speed and could not be stopped, and he flew straight<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span> +toward them. He saw a red-bearded Tartar on a gray +horse, who was coming near to him. He howled and +showed his teeth, and his gun was against his shoulder.</p> + +<p>"Well," thought Zhilín, "I know you devils. When +you take one alive, you put him in a hole and beat him +with a whip. I will not fall into your hands alive——"</p> + +<p>Though Zhilín was not tall, he was brave. He drew +his sword, turned his horse straight against the Tartar, +and thought:</p> + +<p>"Either I will knock his horse off its feet, or I will +strike the Tartar with my sword."</p> + +<p>Zhilín got within a horse's length from him, when they +shot at him from behind and hit the horse. The horse +dropped on the ground while going at full speed, and fell +on Zhilín's leg.</p> + +<p>He wanted to get up, but two stinking Tartars were +already astride of him. He tugged and knocked down +the two Tartars, but three more jumped down from their +horses and began to strike him with the butts of their +guns. Things grew dim before his eyes, and he tottered. +The Tartars took hold of him, took from their saddles +some reserve straps, twisted his arms behind his back, tied +them with a Tartar knot, and fastened him to the saddle. +They knocked down his hat, pulled off his boots, rummaged +all over him, and took away his money and his watch, and +tore all his clothes.</p> + +<p>Zhilín looked back at his horse. The dear animal was +lying just as it had fallen down, and only twitched its +legs and did not reach the ground with them; in its head +there was a hole, and from it the black blood gushed and +wet the dust for an ell around.</p> + +<p>A Tartar went up to the horse, to pull off the saddle. +The horse was struggling still, and so he took out his +dagger and cut its throat. A whistling sound came from +the throat, and the horse twitched, and was dead.</p> + +<p>The Tartars took off the saddle and the trappings.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span> +The red-bearded Tartar mounted his horse, and the others +seated Zhilín behind him. To prevent his falling off, they +attached him by a strap to the Tartar's belt, and they rode +off to the mountains.</p> + +<p>Zhilín was sitting back of the Tartar, and shaking and +striking with his face against the stinking Tartar's back. +All he saw before him was the mighty back, and the muscular +neck, and the livid, shaved nape of his head underneath +his cap. Zhilín's head was bruised, and the blood +was clotted under his eyes. And he could not straighten +himself on the saddle, nor wipe off his blood. His arms +were twisted so badly that his shoulder bones pained +him.</p> + +<p>They rode for a long time from one mountain to another, +and forded a river, and came out on a path, where they +rode through a ravine.</p> + +<p>Zhilín wanted to take note of the road on which they +were travelling, but his eyes were smeared with blood, and +he could not turn around.</p> + +<p>It was getting dark. They crossed another stream and +rode up a rocky mountain. There was an odour of smoke, +and the dogs began to bark. They had come to a native +village. The Tartars got down from their horses; the +Tartar children gathered around Zhilín, and screamed, and +rejoiced, and aimed stones at him.</p> + +<p>The Tartar drove the boys away, took Zhilín down +from his horse, and called a labourer. There came a +Nogay, with large cheek-bones; he wore nothing but a +shirt. The shirt was torn and left his breast bare. The +Tartar gave him a command. The labourer brought the +stocks,—two oak planks drawn through iron rings, and +one of these rings with a clasp and lock.</p> + +<p>They untied Zhilín's hands, put the stocks on him, and +led him into a shed: they pushed him in and locked the +door. Zhilín fell on the manure pile. He felt around in +the darkness for a soft spot, and lay down there.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 452px;"> +<a href="images/i_120.jpg"> +<img src="images/i_120_s.jpg" width="452" height="600" alt="" title="" /> +</a> +<span class="caption">"They rode off to the mountains"<br /> +<i>Photogravure from Painting by A. Kivshénko</i></span> +</div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span></p> + +<h3>II.</h3> + +<p>Zhilín lay awake nearly the whole night. The nights +were short. He saw through a chink that it was getting +light. He got up, made the chink larger, and looked +out.</p> + +<p>Through the chink Zhilín saw the road: it went down-hill; +on the right was a Tartar cabin, and near it two +trees. A black dog lay on the threshold, and a goat +strutted about with her kids, which were jerking their +little tails. He saw a young Tartar woman coming up +the hill; she wore a loose coloured shirt and pantaloons +and boots, and her head was covered with a caftan, and +on her head there was a large tin pitcher with water. She +walked along, jerking her back, and bending over, and by +the hand she led a young shaven Tartar boy in nothing +but his shirt. The Tartar woman went into the cabin +with the water, and out came the Tartar of the day before, +with the red beard, wearing a silk half-coat, a silver +dagger on a strap, and shoes on his bare feet. On his +head there was a tall, black sheepskin hat, tilted backwards. +He came out, and he stretched himself and +smoothed his red beard. He stood awhile, gave the +labourer an order, and went away.</p> + +<p>Then two boys rode by, taking the horses to water. +The muzzles of the horses were wet. Then there ran out +some other shaven boys, in nothing but their shirts, with +no trousers; they gathered in a crowd, walked over to the +shed, picked up a stick, and began to poke it through +the chink. When Zhilín shouted at the children, they +screamed and started to run back, so that their bare knees +glistened in the sun.</p> + +<p>Zhilín wanted to drink,—his throat was all dried up. +He thought: "If they would only come to see me!" He +heard them open the shed. The red Tartar came in, and +with him another, black-looking fellow, of smaller stature.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span> +His eyes were black and bright, his cheeks ruddy, his +small beard clipped; his face looked jolly, and he kept +laughing all the time. This swarthy fellow was dressed +even better: he had on a silk half-coat, of a blue colour, +embroidered with galloons. In his belt there was a large +silver dagger; his slippers were of red morocco and also +embroidered with silver. Over his thin slippers he wore +heavier shoes. His cap was tall, of white astrakhan.</p> + +<p>The red Tartar came in. He said something, as though +scolding, and stopped. He leaned against the door-post, +dangled his dagger, and like a wolf looked furtively at +Zhilín. But the swarthy fellow—swift, lively, walking +around as though on springs—went up straight to +Zhilín, squatted down, showed his teeth, slapped him on +the shoulder, began to rattle off something in his language, +winked with his eyes, clicked his tongue, and kept +repeating: "Goot Uruss! Goot Uruss!"</p> + +<p>Zhilín did not understand a thing and said:</p> + +<p>"Give me to drink, give me water to drink!"</p> + +<p>The swarthy fellow laughed. "Goot Uruss!" he kept +rattling off.</p> + +<p>Zhilín showed with his lips and hands that he wanted +something to drink.</p> + +<p>The swarthy fellow understood what he wanted, +laughed out, looked through the door, and called some +one: "Dina!"</p> + +<p>In came a thin, slender little girl, of about thirteen +years of age, who resembled the swarthy man very much. +Evidently she was his daughter. Her eyes, too, were +black and bright, and her face was pretty. She wore a +long blue shirt, with broad sleeves and without a belt. +The skirt, the breast, and the sleeves were trimmed with +red. On her legs were pantaloons, and on her feet +slippers, with high-heeled shoes over them; on her neck +she wore a necklace of Russian half-roubles. Her head +was uncovered; her braid was black, with a ribbon<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span> +through it, and from the ribbon hung small plates and a +Russian rouble.</p> + +<p>Her father gave her a command. She ran away, and +came back and brought a small tin pitcher. She gave +him the water, and herself squatted down, bending up in +such a way that her shoulders were below her knees. +She sat there, and opened her eyes, and looked at Zhilín +drinking, as though he were some animal.</p> + +<p>Zhilín handed her back the pitcher. She jumped away +like a wild goat. Even her father laughed. He sent her +somewhere else. She took the pitcher and ran away; +she brought some fresh bread on a round board, and again +sat down, bent over, riveted her eyes on him, and kept +looking.</p> + +<p>The Tartars went away and locked the door.</p> + +<p>After awhile the Nogay came to Zhilín, and said:</p> + +<p>"Ai-da, master, ai-da!"</p> + +<p>He did not know any Russian, either. All Zhilín +could make out was that he should follow him.</p> + +<p>Zhilín started with the stocks, and he limped and could +not walk, so much did the stocks pull his legs aside. +Zhilín went out with the Nogay. He saw a Tartar +village of about ten houses, and a church of theirs, with a +small tower. Near one house stood three horses, all +saddled. Boys were holding the reins. From the house +sprang the swarthy Tartar, and he waved his hand for +Zhilín to come up. He laughed all the while, and talked +in his language, and disappeared through the door.</p> + +<p>Zhilín entered the house. It was a good living-room,—the +walls were plastered smooth with clay. +Along the front wall lay coloured cushions, and at the +sides hung costly rugs; on the rugs were guns, pistols, +swords,—all in silver. By one wall there was a small +stove, on a level with the floor. The floor was of dirt and +as clean as a threshing-floor, and the whole front corner +was carpeted with felt; and over the felt lay rugs, and on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span> +the rugs cushions. On these rugs sat the Tartars, in +their slippers without their outer shoes: there were the +swarthy fellow, the red Tartar, and three guests. At +their backs were feather cushions, and before them, on +a round board, were millet cakes and melted butter in a +bowl, and Tartar beer, "buza," in a small pitcher. They +were eating with their hands, and their hands were all +greasy from the butter.</p> + +<p>The swarthy man jumped up and ordered Zhilín to be +placed to one side, not on a rug, but on the bare floor; he +went back to his rug, and treated his guests to millet +cakes and buza. The labourer placed Zhilín where he +had been ordered, himself took off his outer shoes, put +them at the door, where stood the other shoes, and sat +down on the felt next to the masters. He looked at +them as they ate, and wiped off his spittle.</p> + +<p>The Tartars ate the cakes. Then there came a Tartar +woman, in a shirt like the one the girl had on, and +in pantaloons, and with a kerchief over her head. She +carried away the butter and the cakes, and brought a +small wash-basin of a pretty shape, and a pitcher with +a narrow neck. The Tartars washed their hands, then +folded them, knelt down, blew in every direction, and said +their prayers. Then one of the Tartar guests turned to +Zhilín, and began to speak in Russian:</p> + +<p>"You," he said, "were taken by Kazi-Muhammed," and +he pointed to the red Tartar, "and he gave you to Abdul-Murat." +He pointed to the swarthy man. "Abdul-Murat +is now your master."</p> + +<p>Zhilín kept silence. Then Abdul-Murat began to speak. +He pointed to Zhilín, and laughed, and kept repeating:</p> + +<p>"Soldier Uruss! Goot Uruss!"</p> + +<p>The interpreter said:</p> + +<p>"He wants you to write a letter home that they may +send a ransom for you. When they send it, you will be +set free."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span></p> + +<p>Zhilín thought awhile and said:</p> + +<p>"How much ransom does he want?"</p> + +<p>The Tartars talked together; then the interpreter +said:</p> + +<p>"Three thousand in silver."</p> + +<p>"No," said Zhilín, "I cannot pay that."</p> + +<p>Abdul jumped up, began to wave his hands and to talk +to Zhilín, thinking that he would understand him. The +interpreter translated. He said:</p> + +<p>"How much will you give?"</p> + +<p>Zhilín thought awhile, and said:</p> + +<p>"Five hundred roubles."</p> + +<p>Then the Tartars began to talk a great deal, all at +the same time. Abdul shouted at the red Tartar. +He was so excited that the spittle just spirted from his +mouth.</p> + +<p>But the red Tartar only scowled and clicked his tongue.</p> + +<p>They grew silent, and the interpreter said:</p> + +<p>"The master is not satisfied with five hundred roubles. +He has himself paid two hundred for you. Kazi-Muhammed +owed him a debt. He took you for that debt. +Three thousand roubles, nothing less will do. And if +you do not write, you will be put in a hole and beaten +with a whip."</p> + +<p>"Oh," thought Zhilín, "it will not do to show that I +am frightened; that will only be worse." He leaped to +his feet, and said:</p> + +<p>"Tell that dog that if he is going to frighten me, I +will not give him a penny, and I will refuse to write. +I have never been afraid of you dogs, and I never +will be."</p> + +<p>The interpreter translated, and all began to speak at +the same time.</p> + +<p>They babbled for a long time; then the swarthy Tartar +jumped up and walked over to Zhilín:</p> + +<p>"Uruss," he said, "dzhigit, dzhigit Uruss!"</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span></p> + +<p>Dzhigit in their language means a "brave." And he +laughed; he said something to the interpreter, and the +interpreter said:</p> + +<p>"Give one thousand roubles!"</p> + +<p>Zhilín stuck to what he had said:</p> + +<p>"I will not give more than five hundred. And if you +kill me, you will get nothing."</p> + +<p>The Tartars talked awhile and sent the labourer somewhere, +and themselves kept looking now at Zhilín and +now at the door. The labourer came, and behind him +walked a fat man; he was barefoot and tattered; he, too, +had on the stocks.</p> + +<p>Zhilín just shouted, for he recognized Kostylín. He, +too, had been caught. They were placed beside each +other. They began to talk to each other, and the Tartars +kept silence and looked at them. Zhilín told what had +happened to him; and Kostylín told him that his horse +had stopped and his gun had missed fire, and that the +same Abdul had overtaken and captured him.</p> + +<p>Abdul jumped up, and pointed to Kostylín, and said +something. The interpreter translated it, and said that +both of them belonged to the same master, and that the +one who would first furnish the money would be the first +to be released.</p> + +<p>"Now you," he said, "are a cross fellow, but your +friend is meek; he has written a letter home, and they +will send five thousand roubles. He will be fed well, +and will not be insulted."</p> + +<p>So Zhilín said:</p> + +<p>"My friend may do as he pleases; maybe he is rich, +but I am not. As I have said, so will it be. If you +want to, kill me,—you will not gain by it,—but more +than five hundred will I not give."</p> + +<p>They were silent for awhile. Suddenly Abdul jumped +up, fetched a small box, took out a pen, a piece of paper, +and some ink, put it all before Zhilín, slapped him on the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span> +shoulder, and motioned for him to write. He agreed to +the five hundred.</p> + +<p>"Wait awhile," Zhilín said to the interpreter. "Tell +him that he has to feed us well, and give us the proper +clothes and shoes, and keep us together,—it will be jollier +for us,—and take off the stocks." He looked at the +master and laughed. The master himself laughed. He +listened to the interpreter, and said:</p> + +<p>"I will give you the best of clothes,—a Circassian +mantle and boots,—you will be fit to marry. We will +feed you like princes. And if you want to stay together, +you may live in the shed. But the stocks cannot be +taken off, for you will run away. For the night we will +take them off."</p> + +<p>He ran up to Zhilín, and tapped him on the shoulder:</p> + +<p>"You goot, me goot!"</p> + +<p>Zhilín wrote the letter, but he did not address it right. +He thought he would run away.</p> + +<p>Zhilín and Kostylín were taken back to the shed. +They brought for them maize straw, water in a pitcher, +bread, two old mantles, and worn soldier boots. They +had evidently been pulled off dead soldiers. For the +night the stocks were taken off, and they were locked in +the barn.</p> + + +<h3>III.</h3> + +<p>Zhilín and his companion lived thus for a whole month. +Their master kept laughing.</p> + +<p>"You, Iván, goot, me, Abdul, goot!"</p> + +<p>But he did not feed them well. All he gave them to +eat was unsalted millet bread, baked like pones, or entirely +unbaked dough.</p> + +<p>Kostylín wrote home a second letter. He was waiting +for the money to come, and felt lonesome. He sat for +days at a time in the shed counting the days before the +letter would come, or he slept. But Zhilín knew that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span> +his letter would not reach any one, and so he did not write +another.</p> + +<p>"Where," he thought, "is my mother to get so much +money? As it is, she lived mainly by what I sent her. +If she should collect five hundred roubles, she would be +ruined in the end. If God grants it, I will manage to +get away from here."</p> + +<p>And he watched and thought of how to get away.</p> + +<p>He walked through the village and whistled, or he sat +down somewhere to work with his hands, either making a +doll from clay, or weaving a fence from twigs. Zhilín +was a great hand at all kinds of such work.</p> + +<p>One day he made a doll, with a nose, and hands, and +legs, in a Tartar shirt, and put the doll on the roof. The +Tartar maidens were going for water. His master's +daughter, Dina, saw the doll, and she called up the Tartar +girls. They put down their pitchers, and looked, and +laughed. Zhilín took down the doll and gave it to them. +They laughed, and did not dare take it. He left the doll, +and went back to the shed to see what they would do.</p> + +<p>Dina ran up, looked around, grasped the doll, and ran +away with it.</p> + +<p>In the morning, at daybreak, he saw Dina coming out +with the doll in front of the house. The doll was all +dressed up in red rags, and she was rocking the doll and +singing to it in her fashion. The old woman came out. +She scolded her, took the doll away from her and broke +it, and sent Dina to work.</p> + +<p>Zhilín made another doll, a better one than before, +and he gave it to Dina. One day Dina brought him a +small pitcher. She put it down, herself sat down and +looked at him, and laughed, as she pointed to the pitcher.</p> + +<p>"What is she so happy about?" thought Zhilín.</p> + +<p>He took the pitcher and began to drink. He thought +it was water, but, behold, it was milk. He drank the +milk, and said:</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span></p> + +<p>"It is good!"</p> + +<p>Dina was very happy.</p> + +<p>"Good, Iván, good!" and she jumped up, clapped her +hands, took away the pitcher, and ran off.</p> + +<p>From that time she brought him milk every day on the +sly. The Tartars make cheese-cakes from goat milk, and +dry them on the roofs,—and so she brought him those +cakes also. One day the master killed a sheep, so she +brought him a piece of mutton in her sleeve. She would +throw it down and run away.</p> + +<p>One day there was a severe storm, and for an hour the +rain fell as though from a pail. All the streams became +turbid. Where there was a ford, the water was now +eight feet deep, and stones were borne down. Torrents +were running everywhere, and there was a roar in the +mountains. When the storm was over, streams were +coming down the village in every direction. Zhilín asked +his master to let him have a penknife, and with it he cut +out a small axle and little boards, and made a wheel, and +to each end of the wheel he attached a doll.</p> + +<p>The girls brought him pieces of material, and he dressed +the dolls: one a man, the other a woman. He fixed them +firmly, and placed the wheel over a brook. The wheel +began to turn, and the dolls to jump.</p> + +<p>The whole village gathered around it; boys, girls, +women, and men came, and they clicked with their +tongues:</p> + +<p>"Ai, Uruss! Ai, Iván!"</p> + +<p>Abdul had a Russian watch, but it was broken. He +called Zhilín, showed it to him, and clicked his tongue. +Zhilín said:</p> + +<p>"Let me have it! I will fix it!"</p> + +<p>He took it to pieces with a penknife; then he put it +together, and gave it back to him. The watch was running +now.</p> + +<p>The master was delighted. He brought his old half-coat,—it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span> +was all in rags,—and made him a present of +it. What could he do but take it? He thought it would +be good enough to cover himself with in the night.</p> + +<p>After that the rumour went abroad that Zhilín was a +great master. They began to come to him from distant +villages: one, to have him fix a gun-lock or a pistol, +another, to set a clock a-going. His master brought him +tools,—pinchers, gimlets, and files.</p> + +<p>One day a Tartar became sick: they sent to Zhilín, and +said, "Go and cure him!" Zhilín did not know anything +about medicine. He went, took a look at him, and +thought, "Maybe he will get well by himself." He went +to the barn, took some water and sand, and mixed it. In +the presence of the Tartars he said a charm over the +water, and gave it to him to drink. Luckily for him, +the Tartar got well.</p> + +<p>Zhilín began to understand their language. Some of the +Tartars got used to him. When they needed him, they +called, "Iván, Iván!" but others looked at him awry, as +at an animal.</p> + +<p>The red Tartar did not like Zhilín. Whenever he saw +him, he frowned and turned away, or called him names. +There was also an old man; he did not live in the village, +but came from farther down the mountain. Zhilín saw +him only when he came to the mosque, to pray to God. +He was a small man; his cap was wrapped with a white +towel. His beard and moustache were clipped, and they +were as white as down; his face was wrinkled and as red +as a brick. His nose was hooked, like a hawk's beak, and +his eyes were gray and mean-looking; of teeth he had +only two tusks. He used to walk in his turban, leaning +on a crutch, and looking around him like a wolf. Whenever +he saw Zhilín, he grunted and turned away.</p> + +<p>One day Zhilín went down-hill, to see where the old +man was living. He walked down the road, and saw a +little garden, with a stone fence, and inside the fence were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span> +cherry and apricot trees, and stood a hut with a flat roof. +He came closer to it, and he saw beehives woven from +straw, and bees were swarming around and buzzing. The +old man was kneeling, and doing something to a hive. +Zhilín got up higher, to get a good look, and made a noise +with his stocks. The old man looked around and shrieked; +he pulled the pistol out from his belt and fired at Zhilín. +He had just time to hide behind a rock.</p> + +<p>The old man went to the master to complain about +Zhilín. The master called up Zhilín, and laughed, and +asked:</p> + +<p>"Why did you go to the old man?"</p> + +<p>"I have not done him any harm," he said. "I just +wanted to see how he lives."</p> + +<p>The master told the old man that. But the old man +was angry, and hissed, and rattled something off; he +showed his teeth and waved his hand threateningly at +Zhilín.</p> + +<p>Zhilín did not understand it all; but he understood +that the old man was telling his master to kill all the +Russians, and not to keep them in the village. The old +man went away.</p> + +<p>Zhilín asked his master what kind of a man that old +Tartar was. The master said:</p> + +<p>"He is a big man! He used to be the first dzhigit: he +killed a lot of Russians, and he was rich. He had three +wives and eight sons. All of them lived in the same village. +The Russians came, destroyed the village, and +killed seven of his sons. One son was left alive, and he +surrendered himself to the Russians. The old man went +and surrendered himself, too, to the Russians. He stayed +with them three months, found his son there, and killed +him, and then he ran away. Since then he has stopped +fighting. He has been to Mecca, to pray to God, and that +is why he wears the turban. He who has been to Mecca +is called a Hadji and puts on a turban. He has no use<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span> +for you fellows. He tells me to kill you; but I cannot +kill you,—I have paid for you; and then, Iván, I like +you. I not only have no intention of killing you, but I +would not let you go back, if I had not given my word to +you." He laughed as he said that, and added in Russian: +"You, Iván, good, me, Abdul, good!"</p> + + +<h3>IV.</h3> + +<p>Zhilín lived thus for a month. In the daytime he +walked around the village and made things with his hands, +and when night came, and all was quiet in the village, he +began to dig in the shed. It was difficult to dig on account +of the rocks, but he sawed the stones with the file, +and made a hole through which he meant to crawl later. +"First I must find out what direction to go in," he +thought; "but the Tartars will not tell me anything."</p> + +<p>So he chose a time when his master was away; he +went after dinner back of the village, up-hill, where +he could see the place. But when his master went away, +he told his little boy to keep an eye on Zhilín and to +follow him everywhere. So the boy ran after Zhilín, and +said:</p> + +<p>"Don't go! Father said that you should not go there. +I will call the people!"</p> + +<p>Zhilín began to persuade him.</p> + +<p>"I do not want to go far," he said; "I just want to +walk up the mountain: I want to find an herb with which +to cure you people. Come with me; I cannot run away +with the stocks. To-morrow I will make you a bow and +arrows."</p> + +<p>He persuaded the boy, and they went together. As +he looked up the mountain, it looked near, but with the +stocks it was hard to walk; he walked and walked, and +climbed the mountain with difficulty. Zhilín sat down +and began to look at the place. To the south of the shed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span> +there was a ravine, and there a herd of horses was grazing, +and in a hollow could be seen another village. At that +village began a steeper mountain, and beyond that mountain +there was another mountain. Between the mountains +could be seen a forest, and beyond it again the mountains, +rising higher and higher. Highest of all, there were +white mountains, capped with snow, just like sugar loaves. +And one snow mountain stood with its cap above all the +rest. To the east and the west there were just such +mountains; here and there smoke rose from villages in +the clefts.</p> + +<p>"Well," he thought, "that is all their side."</p> + +<p>He began to look to the Russian side. At his feet was +a brook and his village, and all around were little gardens. +At the brook women were sitting,—they looked as small +as dolls,—and washing the linen. Beyond the village +and below it there was a mountain, and beyond that, two +other mountains, covered with forests; between the two +mountains could be seen an even spot, and on that plain, +far, far away, it looked as though smoke were settling. +Zhilín recalled where the sun used to rise and set when +he was at home in the fortress. He looked down there,—sure +enough, that was the valley where the Russian +fortress ought to be. There, then, between those two +mountains, he had to run.</p> + +<p>The sun was beginning to go down. The snow-capped +mountains changed from white to violet; it grew dark in +the black mountains; vapour arose from the clefts, and +the valley, where our fortress no doubt was, gleamed in the +sunset as though on fire. Zhilín began to look sharply,—something +was quivering in the valley, like smoke rising +from chimneys. He was sure now that it must be the +Russian fortress.</p> + +<p>It grew late; he could hear the mullah call; the flock +was being driven, and the cows lowed. The boy said to +him, "Come!" but Zhilín did not feel like leaving.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span></p> + +<p>They returned home. "Well," thought Zhilín, "now I +know the place, and I must run." He wanted to run that +same night. The nights were dark,—the moon was on +the wane. Unfortunately the Tartars returned toward +evening. At other times they returned driving cattle before +them, and then they were jolly. But this time they +did not drive home anything, but brought back a dead +Tartar, a red-haired companion of theirs. They came +back angry, and all gathered to bury him. Zhilín, too, +went out to see. They wrapped the dead man in linen, +without putting him in a coffin, and carried him under +the plane-trees beyond the village, and placed him on the +grass. The mullah came, and the old men gathered around +him, their caps wrapped with towels, and took off their +shoes and seated themselves in a row on their heels, in +front of the dead man.</p> + +<p>At their head was the mullah, and then three old men +in turbans, sitting in a row, and behind them other Tartars. +They sat, and bent their heads, and kept silence. They +were silent for quite awhile. Then the mullah raised +his head, and said:</p> + +<p>"Allah!" (That means "God.") He said that one +word, and again they lowered their heads and kept silence +for a long time; they sat without stirring. Again the +mullah raised his head:</p> + +<p>"Allah!" and all repeated, "Allah!" and again they +were silent. The dead man lay on the grass, and did +not stir, and they sat about him like the dead. Not one +of them stirred. One could hear only the leaves on the +plane-tree rustling in the breeze. Then the mullah said +a prayer, and all got up, lifted the dead body, and carried +it away. They took it to a grave,—not a simple grave, +but dug under like a cave. They took the dead man under +his arms and by his legs, bent him over, let him down +softly, pushed him under in a sitting posture, and fixed +his arms on his body.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span></p> + +<p>A Nogay dragged up a lot of green reeds; they bedded +the grave with it, then quickly filled it with dirt, levelled +it up, and put a stone up straight at the head of it. They +tramped down the earth, and again sat down in a row +near the grave. They were silent for a long time.</p> + +<p>"Allah, Allah, Allah!" They sighed and got up.</p> + +<p>A red-haired Tartar distributed money to the old men; +then he got up, took a whip, struck himself three times on +his forehead, and went home.</p> + +<p>Next morning Zhilín saw the red Tartar take a mare out +of the village, and three Tartars followed him. They went +outside the village; then the red-haired Tartar took off +his coat, rolled up his sleeves,—he had immense arms,—and +took out his dagger and whetted it on a steel. The +Tartars jerked up the mare's head, and the red-haired man +walked over to her, cut her throat, threw her down, and +began to flay her,—to rip the skin open with his fists. +Then came women and girls, and they began to wash the +inside and the entrails. Then they chopped up the mare +and dragged the flesh to the house. And the whole village +gathered at the house of the red-haired Tartar to celebrate +the dead man's wake.</p> + +<p>For three days did they eat the horse-flesh, drink buza, +and remember the dead man. On the fourth day Zhilín +saw them get ready to go somewhere for a dinner. They +brought horses, dressed themselves up, and went away,—about +ten men, and the red Tartar with them; Abdul was +the only one who was left at home. The moon was just +beginning to increase, and the nights were still dark.</p> + +<p>"Well," thought Zhilín, "to-night I must run," and he +told Kostylín so. But Kostylín was timid.</p> + +<p>"How can we run? We do not know the road."</p> + +<p>"I know it."</p> + +<p>"But we cannot reach it in the night."</p> + +<p>"If we do not, we shall stay for the night in the woods. +I have a lot of cakes with me. You certainly do not mean<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span> +to stay. It would be all right if they sent the money; +but suppose they cannot get together so much. The Tartars +are mean now, because the Russians have killed one +of theirs. I understand they want to kill us now."</p> + +<p>Kostylín thought awhile:</p> + +<p>"Well, let us go!"</p> + + +<h3>V.</h3> + +<p>Zhilín crept into the hole and dug it wider, so that +Kostylín could get through; and then they sat still and +waited for everything to quiet down in the village.</p> + +<p>When all grew quiet, Zhilín crawled through the hole +and got out. He whispered to Kostylín to crawl out. +Kostylín started to come out, but he caught a stone with +his foot, and it made a noise. Now their master had a +dappled watch-dog, and he was dreadfully mean; his name +was Ulyashin. Zhilín had been feeding him before. When +Ulyashin heard the voice, he began to bark and rushed +forward, and with him other dogs. Zhilín gave a low +whistle and threw a piece of cake to the dog, and the +dog recognized him and wagged his tail and stopped +barking.</p> + +<p>The master heard it, and he called out from the hut, +"Hait, hait, Ulyashin!"</p> + +<p>But Zhilín was scratching Ulyashin behind his ears; so +the dog was silent and rubbed against his legs and wagged +his tail.</p> + +<p>They sat awhile around the corner. All was silent; +nothing could be heard but the sheep coughing in the hut +corner, and the water rippling down the pebbles. It was +dark; the stars stood high in the heaven; the young moon +shone red above the mountain, and its horns were turned +upward. In the clefts the mist looked as white as milk.</p> + +<p>Zhilín got up and said to his companion:</p> + +<p>"Now, my friend, let us start!"</p> + +<p>They started. They had made but a few steps, when<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span> +they heard the mullah sing out on the roof: "Allah besmillah! +Ilrakhman!" That meant that the people were +going to the mosque. They sat down again, hiding behind +a wall. They sat for a long time, waiting for the people +to pass by. Again everything was quiet.</p> + +<p>"Well, with God's aid!" They made the sign of the +cross, and started. They crossed the yard and went down-hill +to the brook; they crossed the brook and walked +down the ravine. The mist was dense and low on the +ground, and overhead the stars were, oh, so visible. Zhilín +saw by the stars in what direction they had to go. In +the mist it felt fresh, and it was easy to walk, only the +boots were awkward, they had worn down so much. Zhilín +took off his boots and threw them away, and marched on +barefoot. He leaped from stone to stone, and kept watching +the stars. Kostylín began to fall behind.</p> + +<p>"Walk slower," he said. "The accursed boots,—they +have chafed my feet."</p> + +<p>"Take them off! You will find it easier without +them."</p> + +<p>Kostylín walked barefoot after that; but it was only +worse: he cut his feet on the rocks, and kept falling behind. +Zhilín said to him:</p> + +<p>"If you bruise your feet, they will heal up; but if they +catch you; they will kill you,—so it will be worse."</p> + +<p>Kostylín said nothing, but he groaned as he walked. +They walked for a long time through a ravine. Suddenly +they heard dogs barking. Zhilín stopped and looked +around; he groped with his hands and climbed a hill.</p> + +<p>"Oh," he said, "we have made a mistake,—we have +borne too much to the right. Here is a village,—I saw +it from the mountain; we must go back and to the left, +and up the mountain. There must be a forest here."</p> + +<p>But Kostylín said:</p> + +<p>"Wait at least awhile! Let me rest: my feet are all +blood-stained."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Never mind, friend, they will heal up! Jump more +lightly,—like this!"</p> + +<p>And Zhilín ran back, and to the left, up the mountain +into the forest. Kostylín kept falling behind and groaning. +Zhilín hushed him, and walked on.</p> + +<p>They got up the mountain, and there, indeed, was a +forest. They went into the forest, and tore all the clothes +they had against the thorns. They struck a path in the +forest, and followed it.</p> + +<p>"Stop!" Hoofs were heard tramping on the path. +They stopped to listen. It was the sound of a horse's +hoofs. They started, and again it began to thud. They +stopped, and it, too, stopped. Zhilín crawled up to it, and +saw something standing in the light on the road. It was +not exactly a horse, and again it was like a horse with +something strange above it, and certainly not a man. He +heard it snort. "What in the world is it?" Zhilín gave +a light whistle, and it bolted away from the path, so that +he could hear it crash through the woods: the branches +broke off, as though a storm went through them.</p> + +<p>Kostylín fell down in fright. But Zhilín laughed and +said:</p> + +<p>"That is a stag. Do you hear him break the branches +with his horns? We are afraid of him, and he is afraid +of us."</p> + +<p>They walked on. The Pleiades were beginning to settle,—it +was not far from morning. They did not know +whether they were going right, or not. Zhilín thought +that that was the path over which they had taken him, +and that he was about ten versts from his own people; +still there were no certain signs, and, besides, in the night +nothing could be made out. They came out on a clearing. +Kostylín sat down, and said:</p> + +<p>"Do as you please, but I will not go any farther! My +feet refuse to move."</p> + +<p>Zhilín begged him to go on.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span></p> + +<p>"No," he said, "I cannot walk on."</p> + +<p>Zhilín got angry, spit out in disgust, and scolded him.</p> + +<p>"Then I will go by myself,—good-bye!"</p> + +<p>Kostylín got up and walked on. They walked about +four versts. The mist grew denser in the forest, and nothing +could be seen in front of them, and the stars were +quite dim.</p> + +<p>Suddenly they heard a horse tramping in front of them. +They could hear the horse catch with its hoofs in the +stones. Zhilín lay down on his belly, and put his ear to +the ground to listen.</p> + +<p>"So it is, a rider is coming this way!"</p> + +<p>They ran off the road, sat down in the bushes, and +waited. Zhilín crept up to the road, and saw a Tartar on +horseback, driving a cow before him, and mumbling something +to himself. The Tartar passed by them. Zhilín +went back to Kostylín.</p> + +<p>"Well, with God's help, he is gone. Get up, and let +us go!"</p> + +<p>Kostylín tried to get up, but fell down.</p> + +<p>"I cannot, upon my word, I cannot. I have no +strength."</p> + +<p>The heavy, puffed-up man was in a perspiration, and as +the cold mist in the forest went through him and his feet +were all torn, he went all to pieces. Zhilín tried to get him +up, but Kostylín cried:</p> + +<p>"Oh, it hurts!"</p> + +<p>Zhilín was frightened.</p> + +<p>"Don't shout so! You know that the Tartar is not far +off,—he will hear you." But he thought: "He is, indeed, +weak, so what shall I do with him? It will not do to +abandon my companion."</p> + +<p>"Well," he said, "get up, get on my back, and I will +carry you, if you cannot walk."</p> + +<p>He took Kostylín on his back, put his hands on Kostylín's +legs, walked out on the road, and walked on.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Only be sure," he said, "and do not choke me with +your hands, for Christ's sake. Hold on to my shoulders!"</p> + +<p>It was hard for Zhilín: his feet, too, were blood-stained, +and he was worn out. He kept bending down, straightening +up Kostylín, and throwing him up, so that he might +sit higher, and dragged him along the road.</p> + +<p>Evidently the Tartar had heard Kostylín's shout. Zhilín +heard some one riding from behind and calling in his language. +Zhilín made for the brush. The Tartar pulled +out his gun and fired; he screeched in his fashion, and +rode back along the road.</p> + +<p>"Well," said Zhilín, "we are lost, my friend! That +dog will collect the Tartars and they will start after us. +If we cannot make another three versts, we are lost." +But he thought about Kostylín: "The devil has tempted +me to take this log along. If I had been alone, I should +have escaped long ago."</p> + +<p>Kostylín said:</p> + +<p>"Go yourself! Why should you perish for my sake?"</p> + +<p>"No, I will not go,—it will not do to leave a comrade."</p> + +<p>He took him once more on his shoulders, and held on +to him. Thus they walked another verst. The woods +extended everywhere, and no end was to be seen. The +mist was beginning to lift, and rose in the air like little +clouds, and the stars could not be seen. Zhilín was worn +out.</p> + +<p>They came to a little spring by the road; it was lined +with stones. Zhilín stopped and put down Kostylín.</p> + +<p>"Let me rest," he said, "and get a drink! We will eat +our cakes. It cannot be far now."</p> + +<p>He had just got down to drink, when he heard the +tramping of horses behind them. Again they rushed to +the right, into the bushes, down an incline, and lay down.</p> + +<p>They could hear Tartar voices. The Tartars stopped +at the very spot where they had left the road. They<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span> +talked awhile, then they made a sound, as though sicking +dogs. Something crashed through the bushes, and a +strange dog made straight for them. It stopped and +began to bark.</p> + +<p>Then the Tartars came down,—they, too, were strangers. +They took them, bound them, put them on their +horses, and carried them off.</p> + +<p>They travelled about three versts, when they were met +by Abdul, the prisoners' master, and two more Tartars. +They talked with each other, and the prisoners were put +on the other horses and taken back to the village.</p> + +<p>Abdul no longer laughed, and did not speak one word +with them.</p> + +<p>They were brought to the village at daybreak, and were +placed in the street. The children ran up and beat them +with stones and sticks, and screamed.</p> + +<p>The Tartars gathered in a circle, and the old man from +down-hill came, too. They talked together. Zhilín saw +that they were sitting in judgment on them, discussing +what to do with them. Some said that they ought to be +sent farther into the mountains, but the old man said that +they should be killed. Abdul disputed with them and +said:</p> + +<p>"I have paid money for them, and I will get a ransom +for them."</p> + +<p>But the old man said:</p> + +<p>"They will not pay us anything; they will only give +us trouble. It is a sin to feed Russians. Kill them, and +that will be the end of it."</p> + +<p>They all went their way. The master walked over to +Zhilín and said:</p> + +<p>"If the ransom does not come in two weeks, I will +beat you to death. And if you try to run again I will kill +you like a dog. Write a letter, and write it well!"</p> + +<p>Paper was brought to them, and they wrote the letters. +The stocks were put on them, and they were taken back<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span> +of the mosque. There was a ditch there, about twelve +feet in depth,—and into this ditch they were let down.</p> + + +<h3>VI.</h3> + +<p>They now led a very hard life. The stocks were not +taken off, and they were not let out into the wide world. +Unbaked dough was thrown down to them, as to dogs, and +water was let down to them in a pitcher. There was a +stench in the ditch, and it was close and damp. Kostylín +grew very ill, and swelled, and had a breaking out on his +whole body; and he kept groaning all the time, or he +slept. Zhilín was discouraged: he saw that the situation +was desperate. He did not know how to get out of it.</p> + +<p>He began to dig, but there was no place to throw the +dirt in; the master saw it, and threatened to kill him.</p> + +<p>One day he was squatting in the ditch, and thinking of +the free world, and he felt pretty bad. Suddenly a cake +fell down on his knees, and a second, and some cherries. +He looked up,—it was Dina. She looked at him, +laughed, and ran away. Zhilín thought: "Maybe Dina +will help me."</p> + +<p>He cleaned up a place in the ditch, scraped up some +clay, and began to make dolls. He made men, horses, +and dogs. He thought: "When Dina comes I will throw +them to her."</p> + +<p>But on the next day Dina did not come. Zhilín heard +the tramping of horses; somebody rode by, and the Tartars +gathered at the mosque; they quarrelled and shouted, +and talked about the Russians. And he heard the old +man's voice. He could not make out exactly what it was, +but he guessed that the Russians had come close to the village, +and that the Tartars were afraid that they might +come to the village, and they did not know what to do +with the prisoners.</p> + +<p>They talked awhile and went away. Suddenly he heard<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span> +something rustle above him. He looked up; Dina was +squatting down, and her knees towered above her head; +she leaned over, and her necklace hung down and dangled +over the ditch. Her little eyes glistened like stars. She +took two cheese-cakes out of her sleeve and threw them +down to him. Zhilín said to her:</p> + +<p>"Why have you not been here for so long? I have +made you some toys. Here they are!"</p> + +<p>He began to throw one after the other to her, but she +shook her head, and did not look at them.</p> + +<p>"I do not want them," she said. She sat awhile in +silence, and said; "Iván, they want to kill you!" She +pointed with her hand to her neck.</p> + +<p>"Who wants to kill me?"</p> + +<p>"My father,—the old men tell him to. I am sorry +for you."</p> + +<p>So Zhilín said:</p> + +<p>"If you pity me, bring me a long stick!"</p> + +<p>She shook her head, to say that she could not. He +folded his hands, and began to beg her:</p> + +<p>"Dina, if you please! Dear Dina, bring it to me!"</p> + +<p>"I cannot," she said. "The people are at home, and +they would see me."</p> + +<p>And she went away.</p> + +<p>Zhilín was sitting there in the evening, and thinking +what would happen. He kept looking up. The stars +could be seen, and the moon was not yet up. The mullah +called, and all grew quiet. Zhilín was beginning to fall +asleep; he thought the girl would be afraid.</p> + +<p>Suddenly some clay fell on his head. He looked up +and saw a long pole coming down at the end of the ditch. +It tumbled, and descended, and came down into the +ditch. Zhilín was happy; he took hold of it and let it +down,—it was a stout pole. He had seen it before on his +master's roof.</p> + +<p>He looked up: the stars were shining high in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span> +heavens, and over the very ditch Dina's eyes glistened in +the darkness. She bent her face over the edge of the +ditch, and whispered: "Iván, Iván!" and waved her +hands in front of her face, as much as to say: "Speak +softly!"</p> + +<p>"What is it?" asked Zhilín.</p> + +<p>"They are all gone. There are two only at the house."</p> + +<p>So Zhilín said:</p> + +<p>"Kostylín, come, let us try for the last time; I will +give you a lift."</p> + +<p>Kostylín would not even listen.</p> + +<p>"No," he said, "I shall never get away from here. +Where should I go, since I have no strength to turn +around?"</p> + +<p>"If so, good-bye! Do not think ill of me!"</p> + +<p>He kissed Kostylín.</p> + +<p>He took hold of the pole, told Dina to hold on to it, +and climbed up. Two or three times he slipped down: +the stocks were in his way. Kostylín held him up, and +he managed to get on. Dina pulled him by the shirt +with all her might, and laughed.</p> + +<p>Zhilín took the pole, and said:</p> + +<p>"Take it to where you found it, for if they see it, they +will beat you."</p> + +<p>She dragged the pole away, and Zhilín went down-hill. +He crawled down an incline, took a sharp stone, and tried +to break the lock of the stocks. But the lock was a +strong one, and he could not break it. He heard some +one running down the hill, leaping lightly. He thought +it was Dina. Dina ran up, took a stone, and said:</p> + +<p>"Let me do it!"</p> + +<p>She knelt down and tried to break it; but her arms +were as thin as rods,—there was no strength in them. +She threw away the stone, and began to weep. Zhilín +again worked on the lock, and Dina squatted near him, +and held on to his shoulder. Zhilín looked around; on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span> +the left, beyond the mountain, he saw a red glow,—the +moon was rising.</p> + +<p>"Well," he thought, "before the moon is up I must +cross the ravine and get to the forest."</p> + +<p>He got up, threw away the stone, and, though in the +stocks, started to go.</p> + +<p>"Good-bye, Dina dear! I will remember you all my +life."</p> + +<p>Dina took hold of him; she groped all over him, trying +to find a place to put the cakes. He took them from her.</p> + +<p>"Thank you," he said, "you are a clever girl. Who +will make dolls for you without me?" And he patted +her on the head.</p> + +<p>Dina began to cry. She covered her eyes with her +hands, and ran up-hill like a kid. In the darkness he +could hear the ornaments in the braid striking against +her shoulders.</p> + +<p>Zhilín made the sign of the cross, took the lock of his +fetters in his hand, that it might not clank, and started +down the road, dragging his feet along, and looking at the +glow, where the moon was rising. He recognized the +road. By the straight road it would be about eight +versts. If he only could get to the woods before the +moon was entirely out! He crossed a brook,—and it +was getting light beyond the mountain. He walked +through the ravine; he walked and looked, but the moon +was not yet to be seen. It was getting brighter, and on +one side of the ravine everything could be seen more and +more clearly. The shadow was creeping down the mountain, +up toward him.</p> + +<p>Zhilín walked and kept in the shade. He hurried on, +but the moon was coming out faster still; the tops of the +trees on the right side were now in the light. As he +came up to the woods, the moon came out entirely from +behind the mountains, and it grew bright and white as in +the daytime. All the leaves could be seen on the trees.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span> +The mountains were calm and bright; it was as though +everything were dead. All that could be heard was the +rippling of a brook below.</p> + +<p>He reached the forest,—he came across no men. +Zhilín found a dark spot in the woods and sat down to +rest himself.</p> + +<p>He rested, and ate a cake. He found a stone, and +began once more to break down the lock. He bruised +his hands, but did not break the lock. He got up, and +walked on. He marched about a verst, but his strength +gave out,—his feet hurt him so. He would make ten +steps and then stop. "What is to be done?" he thought. +"I will drag myself along until my strength gives out +entirely. If I sit down, I shall not be able to get up. I +cannot reach the fortress, so, when day breaks, I will lie +down in the forest for the day, and at night I will move +on."</p> + +<p>He walked the whole night. He came across two Tartars +only, but he heard them from afar, and so hid behind +a tree.</p> + +<p>The moon was beginning to pale, and Zhilín had not +yet reached the edge of the forest.</p> + +<p>"Well," he thought, "I will take another thirty steps, +after which I will turn into the forest, where I will sit +down."</p> + +<p>He took the thirty steps, and there he saw that the +forest came to an end. He went to the edge of it, and +there it was quite light. Before him lay the steppe and +the fortress, as in the palm of the hand, and to the left, +close by at the foot of the mountain, fires were burning +and going out, and the smoke was spreading, and men +were near the camp-fires.</p> + +<p>He took a sharp look at them: the guns were glistening,—those +were Cossacks and soldiers.</p> + +<p>Zhilín was happy. He collected his last strength and +walked down-hill. And he thought: "God forfend that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span> +a Tartar rider should see me in the open! Though it is +not far off, I should not get away."</p> + +<p>No sooner had he thought so, when, behold, on a +mound stood three Tartars, not more than 150 fathoms +away. They saw him, and darted toward him. His +heart just sank in him. He waved his arms and shouted +as loud as he could:</p> + +<p>"Brothers! Help, brothers!"</p> + +<p>Our men heard him, and away flew the mounted Cossacks. +They started toward him, to cut off the Tartars.</p> + +<p>The Cossacks had far to go, but the Tartars were near. +And Zhilín collected his last strength, took the stocks in +his hand, and ran toward the Cossacks. He was beside +himself, and he made the sign of the cross, and shouted:</p> + +<p>"Brothers! Brothers! Brothers!"</p> + +<p>There were about fifteen Cossacks.</p> + +<p>The Tartars were frightened, and they stopped before +they reached him. And Zhilín ran up to the Cossacks.</p> + +<p>The Cossacks surrounded him, and asked:</p> + +<p>"Who are you? Where do you come from?"</p> + +<p>But Zhilín was beside himself, and he wept, and muttered:</p> + +<p>"Brothers! Brothers!"</p> + +<p>The soldiers ran out, and surrounded Zhilín: one gave +him bread, another gruel, a third vódka; one covered him +with a cloak, another broke off the lock.</p> + +<p>The officers heard of it, and took him to the fortress. +The soldiers were happy, and his companions came to see +him.</p> + +<p>Zhilín told them what had happened, and said:</p> + +<p>"So I have been home, and got married! No, evidently +that is not my fate."</p> + +<p>And he remained in the service in the Caucasus. Not +till a month later was Kostylín ransomed for five thousand. +He was brought back more dead than alive.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="ERMAK" id="ERMAK"></a>ERMÁK</h2> + + +<p>In the reign of Iván Vasílevich the Terrible there were +the rich merchants, the Stroganóvs, and they lived in +Perm, on the river Káma. They heard that along the +river Káma, in a circle of 140 versts, there was good +land: the soil had not been ploughed for centuries, the +forests had not been cut down for centuries. In the +forests were many wild animals, and along the river fish +lakes, and no one was living on that land, but only Tartars +passed through it.</p> + +<p>The Stroganóvs wrote a letter to the Tsar:</p> + +<p>"Give us this land, and we will ourselves build towns +there and gather people and settle them there, and will +not allow the Tartars to pass through it."</p> + +<p>The Tsar agreed to it, and gave them the land. The +Stroganóvs sent out clerks to gather people. And there +came to them a large number of roving people. Whoever +came received from the Stroganóvs land, forest, and +cattle, and no tenant pay was collected. All they had to +do was to live and, in case of need, to go out in mass to +fight the Tartars. Thus the land was settled by the +Russian people.</p> + +<p>About twenty years passed. The Stroganóvs grew richer +yet, and that land, 140 versts around, was not enough for +them. They wanted to have more land still. About +one hundred versts from them were high mountains, the +Ural Mountains, and beyond them, they had heard, there +was good land, and to that land there was no end. This +land was ruled by a small Siberian prince, Kuchum by +name. In former days Kuchum had sworn allegiance to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span> +the Russian Tsar, but later he began to rebel, and he +threatened to destroy Stroganóv's towns.</p> + +<p>So the Stroganóvs wrote to the Tsar:</p> + +<p>"You have given us land, and we have conquered it +and turned it over to you; now the thievish Tsarling +Kuchum is rebelling against you, and wants to take that +land away and ruin us. Command us to take possession +of the land beyond the Ural Mountains; we will conquer +Kuchum, and will bring all his land under your rule."</p> + +<p>The Tsar assented, and wrote back:</p> + +<p>"If you have sufficient force, take the land away from +Kuchum. Only do not entice many people away from +Russia."</p> + +<p>When the Stroganóvs got that letter from the Tsar, +they sent out clerks to collect more people. And they +ordered them to persuade mostly the Cossacks from the +Vólga and the Don to come. At that time many Cossacks +were roving along the Vólga and the Don. They +used to gather in bands of two, three, or six hundred men, +and to select an atamán, and to row down in barges, to +capture ships and rob them, and for the winter they +stayed in little towns on the shore.</p> + +<p>The clerks arrived at the Vólga, and there they asked +who the famous Cossacks of that region were. They +were told:</p> + +<p>"There are many Cossacks. It is impossible to live +for them. There is Míshka Cherkáshenin, and Sarý-Azmán; +but there is no fiercer one than Ermák Timoféich, +the atamán. He has a thousand men, and not only +the merchants and the people are afraid of him, but even +the Tsarian army does not dare to cope with him."</p> + +<p>And the clerks went to Ermák the atamán, and began +to persuade him to go to the Stroganóvs. Ermák received +the clerks, listened to their speeches, and promised to +come with his people about the time of the Assumption +of the Blessed Virgin.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span></p> + +<p>Near the holiday of the Assumption there came to the +Stroganóvs six hundred Cossacks, with their atamán, +Ermák Timoféich. At first Stroganóv sent them against +the neighbouring Tartars. The Cossacks annihilated them. +Then, when nothing was doing, the Cossacks roved in the +neighbourhood and robbed.</p> + +<p>So Stroganóv sent for Ermák, and said:</p> + +<p>"I will not keep you any longer, if you are going to be +so wanton."</p> + +<p>But Ermák said:</p> + +<p>"I do not like it myself, but I cannot control my +people, they are spoiled. Give us work to do!"</p> + +<p>So Stroganóv said:</p> + +<p>"Go beyond the Ural and fight Kuchum, and take +possession of his land. The Tsar will reward you for it."</p> + +<p>And he showed the Tsar's letter to Ermák. Ermák +rejoiced, and collected his men, and said:</p> + +<p>"You are shaming me before my master,—you are +robbing without reason. If you do not stop, he will drive +you away, and where will you go then? At the Vólga +there is a large Tsarian army; we shall be caught, and +then we shall suffer for our old misdeeds. But if you +feel lonesome, here is work for you."</p> + +<p>And he showed them the Tsar's letter, in which it said +that Stroganóv had been permitted to conquer land beyond +the Ural. The Cossacks had a consultation, and agreed +to go. Ermák went to Stroganóv, and they began to +deliberate how they had best go.</p> + +<p>They discussed how many barges they needed, how +much grain, cattle, guns, powder, lead, how many captive +Tartar interpreters, and how many foreigners as masters +of gunnery.</p> + +<p>Stroganóv thought:</p> + +<p>"Though it may cost me much, I must give them +everything or else they will stay here and will ruin +me."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span></p> + +<p>Stroganóv agreed to everything, gathered what was +needed, and fitted out Ermák and the Cossacks.</p> + +<p>On the 1st of September the Cossacks rowed with +Ermák up the river Chúsovaya on thirty-two barges, with +twelve men in each. For four days they rowed up the +river, and then they turned into Serébryanaya River. +Beyond that point it was impossible to navigate. They +asked the guides, and learned that from there they had +to cross the mountains and walk overland about two +hundred versts, and then the rivers would begin again. +The Cossacks stopped, built a town, and unloaded all their +equipment; they abandoned the boats, made carts, put +everything upon them, and started overland, across the +mountains. All those places were covered with forest, +and nobody was living there. They marched for about +ten days, and struck the river Zharóvnya. Here they +stopped again, and made themselves boats. They loaded +them, and rowed down the river. They rowed five days, +and then came more cheerful places,—meadows, forests, +lakes. There was a plenty of fish and of animals, and +animals that had not been scared by hunters. They +rowed another day, and sailed into the river Túra. Along +the Túra they came on Tartar people and towns.</p> + +<p>Ermák sent some Cossacks to take a look at a town, +to see what it was like, and whether there was any considerable +force in it. Twenty Cossacks went there, and +they frightened all the Tartars, and seized the whole +town, and captured all the cattle. Some of the Tartars +they killed, and others they brought back alive.</p> + +<p>Ermák asked the Tartars through his interpreters what +kind of people they were, and under whose rule they were +living. The Tartars said that they were in the Siberian +kingdom, and that their king was Kuchum.</p> + +<p>Ermák let the Tartars go, but three of the more intelligent +he took with him, to show him the road.</p> + +<p>They rowed on. The farther they rowed, the larger<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span> +did the river grow; and the farther they went, the better +did the places become.</p> + +<p>They met more and more people; only they were not +strong men. And all the towns that were near the river +the Cossacks conquered.</p> + +<p>In one town they captured a large number of Tartars +and one old man who was held in respect. They asked +him what kind of a man he was. He said:</p> + +<p>"I am Tauzik, a servant of my king, Kuchum, who +has made me a commander in this town."</p> + +<p>Ermák asked Tauzik about his king; how far his city +of Sibír was; whether Kuchum had a large force; whether +he had much wealth. Tauzik told him everything. He +said:</p> + +<p>"Kuchum is the first king in the world. His city of +Sibír is the largest city in the world. In that city," he +said, "there are as many people and as many cattle as +there are stars in the heaven. There is no counting his +force, and not all the kings of the world can conquer +him."</p> + +<p>But Ermák said:</p> + +<p>"We Russians have come here to conquer your king +and to take his city, and to put it into the hands of the +Russian Tsar. We have a large force. Those who have +come with me are only the advance-guard; those that +are rowing down behind us in barges are numberless, and +all of them have guns. Our guns pierce trees, not like +your bows and arrows. Just look!"</p> + +<p>And Ermák fired at a tree, and pierced it, and the +Cossacks began to shoot on all sides. Tauzik in fright +fell on his knees. Ermák said to him:</p> + +<p>"Go to your King Kuchum and tell him what you +have seen! Let him surrender, and if he does not, we +will destroy him."</p> + +<p>And he dismissed Tauzik.</p> + +<p>The Cossacks rowed on. They sailed into the river<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span> +Toból, and were getting nearer to the city of Sibír. They +sailed up to the small river Babasán, and there they saw +a small town on its bank, and around the town a large +number of Tartars.</p> + +<p>They sent an interpreter to the Tartars, to find out +what kind of people they were. The interpreter returned, +and said:</p> + +<p>"That is Kuchum's army that has gathered there. The +leader of that army is Kuchum's own son-in-law, Mametkul. +He has commanded me to tell you that you must +return, or else he will destroy you."</p> + +<p>Ermák gathered his Cossacks, landed on the bank, and +began to shoot at the Tartars. The moment the Tartars +heard the shooting, they began to run. The Cossacks ran +after them, and killed some, and captured others. Mametkul +barely escaped.</p> + +<p>The Cossacks sailed on. They sailed into a broad, rapid +river, the Irtýsh. Down Irtýsh River they sailed for a +day, and came to a fair town, and there they stopped. The +Cossacks went to the town. As they were coming near, +the Tartars began to shoot their arrows, and they wounded +three Cossacks. Then Ermák sent an interpreter to +tell the Tartars that they must surrender the town, or +else they would all be killed. The interpreter went, and +he returned, and said:</p> + +<p>"Here lives Kuchum's servant, Atik Murza Kachara. +He has a large force, and he says that he will not surrender +the town."</p> + +<p>Ermák gathered the Cossacks, and said:</p> + +<p>"Boys, if we do not take this town, the Tartars will rejoice, +and will not let us pass on. The more we strike +them with terror, the easier will it be. Land all, and +attack them all at once!"</p> + +<p>So they did. There were many Tartars there, and they +were brave.</p> + +<p>When the Cossacks rushed at them, the Tartars began<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span> +to shoot their arrows. They covered the Cossacks with +them. Some were killed, and some wounded.</p> + +<p>The Cossacks became enraged, and when they got to +the Tartars, they killed all they could lay their hands on.</p> + +<p>In this town the Cossacks found much property,—cattle, +rugs, furs, and honey. They buried the dead, rested +themselves, took away much property, and sailed on. They +did not sail far, when they saw on the shore, like a city, +an endless number of troops, and the whole army surrounded +by a ditch and the ditch protected by timber. +The Cossacks stopped. They deliberated. Ermák gathered +a circle about him.</p> + +<p>"Well, boys, what shall we do?"</p> + +<p>The Cossacks were frightened. Some said that they +ought to sail past, while others said that they ought to go +back.</p> + +<p>And they looked gloomy and began to scold Ermák. +They said:</p> + +<p>"Why did you bring us here? Already a few of ours +have been killed, and many have been wounded; and all +of us will perish here."</p> + +<p>They began to weep.</p> + +<p>But Ermák said to his sub-atamán, Iván Koltsó:</p> + +<p>"Well, Ványa, what do you think?"</p> + +<p>And Koltsó said:</p> + +<p>"What do I think? If they do not kill us to-day, they +will to-morrow; and if not to-morrow, we shall die anyway +on the oven. In my opinion, we ought to go out on +the shore and rush in a body against the Tartars. Maybe +God will give us victory."</p> + +<p>Ermák said:</p> + +<p>"You are a brave man, Ványa! That is what must be +done. Oh, you boys! You are not Cossacks, but old +women. All you are good for is to catch sturgeon and +frighten Tartar women. Can't you see for yourselves? If +we turn back we shall be destroyed; and if we stay here,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span> +they will destroy us. How can we go back? After a +little work, it will come easier. Listen, boys! My +father had a strong mare. Down-hill she would pull +and on an even place she would pull. But when it came +to going up-hill, she became stubborn and turned back, +thinking that it would be easier. But my father took a +club and belaboured her with it. She twisted and tugged +and broke the whole cart. My father unhitched her from +the cart and gave her a terrible whacking. If she had +pulled the cart, she would have suffered no torment. So +it is with us, boys. There is only one thing left for us +to do, and that is to make straight for the Tartars."</p> + +<p>The Cossacks laughed, and said:</p> + +<p>"Timoféich, you are evidently more clever than we are. +You have no business to ask us fools. Take us where +you please. A man does not die twice, and one death +cannot be escaped."</p> + +<p>And Ermák said:</p> + +<p>"Listen, boys! This is what we shall do. They have +not yet seen us all. Let us divide into three parts. Those +in the middle will march straight against them, and the +other two divisions will surround them on the right and +on the left. When the middle detachment begins to walk +toward them, they will think that we are all there, and so +they will leap forward. Then we will strike them from +the sides. That's the way, boys! If we beat these, we +shall not have to be afraid of anybody. We shall ourselves +be kings."</p> + +<p>And so they did. When the middle detachment with +Ermák advanced, the Tartars screamed and leaped forward; +then they were attacked by Iván Koltsó on the right, and +by Meshcheryákov the atamán on the left. The Tartars +were frightened, and ran. The Cossacks killed a great +many of them. After that nobody dared to oppose Ermák. +And thus he entered the very city of Sibír. And there +Ermák settled down as though he were a king.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span></p> + +<p>Then kinglets came to see Ermák, to bow to him. Tartars +began to settle down in Sibír, and Kuchum and his +son-in-law Mametkul were afraid to go straight at him, but +kept going around in a circle, wondering how they might +destroy him.</p> + +<p>In the spring, during high water, the Tartars came +running to Ermák, and said:</p> + +<p>"Mametkul is again going against you: he has gathered +a large army, and is making a stand near the river Vagáy."</p> + +<p>Ermák made his way over rivers, swamps, brooks, and +forests, stole up with his Cossacks, rushed against Mametkul, +killed a large number of Tartars, and took Mametkul +alive and brought him to Sibír. After that there were +only a few unruly Tartars left, and Ermák went that +summer against those that had not yet surrendered; and +along the Irtýsh and the Ob Ermák conquered so much +land that one could not march around it in two months.</p> + +<p>When Ermák had conquered all that land, he sent a +messenger to the Stroganóvs, and a letter:</p> + +<p>"I have taken Kuchum's city," he said, "and have +captured Mametkul, and have brought all the people here +under my rule. Only I have lost many Cossacks. Send +people to us that we may feel more cheerful. There is no +end to the wealth in this country."</p> + +<p>He sent to them many costly furs,—fox, marten, and +sable furs.</p> + +<p>Two years passed after that. Ermák was still holding +Sibír, but no aid came from Russia, and few Russians +were left with Ermák.</p> + +<p>One day the Tartar Karacha sent a messenger to +Ermák, saying:</p> + +<p>"We have surrendered to you, but now the Nogays are +oppressing us. Send your brave men to aid us! We +shall together conquer the Nogays. And we swear to +you that we shall not insult your brave men."</p> + +<p>Ermák believed their oath, and sent forty men under<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span> +Iván Koltsó. When these forty men came there, the +Tartars rushed against them and killed them, so there +were still fewer Cossacks left.</p> + +<p>Another time some Bukhara merchants sent word to +Ermák that they were on their way to the city of Sibír +with goods, but that Kuchum had taken his stand with +an army and would not let them pass through.</p> + +<p>Ermák took with him fifty men and went out to clear +the road for the Bukhara merchants. He came to the +Irtýsh River, but did not find the Bukharans. He remained +there over night. It was a dark night, and it +rained. The Cossacks had just lain down to sleep, when +suddenly the Tartars rushed out and threw themselves on +the sleepy men and began to strike them down. Ermák +jumped up and began to fight. He was wounded in the +hand. He ran toward the river. The Tartars after him. +He threw himself into the river. That was the last time he was seen. +His body was not recovered, and no one found out how +he died.</p> + +<p>The following year came the Tsar's army, and the +Tartars were pacified.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span><br /></p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="NATURAL_SCIENCE_STORIES" id="NATURAL_SCIENCE_STORIES"></a>NATURAL SCIENCE STORIES<br /> +1869-1872</h2> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span><br /></p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</a></span></p> + + +<p class="big center">NATURAL SCIENCE STORIES</p> + + +<h2><a name="STORIES_FROM_PHYSICS" id="STORIES_FROM_PHYSICS"></a>STORIES FROM PHYSICS</h2> + + +<h2><a name="THE_MAGNET" id="THE_MAGNET"></a>THE MAGNET</h2> + + +<h3>I.</h3> + +<p>In olden days there was a shepherd whose name was +Magnes. Magnes lost a sheep. He went to the mountains +to find it. He came to a place where there were +barren rocks. He walked over these rocks, and felt that +his boots were sticking to them. He touched them with +his hand, but they were dry and did not stick to his hand. +He started to walk again, and again his boots stuck to +the rocks. He sat down, took off one of his boots, took it +into his hand, and touched the rocks with it.</p> + +<p>Whenever he touched them with his skin, or with the +sole of his boot, they did not stick; but when he touched +them with the nails, they did stick.</p> + +<p>Magnes had a cane with an iron point.</p> + +<p>He touched a rock with the wood; it did not stick; +he touched it with the iron end, and it stuck so that he +could not pull it off.</p> + +<p>Magnes looked at the stone, and he saw that it looked +like iron, and he took pieces of that stone home with him. +Since then that rock has been known, and has been called +Magnet.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>II.</h3> + +<p>Magnet is found in the earth with iron ore. Where +there is magnet in the ore, the iron is of the best quality. +The magnet resembles iron.</p> + +<p>If you put a piece of iron on a magnet, the iron itself +begins to attract other iron. And if you put a steel +needle on a magnet, and hold it thus for awhile, the +needle will become a magnet, and will attract iron. If +two magnets are brought together at their ends, one side +will turn away from the other, while the other sides will +be attracted.</p> + +<p>If a magnetic rod is broken in two, each half will +attract at one end, and will turn away at the other end. +Cut it again, and the same will happen; cut it again, as +often as you please, and still the same will happen: equal +ends will turn away from each other, while opposite ends +will be attracted, as though the magnet were pushing +away at one end, and pulling in at the other. No matter +how you may break it, it will be as though there were a +bump at one end, and a saucer at the other. Whichever +way you put them together,—a bump and a saucer will +meet, but a bump and a bump, or a saucer and a saucer +will not.</p> + + +<h3>III.</h3> + +<p>If you magnetize a needle (holding it for awhile over +a magnet), and attach it in the middle to a pivot in such +a way that it can move freely around, and let it loose, it +will turn with one end toward midday (south), and with +the other toward midnight (north).</p> + +<p>When the magnet was not known, people did not sail +far out to sea. When they went out far into the sea, so +that land was not to be seen, they could tell only by the +stars and the sun where they had to sail. But when it +was dark, and the sun or stars could not be seen, they did<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</a></span> +not know which way to sail. And a ship was borne by +the winds and carried on rocks and wrecked.</p> + +<p>So long as the magnet was not known, they did not +sail far from the shore; but when the magnet was discovered, +they made a magnetic needle on a pivot, so that +it should move around freely. By this needle they could +tell in which direction to sail. With the magnetic needle +they began to sail farther away from the shores, and since +then they have discovered many new seas.</p> + +<p>On ships there is always a magnetic needle (compass), +and there is a measuring-rope with knots at the stern of +a ship. This rope is fixed in such a way that when it +unrolls, they can tell how far the ship has travelled. And +thus, in sailing in a boat, they always know in what spot +it is, whether far from the shore, and in what direction it +is sailing.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="MOISTURE" id="MOISTURE"></a>MOISTURE</h2> + + +<h3>I.</h3> + +<p>Why does a spider sometimes make a close cobweb, +and sit in the very middle of its nest, and at other times +leave its nest and start a new spider-web?</p> + +<p>The spider makes its cobweb according to the weather, +both the present and the future weather. Looking at a +spider, you can tell what kind of weather it is going to +be: if it sits tightly in the middle of the cobweb and +does not come out, it means that it is going to rain. If +it leaves the nest and makes new cobwebs, it is going to +clear off.</p> + +<p>How can the spider know in advance what weather it +is going to be?</p> + +<p>The spider's senses are so fine that as soon as the moisture +begins to gather in the air,—though we do not yet +feel it, and for us the weather is clear,—for the spider it +is already raining.</p> + +<p>Just as a naked man will feel the moisture, when a +man in his clothes does not, so it is already raining for a +spider, while for us it is only getting ready to rain.</p> + + +<h3>II.</h3> + +<p>Why do the doors swell in the winter and close badly, +while in the summer they shrink and close well?</p> + +<p>Because in the fall and winter the wood is saturated +with water, like a sponge, and spreads out, while in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</a></span> +summer the water comes out as a vapour, and the wood +shrinks.</p> + +<p>Why does soft wood, like aspen, swell more, and oak +less?</p> + +<p>Because in the hard wood, in the oak, the empty places +are smaller, and the water cannot gather there, while in +the soft wood in the aspen, there are larger empty places, +and the water can gather there. In rotten wood these +empty places are still larger, and so rotten wood swells +most and shrinks most.</p> + +<p>Beehives are made out of the softest and rottenest +wood; the very best are made from rotten willow wood. +Why? Because the air passes through the rotten wood, +and in such a hive the bees feel better.</p> + +<p>Why do boards warp?</p> + +<p>Because they dry unevenly. If you place a damp +board with one side toward the stove, the water will leave +it, and the board will contract on that side and will pull +the other side along; but the damp side cannot contract, +because it is full of water, and so the whole board will be +bent.</p> + +<p>To keep the floors from warping, the dry boards are +cut into small pieces, and these pieces are boiled in water. +When all the water is boiled out of them, they are glued +together, and then they never warp (parquetry).</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="THE_DIFFERENT_CONNECTION_OF_PARTICLES" id="THE_DIFFERENT_CONNECTION_OF_PARTICLES"></a>THE DIFFERENT CONNECTION OF PARTICLES</h2> + + +<p>Why are cart bolsters cut and wheel naves turned not +from oak, but from birch? Bolsters and naves have to +be strong, and oak is not more expensive than birch.</p> + +<p>Because oak splits lengthwise, and birch does not split, +but ravels out.</p> + +<p>Because, though oak is more firmly connected than +birch, it is connected in such a way that it splits lengthwise, +while birch does not.</p> + +<p>Why are wheels and runners bent from oak and elm, +and not from birch and linden?</p> + +<p>Because, when oak and elm are steamed in a bath, +they bend and do not break, while birch and linden ravel +in every direction.</p> + +<p>This is again for the same reason, that is, that the particles +of the wood in the oak and in the birch are differently +connected.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="CRYSTALS" id="CRYSTALS"></a>CRYSTALS</h2> + + +<p>If you pour salt into water and stir it, the salt will begin +to melt and will entirely disappear; but if you pour +more and still more salt into it, the salt will in the end +not dissolve, and no matter how much you may stir after +that, the salt will remain as a white powder. The water +is saturated with the salt and cannot receive any more. +But heat the water and it will receive more; and the +salt which did not dissolve in the cold water, will melt in +hot water. But pour in more salt, even the hot water +will not receive it. And if you heat the water still more, +the water will pass away in steam, and more of the salt +will be left.</p> + +<p>Thus, for everything which dissolves in the water +there is a measure after which the water will not dissolve +any more. Of anything, more will be dissolved in hot +than in cold water, and in each case, when it is saturated, +it will not receive any more. The thing will be left, but +the water will go away in steam.</p> + +<p>If the water is saturated with saltpetre powder, and +then more saltpetre is added, and all is heated and is allowed +to cool off without being stirred, the superfluous +saltpetre will not settle as a powder at the bottom of the +water, but will all gather in little six-edged columns, and +will settle at the bottom and at the sides, one column +near another. If the water is saturated with saltpetre +powder and is put in a warm place, the water will go +away in vapours, and the superfluous saltpetre will again +gather in six-edged columns.</p> + +<p>If water is saturated with simple salt and heated, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</a></span> +is allowed to pass away in vapour, the superfluous salt will +not settle as powder, but as little cubes. If the water is +saturated both with salt and saltpetre, the superfluous salt +and saltpetre will not mix, but will settle each in its own +way: the saltpetre in columns, and the salt in cubes.</p> + +<p>If water is saturated with lime, or with some other salt, +and anything else, each thing will settle in its own way, +when the water passes away in vapour: one in three-edged +columns, another in eight-edged columns, a third in bricks, +a fourth in little stars,—each in its own way. These +figures are different in each solid thing. At times these +forms are as large as a hand,—such stones are found in +the ground. At times these forms are so small that they +cannot be made out with the naked eye; but in each +thing there is its own form.</p> + +<p>If, when the water is saturated with saltpetre, and little +figures are forming in it, a corner be broken off one of +these little figures with a needle, new pieces of saltpetre +will come up and will fix the broken end as it ought to +be,—into a six-edged column. The same will happen to +salt and to any other thing. All the tiny particles turn +around and attach themselves with the right side to each +other.</p> + +<p>When ice freezes, the same takes place.</p> + +<p>A snowflake flies, and no figure is seen in it; but the +moment it settles on anything dark and cold, on cloth, on +fur,—you can make out its figure; you will see a little +star, or a six-cornered little board. On the windows the +steam does not freeze in any form whatever, but always +as a star.</p> + +<p>What is ice? It is cold, solid water. When liquid +water becomes solid, it forms itself into figures and the +heat leaves it. The same takes place with saltpetre: +when it changes from a liquid into solid figures, the heat +leaves it. The same is true of salt, of melted cast-iron, +when it changes from a liquid into a solid. Whenever a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</a></span> +thing changes from a liquid into a solid, heat leaves it, +and it forms figures. And when it changes from a solid +to a liquid it takes up heat, and the cold leaves it, and its +figures are dissolved.</p> + +<p>Bring in melted iron and let it cool off; bring in hot +dough and let it cool off; bring in slacked lime and let it +cool off,—and it will be warm. Bring in ice and let +it melt,—and it will grow cold. Bring in saltpetre, salt, +or any other thing that dissolves in the water, and melt it +in the water, and it will grow cold. In order to freeze +ice-cream, they put salt in the water.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="INJURIOUS_AIR" id="INJURIOUS_AIR"></a>INJURIOUS AIR</h2> + + +<p>In the village of Nikólskoe, the people went on a holiday +to mass. In the manor yard were left the cow-tender, +the elder, and the groom. The cow-tender went to the +well for water. The well was in the yard itself. She +pulled out the bucket, but could not hold it. The bucket +pulled away from her, struck the side of the well, and tore +the rope. The cow-tender returned to the hut and said +to the elder:</p> + +<p>"Aleksándr! Climb down into the well,—I have +dropped the bucket into it."</p> + +<p>Aleksándr said:</p> + +<p>"You have dropped it, so climb down yourself."</p> + +<p>The cow-tender said that she did not mind fetching it +herself, if he would let her down.</p> + +<p>The elder laughed at her, and said:</p> + +<p>"Well, let us go! You have an empty stomach now, +so I shall be able to hold you up, for after dinner I could +not do it."</p> + +<p>The elder tied a stick to a rope, and the woman sat +astride it, took hold of the rope, and began to climb down +into the well, while the elder turned the well-wheel. The +well was about twenty feet deep, and there was less than +three feet of water in it. The elder let her down slowly, +and kept asking:</p> + +<p>"A little more?"</p> + +<p>And the cow-tender cried from below:</p> + +<p>"Just a little more!"</p> + +<p>Suddenly the elder felt the rope give way: he called +the cow-tender, but she did not answer. The elder looked<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</a></span> +into the well, and saw the cow-tender lying with her head +in the water, and with her feet in the air. The elder +called for help, but there was nobody near by; only the +groom came. The elder told him to hold the wheel, and +he himself pulled out the rope, sat down on the stick, +and went down into the well.</p> + +<p>The moment the groom let the elder down to the water, +the same thing happened to the elder. He let go of the +rope and fell head foremost upon the woman. The groom +began to cry, and ran to church to call the people. Mass +was over, and people were walking home. All the +men and women rushed to the well. They gathered +around it, and everybody holloaed, but nobody knew what +to do. The young carpenter Iván made his way through +the crowd, took hold of the rope, sat down on the stick, +and told them to let him down. Iván tied himself to the +rope with his belt. Two men let him down, and the rest +looked into the well, to see what would become of Iván. +Just as he was getting near the water, he dropped his +hands from the rope, and would have fallen down head +foremost, if the belt had not held him. All shouted, +"Pull him out!" and Iván was pulled out.</p> + +<p>He hung like dead down from the belt, and his head +was drooping and beating against the sides of the well. +His face was livid. They took him off the rope and put +him down on the ground. They thought that he was +dead; but he suddenly drew a deep breath, began to +rattle, and soon revived.</p> + +<p>Others wanted to climb down, but an old peasant said +that they could not go down because there was bad air in +the well, and that that bad air killed people. Then the +peasants ran for hooks and began to pull out the elder +and the woman. The elder's mother and wife cried at the +well, and others tried to quiet them; in the meantime +the peasants put down the hooks and tried to get out the +dead people. Twice they got the elder half-way up by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</a></span> +his clothes; but he was heavy, and his clothes tore and +he fell down. Finally they stuck two hooks into him +and pulled him out. Then they pulled out the cow-tender. +Both were dead and did not revive.</p> + +<p>Then, when they examined the well, they found that +indeed there was bad air down in the well.</p> + +<p>This air is so heavy that neither man nor any animal +can live in it. They let down a cat into the well, and the +moment she reached the place where the bad air was, +she died. Not only can no animal live there, even no +candle will burn in it. They let down a candle, and the +moment it reached that spot, it went out.</p> + +<p>There are places underground where that air gathers, +and when a person gets into one of those places, he dies +at once. For this purpose they have lamps in the mines, +and before a man goes down to such a place, they let +down the lamp. If it goes out, no man can go there; +then they let down fresh air until the lamp will burn.</p> + +<p>Near the city of Naples there is one such cave. There +is always about three feet of bad air in it on the ground, +but above it the air is good. A man can walk through +the cave, and nothing will happen to him, but a dog will +die the moment it enters.</p> + +<p>Where does this bad air come from? It is made of +the same good air that we breathe. If you gather a lot +of people in one place, and close all the doors and windows, +so that no fresh air can get in, you will get the +same kind of an air as in the well, and people will die.</p> + +<p>One hundred years ago, during a war, the Hindoos captured +146 Englishmen and shut them up in a cave underground, +where the air could not get in.</p> + +<p>After the captured Englishmen had been there a few +hours they began to die, and toward the end of the night +123 had died, and the rest came out more dead than +alive, and ailing. At first the air had been good in the +cave; but when the captives had inhaled all the good air,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</a></span> +and no fresh air came in, it became bad, just like what +was in the well, and they died.</p> + +<p>Why does the good air become bad when many people +come together?</p> + +<p>Because, when people breathe, they take in good air +and breathe out bad air.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="HOW_BALLOONS_ARE_MADE" id="HOW_BALLOONS_ARE_MADE"></a>HOW BALLOONS ARE MADE</h2> + + +<p>If you take a blown-up bladder under water and let go +of it, it will fly up to the surface of the water and will +swim on it. Just so, when water is boiled in a pot, it +becomes light at the bottom, over the fire,—it is turned +into a gas; and when a little of that water-gas is collected +it goes up as a bubble. First comes up one bubble, then +another, and when the whole water is heated, the +bubbles come up without stopping. Then the water +boils.</p> + +<p>Just as the bubbles leap to the surface, full of vapoury +water, because they are lighter than water, just so will a +bladder which is filled with hydrogen, or with hot air, +rise, because hot air is lighter than cold air, and hydrogen +is lighter than any other gases.</p> + +<p>Balloons are made with hydrogen or with hot air. +With hydrogen they are made as follows: They make a +large bladder, attach it by ropes to posts, and fill it with +hydrogen. The moment the ropes are untied, the balloon +flies up in the air, and keeps flying up until it gets +beyond the air which is heavier than hydrogen. When it +gets up into the light air, it begins to swim in it like a +bladder on the surface of the water.</p> + +<p>With hot air balloons are made like this: They make +a large empty ball, with a neck below, like an upturned +pitcher, and to the mouth of it they attach a bunch of +cotton, and that cotton is soaked with spirits, and lighted. +The fire heats the air in the balloon, and makes it lighter +than the cold air, and the balloon is drawn upward, like +the bladder in the water. And the balloon will fly up<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</a></span> +until it comes to the air which is lighter than the hot air +in the balloon.</p> + +<p>Nearly one hundred years ago two Frenchmen, the +brothers Montgolfier, invented the air balloons. They +made a balloon of canvas and paper and filled it with hot +air,—the balloon flew. Then they made another, a larger +balloon, and tied under the balloon a sheep, a cock, and a +duck, and let it off. The balloon rose and came down +safely. Then they attached a little basket under the +balloon, and a man seated himself in it. The balloon +flew so high that it disappeared from view; it flew away, +and came down safely. Then they thought of filling a +balloon with hydrogen, and began to fly higher and faster.</p> + +<p>In order to fly with a balloon, they attach a basket +under the balloon, and in this basket two, three, and even +eight persons are seated, and they take with them food +and drink.</p> + +<p>In order to rise and come down as one pleases, there is +a valve in the balloon, and the man who is flying with it +can pull a rope and open or close the valve. If the balloon +rises too high, and the man who is flying wants to come +down, he opens the valve,—the gas escapes, the balloon +is compressed, and begins to come down. Then there are +always bags with sand in the balloon. When a bag with +sand is thrown out, the balloon gets lighter, and it flies +up. If the one who is flying wants to get down, but sees +that it is not what he wants below him,—either a river +or a forest,—he throws out the sand from the bags, and +the balloon grows lighter and rises again.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="GALVANISM" id="GALVANISM"></a>GALVANISM</h2> + + +<p>There was once a learned Italian, Galvani. He had an +electric machine, and he showed his students what electricity +was. He rubbed the glass hard with silk with +something smeared over it, and then he approached to the +glass a brass knob which was attached to the glass, and a +spark flew across from the glass to the brass knob. He +explained to them that the same kind of a spark came +from sealing-wax and amber. He showed them that +feathers and bits of paper were now attracted, and now +repelled, by electricity, and explained to them the reason +of it. He did all kinds of experiments with electricity, +and showed them all to his students.</p> + +<p>Once his wife grew ill. He called a doctor and asked +him how to cure her. The doctor told him to prepare a +frog soup for her. Galvani gave order to have edible +frogs caught. They caught them for him, killed them, +and left them on his table.</p> + +<p>Before the cook came after the frogs, Galvani kept on +showing the electric machine to his students, and sending +sparks through it.</p> + +<p>Suddenly he saw the dead frogs jerk their legs on the +table. He watched them, and saw that every time when +he sent a spark through the machine, the frogs jerked +their legs. Galvani collected more frogs, and began to +experiment with them. And every time he sent a spark +through the machine, the dead frogs moved their legs as +though they were alive.</p> + +<p>It occurred to Galvani that live frogs moved their legs +because electricity passed through them. Galvani knew<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</a></span> +that there was electricity in the air; that it was more +noticeable in the amber and glass, but that it was also in +the air, and that thunder and lightning came from the +electricity in the air.</p> + +<p>So he tried to discover whether the dead frogs would +not move their legs from the electricity in the air. For +this purpose he took the frogs, skinned them, chopped off +their heads, and hung them on brass hooks on the roof, +beneath an iron gutter. He thought that as soon as there +should be a storm, and the air should be filled with electricity, +it would pass by the brass rod to the frogs, and +they would begin to move.</p> + +<p>But the storm passed several times, and the frogs did +not move. Galvani was just taking them down, and as +he did so a frog's leg touched the iron gutter, and it +jerked. Galvani took down the frogs and made the following +experiment: he tied to the brass hook an iron +wire, and touched the leg with the wire, and it jerked.</p> + +<p>So Galvani decided that the animals lived because +there was electricity in them, and that the electricity +jumped from the brain to the flesh, and that made the +animals move. Nobody had at that time tried this matter +and they did not know any better, and so they all +believed Galvani. But at that time another learned man, +Volta, experimented in his own way, and proved to everybody +that Galvani was mistaken. He tried touching the +frog differently from what Galvani had done, not with a +copper hook with an iron wire, but either with a copper +hook and a copper wire, or an iron hook and an iron wire,—and +the frogs did not move. The frogs moved only +when Volta touched them with an iron wire that was +connected with a copper wire.</p> + +<p>Volta thought that the electricity was not in the dead +frog but in the iron and copper. He experimented and +found it to be so: whenever he brought together the iron +and the copper, there was electricity; and this electricity<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</a></span> +made the dead frogs jerk their legs. Volta tried to produce +electricity differently from what it had been produced +before. Before that they used to get electricity by +rubbing glass or sealing-wax. But Volta got electricity +by uniting iron and copper. He tried to connect iron and +copper and other metals, and by the mere combination of +metals, silver, platinum, zinc, lead, iron, he produced electric +sparks.</p> + +<p>After Volta they tried to increase electricity by pouring +all kinds of liquids—water and acids—between +the metals. These liquids made the electricity more +powerful, so that it was no longer necessary, as before, to +rub in order to produce it; it is enough to put pieces of +several metals in a bowl and fill it with a liquid, and +there will be electricity in that bowl, and the sparks will +come from the wires.</p> + +<p>When this kind of electricity was discovered, people +began to apply it: they invented a way of gold and silver +plating by means of electricity, and electric light, +and a way to transmit signs from place to place over a +long distance by means of electricity.</p> + +<p>For this purpose pieces of different metals are placed +in jars, and liquids are poured into them. Electricity is +collected in these jars, and is transferred by means of +wires to the place where it is wanted, and from that +place the wire is put into the ground. The electricity +runs through the ground back to the jars, and rises from +the earth by means of the other wire; thus the electricity +keeps going around and around, as in a ring,—from the +wire into the ground, and along the ground, and up the +wire, and again through the earth. Electricity can travel +in either direction, just as one wants to send it: it can +first go along the wire and return through the earth, or +first go through the earth, and then return through the +wire. Above the wire, in the place where the signs are +given, there is attached a magnetic hand, and that hand<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</a></span> +turns in one direction, when the electricity is allowed +to pass through the wire and back through the earth, +and in another direction, when the electricity is sent +through the earth and back through the wire. Along this +hand there are certain signs, and by means of these signs +they write from one place to another on the telegraph.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="THE_SUNS_HEAT" id="THE_SUNS_HEAT"></a>THE SUN'S HEAT</h2> + + +<p>Go out in the winter on a calm, frosty day into the +field, or into the woods, and look about you and listen: +all around you is snow, the rivers are frozen, dry grass +blades stick out of the grass, the trees are bare,—nothing +is moving.</p> + +<p>Look in the summer: the rivers are running and rippling, +in every puddle the frogs croak and plunge in; the +birds fly from place to place, and whistle, and sing; the +flies and the gnats whirl around and buzz; the trees and +the grass grow and wave to and fro.</p> + +<p>Freeze a pot with water, and it will become as hard +as a rock. Put the frozen pot on the fire: the ice +will begin to break, and melt, and move; the water will +begin to stir, and bubbles will rise; then, when it begins +to boil, it whirls about and makes a noise. The same +happens in the world from the heat. Without heat +everything is dead; with the heat everything moves and +lives. If there is little heat, there is little motion; with +more heat, there is more motion; with much heat, there +is much motion; with very much heat, there is also very +much motion.</p> + +<p>Where does the heat in the world come from? The +heat comes from the sun.</p> + +<p>In winter the sun travels low, to one side, and its +beams do not fall straight upon the earth, and nothing +moves. The sun begins to travel higher above our heads, +and begins to shine straight down upon the earth, and +everything is warmed up in the world, and begins to stir.</p> + +<p>The snow settles down; the ice begins to melt on the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</a></span> +rivers; the water comes down from the mountains; the +vapours rise from the water to the clouds, and rain begins +to fall. Who does it all?—The sun. The seeds swell, and +let out rootlets; the rootlets take hold of the ground; old +roots send up new shoots, and the trees and the grass +begin to grow. Who has done that?—The sun.</p> + +<p>The bears and moles get up; the flies and bees awaken; +the gnats are hatched, and the fish come out from their eggs, +when it is warm. Who has done it all?—The sun.</p> + +<p>The air gets warmed up in one place, and rises, and in +its place comes colder air,—and there is a wind. Who +has done that?—The sun.</p> + +<p>The clouds rise and begin to gather and to scatter,—and +the lightning flashes. Who has made that fire?—The +sun.</p> + +<p>The grass, the grain, the fruits, the trees grow up; +animals find their food, men eat their fill, and gather food +and fuel for the winter; they build themselves houses, +railways, cities. Who has prepared it all?—The sun.</p> + +<p>A man has built himself a house. What has he made +it of? Of timbers. The timbers were cut out of trees, +but the trees are made to grow by the sun.</p> + +<p>The stove is heated with wood. Who has made the +wood to grow?—The sun.</p> + +<p>Man eats bread, or potatoes. Who has made them +grow?—The sun. Man eats meat. Who has made the +animals, the birds to grow?—The grass. But the grass +is made to grow by the sun.</p> + +<p>A man builds himself a house from brick and lime. +The bricks and the lime are burnt by wood. The wood +has been prepared by the sun.</p> + +<p>Everything that men need, that is for their use,—all +that is prepared by the sun, and on all that goes much +sun's heat. The reason that men need bread is because +the sun has produced it, and because there is much sun's +heat in it. Bread warms him who eats it.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</a></span></p> + +<p>The reason that wood and logs are needed is because +there is much heat in them. He who buys wood for the +winter, buys sun's heat; and in the winter he burns +the wood whenever he wants it, and lets the sun's heat +into his room.</p> + +<p>When there is heat, there is motion. No matter what +motion it may be,—it all comes from heat, either directly +from the sun's heat, or from the heat which the sun has +prepared in the coal, the wood, the bread, and the grass.</p> + +<p>Horses and oxen pull, men work,—who moves them?—Heat. +Where does the heat come from?—From the +food. And the food has been prepared by the sun.</p> + +<p>Watermills and windmills turn around and grind. Who +moves them?—Wind and water. And who drives the +wind?—Heat. And who drives the water?—Again heat. +Heat raises the water in the shape of vapour, and without +this the water would not be falling down. A machine +works,—it is moved by steam. And who makes steam?—Wood. +And in the wood is the sun's heat.</p> + +<p>Heat makes motion, and motion makes heat. And both +heat and motion are from the sun.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="STORIES_FROM_ZOOLOGY" id="STORIES_FROM_ZOOLOGY"></a>STORIES FROM ZOOLOGY</h2> + + + + +<h2><a name="THE_OWL_AND_THE_HARE" id="THE_OWL_AND_THE_HARE"></a>THE OWL AND THE HARE</h2> + + +<p>It was dusk. The owls began to fly through the forest +to find some prey.</p> + +<p>A large hare leaped out on a clearing and began to +smooth out his fur. An old owl looked at the hare, and +seated himself on a branch; but a young owl said to him:</p> + +<p>"Why do you not catch the hare?"</p> + +<p>The old owl said:</p> + +<p>"He is too much for me: if I get caught in him, he will +drag me into the woods."</p> + +<p>But the young owl said:</p> + +<p>"I will stick one claw into his body, and with the other +I will clutch a tree."</p> + +<p>The young owl made for the hare, and stuck one claw +into his back so that all his talons entered the flesh, and +the other claw it got ready to push into the tree. The +hare yanked the owl, while the owl held on to the tree, +and thought, "He will not get away." The hare darted +forward and tore the owl. One claw was left in the tree, +and the other in the hare's back.</p> + +<p>The next year a hunter killed that hare, and wondered +how the owl's talons had grown into the hare's back.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="HOW_THE_WOLVES_TEACH_THEIR_WHELPS" id="HOW_THE_WOLVES_TEACH_THEIR_WHELPS"></a>HOW THE WOLVES TEACH THEIR WHELPS</h2> + + +<p>I was walking along the road, and heard a shout behind +me. It was the shepherd boy who was shouting. +He was running through the field, and pointing to something.</p> + +<p>I looked, and saw two wolves running through the +field: one was full-grown, and the other a whelp. The +whelp was carrying a dead lamb on his shoulders, and +holding on to one of its legs with its teeth. The old wolf +was running behind. When I saw the wolves, I ran after +them with the shepherd, and we began to shout. In response +to our cries came peasants with dogs.</p> + +<p>The moment the old wolf saw the dogs and the people, +he ran up to the whelp, took the lamb away from him, +threw it over his back, and both wolves ran as fast as they +could, and disappeared from view.</p> + +<p>Then the boy told what had happened: the large wolf +had leaped out from the ravine, had seized the lamb, killed +it, and carried it off.</p> + +<p>The whelp ran up to him and grasped the lamb. The +old wolf let the whelp carry the lamb, while he himself +ran slowly beside him.</p> + +<p>Only when there was danger, did the old wolf stop his +teaching and himself take the lamb.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="HARES_AND_WOLVES" id="HARES_AND_WOLVES"></a>HARES AND WOLVES</h2> + + +<p>The hares feed at night on tree bark; the field hares +eat the winter rye and the grass, and the threshing-floor +hares eat the grain in the granary. Through the night +the hares make a deep, visible track through the snow. +The hares are hunted by men, and dogs, and wolves, and +foxes, and ravens, and eagles. If a hare walked straight +ahead, he would be easily caught in the morning by his +tracks; but God has made a hare timid, and his timidity +saves him.</p> + +<p>A hare goes at night fearlessly through the forests and +fields, making straight tracks; but as soon as morning +comes and his enemies wake up, and he hears the bark of +dogs, or the squeak of sleighs, or the voice of peasants, or +the crashing of a wolf through the forest, he begins to +toss from side to side in his fear. He jumps forward, +gets frightened at something, and runs back on his track. +He hears something again, and he leaps at full speed to +one side and runs away from his old track. Again something +makes a noise, and the hare turns back, and again +leaps to one side. When it is daylight, he lies down.</p> + +<p>In the morning the hunters try to follow the hare +tracks, and they get mixed up on the double tracks and +long leaps, and marvel at the hare's cunning. But the +hare did not mean to be cunning. He is merely afraid of +everything.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="THE_SCENT" id="THE_SCENT"></a>THE SCENT</h2> + + +<p>Man sees with his eyes, hears with his ears, smells +with his nose, tastes with his mouth, and feels with his +fingers. One man's eyes see better, another man's see +worse. One hears from a distance, and another is deaf. +One has keen senses and smells a thing from a distance, +while another smells at a rotten egg and does not perceive +it. One can tell a thing by the touch, and another cannot +tell by touch what is wood and what paper. One will +take a substance in his mouth and will find it sweet, while +another will swallow it without making out whether it is +bitter or sweet.</p> + +<p>Just so the different senses differ in strength in the +animals. But with all the animals the sense of smell is +stronger than in man.</p> + +<p>When a man wants to recognize a thing, he looks at it, +listens to the noise that it makes, now and then smells at +it, or tastes it; but, above all, a man has to feel a thing, +to recognize it.</p> + +<p>But nearly all animals more than anything else need to +smell a thing. A horse, a wolf, a dog, a cow, a bear do +not know a thing until they smell it.</p> + +<p>When a horse is afraid of anything, it snorts,—it +clears its nose so as to scent better, and does not stop being +afraid until it has smelled the object well.</p> + +<p>A dog frequently follows its master's track, but when +it sees him, it does not recognize him and begins to bark, +until it smells him and finds out that that which has looked +so terrible is its master.</p> + +<p>Oxen see other oxen stricken down, and hear them roar<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</a></span> +in the slaughter-house, but still do not understand what is +going on. But an ox or a cow need only find a spot +where there is ox blood, and smell it, and it will understand +and will roar and strike with its feet, and cannot be +driven off the spot.</p> + +<p>An old man's wife had fallen ill; he went himself to +milk the cow. The cow snorted,—she discovered that it +was not her mistress, and would not give him any milk. +The mistress told her husband to put on her fur coat and +kerchief,—and the cow gave milk; but the old man threw +open the coat, and the cow scented him, and stopped +giving milk.</p> + +<p>When hounds follow an animal's trail, they never run +on the track itself, but to one side, about twenty paces +from it. When an inexperienced hunter wants to show +the dog the scent, and sticks its nose on the track, it will +always jump to one side. The track itself smells so strong +to the dog that it cannot make out on the track whether +the animal has run ahead or backward. It runs to one +side, and then only discovers in what direction the scent +grows stronger, and so follows the animal. The dog does +precisely what we do when somebody speaks very loud +in our ears; we step a distance away, and only then do +we make out what is being said. Or, if anything we are +looking at is too close, we step back and only then make +it out.</p> + +<p>Dogs recognize each other and make signs to each other +by means of their scent.</p> + +<p>The scent is more delicate still in insects. A bee flies +directly to the flower that it wants to reach; a worm +crawls to its leaf; a bedbug, a flea, a mosquito scents a +man a hundred thousand of its steps away.</p> + +<p>If the particles which separate from a substance and +enter our noses are small, how small must be those +particles that reach the organ of smell of the insects!</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="TOUCH_AND_SIGHT" id="TOUCH_AND_SIGHT"></a>TOUCH AND SIGHT</h2> + + +<p>Twist the forefinger over the middle finger and touch +a small ball with them, so that it may roll between the +two fingers, and shut your eyes. You will think that +there are two balls. Open your eyes,—and you will see +that it is one ball. The fingers have deceived you, but +the eyes correct you.</p> + +<p>Look (best of all sidewise) at a good, clean mirror,—you +will think that it is a window or a door, and that +there is something behind it. Touch it with a finger,—and +you will see that it is a mirror. The eyes have +deceived you, but the fingers correct you.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="THE_SILKWORM" id="THE_SILKWORM"></a>THE SILKWORM</h2> + + +<p>I had some old mulberry-trees in my garden. My +grandfather had planted them. In the fall I was given +a dram of silkworm eggs, and was advised to hatch them +and raise silkworms. These eggs are dark gray and so +small that in that dram I counted 5,835 of them. They +are smaller than the tiniest pin-head. They are quite +dead; only when you crush them do they crack.</p> + +<p>The eggs had been lying around on my table, and I +had almost forgotten about them.</p> + +<p>One day, in the spring, I went into the orchard and +noticed the buds swelling on the mulberry-trees, and where +the sun beat down, the leaves were out. I thought of the +silkworm eggs, and took them apart at home and gave +them more room. The majority of the eggs were no +longer dark gray, as before, but some were light gray, +while others were lighter still, with a milky shade.</p> + +<p>The next morning, I looked at the eggs, and saw that +some of the worms had hatched out, while other eggs +were quite swollen. Evidently they felt in their shells +that their food was ripening.</p> + +<p>The worms were black and shaggy, and so small that +it was hard to see them. I looked at them through a +magnifying-glass, and saw that in the eggs they lay curled +up in rings, and when they came out they straightened +themselves out. I went to the garden for some mulberry +leaves; I got about three handfuls of leaves, which I put +on my table, and began to fix a place for the worms, as I +had been taught to do.</p> + +<p>While I was fixing the paper, the worms smelled<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</a></span> +their food and started to crawl toward it. I pushed +it away, and began to entice the worms to a leaf, and +they made for it, as dogs make for a piece of meat, crawling +after the leaf over the cloth of the table and across +pencils, scissors, and papers. Then I cut off a piece of +paper, stuck holes through it with a penknife, placed +the leaf on top of it, and with the leaf put it down on +the worms. The worms crawled through the holes, +climbed on the leaf, and started to eat.</p> + +<p>When the other worms hatched out, I again put a piece +of paper with a leaf on them, and all crawled through the +holes and began to eat. The worms gathered on each +leaf and nibbled at it from its edges. Then, when they +had eaten everything, they crawled on the paper and +looked for more food. Then I put on them new sheets +of perforated paper with mulberry leaves upon them, and +they crawled over to the new food.</p> + +<p>They were lying on my shelf, and when there was no leaf, +they climbed about the shelf, and came to its very edge, +but they never fell down, though they are blind. The +moment a worm comes to an edge, it lets out a web from +its mouth before descending, and then it attaches itself +to it and lets itself down; it hangs awhile in the air, and +watches, and if it wants to get down farther, it does so, +and if not, it pulls itself up by its web.</p> + +<p>For days at a time the worms did nothing but eat. I +had to give them more and more leaves. When a new +leaf was brought, and they transferred themselves to it, +they made a noise as though a rain were falling on leaves,—that +was when they began to eat the new leaf.</p> + +<p>Thus the older worms lived for five days. They had +grown very large and began to eat ten times as much as +ever. On the fifth day, I knew, they would fall asleep, +and waited for that to happen. Toward evening, on the +fifth day, one of the older worms stuck to the paper and +stopped eating and stirring.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</a></span></p> + +<p>The whole next day I watched it for a long time. I +knew that worms moulted several times, because they +grew up and found it close in their old hide, and so put +on a new one.</p> + +<p>My friend and I watched it by turns. In the evening +my friend called out:</p> + +<p>"It has begun to undress itself,—come!"</p> + +<p>I went up to him, and saw that the worm had stuck +with its old hide to the paper, had torn a hole at the +mouth, thrust forth its head, and was writhing and working +to get out, but the old shirt held it fast. I watched +it for a long time as it writhed and could not get out, and +I wanted to help it. I barely touched it with my nail, +but soon saw that I had done something foolish. Under +my nail there was something liquid, and the worm died. +At first I thought that it was blood, but later I learned +that the worm has a liquid mass under its skin, so that the +shirt may come off easier. With my nail I no doubt +disturbed the new shirt, for, though the worm crawled +out, it soon died.</p> + +<p>The other worms I did not touch. All of them came +out of their shirts in the same manner; only a few died, +and nearly all came out safely, though they struggled +hard for a long time.</p> + +<p>After shedding their skins, the worms began to eat +more voraciously, and more leaves were devoured. Four +days later they again fell asleep, and again crawled out +of their skins. A still larger quantity of leaves was now +consumed by them, and they were now a quarter of an +inch in length. Six days later they fell asleep once more, +and once more came out in new skins, and now were very +large and fat, and we had barely time to get leaves ready +for them.</p> + +<p>On the ninth day the oldest worms quit eating entirely +and climbed up the shelves and rods. I gathered them +in and gave them fresh leaves, but they turned their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</a></span> +heads away from them, and continued climbing. Then I +remembered that when the worms get ready to roll up +into larvæ, they stop eating and climb upward.</p> + +<p>I left them alone, and began to watch what they would +do.</p> + +<p>The eldest worms climbed to the ceiling, scattered +about, crawled in all directions, and began to draw out +single threads in various directions. I watched one of +them. It went into a corner, put forth about six threads +each two inches long, hung down from them, bent over +in a horseshoe, and began to turn its head and let out a +silk web which began to cover it all over. Toward evening +it was covered by it as though in a mist; the worm +could scarcely be seen. On the following morning the +worm could no longer be seen; it was all wrapped in +silk, and still it spun out more.</p> + +<p>Three days later it finished spinning, and quieted down. +Later I learned how much web it had spun in those three +days. If the whole web were to be unravelled, it would +be more than half a mile in length, seldom less. And if +we figure out how many times the worm has to toss its +head in these three days in order to let out all the web, +it will appear that in these three days the worm tosses its +head 300,000 times. Consequently, it makes one turn a +second, without stopping. But after the work, when we +took down a few cocoons and broke them open, we found +inside the worms all dried up and white, looking like +pieces of wax.</p> + +<p>I knew that from these larvæ with their white, waxen +bodies would come butterflies; but as I looked at them, +I could not believe it. None the less I went to look at +them on the twentieth day, to see what had become of +them.</p> + +<p>On the twentieth day, I knew, there was to be a change. +Nothing was to be seen, and I was beginning to think +that something was wrong, when suddenly I noticed that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[Pg 169]</a></span> +the end of one of the cocoons grew dark and moist. I +thought that it had probably spoiled, and wanted to +throw it away. But then I thought that perhaps it began +that way, and so I watched to see what would happen. +And, indeed, something began to move at the wet end. +For a long time I could not make out what it was. Later +there appeared something like a head with whiskers. The +whiskers moved. Then I noticed a leg sticking out +through the hole, then another, and the legs scrambled to +get out of the cocoon. It came out more and more, and +I saw a wet butterfly. When all six legs scrambled out, +the back jumped out, too, and the butterfly crawled out +and stopped. When it dried it was white; it straightened +its wings, flew away, circled around, and alighted +on the window.</p> + +<p>Two days later the butterfly on the window-sill laid +eggs in a row, and stuck them fast. The eggs were +yellow. Twenty-five butterflies laid eggs. I collected +five thousand eggs. The following year I raised more +worms, and had more silk spun.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[Pg 170]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="STORIES_FROM_BOTANY" id="STORIES_FROM_BOTANY"></a>STORIES FROM BOTANY</h2> + + + + +<h2><a name="THE_APPLE-TREE" id="THE_APPLE-TREE"></a>THE APPLE-TREE</h2> + + +<p>I set out two hundred young apple-trees, and for three +years I dug around them in the spring and the fall, and +in winter wrapped them with straw against the hares. +On the fourth year, when the snow melted, I went to +take a look at my apple-trees. They had grown stouter +during the winter: the bark was glossy and filled with +sap; all the branches were sound, and at all the tips and +axils there were pea-shaped flower-buds. Here and there +the buds were bursting, and the purple edges of the flower-leaves +could be seen. I knew that all the buds would be +blossoms and fruit, and I was delighted as I looked at the +apple-trees. But when I took off the wrapping from the +first tree, I saw that down at the ground the bark was +nibbled away, like a white ring, to the very wood. The +mice had done that. I unwrapped a second tree, and the +same had happened there. Of the two hundred trees not +one was unharmed. I smeared pitch and wax on the +nibbled spots; but when the trees were all in bloom, the +blossoms at once fell off; there came out small leaves, +and they, too, dropped off. The bark became wrinkled +and black. Out of the two hundred apple-trees only nine +were left. On these nine trees the bark had not been +gnawed through all around, but strips of bark were left +on the white ring. On the strips, where the bark held<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[Pg 171]</a></span> +together, there grew out knots, and, although the trees +suffered, they lived. All the rest were ruined; below the +rings there came out shoots, but they were all wild.</p> + +<p>The bark of the tree is like the arteries in man: through +the arteries the blood goes to the whole body, and through +the bark the sap goes along the tree and reaches the +branches, leaves, and flowers. The whole inside of a tree +may be taken out, as is often the case with old willows, +and yet the tree will live so long as the bark is alive; +but when the bark is ruined, the tree is gone. If a man's +arteries are cut through, he will die, in the first place, +because the blood will flow out, and in the second, because +the blood will not be distributed through the body.</p> + +<p>Even thus a birch dries up when the children bore a +hole into it, in order to drink its sap, and all the sap flows +out of it.</p> + +<p>Just so the apple-trees were ruined because the mice +gnawed the bark all around, and the sap could not rise +from the roots to the branches, leaves, and flowers.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[Pg 172]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="THE_OLD_POPLAR" id="THE_OLD_POPLAR"></a>THE OLD POPLAR</h2> + + +<p>For five years our garden was neglected. I hired +labourers with axes and shovels, and myself began to work +with them in the garden. We cut out and chopped out +all the dry branches and wild shoots, and the superfluous +trees and bushes. The poplars and bird-cherries grew +ranker than the rest and choked the other trees. A poplar +grows out from the roots, and it cannot be dug out, +but the roots have to be chopped out underground.</p> + +<p>Beyond the pond there stood an enormous poplar, two +men's embraces in circumference. About it there was a +clearing, and this was all overgrown with poplar shoots. +I ordered them to be cut out: I wanted the spot to look +more cheerful, but, above all, I wanted to make it easier +for the old poplar, because I thought that all those young +trees came from its roots, and were draining it of its sap. +When we cut out these young poplars, I felt sorry as I +saw them chop out the sap-filled roots underground, and +as all four of us pulled at the poplar that had been cut +down, and could not pull it out. It held on with all its +might, and did not wish to die. I thought that, no doubt, +they had to live, since they clung so much to life. But +it was necessary to cut them down, and so I did it. Only +later, when nothing could be done, I learned that they +ought not to have been cut down.</p> + +<p>I thought that the shoots were taking the sap away +from the old poplar, but it turned out quite differently. +When I was cutting them down, the old poplar was +already dying. When the leaves came out, I saw (it +grew from two boughs) that one bough was bare; and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[Pg 173]</a></span> +that same summer it dried up completely. The tree had +been dying for quite awhile, and the tree knew it, so it +tried to give its life to the shoots.</p> + +<p>That was the reason why they grew so fast. I wanted +to make it easier for the tree, and only killed all its +children.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[Pg 174]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="THE_BIRD-CHERRY" id="THE_BIRD-CHERRY"></a>THE BIRD-CHERRY</h2> + + +<p>A bird-cherry grew out on a hazel bush path and +choked the bushes. I deliberated for a long time whether +I had better cut down the bird-cherry, or not. This bird-cherry +grew not as a bush, but as a tree, about six inches +in diameter and thirty feet high, full of branches and +bushy, and all besprinkled with bright, white, fragrant +blossoms. You could smell it from a distance. I should +not have cut it down, but one of the labourers (to whom +I had before given the order to cut down the bird-cherry) +had begun to chop it without me. When I came, he had +already cut in about three inches, and the sap splashed +under the axe whenever it struck the same cut. "It cannot +be helped,—apparently such is its fate," I thought, +and I picked up an axe myself and began to chop it with +the peasant.</p> + +<p>It is a pleasure to do any work, and it is a pleasure to +chop. It is a pleasure to let the axe enter deeply in a +slanting line, and then to chop out the chip by a straight +stroke, and to chop farther and farther into the tree.</p> + +<p>I had entirely forgotten the bird-cherry, and was thinking +only of felling it as quickly as possible. When I got +tired, I put down my axe and with the peasant pressed +against the tree and tried to make it fall. We bent it: +the tree trembled with its leaves, and the dew showered +down upon us, and the white, fragrant petals of the blossoms +fell down.</p> + +<p>At the same time something seemed to cry,—the middle +of the tree creaked; we pressed against it, and it was +as though something wept, there was a crash in the middle,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[Pg 175]</a></span> +and the tree tottered. It broke at the notch and, swaying, +fell with its branches and blossoms into the grass. The +twigs and blossoms trembled for awhile after the fall, and +stopped.</p> + +<p>"It was a fine tree!" said the peasant. "I am mightily +sorry for it!"</p> + +<p>I myself felt so sorry for it that I hurried away to the +other labourers.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[Pg 176]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="HOW_TREES_WALK" id="HOW_TREES_WALK"></a>HOW TREES WALK</h2> + + +<p>One day we were cleaning an overgrown path on a hillock +near the pond. We cut down a lot of brier bushes, +willows, and poplars,—then came the turn of a bird-cherry. +It was growing on the path, and it was so old +and stout that it could not be less than ten years old. +And yet I knew that five years ago the garden had been +cleaned. I could not understand how such an old bird-cherry +could have grown out there. We cut it down and +went farther. Farther away, in another thicket, there +grew a similar bird-cherry, even stouter than the first. I +looked at its root, and saw that it grew under an old +linden. The linden with its branches choked it, and it +had stretched out about twelve feet in a straight line, and +only then came out to the light, raised its head, and began +to blossom.</p> + +<p>I cut it down at the root, and was surprised to find it +so fresh, while the root was rotten. After we had cut +it down, the peasants and I tried to pull it off; but no +matter how much we jerked at it, we were unable to drag +it away: it seemed to have stuck fast. I said:</p> + +<p>"Look whether it has not caught somewhere."</p> + +<p>A workman crawled under it, and called out:</p> + +<p>"It has another root; it is out on the path!"</p> + +<p>I walked over to him, and saw that it was so.</p> + +<p>Not to be choked by the linden, the bird-cherry had +gone away from underneath the linden out on the path, +about eight feet from its former root. The root which I +had cut down was rotten and dry, but the new one was +fresh. The bird-cherry had evidently felt that it could<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[Pg 177]</a></span> +not exist under the linden, so it had stretched out, dropped +a branch to the ground, made a root of that branch, and +left the other root. Only then did I understand how the +first bird-cherry had grown out on the road. It had evidently +done the same,—only it had had time to give up +the old root, and so I had not found it.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[Pg 178]</a></span><br /></p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[Pg 179]</a></span></p> + + +<h2><a name="THE_DECEMBRISTS" id="THE_DECEMBRISTS"></a>THE DECEMBRISTS<br /> +Fragments of a Novel<br /> +1863-1878</h2> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[Pg 180]</a></span><br /></p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[Pg 181]</a></span></p> + + +<p class="center big">THE DECEMBRISTS<br /> +A Novel</p> + + +<h2>FIRST FRAGMENT</h2> + +<h3>I.</h3> + +<p>This happened not long ago, in the reign of Alexander +II., in our days of civilization, progress, questions, regeneration +of Russia, and so forth, and so forth; at a time +when the victorious Russian army was returning from +Sevastopol, surrendered to the enemy; when all of Russia +celebrated the annihilation of the Black Sea fleet, and +white-stoned Moscow received and congratulated with this +happy event the remainders of the crews of that fleet, +offering them a good Russian cup of vódka, and bread and +salt, according to the good Russian custom, and bowing +down to their feet. It was that time when Russia, in the +person of far-sighted virgin politicians, lamented the shattered +dream of a Te Deum in the Cathedral of St. Sophia, +and the loss of two great men, so painful for the country, +who had perished during the war (one, who had been +carried away by the desire to celebrate the Te Deum in +the above-mentioned cathedral at the earliest time possible, +and who fell in the fields of Wallachia, but who, at least, +left two squadrons of hussars in the same fields, and the +other, an unappreciated man, who had distributed tea,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[Pg 182]</a></span> +other people's money, and bed-sheets to the wounded, +without stealing any of these things); that time, when on +all sides, in all branches of human activities, great men—generals, +administrators, economists, writers, orators, +and simply great men, without any especial calling or +purpose—sprang up in Russia like mushrooms; that +time, when, at the jubilee of a Moscow actor, there appeared +the public opinion, confirmed by a toast, which +began to rebuke all the criminals,—when menacing +commissions galloped south from St. Petersburg, to convict +and punish the evil-doers of the commissariat,—when +in all the cities dinners with speeches were given +to the heroes of Sevastopol, and when to them, with arms +and legs torn off, toasts were drunk, on meeting them on +the bridges and on the highways; that time, when oratorical +talents developed so rapidly in the nation that a certain +dram-shopkeeper everywhere and upon all occasions +wrote and printed and recited by rote at dinners such +strong speeches, that the guardians of the peace had to +take repressive measures against the dram-shopkeeper's +eloquence,—when in the very English club a special +room was set aside for the discussion of public matters,—when +periodicals sprang up under the most diversified +standards,—periodicals that evolved European principles +on a European basis, but with a Russian world conception, +and periodicals on an exclusively Russian basis, but +with a European world conception,—when suddenly +there appeared so many periodicals that all names seemed +to be exhausted,—"The Messenger," and "The Word," +and "The Speaker," and "The Observer," and "The Star," +and "The Eagle," and many more, and, in spite of it, there +appeared ever new names; that time, when the constellation +of philosophic writers made its appearance to prove +that science was national, and not national, and non-national, +and so forth, and the constellation of artistic +writers, who described a grove, and the sunrise, and a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[Pg 183]</a></span> +storm, and the love of a Russian maiden, and the indolence +of a certain official, and the bad conduct of many +officials; that time, when on all sides appeared questions +(as in the year '56 they called every concourse of circumstances, +of which no one could make any sense), questions +of cadet corps, universities, censorship, oral judicature, +finance, banking, police, emancipation, and many more:—everybody +tried to discover ever new questions, everybody +tried to solve them, wrote, read, spoke, made projects, +wanted to mend everything, destroy, change, and all +Russians, like one man, were in indescribable ecstasy.</p> + +<p>That is a state of affairs which has been twice repeated +in the Russia of the nineteenth century,—the first time, +when in the year '12 we repulsed Napoleon I., and the second +time, when in the year '56 we were repulsed by Napoleon +III. Great, unforgettable time of the regeneration +of the Russian people! Like the Frenchman who said +that he has not lived who has not lived through the great +French Revolution, I venture to say that he who has not +lived through the year '56 in Russia does not know +what life is. The writer of these lines not only lived +through that time, but was one of the actors of that +period. Not only did he pass several weeks in one of the +blindages of Sevastopol, but he also wrote a work on +the Crimean War, which brought him great fame, and in +which he described clearly and minutely how the soldiers +fired their guns from the bastions, how the wounds were +dressed at the ambulance, and how they buried people in +the cemetery. Having achieved these deeds, the writer +of these lines arrived in the centre of the empire,—a +rocket establishment,—where he cut the laurels for his +deeds. He saw the transports of the two capitals and of +the whole nation, and experienced in his person to what +extent Russia knew how to reward real deserts. The +mighty of this world sought his friendship, pressed his +hands, gave him dinners, urged him to come to their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[Pg 184]</a></span> +houses, and, in order to learn the details of the war from +him, informed him of their own sentimentalities. Consequently +the writer of these lines can appreciate that great +and memorable time. But that is another matter.</p> + +<p>At that very time, two vehicles on wheels and a sleigh +were standing at the entrance of the best Moscow hotel. +A young man ran through the door, to find out about +quarters. In one of the vehicles sat an old man with two +ladies. He was talking about the condition of Blacksmith +Bridge in the days of the French. It was the +continuation of a conversation started as they entered +Moscow, and now the old man with the white beard, in +his unbuttoned fur coat, calmly continued his conversation +in the vehicle, as though he intended to stay in it overnight. +His wife and daughter listened to him, but kept +looking at the door with some impatience. The young +man emerged from the door with the porter and room +servant.</p> + +<p>"Well, Sergyéy," asked the mother, thrusting her emaciated +face out into the glare of the lamplight.</p> + +<p>Either because it was his habit, or because he did not +wish the porter to take him for a lackey on account of +the short fur coat which he wore, Sergyéy replied in +French that there were rooms to be had, and opened the +carriage door. The old man looked for a moment at his +son, and again turned to the dark corner of the vehicle, +as though nothing else concerned him:</p> + +<p>"There was no theatre then."</p> + +<p>"Pierre!" said his wife, lifting her cloak; but he continued:</p> + +<p>"Madame Chalmé was in Tverskáya Street—"</p> + +<p>Deep in the vehicle could be heard a youthful, sonorous +laugh.</p> + +<p>"Papa, step out! You are forgetting where we are."</p> + +<p>The old man only then seemed to recall that they had +arrived, and looked around him.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[Pg 185]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Do step out!"</p> + +<p>He pulled his cap down, and submissively passed +through the door. The porter took him under his arm, +but, seeing that the old man was walking well, he at once +offered his services to the lady. Judging from the sable +cloak, and from the time it took for her to emerge, and +from the way she pressed down on his arm, and from the +way she, leaning on her son's arm, walked straight toward +the porch, without looking to either side, Natálya +Nikoláevna, his wife, seemed to the porter to be an important +personage. He did not even separate the young +lady from the maids, who climbed out from the other +vehicle; like them, she carried a bundle and a pipe, and +walked behind. He recognized her only by her laughing +and by her calling the old man father.</p> + +<p>"Not that way, father,—to the right!" she said, taking +hold of the sleeve of his sheepskin coat. "To the +right."</p> + +<p>On the staircase there resounded, through the noise of +the steps, the doors, and the heavy breathing of the +elderly lady, the same laughter which had been heard in +the vehicle, and about which any one who heard it +thought: "How excellently she laughs,—I just envy +her."</p> + +<p>Their son, Sergyéy, had attended to all the material +conditions on the road, and, though he lacked knowledge +of the matter, he had attended to it with the energy and +self-satisfying activity which are characteristic of twenty-five +years of age. Some twenty times, and apparently for +no important reason, he ran down to the sleigh in his +greatcoat, and ran up-stairs again, shivering in the cold +and taking two or three steps at a time with his long, +youthful legs. Natálya Nikoláevna asked him not to +catch a cold, but he said that it was all right, and continued +to give orders, slamming doors, and walking, and, +when it seemed that only the servants and peasants had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[Pg 186]</a></span> +to be attended to, he several times walked through all +the rooms, leaving the drawing-room by one door, and +coming in through another, as though he were looking +for something else to do.</p> + +<p>"Well, papa, will you be driven to the bath-house? +Shall I find out?" he asked.</p> + +<p>His papa was deep in thought and, it seemed, was not +at all conscious of where he was. He did not answer at +once. He heard the words, but did not comprehend +them. Suddenly he comprehended.</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes, yes. Find out, if you please, at Stone +Bridge."</p> + +<p>The head of the family walked through the rooms with +hasty, agitated steps, and seated himself in a chair.</p> + +<p>"Now we must decide what to do, how to arrange +matters," he said. "Help along, children, lively! Like +good fellows, drag things around, put them up, and to-morrow +we shall send Serézha with a note to sister +Márya Ivánovna, to the Nikítins, or we shall go there ourselves. +Am I right, Natásha? But now, fix things!"</p> + +<p>"To-morrow is Sunday. I hope, Pierre, that first of all +you will go to mass," said his wife, kneeling in front of a +trunk and opening it.</p> + +<p>"That is so, it is Sunday! We shall by all means all +of us go to the Cathedral of the Assumption. Thus will +our return begin. O Lord! When I think of the day +when I was for the last time in the Cathedral of the Assumption! +Do you remember, Natásha? But that is +another matter."</p> + +<p>And the head of the family rose quickly from the chair, +on which he had just seated himself.</p> + +<p>"Now we must settle down!"</p> + +<p>And without doing anything, he kept walking from one +room to another.</p> + +<p>"Well, shall we drink tea? Or are you tired, and +do you want to rest?"</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[Pg 187]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Yes, yes," replied his wife, taking something out from +the trunk. "You wanted to go to the bath-house, did +you not?"</p> + +<p>"Yes—in my day it was near Stone Bridge. Serézha, +go and find out whether there is still a bath-house near +Stone Bridge. This room here Serézha and I shall occupy. +Serézha! Will you be comfortable here?"</p> + +<p>But Serézha had gone to find out about the bath-house.</p> + +<p>"No, that will not do," he continued. "You will not +have a straight passage to the drawing-room. What do +you think, Natásha?"</p> + +<p>"Calm yourself, Pierre, everything will come out all +right," Natásha said, from another room, where peasants +were bringing in things.</p> + +<p>But Pierre was still under the influence of that ecstatic +mood which the arrival had evoked in him.</p> + +<p>"Look there,—don't mix up Serézha's things! You +have thrown his snow-shoes down in the drawing-room." +And he himself picked them up and with great care, as +though the whole future order of the quarters depended +upon it, leaned them against the door-post and tried to +make them stand there. But the snow-shoes did not stick +to it, and, the moment Pierre walked away from them, +fell with a racket across the door. Natálya Nikoláevna +frowned and shuddered, but, seeing the cause of the fall, +she said:</p> + +<p>"Sónya, darling, pick them up!"</p> + +<p>"Pick them up, darling," repeated the husband, "and I +will go to the landlord, or else you will never get done. +I must talk things over with him."</p> + +<p>"You had better send for him, Pierre. Why should +you trouble yourself?"</p> + +<p>Pierre assented.</p> + +<p>"Sónya, bring him here, what do you call him? M. +Cavalier, if you please. Tell him that we want to speak +about everything."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[Pg 188]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Chevalier, papa," said Sónya, ready to go out.</p> + +<p>Natálya Nikoláevna, who was giving her commands in +a soft voice, and was softly stepping from room to room, +now with a box, now with a pipe, now with a pillow, +imperceptibly finding places for a mountain of baggage, in +passing Sónya, had time to whisper to her:</p> + +<p>"Do not go yourself, but send a man!"</p> + +<p>While a man went to call the landlord, Pierre used his +leisure, under the pretext of aiding his consort, in crushing +a garment of hers and in stumbling against an empty +box. Steadying himself with his hand against the wall, +the Decembrist looked around with a smile; but Sónya +was looking at him with such smiling eyes that she +seemed to be waiting for permission to laugh. He readily +granted her that permission, and himself burst out into +such a good-natured laugh that all those who were in the +room, his wife, the maids, and the peasants, laughed with +him. This laughter animated the old man still more. +He discovered that the divan in the room for his wife and +daughter was not standing very conveniently for them, +although they affirmed the opposite, and asked him to +calm himself. Just as he was trying with his own hands +to help a peasant to change the position of that piece of +furniture, the landlord, a Frenchman, entered the room.</p> + +<p>"You sent for me," the landlord asked sternly and, in +proof of his indifference, if not contempt, slowly drew out +his handkerchief, slowly unfolded it, and slowly cleared +his nose.</p> + +<p>"Yes, my dear sir," said Peter Ivánovich, stepping up +toward him, "you see, we do not know ourselves how +long we are going to stay here, I and my wife—" and +Peter Ivánovich, who had the weakness of seeing a neighbour +in every man, began to expound his plans and affairs +to him.</p> + +<p>M. Chevalier did not share that view of people and +was not interested in the information communicated to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[Pg 189]</a></span> +him by Peter Ivánovich, but the good French which +Peter Ivánovich spoke (the French language, as is known, +is something like rank in Russia) and his lordly manner +somewhat raised the landlord's opinion about the newcomers.</p> + +<p>"What can I do for you?" he asked.</p> + +<p>This question did not embarrass Peter Ivánovich. He +expressed his desire to have rooms, tea, a samovár, supper, +dinner, food for the servants, in short, all those things for +which hotels exist, and when M. Chevalier, marvelling at +the innocence of the old man, who apparently imagined +that he was in the Trukhmén steppe, or supposed that all +these things would be given him without pay, informed +him that he could have all those things, Peter Ivánovich +was in ecstasy.</p> + +<p>"Now that is nice! Very nice! And so we shall get +things all fixed. Well, then please—" but he felt embarrassed +to be speaking all the time about himself, and he +began to ask M. Chevalier about his family and his business. +When Sergyéy Petróvich returned to the room, he +did not seem to approve of his father's address; he observed +the landlord's dissatisfaction, and reminded his father +of the bath. But Peter Ivánovich was interested in the +question of how a French hotel could be run in Moscow +in the year '56, and of how Madame Chevalier +passed her time. Finally the landlord himself bowed +and asked him whether he was not pleased to order anything.</p> + +<p>"We will have tea, Natásha. Yes? Tea, then, if you +please! We will have some other talks, my dear monsieur! +What a charming man!"</p> + +<p>"And the bath, papa?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, then we shall have no tea."</p> + +<p>Thus the only result from the conversation with the +newly arrived guests was taken from the landlord. But +Peter Ivánovich was now proud and happy of his arrangements.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[Pg 190]</a></span> +The drivers, who came to ask a <i>pourboire</i>, vexed +him, because Serézha had no change, and Peter Ivánovich +was on the point of sending once more for the landlord, +but the happy thought that others, too, ought to be happy +on that evening helped him out of that predicament. He +took two three-rouble bills, and, sticking one bill into the +hand of one of the drivers, he said, "This is for you" +(Peter Ivánovich was in the habit of saying "you" to all +without exception, unless to a member of his family); +"and this is for you," he said, transferring the other bill +from the palm of his hand to that of the driver, in some +such manner as people do when paying a doctor for a +visit. After attending to all these things, he was taken +to the bath-house.</p> + +<p>Sónya, who was sitting on the divan, put her hand +under her head and burst out laughing.</p> + +<p>"Oh, how nice it is, mamma! Oh, how nice!"</p> + +<p>Then she placed her feet on the divan, stretched herself, +adjusted herself, and fell into the sound, calm sleep +of a healthy girl of eighteen years of age, after six weeks +on the road. Natálya Nikoláevna, who was still busy +taking out things in her sleeping-room, heard, no doubt +with her maternal ear, that Sónya was not stirring, and +went out to take a look at her. She took a pillow and, +raising the girl's reddened, dishevelled head with her large +white hand, placed her on the pillow. Sónya drew a +deep, deep sigh, shrugged her shoulders, and put her head +on the pillow, without saying "<i>Merci</i>," as though that had +all been done of its own accord.</p> + +<p>"Not on that bed, not on that, Gavrílovna, Kátya," +Natálya Nikoláevna immediately turned to the maids who +were making a bed, and with one hand, as though in +passing, she adjusted the straying hair of her daughter. +Without stopping and without hurrying, Natálya Nikoláevna +dressed herself, and upon the arrival of her husband +and her son everything was ready: the trunks were no<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[Pg 191]</a></span> +longer in the rooms; in Pierre's sleeping-room everything +was arranged as it had been for several decades in +Irkútsk: the morning-gown, the pipe, the tobacco-pouch, +the sugared water, the Gospel, which he read at night, +and even the image stuck to the rich wall-paper in the +rooms of Chevalier, who never used such adornments, +but on that evening they appeared in all the rooms of +the third division of the hotel.</p> + +<p>Having dressed herself, Natálya Nikoláevna adjusted +her collar and cuffs, which, in spite of the journey, were +still clean, combed herself, and seated herself opposite the +table. Her beautiful black eyes gazed somewhere into +the distance: she looked and rested herself. She seemed +to be resting, not from the unpacking alone, nor from the +road, nor from the oppressive years,—she seemed to be +resting from her whole life, and the distance into which +she was gazing, and in which she saw living and beloved +faces, was that rest which she was wishing for. Whether +it was an act of love, which she had done for her husband, +or the love which she had experienced for her children +when they were young, or whether it was a heavy loss, or +a peculiarity of her character,—everyone who looked at +that woman could not help seeing that nothing could be +expected from her, that she had long ago given all of herself +to life, and that nothing was left of her. All that +there was left was something worthy of respect, something +beautiful and sad, as a reminiscence, as the moonlight. +She could not be imagined otherwise than surrounded by +all the comforts of life. It was impossible for her ever to +be hungry, or to eat eagerly, or to have on soiled clothes, +or to stumble, or to forget to clear her nose. It was a +physical impossibility. Why it was so, I do not know, +but every motion of hers was dignity, grace, gentleness +toward all those who could enjoy her sight.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Sie pflegen und weben<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Himmlische Rosen ins irdische Leben."<br /></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[Pg 192]</a></span></div></div> + +<p>She knew those verses and loved them, but was not +guided by them. All her nature was an expression of +that thought; all her life was this one unconscious weaving +of invisible roses in the lives of those with whom she +came in contact. She had followed her husband to Siberia +only because she loved him; she had not thought +what she could do for him, and instinctively had done +everything. She had made his bed, had put away his +things, had prepared his dinner and his tea, and, above all, +had always been where he was, and no woman could have +given more happiness to her husband.</p> + +<p>In the drawing-room the samovár was boiling on the +round table. Natálya Nikoláevna sat near it. Sónya +wrinkled her face and smiled under her mother's hand, +which was tickling her, when father and son, with wrinkled +finger-tips and glossy cheeks and foreheads (the +father's bald spot was particularly glistening), with fluffy +white and black hair, and with beaming countenances, +entered the room.</p> + +<p>"It has grown brighter since you have come in," said +Natálya Nikoláevna. "O Lord, how white you are!"</p> + +<p>She had been saying that each Saturday, for several +decades, and each Saturday Pierre experienced bashfulness +and delight, whenever he heard that. They seated +themselves at the table; there was an odour of tea and +of the pipe, and there were heard the voices of the parents, +the children, and the servants, who received their cups +in the same room. They recalled everything funny that +had happened on the road, admired Sónya's hair-dressing, +and laughed. Geographically they were all transferred a +distance of five thousand versts, into an entirely different, +strange milieu, but morally they were that evening still +at home, just such as the peculiar, long, solitary family +life had made them to be. It will not be so to-morrow. +Peter Ivánovich seated himself near the samovár, and +lighted his pipe. He was not in a cheerful mood.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[Pg 193]</a></span></p> + +<p>"So here we are," he said, "and I am glad that we shall +not see any one to-night; this is the last evening we +shall pass with the family," and he washed these words +down with a large mouthful of tea.</p> + +<p>"Why the last, Pierre?"</p> + +<p>"Why? Because the eaglets have learned to fly, and +they have to make their own nests, and from here they +will fly each in a different direction—"</p> + +<p>"What nonsense!" said Sónya, taking his glass from +him, and smiling at him, as she smiled at everything. +"The old nest is good enough!"</p> + +<p>"The old nest is a sad nest; the old man did not know +how to make it,—he was caught in a cage, and in the +cage he reared his young ones, and was let out only when +his wings no longer would hold him up. No, the eaglets +must make their nests higher up, more auspiciously, nearer +to the sun; that is what they are his children for, that his +example might serve them; but the old one will look on, +so long as he is not blind, and will listen, when he becomes +blind— Pour in some rum, more, more—enough!"</p> + +<p>"We shall see who is going to leave," replied Sónya, +casting a cursory glance at her mother, as though she +felt uneasy speaking in her presence. "We shall see who +is going to leave," she continued. "I am not afraid for +myself, neither am I for Serézha." (Serézha was walking +up and down in the room, thinking of how clothes would be +ordered for him to-morrow, and wondering whether he had +better go to the tailor, or send for him; he was not interested +in Sónya's conversation with his father.) Sónya +began to laugh.</p> + +<p>"What is the matter? What?" asked her father.</p> + +<p>"You are younger than we, papa. Much younger, indeed," +she said, again bursting out into a laugh.</p> + +<p>"Indeed!" said the old man, and his austere wrinkles +formed themselves into a gentle, and yet contemptuous, +smile.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[Pg 194]</a></span></p> + +<p>Natálya Nikoláevna bent away from the samovár +which prevented her seeing her husband.</p> + +<p>"Sónya is right. You are still sixteen years old, +Pierre. Serézha is younger in feelings, but you are +younger in soul. I can foresee what he will do, but you +will astound me yet."</p> + +<p>Whether he recognized the justice of this remark, or +was flattered by it, he did not know what reply to make, +and only smoked in silence, drank his tea, and beamed +with his eyes. But Serézha, with characteristic egoism +of youth, interested in what was said about him, entered +into the conversation and affirmed that he was really old, +that his arrival in Moscow and the new life, which was +opening before him, did not gladden him in the least, and +that he calmly reflected on the future and looked forward +toward it.</p> + +<p>"Still, it is the last evening," repeated Peter Ivánovich. +"It will not be again to-morrow."</p> + +<p>And he poured a little more rum into his glass. He +sat for a long time at the tea-table, with an expression as +though he wished to say many things, but had no hearers. +He moved up the rum toward him, but his daughter softly +carried away the bottle.</p> + +<h3>II.</h3> + +<p>When M. Chevalier, who had been up-stairs to look +after his guests, returned to his room and gave the benefit +of his observations on the newcomers to his life companion, +in laces and a silk garment, who in Parisian fashion was +sitting back of the counter, several habitual visitors of the +establishment were sitting in the room. Serézha, who +had been down-stairs, had taken notice of that room and +of its visitors. If you have been in Moscow, you have, +no doubt, noticed that room yourself.</p> + +<p>If you, a modest man who do not know Moscow, have +missed a dinner to which you are invited, or have made<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[Pg 195]</a></span> +a mistake in your calculations, imagining that the hospitable +Muscovites would invite you to dinner, or simply +wish to dine in the best restaurant, you enter the lackeys' +room. Three or four lackeys jump up: one of them +takes off your fur coat and congratulates you on the occasion +of the New Year, or of the Butter-week, or of your +arrival, or simply remarks that you have not called for a +long while, though you have never been in that establishment +before.</p> + +<p>You enter, and the first thing that strikes your eyes is +a table set, as you in the first moment imagine, with an +endless quantity of palatable dishes. But that is only +an optical illusion, for the greater part of that table is +occupied by pheasants in feather, raw lobsters, boxes with +perfume and pomatum, and bottles with cosmetics and +candy. Only at the very edge, if you look well, will you +find the vódka and a piece of bread with butter and +sardines, under a wire globe, which is quite useless in +Moscow in the month of December, even though it is +precisely such as those which are used in Paris. Then, +beyond the table, you see the room, where behind a counter +sits a Frenchwoman, of extremely repulsive exterior, but +wearing the cleanest of gloves and a most exquisite, +fashionable gown. Near the Frenchwoman you will see +an officer in unbuttoned uniform, taking a dram of vódka, +a civilian reading a newspaper, and somebody's military +or civilian legs lying on a velvet chair, and you will +hear French conversation, and more or less sincere, loud +laughter.</p> + +<p>If you wish to know what is going on in that room, I +should advise you not to enter within, but only to look in, +as though merely passing by to take a sandwich. Otherwise +you will feel ill at ease from the interrogative silence +and glances, and you will certainly take your tail between +your legs and skulk away to one of the tables in the +large hall, or to the winter garden. Nobody will keep<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[Pg 196]</a></span> +you from doing so. These tables are for everybody, and +there, in your solitude, you may call Dey a garçon +and order as many truffles as you please. The room with +the Frenchwoman, however, exists for the select, golden +Moscow youth, and it is not so easy to find your way +among the select as you imagine.</p> + +<p>On returning to this room, M. Chevalier told his wife +that the gentleman from Siberia was dull, but that his +son and daughter were fine people, such as could be raised +only in Siberia.</p> + +<p>"You ought just to see the daughter! She is a little +rose-bush!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, this old man is fond of fresh-looking women," +said one of the guests, who was smoking a cigar. (The +conversation, of course, was carried on in French, but I +render it in Russian, as I shall continue to do in this +story.)</p> + +<p>"Oh, I am very fond of them!" replied M. Chevalier. +"Women are my passion. Do you not believe me?"</p> + +<p>"Do you hear, Madame Chevalier?" shouted a stout +officer of Cossacks, who owed a big bill in the institution +and was fond of chatting with the landlord.</p> + +<p>"He shares my taste," said M. Chevalier, patting the +stout man on his epaulet.</p> + +<p>"And is this Siberian young lady really pretty?"</p> + +<p>M. Chevalier folded his fingers and kissed them.</p> + +<p>After that the conversation between the guests became +confidential and very jolly. They were talking about the +stout officer; he smiled as he listened to what they were +saying about him.</p> + +<p>"How can one have such perverted taste!" cried one, +through the laughter. "Mlle. Clarisse! You know, +Strúgov prefers such of the women as have chicken +calves."</p> + +<p>Though Mlle. Clarisse did not understand the salt of +that remark, she behind her counter burst out into a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[Pg 197]</a></span> +laughter as silvery as her bad teeth and advanced years +permitted.</p> + +<p>"Has the Siberian lady turned him to such thoughts?" +and she laughed more heartily still. M. Chevalier himself +roared with laughter, as he said:</p> + +<p>"<i>Ce vieux coquin</i>," patting the officer of Cossacks on +his head and shoulders.</p> + +<p>"But who are they, those Siberians? Mining proprietors +or merchants?" one of the gentlemen asked, +during a pause in the laughter.</p> + +<p>"Nikíta, ask ze passport from ze chentleman zat as +come," said M. Chevalier.</p> + +<p>"We, Alexander, ze Autocrat—" M. Chevalier began +to read the passport, which had been brought in the meantime, +but the officer of Cossacks tore it out of his hands, +and his face expressed surprise.</p> + +<p>"Guess who it is," he said, "for you all know him by +reputation."</p> + +<p>"How can we guess? Show it to us! Well, Abdel +Kader, ha, ha, ha! Well, Cagliostro— Well, Peter III.—ha, +ha, ha, ha!"</p> + +<p>"Well, read it!"</p> + +<p>The officer of Cossacks unfolded the paper and read +the name of him who once had been Prince Peter Ivánovich, +and the family name which everybody knows and +pronounces with a certain respect and pleasure, when +speaking of a person bearing that name, as of a near and +familiar person. We shall call him Labázov. The officer +of Cossacks had a dim recollection that this Peter Labázov +had been something important in the year '25, and that +he had been sent to hard labour,—but what he had been +famous for, he did not exactly know. But of the others +not one knew anything about him, and they replied:</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, the famous prince," just as they would have +said, "Of course, he is famous!" about Shakespeare, who +had written the "Æneid." But they recognized him from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[Pg 198]</a></span> +the explanations of the stout officer, who told them that +he was a brother of Prince Iván, an uncle of the Chíkins, +of Countess Prut, in short, the well-known—</p> + +<p>"He must be very rich, if he is a brother of Prince +Iván," remarked one of the young men, "if the fortune +has been returned to him. It has been returned to +some."</p> + +<p>"What a lot of exiles are returning nowadays!" remarked +another. "Really, fewer seem to have been sent +away, than are returning now. Zhikínski, tell us that +story of the 18th!" he turned to an officer of sharp-shooters, +who had the reputation of being a good story-teller.</p> + +<p>"Do tell it!"</p> + +<p>"In the first place, it is a true story, and happened +here, at Chevalier's, in the large hall. Three Decembrists +came to have their dinner. They were sitting at one +table, eating, drinking, talking. Opposite them sat down +a gentleman of respectable mien, of about the same +age, and he listened to their talking about Siberia. He +asked them something, they exchanged a few words, +began to converse, and it turned out that he, too, was +from Siberia.</p> + +<p>"'And do you know Nerchínsk?'</p> + +<p>"'Indeed I do, I lived there.'</p> + +<p>"'And do you know Tatyána Ivánovna?'</p> + +<p>"'Of course I do!'</p> + +<p>"'Permit me to ask you,—were you, too, exiled?'</p> + +<p>"'Yes, I had the misfortune to suffer, and you?'</p> + +<p>"'We are all exiles of the 14th of December. It is +strange that we should not know you, if you, too, were +exiled for the 14th. Permit me to know your name!'</p> + +<p>"'Fédorov.'</p> + +<p>"'Also for the 14th?'</p> + +<p>"'No, for the 18th.'</p> + +<p>"'For the 18th?'</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[Pg 199]</a></span></p> + +<p>"'For the 18th of September, for a gold watch. I +was falsely accused of having stolen it, and I suffered, +though innocent.'"</p> + +<p>All of them rolled in laughter, except the story-teller, +who with a most serious face looked at the outstretched +hearers and swore that it was a true story.</p> + +<p>Soon after the story one of the young men got up and +went to the club. He passed through the halls which +were filled with tables at which old men were playing +whist; turned into the "infernal region," where the +famous "Puchin" had begun his game against the "company;" +stood for awhile near one of the billiard-tables, +where, holding on to the cushion, a distinguished old +man was fumbling around and with difficulty striking a +ball; looked into the library, where a general, holding a +newspaper a distance away from him, was reading it +slowly above his glasses, and a registered young man +turned the leaves of one periodical after another, trying +to make no noise; and finally seated himself on a divan +in the billiard-room, near some young people who were +playing pyramids, and who were as much gilded as he +was.</p> + +<p>It was a day of dinners, and there were there many +gentlemen who always frequented the club. Among +them was Iván Vavílovich Pákhtin. He was a man of +about forty years of age, of medium stature, fair-complexioned, +with broad shoulders and hips, with a bare +head, and a glossy, happy, clean-shaven face. He was +not playing at pyramids, but had just sat down beside +Prince D——, with whom he was on "thou" terms, and +had accepted a glass of champagne which had been +offered to him. He had located himself so comfortably +after the dinner, having quietly unbuckled his trousers at +the back, that it looked as though he could sit there all +his life, smoking a cigar, drinking champagne, and feeling +the proximity of princes, counts, and the children of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[Pg 200]</a></span> +ministers. The news of the arrival of the Labázovs +interfered with his calm.</p> + +<p>"Where are you going, Pákhtin," said a minister's son, +having noticed during the game that Pákhtin had got up, +pulled his waistcoat down, and emptied his champagne in +a large gulp.</p> + +<p>"Syévernikov has invited me," said Pákhtin, feeling a +restlessness in his legs. "Well, will you go there?"</p> + +<p>"Anastásya, Anastásya, please unlock the door for me." +That was a well-known gipsy-song, which was in vogue +at that time.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps. And you?"</p> + +<p>"Where shall I, an old married man, go?"</p> + +<p>"Well!"</p> + +<p>Pákhtin, smiling, went to the glass hall, to join Syévernikov. +He was fond of having his last word appear +to be a joke. And so it came out at that time, too.</p> + +<p>"Well, how is the countess's health?" he asked, walking +over to Syévernikov, who had not called him at all, +but who, according to Pákhtin's surmise, should more +than any one else learn of the arrival of the Labázovs. +Syévernikov had somehow been mixed up with the affair +of the 14th, and was a friend of the Decembrists. The +countess's health was much better, and Pákhtin was very +glad to hear it.</p> + +<p>"Do you know, Labázov has arrived; he is staying at +Chevalier's."</p> + +<p>"You don't say so! We are old friends. How glad I +am! How glad! The poor old fellow must have grown +old. His wife wrote to my wife—"</p> + +<p>But Syévernikov did not finish saying what it was she +had written, because his partners, who were playing without +trumps, had made some mistake. While speaking +with Iván Pávlovich, he kept an eye on them, and now +he leaned forward with his whole body against the table, +and, thumping it with his hands, he tried to prove that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[Pg 201]</a></span> +they ought to have played from the seven. Iván Pávlovich +got up and, going up to another table, in the middle +of a conversation informed another worthy gentleman of +his bit of news, again got up, and repeated the same at a +third table. The worthy gentlemen were all glad to hear +of the arrival of the Labázovs, so that, upon returning to +the billiard-room, Iván Pávlovich, who at first had had +his misgivings about whether he had to rejoice in the +return of the Labázovs, or not, no longer started with an +introduction about the ball, about an article in the <i>Messenger</i>, +about health, or weather, but approached everybody +directly with the enthusiastic announcement of the +safe return of the famous Decembrist.</p> + +<p>The old man, who was still vainly endeavouring to hit +the white ball with his cue, would, in Pákhtin's opinion, +be very much delighted to hear the news. He went up +to him.</p> + +<p>"Are you playing well, your Excellency?" he said, +just as the old man stuck his cue into the marker's red +waistcoat, wishing to indicate that it had to be chalked.</p> + +<p>"Your Excellency" was not said, as you might think, +from a desire of being subservient (no, that was not the +fashion in '56). Iván Pávlovich was in the habit of calling +the old man by his name and patronymic, but this +was said partly as a joke on men who spoke that way, +partly in order to hint that he knew full well to whom +he was talking, and yet was taking liberties, and partly +in truth: altogether it was a very delicate jest.</p> + +<p>"I have just learned that Peter Labázov has returned. +Straight from Siberia, with his whole family."</p> + +<p>These words Pákhtin pronounced just as the old man +again missed his ball, for such was his bad luck.</p> + +<p>"If he has returned as cracked as he went away, there +is no cause for rejoicing," gruffly said the old man, who +was irritated by his incomprehensible failure.</p> + +<p>This statement vexed Iván Pávlovich, and again he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[Pg 202]</a></span> +was at a loss whether there was any cause for rejoicing at +Labázov's return, and, in order fully to settle his doubt, +he directed his steps to a room, where generally assembled +the clever people, who knew the meaning and value +of each thing, and, in short, knew everything. Iván +Pávlovich was on the same footing of friendship with +the frequenters of the intellectual room as with the +gilded youths and with the dignitaries. It is true, he +had no special place of his own in the intellectual room, +but nobody was surprised to see him enter and seat himself +on a divan. They were just discussing in what year +and upon what occasion there had taken place a quarrel +between two Russian journalists. Waiting for a moment +of silence, Iván Pávlovich communicated his bit of news, +not as something joyous, nor as an unimportant event, +but as though part of the conversation. But immediately, +from the way the "intellectuals" (I use the word +"intellectuals" as a name for the frequenters of the +"intellectual" room) received the news and began to +discuss it, Iván Pávlovich understood that it belonged +there, and that only there would it receive such an elaboration +as to enable him to carry it farther and <i>savoir à +quoi s'en tenir</i>.</p> + +<p>"Labázov was the only one who was wanting," said +one of the intellectuals; "now all the living Decembrists +have returned to Russia."</p> + +<p>"He was one of the herd of the famous—" said Pákhtin, +still with an inquisitive glance, prepared to make that +quotation both jocular and serious.</p> + +<p>"Indeed, Labázov was one of the most remarkable men +of that time," began an intellectual. "In 1819 he was +an ensign of the Seménovski regiment, and was sent +abroad with messages to Duke Z——. Then he returned +and in the year '24 was received in the First Masonic +lodge. The Masons of that time used all to gather at +the house of D—— and at his house. He was very<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[Pg 203]</a></span> +rich. Prince Zh——, Fédor D——, Iván P——, those +were his nearest friends. Then his uncle, Prince Visarión, +to remove the young man from that society, took him to +Moscow."</p> + +<p>"Pardon me, Nikoláy Stepánovich," another intellectual +interrupted him, "it seems to me that that happened in +the year '23, because Visarión Labázov was appointed a +commander of the Third Corps in '24, and was then in +Warsaw. He had offered him an adjutantship, and after +his refusal, he was removed. However, pardon me for +interrupting you."</p> + +<p>"Not at all. Proceed!"</p> + +<p>"Pardon me!"</p> + +<p>"Proceed! You ought to know that better than I, and, +besides, your memory and knowledge have been sufficiently +attested here."</p> + +<p>"In Moscow he against his uncle's will left the army," +continued the one whose memory and knowledge had +been attested, "and there he gathered around him a +second society, of which he was the progenitor and the +heart, if it be possible so to express it. He was rich, +handsome, clever, educated; they say he was exceedingly +amiable. My aunt used to tell me that she did not know +a more bewitching man. Here he married Miss Krínski, a +few months before the revolt broke out."</p> + +<p>"The daughter of Nikoláy Krínski, the one of Borodinó +fame, you know," somebody interrupted him.</p> + +<p>"Well, yes. Her immense fortune he still possesses, +but his own paternal estate passed over to his younger +brother, Prince Iván, who is now Ober-Hof-Kaffermeister" +(he gave him some such name) "and was a minister."</p> + +<p>"The best thing is what he did for his brother," continued +the narrator. "When he was arrested, there was +one thing which he succeeded in destroying, and that +was his brother's letters and documents."</p> + +<p>"Was his brother mixed up in it, too?"</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[Pg 204]</a></span></p> + +<p>The narrator did not say "Yes," but compressed his +lips and gave a significant wink.</p> + +<p>"Then, during all the inquests Peter Labázov kept +denying everything which concerned his brother, and so +suffered more than the rest. But the best part of it is that +Prince Iván got all the property, and never sent a penny +to his brother."</p> + +<p>"They say that Peter Labázov himself declined it," +remarked one of the hearers.</p> + +<p>"Yes; but he declined it only because Prince Iván +wrote him before the coronation, excusing himself and +saying that if he had not taken it, it would have been +confiscated, and that he had children and debts, and that +now he was unable to return it to him. Peter Labázov +replied to him in two lines: 'Neither I nor my heirs +have any right, nor can have any right, to the property +legally appropriated by you.' That was all. How was +that? And Prince Iván swallowed it, and in delight +locked up that document with the notes in a safe, and +showed it to no one."</p> + +<p>One of the peculiarities of the intellectual room was +that its visitors knew, whenever they wanted to know, +everything that was taking place in the world, no matter +how secret the event might have been.</p> + +<p>"Still it is a question," said a new interlocutor, "whether +it was just to deprive the children of Prince Iván of the +property, with which they have grown up and have been +educated, and to which they thought they had a right."</p> + +<p>Thus the conversation was transferred to an abstract +sphere, which did not interest Pákhtin.</p> + +<p>He felt the necessity of communicating the news to +fresh people, and so he rose and, speaking to the right +and to the left, walked from one hall to another. One +of his fellow officers stopped him to give him the news of +Labázov's arrival.</p> + +<p>"Who does not know that?" replied Iván Pávlovich,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[Pg 205]</a></span> +with a calm smile, turning to the exit. The news had +had time to complete its circle, and was again returning +to him.</p> + +<p>There was nothing else to do in the club, and he went +to an evening party. It was not a special entertainment, +but a salon where guests were received any evening. +There were there eight ladies, and one old colonel, and all +found it terribly dull. Pákhtin's firm gait alone and his +smiling face cheered the ladies and maidens. And the +news was the more appropriate, since the old Countess +Fuks and her daughter were present in the salon. When +Pákhtin told nearly word for word what he had heard in +the intellectual room, Madame Fuks, shaking her head +and marvelling at her old age, began to recall how she +used to go out together with Natásha Krínski, the present +Princess Labázov.</p> + +<p>"Her marriage is a very romantic story, and all that +happened under my eyes. Natásha was almost engaged +to Myátlin, who was later killed in a duel with Debras. +Just then Prince Peter arrived in Moscow, fell in love +with her, and proposed to her. But her father, who +wanted Myátlin very much,—they were, in general, +afraid of Labázov because he was a Mason,—refused +him. The young man continued to see her at balls, everywhere, +and became friendly with Myátlin, whom he begged +to decline. Myátlin agreed to do so, and he persuaded +her to elope. She, too, agreed, but the last repentance——" +(the conversation was taking place in French), +"and she went to her father and said that everything was +ready for the elopement, and she could leave him, but +hoped for his magnanimity. And, indeed, her father forgave +her,—everybody begged for her,—and gave his +consent. Thus the wedding was celebrated, and it was a +jolly wedding! Who of us thought that a year later she +would follow him to Siberia! She, an only daughter, +the most beautiful, the richest woman of that time. Emperor<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[Pg 206]</a></span> +Alexander always used to notice her at balls, and +had danced with her so often. Countess G—— gave a +<i>bal costumé</i>,—I remember it as though it were to-day,—and +she was a Neapolitan maid, oh, so charming! Whenever +he came to Moscow, he used to ask, '<i>que fait la +belle Napolitaine</i>?' And suddenly this woman, in such +a condition (she bore a child on the way), did not stop +for a moment to think, without preparing anything, without +collecting her things, just as she was, when they took +him, followed him a distance of five thousand versts."</p> + +<p>"Oh, what a remarkable woman!" said the hostess.</p> + +<p>"Both he and she were remarkable people," said another +lady. "I have been told,—I don't know whether it is +true,—that wherever they worked in the mines in Siberia, +or whatever it is called, the convicts, who were with them, +improved in their presence."</p> + +<p>"But she has never worked in the mines," Pákhtin corrected +her.</p> + +<p>How much that year '56 meant! Three years before +no one had been thinking of the Labázovs, and if any +one recalled them, it was with that unaccountable feeling +of dread with which one speaks of one lately dead; but +now they vividly recalled all the former relations, all the +beautiful qualities, and each lady was making a plan for +getting the monopoly of the Labázovs, in order to treat +the other guests to them.</p> + +<p>"Their son and their daughter have come with them," +said Pákhtin.</p> + +<p>"If they are only as handsome as their mother used to +be," said Countess Fuks. "Still, their father, too, was +very, very handsome."</p> + +<p>"How could they educate their children there?" asked +the hostess.</p> + +<p>"They say, nicely. They say that the young man is +as nice, as amiable, and as cultured as though he had been +brought up in Paris."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[Pg 207]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I predict great success to that young person," said a +homely spinster. "All those Siberian ladies have something +pleasantly trivial about them, which everybody, +however, likes."</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes," said another spinster.</p> + +<p>"Here we have another rich prospective bride," said a +third spinster.</p> + +<p>The old colonel, of German origin, who had come to +Moscow three years before, in order to marry a rich girl, +decided as quickly as possible, before the young people +knew anything about it, to present himself and propose. +But the spinsters and ladies thought almost the same +about the young Siberian.</p> + +<p>"No doubt that is the one I am destined to marry," +thought a spinster who had been going out for eight +years.</p> + +<p>"No doubt it was for the best that that stupid officer +of the Chevalier Guards did not propose to me. I should +certainly have been unhappy."</p> + +<p>"Well, they will again grow yellow with envy, if this +one, too, falls in love with me," thought a young and +pretty lady.</p> + +<p>We hear much about the provincialism of small towns,—but +there is nothing worse than the provincialism of +the upper classes. There are no new persons there, and +society is prepared to receive all kinds of new persons, if +they should make their appearance; but they are rarely, +very rarely, recognized as belonging to their circle and +accepted, as was the case with the Labázovs, and the sensation +produced by them is stronger than in a provincial +town.</p> + +<h3>III.</h3> + +<p>"This is Moscow, white-stoned Mother Moscow," said +Peter Ivánovich, rubbing his eyes in the morning, and +listening to the tolling of the bells which was proceeding<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[Pg 208]</a></span> +from Gazette Lane. Nothing so vividly resurrects the past +as sounds, and these sounds of the Moscow bells, combined +with the sight of a white wall opposite the window, and +with the rumbling of wheels, so vividly reminded him not +only of the Moscow which he had known thirty-five +years before, but also of the Moscow with the Kremlin, +with the palaces, with Iván the bell, and so forth, which +he had been carrying in his heart, that he experienced a +childish joy at being a Russian, and in Moscow.</p> + +<p>There appeared the Bukhara morning-gown, wide open +over the broad chest with its chintz shirt, the pipe with +its amber, the lackey with soft manners, tea, the odour of +tobacco; a loud male voice was heard in Chevalier's apartments; +there resounded the morning kisses, and the +voices of daughter and son, and the Decembrist was as +much at home as in Irkútsk, and as he would have been +in New York or in Paris.</p> + +<p>No matter how much I should like to present to my +readers the Decembrist hero above all foibles, I must confess, +for truth's sake, that Peter Ivánovich took great +pains in shaving and combing himself, and in looking at +himself in the mirror. He was dissatisfied with the garments, +which had been made in Siberia with little elegance, +and two or three times he buttoned and unbuttoned his +coat.</p> + +<p>But Natálya Nikoláevna entered the drawing-room, +rustling with her black moire gown, with mittens and with +ribbons in her cap, which, though not according to the +latest fashion, were so arranged that, far from making her +appear <i>ridicule</i>, they made her look <i>distinguée</i>. For this +ladies have a special sixth sense and perspicacity, which +cannot be compared to anything.</p> + +<p>Sónya, too, was so dressed that, although she was two +years behind in fashion, she could not be reproached in +any way. On her mother everything was dark and simple, +and on the daughter bright and cheerful.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[Pg 209]</a></span></p> + +<p>Serézha had just awakened, and so they went by themselves +to mass. Father and mother sat in the back seat, +and their daughter was opposite them. Vasíli climbed on +the box, and the hired carriage took them to the Kremlin. +When they got out of the carriage, the ladies adjusted +their robes, and Peter Ivánovich took the arm of his +Natálya Nikoláevna, and, throwing back his head, walked +up to the door of the church. Many people, merchants, +officers, and everybody else, could not make out what +kind of people they were.</p> + +<p>Who was that old man with his old sunburnt, and +still unblanched face, with the large, straight work +wrinkles of a peculiar fold, different from the wrinkles +acquired in the English club, with snow-white hair and +beard, with a good, proud glance and energetic movements? +Who was that tall lady with that determined +gait, and those weary, dimmed, large, beautiful eyes? +Who was that fresh, stately, strong young lady, neither +fashionable, nor timid? Merchants? No, no merchants. +Germans? No, no Germans. Gentlefolk? No, they are +different,—they are distinguished people. Thus thought +those who saw them in church, and for some reason +more readily and cheerfully made way for them than for +men in thick epaulets. Peter Ivánovich bore himself just +as majestically as at the entrance, and prayed quietly, +with reserve, and without forgetting himself. Natálya +Nikoláevna glided down on her knees, took out a handkerchief, +and wept much during the cherubical song. +Sónya seemed to be making an effort over herself in +order to pray. Devotion did not come to her, but she +did not look around, and diligently made the signs of the +cross.</p> + +<p>Serézha stayed at home, partly because he had overslept +himself, partly because he did not like to stand +through a mass, which made his legs faint,—a matter he +was unable to understand, since it was a mere trifle for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[Pg 210]</a></span> +him to walk forty miles on snow-shoes, whereas standing +through twelve pericopes was the greatest physical torture +for him,—but chiefly because he felt that more +than anything he needed a new suit of clothes. He +dressed himself and went to Blacksmith Bridge. He had +plenty of money. His father had made it a rule, ever +since his son had passed his twenty-first year, to let him +have as much money as he wished. It lay with him to +leave his parents entirely without money.</p> + +<p>How sorry I am for the 250 roubles which he threw +away in Kuntz's shop of ready-made clothes! Any one +of the gentlemen who met Serézha would have been only +too happy to show him around, and would have regarded +it as a piece of happiness to go with him to get his +clothes made. But, as it was, he was a stranger in the +crowd, and, making his way in his cap along Blacksmith +Bridge, he went to the end, without looking into the +shops, opened the door, and came out from it in a cinnamon-coloured +half-dress coat, which was tight (though at +that time they wore wide coats), and in loose black trousers +(though they wore tight trousers), and in a flowery +atlas waistcoat, which not one of the gentlemen, who +were in Chevalier's special room, would have allowed +their lackeys to wear, and bought a number of other a +things; on the other hand, Kuntz marvelled at the young +man's slender waist, the like of which, as he explained to +everybody, he had never seen. Serézha knew that he +had a beautiful waist, and he was very much flattered by +the praise of a stranger, such as Kuntz was.</p> + +<p>He came out with 250 roubles less, but was dressed +badly, in fact so badly that his apparel two days later +passed over into Vasíli's possession and always remained +a disagreeable memory for Serézha.</p> + +<p>At home he went down-stairs, seated himself in the +large hall, looking now and then into the sanctum, and +ordered a breakfast of such strange dishes that the servant<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[Pg 211]</a></span> +in the kitchen had to laugh. Then he asked for a +periodical, and pretended to be reading. When the servant, +encouraged by the inexperience of the young man, +addressed some questions to him, Serézha said, "Go to +your place!" and blushed. But he said this so proudly +that the servant obeyed. Mother, father, and daughter, +upon returning home, found his clothes excellent.</p> + +<p>Do you remember that joyous sensation of childhood, +when you were dressed up for your name-day and taken +to mass, and when, upon returning with a holiday expression +in your clothes, upon your countenance, and in your +soul, you found toys and guests at home? You knew +that on that day there would be no classes, that even the +grown-ups celebrated on that day, and that that was a +day of exceptions and pleasures for the whole house; you +knew that you alone were the cause of that holiday, and +that you would be forgiven, no matter what you might do, +and you were surprised to see that the people in the +streets did not celebrate along with your home folk, and +the sounds were more audible, and the colours brighter,—in +short, a name-day sensation. It was a sensation of +that kind that Peter Ivánovich experienced on his return +from church.</p> + +<p>Pákhtin's solicitude of the evening before did not pass +in vain: instead of toys Peter Ivánovich found at home +several visiting-cards of distinguished Muscovites, who, in +the year '56, regarded it as their peremptory duty to show +every attention possible to a famous exile, whom they +would under no consideration have wished to see three +years before. In the eyes of Chevalier, the porter, and +the servants of the hotel, the appearance of carriages asking +for Peter Ivánovich, on that one morning increased +their respect and subserviency tenfold.</p> + +<p>All those were name-day toys for Peter Ivánovich. +No matter how much tried in life, how clever a man may +be, the expression of respect from people respected by a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[Pg 212]</a></span> +large number of men is always agreeable. Peter Ivánovich +felt light of heart when Chevalier, bowing, offered +to change his apartments and asked him to order anything +he might need, and assured him that he regarded +Peter Ivánovich's visit as a piece of luck, and +when, examining the visiting-cards and throwing them +into a vase, he called out the names of Count S——, +Prince D——, and so forth.</p> + +<p>Natálya Nikoláevna said that she would not receive +anybody and that she would go at once to the house of +Márya Ivánovna, to which Peter Ivánovich consented, +though he wished very much to talk to some of the visitors.</p> + +<p>Only one visitor managed to get through before the refusal +to meet him. That was Pákhtin. If this man had +been asked why he went away from the Prechístenka to +go to Gazette Lane, he would have been unable to give +any excuse, except that he was fond of everything new +and remarkable, and so had come to see Peter Ivánovich, +as something rare. One would think that, coming to see +a stranger for no other reason than that, he would have +been embarrassed. But the contrary was true. Peter +Ivánovich and his son and Sónya Petróvna became embarrassed. +Natálya Nikoláevna was too much of a +<i>grande dame</i> to become embarrassed for any reason whatever. +The weary glance of her beautiful black eyes was +calmly lowered on Pákhtin. But Pákhtin was refreshing, +self-contented, and gaily amiable, as always. He was a +friend of Márya Ivánovna's.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" said Natálya Nikoláevna.</p> + +<p>"Not a friend,—the difference of our years,—but she +has always been kind to me."</p> + +<p>Pákhtin was an old admirer of Peter Ivánovich's,—he +knew his companions. He hoped that he could be +useful to the newcomers. He would have appeared +the previous evening, but could not find the time, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[Pg 213]</a></span> +begged to be excused, and sat down and talked for a long +time.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I must tell you, I have found many changes in +Russia since then," Peter Ivánovich said, in reply to a +question.</p> + +<p>The moment Peter Ivánovich began to speak, you +ought to have seen with what respectful attention Pákhtin +received every word that flew out of the mouth of the +distinguished old man, and how after each sentence, at +times after a word, Pákhtin with a nod, a smile, or a +motion of his eyes gave him to understand that he had +received and accepted the memorable sentence or word.</p> + +<p>The weary glance approved of that manœuvre. Sergyéy +Petróvich seemed to be afraid lest his father's +conversation should not be weighty enough, corresponding +to the attention of the hearer. Sónya Petróvna, on the +contrary, smiled that imperceptible self-satisfied smile +which people smile who have caught a man's ridiculous +side. It seemed to her that nothing was to be got from +him, that he was a "shyúshka," as she and her brother +nicknamed a certain class of people.</p> + +<p>Peter Ivánovich declared that during his journey he +had seen enormous changes, which gave him pleasure.</p> + +<p>"There is no comparison, the masses—the peasants—stand +so much higher now, have so much greater consciousness +of their dignity," he said, as though repeating +some old phrases. "I must say that the masses have +always interested me most. I am of the opinion that the +strength of Russia does not lie in us, but in the masses," +and so forth.</p> + +<p>Peter Ivánovich with characteristic zeal evolved his +more or less original ideas in regard to many important +subjects. We shall hear more of them in fuller form. +Pákhtin was melting for joy, and fully agreed with him +in everything.</p> + +<p>"You must by all means meet the Aksátovs. Will you<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[Pg 214]</a></span> +permit me to introduce them to you, prince? You know +they have permitted him to publish his periodical. To-morrow, +they say, the first number will appear. I have +also read his remarkable article on the consistency of the +theory of science in the abstract. Remarkably interesting. +Another article, the history of Servia in the eleventh +century, of that famous general Karbovánets, is also very +interesting. Altogether an enormous step."</p> + +<p>"Indeed," said Peter Ivánovich. But he was apparently +not interested in all these bits of information; he +did not even know the names and merits of all those men +whom Pákhtin quoted as universally known.</p> + +<p>But Natálya Nikoláevna, without denying the necessity +of knowing all these men and conditions, remarked in +justification of her husband that Pierre received his periodicals +very late. He read entirely too much.</p> + +<p>"Papa, shall we not go to aunty?" asked Sónya, upon +coming in.</p> + +<p>"We shall, but we must have our breakfast. Won't +you have anything?"</p> + +<p>Pákhtin naturally declined, but Peter Ivánovich, with +the hospitality characteristic of every Russian and of him +in particular, insisted that Pákhtin should eat and drink +something. He himself emptied a wine-glass of vódka +and a tumbler of Bordeaux. Pákhtin noticed that as he +was filling his glass, Natálya accidentally turned away +from it, and the son cast a peculiar glance on his father's +hands.</p> + +<p>After the wine, Peter Ivánovich, in response to Pákhtin's +questions about what his opinion was in respect to +the new literature, the new tendency, the war, the peace +(Pákhtin had a knack of uniting the most diversified subjects +into one senseless but smooth conversation), in response +to these questions Peter Ivánovich at once replied +with one general <i>profession de foi</i>, and either under the +influence of the wine, or of the subject of the conversation,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[Pg 215]</a></span> +he became so excited that tears appeared in his eyes, and +Pákhtin, too, was in ecstasy, and himself became tearful, +and without embarrassment expressed his conviction that +Peter Ivánovich was now in advance of all the foremost +men and should become the head of all the parties. Peter +Ivánovich's eyes became inflamed,—he believed what +Pákhtin was telling him,—and he would have continued +talking for a long time, if Sónya Petróvna had not schemed +to get Natálya Nikoláevna to put on her mantilla, and +had not come herself to raise Peter Ivánovich from his +seat. He poured out the rest of the wine into a glass, +but Sónya Petróvna drank it.</p> + +<p>"What is this?"</p> + +<p>"I have not had any yet, papa, pardon."</p> + +<p>He smiled.</p> + +<p>"Well, let us go to Márya Ivánovna's. You will excuse +us, Monsieur Pákhtin."</p> + +<p>And Peter Ivánovich left the room, carrying his head +high. In the vestibule he met a general, who had come +to call on his old acquaintance. They had not seen each +other for thirty-five years. The general was toothless and +bald.</p> + +<p>"How fresh you still are!" he said. "Evidently Siberia +is better than St. Petersburg. These are your family,—introduce +me to them! What a fine fellow your son +is! So to dinner to-morrow?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes, by all means."</p> + +<p>On the porch they met the famous Chikháev, another +old acquaintance.</p> + +<p>"How did you find out that I had arrived?"</p> + +<p>"It would be a shame for Moscow if it did not know it. +It is a shame that you were not met at the barrier. Where +do you dine? No doubt with your sister, Márya Ivánovna. +Very well, I shall be there myself."</p> + +<p>Peter Ivánovich always had the aspect of a proud man +for one who could not through that exterior make out the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[Pg 216]</a></span> +expression of unspeakable goodness and impressionableness; +but just then even Márya Nikoláevna was delighted +to see his unwonted dignity, and Sónya Petróvna smiled +with her eyes, as she looked at him. They arrived at the +house of Márya Ivánovna. Márya Ivánovna was Peter +Ivánovich's godmother and ten years his senior. She was +an old maid.</p> + +<p>Her history, why she did not get married, and how she +had passed her youth, I will tell some time later.</p> + +<p>She had lived uninterruptedly for forty years in Moscow. +She had neither much intelligence, nor great +wealth, and she did not think much of connections,—on +the contrary; and there was not a man who did not +respect her. She was so convinced that everybody ought +to respect her that everybody actually respected her. +There were some young liberals from the university who +did not recognize her power, but these gentlemen made a +bold front only in her absence. She needed only to enter +the drawing-room with her royal gait, to say something in +her calm manner, to smile her kindly smile, and they were +vanquished. Her society consisted of everybody. She +looked upon all of Moscow as her home folk, and treated +them as such. She had friends mostly among the young +people and clever men, but women she did not like. She +had also dependents, whom our literature has for some +reason included with the Hungarian woman and with +generals in one common class for contempt; but Márya +Ivánovna considered it better for Skópin, who had been +ruined in cards, and Madame Byéshev, whom her husband +had driven away, to be living with her than in misery, +and so she kept them.</p> + +<p>But the two great passions in Márya Ivánovna's present +life were her two brothers. Peter Ivánovich was her +idol. Prince Iván was hateful to her. She had not +known that Peter Ivánovich had arrived; she had attended +mass, and was just finishing her coffee.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[Pg 217]</a></span></p> + +<p>At the table sat the vicar of Moscow, Madame Byéshev, +and Skópin. Márya Ivánovna was telling them +about young Count V——, the son of P—— Z——, who +had returned from Sevastopol, and with whom she was in +love. (She had some passion all the time.) He was to +dine with her on that day. The vicar got up and bowed +himself out. Márya Ivánovna did not keep him,—she +was a freethinker in this respect: she was pious, but had +no use for monks and laughed at the ladies that ran after +them, and boldly asserted that in her opinion monks were +just such men as we sinful people, and that it was better +to find salvation in the world than in a monastery.</p> + +<p>"Give the order not to receive anybody, my dear," she +said, "I will write to Pierre. I cannot understand why +he is not coming. No doubt, Natálya Nikoláevna is ill."</p> + +<p>Márya Ivánovna was of the opinion that Natálya Nikoláevna +did not like her and was her enemy. She could +not forgive her because it was not she, his sister, who had +given up her property and had followed him to Siberia, +but Natálya Nikoláevna, and because her brother had +definitely declined her offer when she got ready to go +with him. After thirty-five years she was beginning to +believe that Natálya Nikoláevna was the best woman in +the world and his guardian angel; but she was envious, +and it seemed all the time to her that she was not a +good woman.</p> + +<p>She got up, took a few steps in the parlour, and was +on the point of entering the cabinet when the door +opened, and Madame Byéshev's wrinkled, grayish face, +expressing joyous terror, was thrust through the door.</p> + +<p>"Márya Ivánovna, prepare yourself," she said.</p> + +<p>"A letter?"</p> + +<p>"No, something better—"</p> + +<p>But before she had a chance to finish, a man's loud +voice was heard in the antechamber:</p> + +<p>"Where is she? Go, Natásha."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[Pg 218]</a></span></p> + +<p>"He!" muttered Márya Ivánovna, walking with long, +firm steps toward her brother. She met them all as +though she had last seen them the day before.</p> + +<p>"When didst thou arrive? Where have you stopped? +How have you come,—in a carriage?" Such were the +questions which Márya Ivánovna put, walking with them +to the drawing-room and not hearing the answers, and +looking with large eyes, now upon one, and now upon +another. Madame Byéshev was surprised at this calm, +even indifference, and did not approve of it. They all +smiled; the conversation died down, and Márya Ivánovna +looked silently and seriously at her brother.</p> + +<p>"How are you?" asked Peter Ivánovich, taking her +hand, and smiling.</p> + +<p>Peter Ivánovich said "you" to her, though she had said +"thou." Márya Ivánovna once more looked at his gray +beard, his bald head, his teeth, his wrinkles, his eyes, his +sunburnt face, and recognized all that.</p> + +<p>"Here is my Sónya."</p> + +<p>But she did not look around.</p> + +<p>"What a stup—" her voice faltered, and she took hold +of his bald head with her large white hands. "What a +stupid you are," she had intended to say, "not to have +prepared me," but her shoulders and breast began to +tremble, her old face twitched, and she burst out into +sobs, pressing to her breast his bald head, and repeating: +"What a stupid you are not to have prepared me!"</p> + +<p>Peter Ivánovich no longer appeared as such a great +man to himself, not so important as he had appeared on +Chevalier's porch. His back was resting against a chair, +but his head was in his sister's arms, his nose was +pressed against her corset, his nose was tickled, his hair +dishevelled, and there were tears in his eyes. But he felt +happy.</p> + +<p>When this outburst of joyous tears was over, Márya +Ivánovna understood what had happened and believed it,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[Pg 219]</a></span> +and began to examine them all. But several times during +the course of the day, whenever she recalled what he had +been then, and what she had been, and what they were +now, and whenever the past misfortunes, and past joys +and loves, vividly rose in her imagination, she was again +seized by emotion, and got up and repeated: "What a +stupid you are, Pierre, what a stupid not to have prepared +me!"</p> + +<p>"Why did you not come straight to me? I should +have found room for you," said Márya Ivánovna. "At +least, stay to dinner. You will not feel lonesome, Sergyéy,—a +young, brave Sevastopol soldier is dining here +to-day. Do you not know Nikoláy Mikháylovich's son? +He is a writer,—has written something nice. I have +not read it, but they praise it, and he is a dear fellow,—I +shall send for him. Chikháev, too, wanted to come. He +is a babbler,—I do not like him. Has he already called on +you? Have you seen Nikíta? That is all nonsense. +What do you intend to do? How are you, how is your +health, Natálya? What are you going to do with this +young fellow, and with this beauty?"</p> + +<p>But the conversation somehow did not flow.</p> + +<p>Before dinner Natálya Nikoláevna went with the +children to an old aunt; brother and sister were left +alone, and he began to tell her of his plans.</p> + +<p>"Sónya is a young lady, she has to be taken out; consequently, +we are going to live in Moscow," said Márya +Ivánovna.</p> + +<p>"Never."</p> + +<p>"Serézha has to serve."</p> + +<p>"Never."</p> + +<p>"You are still as crazy as ever."</p> + +<p>But she was just as fond of the crazy man.</p> + +<p>"First we must stay here, then go to the country, and +show everything to the children."</p> + +<p>"It is my rule not to interfere in family matters," said<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[Pg 220]</a></span> +Márya Ivánovna, after calming down from her agitation, +"and not to give advice. A young man has to serve, +that I have always thought, and now more than ever. +You do not know, Pierre, what these young men nowadays +are. I know them all: there, Prince Dmítri's son is +all ruined. Their own fault. I am not afraid of anybody, +I am an old woman. It is not good." And she +began to talk about the government. She was dissatisfied +with it for the excessive liberty which was given to everything. +"The one good thing they have done was to let +you out. That is good."</p> + +<p>Pierre began to defend it, but Márya Ivánovna was not +Pákhtin: they could come to no terms. She grew excited.</p> + +<p>"What business have you to defend it? You are just +as senseless as ever, I see."</p> + +<p>Peter Ivánovich grew silent, with a smile which showed +that he did not surrender, but that he did not wish to +quarrel with Márya Ivánovna.</p> + +<p>"You are smiling. We know that. You do not wish +to discuss with me, a woman," she, said, merrily and +kindly, and casting a shrewd, intelligent glance at her +brother, such as could not be expected from her old, large-featured +face. "You could not convince me, my friend. +I am ending my three score and ten. I have not been a +fool all that time, and have seen a thing or two. I have +read none of your books, and I never will. There is only +nonsense in them!"</p> + +<p>"Well, how do you like my children? Serézha?" +Peter Ivánovich said, with the same smile.</p> + +<p>"Wait, wait!" his sister replied, with a threatening +gesture. "Don't switch me off on your children! We +shall have time to talk about them. Here is what I +wanted to tell you. You are a senseless man, as senseless +as ever, I see it in your eye. Now they are going to +carry you in their arms. Such is the fashion. You are +all in vogue now. Yes, yes, I see by your eyes that you<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[Pg 221]</a></span> +are as senseless as ever," she added, in response to his +smile. "Keep away, I implore you in the name of Jesus +Christ our Lord, from those modern liberals. God knows +what they are up to. I know it will not end well. Our +government is silent just now, but when it comes later to +showing up the nails, you will recall my words. I am +afraid lest you should get mixed up in things again. Give +it up! It is all nonsense. You have children."</p> + +<p>"Evidently you do not know me, Márya Ivánovna," +said her brother.</p> + +<p>"All right, all right, we shall see. Either I do not +know you, or you do not know yourself. I just told you +what I had on my heart, and if you will listen to me, well +and good. Now we can talk about Serézha. What kind +of a lad is he?" She wanted to say, "I do not like him +very much," but she only said: "He resembles his mother +remarkably: they are like two drops of water. Sónya is +you all over,—I like her very much, very much—so +sweet and open. She is a dear. Where is she, Sónya? +Yes, I forgot."</p> + +<p>"How shall I tell you? Sónya will make a good wife +and a good mother, but my Serézha is clever, very clever,—nobody +will take that from him. He studied well,—a +little lazy. He is very fond of the natural sciences. +We have been fortunate: we had an excellent, excellent +teacher. He wants to enter the university,—to attend +lectures on the natural sciences, chemistry—"</p> + +<p>Márya Ivánovna scarcely listened when her brother +began to speak of the natural sciences. She seemed to +feel sad, especially when he mentioned chemistry. She +heaved a deep sigh and replied directly to that train of +thoughts which the natural sciences evoked in her.</p> + +<p>"If you knew how sorry I am for them, Pierre," she +said, with sincere, calm, humble sadness. "So sorry, so +sorry. A whole life before them. Oh, how much they +will suffer yet!"</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[Pg 222]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Well, we must hope that they will be more fortunate +than we."</p> + +<p>"God grant it, God grant it! It is hard to live, Pierre! +Take this one advice from me, my dear: don't philosophize! +What a stupid you are, Pierre, oh, what a stupid! +But I must attend to matters. I have invited a lot of +people, but how am I going to feed them?" She flared +up, turned away, and rang the bell.</p> + +<p>"Call Tarás!"</p> + +<p>"Is the old man still with you?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; why, he is a boy in comparison with me."</p> + +<p>Tarás was angry and clean, but he undertook to get +everything done.</p> + +<p>Soon Natálya Nikoláevna and Sónya, agleam with cold +and happiness, and rustling in their dresses, entered the +room; Serézha was still out, attending to some purchases.</p> + +<p>"Let me get a good look at her!"</p> + +<p>Márya Ivánovna took her face. Natálya Nikoláevna +began to tell something.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[Pg 223]</a></span></p> + + +<p>THE DECEMBRISTS</p> + +<p>SECOND FRAGMENT</p> + +<p>(Variant of the First Chapter)</p> + +<p>The litigation "about the seizure in the Government of +Pénza, County of Krasnoslobódsk, by the landed proprietor +and ex-lieutenant of the Guards, Iván Apýkhtin, of +four thousand desyatínas of land from the neighbouring +Crown peasants of the village of Izlegóshcha," was through +the solicitude of the peasants' representative, Iván Mirónov, +decided in the court of the first instance—the +County Court—in favour of the peasants, and the enormous +parcel of land, partly in forest, and partly in ploughings +which had been broken by Apýkhtin's serfs, in the +year 1815 returned into the possession of the peasants, +and they in the year 1816 sowed in this land and harvested.</p> + +<p>The winning of this irregular case by the peasants +surprised all the neighbours and even the peasants themselves. +This success of theirs could be explained only +on the supposition that Iván Petróvich Apýkhtin, a very +meek, peaceful man, who was opposed to litigations and +was convinced of the righteousness of this matter, had +taken no measures against the action of the peasants. +On the other hand, Iván Mirónov, the peasants' representative, +a dry, hook-nosed, literate peasant, who had been +a township elder and had acted in the capacity of collector +of taxes, had collected fifty kopeks from each peasant,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[Pg 224]</a></span> +which money he cleverly applied in the distribution +of presents, and had very shrewdly conducted the whole +affair.</p> + +<p>Immediately after the decision handed down by the +County Court, Apýkhtin, seeing the danger, gave a power +of attorney to the shrewd manumitted serf, Ilyá Mitrofánov, +who appealed to the higher court against the decision +of the County Court. Ilyá Mitrofánov managed the +affair so shrewdly that, in spite of all the cunning of +the peasants' representative, Iván Mirónov, in spite of the +considerable presents distributed by him to the members +of the higher court, the case was retried in the Government +Court in favour of the proprietor, and the land was +to go back to him from the peasants, of which fact their +representative was duly informed.</p> + +<p>The representative, Iván Mirónov, told the peasants at +the meeting of the Commune that the gentleman in the +Government capital had pulled the proprietor's leg and +had "mixed up" the whole business, so that they wanted +to take the land back again, but that the proprietor would +not be successful, because he had a petition all written up +to be sent to the Senate, and that then the land would be +for ever confirmed to the peasants; all they had to do +was to collect a rouble from each soul. The peasants +decided to collect the money and again to entrust the +whole matter to Iván Mirónov. When Mirónov had all +the money in his hands, he went to St. Petersburg.</p> + +<p>When, in the year 1817, during Passion-week,—it +fell late that year,—the time came to plough the ground, +the Izlegóshcha peasants began to discuss at a meeting +whether they ought to plough the land under litigation +during that year, or not; and, although Apýkhtin's clerk +had come to see them during Lent with the order that +they should not plough the land and should come to some +agreement with him in regard to the rye already planted +in what had been the doubtful, and now was Apýkhtin's<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[Pg 225]</a></span> +land, the peasants, for the very reason that the winter +crop had been sowed on the debatable land, and because +Apýkhtin, in his desire to avoid being unfair to them, +wished to arbitrate the matter with them, decided to +plough the land under litigation and to take possession +of it before touching any other fields.</p> + +<p>On the very day when the peasants went out to plough, +which was Maundy Thursday, Iván Petróvich Apýkhtin, +who had been preparing himself for communion during +the Passion-week, went to communion, and early in the +morning drove to the church in the village of Izlegóshcha, +of which he was a parishioner, and there he, without +knowing anything about the matter, amicably chatted with +the church elder. Iván Petróvich had been to confession +the night before, and had attended vigils at home; +in the morning he had himself read the Rules, and at +eight o'clock had left the house. They waited for him +with the mass. As he stood at the altar, where he usually +stood, Iván Petróvich rather reflected than prayed, which +made him dissatisfied with himself.</p> + +<p>Like many people of that time, and, so far as that goes, +of all times, he was not quite clear in matters of religion. +He was past fifty years of age; he never omitted carrying +out any rite, attended church, and went to communion +once a year; in talking to his only daughter, he instructed +her in the articles of faith; but, if he had been asked +whether he really believed, he would not have known +what to reply.</p> + +<p>On that day more than on any other, he felt meek of +spirit, and, standing at the altar, he, instead of praying, +thought of how strangely everything was constructed in +the world: there he was, almost an old man, taking the +communion for perhaps the fortieth time in his life, and +he knew that everybody, all his home folk and all the +people in the church, looked at him as a model and took +him for an example, and he felt himself obliged to act as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[Pg 226]</a></span> +an example in matters of religion, whereas he himself did +not know anything, and soon, very soon, he would die, and +even if he were killed he could not tell whether that in +which he was showing an example to others was true. +And it also seemed strange to him how every one considered—that +he saw—old people to be firm and to +know what was necessary and what not (thus he always +thought about old men), and there he was old and positively +failed to know, and was just as frivolous as he had +been twenty years before; the only difference was that +formerly he did not conceal it, while now he did. Just +as in his childhood it had occurred to him during the +service that he might crow like a cock, even so now all +kinds of foolish things passed through his mind, and he, +the old man, reverentially bent his head, touching the +flagstones of the church with the old knuckles of his +hands, and Father Vasíli was evidently timid in celebrating +mass in his presence, and incited to zeal by his zeal.</p> + +<p>"If they only knew what foolish things are running +through my head! But that is a sin, a sin; I must pray," +he said to himself, when the service commenced; and, +trying to catch the meaning of the responses, he began to +pray. Indeed, he soon transferred himself in feeling +to the prayer and thought of his sins and of everything +which he regretted.</p> + +<p>A respectable-looking old man, bald-headed, with thick +gray hair, dressed in a fur coat with a new white patch +on one-half of his back, stepping evenly with his out-toeing +bast shoes, went up to the altar, bowed low to him, +tossed his hair, and went beyond the altar to place some +tapers. This was the church elder, Iván Fedótov, one of +the best peasants of the village of Izlegóshcha. Iván +Petróvich knew him. The sight of this stern, firm face +led Iván Petróvich to a new train of thoughts. He was +one of those peasants who wanted to take the land away +from him, and one of the best and richest married farmers,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[Pg 227]</a></span> +who needed the land, who could manage it, and had the +means to work it. His stern aspect, ceremonious bow, +and measured gait, and the exactness of his wearing-apparel,—the +leg-rags fitted his legs like stockings and +the laces crossed each other symmetrically on either leg,—all +his appearance seemed to express rebuke and enmity +on account of the land.</p> + +<p>"I have asked forgiveness of my wife, of Mánya" (his +daughter), "of the nurse, of my valet, Volódya, but it is +his forgiveness that I ought to ask for, and I ought to +forgive him," thought Iván Petróvich, and he decided +that after matins he would ask Iván Fedótov to forgive +him.</p> + +<p>And so he did.</p> + +<hr class="tb" /> + +<p>There were but few people in church. The country +people were in the habit of going to communion in the +first and in the fourth week. Now there were only forty +men and women present, who had not had time to go to +communion before, a few old peasant women, the church +servants, and the manorial people of the Apýkhtins and +his rich neighbours, the Chernýshevs. There was also +there an old woman, a relative of the Chernýshevs, who +was living with them, and a deacon's widow, whose son +the Chernýshevs, in the goodness of their hearts, had +educated and made a man of, and who now was serving +as an official in the Senate. Between the matins and the +mass there were even fewer people left in the church. +There were left two beggar women, who were sitting in +the corner and conversing with each other and looking at +Iván Petróvich with the evident desire to congratulate +him and talk with him, and two lackeys,—one his own, +in livery, and the other, Chernýshev's, who had come +with the old woman. These two were also whispering +in an animated manner to each other, just as Iván Petróvich +came out from the altar-place; when they saw him,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[Pg 228]</a></span> +they grew silent. There was also a woman in a tall +head-gear with a pearl face-ornament and in a white fur +coat, with which she covered up a sick child, who was +crying, and whom she was attempting to quiet; and another, +a stooping old woman, also in a head-gear, but with +a woollen face-ornament and a white kerchief, which +was tied in the fashion of old women, and in a gray +gathered coat with an iris-design on the back, who, +kneeling in the middle of the church, and turning to an +old image between two latticed windows, over which hung +a new scarf with red edges, was praying so fervently, +solemnly, and impassionately that one could not fail +directing one's attention to her.</p> + +<p>Before reaching the elder, who, standing at the little +safe, was kneading over the remnants of some tapers into +one piece of wax, Iván Petróvich stopped to take a look +at the praying woman. The old woman was praying well. +She knelt as straight as it was possible to kneel in +front of the image; all the members of her body were +mathematically symmetrical; her feet behind her pressed +with the tips of her bast shoes at the same angle against +the stone floor; her body was bent back, to the extent +to which her stooping shoulders permitted her to do so; +her hands were quite regularly placed below her abdomen; +her head was thrown back, and her face, with an expression +of bashful commiseration, wrinkled, and with a dim +glance, was turned straight toward the image with the +scarf. Having remained in an immobile position for a +minute or less,—evidently a definite space of time,—she +heaved a deep sigh and, taking her right hand away, +swung it above her head-gear, touched the crown of her +head with folded fingers, and made ample crosses by +carrying her hand down again to her abdomen and to her +shoulders; then she swayed back and dropped her head +on her hands, which were placed evenly on the floor, and +again raised herself, and repeated the same.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[Pg 229]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Now she is praying," Iván Petróvich thought, as he +looked at her. "She does it differently from us sinners: +this is faith, though I know that she is praying to her +own image, or to her scarf, or to her adornment on the +image, just like the rest of them. All right. What of +it?" he said to himself, "every person has his own faith: +she prays to her image, and I consider it necessary to beg +the peasant's forgiveness."</p> + +<p>And he walked over to the elder, instinctively scrutinizing +the church in order to see who was going to see his +deed, which both pleased and shamed him. It was disagreeable +to him, because the old beggar women would +see it, and more disagreeable still, because Míshka, his +lackey, would see it. In the presence of Míshka,—he +knew how wide-awake and shrewd he was,—he felt that +he should not have the strength to walk up to Iván Fedótov. +He beckoned to Míshka to come up to him.</p> + +<p>"What is it you wish?"</p> + +<p>"Go, my dear, and bring me the rug from the carriage, +for it is too damp here for my feet."</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir."</p> + +<p>When Míshka went away, Iván Petróvich at once went +up to Iván Fedótov. Iván Fedótov was disconcerted, +like a guilty person, at the approach of the gentleman. +Timidity and hasty motions formed a queer contradiction +to his austere face and curly steel-gray hair and beard.</p> + +<p>"Do you wish a dime taper?" he said, raising the +desk, and now and then casting his large, beautiful eyes +upon the master.</p> + +<p>"No, I do not want a taper, Iván. I ask you to forgive +me for Christ's sake, if I have in any way offended you. +Forgive me, for Christ's sake," Iván Petróvich repeated, +with a low bow.</p> + +<p>Iván Fedótov completely lost his composure and began +to move restlessly, but when he comprehended it all, he +smiled a gentle smile:</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[Pg 230]</a></span></p> + +<p>"God forgives," he said. "It seems to me, I have received +no offence from you. God will forgive you,—I +have not been offended by you," he hastened to repeat.</p> + +<p>"Still—"</p> + +<p>"God will forgive you, Iván Petróvich. So you want +two dime tapers?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, two."</p> + +<p>"He is an angel, truly, an angel. He begs even a +base peasant to forgive him. O Lord, true angels," +muttered the deacon's widow, in an old black capote +and black kerchief. "Truly, we ought to understand +that."</p> + +<p>"Ah, Paramónovna!" Iván Petróvich turned to her. +"Are you getting ready for communion, too? You, too, +must forgive me, for Christ's sake."</p> + +<p>"God will forgive you, sir, angel, merciful benefactor! +Let me kiss your hand!"</p> + +<p>"That will do, that will do, you know I do not like +that," said Iván Petróvich, smiling, and going away from +the altar.</p> + +<hr class="tb" /> + +<p>The mass, as always, did not take long to celebrate in +the parish of Izlegóshcha, the more so since there were +few communicants. Just as, after the Lord's Prayer, the +regal doors were closed, Iván Petróvich looked through +the north door, to call Míshka to take off his fur coat. +When the priest saw that motion, he angrily beckoned to +the deacon, and the deacon almost ran out to call in the +lackey. Iván Petróvich was in a pretty good humour, +but this subserviency and expression of respect from the +priest who was celebrating mass again soured him entirely; +his thin, bent, shaven lips were bent still more +and his kindly eyes were lighted up by sarcasm.</p> + +<p>"He acts as though I were his general," he thought, +and immediately he thought of the words of the German +tutor, whom he had once taken to the altar to attend a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[Pg 231]</a></span> +Russian divine service, and who had made him laugh +and had angered his wife, when he said, "<i>Der Pop war +ganz böse, dass ich ihm Alles nachgesehen hatte</i>." He +also recalled the answer of the young Turk that there was +no God, because he had eaten up the last piece of him. +"And here I am going to communion," he thought, and, +frowning, he made a low obeisance.</p> + +<p>He took off his bear-fur coat, and in his blue dress +coat with bright buttons and in his tall white neckerchief +and waistcoat, and tightly fitting trousers, and heelless, +sharp-toed boots, went with his soft, modest, and light +gait to make his obeisances to the large images. Here +he again met that same obsequiousness from the other +communicants, who gave up their places to him.</p> + +<p>"They act as though they said, '<i>Après vous, s'il en +reste</i>,'" he thought, awkwardly making side obeisances; +this awkwardness was due to the fact that he was trying +to find that mean in which there would be neither disrespect, +nor hypocrisy. Finally the doors were opened. He +said the prayer after the priest, repeating the words, "As +a robber;" his neckerchief was covered with the chalice +cloth, and he received his communion and the lukewarm +water in the ancient dipper, having put new silver twenty-kopek +pieces on ancient plates; after hearing the last +prayers, he kissed the cross and, putting on his fur coat +left the church, receiving congratulations and experiencing +the pleasant sensation of having everything over. As he +left the church, he again fell in with Iván Fedótov.</p> + +<p>"Thank you, thank you!" he replied to his congratulations. +"Well, are you going to plough soon?"</p> + +<p>"The boys have gone out, the boys have," replied Iván +Fedótov, more timidly even than before. He supposed +that Iván Petróvich knew whither the Izlegóshcha peasants +had gone out to plough. "It is damp, though. +Damp it is. It is early yet, early it is."</p> + +<p>Iván Petróvich went up to his parents' monument,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[Pg 232]</a></span> +bowed to it, and went back to be helped into his six-in-hand +with an outrider.</p> + +<p>"Well, thank God," he said to himself, swaying on the +soft, round springs and looking at the vernal sky with the +scattering clouds, at the bared earth and the white spots +of unmelted snow, and at the tightly braided tail of a side +horse, and inhaling the fresh spring air, which was particularly +pleasant after the air in the church.</p> + +<p>"Thank God that I have been through the communion, +and thank God that I now may take a pinch of snuff." +And he took out his snuff-box and for a long time held +the pinch between his fingers, smiling and, without letting +the pinch out of the hand, raising his cap in response +to the low bows of the people on the way, especially of the +women, who were washing the tables and chairs in front +of their houses, just as the carriage at a fast trot of the +large horses of the six-in-hand plashed and clattered +through the mud of the street of the village of Izlegóshcha.</p> + +<p>Iván Petróvich held the pinch of snuff, anticipating the +pleasure of snuffing, not only down the whole village, but +even until they got out of a bad place at the foot of a hill, +toward which the coachman descended not without anxiety: +he held up the reins, seated himself more firmly, +and shouted to the outrider to go over the ice. When +they went around the bridge, over the bed of the river, and +scrambled out of the breaking ice and mud, Iván Petróvich, +looking at two plovers that rose from the hollow, took the +snuff and, feeling chilly, put on his glove, wrapped himself +in his fur coat, plunged his chin into the high neckerchief, +and said to himself, almost aloud, "Glorious!" which he +was in the habit of saying secretly to himself whenever +he felt well.</p> + +<p>In the night snow had fallen, and when Iván Petróvich +had driven to church the snow had not yet disappeared, +but was soft; now, though there was no sun, it was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[Pg 233]</a></span> +all melted from the moisture, and on the highway, on +which he had to travel for three versts before turning +into Chirakóvo, the snow was white only in last year's +grass, which grew in parallel lines along the ruts; but on +the black road the horses splashed through the viscous +mud. The good, well-fed, large horses of his own stud +had no difficulty in pulling the carriage, and it just rolled +over the grass, where it left black marks, and over the +mud, without being at all detained. Iván Petróvich was +having pleasant reveries; he was thinking of his home, +his wife, and his daughter.</p> + +<p>"Mánya will meet me at the porch, and with delight. +She will see such holiness in me! She is a strange, +sweet girl, but she takes everything too much to heart. +The rôle of importance and of knowing everything that +is going on in this world, which I must play before her, +is getting to be too serious and ridiculous. If she knew +that I am afraid of her!" he thought. "Well, Káto," (his +wife) "will no doubt be in good humour to-day, she will +purposely be in good humour, and we shall have a fine +day. It will not be as it was last week on account of the +Próshkin women. What a remarkable creature! How +afraid of her I am! What is to be done? She does +not like it herself." And he recalled a famous anecdote +about a calf. A proprietor, having quarrelled with his +wife, was sitting at a window, when he saw a frisky calf: +"I should like to get you married!" he said. And Iván +Petróvich smiled again, according to his custom solving +every difficulty and every perplexity by a joke, which +generally was directed against himself.</p> + +<p>At the third verst, near a chapel, the outrider bore to +the left, into a cross-road, and the coachman shouted to +him for having turned in so abruptly that the centre +horses were struck by the shaft; and the carriage almost +glided all the way down-hill. Before reaching the house, +the outrider looked back at the coachman and pointed to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[Pg 234]</a></span> +something; the coachman looked back at the lackey, and +indicated something to him. And all of them looked in +the same direction.</p> + +<p>"What are you looking at?" asked Iván Petróvich.</p> + +<p>"Geese," said Míshka.</p> + +<p>"Where?"</p> + +<p>Though he strained his vision, he could not see them.</p> + +<p>"There they are. There is the forest, and there is the +cloud, so be pleased to look between the two."</p> + +<p>Iván Petróvich could not see anything.</p> + +<p>"It is time for them. Why, it is less than a week to +Annunciation."</p> + +<p>"That's so."</p> + +<p>"Well, go on!"</p> + +<p>Near a puddle, Míshka jumped down from the footboard +and tested the road, again climbed up, and the +carriage safely drove on the pond dam in the garden, +ascended the avenue, drove past the cellar and the +laundry, from which water was falling, and nimbly +rolled up and stopped at the porch. The Chernýshev +calash had just left the yard. From the house at once +ran the servants: gloomy old Danílych with the side +whiskers, Nikoláy, Míshka's brother, and the boy Pavlúshka; +and after them came a girl with large black eyes +and red arms, which were bared above the elbow, and +with just such a bared neck.</p> + +<p>"Márya Ivánovna, Márya Ivánovna! Where are you +going? Your mother will be worried. You will have +time," was heard the voice of fat Katerína behind her.</p> + +<p>But the girl paid no attention to her; just as her father +had expected her to do, she took hold of his arm and +looked at him with a strange glance.</p> + +<p>"Well, papa, have you been to communion?" she asked, +as though in dread.</p> + +<p>"Yes. You look as though you were afraid that I +am such a sinner that I could not receive the communion."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[Pg 235]</a></span></p> + +<p>The girl was apparently offended by her father's jest at +such a solemn moment. She heaved a sigh and, following +him, held his hand, which she kissed.</p> + +<p>"Who is here?"</p> + +<p>"Young Chernýshev. He is in the drawing-room."</p> + +<p>"Is mamma up? How is she?"</p> + +<p>"Mamma feels better to-day. She is sitting down-stairs."</p> + +<p>In the passage room Iván Petróvich was met by nurse +Evprakséya, clerk Andréy Ivánovich, and a surveyor, who +was living at the house, in order to lay out some land. +All of them congratulated Iván Petróvich. In the drawing-room +sat Luíza Kárlovna Trugóni, for ten years a +friend of the house, an emigrant governess, and a young +man of sixteen years, Chernýshev, with his French tutor.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[Pg 236]</a></span></p> + + +<p>THE DECEMBRISTS</p> + +<p>THIRD FRAGMENT</p> + +<p>(Variant of the First Chapter)</p> + +<p>On the 2d of August, 1817, the sixth department of +the Directing Senate handed down a decision in the debatable +land case between the economic peasants of the +village of Izlegóshcha and Chernýshev, which was in +favour of the peasants and against Chernýshev. This +decision was an unexpected and important calamitous +event for Chernýshev. The case had lasted five years. +It had been begun by the attorney of the rich village +of Izlegóshcha with its three thousand inhabitants, and +was won by the peasants in the County Court; but when, +with the advice of lawyer Ilyá Mitrofánov, a manorial +servant bought of Prince Saltykóv, Prince Chernýshev +carried the case to the Government, he won it and +besides, the Izlegóshcha peasants were punished by having +six of them, who had insulted the surveyor, put in +jail.</p> + +<p>After that, Prince Chernýshev, with his good-natured +and merry carelessness, entirely acquiesced, the more so +since he knew full well that he had not "appropriated" +any land of the peasants, as was said in the petition of +the peasants. If the land was "appropriated," his father +had done it, and since then more than forty years had +passed. He knew that the peasants of the village of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[Pg 237]</a></span> +Izlegóshcha were getting along well without that land, +had no need of it, and lived on terms of friendship with +him, and was unable to understand why they had become +so infuriated against him. He knew that he never offended +and never wished to offend any one, that he lived +in peace with everybody, and that he never wished to do +otherwise, and so could not believe that any one should +think of offending him. He hated litigations, and so did +not defend his case in the Senate, in spite of the advice +and earnest solicitations of his lawyer, Ilyá Mitrofánov; +by allowing the time for the appeal to lapse, he lost the +case in the Senate, and lost it in such a way that he was +confronted with complete ruin. By the decree of the Senate +he not only was to be deprived of five thousand desyatínas +of land, but also, for the illegal tenure of that land, +was to be mulcted to the amount of 107,000 roubles in +favour of the peasants.</p> + +<p>Prince Chernýshev had eight thousand souls, but all +the estates were mortgaged and he had large debts, so that +this decree of the Senate ruined him with his whole large +family. He had a son and five daughters. He thought +of his case when it was too late to attend to it in the Senate. +According to Ilyá Mitrofánov's words there was but +one salvation, and that was, to petition the sovereign and +to transfer the case to the Imperial Council. To obtain +this it was necessary in person to approach one of the ministers +or a member of the Council, or, better still, the emperor +himself. Taking all that into consideration, Prince +Grigóri Ivánovich in the fall of the year 1817 with his +whole family left his beloved estate of Studénets, where +he had lived so long without leaving it, and went to Moscow. +He started for Moscow, and not for St. Petersburg, +because in the fall of that year the emperor with his +whole court, with all the highest dignitaries, and with part +of the Guards, in which the son of Grigóri Ivánovich was +serving, was to arrive in Moscow to lay the corner-stone<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[Pg 238]</a></span> +of the Church of the Saviour in commemoration of the +liberation of Russia from the French invasion.</p> + +<p>In August, immediately after receiving the terrible +news of the decree of the Senate, Prince Grigóri Ivánovich +got ready to go to Moscow. At first the majordomo +was sent away to fix the prince's own house on the Arbát; +then was sent out a caravan with furniture, servants, +horses, carriages, and provisions. In September the prince +with his whole family travelled in seven carriages, drawn +by his own horses, and, after arriving in Moscow, settled +in his house. Relatives, friends, visitors from the province +and from St. Petersburg began to assemble in Moscow +in the month of September. The Moscow life, with its +entertainments, the arrival of his son, the débuts of his +daughters, and the success of his eldest daughter, Aleksándra, +the only blonde among all the brunettes of the +Chernýshevs, so much occupied and diverted the prince's +attention that, in spite of the fact that here in Moscow he +was spending everything which would be left to him after +paying all he owed, he forgot his affair and was annoyed +and tired whenever Ilyá Mitrofánov talked of it, and undertook +nothing for the success of his case.</p> + +<p>Iván Mirónovich Baúshkin, the chief attorney of the +peasants, who had conducted the case against the prince +with so much zeal in the Senate, who knew all the approaches +to the secretaries and departmental chiefs, and +who had so skilfully distributed the ten thousand roubles, +collected from the peasants, in the shape of presents, now +himself brought his activity to an end and returned to +the village, where, with the money collected for him as a +reward and with what was left of the presents, he bought +himself a grove from a neighbouring proprietor and built +there a hut and an office. The case was finished in the +court of the highest instance, and everything would now +proceed of its own accord.</p> + +<p>The only ones of those concerned in the case who could<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[Pg 239]</a></span> +not forget it were the six peasants who were passing +their seventh month in jail, and their families that were +left without their heads. But nothing could be done in +the matter. They were imprisoned in Krasnoslobódsk, +and their families tried to get along as well as they could. +Nobody could be invoked in the case. Iván Mirónovich +himself said that he could not take it up, because it was +not a communal, nor a civil, but a criminal case. The +peasants were in prison, and nobody paid any attention to +them; but one family, that of Mikhaíl Gerásimovich, particularly +his wife Tíkhonovna, could not get used to the +idea that the precious old man, Gerásimovich, was sitting +in prison with a shaven head. Tíkhonovna could not rest +quiet. She begged Mirónovich to take the case, but he +declined it. Then she decided to go herself to pray to +God for the old man. She had made a vow the year before +that she would go on a pilgrimage to a saint, and had +delayed it for another year only because she had had no +time and did not wish to leave the house to the young +daughters-in-law. Now that the misfortune had happened +and Gerásimovich was put into jail, she recalled her vow; +she turned her back on her house and, together with the +deacon's wife of the same village, got ready to go on the +pilgrimage.</p> + +<p>First they went to the county seat to see her old man +in the prison and to take him some shirts; from there +they went through the capital of the Government to Moscow. +On her way Tíkhonovna told the deacon's wife of +her sorrow, and the latter advised her to petition the emperor +who, it was said, was to be in Pénza, telling her of +various cases of pardon granted by him.</p> + +<p>When the pilgrims arrived in Pénza, they heard that +there was there, not the emperor, but his brother Grand +Duke Nikoláy Pávlovich. When he came out of the +cathedral, Tíkhonovna pushed herself forward, dropped +down on her knees, and began to beg for her husband.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[Pg 240]</a></span> +The grand duke was surprised, the governor was angry, +and the old woman was taken to the lockup. The next +day she was let out and she proceeded to Tróitsa. In +Tróitsa she went to communion and confessed to Father +Paísi. At the confession she told him of her sorrow, and +repented having petitioned the brother of the Tsar. Father +Paísi told her that there was no sin in that and +that there was no sin in petitioning the Tsar even in a +just case, and dismissed her. In Khótkov she called on +the blessed abbess, and she ordered her to petition the +Tsar himself.</p> + +<p>On their way back, Tíkhonovna and the deacon's +wife stopped in Moscow to see the saints. Here +she heard that the Tsar was there, and she thought +that it was evidently God's command that she should +petition the Tsar. All that had to be done was to write +the petition.</p> + +<p>In Moscow the pilgrims stopped in a hostelry. They +begged permission to stay there overnight; they were +allowed to do so. After supper the deacon's wife lay +down on the oven, and Tíkhonovna, placing her wallet +under her head, lay down on a bench and fell asleep. In +the morning, before daybreak, Tíkhonovna got up, woke +the deacon's wife, and went out. The innkeeper spoke +to her just as she walked into the yard.</p> + +<p>"You are up early, granny," he said.</p> + +<p>"Before we get there, it will be time for matins," Tíkhonovna +replied.</p> + +<p>"God be with you, granny!"</p> + +<p>"Christ save you!" said Tíkhonovna, and the pilgrims +went to the Kremlin.</p> + +<hr class="tb" /> + +<p>After standing through the matins and the mass, and +having kissed the relics, the old women, with difficulty +making their way, arrived at the house of the Chernýshevs. +The deacon's wife said that the old lady had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[Pg 241]</a></span> +given her an urgent invitation to stop at her house, and +had ordered that all pilgrims should be received.</p> + +<p>"There we shall find a man who will write the petition," +said the deacon's wife, and the pilgrims started to +blunder through the streets and ask their way. The deacon's +wife had been there before, but had forgotten where +it was. Two or three times they were almost crushed, +and people shouted at them and scolded them. Once a +policeman took the deacon's wife by the shoulder and, +giving her a push, forbade her to walk through the street +on which they were, and directed them through a forest of +lanes. Tíkhonovna did not know that they were driven +off the Vozdvízhenka for the very reason that through +that street was to drive the Tsar, of whom she was thinking +all the time, and to whom she intended to give the +petition.</p> + +<p>The deacon's wife walked, as always, heavily and complainingly, +while Tíkhonovna, as usual, walked lightly +and briskly, with the gait of a young woman. At the +gate the pilgrims stopped. The deacon's wife did not +recognize the house: there was there a new hut which +she had not seen before; but on scanning the well with +the pumps in the corner of the yard, she recognized it all. +The dogs began to bark and made for the women with +the staffs.</p> + +<p>"Don't mind them, aunties, they will not touch you. +Away there, accursed ones!" the janitor shouted to the +dogs, raising the broom on them. "They are themselves +from the country, and just see them bark at country people! +Come this way! You will stick in the mud,—God +has not given any frost yet."</p> + +<p>But the deacon's wife, frightened by the dogs, and muttering +in a whining tone, sat down on a bench near the +gate and asked the janitor to take her by. Tíkhonovna +made her customary bow to the janitor and, leaning on +her crutch and spreading her feet, which were tightly covered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[Pg 242]</a></span> +with leg-rags, stopped near her, looking as always +calmly in front of her and waiting for the janitor to come +up to them.</p> + +<p>"Whom do you want?" the janitor asked.</p> + +<p>"Do you not recognize us, dear man? Is not your +name Egór?" asked the deacon's wife. "We are coming +back from the saints, and so are calling on her Serenity."</p> + +<p>"You are from Izlegóshcha," said the janitor. "You +are the wife of the old deacon,—of course. All right, +all right. Go to the house! Everybody is received here,—nobody +is refused. And who is this one?"</p> + +<p>He pointed to Tíkhonovna.</p> + +<p>"From Izlegóshcha, Gerásimovich's wife,—used to be +Fadyéev's,—I suppose you know her?" said Tíkhonovna. +"I myself am from Izlegóshcha."</p> + +<p>"Of course! They say your husband has been put +into jail."</p> + +<p>Tíkhonovna made no reply; she only sighed and with +a strong motion threw her wallet and fur coat over her +shoulder.</p> + +<p>The deacon's wife asked whether the old lady was at +home and, hearing that she was, asked him to announce +them to her. Then she asked about her son, who was an +official and, thanks to the prince's influence, was serving +in St. Petersburg. The janitor could not give her any +information about him and directed them over a walk, +which crossed the yard, to the servants' house. The +old women went into the house, which was full of people,—women, +children, both old and young,—all of them +manorial servants, and prayed turning to the front corner. +The deacon's wife was at once recognized by the laundress +and the old lady's maid, and she was at once surrounded +and overwhelmed with questions: they took off +her wallet, placed her at the table, and offered her something +to eat. In the meantime Tíkhonovna, having +made the sign of the cross to the images and saluted<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[Pg 243]</a></span> +everybody, was standing at the door, waiting to be invited +in. At the very door, in front of the first window, sat an +old man, making boots.</p> + +<p>"Sit down, granny! Don't stand up. Sit down here, +and take off your wallet," he said.</p> + +<p>"There is not enough room to turn around as it is. +Take her to the 'black' room," said a woman.</p> + +<p>"This comes straight from Madame Chalmé," said a +young lackey, pointing to the iris design on Tíkhonovna's +peasant coat, "and the pretty stockings and shoes."</p> + +<p>He pointed to her leg-rags and bast shoes, which were +new, as she had specially put them on for Moscow.</p> + +<p>"Parásha, you ought to have such."</p> + +<p>"If you are to go to the 'black' room, all right; I will +take you there." And the old man stuck in his awl and +got up; but, on seeing a little girl, he called her to take +the old woman to the black room.</p> + +<p>Tíkhonovna not only paid no attention to what was +being said in her presence and of her, but did not even +look or listen. From the time that she entered the house, +she was permeated with the feeling of the necessity of +working for God and with the other feeling, which had +entered her soul, she did not know when, of the necessity +of handing the petition. Leaving the clean servant room, +she walked over to the deacon's wife and, bowing, said to +her:</p> + +<p>"Mother Paramónovna, for Christ's sake do not forget +about my affair! See whether you can't find a man."</p> + +<p>"What does that woman need?"</p> + +<p>"She has suffered insult, and people have advised her +to hand a petition to the Tsar."</p> + +<p>"Take her straight to the Tsar!" said the jesting +lackey.</p> + +<p>"Oh, you fool, you rough fool," said the old shoemaker. +"I will teach you a lesson with this last, then you will +know how to grin at old people."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[Pg 244]</a></span></p> + +<p>The lackey began to scold, but the old man, paying no +attention to him, took Tíkhonovna to the black room.</p> + +<p>Tíkhonovna was glad that she was sent out of the +baking-room, and was taken to the black, the coachmen's +room. In the baking-room everything looked clean, and +the people were all clean, and Tíkhonovna did not feel at +ease there. The black coachmen's room was more like +the inside of a peasant house, and Tíkhonovna was more +at home there. The black hut was a dark pine building, +twenty by twenty feet, with a large oven, bed places, +and hanging-beds, and a newly paved, dirt-covered floor. +When Tíkhonovna entered the room, there were there the +cook, a white, ruddy-faced, fat, manorial woman, with +the sleeves of her chintz dress rolled up, who with difficulty +was moving a pot in the oven with an oven-fork; +then a young, small coachman, who was learning to play +the balaláyka; an old man with an unshaven, soft white +beard, who was sitting on a bed place with his bare feet +and, holding a skein of silk between his lips, was sewing +on some fine, good material, and a shaggy-haired, swarthy +young man, in a shirt and blue trousers, with a coarse +face, who, chewing bread, was sitting on a bench at the +oven and leaning his head on both his arms, which were +steadied against his knees.</p> + +<p>Barefoot Nástka with sparkling eyes ran into the room +with her lithe, bare feet, in front of the old woman, jerking +open the door, which stuck fast from the steam within, +and squeaking in her thin voice:</p> + +<p>"Aunty Marína, Simónych sends this old woman, and +says that she should be fed. She is from our parts: she +has been with Paramónovna to worship the saints. Paramónovna +is having tea.—Vlásevna has sent for her—"</p> + +<p>The garrulous little girl would have gone on talking +for quite awhile yet; the words just poured forth from +her and, apparently, it gave her pleasure to hear her own +voice. But Marína, who was in a perspiration, and who<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[Pg 245]</a></span> +had not yet succeeded in pushing away the pot with the +beet soup, which had caught in the hearth, shouted angrily +at her:</p> + +<p>"Stop your babbling! What old woman am I to feed +now? I have enough to do to feed our own people. +Shoot you!" she shouted to the pot, which came very near +falling down, as she removed it from the spot where it +was caught.</p> + +<p>But when she was satisfied in regard to the pot, she +looked around and, seeing trim Tíkhonovna with her wallet +and correct peasant attire, making the sign of the cross +and bowing low toward the front corner, felt ashamed of +her words and, as though regaining her consciousness after +the cares which had worn her out, she put her hand to her +breast, where beneath the collar-bone buttons clasped +her dress, and examined it to see whether it was buttoned, +and then put her hands to her head to fasten the knot +of the kerchief, which covered her greasy hair, and took +up an attitude, leaning against the oven-fork and waiting +for the salute of the trim old woman. Tíkhonovna made +her last low obeisance to God, and turned around and +saluted in three directions.</p> + +<p>"God aid you, good day!" she said.</p> + +<p>"You are welcome, aunty!" said the tailor.</p> + +<p>"Thank you, granny, take off your wallet! Sit down +here," said the cook, pointing to a bench where sat the +shaggy-haired man. "Move a little, can't you? Are you +stuck fast?"</p> + +<p>The shaggy man, scowling more angrily still, rose, +moved away, and, continuing to chew, riveted his eyes +on the old woman. The young coachman made a bow +and, stopping his playing, began to tighten the strings of +his balaláyka, looking now at the old woman, and now at +the tailor, not knowing how to treat the old woman,—whether +respectfully, as he thought she ought to be +treated, because the old woman wore the same kind<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[Pg 246]</a></span> +of attire that his grandmother and mother wore at home +(he had been taken from the village to be an outrider), or +making fun of her, as he wished to do and as seemed +to him to accord with his present condition, his blue coat +and his boots. The tailor winked with one eye and +seemed to smile, drawing the silk to one side of his +mouth, and looked on. Marína started to put in another +pot, but, even though she was busy working, she kept +looking at the old woman, while she briskly and nimbly +took off her wallet and, trying not to disturb any one, put +it under the bench. Nástka ran up to her and helped +her, by taking away the boots, which were lying in her +way under the bench.</p> + +<p>"Uncle Pankrát," she turned to the gloomy man, "I +will put the boots here. Is it all right?"</p> + +<p>"The devil take them! Throw them into the oven, if +you wish," said the gloomy man, throwing them into +another corner.</p> + +<p>"Nástka, you are a clever girl," said the tailor. "A +pilgrim has to be made comfortable."</p> + +<p>"Christ save you, girl! That is nice," said Tíkhonovna. +"I am afraid I have put you out, dear man," she said, +turning to Pankrát.</p> + +<p>"All right," said Pankrát.</p> + +<p>Tíkhonovna sat down on the bench, having taken off +her coat and carefully folded it, and began to take off her +footgear. At first she untied the laces, which she had +taken special care in twisting smooth for her pilgrimage; +then she carefully unwrapped the white lambskin leg-rags +and, carefully rubbing them soft, placed them on her +wallet. Just as she was working on her other foot, +another of awkward Marína's pots got caught and spilled +over, and she again started to scold somebody, catching +the pot with the fork.</p> + +<p>"The hearth is evidently burned out, grandfather. It +ought to be plastered," said Tíkhonovna.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[Pg 247]</a></span></p> + +<p>"When are you going to plaster it? The chimney +never cools off: twice a day you have to bake bread; one +set is taken out, and the other is started."</p> + +<p>In response to Marína's complaint about the bread-baking +and the burnt-out hearth, the tailor defended the +ways of the Chernýshev house and said that they had +suddenly arrived in Moscow, that the hut was built and +the oven put up in three weeks, and that there were +nearly one hundred servants who had to be fed.</p> + +<p>"Of course, lots of cares. A large establishment," +Tíkhonovna confirmed him.</p> + +<p>"Whence does God bring you?" the tailor turned to +her.</p> + +<p>And Tíkhonovna, continuing to take off her foot-gear, +at once told him where she came from, whither she had +gone, and how she was going home. She did not say +anything about the petition. The conversation never +broke off. The tailor found out everything about the old +woman, and the old woman heard all about awkward, +pretty Marína. She learned that Marína's husband was +a soldier, and she was made a cook; that the tailor was +making caftans for the driving coachmen; that the +stewardess's errand girl was an orphan, and that shaggy-haired, +gloomy Pankrát was a servant of the clerk, Iván +Vasílevich.</p> + +<p>Pankrát left the room, slamming the door. The tailor +told her that he was a gruff peasant, but that on that +day he was particularly rude because the day before he +had smashed the clerk's knickknacks on the window, and +that he was going to be flogged to-day in the stable. As +soon as Iván Vasílevich should come, he would be flogged. +The little coachman was a peasant lad, who had been +made an outrider, and now that he was grown he had +nothing to do but attend to the horses, and strum the +balaláyka. But he was not much of a hand at it.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[Pg 248]</a></span><br /></p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[Pg 249]</a></span></p> + + + +<h2><a name="ON_POPULAR_EDUCATION" id="ON_POPULAR_EDUCATION"></a>ON POPULAR EDUCATION<br /> +1875</h2> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">[Pg 250]</a></span><br /></p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">[Pg 251]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center big">ON POPULAR EDUCATION</p> + + +<p>I suppose each of us has had more than one occasion +to come in contact with monstrous, senseless phenomena, +and to find back of these phenomena put forward some +important principle, which overshadowed those phenomena, +so that in our youthful and even maturer years we +began to doubt whether it was true that those phenomena +were monstrous, and whether we were not mistaken. +And having been unable to convince ourselves that monstrous +phenomena might be good, or that the protection +of an important principle was illegitimate, or that the +principle was only a word, we remained in regard to those +phenomena in an ambiguous, undecided condition.</p> + +<p>In such a state I was, and I assume many of us are, +in respect to the principle of "development" which obfuscates +pedagogy, in its connection with the rudiments. +But popular education is too near to my heart, and I have +busied myself too much with it, to remain too long in +indecision. The monstrous phenomena of the imaginary +development I could not call good, nor could I be persuaded +that the development of the pupil was bad, and +so I began to inquire what that development was. I do +not consider it superfluous to communicate the deductions +to which I have been led during the study of this matter.</p> + +<p>To define what is understood by the word "development," +I shall take the manuals of Messrs. Bunákov and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">[Pg 252]</a></span> +Evtushévski, as being new works, which combine all the +latest deductions of German pedagogy, intended as guides +for the teachers in the popular schools, and selected by +the advocates of the sound method as manuals in their +schools.</p> + +<p>In discussing what is to form the foundation for a +choice of this or that method for the teaching of reading, +Mr. Bunákov says:</p> + +<p>"No, an opinion about the method of construction +based on such near-sighted and flimsy foundations (that +is, on experience) will be too doubtful. Only the theoretical +substratum, based on the study of human nature, +can make the judgments in this sphere firm and independent +of all casualties, and to a considerable degree +guard them against gross errors. Consequently for the +final choice of the best method of teaching the rudiments, +it is necessary first of all to stand on theoretic soil, on +the basis of previous considerations, the general conditions +of which give to this or that method the actual right to +be called satisfactory from the pedagogical standpoint. +These conditions are: (1) It has to be a method which is +capable of developing the child's mental powers, so that +the acquisition of the rudiments may be obtained together +with the development and the strengthening of the reasoning +powers. (2) It must introduce into the instruction +the child's personal interest, so that the matter be +furthered by this interest, and not by dulling violence. +(3) It must represent in itself the process of self-instruction, +inciting, supporting, and directing the child's self-activity. +(4) It must be based on the impressions of +hearing, as of the sense which serves for the acquisition +of language. (5) It has to combine analysis with synthesis, +beginning with the dismemberment of the complex +whole into simple principles, and passing over to the composition +of a complex whole out of the simple principles."</p> + +<p>So this is what the method of instruction is to be based<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">[Pg 253]</a></span> +upon. I will remark, not for contradiction, but for the +sake of simplicity and clearness, that the last two statements +are quite superfluous, because without the union of +analysis and synthesis there can be not only no instruction, +but also no other activity of the mind, and every +instruction, except that of the deaf and dumb, is based +on the sense of hearing. These two conditions are put +down only for beauty's sake and for the obscuration of +the style, so common in pedagogical treatises, and so have +no meaning whatever. The first three at first sight +appear quite true as a programme. Everybody, of course, +would like to know how the method is secured that will +"develop," that will "introduce into the instruction the +pupil's personal interest," and that will "represent the +process of self-instruction."</p> + +<p>But to the questions as to why this method combines +all those qualities you will find an answer neither in the +books of Messrs. Bunákov and Evtushévski, nor in any +other pedagogical work of the founders of this school of +pedagogy, unless they be those hazy discussions of this +nature, such as that every instruction must be based on +the union of analysis and synthesis, and by all means +on the sense of hearing, and so forth; or you will find, as +in Mr. Evtushévski's book, expositions about how in man +are formed impressions, sensations, representations, and +concepts, and you will find the rule that "it is necessary +to start from the object and lead the pupil up to the idea, +and not start with the idea, which has no point of contact +in his consciousness," and so forth. After such discussions +there always follows the conclusion that therefore +the method advocated by the pedagogue gives that exclusive +real development which it was necessary to find.</p> + +<p>After the above-cited definition of what a good method +ought to be, Mr. Bunákov explains how children ought +to be educated, and, having given an exposition of all the +methods, which in my opinion and experience lead to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">[Pg 254]</a></span> +results which are diametrically opposite to development, +he says frankly and definitely:</p> + +<p>"From the standpoint of the above-mentioned fundamental +principles for estimating the value of the satisfactoriness +of the methods of rudimentary instruction, the +method which we have just elucidated in its general +features presents the following plastic qualities and peculiarities: +(1) As a sound method it wholly preserves the +characteristic peculiarities of all sound method,—it starts +from the impressions of hearing, at once establishing the +regular relation to language, and only later adds to them +the impressions of sight, thus clearly distinguishing sound, +matter, and the letter, its representation. (2) As a method +which unites reading with writing it begins with decomposition +and passes over to composition, combining analysis +with synthesis. (3) As a method which passes +over to the study of words and sounds from the study +of objects it proceeds along a natural path, coöperates +with the regular formation of concepts and ideas, and +acts in a developing way on all the sides of the child's +nature: it incites the children to be observant, to group +their observations, to render them orally; it develops the +external senses, mind, imagination, memory, the gift of +speech, concentration, self-activity, the habit of work, the +respect for order. (4) As a method which provides ample +work to all the mental powers of the child, it introduces +into instruction the personal interest, rousing in children +willingness and love of work, and transforming it into a +process of self-instruction."</p> + +<p>This is precisely what Mr. Evtushévski does; but why +it is all so remains inexplicable to him who is looking for +actual reasons and does not become entangled in such +words as psychology, didactics, methodics, heuristics. I +advise all those who have no inclination for philosophy +and therefore have no desire to verify all those deductions +of the pedagogues not to be embarrassed by these words<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">[Pg 255]</a></span> +and to be assured that a thing which is not clear cannot +be the basis of anything, least of all of such an important +and simple thing as popular education.</p> + +<p>All the pedagogues of this school, especially the Germans, +the founders of the school, start with the false idea +that those philosophical questions which have remained +as questions for all the philosophers from Plato to Kant, +have been definitely settled by them. They are settled +so definitely that the process of the acquisition by man +of impressions, sensations, concepts, ratiocinations, has +been analyzed by them down to its minutest details, and +the component parts of what we call the soul or the +essence of man have been dissected and divided into parts +by them, and that, too, in such a thorough manner that +on this firm basis can go up the faultless structure of the +science of pedagogy. This fancy is so strange that I do +not regard it as necessary to contradict it, more especially +as I have done so in my former pedagogical essays. All +I will say is that those philosophical considerations which +the pedagogues of this school put at the basis of their +theory not only fail to be absolutely correct, not only +have nothing in common with real philosophy, but even +lack a clear, definite expression with which the majority +of the pedagogues might agree.</p> + +<p>But, perchance, the theory of the pedagogues of the +new school, in spite of its unsuccessful references to philosophy, +has some value in itself. And so we will examine +it, to see what it consists in. Mr. Bunákov says:</p> + +<p>"To these little savages (that is, the pupils) must be +imparted the main order of school instruction, and into +their consciousness must be introduced such initial concepts +as they will have to come in contact with from +the start, during the first lessons of drawing, reading, +writing, and every elementary instruction, such as: the +right side and the left, to the right—to the left, up—down, +near by—around, in front—in back, close by—in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">[Pg 256]</a></span> +the distance, before—behind, above—below, fast—slow, +softly—aloud, and so forth. No matter how +simple these concepts may be, I know from practice that +even city children, from well-to-do families, are frequently, +when they come to the elementary schools, unable to distinguish +the right side from the left. I assume that there +is no need of expatiating on the necessity of explaining +such concepts to village children, for any one who has had +to deal with village schools knows this as well as I do."</p> + +<p>And Mr. Evtushévski says:</p> + +<p>"Without entering into the broad field of the debatable +question about the innate ability of man, we only see that +the child can have no innate concepts and ideas about +real things,—they have to be formed, and on the skill +with which they are formed by the educator and teacher +depends both their regularity and their permanency. In +watching the development of the child's soul one has to +be much more cautious than in attending to his body. If +the food for the body and the various bodily exercises are +carefully chosen both as regards their quantity and their +quality, in conformity with the man's growth, so much +more cautious have we to be in the choice of food and +exercises for the mind. A badly placed foundation will +precariously support what is fastened to it."</p> + +<p>Mr. Bunákov advises that ideas be imparted as follows:</p> + +<p>"The teacher may begin a conversation such as he +deems fit: one will ask every pupil for his name; another +about what is going on outside; a third about where each +comes from, where he lives, what is going on at home,—and +then he may pass over to the main subject. 'Where +are you sitting now? Why did you come here? What are +we going to do in this room? Yes, we are going to study +in this room,—so let us call it a class-room. See +what there is under your feet, below you. Look, but +do not say anything. The one I will tell to speak shall +answer. Tell me, what do you see under your feet? Repeat<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">[Pg 257]</a></span> +everything we have found out and have said about +this room: in what room are we sitting? What are the +parts of the room? What is there on the walls? What +is standing on the floor?'</p> + +<p>"The teacher from the start establishes the order which +is necessary for the success of his work: each pupil is +to answer only when asked to do so; all the others are to +listen and should be able to repeat the words of the teacher +and of their companions; the desire to answer, when the +teacher directs a question to everybody, is to be expressed +by raising the left hand; the words are to be pronounced +neither in a hurry, nor by drawing them out, but loudly, +distinctly, and correctly. To obtain this latter result the +teacher gives them a living example by his loud, correct, +distinct enunciation, showing them in practice the difference +between soft and loud, distinct and correct, slow and +fast. The teacher should see to it that all the children +take part in the work, by having somebody's question +answered or repeated, now by one, now by another, and +now by the whole class at once, but especially by rousing +the indifferent, inattentive, and playful children: the first +he must enliven by frequent questions, the second he +must cause to concentrate themselves on the subject of +the common work, and the third he must curb. During +the first period the children ought to answer in full, that +is, by repeating the question: 'We are sitting in the +class-room' (and not in brief, 'In the class-room'); 'Above, +over my head, I see the ceiling;' 'On the left I see three +windows,' and so forth."</p> + +<p>Mr. Evtushévski advises that in this way be begun all +the lessons on numbers from 1 to 10, of which there are +to be 120, and which are to be continued through the year.</p> + +<p>"One. The teacher shows the pupils a cube, and asks: +'How many cubes have I?' and taking several cubes into +the other hand, he asks, 'And how many are there here?'—'Many, +a few.'</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">[Pg 258]</a></span></p> + +<p>"'Name here in the class-room an object of which there +are several.'—'Bench, window, wall, copy-book, pencil, +slate-pencil, pupil, and so forth.'—'Name an object of +which there is only one in the class-room.'—'The blackboard, +stove, door, ceiling, floor, picture, teacher, and so +forth.'—'If I put this cube away in my pocket, how many +cubes will there be left in my hand?'—'Not one.'—'And +how many must I again put into my hand, to have as many +as before?'—'One.'—'What is meant by saying that +Pétya fell down once? How many times did Pétya +fall? Did he fall another time? Why does it say once?'—'Because +we are speaking only of one case and not of another +case.'—'Take your slates (or copy-books). Make +on them a line of this size.' (The teacher draws on the +blackboard a line two or four inches in length, or shows on +the ruler that length.) 'Rub it off. How many lines are +left?'—'Not one.'—'Draw several such lines.' It would +be unnatural to invent any other exercises in order to acquaint +the children with number one. It suffices to rouse +in them that conception of unity which they, no doubt, +had previous to their school instruction."</p> + +<p>Then Mr. Bunákov speaks of exercises on the board, +and so on, and Mr. Evtushévski of the number four with +its decomposition. Before examining the theory itself of +the transmission of ideas, the question involuntarily arises +whether that theory is not mistaken in its very problem. +Has the condition of the pedagogical material with which +it has to do been correctly defined? The first thing that +startles us is the strange relation to some imaginary children, +to such as I, at least, have never seen in the Russian +Empire. The conversations, and the information which +they impart, refer to children of less than two years of age, +because two-year-old children know all that is contained +in them, but as to the questions which have to be asked, +they have reference to parrots. Any pupil of six, seven, +eight, or nine years will not understand a thing in these<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">[Pg 259]</a></span> +questions, because he knows all about that, and cannot +make out what it all means. The demands for such conversations +evince either complete ignorance, or a desire +to ignore that degree of development on which the pupils +stand.</p> + +<p>Maybe the children of Hottentots and negroes, or some +German children, do not know what is imparted to them +in such conversations, but Russian children, except demented +ones, all those who come to a school, not only +know what is up and what down, what is a bench and +what a table, what is two and what one, and so forth, but, +in my experience, the peasant children who are sent to +school by their parents can every one of them express their +thoughts well and correctly, can understand another person's +thought (if it is expressed in Russian), and can count +to twenty and more; playing with knuckle-bones they +count in pairs and sixes, and they know how many points +and pairs there are in a six. Frequently the pupils who +came to my school brought with them the problem with +the geese, and explained it to me. But even if we admit +that children possess no such conceptions as those the +pedagogues want to impart to them by means of conversations, +I do not find the method chosen by them to be +correct.</p> + +<p>Thus, for example, Mr. Bunákov has written a reader. +This book is to be used in conjunction with the conversations +to teach the children language. I have run through +the book and have found it to be a series of bad language +blunders, wherever extracts from other books are not +quoted. The same complete ignorance of language I have +found in Mr. Evtushévski's problems. Mr. Evtushévski +wants to give ideas by means of problems. First of all +he ought to have seen to it that the tool for the transmission +of ideas, that is, the language, was correct.</p> + +<p>What has been mentioned here refers to the form in +which the development is imparted. Let us look at the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260">[Pg 260]</a></span> +contents themselves. Mr. Bunákov proposes the following +questions to be put to the children: "Where can you +see cats? where a magpie? where sand? where a wasp +and a suslik? what are a suslik and a magpie and a cat +covered with, and what are the parts of their bodies?" +(The suslik is a favourite animal of pedagogy, no doubt +because not one peasant child in the centre of Russia +knows that word.)</p> + +<p>"Naturally the teacher does not always put these +questions straight to the children, as forming the predetermined +programme of the lesson; more frequently the +small and undeveloped children have to be led up to +the solution of the question of the programme by a series +of suggestive questions, by directing their attention to the +side of the subject which is more correct at the given +moment, or by inciting them to recall something from +their previous observations. Thus the teacher need not +put the question directly: 'Where can a wasp be seen?' +but, turning to this or that pupil, he may ask him whether +he has seen a wasp, where he has seen it, and then only, +combining the replies of several pupils, compose an answer +to the first question of his programme. In answering the +teacher's questions, the children will often connect several +remarks that have no direct relation to the matter; for +example, when the question is about what the parts of a +magpie are, one may say irrelevantly that a magpie jumps, +another that it chatters funnily, a third that it steals +things,—let them add and give utterance to everything +that arises in their memory or imagination,—it is the +teacher's business to concentrate their attention in accordance +with the programme, and these remarks and additions +of the children he should take notice of for the purpose +of elaborating the other parts of the programme. In +viewing a new subject, the children at every convenient +opportunity return to the subjects which have already +been under consideration. Since they have observed that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261">[Pg 261]</a></span> +a magpie is covered with feathers, the teacher asks: 'Is +the suslik also covered with feathers? What is it covered +with? And what is a chicken covered with? and a +horse? and a lizard?' When they have observed that a +magpie has two legs, the teacher asks: 'How many legs +has a dog? and a fox? and a chicken? and a wasp? +What other animals do you know with two legs? with +four? with six?'"</p> + +<p>Involuntarily the question arises: Do the children +know, or do they not know, what is so well explained +to them in these conversations? If the pupils know it +all, then, upon occasion, in the street or at home, where +they do not need to raise their left hands, they will certainly +be able to tell it in more beautiful and more correct +Russian than they are ordered to do. They will certainly +not say that a horse is "covered" with wool; if so, why +are they compelled to repeat these questions just as the +teacher has put them? But if they do not know them +(which is not to be admitted except as regards the +suslik), the question arises: by what will the teacher be +guided in what is with so much unction called the programme +of questions,—by the science of zoology, or by +logic? or by the science of eloquence? But if by none +of the sciences, and merely by the desire to talk about +what is visible in the objects, there are so many visible +things in objects, and they are so diversified, that a guiding +thread is needed to show what to talk upon, whereas +in objective instruction there is no such thread, and there +can be none.</p> + +<p>All human knowledge is subdivided for the purpose +that it may more conveniently be gathered, united, and +transmitted, and these subdivisions are called sciences. +But outside their scientific classifications you may talk +about objects anything you please, and you may say all +the nonsense imaginable, as we actually see. In any +case, the result of the conversation will be that the children<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_262" id="Page_262">[Pg 262]</a></span> +are either made to learn by heart the teacher's words +about the suslik, or to change their own words, place +them in a certain order (not always a correct order), and +to memorize and repeat them. For this reason all the +manuals of this kind, in general all the exercises of development, +suffer on the one hand from absolute arbitrariness, +and on the other from superfluity. For example, +in Mr. Bunákov's book the only story which, it seems, is +not copied from another author, is the following:</p> + +<p>"A peasant complained to a hunter about his trouble: +a fox had carried off several of his chickens and one duck; +the fox was not in the least afraid of watch-dog Dandy, +who was chained up and kept barking all night long; in +the morning he had placed a trap with a piece of roast +meat in the fresh tracks on the snow,—evidently the +red-haired sneak was disporting near the house, but he +did not go into the trap. The hunter listened to what +the peasant had to say to him, and said: 'Very well; +now we will see who will be shrewder!' The hunter +walked all day with his gun and with his dog, over the +tracks of the fox, to discover how he found his way into +the yard. In the daytime the sneak sleeps in his lair, +and knows nothing of what is going on, so that had to be +considered: on its path the hunter dug a hole and covered +it with boards, dirt, and snow; a few steps from it he +put down a piece of horseflesh. In the evening he seated +himself with a loaded gun in his ambush, fixed things in +such a way that he could see everything and shoot comfortably, +and there he waited. It grew dark. The moon +swam out. Cautiously, looking around and listening, the +fox crept out of his lair, raised his nose, and sniffed. He +at once smelled the odour of horseflesh, and ran at a slow +trot to the place, and suddenly stopped and pricked his +ears: the shrewd one saw that there was a mound there +which had not been in that spot the previous evening. +This mound apparently vexed him, and made him think;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263">[Pg 263]</a></span> +he took a large circle around it, and sniffed and listened, +and sat down, and for a long time looked at the meat from +a distance, so that the hunter could not shoot him,—it +was too far. The fox thought and thought, and suddenly +ran at full speed between the meat and the mound. Our +hunter was careful, and did not shoot. He knew that the +sneak was merely trying to find out whether anybody was +sitting behind that mound; if he had shot at the running +fox, he would certainly have missed him, and then he +would not have seen the sneak, any more than he could +see his own ears. Now the fox quieted down,—the mound +no longer disturbed him: he walked briskly up to the +meat, and ate it with great delight. Then the hunter +aimed carefully, without haste, so that he might not miss +him. Bang! The fox jumped up from pain and fell +down dead."</p> + +<p>Everything is arbitrary here: it is an arbitrary invention +to say that a fox could carry off a peasant's duck in +winter, that peasants trap foxes, that a fox sleeps in the +daytime in his lair (for he sleeps only at night); arbitrary +is that hole which is uselessly dug in winter and covered +with boards without being made use of; arbitrary is the +statement that the fox eats horseflesh, which he never +does; arbitrary is the supposed cunning of the fox, who +runs past the hunter; arbitrary are the mound and the +hunter, who does not shoot for fear of missing, that is, +everything, from beginning to end, is bosh, for which any +peasant boy might arraign the author of the story, if he +could talk without raising his hand.</p> + +<p>Then a whole series of so-called exercises in Mr. Bunákov's +lessons is composed of such questions as: "Who +bakes? Who chops? Who shoots?" to which the pupil +is supposed to answer: "The baker, the wood-chopper, +and the marksmen," whereas he might just as correctly +answer that the woman bakes, the axe chops, and the +teacher shoots, if he has a gun. Another arbitrary statement<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_264" id="Page_264">[Pg 264]</a></span> +in that book is that the throat is a part of the +mouth, and so on.</p> + +<p>All the other exercises, such as "The ducks fly, and +the dogs?" or "The linden and birch are trees, and the +horse?" are quite superfluous. Besides, it must be observed +that if such conversations are really carried on with +the pupils (which never happens) that is, if the pupils are +permitted to speak and ask questions, the teacher, choosing +simple subjects (they are most difficult), is at each +step perplexed, partly through ignorance, and partly because +<i>ein Narr kann mehr fragen, als zehn Weise antworten</i>.</p> + +<p>Exactly the same takes place in the instruction of +arithmetic, which is based on the same pedagogical principle. +Either the pupils are informed in the same way +of what they already know, or they are quite arbitrarily +informed of combinations of a certain character that are +not based on anything. The lesson mentioned above and +all the other lessons up to ten are merely information +about what the children already know. If they frequently +do not answer questions of that kind, this is due to the +fact that the question is either wrongly expressed in +itself, or wrongly expressed as regards the children. +The difficulty which the children encounter in answering +a question of that character is due to the same +cause which makes it impossible for the average boy +to answer the question: Three sons were to Noah,<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor"> [1] </a>—Shem, +Ham, and Japheth,—who was their father? +The difficulty is not mathematical, but syntactical, which +is due to the fact that in the statement of the problem +and in the question there is not one and the same +subject; but when to the syntactical difficulty there is +added the awkwardness of the proposer of the problems +in expressing himself in Russian, the matter becomes of +greater difficulty still to the pupil; but the trouble is no +longer mathematical.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_265" id="Page_265">[Pg 265]</a></span></p> +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label"> [1] </span></a> The Russian way of saying "Noah had three sons."</p></div> + +<p>Let anybody understand at once Mr. Evtushévski's +problem: "A certain boy had four nuts, another had five. +The second boy gave all his nuts to the first, and this one +gave three nuts to a third, and the rest he distributed +equally to three other friends. How many nuts did each +of the last get?" Express the problem as follows: "A +boy had four nuts. He was given five more. He gave +away three nuts, and the rest he wants to give to three +friends. How many can he give to each?" and a child of +five years of age will solve it. There is no problem here +at all, but the difficulty may arise only from a wrong +statement of the problem, or from a weak memory. And +it is this syntactical difficulty, which the children overcome +by long and difficult exercises, that gives the teacher +cause to think that, teaching the children what they know +already, he is teaching them anything at all. Just as +arbitrarily are the children taught combinations in arithmetic +and the decomposition of numbers according to a +certain method and order, which have their foundation +only in the fancy of the teacher. Mr. Evtushévski says:</p> + +<p>"Four. (1) The formation of the number. On the +upper border of the board the teacher places three cubes +together—I I I. How many cubes are there here? Then +a fourth cube is added. And how many are there now? +I I I I. How are four cubes formed from three and one? +We have to add one cube to the three.</p> + +<p>"(2) Decomposition into component parts. How can +four cubes be formed? or, How can four cubes be broken +up? Four cubes may be broken up into two and two: +II + II. Four cubes may be formed from one, and one, +and one, and one more, or by taking four times one cube: +I + I + I + I. Four cubes may be broken up into three +and one: III + I. It may be formed from one, and one, +and two: I + I + II. Can four cubes be put together in +any other way? The pupils convince themselves that +there can be no other decomposition, distinct from those<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_266" id="Page_266">[Pg 266]</a></span> +already given. If the pupils begin to break the four +cubes in this way: one, two, and one, or, two, one and +one; or, one and three, the teacher will easily point out +to them that these decompositions are only repetitions of +what has been got before, only in a different order.</p> + +<p>"Every time, whenever the pupils indicate a new method +of decomposition, the teacher places the cubes on a ledge of +the blackboard in the manner here indicated. Thus there +will be four cubes on the upper ledge; two and two in +a second place; in a third place the four cubes will be +separated at some distance from each other; in a fourth +place, three and one, and in a fifth one, one, and two.</p> + +<p>"(3) Decomposition in order. It may easily happen +that the children will at once point out the decomposition +of the number into component parts in order; even then +the third exercise cannot be regarded as superfluous: +Here we have formed four cubes of twos, of separate +cubes, and of threes,—in what order had we best place +the cubes on the board? With what shall the decomposition +of the four cubes begin? With the decomposition +into separate cubes. How are four cubes to be formed +from separate cubes? We must take four times one cube. +How are four cubes to be formed from twos, from a pair? +We must take two twos,—twice two cubes, two pairs of +cubes. How shall we afterward break up the four cubes? +They can be formed of threes: for this purpose we take +three and one, or one and three. The teacher explains to +the pupils that the last decomposition, that is, 1 1 2, +does not come under the accepted order, and is a modification +of one of the first three."</p> + +<p>Why does Mr. Evtushévski not admit this last decomposition? +Why must there be the order indicated by +him? All that is a matter of mere arbitrariness and +fancy. In reality, it is apparent to every thinking man +that there is only one foundation for any composition and +decomposition, and for the whole of mathematics. Here<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_267" id="Page_267">[Pg 267]</a></span> +is the foundation: 1 + 1 = 2, 2 + 1 = 3, 3 + 1 = 4, and +so forth,—precisely what the children learn at home, +and what in common parlance is called counting to ten, +to twenty, and so forth. This process is known to every +pupil, and no matter what decomposition Mr. Evtushévski +may make, it is to be explained from this one. A boy +that can count to four, considers four as a whole, and so +also three, and two, and one. Consequently, he knows +that four was produced from the consecutive addition of +one. Similarly he knows that four is produced by adding +twice one to two, just as he knows twice one is two. +What, then, are the children taught here? That which +they know, or that process of counting which they must +learn according to the teacher's fancy.</p> + +<p>The other day I happened to witness a lesson in mathematics +according to Grube's method. The pupil was +asked: "How much is 8 and 7?" He hastened to answer +and said 16. His neighbour, too, was in a hurry and, +without raising his left hand, said: "8 and 8 is 16, +and one less is 15." The teacher sternly stopped him, +and compelled the first boy to add one after one to 8, until +he came to 15, though the boy knew long ago that he had +made a blunder. In that school they had reached the +number 15, but 16 was supposed to be unknown yet.</p> + +<p>I am afraid that many people, reading all these long +refutals of the methods of object instruction and counting +according to Grube, which I am making, will say: "What +is there here to talk about? Is it not evident that it is +all mere nonsense which it is not worth while to criticize? +Why pick out the errors and blunders of a Bunákov +and Evtushévski, and criticize what is beneath all +criticism?"</p> + +<p>That was the way I myself thought before I was led to +see what was going on in the pedagogical world, when I +convinced myself that Messrs. Bunákov and Evtushévski +were not mere individuals, but authorities in our pedagogics,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_268" id="Page_268">[Pg 268]</a></span> +and that what they prescribe is actually carried out in +our schools. In the backwoods we may find teachers, +especially women, who spread Evtushévski's and Bunákov's +manuals out before them and ask according to their +prescription how much one feather and one feather is, and +what a hen is covered with. All that would be funny if +it were only an invention of the theorist, and not a guide +in practical work, a guide that some follow already, and if +it did not concern one of the most important affairs of +life,—the education of the children. I was amused at +it when I read it as theoretical fancies; but when I learned +and saw that that was being practised on children, I felt +pity for them and ashamed.</p> + +<p>From a theoretical standpoint, not to mention the fact +that they faultily define the aim of education, the pedagogues +of this school make this essential error, that they +depart from the conditions of all instruction, whether this +instruction be on the highest or lowest stage of the science, +in a university or in a popular school. The essential conditions +of all instruction consist in selecting the homogeneous +phenomena from an endless number of heterogeneous +phenomena, and in imparting the laws of these phenomena +to the students. Thus, in the study of language, the pupils +are taught the laws of the word, and in mathematics, +the laws of the numbers. The study of language consists +in imparting the laws of the decomposition and of the reverse +composition of sentences, words, syllables, sounds,—and +these laws form the subject of instruction. The instruction +of mathematics consists in imparting the laws +of the composition and decomposition of the numbers (but +I beg to observe,—not in the process of the composition +and the decomposition of the numbers, but in imparting +the laws of that composition and decomposition). Thus, +the first law consists in the ability of regarding a collection +of units as a unit of a higher order, precisely what a +child does when he says: "2 and 1 = 3." He regards 2<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_269" id="Page_269">[Pg 269]</a></span> +as a kind of unit. On this law are based the consequent +laws of numeration, then of addition, and of the whole +of mathematics. But arbitrary conversations about the +wasp, and so forth, or problems within the limit of 10,—its +decomposition in every manner possible,—cannot +form a subject of instruction, because, in the first +place, they transcend the subject and, in the second place, +because they do not treat of its laws.</p> + +<p>That is the way the matter presents itself to me from +its theoretical side; but theoretical criticism may frequently +err, and so I will try to verify my deductions by +means of practical data. G—— P—— has given us a +sample of the practical results of both object instruction +and of mathematics according to Grube's method. One +of the older boys was told: "Put your hand under your +book!" in order to prove that he had been taught the +conceptions of "over" and "under," and the intelligent +boy, who, I am sure, knew what "over" and "under" was, +when he was three years old, put his hand on the book +when he was told to put it under it. I have all the time +observed such examples, and they prove more clearly than +anything else how useless, strange, and disgraceful, I feel +like saying, this object instruction is for Russian children. +A Russian child cannot and will not believe (he has too +much respect for the teacher and for himself) that the +teacher is in earnest when he asks him whether the ceiling +is above or below, or how many legs he has. In +arithmetic, too, we have seen that pupils who did not even +know how to write the numbers and during the whole +time of the instruction were exercised only in mental calculations +up to 10, for half an hour did not stop blundering +in every imaginable way in response to questions +which the teacher put to them within the limit of 10. +Evidently the instruction of mental calculation brought +no results, and the syntactical difficulty, which consists in +unravelling a question that is improperly put, has remained<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_270" id="Page_270">[Pg 270]</a></span> +the same as ever. And thus, the practical results of the +examination which took place did not confirm the usefulness +of the development.</p> + +<p>But I will be more exact and conscientious. Maybe +the process of development, which at first is confined not +so much to the study, as to the analysis of what the pupils +know already, will produce results later on. Maybe the +teacher, who at first takes possession of the pupils' minds +by means of the analysis, later guides them firmly and +with ease, and from the narrow sphere of the descriptions +of a table and the count of 2 and 1 leads them into the real +sphere of knowledge, in which the pupils are no longer +confined to learning what they know already, but also +learn something new, and learn that new information in +a new, more convenient, more intelligent manner. This +supposition is confirmed by the fact that all the German +pedagogues and their followers, among them Mr. Bunákov, +say distinctly that object instruction is to serve as an introduction +to "home science" and "natural science." But +we should be looking in vain in Mr. Bunákov's manual to +find out how this "home science" is to be taught, if by +this word any real information is to be understood, and +not the descriptions of a hut and a vestibule,—which the +children know already. Mr. Bunákov, on page 200, after +having explained that it is necessary to teach where the +ceiling is and where the stove, says briefly:</p> + +<p>"Now it is necessary to pass over to the third stage of +object instruction, the contents of which have been defined +by me as follows: The study of the country, county, +Government, the whole realm with its natural products and +its inhabitants, in general outline, as a sketch of home +science and the beginning of natural science, with the predominance +of reading, which, resting on the immediate +observations of the first two grades, broadens the mental +horizon of the pupils,—the sphere of their concepts and +ideas. We can see from the mere definition that here the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_271" id="Page_271">[Pg 271]</a></span> +objectivity appears as a complement to the explanatory +reading and narrative of the teacher,—consequently, +what is said in regard to the occupations of the third year +has more reference to the discussion of the second occupation, +which enters into the composition of the subject +under instruction, which is called the native language,—the +explanatory reading."</p> + +<p>We turn to the third year,—the explanatory reading, +but there we find absolutely nothing to indicate how the +new information is to be imparted, except that it is good +to read such and such books, and in reading to put such +and such questions. The questions are extremely queer +(to me, at least), as, for example, the comparison of the +article on water by Ushínski and of the article on water +by Aksákov, and the request made of the pupils that they +should explain that Aksákov considers water as a phenomenon +of Nature, while Ushínski considers it as a substance, +and so forth. Consequently, we find here again +the same foisting of views on the pupils, and of subdivisions +(generally incorrect) of the teacher, and not one word, +not one hint, as to how any new knowledge is to be +imparted.</p> + +<p>It is not known what shall be taught: natural history, +or geography. There is nothing there but reading with +questions of the character I have just mentioned. On the +other side of the instruction about the word,—grammar +and orthography,—we should just as much be looking in +vain for any new method of instruction which is based on +the preceding development. Again the old Perevlévski's +grammar, which begins with philosophical definitions and +then with syntactical analysis, serves as the basis of all +new grammatical exercises and of Mr. Bunákov's manual.</p> + +<p>In mathematics, too, we should be looking in vain, at +that stage where the real instruction in mathematics begins, +for anything new and more easy, based on the +whole previous instruction of the exercises of the second<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_272" id="Page_272">[Pg 272]</a></span> +year up to 20. Where in arithmetic the real difficulties +are met with, where it becomes necessary to explain the +subject from all its sides to the pupil, as in numeration, in +addition, subtraction, division, in the division and multiplication +of fractions, you will not find even a shadow of +anything easier, any new explanation, but only quotations +from old arithmetics.</p> + +<p>The character of this instruction is everywhere one and +the same. The whole attention is directed toward teaching +the pupil what he already knows. And since the +pupil knows what he is being taught, and easily recites in +any order desired what he is asked to recite by the +teacher, the teacher thinks that he is really teaching +something, and the pupil's progress is great, and the +teacher, paying no attention to what forms the real difficulty +of teaching, that is, to teaching something new, +most comfortably stumps about in one spot.</p> + +<p>This explains why our pedagogical literature is overwhelmed +with manuals for object-lessons, with manuals +about how to conduct kindergartens (one of the most +monstrous excrescences of the new pedagogy), with pictures +and books for reading, in which are eternally repeated +the same articles about the fox and the blackcock, the +same poems which for some reason are written out in prose +in all kinds of permutations and with all kinds of explanations; +but we have not a single new article for children's +reading, not one Russian, nor Church-Slavic grammar, nor +a Church-Slavic dictionary, nor an arithmetic, nor a geography, +nor a history for the popular schools. All the +forces are absorbed in writing text-books for the instruction +of children in subjects they need not and ought not +to be taught in school, because they are taught them in +life. Of course, there is no end to the writing of such +books; for there can be only one grammar and arithmetic, +but of exercises and reflections, like those I have quoted +from Bunákov, and of the orders of the decomposition of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_273" id="Page_273">[Pg 273]</a></span> +numbers from Evtushévski, there may be an endless +number.</p> + +<p>Pedagogy is in the same condition in which a science +would be that would teach how a man ought to walk; +and people would try to discover rules about how to teach +the children, how to enjoin them to contract this muscle, +stretch that muscle, and so forth. This condition of the +new pedagogy results directly from its two fundamental +principles: (1) that the aim of the school is development +and not science, and (2) that development and the means +for attaining it may be theoretically defined. From this +has consistently resulted that miserable and frequently +ridiculous condition in which the whole matter of the +schools now is. Forces are wasted in vain, and the +masses, who at the present moment are thirsting for education, +as the dried-up grass thirsts for rain, and are ready +to receive it, and beg for it,—instead of a loaf receive a +stone, and are perplexed to understand whether they were +mistaken in regarding education as something good, or +whether something is wrong in what is being offered to +them. That matters are really so there cannot be the +least doubt for any man who becomes acquainted with +the present theory of teaching and knows the actual condition +of the school among the masses. Involuntarily +there arises the question: how could honest, cultured +people, who sincerely love their work and wish to do +good,—for such I regard the majority of my opponents +to be,—have arrived at such a strange condition and be +in such deep error?</p> + +<p>This question has interested me, and I will try to communicate +those answers which have occurred to me. +Many causes have led to it. The most natural cause +which has led pedagogy to the false path on which it now +stands, is the criticism of the old order, the criticism for +the sake of criticism, without positing new principles in +the place of those criticized. Everybody knows that criticizing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_274" id="Page_274">[Pg 274]</a></span> +is an easy business, and that it is quite fruitless +and frequently harmful, if by the side of what is condemned +one does not point out the principles on the basis +of which this condemnation is uttered. If I say that +such and such a thing is bad because I do not like it, or +because everybody says that it is bad, or even because it is +really bad, but do not know how it ought to be right, the +criticism will always be useless and injurious. The views +of the pedagogues of the new school are, above all, based +on the criticism of previous methods. Even now, when it +seems there would be no sense in striking a prostrate +person, we read and hear in every manual, in every +discussion, "that it is injurious to read without comprehension; +that it is impossible to learn by heart the definitions +of numbers and operations with numbers; that senseless +memorizing is injurious; that it is injurious to operate +with thousands without being able to count 2-3," and so +forth. The chief point of departure is the criticism of +the old methods and the concoction of new ones to be as +diametrically opposed to the old as possible, but by no +means the positing of new foundations of pedagogy, from +which new methods might result.</p> + +<p>It is very easy to criticize the old-fashioned method of +studying reading by means of learning by heart whole +pages of the psalter, and of studying arithmetic by memorizing +what a number is, and so forth. I will remark, in +the first place, that nowadays there is no need of attacking +these methods, because there will hardly be found +any teachers who would defend them, and, in the second +place, that if, criticizing such phenomena, they want to +let it be known that I am a defender of the antiquated +method of instruction, it is no doubt due to the fact that +my opponents, in their youth, do not know that nearly +twenty years ago I with all my might and main fought +against those antiquated methods of pedagogy and coöperated +in their abolition.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_275" id="Page_275">[Pg 275]</a></span></p> + +<p>And thus it was found that the old methods of instruction +were not good for anything, and, without building any +new foundation, they began to look for new methods. I +say "without building any new foundation," because +there are only two permanent foundations of pedagogy:</p> + +<p>(1) The determination of the criterion of what ought +to be taught, and (2) the criterion of how it has to be +taught, that is, the determination that the chosen subjects +are most necessary, and that the chosen method is the +best.</p> + +<p>Nobody has even paid any attention to these foundations, +and each school has in its own justification invented +quasi-philosophical justificatory reflections. But +this "theoretical substratum," as Mr. Bunákov has +accidentally expressed himself quite well, cannot be regarded +as a foundation. For the old method of instruction +possessed just such a theoretical substratum.</p> + +<p>The real, peremptory question of pedagogy, which +fifteen years ago I vainly tried to put in all its significance, +"Why ought we to know this or that, and how +shall we teach it?" has not even been touched. The +result of this has been that as soon as it became apparent +that the old method was not good, they did not try to +find out what the best method would be, but immediately +set out to discover a new method which would be the +very opposite of the old one. They did as a man may do +who finds his house to be cold in winter and does not +trouble himself about learning why it is cold, or how to +help matters, but at once tries to find another house which +will as little as possible resemble the one he is living in. +I was then abroad, and I remember how I everywhere +came across messengers roving all over Europe in search +of a new faith, that is, officials of the ministry, studying +German pedagogy.</p> + +<p>We have adopted the methods of instruction current +with our nearest neighbours, the Germans, in the first<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_276" id="Page_276">[Pg 276]</a></span> +place, because we are always prone to imitate the Germans; +in the second, because it was the most complicated +and cunning of methods, and if it comes to taking something +from abroad, of course, it has to be the latest fashion +and what is most cunning; in the third, because, in particular, +these methods were more than any others opposed +to the old way. And thus, the new methods were taken +from the Germans, and not by themselves, but with a +theoretical substratum, that is, with a quasi-philosophical +justification of these methods.</p> + +<p>This theoretical substratum has done great service. +The moment parents or simply sensible people, who busy +themselves with the question of education, express their +doubt about the efficacy of these methods, they are told: +"And what about Pestalozzi, and Diesterweg, and Denzel, +and Wurst, and methodics, heuristics, didactics, concentrism?" +and the bold people wave their hands, and say: +"God be with them,—they know better." In these German +methods there also lay this other advantage (the +cause why they stick so eagerly to this method), that +with it the teacher does not need to try too much, does +not need to go on studying, does not need to work over +himself and the methods of instruction. For the greater +part of the time the teacher teaches by this method what +the children know, and, besides, teaches it from a text-book, +and that is convenient. And unconsciously, in +accordance with an innate human weakness, the teacher +is fond of this convenience. It is very pleasant for me, +with my firm conviction that I am teaching and doing an +important and very modern work, to tell the children +from the book about the suslik, or about a horse's having +four legs, or to transpose the cubes by twos and by threes, +and ask the children how much two and two is; but if, +instead of telling about the suslik, the teacher had to tell +or read something interesting, to give the foundations of +grammar, geography, sacred history, and of the four operations,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_277" id="Page_277">[Pg 277]</a></span> +he would at once be led to working over himself, +to reading much, and to refreshing his knowledge.</p> + +<p>Thus, the old method was criticized, and a new one +was taken from the Germans. This method is so foreign +to our Russian un-pedantic mental attitude, its monstrosity +is so glaring, that one would think that it could never +have been grafted on Russia, and yet it is being applied, +even though only in a small measure, and in some way +gives at times better results than the old church method. +This is due to the fact that, since it was taken in our +country (just as it originated in Germany) from the criticism +of the old method, the faults of the former method +have really been rejected, though, in its extreme opposition +to the old method, which, with the pedantry characteristic +of the Germans, has been carried to the farthest +extreme, there have appeared new faults, which are almost +greater than the former ones.</p> + +<p>Formerly reading was taught in Russia by attaching to +the consonants useless endings (<i>buki</i>—<i>uki</i>, <i>vyedi</i>—<i>yedi</i>), +and in Germany <i>es em de ce</i>, and so forth, by attaching a +vowel to each consonant, now in front, and now behind, +and that caused some difficulty. Now they have fallen +into the other extreme, by trying to pronounce the consonants +without the vowels, which is an apparent impossibility. +In Ushínski's grammar (Ushínski is with us +the father of the sound method), and in all the manuals +on sound, a consonant is defined thus: "That sound +which cannot be pronounced by itself." And it is this +sound which the pupil is taught before any other. When +I remarked that it is impossible to pronounce <i>b</i> alone, but +that it always gives you <i>bŭ</i>, I was told that was due to +the inability of some persons, and that it took great skill +to pronounce a consonant. And I have myself seen a +teacher correct a pupil more than ten times, though he +seemed quite satisfactorily to pronounce short <i>b</i>, until at +last the pupil began to talk nonsense. And it is with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_278" id="Page_278">[Pg 278]</a></span> +these <i>b's</i>, that is, sounds that cannot be pronounced, as +Ushínski defines them, or the pronunciation of which +demands special skill, that the instruction of reading +begins according to the pedantic German manuals.</p> + +<p>Formerly syllables were senselessly learned by heart +(that was bad); diametrically opposed to this, the new +fashion enjoins us not to divide up into syllables at all, +which is absolutely impossible in a long word, and which +in reality is never done. Every teacher, according to the +sound method, feels the necessity of letting a pupil rest +after a part of a word, having him pronounce it separately. +Formerly they used to read the psalter, which, on account +of its high and deep style, is incomprehensible to the +children (which was bad); in contrast to this the children +are made to read sentences without any contents whatever, +to explain intelligible words, or to learn by heart +what they cannot understand. In the old school the +teacher did not speak to the pupil at all; now the teacher +is ordered to talk to them on anything and everything, +on what they know already, or what they do not need to +know. In mathematics they formerly learned by heart +the definition of operations, but now they no longer have +anything to do with operations, for, according to Evtushévski, +they reach numeration only in the third year, and +it is assumed that for a whole year they are to be taught +nothing but numbers up to ten. Formerly the pupils +were made to work with large abstract numbers, without +paying any attention to the other side of mathematics, to +the disentanglement of the problem (the formation of an +equation). Now they are taught solving puzzles, forming +equations with small numbers before they know numeration +and how to operate with numbers, though experience +teaches any teacher that the difficulty of forming equations +or the solution of puzzles are overcome by a general +development in life, and not in school.</p> + +<p>It has been observed—quite correctly—that there<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_279" id="Page_279">[Pg 279]</a></span> +is no greater aid for a pupil, when he is puzzled by a +problem with large numbers, than to give him the same +problem with smaller numbers. The pupil, who in life +learns to grope through problems with small numbers, is +conscious of the process of solving, and transfers this +process to the problem with large numbers. Having observed +this, the new pedagogues try to teach only the +solving of puzzles with small numbers, that is, what cannot +form the subject of instruction and is only the work +of life.</p> + +<p>In the instruction of grammar the new school has again +remained consistent with its point of departure,—with +the criticism of the old and the adoption of the diametrically +opposite method. Formerly they used to learn by +heart the definition of the parts of speech, and from etymology +passed over to syntax; now they not only begin +with syntax, but even with logic, which the children are +supposed to acquire. According to the grammar of Mr. +Bunákov, which is an abbreviation of Perevlévski's grammar, +even with the same choice of examples, the study of +grammar begins with syntactical analysis, which is so +difficult and, I will say, so uncertain for the Russian language, +which does not fully comply with the classic forms +of syntax. To sum up, the new school has removed certain +disadvantages, of which the chief are the superfluous +addition to the consonants and the memorizing of definitions, +and in this it is superior to the old method, and in +reading and writing sometimes gives better results; but, +on the other hand, it has introduced new defects, which +are that the contents of the reading are most senseless and +that arithmetic is no longer taught as a study.</p> + +<p>In practice (I can refer in this to all the inspectors of +schools, to all the members of school councils, who have +visited the schools, and to all the teachers), in practice, in +the majority of schools, where the German method is prescribed, +this is what takes place, with rare exceptions.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_280" id="Page_280">[Pg 280]</a></span> +The children learn not by the sound system, but by the +method of letter composition; instead of saying <i>b</i>, <i>v</i>, they +say <i>bŭ</i>, <i>vŭ</i>, and break up the words into syllables. The +object instruction is entirely lost sight of, arithmetic does +not proceed at all, and the children have absolutely nothing +to read. The teachers quite unconsciously depart +from the theoretical demands and fall in with the needs +of the masses. These practical results, which are repeated +everywhere, should, it seems, prove the incorrectness of +the method itself; but among the pedagogues, those that +write manuals and prescribe rules, there exists such a complete +ignorance of and aversion to the knowledge of the +masses and their demands that the relation of reality to +these methods does not in the least impair the progress of +their business. It is hard to imagine the conception +about the masses which exists in this world of the pedagogues, +and from which result their method and all the +consequent manner of instruction.</p> + +<p>Mr. Bunákov, in proof of how necessary the object instruction +and development is for the children of a Russian +school, with extraordinary naïveté adduces Pestalozzi's +words: "Let any one who has lived among the common +people," he says, "contradict my words that there is nothing +more difficult than to impart any idea to these creatures. +Nobody, indeed, gainsays that. The Swiss pastors +affirm that when the people come to them to receive instruction +they do not understand what they are told, and +the pastors do not understand what the people say to them. +City dwellers who settle in the country are amazed at the +inability of the country population to express themselves; +years pass before the country servants learn to express +themselves to their masters." This relation of the common +people in Switzerland to the cultured class is assumed +as the foundation for just such a relation in Russia.</p> + +<p>I regard it as superfluous to expatiate on what is known +to everybody, that in Germany the people speak a special<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_281" id="Page_281">[Pg 281]</a></span> +language, called Plattdeutsch, and that in the German +part of Switzerland this Plattdeutsch is especially far removed +from the German language, whereas in Russia we +frequently speak a bad language, while the masses always +speak a good Russian, and that in Russia it will be more +correct to put these words of Pestalozzi in the mouth of +peasants speaking of the teachers. A peasant and his boy +will say quite correctly that it is very hard to understand +what those creatures, meaning the teachers, say. The ignorance +about the masses is so complete in this world of +the pedagogues that they boldly say that to the peasant +school come little savages, and therefore boldly teach them +what is down and what up, that a blackboard is placed on +a stand, and that underneath it there is a groove. They +do not know that if the pupils asked the teacher, there +would turn up very many things which the teacher would +not know; that, for example, if you rub off the paint from +the board, nearly any boy will tell you of what kind of +wood the board is made, whether of pine, linden, or aspen, +which the teacher cannot tell; that a boy will always tell +better than the teacher about a cat or a chicken, because +he has observed them better than the teacher; that instead +of the problem about the wagons the boy knows the +problems about the crows, about the cattle, and about the +geese. (About the crows: There flies a flock of crows, +and there stand some oak-trees: if two crows alight on +each, a crow will be lacking; if one on each, an oak-tree +will be lacking. How many crows and how many oak-trees +are there? About the cattle: For one hundred +roubles buy one hundred animals,—calves at half a rouble, +cows at three roubles, and oxen at ten roubles. How +many oxen, cows, and calves are there?) The pedagogues +of the German school do not even suspect that quickness +of perception, that real vital development, that contempt +for everything false, that ready ridicule of everything +false, which are inherent in every Russian peasant boy,—and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_282" id="Page_282">[Pg 282]</a></span> +only on that account so boldly (as I myself have +seen), under the fire of forty pairs of intelligent youthful +eyes, perform their tricks at the risk of ridicule. For this +reason, a real teacher, who knows the masses, no matter +how sternly he is enjoined to teach the peasant children +what is up and what down, and that two and three is five, +not one real teacher, who knows the pupils with whom +he has to deal, will be able to do that.</p> + +<p>Thus, the chief causes which have led us into such +error are: (1) the ignorance about the masses; (2) the +involuntarily seductive ease of teaching the children what +they already know; (3) our proneness to imitate the +Germans, and (4) the criticism of the old, without putting +down a new, foundation. This last cause has led the +pedagogues of the new school to this, that, in spite of +the extreme external difference of the new method from +the old, it is identical with it in its foundation, and, consequently, +in the methods of instruction and in the results. +In either method the essential principle consists in the +teacher's firm and absolute knowledge of what to teach +and how to teach, and this knowledge of his he does not +draw from the demands of the masses and from experience, +but simply decides theoretically once for all +that he must teach this or that and in such a way, and +so he teaches. The pedagogue of the ancient school, which +for briefness' sake I shall call the church school, knows +firmly and absolutely that he must teach from the prayer-book +and the psalter by making the children learn by +rote, and he admits no alterations in his methods; in the +same manner the teacher of the new, the German, school +knows firmly and absolutely that he must teach according +to Bunákov and Evtushévski, begin with the words +"whisker" and "wasp," ask what is up and what down, +and tell about the favourite suslik, and he admits +no alterations in his method. Both of them base their +opinion on the firm conviction that they know the best<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_283" id="Page_283">[Pg 283]</a></span> +methods. From the identity of the foundations arises +also a further similarity. If you tell a teacher of the +church reading that it takes the children a long time and +causes them difficulty to acquire reading and writing, he +will reply that the main interest is not in the reading and +writing, but in the "divine instruction," by which he +means the study of the church books. The same you will +be told by a teacher of Russian reading according to the +German method. He will tell you (all say and write it) +that the main question is not the rapidity of the acquisition +of the art of reading, writing, and arithmetic, but in +the "development." Both place the aim of instruction +in something independent of reading, writing, and arithmetic, +that is, of science, in something else, which is +absolutely necessary.</p> + +<p>This similarity continues down to the minutest details. +In either method all instruction previous to the school, all +knowledge acquired outside the school, is not taken into +account,—all entering pupils are regarded as equally +ignorant, and all are made to learn from the beginning. +If a boy who knows the letters and the syllables <i>a</i>, <i>be</i>, +enters a church school, he is made to change them to +<i>buki-az</i>—<i>ba</i>. The same is true of the German school.</p> + +<p>Just so, in either school it happens that some children +cannot learn the rudiments.</p> + +<p>Just so, with either method, the mechanical side of +instruction predominates over the mental. In either +school the pupils excel in a good handwriting and good +enunciation with absolutely exact reading, that is, not as +it is spoken, but as it is written. Just so, with either +method, there always reigns an external order in the +school, and the children are in constant fear and can +be guided only with the greatest severity. Mr. Korolév +has incidentally remarked that in instruction according +to the sound method blows are not neglected. I have +seen the same in the schools of the German method, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_284" id="Page_284">[Pg 284]</a></span> +I assume that without blows it is impossible to get along +even in the new German school, because, like the church +school, it teaches without asking what the pupil finds +interesting to know, but what, in the teacher's opinion, +seems necessary, and so the school can be based only on +compulsion. Compulsion is attained with children generally +by means of blows. The church and the new +German school, starting from the same principles and +arriving at the same results, are absolutely identical. +But, if it came to choosing one of the two, I should still +prefer the church school. The defects are the same, but +on the side of the church school is the custom of a thousand +years and the authority of the church, which is so +powerful with the masses.</p> + +<p>Having finished the analysis and criticism of the German +school, I consider it necessary,—in view of what I +have said, namely, that criticism is fruitful only when, +condemning, it points out how that which is bad ought +to be,—I consider it necessary to speak of those foundations +of instruction which I regard as legitimate, and on +which I rear my method of instruction.</p> + +<p>In order to elucidate in what I find these unquestionable +foundations of every pedagogical activity, I shall be +compelled to repeat myself, that is, to repeat what I said +fifteen years ago in the pedagogical periodical, <i>Yásnaya +Polyána</i>, which I then published. This repetition will +not be tedious for the pedagogues of the new school, because +what I then wrote is not exactly forgotten, but has +never been considered by the pedagogues,—and yet I +still think that just what was expressed by me at that +time might have placed pedagogy, as a theory, on a firm +foundation. Fifteen years ago, when I took up the matter +of popular education without any preconceived theories or +views on the subject, with the one desire to advance the +matter in a direct and straightforward manner, I, as a +teacher in my school, was at once confronted with two<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_285" id="Page_285">[Pg 285]</a></span> +questions: (1) What must I teach? and (2) How must I +teach it?</p> + +<p>At that time, even as at the present, there existed +the greatest diversity of opinion in the answers to these +questions.</p> + +<p>I know that some pedagogues, who are locked up in +their narrow theoretical world, think that there is no +other light than what peeps through the windows, and +that there is no longer any diversity of opinions.</p> + +<p>I ask those who think so to observe that it only seems +so to them, just as it seems so to the circles that are +opposed to them. In the whole mass of people who +are interested in education, there exists, as it has existed +before, the greatest diversity of opinions. Formerly, just +as now, some, in reply to the question of what ought to +be taught, said that outside of the rudiments the most +useful information for a primary school is obtained from +the natural sciences; others, even as now, that that was +not necessary, and was even injurious; even as now, some +proposed history, or geography, while others denied their +necessity; some proposed the Church-Slavic language and +grammar, and religion, while others found that, too, superfluous, +and ascribed a prime importance to "development." +On the question of how to teach there has always been a +still greater diversity of answers. The most diversified +methods of instructing in reading and arithmetic have +been proposed.</p> + +<p>In the bookstalls there were sold, side by side, the self-teachers +according to the <i>buki-az—ba</i>, Bunákov's lessons, +Zolotóv's charts, Madame Daragán's alphabets, and all +had their advocates. When I encountered these questions +and found no answer for them in Russian literature, +I turned to the literature of Europe. After having read +what had been written on the subject and having made +the personal acquaintance of the so-called best representatives +of the pedagogical science in Europe, I not only<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_286" id="Page_286">[Pg 286]</a></span> +failed to find anywhere an answer to the question I was +interested in, but I convinced myself that this question +does not even exist for pedagogy, as a science; that every +pedagogue of any given school firmly believed that the +methods which he used were the best, because they were +based on absolute truth, and that it would be useless for +him to look at them with a critical eye.</p> + +<p>However, because, as I said, I took up the matter of +popular education without any preconceived notions, or +because I took up the matter without prescribing laws +from a distance about how I ought to teach, but became +a schoolmaster in a village popular school in the backwoods,—I +could not reject the idea that there must of +necessity exist a criterion by means of which the question +could be solved: What to teach and how to teach it. +Should I teach the psalter by heart, or the classification +of the organisms? Should I teach according to the +sound alphabet, translated from the German, or from the +prayer-book? In the solution of this question I was +aided by a certain pedagogical tact, with which I am +gifted, and especially by that close and impassioned relation +in which I stood to the matter.</p> + +<p>When I entered at once into the closest direct relations +with those forty tiny peasants that formed my +school (I call them tiny peasants because I found in them +the same characteristics of perspicacity, the same immense +store of information from practical life, of jocularity, +simplicity, and loathing for everything false, which +distinguish the Russian peasant), when I saw that susceptibility, +that readiness to acquire the information +which they needed, I felt at once that the antiquated +church method of instruction had outlived its usefulness +and was not good for them. I began to experiment on +other proposed methods of instruction; but, because compulsion +in education, both by my conviction and by my +character, are repulsive to me, I did not exercise any<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_287" id="Page_287">[Pg 287]</a></span> +pressure, and, the moment I noticed that something was +not readily received, I did not compel them, and looked +for something else. From these experiments it appeared +to me and to those teachers who instructed with me at +Yásnaya Polyána and in other schools on the same principle +of freedom, that nearly everything which in the +pedagogical world was written about schools was separated +by an immeasurable abyss from reality, and that +many of the proposed methods, such as object-lessons, the +natural sciences, the sound method, and others, called +forth contempt and ridicule, and were not accepted by the +pupils. We began to look for those contents and those +methods which were readily taken up by the pupils, and +struck that which forms my method of instruction.</p> + +<p>But this method stood in a line with all other methods, +and the question of why it was better than the rest remained +as unsolved as before. Consequently, the question +of what the criterion was as to what to teach and +how to teach received an even greater meaning for me; +only by solving it could I be convinced that what I +taught was neither injurious nor useless. This question +both then and now has appeared to me as a corner-stone +of the whole pedagogy, and to the solution of this question +I devoted the publication of the pedagogical periodical +<i>Yásnaya Polyána</i>. In several articles (I do not +renounce anything I then said) I tried to put the question +in all its significance and to solve it as much as I could. +At that time I found no sympathy in all the pedagogical +literature, not even any contradiction, but the most complete +indifference to the question which I put. There +were some attacks on certain details and trifles, but the +question itself evidently did not interest any one. I was +young then, and that indifference grieved me. I did not +understand that with my question, "How do you know +what to teach and how to teach?" I was like a man +who, let us say, in a gathering of Turkish pashas discussing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_288" id="Page_288">[Pg 288]</a></span> +the question in what manner they may collect the +greatest revenue from the people, should propose to them +the following: "Gentlemen, in order to know how much +revenue to collect from each, we must first analyze the +question on what your right to exact that revenue is +based." Obviously all the pashas would continue their +discussion of the measures of extortion, and would reply +only with silence to his irrelevant question. But the question +cannot be circumvented. Fifteen years ago no attention +was paid to it, and the pedagogues of every school, +convinced that everybody else was talking to the wind +and that they were right, most calmly prescribed their +laws, basing their principles on philosophies of a very +doubtful character, which they used as a substratum for +their wee little theories.</p> + +<p>And yet, this question is not quite so difficult if we +only renounce completely all preconceived notions. I +have tried to elucidate and solve this question, and, without +repeating those proofs, which he who wishes may +read in the article, I will enunciate the results to which +I was led. "The only criterion of pedagogy is freedom, +the only method—experience." After fifteen years I have +not changed my opinion one hair's breadth; but I consider +it necessary to define with greater precision what I +understand by these words, not only in respect to education +in general, but also in respect to the particular +question of popular education in a primary school. One +hundred years ago the question what to teach and how to +teach could have had no place either in Europe or with +us. Education was inseparably connected with religion. +To learn reading meant to learn Holy Writ. In the +Mohammedan countries this relation of the rudiments +and religion still persists in its full force. To learn +means to learn the Koran, and, therefore, Arabic. But +the moment religion ceased to be the criterion of what +ought to be taught, and the school became independent of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_289" id="Page_289">[Pg 289]</a></span> +it, this question had to arise. But it did not arise because +the school was not suddenly freed from its dependence +on religion, but by imperceptible steps. Now it is +accepted by everybody that religion cannot serve as the +contents, nor as an indication of the method of education, +and that education has different demands for its basis. +In what do these demands consist? On what are they +based? In order that these principles should be incontrovertible, +it is necessary either that they be proved +philosophically, incontrovertibly, or that, at least, all educated +people should be agreed on them. But is it so? +There can be no doubt whatsoever about this, that in +philosophy have not been found those principles on which +could be built up the decision of what ought to be taught, +the more so since the matter itself is not an abstract, but +a practical affair, which depends on an endless number of +vital conditions. Still less can these principles be discovered +in the common consent of all men who busy +themselves with this matter, in the consent which we +may take as a practical foundation, as an expression of +the universal common sense. Not only in matters of popular, +but even of higher education do we see a complete +diversity of opinions among the best representatives of education, +as, for example, in the question of classicism and +realism. And yet, in spite of the absence of any foundations, +we see education proceeding on its own path and on +the whole being guided by only one principle, namely by +freedom. There exist side by side the classical and the +real school, each of which is prepared to regard itself as +the only natural school, and both satisfy some want, for +parents send their children to either.</p> + +<p>In the popular school the right to determine what the +children shall learn, no matter from what standpoint we +may consider this question, belongs just as much to the +masses, that is, either to the pupils themselves, or to +the parents who send the children to school, and so the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_290" id="Page_290">[Pg 290]</a></span> +answer to the question what the children are to be taught +in a popular school can be got only from the masses. +But, perhaps, we shall say that we, as highly cultured +people, must not submit to the demands of the rude +masses and that we must teach the masses what to wish. +Thus many think, but to that I can give this one answer: +give us a firm, incontrovertible foundation why +this or that is chosen by you, show me a society in which +the two diametrically opposed views on education do not +exist among the highly cultured people; where it is not +eternally repeated that if education falls into the hands of +the clergy, the masses are educated in one sense, and if education +falls into the hands of the progressists, the people +are educated in another sense,—show me a state of society +where that does not exist, and I will agree with you. +So long as that does not exist, there is no criterion except +the freedom of the learner, where, in matters of the popular +school, the place of the learning children is taken by +their parents, that is, by the needs of the masses.</p> + +<p>These needs are not only definite, quite clear, and +everywhere the same throughout Russia, but also so intelligent +and broad that they include all the most diversified +demands of the people who are debating what the +masses ought to be taught. These needs are: the knowledge +of Russian and Church-Slavic reading, and calculation. +The masses everywhere and always regard the +natural sciences as useless trifles. Their programme is +remarkable not only by its unanimity and firm definiteness, +but, in my opinion, also by the breadth of its +demands and the correctness of its view. The masses +admit two spheres of knowledge, the most exact and the +least subject to vacillation from a diversity of views,—the +languages and mathematics; everything else they +regard as trifles. I think that the masses are quite correct,—in +the first place, because in this knowledge there +can be no half information, no falseness, which they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_291" id="Page_291">[Pg 291]</a></span> +cannot bear, and, in the second, because the sphere of +those two kinds of knowledge is immense. Russian and +Church-Slavic grammar and calculation, that is, the knowledge +of one dead and one living language, with their +etymological and syntactical forms and their literatures, +and arithmetic, that is, the foundation of all mathematics, +form their programme of knowledge, which, unfortunately, +but the rarest of the cultured class possess. In +the third place, the masses are right, because by this +programme they will be taught in the primary school +only what will open to them the more advanced paths +of knowledge, for it is evident that the thorough knowledge +of two languages and their forms, and, in addition +to them, of arithmetic, completely opens the paths to an +independent acquisition of all other knowledge. The +masses, as though feeling the false relation to them, when +they are offered incoherent scraps of all kinds of information, +repel that lie from themselves, and say: "I need +know but this much,—the church language and my +own and the laws of the numbers, but that other knowledge +I will take myself if I want it."</p> + +<p>Thus, if we admit freedom as the criterion of what +is to be taught, the programme of the popular schools is +clearly and firmly defined, until the time when the +masses shall express some new demands. Church-Slavic +and Russian and arithmetic to their highest possible +stages, and nothing else but that. That is the determination +of the limits of the programme of the popular +school, which, however, does not presume that all three +subjects be introduced systematically. With such a programme +the attainment of symmetrical results in all three +subjects would naturally be desirable; but it cannot be +said that the predominance of one subject over another +would be injurious. The problem consists only in keeping +within the limits of the programme. It may happen +that from the demands of the parents, and especially<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_292" id="Page_292">[Pg 292]</a></span> +from the knowledge of the teacher, this or that subject +will be more prominent,—with a clerical person the +Church-Slavic language, with a teacher from a county +school—either Russian or arithmetic; in all these cases +the demands of the masses will be satisfied, and the instruction +will not depart from its fundamental criterion.</p> + +<p>The second part of the question, how to teach, that is, +how to discover which method is the best, has remained +just as unsolved.</p> + +<p>Just as in the first part of the question of what to +teach, the assumption that on the basis of reflections it is +possible to build a programme of instruction leads to +contradictory schools, so it is also with the question as to +how to teach. Let us take the very first stage of the +teaching of reading. One asserts that it is easier to +teach so from cards; another—according to the <i>b</i>, <i>v</i> +system; a third—according to Korf; a fourth—according +to the <i>be</i>, <i>ve</i>, <i>ge</i> system, and so forth. It is said that +the nuns teach reading in six weeks by the <i>buki-az</i>—<i>ba</i> +system. And every teacher, convinced of the superiority +of his method, proves this superiority either by the +fact that he teaches with it faster than others, or by +reflections of the character which Mr. Bunákov and the +German pedagogues adduce. At the present time, when +there are thousands of examples, we ought to know precisely +by what to be guided in our choice. Neither +theory, nor reflections, nor even the results of instruction +can show this completely.</p> + +<p>Education and instruction are generally considered in +the abstract, that is, the question is discussed how in the +best and easiest manner to produce a certain act of instruction +on a certain subject (whether it be one child or +a mass of children). This view is quite faulty. All +education and instruction can be viewed only as a certain +relation of two persons or of two groups of persons having +for their aim education or instruction. This definition,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_293" id="Page_293">[Pg 293]</a></span> +more general than all the other definitions, has +special reference to popular education, where the question +is the education of an immense number of persons, and +where there can be no question about an ideal education. +In general, with the popular education we cannot put the +question, "How is the best education to be given?" just +as with the question of the nutrition of the masses we +cannot ask how the most nutritious and best loaf is to be +baked. The question has to be put like this: "How is +the best relation to be established between given people +who want to learn and others who want to teach?" or, +"How is the best bread to be made from given bolted +flour?" Consequently the question of how to teach and +what is the best method is a question of what will be +the best relation between teacher and pupil.</p> + +<p>Nobody, I suppose, will deny that the best relation +between teacher and pupil is that of naturalness, and that +the contrary relation is that of compulsion. If so, the +measure of all methods is to be found in the greater or +lesser naturalness of relations and, therefore, in the lesser +or greater compulsion in instruction. The less the children +are compelled to learn, the better is the method; the +more—the worse. I am glad that I do not have to +prove this evident truth. Everybody is agreed that just +as in hygiene the use of any food, medicine, exercise, that +provokes loathing or pain, cannot be useful, so also in +instruction can there be no necessity of compelling children +to learn anything that is tiresome and repulsive to +them, and that, if necessity demands that children be +compelled, it only proves the imperfection of the method. +Any one who has taught children has no doubt observed +that the less the teacher himself knows the subject which +he teaches and the less he likes it, the more will he have +to have recourse to severity and compulsion; on the contrary, +the more the teacher knows and loves his subject, +the more natural and easy will his instruction be. With<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_294" id="Page_294">[Pg 294]</a></span> +the idea that for successful instruction not compulsion is +wanted, but the rousing of the pupil's interest, all the +pedagogues of the school which is opposed to me agree. +The only difference between us is that the conception +that the teaching must rouse the child's interest is with +them lost in a mass of other conflicting notions about +"development," of the value of which they are convinced +and in which they exercise compulsion; whereas I consider +the rousing of the pupil's interest, the greatest +possible ease, and, therefore, the non-compulsion and naturalness +of instruction as the fundamental and only measure +of good and bad instruction.</p> + +<p>Every progress of pedagogy, if we attentively consider +the history of this matter, consists in an ever increasing +approximation toward naturalness of relations between +teacher and pupil, in a lessened compulsion, and in a +greater ease of instruction.</p> + +<p>The objection was formerly made and, I know, is made +even now that it is hard to find the limit of freedom +which shall be permitted in school. To this I will reply +that this limit is naturally determined by the teacher, his +knowledge, his ability to manage the school; that this +freedom cannot be prescribed; the measure of this freedom +is only the result of the greater or lesser knowledge and +talent of the teacher. This freedom is not a rule, but +serves as a check in comparing schools between themselves, +and as a check in comparing new methods which +are introduced into the school curriculum. The school +in which there is less compulsion is better than the one in +which there is more. The method which at its introduction +into the school does not demand an increase of discipline +is good; but the one which demands greater severity +is certainly bad. Take, for example, a more or less free +school, such as mine was, and try to start a conversation +in it about the table and the ceiling, or to transpose cubes,—you +will see what it hubbub will arise in the school<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_295" id="Page_295">[Pg 295]</a></span> +and how you will feel the necessity of restoring order by +means of severity; try to tell them an interesting story, +or to give them problems, or make one write on the board +and let the others correct his mistakes, and allow them to +leave the benches, and you will find them all occupied +and there will be no naughtiness, and you will not have +to increase your severity,—and you may safely say that +the method is good.</p> + +<p>In my pedagogical articles I have given theoretical +reasons why I find that only the freedom of choice on the +side of the learners as to what they are to be taught and +how can form a foundation of any instruction; in practice +I have always applied these rules in the schools +under my guidance, at first on a large scale, and later in +narrower limits, and the results have always been very +good, both for the teachers and the pupils, as also for +the evolution of new methods,—and this I assert boldly, +for hundreds of visitors have come to the Yásnaya Polyána +school and know all about it.</p> + +<p>The consequences of such a relation to the pupils has +been for the teachers that they did not consider that +method best which they knew, but tried to discover other +methods, became acquainted with other teachers for the +purpose of learning their methods, tested new methods, +and, above all, were learning something all the time. A +teacher never permitted himself to think that in cases of +failure it was the pupils' fault,—their laziness, playfulness, +dulness, deafness, stammering,—but was firmly +convinced that he alone was to blame for it, and for every +failure of a pupil or of all the pupils he tried to find a +remedy. For the pupils the result was that they learned +readily, always begged the teachers to give them evening +classes in the winter, and were absolutely free in the +school,—which, in my conviction and experience, is +the chief condition for successful progress in instruction. +Between teachers and pupils there were always established<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_296" id="Page_296">[Pg 296]</a></span> +friendly, natural relations, with which alone it is possible +for the teacher to know his pupils well. If, from a first, +external impression of the school, we were to determine +the difference between the church, the German, and my +own school, it would be this: in a church school you +hear a peculiar, unnatural, monotonous shouting of all the +pupils and now and then the stern cries of the teacher; +in the German school you hear only the teacher's voice +and now and then the timid voices of the pupils; in mine +you hear the loud voices of the teachers and the pupils, +almost simultaneously.</p> + +<p>As for the methods of instruction the consequences +were that not one method of instruction was adopted or +rejected because it was liked or not, but only because it +was accepted or not by the pupils without compulsion. +But in addition to the good results which were always +obtained without fail from the application of my method +by myself and by everybody else (more than twenty +teachers), who taught according to my method ("without +fail" I say for the reason that not once did we have a +pupil who did not learn the rudiments), besides these +results, the application of the principles of which I have +spoken had the effect that during these fifteen years all +the various modifications, to which my method was subjected, +not only did not remove it from the needs of the +masses, but, on the contrary, brought it nearer and nearer +to them. The masses, at least in our parts, know the +method itself and discuss it, and prefer it to the church +method, which I cannot say of the sound method. In +the schools which are conducted according to my method +the teacher cannot remain motionless in his knowledge, +such as he is and must be with the method of sounds. +If a teacher according to the new German fashion wants +to go ahead and perfect himself, he has to follow the +pedagogical literature, that is, to read all those new inventions +about the conversations about the suslik and about<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_297" id="Page_297">[Pg 297]</a></span> +the transposition of the squares. I do not think that +that can promote his personal education. On the contrary, +in my school, where the subjects of instruction, +language and mathematics, demand positive knowledge, +every teacher, in advancing his pupils, feels the need of +learning himself, which was constantly the case with all +the teachers I had.</p> + +<p>Besides, the methods of instruction themselves, which +are not settled once for all, but always strive to be as easy +and as simple as possible, are modified and improved from +the indications which the teacher discovers in the relations +of the learners to his instruction.</p> + +<p>The very opposite to this I see in what, unfortunately, +takes place in the schools of the German pattern, which +of late have been introduced in our country in an artificial +manner. The failure to recognize that before deciding +what to teach and how to teach we must solve the question +how we can find that out has led the pedagogues to +a complete disagreement with reality, and the abyss which +fifteen years ago was felt to exist between theory and +practice has now reached the farthest limits. Now that +the masses are on all sides begging for education, while +pedagogy has more than ever passed to personal fancies, +this discord has reached incredible proportions.</p> + +<p>This discord between the demands of pedagogy and +reality has of late found its peculiarly striking expression +not only in the matter of instruction itself, but also in +another very important side of the school, namely in its +administration. In order to show in what condition this +matter has been and might be, I shall speak of Krapívensk +County of the Government of Túla, in which I live, which +I know, and which, from its position, forms the type of +the majority of counties of central Russia.</p> + +<p>In 1862 fourteen schools were opened in a district +of ten thousand souls, when I was rural judge; besides, +there existed about ten schools in the district among the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_298" id="Page_298">[Pg 298]</a></span> +clericals and in the manors among the servants. In +the three remaining districts of the county there were +fifteen large and thirty small schools among the clericals +and manorial servants. Without saying anything about the +number of the learners, of which, I assume, there were in +general not less than now, nor about the instruction itself, +which was partly bad and partly good, but on the whole +not worse than at present, I will tell how and on what +that business was based.</p> + +<p>All schools were then, with few exceptions, based on a +free agreement of the teacher with the parents of the +pupils, or with the whole partnership of the peasants paying +a lump sum for everybody. Such a relation between +the parents or Communes and the teachers is even now +met with in some exceedingly rare places of our county +and of the Government in general. Everybody will agree +that, leaving aside the question of the quality of instruction, +such a relation of the teacher to the parents and +peasants is most just, natural, and desirable. But, with +the introduction of the law of 1864, this relation was +abolished and is being abolished more and more. Everybody +who knows the matter as it is will observe that with +the abolition of this relation the people take less and less +part in the matter of their education, which is only natural. +In some County Councils the school tax of the peasants +is even turned into the County Council, and the +salary, appointment of teachers, location of schools,—all +that is done quite independently of those for whom it is +intended (in theory the peasants, no doubt, are members +of the County Council, but in practice they have through +this mediation no influence on their own schools). Nobody +will, I suppose, assert that that is just, but some +will say: "The illiterate peasants cannot judge what is +good and what bad, and we must build for them as well +as we can." But how do we know? Do we know firmly, +are we all of one opinion, how to build schools? And<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_299" id="Page_299">[Pg 299]</a></span> +does it not frequently turn out bad, for we have built +much worse than they have?</p> + +<p>Thus, in relation to the administrative side of the +schools I have again to put a third question, on the same +basis of freedom: Why do we know how best to arrange +a school? To this question German pedagogy gives an +answer which is quite consistent with its whole system. +It knows what the best school is, it has formed a clear, +definite ideal, down to the minutest details, the benches, +the hours of instruction, and so forth, and gives an answer: +the school has to be such and such, according to this pattern,—this +alone is good and every other school is injurious. +I know that, although the desire of Henry IV. to +give each Frenchman soup and a chicken was unrealizable, +it was impossible to say that the desire was false. +But the matter assumes an entirely different aspect when +the soup is of a very questionable quality and is not a +chicken soup, but a worthless broth. And yet the so-called +science of pedagogy is in this matter indissolubly +connected with power; both in Germany and with us +there are prescribed certain ideal one-class, two-class +schools, and so forth; and the pedagogical and the administrative +powers do not wish to know the fact that the +masses would like to attend to their own education. Let +us see how such a view of popular education has been reflected +in practice on the question of education.</p> + +<p>Beginning with the year 1862 the idea that education +was necessary has more and more spread among the +masses: on all sides schools were established by church +servants, hired teachers, and the Communes. Whether +good or bad, these schools were spontaneous and grew out +directly from the needs of the masses; with the introduction +of the law of 1864 this tendency was increased, and +in 1870 there were, according to the reports, about sixty +schools in Krapívensk County. Since then officials of +the ministry and members of the County Council have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_300" id="Page_300">[Pg 300]</a></span> +begun to meddle more and more with school matters, and +in Krapívensk County forty schools have been closed +and schools of a lower order have been prohibited from +being opened. I know that those who closed those +schools affirm that these schools existed only nominally +and were very bad; but I cannot believe it, because I +know well-instructed pupils from three villages, Trósna, +Lamíntsovo, and Yásnaya Polyána, where schools were +closed. I also know—-and this will seem incredible to +many—-what is meant by prohibiting the opening of +schools. It means that, on the basis of a circular of the +ministry of public instruction, which spoke of the prohibition +of unreliable teachers (this, no doubt, had reference +to the Nihilists), the school council transferred this prohibition +to the minor schools, taught by sextons, soldiers, +and so forth, which the peasants themselves had opened, +and which, no doubt, are not at all comprised in the circular. +But, instead, there exist twenty schools with +teachers, who are supposed to be good because they +receive a salary of two hundred roubles in silver, and the +County Council has distributed Ushínski's text-books, and +these schools are called one-class schools, because they +teach in them according to a programme, and the whole +year around, that is, also in summer, with the exception of +July and August.</p> + +<p>Leaving aside the question of the quality of the former +schools, we shall now take a glance at their administrative +side, and we will compare, from this side, what was +before, with what is now. In the administrative, external +side of the school there are five main subjects, +which are so closely connected with the school business +itself that on their good or bad structure depend to a +great extent the success and dissemination of popular +education. These five subjects are: (1) the school building, +(2) the schedule of instruction, (3) the distribution of +the schools according to localities, (4) the choice of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_301" id="Page_301">[Pg 301]</a></span> +teacher, and—what is most important—(5) the material +means, the remuneration of the teachers.</p> + +<p>In regard to the school building the masses rarely have +any difficulty, when they start a school for themselves, +and if the Commune is rich and there are any communal +buildings, such as a storehouse or a deserted inn, the Commune +fixes it up; if there is none, it buys a building, at +times even from a landed proprietor, or it builds one of +its own. If the Commune is not well-to-do and is small, +it hires quarters from a peasant, or establishes a rotation, +and the teacher passes from hut to hut. If the Commune, +as it most generally does, selects a teacher from its +own midst, a manorial servant, a soldier, or a church +servant, the school is located at the house of that person, +and the Commune looks only after the heating. In any +case, I have never heard that the question of the location +of the school ever troubled a Commune, or that half the +sum set aside for instruction should be lost, as is done by +school councils, on the buildings, nay, not even one-sixth +or one-tenth of the whole sum. The peasant Communes +have arranged it one way or another, but the question of +the school building has never been regarded as troublesome. +Only under the influence of the higher authorities +do there occur cases where the Communes build brick +buildings with iron roofs. The peasants assume that the +school is not in the structure, but in the teacher, and that +the school is not a permanent institution, but that as soon +as the parents have acquired knowledge, the next generation +will get the rudiments without a teacher. But the +County Council department of the ministry always assumes—since +for it the whole problem consists in +inspecting and classifying—that the chief foundation of +the school is the structure and that the school is a permanent +establishment, and so, as far as I know, now +spends about one-half of its money on buildings, and +inscribes empty school buildings in the list of the schools<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_302" id="Page_302">[Pg 302]</a></span> +of the third order. In the Krapívensk County Council +seven hundred roubles out of two thousand roubles are +spent on buildings. The ministerial department cannot +admit that the teacher (that educated pedagogue who is +assumed for the masses) would lower himself to such an +extent as to be willing to go, like a tailor, from hut to hut, +or to teach in a smoky house. But the masses assume +nothing and only know that for their money they can +hire whom they please, and that, if they, the hiring peasants, +live in smoky huts, the hired teacher has no reason +to turn up his nose at them.</p> + +<p>In regard to the second question, about the division of +the school time, the masses have always and everywhere +invariably expressed one demand, and that is that the +instruction shall be carried on in the winter only.</p> + +<p>Everywhere the parents quit sending their children in +the spring, and those children who are left in the school, +from one-fourth to one-fifth of the whole number, are the +little tots or the children of rich parents, and they attend +school unwillingly. When the masses hire a teacher +themselves, they always hire him by the month and only +for the winter. The ministerial department assumes that, +just as in the institutions of learning there are two +months of vacation, so it ought also to be in a one-class +country school. From the standpoint of the ministerial +department that is quite reasonable: the children will not +forget their instruction, the teacher is provided for during +the whole year, and the inspectors find it more comfortable +to travel in the summer; but the masses know nothing +about all that, and their common sense tells them +that in winter the children sleep for ten hours, consequently +their minds are fresh; that in winter there are no +plays and no work for the children, and that if they study +in winter as long as possible, taking in even the evenings, +for which a lamp costing one rouble fifty kopeks is needed +and kerosene costing as much, there will be enough instruction.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_303" id="Page_303">[Pg 303]</a></span> +Besides, in the summer every boy is of use to +the peasant, and in summer proceeds the life instruction, +which is more important than school learning. The +masses say that there is no reason why they should pay +the teacher during the summer. "Rather will we increase +his pay for the winter months, and that will please him +better. We prefer to hire a teacher at twenty-five roubles +a month for seven months, than at twelve roubles a +month for the whole year. For the summer the teacher +will hire himself out elsewhere."</p> + +<p>As to the third question, the distribution of the schools +according to localities, the arrangements of the masses +most markedly differ from those of the school council. +In the first place, the distribution of the schools, that is, +whether there shall be more or less of them for a certain +locality, always depends on the character of the whole +population (when the masses themselves attend to it). +Wherever the masses are more industrial and work out, +where they are nearer to the cities, where they need the +rudiments,—there there are more schools; where the locality +is more removed and agricultural, there there are fewer +of them. In the second place, when the masses themselves +attend to the matter, they distribute the schools in such a +way as to give all the parents a chance to make use of the +schools in return for their money, that is, to send their children +to school. The peasants of small, remote villages of +from thirty to forty souls, where half the population will be +found, prefer to have a cheap teacher in their own village, +than an expensive one in the centre of the township, +whither their children cannot walk or be driven. By +this distribution of the schools, the schools themselves, +as arranged by the peasants, depart, it is true, from the +required pattern of the school, but, instead, acquire the +most diversified forms, everywhere adapting themselves to +local conditions. Here a clerical person from a neighbouring +village teaches eight boys at his house, receiving fifty<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_304" id="Page_304">[Pg 304]</a></span> +kopeks a month from each. Here a small village hires a +soldier for eight roubles for the winter, and he goes from +house to house. Here a rich innkeeper hires a teacher +for his children for five roubles and board, and the neighbouring +peasants join him, by adding two roubles for each +of their boys. There a large village or a compact township +levies fifteen kopeks from each of the twelve hundred +souls and hires a teacher for 180 roubles for the +winter. There the priest teaches, receiving as a remuneration +either money, or labour, or both. The chief difference +in this respect between the view of the peasants and +that of the County Council is this: the peasants, according +to the more or less favourable local conditions, introduce +schools of a better or worse quality, but always in +such a way that there is not a single locality where some +kind of instruction is not offered; while with the arrangement +of the County Council a large half of the population +is left outside every possibility of partaking of that education +even in the distant future.</p> + +<p>In matters of the petty villages, forming one-half of +the population, the ministerial department acts most decisively. +It says: "We provide schools where there is a +building and where the peasants of the township have +collected enough money to support a teacher at two hundred +roubles. We will contribute from the County Council +what is wanting, and the school is entered on the +lists." The villages that are removed from the school may +send their children there, if they so wish. Of course, the +peasants do not take their children there, because it is too +far, and yet they pay. Thus, in the Yásenets township +all pay for three schools, but only 450 souls in three +villages make use of the school, though there are in all +three thousand souls; thus, only one-seventh of the population +makes use of the school, though all pay for it. In +the Chermóshen township there are nine hundred souls +and there is a school there, but only thirty pupils attend<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_305" id="Page_305">[Pg 305]</a></span> +it, because all the villages of that township are scattered. +To nine hundred souls there ought to be four hundred +pupils. And yet, both in the Yásenets and the Chermóshen +townships the question of the distribution of +schools is regarded as satisfactorily solved.</p> + +<p>In matters of the choice of a teacher, the masses are +again guided by quite different views from the County +Council. In choosing a teacher, the masses look upon +him in their own way, and judge him accordingly. If +the teacher has been in the neighbourhood, and the masses +know what the results of his teaching are, they value him +according to these results as a good or as a bad teacher; +but, in addition to the scholastic qualities, the masses +demand that the teacher shall be a man who stands in +close relations to the peasant, able to understand his life +and to speak Russian, and so they will always prefer a +country to a city teacher. In doing so, the masses have +no bias and no antipathy toward any class in particular: +he may be a gentleman, official, burgher, soldier, sexton, +priest,—that makes no difference so long as he is a +simple man and a Russian. For this reason the peasants +have no cause for excluding clerical persons, as the +County Councils do. The County Councils select their +teachers from among strangers, getting them from the +cities, while the masses look for them among themselves. +But the chief difference in this respect between the view +of the Communes and that of the County Council consists +in this: the County Council has only one type,—the +teacher who has attended pedagogical courses, who has +finished a course in a seminary or school, at two hundred +roubles; but with the masses, who do not exclude this +teacher and appreciate him, if he is good, there are gradations +of all kinds of teachers. Besides, with the majority +of school councils there are definite favourite types of +teachers, for the most part such as are foreign to the +masses and antagonistic to them, and other types which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_306" id="Page_306">[Pg 306]</a></span> +the school councils dislike. Thus, evidently, the favourite +type of many counties of the Government of Túla are +lady teachers; the disliked type are the clerical persons, +and in the whole of the Túla and Krapívensk counties +there is not one school with a teacher from the clergy, +which is quite remarkable from an administrative point +of view. In Krapívensk County there are fifty parishes. +The clerical persons are the cheapest of teachers, because +they are permanently settled and for the most part can +teach in their own houses with the aid of their wives and +daughters,—and these are, it seems, purposely avoided, +as though they were very harmful people.</p> + +<p>In matters of the remuneration of the teachers, the +difference between the view of the masses and that of +the County Council has almost all been expressed in the +preceding pages. It consists in this: (1) the masses +choose a teacher according to their means, and they admit +and know from experience that there are teachers at all +prices, from two puds of flour a month to thirty roubles a +month; (2) teachers are to be remunerated for the winter +months, for those during which there can be some instruction; +(3) the masses, in the housing of the school as also +in matters of the remuneration of the teachers, always +know how to find a cheap way: they give flour, hay, the +use of carts, eggs, and all kinds of trifles, which are imperceptible +to the world at large, but which improve the +teacher's condition; (4) above all, a teacher is paid, or is +remunerated in addition to the payment, by the parents +of the pupils, who pay by the month, or by the whole +Commune which enjoys the advantages of the school, and +not by the administration that has no direct interest in +the matter.</p> + +<p>The ministerial department cannot act differently in this +respect. The norm of the salary for a model teacher is +given, consequently these means have to be got together +in some way. For example: a Commune intends to open<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_307" id="Page_307">[Pg 307]</a></span> +a school,—the township gives it a certain number of +kopeks per soul. The County Council calculates how +much to add. If there are no demands made by other +schools, it gives more, sometimes twice as much as the +Commune has given; at times, when all the money has +been distributed, it gives less, or entirely refuses to give +any. Thus, there is in Krapívensk County a Commune +which gives ninety roubles, and the County Council adds +to that three hundred roubles for a school with an assistant; +and there is another Commune which gives 250 +roubles, and the County Council adds another fifty roubles; +and a third Commune which offers fifty-six roubles, and +the County Council refuses to add anything or to open the +school, because that money is insufficient for a normal +school, and all the money has been distributed.</p> + +<p>Thus, the chief distinctions between the administrative +view of the masses and that of the County Council are +the following: (1) the County Council pays great attention +to the housing and spends large sums upon it, while +the masses obviate this difficulty by domestic, economic +means, and look upon the primary schools as temporary, +passing institutions; (2) the ministerial department demands +that instruction be carried on during the whole +year, with the exception of July and August, and nowhere +introduces evening classes, while the masses demand that +instruction be carried on only in the winter and are fond +of evening classes; (3) the ministerial department has a +definite type of teachers, without which it does not recognize +the school, and has a loathing for clerical persons +and, in general, for local instructors; the masses recognize +no norm and choose their teachers preferably from local +inhabitants; (4) the ministerial department distributes +the schools by accident, that is, it is guided only by the +desire of forming a normal school, and has no care for +that greater half of the population which under such +a distribution is left outside the school education; the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_308" id="Page_308">[Pg 308]</a></span> +masses not only recognize no definite external form of +the school, but in the greatest variety of ways get teachers +with all kinds of means, arranging worse and cheaper +schools with small means and good and expensive schools +with greater means, and turn their attention to furnishing +all localities with instruction in return for their money; +(5) the ministerial department determines one measure of +remuneration, which is sufficiently high, and arbitrarily +increases the amount from the County Council; the +masses demand the greatest possible economy and distribute +the remuneration in such a way that those whose +children are taught pay directly.</p> + +<p>It seems as though it would be superfluous to expatiate +on how clearly the common sense of the masses is expressed +in these demands, in contradistinction to that +artificial structure, in which, at its very birth, they are +trying to imprison the business of popular education. +Even besides this, the feeling of justice is involuntarily +provoked against such an order of things. See what is +taking place. The masses have felt the necessity of education, +and have begun to work in the direction of attaining +their end. In addition to all the taxes which they +pay, they have voluntarily imposed upon themselves the +tax for education, that is, they have begun to hire teachers. +What have we done? "Oh, you are able to pay," we +said, "wait, then, for you are stupid and rude. Let us +have the money, and we will arrange it for you in the +best manner possible."</p> + +<p>The masses have given up their money (as I have said, +in many County Councils the levy for the schools has +been turned directly into a tax). The money was taken, +and the education was arranged for them.</p> + +<p>I am not going to repeat about the artificiality of the +education, but how the whole matter has been arranged. +In Krapívensk County there are forty thousand souls, +including girls, according to the last census. According<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_309" id="Page_309">[Pg 309]</a></span> +to Bunyakóvski's table of the distribution of ten thousand +of the Orthodox population for the year 1862, there +ought to be, of the male sex between six and fourteen +years, 1,834, and of the female sex, 1,989,—in all 3,823 +to each ten thousand. According to my own observations, +there ought to be more, no doubt on account of the increase +of the population, so that the average school population +may boldly be put at four thousand. In a school +there are, on an average, in the large centres, about sixty +pupils, and in the smaller, from ten to twenty-five. In +order that all may receive instruction, the smaller centres, +forming the greater half of the population, need schools +for ten, fifteen, and twenty pupils, so that the average of +a school, in my opinion, would be not more than thirty +pupils. How many schools are, then, needed for sixteen +thousand pupils? Divide sixteen thousand by thirty, and +we get 530 schools. Let us assume that, although at the +opening of the schools all pupils from seven to fifteen +years of age will enter, not all will attend regularly for +the period of eight years; let us reject one-fourth, that is +130 schools and, consequently, 4,200 pupils. Let us say +that there are four hundred schools. Only twenty have +been opened. The County Council gives two thousand +roubles and has added one thousand roubles, making in +all three thousand roubles. From some of the peasants, +not from all, fifteen kopeks are levied from each soul, in +all about four thousand roubles. On the building of +schools seven hundred roubles are spent, and on the pedagogical +courses twelve hundred roubles have been used in +one year. But let us suppose that the County Council +will act quite simply and sensibly, and will not waste +money on pedagogical courses and other trifles; let us +suppose that all peasants will pay the new school tax +of fifteen kopeks, what will the future of this matter be? +From the peasants six thousand, from the County Council +three thousand, in all nine thousand. Let us assume that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_310" id="Page_310">[Pg 310]</a></span> +ten more schools will be added. Nine thousand roubles +will barely suffice for the support of these schools, and +that only in case the school council will act most +prudently and economically. Consequently, with the +County Council administration, thirty schools to forty +thousand of the population are the highest limit of what +the dissemination of the schools in the county may reach. +And this limit of the school business can be attained only +if the peasants will levy fifteen kopeks on each soul, which +is extremely doubtful, and if the disbursement of this +money will be in the hands of the peasants, and not of +the County Council. I do not speak of the possible increase +of three thousand roubles, because this increase +of three thousand roubles partly falls back on those same +peasants, and on the other hand is not secured by anything, +forming only an accidental means. Thus, in order +to bring the business of popular education to the state in +which it ought to be, that is, in order that there shall be +four hundred schools to the forty thousand of the population, +and in order that the schools shall not be a toy, but +may answer a real want of the masses, there is no other +issue than that the peasants be taxed, not fifteen kopeks, +but three roubles a soul, in order that the necessary three +hundred roubles to each school be obtained. Even then +I do not see any reason for thinking that as many schools +as are needed would be built.</p> + +<p>Do we not see that now, when the simplest arithmetical +calculation shows that the only means for the success +of the schools is the simplification of methods, the simplicity +and cheapness of the arrangement of the school,—the +pedagogues are busy, as though having made a wager +to concoct a most difficult, most complicated, and expensive +(and, I must add, most bad) instruction? In the +manuals of Messrs. Bunákov and Evtushévski I have +figured up three hundred roubles' worth of aids to instruction +which, in their opinion, are absolutely necessary for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_311" id="Page_311">[Pg 311]</a></span> +the establishment of a primary school. All they talk +about in pedagogical circles is how to prepare improved +teachers in the seminaries, so that a village might not be +able to get them even for four hundred roubles. On that +road of perfection, on which pedagogy stands, it is quite +apparent to me that if 120,000 roubles were collected in +a county, the pedagogues would find use for them all in +twenty schools, with adjustable tables, seminaries for +teachers, and so forth. Have we not seen that forty +schools were closed in Krapívensk County, and that those +who closed them were fully convinced that they thus +advanced the cause of education, for now they have +twenty "good" schools? But what is most remarkable +is that those who express these demands are not in the +least interested in knowing whether the masses for whom +they are preparing all these things want them, and still +less, who is going to pay for it all. But the County +Councils are so befogged by these demands that they do +not see the simple calculation and the simple justice. +It is as though a man asked me to buy him two puds of +flour for a month, and I bought him for that rouble a box +of perfumed confectionery and reproached him for his +ignorance, because he was dissatisfied.</p> + +<p>As I wish to remain true to my rule that criticism +should point out how that which is not good ought to be, +I shall try to show how the whole school business ought +to be arranged, if it is not to be a plaything, and is to +have a future. The answer is the same as to the first two +questions,—freedom. The masses must be given the +freedom to arrange their schools as they wish, and as +little as possible should any one interfere in their arrangement. +Only with such a view of the matter will all the +obstacles to the dissemination of the schools be obviated, +though they have seemed insuperable. The chief obstacles +are the insufficiency of the means and the impossibility +of increasing them. To the first the masses reply<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_312" id="Page_312">[Pg 312]</a></span> +that they are using all the measures at their command to +make the schools cost little; to the second they reply +that the means will always be found so long as they +themselves are the masters, and that they are not willing +to increase the means for the support of that which they +do not need.</p> + +<p>The essential difference between the view of the people +and of the ministerial department consists in the following: +(1) In the opinion of the masses there is no one +definite norm and form of the school, outside and below +which the school is not recognized, as is assumed by the +ministerial department; a school may be of any kind, +either a very good and expensive one, or a very poor and +cheap one, but even in a very poor one reading and writing +may be learned, and, as in a richer parish a better +pope is appointed and a better church built, so also may +a better school be built in a wealthy village, and a poorer +school in a less well-to-do village; but just as one can +pray equally well in a poor or in a rich parish, even so it +is with learning. (2) The masses regard as the first condition +of their education an even, equal distribution of +this education, though it be in its lowest stage, and then +only they propose a further, again an even, raising of the +level of education, while the ministerial department considers +it necessary to give to a certain chosen few, to one-twentieth +of the whole number, a specimen of education, +to show them how nice it is. (3) The ministerial department, +either unable or purposely unwilling to calculate, +has raised the educational business to such a high, expensive +level, and one which is so foreign to the masses, that +considering the high price at which the education is +acquired, no issue from that situation can be foreseen, and +the number of learners can never be increased; but the +masses, who know how to calculate, and who are interested +in that calculation, have no doubt long ago figured +out what I have pointed out above, and see as clear as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_313" id="Page_313">[Pg 313]</a></span> +daylight that those expensive schools, which cost as much +as four hundred roubles each, may be good indeed, but +are not what they need, and try in every way possible to +diminish the expenses for their schools.</p> + +<p>What, then, is to be done? How are the County +Councils to act in order that this business may not be a +plaything and a pastime, but shall have a future? Let +them conform with the needs of the masses, and, so far +as possible, cheapen and free the forms of the school, and +afford the Communes the greatest possible power in the +establishment of the schools.</p> + +<p>For this it is necessary that the County Councils shall +entirely abandon the distribution of the taxes to the +schools and the distribution of the schools according to +localities, but shall leave this distribution to the peasants +themselves. The determination of the pay to the teacher, +the hiring, purchase, or building of the house, the choice +of place and of the teacher himself,—all that ought to +be left to the peasants. The County Council, that is, the +school council, should only demand that the Communes +inform it where and on what foundations schools have +been established, not in order that, upon learning the +facts, it shall prohibit them, as is done now, but in order +that, learning about the conditions under which the +school exists, it may add (if the conditions are in conformity +with the demands of the council) from its County +Council's sums, for the support of the school newly +founded, a certain, definite part of what the school costs +the Commune: a half, a third, a fourth, according to the +quality of the school and the means and wishes of the +County Council. Thus, for example, a village of twenty +souls hires a transient man at two roubles a month to +teach the children. The school council, that is, a person +authorized by it, of whom I shall speak later, upon receiving +that information, invites the transient to come to him, +asks him what he knows and how he teaches, and, if the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_314" id="Page_314">[Pg 314]</a></span> +transient is the least bit educated and does not represent +anything harmful, apportions to him the amount determined +upon by the County Council, one-half, one-third, or +one-fourth, in precisely the same way the school council +proceeds in reference to a clerical person hired by the +Commune at five roubles per month, or in reference to +a teacher hired at fifteen roubles per month. Of course, +that is the way the school council acts in reference to the +teachers hired by the Communes themselves; but if the +Communes turn to the school council, the latter recommends +to them teachers under the same conditions. But +in doing so the County Council must not forget that there +should not be merely teachers at two hundred roubles; +the school council should be an employment agency for +teachers of every description and of every price, from one +rouble to thirty roubles a month. On buildings the school +council ought not to spend or add anything, because they +are one of the most unproductive items of expense. But +the County Council ought not to disdain, as it now does, +teachers at two, three, four, five roubles per month and +locations in smoky huts or by rotation from farm to farm.</p> + +<p>The County Council ought to remember that the prototype +of the school, that ideal toward which it ought to +tend, is not a stone building with an iron roof, with blackboards +and desks, such as we see in model schools, but +the very hut in which the peasant lives, with those +benches and tables on which he eats, and not a teacher +in a Prince Albert or a lady teacher in a chignon, but a +male teacher in a caftan and shirt, or a female teacher in +a peasant skirt and with a kerchief on her head, and not +with one hundred pupils, but with five, six, or ten.</p> + +<p>The County Council must have no bias or antipathy +for certain types of teachers, as is the case at present. +Thus, for example, the Túla County Council just now has +a special bias for the type of school-teachers from the +gymnasia and clerical schools, and the greater part of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_315" id="Page_315">[Pg 315]</a></span> +the schools in Túla County are in their charge. In +Krapívensk County there exists a strange antipathy for +teachers from the clerical profession, so that in this +county, where there are as many as fifty parishes, there +is not one clerical person employed as a teacher. The +County Council, in proposing a teacher, ought to be guided +by two chief considerations: in the first place, that the +teacher should be as cheap as possible; in the second, +that by his education he should stand as near to the +masses as possible. Only thanks to the opposite view +on the matter can be explained such an inexplicable phenomenon +as that in Krapívensk County (almost the same +is true of the whole Government and of the majority of +Governments) there are fifty parishes and twenty schools, +and that for these twenty schools there is not a single +clerical teacher, although there is not a parish where a +priest, or a deacon, or a sexton, or their daughters and +wives could not be found, who would not be glad to do +the teaching for one-fourth the pay that the teachers +coming from the city would be willing to take.</p> + +<p>But I shall be told: What kind of schools will those +be with bigots, drunken soldiers, expelled scribes, and +sextons? And what control can there be over those formless +schools? To this I will reply that, in the first place, +these teachers, bigots, soldiers, and sextons are not so bad +as they are imagined to be. In my school practice I often +had to do with pupils from these schools, and some of +them could read fluently and write beautifully, and soon +abandoned the bad habits which they brought with them +from those schools. All of us know peasants who have +learned the rudiments in such schools, and it cannot be +said that this learning was useless or injurious. In the +second place, I will say that teachers of that calibre are +especially bad because they are quite abandoned in the +backwoods and teach without any aid or instruction, and +that now there is not to be found a single one of the old<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_316" id="Page_316">[Pg 316]</a></span> +teachers who would not tell you with regret that he does +not know the new methods and has himself learned for +copper pence, and that many of them, especially the +younger church servants, are quite willing to learn the +new methods. These teachers ought not to be rejected +without further ado as absolutely worthless. There are +among them better and worse teachers (and I have seen +some very capable ones). They ought to be compared; +the better of them ought to be selected, encouraged, +brought together with other better teachers, and instructed,—which +is quite feasible and precisely the thing +in which the duty of the school council is to consist.</p> + +<p>But how are they to be controlled, watched, and +taught, if they breed by the hundred in each county? +In my opinion the work of the County Council and +school council ought to consist in nothing but watching +the pedagogical side of the business, and that is feasible, +if these means will be taken: in every County Council, +which has taken upon itself the duty of the dissemination +of popular education, or the coöperation with it, +there ought to be one person—whether it be an unpaid +member of the school council, or a man at a salary of +not less than one thousand roubles, hired by the County +Council—who is to attend to the pedagogical side of the +business in the county. That person ought to have a +general, fresh education within the limits of a gymnasium +course, that is, he must know Russian thoroughly and +Church-Slavic partly, arithmetic and algebra thoroughly, +and be a teacher, that is, know the practice of pedagogy. +This person must be freshly educated, because I have +observed that frequently the information of a man who +has long ago finished his course even in a university, and +who has not refreshed his education, is insufficient, not +only for the guidance of teachers, but even for the examination +of a village school. This person must by all +means be a teacher himself in the same locality, in order<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_317" id="Page_317">[Pg 317]</a></span> +that in his demands and instructions he may always have +in view that pedagogical material with which the other +teachers have to deal, and that he may sustain in himself +that live relation to reality which is the chief preservative +against error and delusion. If a County Council +does not possess such a man and does not wish to employ +one, it has, in my opinion, absolutely nothing to do with +the popular education, except to give money, because +every interference with the administrative side of the +matter, in the way it is done now, can only be injurious.</p> + +<p>This member of the County Council, or the educated +person hired by it, must have the best model school, with +an assistant, in the county. In addition to conducting +this school and applying to it all the newest methods of +instruction, this head teacher ought to keep an eye on all +the other schools. This school is not to be a model in +the sense of introducing into it all kinds of cubes and +pictures and all kinds of nonsense invented by the Germans, +but the teacher in this school should experiment +on just such peasant children as the other schools consist +of, in order to determine the simplest methods which may +be adopted by the majority of the teachers, sextons, and +soldiers, who form the bulk of all the schools. Since +with the arrangement which I propose there will certainly +be formed large complete schools in the larger centres (as +I think, in the proportion of one to twenty of all the +other schools), and in these large schools the teachers +will be of a grade of education equal to that of the seminarists +who have finished a course in a theological school, +the head teacher will visit all these larger schools, bring +together these teachers on Sundays, point out to them +the defects, propose new methods, give counsel and books +for their own education, and invite them to his school on +Sundays. The library of the head teacher ought to consist +of several copies of the Bible, of Church-Slavic and +Russian grammars, arithmetic, and algebra. The head<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_318" id="Page_318">[Pg 318]</a></span> +teacher, whenever he has time, will visit also the small +schools and invite their teachers to come to see him; but +the duty of watching the minor teachers is imposed on +the older teachers, who just in the same way visit their +district and invite those teachers to come to see them on +Sundays and on week-days. The County Council either +pays the teachers for travelling, or, in adding its portion +to what the Communes levy, makes it a condition that +the Communes furnish transportation. The meetings of +the teachers and the visits in similar or better schools are +one of the chief conditions for the successful conduct of +the business of education, and so the County Council +ought to direct its main attention to the organization of +these meetings, and not spare any money for them.</p> + +<p>Besides, in the large schools, where there will be more +than fifty pupils, there ought to be chosen, instead of the +assistants which they now have, such of the pupils, of +either sex, as show marked ability for a teacher's calling, +and they should be made assistants, two or three in each +school. These assistants should receive a salary of fifty +kopeks to one rouble per month, and the teacher should +work with them separately in the evenings, so that they +may not fall behind the others. These assistants, chosen +from among the best, are to form the future teachers, to +take the place of the lowest in the minor schools.</p> + +<p>Naturally the organization of these teachers' meetings, +both for the smaller and the larger schools, and the head +teacher's visits of inspection, and the formation of teachers +from pupils acting as assistants may take place in a large +variety of ways; the main point is that the surveillance +of any number of schools (even though it may reach the +norm of one school to every one hundred souls) is possible +in this manner. With such an arrangement the teachers +of both the large and the small schools will feel that +their labours are appreciated, that they have not buried +themselves in the backwoods without hope of salvation,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_319" id="Page_319">[Pg 319]</a></span> +that they have companions and guides, and that in the +matter of instruction, both for their own further education +and for the improvement of their situation, they +have means for advancement. With such an arrangement, +the devotee and the sexton who are able to learn +will learn; while those who are unable or unwilling to +do so will be replaced by some one else.</p> + +<p>The time of instruction ought to be, as is the wish of +all peasants, during the seven winter months, and so the +salary is to be determined by the month. With such an +arrangement, leaving out the rapidity and the equal distribution +of education, the advantage will be this, that +the schools will be established in those centres where the +necessity for them is felt by the masses, where they are +established spontaneously and, therefore, firmly. Where +the character of the population demands education it will +be permanent. Just look: in the towns, the children of +the innkeepers and well-to-do peasants learn to read in +one way or another and never forget what they have +learned; but in the backwoods, where a landed proprietor +founds a school, the children learn well, but in ten years +all is forgotten, and the population is as illiterate as ever. +For this reason the centres, large or small, where the +schools are established spontaneously, are particularly +precious. Where such a school has germinated, no matter +how poor it be, it will throw out roots, and sooner or +later the population will be able to read and write. Consequently, +these sprouts ought to be deemed precious, and +not be treated, as they are everywhere,—they ought not +to be forbidden, because the schools are not according to +our taste, that is, the sprouts ought not to be killed, and +branches stuck in the ground where they will not take +root.</p> + +<p>With merely such an arrangement, without the establishment +of costly and artificial seminaries, the chosen +ones—those selected from the best of the pupils themselves,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_320" id="Page_320">[Pg 320]</a></span> +and those who are educated in the schools—will +form that contingent of cheap popular teachers who will +take the place of the soldiers and sextons and will fully satisfy +all the demands of the masses and of the educated +classes. The chief advantage of such an arrangement is +that it alone gives the development of popular education +a future, that is, takes us out from that blind alley into +which the County Councils have gone, thanks to the +expensive schools and to the absence of new sources for +the increase of their numbers. Only when the masses +themselves choose the centres for the schools, themselves +choose teachers, determine the amount of the remuneration, +and directly enjoy the advantages of the schools, +will they be ready to add means for the schools if such +should become necessary. I know Communes that paid +fifty kopeks a soul for a school in each of their villages; +but it is difficult to compel the peasants to pay fifteen +kopeks for a school in the township, if not all of them +can make use of it. For the whole county, for the County +Council, the peasants will not add a single kopek, because +they feel that they will not enjoy the advantages of their +money. Only with such an arrangement will be found +soon the means for the proper maintenance of all schools, +of one to each one hundred souls, which seems so impossible +in the present state of affairs.</p> + +<p>In addition to this, with the arrangement which I propose, +the interests of the peasant Communes and of the +County Council, as the representative of the intelligence +of the locality, will indissolubly be connected. Let us +say that the County Council gives one-third of what the +peasants give. In furnishing this amount, it will evidently, +in one way or another, see to it that the money +is not wasted, and, consequently, will also keep an eye on +the two-thirds given by the peasant Communes. The +peasant Commune sees that the County Council gives its +part, and so admits the right of the Council to follow the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_321" id="Page_321">[Pg 321]</a></span> +progress of the instruction. At the same time, it has an +object-lesson in the difference which exists between a +school maintained at a smaller and that maintained at +a greater expense, and chooses the one which it needs or +which is more accessible to it in accordance with its means.</p> + +<p>I will again take Krapívensk County, with which I am +familiar, to show what difference the proposed arrangement +would make. I cannot have the slightest doubt +that the moment permission is granted to open schools, +wherever wanted and of any description desired, there +will at once appear very many schools. I am convinced +that in Krapívensk County, in which there are fifty +parishes, there will always be a school in each parish, +because the parishes are always centres of population, +and because among the church servants there will always +be found one who is capable of teaching, likes to teach, +and will find his advantage in it. In addition to the +schools maintained by the church servants there will be +opened those forty schools that have been closed (more +correctly thirty, because ten of them were church schools), +and there will be opened very many new schools, so that +in a very short time there will be not far from four hundred +instead of the twenty at present.</p> + +<p>I may be believed or not, but I will assume that in +Krapívensk County 380 additional schools will be opened, +the moment they are given over to the masses, so that +there will be four hundred in all, and I will try to determine +whether the existence of these four hundred schools, +that is, of twenty times as many as at present, is possible +under the conditions which I have assumed in discussing +the existing order.</p> + +<p>Assuming that all peasants pay fifteen kopeks per soul, +and the County Council gives three thousand roubles, +there will be nine thousand roubles, which will suffice +only for thirty schools with the former arrangement. +But with the new arrangement:</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_322" id="Page_322">[Pg 322]</a></span></p> + +<p>I assume that ten of the old schools are left intact; +in these schools the teachers get twenty roubles per +month, which, for the seven winter months, amounts +to fourteen hundred roubles.</p> + +<p>I assume that in every parish there will be established +a school with the teacher's salary at five roubles per +month, which, for fifty schools, amounts to 1,750 roubles.</p> + +<p>I assume the remaining 340 schools are of the cheap +character, at two roubles per month; fifteen roubles for +each of the 340 schools makes 5,100 roubles.</p> + +<p>Thus the four hundred schools will demand an expenditure +in salaries amounting to 8,250 roubles. There are +still left 750 roubles for school appliances and transportation.</p> + +<p>The figures for the teachers' wages are not chosen +arbitrarily by me: on the other hand, the expensive +teachers are given a larger salary than they now get by +the month for the whole year. Even so, the amount +apportioned to the church servants is what they now +receive in the majority of cases. But the cheap schools +at two roubles per month are assumed by me at a higher +rate than what the peasants in reality pay, so that the +calculation may boldly be accepted. In this calculation +is included the kernel of ten chief teachers and ten or +more church servant teachers. It is evident that only +with such a calculation will the school business be placed +on a serious and possible basis and have a clear and +definite future.</p> + +<p>If what I have pointed out does not convince anybody +that will mean that I did not express clearly what I +wanted to say, and do not wish to enter into any disputes +with anybody. I know that no deaf people are so hopeless +as those who do not want to hear. I know how it is +with farmers. A new threshing-machine has been bought +at a great expense, and it is put up and started threshing. +It threshes miserably, no matter how you set the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_323" id="Page_323">[Pg 323]</a></span> +screw; it threshes badly, and the grain falls into the straw. +There is a loss, and it is as clear as can be that the +machine ought to be abandoned and another means be +employed for threshing, but the money has been spent +and the threshing-machine is put up. "Let her thresh," +says the master. Precisely the same thing will happen +with this matter. I know that for a long time to come +there will flourish the object instruction, and cubes, and +buttons instead of arithmetic, and hissing and sputtering, +in teaching the letters, and twenty expensive schools of +the German pattern, instead of the needed four hundred +popular, cheap schools. But I know just as surely that +the common sense of the Russian nation will not permit +this false, artificial system of instruction to be foisted +upon it.</p> + +<p>The masses are the chief interested person and the +judge, and now do not pay a particle of attention to our +more or less ingenious discussions about the manner in +which the spiritual food of education is best to be prepared +for them. They do not care, because they are +firmly convinced that in the great business of their +mental development they will not make a false step and +will not accept what is bad,—and it would be like +making pease stick to the wall to attempt to educate, +direct, and teach them in the German fashion.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_324" id="Page_324">[Pg 324]</a></span><br /></p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_325" id="Page_325">[Pg 325]</a></span></p> + + +<h2><a name="WHAT_MEN_LIVE_BY" id="WHAT_MEN_LIVE_BY"></a>WHAT MEN LIVE BY<br /> +1881</h2> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_326" id="Page_326">[Pg 326]</a></span><br /></p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_327" id="Page_327">[Pg 327]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center big">WHAT MEN LIVE BY</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>We know that we have passed from death unto life, +because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his +brother abideth in death. (First Ep. of John, iii. 14.)</p> + +<p>But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother +have need, and shutteth, up his heart from him, how dwelleth +the love of God in him? (<i>Ib.</i> iii. 17.)</p> + +<p>My children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; +but in deed and in truth. (<i>Ib.</i> iii. 18.)</p> + +<p>Love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of +God, and knoweth God. (<i>Ib.</i> iv. 7.)</p> + +<p>He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. +(<i>Ib.</i> iv. 8.)</p> + +<p>No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one +another, God dwelleth in us. (<i>Ib.</i> iv. 12.)</p> + +<p>God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in +God, and God in him. (<i>Ib.</i> iv. 16.)</p> + +<p>If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a +liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath +seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen. (<i>Ib.</i> +iv. 20.)</p></div> + + +<h3>I.</h3> + +<p>A shoemaker was lodging with his wife and children +at the house of a peasant. He had no house, no land of +his own, and supported his family by his shoemaker's +trade. Bread was dear, but work was cheap, and he +spent everything he made. The shoemaker and his wife +had one fur coat between them, and even that was all +worn to tatters; this was the second year that the shoemaker +had been meaning to buy a sheepskin for a new +fur coat.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_328" id="Page_328">[Pg 328]</a></span></p> + +<p>Toward fall the shoemaker had saved some money: three +roubles in paper lay in his wife's coffer, and five roubles +and twenty kopeks were outstanding in the village.</p> + +<p>In the morning the shoemaker went to the village to get +him that fur coat. He put on his wife's wadded nankeen +jacket over his shirt, and over it his cloth caftan; he put +the three-rouble bill into his pocket, broke off a stick, and +started after breakfast. He thought:</p> + +<p>"I shall get the five roubles from the peasant, will add +my own three, and with that will buy me a sheepskin for +the fur coat."</p> + +<p>The shoemaker came to the village, and called on the +peasant: he was not at home, and his wife promised to +send her husband with the money, but gave him none +herself. He went to another peasant, but the peasant +swore that he had no money, and gave him only twenty +kopeks for mending a pair of boots. The shoemaker +made up his mind to take the sheepskin on credit, but +the furrier would not give it to him.</p> + +<p>"Bring me the money," he said, "and then you can +choose any you please; we know what it means to collect +debts."</p> + +<p>Thus the shoemaker accomplished nothing. All he got +was the twenty kopeks for the boots he had mended, and +a peasant gave him a pair of felt boots to patch with +leather.</p> + +<p>The shoemaker was grieved, spent all the twenty +kopeks on vódka, and started home without the fur coat. +In the morning it had seemed frosty to him, but now +that he had drunk a little he felt warm even without the +fur coat. The shoemaker walked along, with one hand +striking the stick against the frozen mud clumps, and +swinging the felt boots in the other, and talking to himself.</p> + +<p>"I am warm even without a fur coat," he said. "I +have drunk a cup, and the vódka is coursing through all<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_329" id="Page_329">[Pg 329]</a></span> +my veins. I do not need a sheepskin. I have forgotten +my woe. That's the kind of a man I am! What do I +care! I can get along without a fur coat: I do not need +it all the time. The only trouble is the old woman will +be sorry. It is a shame indeed: I work for him, and he +leads me by the nose. Just wait! If you do not bring +the money, I'll take away your cap, upon my word, I +will! How is this? He pays me back two dimes at a +time! What can you do with two dimes? Take a +drink, that is all. He says he suffers want. You suffer +want, and am I not suffering? You have a house, and +cattle, and everything, and here is all I possess; you +have your own grain, and I have to buy it. I may do as +I please, but I have to spend three roubles a week on +bread. I come home, and the bread is gone: again lay +out a rouble and a half! So give me what is mine!"</p> + +<p>Thus the shoemaker came up to a chapel at the turn of +the road, and there he saw something that looked white, +right near the chapel. It was growing dusk, and the +shoemaker strained his eyes, but could not make out +what it was.</p> + +<p>"There was no stone here," he thought. "A cow? It +does not look like a cow. It looks like the head of a +man, and there is something white besides. And what +should a man be doing there?"</p> + +<p>He came nearer, and he could see plainly. What marvel +was that? It was really a man, either alive or dead, +sitting there all naked, leaning against the chapel, and +not stirring in the least. The shoemaker was frightened, +and thought to himself:</p> + +<p>"Somebody must have killed a man, and stripped him +of his clothes, and thrown him away there. If I go up to +him, I shall never clear myself."</p> + +<p>And the shoemaker went past. He walked around the +chapel, and the man was no longer to be seen. He went +past the chapel, and looked back, and saw the man leaning<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_330" id="Page_330">[Pg 330]</a></span> +away from the building and moving, as though watching +him. The shoemaker was frightened even more than +before, and he thought to himself:</p> + +<p>"Shall I go up to him, or not? If I go up, something +bad may happen. Who knows what kind of a man he is? +He did not get there for anything good. If I go up, he +will spring at me and choke me, and I shall not get away +from him; and if he does not choke me, I may have +trouble with him all the same. What can I do with +him, since he is naked? Certainly I cannot take off the +last from me and give it to him! May God save me!"</p> + +<p>And the shoemaker increased his steps. He was +already a distance away from the chapel, when his conscience +began to smite him.</p> + +<p>And the shoemaker stopped on the road.</p> + +<p>"What are you doing, Semén?" he said to himself. +"A man is dying in misery, and you go past him and +lose your courage. Have you suddenly grown so rich? +Are you afraid that they will rob you of your wealth? +Oh, Semén, it is not right!"</p> + +<p>Semén turned back, and went up to the man.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_331" id="Page_331">[Pg 331]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>II.</h3> + +<p>Semén walked over to the man, and looked at him; +and saw that it was a young man, in the prime of his +strength, with no bruises on his body, but evidently frozen +and frightened: he was leaning back and did not look at +Semén, as though he were weakened and could not raise +his eyes. Semén went up close to him, and the man +suddenly seemed to wake up. He turned his head, +opened his eyes, and looked at Semén. And this one +glance made Semén think well of the man. He threw +down the felt boots, ungirt himself, put his belt on the +boots, and took off his caftan.</p> + +<p>"What is the use of talking?" he said. "Put it on! +Come now!"</p> + +<p>Semén took the man by his elbows and began to raise +him. The man got up. And Semén saw that his body +was soft and clean, his hands and feet not calloused, and +his face gentle. Semén threw his caftan over the man's +shoulders. He could not find his way into the sleeves. +So Semén put them in, pulled the caftan on him, wrapped +him in it, and girded it with the belt.</p> + +<p>Semén took off his torn cap, intending to put it on the +naked man, but his head grew cold, and so he thought: +"My whole head is bald, while he has long, curly hair." +He put it on again. "I had better put the boots on him."</p> + +<p>He seated himself and put the felt boots on him.</p> + +<p>The shoemaker addressed him and said:</p> + +<p>"That's the way, my friend! Now move about and get +warmed up. This business will be looked into without +us. Can you walk?"</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_332" id="Page_332">[Pg 332]</a></span></p> + +<p>The man stood, looking meekly at Semén, but could +not say a word.</p> + +<p>"Why don't you speak? You can't stay here through +the winter. We must make for a living place. Here, +take my stick, lean on it, if you are weak. Tramp along!"</p> + +<p>And the man went. And he walked lightly, and did +not fall behind.</p> + +<p>As they were walking along, Semén said to him:</p> + +<p>"Who are you, please?"</p> + +<p>"I am a stranger."</p> + +<p>"I know all the people here about. How did you get +near that chapel?"</p> + +<p>"I cannot tell."</p> + +<p>"Have people insulted you?"</p> + +<p>"No one has. God has punished me."</p> + +<p>"Of course, God does everything, but still you must be +making for some place. Whither are you bound?"</p> + +<p>"It makes no difference to me."</p> + +<p>Semén was surprised. He did not resemble an evil-doer, +and was gentle of speech, and yet did not say anything +about himself. And Semén thought that all kinds +of things happen, and so he said to the man:</p> + +<p>"Well, come to my house and warm yourself a little."</p> + +<p>Semén walked up to the farm, and the stranger did not +fall behind, but walked beside him. A wind rose and +blew into Semén's shirt, and his intoxication went away, +and he began to feel cold. He walked along, sniffling, +and wrapping himself in his wife's jacket, and he thought:</p> + +<p>"There is your fur coat: I went to get myself a fur +coat, and I am coming back without a caftan, and am +even bringing a naked man with me. Matréna will not +praise me for it!"</p> + +<p>And as Semén thought of Matréna, he felt sorry; and +as he looked at the stranger and recalled how he had +looked at him at the chapel, his blood began to play in +his heart.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 429px;"> +<a href="images/i_360.jpg"> +<img src="images/i_360_s.jpg" width="429" height="600" alt="" title="" /> +</a> +<span class="caption">"'Whither are you bound?'"<br /> +<i>Photogravure from Painting by A. Kivshénko</i></span> +</div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_333" id="Page_333">[Pg 333]</a></span></p> + +<h3>III.</h3> + +<p>Semén's wife got things done early. She chopped the +wood, brought the water, fed the children, herself took a +bite of something, and fell to musing. She was thinking +about when to set the bread, whether to-day or to-morrow. +There was a big slice of it left.</p> + +<p>"If Semén has his dinner there," she thought, "and +does not eat much for supper, the bread will last until +to-morrow."</p> + +<p>Matréna turned the slice around and a second time, and +thought:</p> + +<p>"I will not set any bread to-day. I have enough meal +for just one setting. We shall somehow hold out until +Friday."</p> + +<p>Matréna put the bread away, and seated herself at the +table to put a patch in her husband's shirt. She was +sewing and thinking of how he would buy a sheepskin for +a fur coat.</p> + +<p>"If only the furrier does not cheat him, for my man +is too simple for anything. He himself will not cheat a +soul, but a little child can deceive him. Eight roubles is +no small sum. One can pickup a good fur coat for it. +It will not be tanned, still it will be a fur coat. How +we suffered last winter without a fur coat! We could +not get down to the river, or anywhere. And there he +has gone out, putting everything on him, and I have nothing +to dress in. He went away early; it is time for him +to be back. If only my dear one has not gone on a +spree!"</p> + +<p>Just as Matréna was thinking this, the steps creaked<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_334" id="Page_334">[Pg 334]</a></span> +on the porch, and somebody entered. Matréna stuck the +needle in the cloth, and went out into the vestibule. She +saw two coming in: Semén, and with him a man without +a cap and in felt boots.</p> + +<p>Matréna at once smelt the liquor in her husband's +breath. "Well," she thought, "so it is: he has been on +a spree." And when she saw that he was without his +caftan, in nothing but the jacket, and that he was not +bringing anything, but only keeping silent and crouching, +something broke in Matréna's heart. "He has spent all +the money in drinks," she thought, "and has been on a +spree with some tramp, and has even brought him along."</p> + +<p>Matréna let them pass into the hut, and then stepped +in herself. She saw the lean young man, and he had on +him their caftan. No shirt was to be seen under the +caftan, and he had no hat on his head. When he entered, +he stood still, and did not stir, and did not raise his +eyes. And Matréna thought: "He is not a good man,—he +is afraid."</p> + +<p>Matréna scowled and went to the oven, waiting to see +what would happen.</p> + +<p>Semén took off his cap and sat down on the bench like +a good man.</p> + +<p>"Well, Matréna, will you let us have something for +supper, will you?" he said.</p> + +<p>Matréna growled something under her breath. She +stood at the oven, and did not stir: she looked now at +the one, and now at the other, and shook her head. Semén +saw that his wife was not in a good humour, but +there was nothing to be done, and he acted as though he +did not see it. He took the stranger by the arm:</p> + +<p>"Sit down, my friend," he said, "we shall have our +supper."</p> + +<p>The stranger sat down on the bench.</p> + +<p>"Well, have you not cooked anything?"</p> + +<p>That simply roiled Matréna.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_335" id="Page_335">[Pg 335]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I have cooked, but not for you. You seem to have +drunk away your senses, I see. You went to get a fur +coat, and come back without your caftan, and have even +brought some kind of a naked tramp with you. I have +no supper for you drunkards."</p> + +<p>"Stop, Matréna! What is the use of wagging your +tongue without any sense? First ask what kind of a +man it is—"</p> + +<p>"Tell me what you did with the money."</p> + +<p>Semén stuck his hand into the caftan, took out the +bill, and opened it before her.</p> + +<p>"Here is the money. Trifónov has not paid me,—he +promised to give it to me to-morrow."</p> + +<p>That enraged Matréna even more: he had bought no +fur coat, and the only caftan they had he had put on a +naked fellow, and had even brought him along.</p> + +<p>She grabbed the bill from the table, and ran to put it +away, and said:</p> + +<p>"I have no supper. One cannot feed all the drunkards."</p> + +<p>"Oh, Matréna, hold your tongue. First hear what I +have to say—"</p> + +<p>"Much sense shall I hear from a drunken fool. With +good reason did I object to marrying you, a drunkard. +My mother gave me some linen, and you spent it on +drinks; you went to buy a fur coat, and spent that, too."</p> + +<p>Semén wanted to explain to his wife that he had spent +twenty kopeks only, and wanted to tell her that he had +found the man; but Matréna began to break in with anything +she could think of, and to speak two words at once. +Even what had happened ten years before, she brought +up to him now.</p> + +<p>Matréna talked and talked, and jumped at Semén, and +grabbed him by the sleeve.</p> + +<p>"Give me my jacket. That is all I have left, and you +have taken it from me and put it on yourself. Give it to +me, you freckled dog,—may the apoplexy strike you!"</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_336" id="Page_336">[Pg 336]</a></span></p> + +<p>Semén began to take off the bodice; as he turned back +his arm, his wife gave the bodice a jerk, and it ripped at +the seam. Matréna grabbed the jacket, threw it over her +head, and made for the door. She wanted to go out, but +stopped: her heart was doubled, for she wanted to have +her revenge, and also to find out what kind of a man he +was.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_337" id="Page_337">[Pg 337]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>IV.</h3> + +<p>Matréna stopped and said:</p> + +<p>"If he were a good man, he would not be naked; but, +as it is, he has not even a shirt on him. If he meant +anything good, you would tell me where you found that +dandy."</p> + +<p>"I am telling you: as I was walking along, I saw him +sitting at the chapel, without any clothes, and almost +frozen. It is not summer, and he was all naked. God +sent me to him, or he would have perished. Well, what +had I to do? All kinds of things happen! I picked +him up and dressed him, and brought him here. Calm +yourself! It is a sin, Matréna. We shall all die."</p> + +<p>Matréna wanted to go on scolding, but she looked at +the stranger and kept silence. The stranger sat without +moving, just as he had seated himself on the edge of the +bench. His hands were folded on his knees, his head +drooped on his breast, his eyes were not opened, and he +frowned as though something were choking him. Matréna +grew silent. And Semén said:</p> + +<p>"Matréna, have you no God?"</p> + +<p>When Matréna heard these words, she glanced at the +stranger, and suddenly her heart became softened. She +went away from the door, walked over to the oven corner, +and got the supper ready. She placed a bowl on the +table, filled it with kvas, and put down the last slice of +bread. She handed them a knife and spoons.</p> + +<p>"Eat, if you please," she said.</p> + +<p>Semén touched the stranger.</p> + +<p>"Creep through here, good fellow!" he said.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_338" id="Page_338">[Pg 338]</a></span></p> + +<p>Semén cut up the bread and crumbled it into the kvas, +and they began to eat. And Matréna sat down at the +corner of the table, and leaned on her arm, and kept +looking at the stranger.</p> + +<p>And Matréna pitied the stranger, and took a liking for +him. And suddenly the stranger grew merry, stopped +frowning, raised his eyes on Matréna, and smiled.</p> + +<p>They got through with their supper. The woman +cleared the table, and began to ask the stranger:</p> + +<p>"Who are you?"</p> + +<p>"I am a stranger."</p> + +<p>"How did you get on the road?"</p> + +<p>"I cannot tell."</p> + +<p>"Has somebody robbed you?"</p> + +<p>"God has punished me."</p> + +<p>"And you were lying there naked?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I was lying naked, and freezing. Semén saw +me, took pity on me, pulled off his caftan, put it on me, +and told me to come here. And you have given me to +eat and to drink, and have pitied me. The Lord will +save you!"</p> + +<p>Matréna got up, took from the window Semén's old +shirt, the same that she had been patching, and gave it to +the stranger; and she found a pair of trousers, and gave +them to him.</p> + +<p>"Here, take it! I see that you have no shirt. Put it +on, and lie down wherever it pleases you,—on the hanging +bed or on the oven."</p> + +<p>The stranger took off the caftan, put on the shirt, and +lay down on the hanging bed. Matréna put out the +light, took the caftan, and climbed to where her husband +was.</p> + +<p>Matréna covered herself with the corner of the caftan, +and she lay and could not sleep: the stranger would not +leave her mind.</p> + +<p>As she thought how he had eaten the last slice of bread<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_339" id="Page_339">[Pg 339]</a></span> +and how there would be no bread for the morrow; as she +thought how she had given him a shirt and a pair of +trousers, she felt pretty bad; but when she thought +of how he smiled, her heart was gladdened.</p> + +<p>Matréna could not sleep for a long time, and she heard +that Semén, too, was not sleeping; he kept pulling the +caftan on himself.</p> + +<p>"Semén!"</p> + +<p>"What is it?"</p> + +<p>"We have eaten up the last bread, and I have not set +any. I do not know what to do for to-morrow. Maybe +I had better ask Gossip Malánya for some."</p> + +<p>"If we are alive we shall find something to eat."</p> + +<p>The woman lay awhile and kept silence.</p> + +<p>"He must be a good man. But why does he not tell +about himself?"</p> + +<p>"I suppose he cannot."</p> + +<p>"Semén!"</p> + +<p>"What?"</p> + +<p>"We give, but why does nobody give to us?"</p> + +<p>Semén did not know what to say. He only said, "Stop +talking!" and turned over, and fell asleep.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_340" id="Page_340">[Pg 340]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>V.</h3> + +<p>In the morning Semén awoke. The children were +asleep; his wife had gone to the neighbours to borrow +some bread. The stranger of last night, in the old trousers +and shirt, was alone, sitting on the bench and looking +upward. And his face was brighter than on the day +before.</p> + +<p>And Semén said:</p> + +<p>"Well, dear man, the belly begs for bread, and the +naked body for clothes. We must earn our living. Can +you work?"</p> + +<p>"I do not know anything."</p> + +<p>Semén wondered at him, and said:</p> + +<p>"If only you are willing: people can learn anything."</p> + +<p>"People work, and I, too, will work."</p> + +<p>"What is your name?"</p> + +<p>"Michael."</p> + +<p>"Well, Mikháyla, you do not want to talk about yourself,—that +is your business; but a man has to live. If +you work as I order you, I will feed you."</p> + +<p>"God save you, and I will learn. Show me what to do!"</p> + +<p>Semén took the flax, put it on his fingers and began to +make an end.</p> + +<p>"It is not a hard thing to do, you see."</p> + +<p>Mikháyla watched him, himself put the flax on his +fingers, and made a thread end, as Semén had taught him.</p> + +<p>Semén showed him how to wax it. Mikháyla again +learned the way at once. The master showed him how +to weld the bristle, and how to whet, and Mikháyla +learned it all at once.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_341" id="Page_341">[Pg 341]</a></span></p> + +<p>No matter what work Semén showed to him, he grasped +it at once, and on the third day he began to sew as though +he had done nothing else in all his life. He worked without +unbending himself, ate little, between the periods of +work kept silence, and all the time looked toward the sky. +He did not go into the street, spoke no superfluous word, +and did not jest or laugh.</p> + +<p>Only once was he seen to smile, and that was the first +evening, when the woman gave him a supper.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_342" id="Page_342">[Pg 342]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>VI.</h3> + +<p>Day was added to day, week to week, and the circle of +a year went by. Mikháyla was living as before with +Semén, and working. And the report spread about Semén's +workman that nobody sewed a boot so neatly and so +strongly as he. And people from all the surrounding +country began to come to Semén for boots, and Semén's +income began to grow.</p> + +<p>One time, in the winter, Semén was sitting with Mikháyla +and working, when a tróyka with bells stopped at +the door. They looked through the window: the carriage +had stopped opposite the hut, and a fine lad jumped +down from the box and opened the carriage door. Out +of the carriage stepped a gentleman in a fur coat. He +came out of the carriage, walked toward Semén's house, +and went on the porch. Up jumped Matréna and opened +the door wide. The gentleman bent his head and entered +the hut; he straightened himself up, almost struck the +ceiling with his head, and took up a whole corner.</p> + +<p>Semén got up, bowed to the gentleman, and wondered +what he wanted. He had not seen such men. Semén +himself was spare-ribbed, and Mikháyla was lean, and +Matréna was as dry as a chip, while this one was like a +man from another world: his face was red and blood-filled, +his neck like a bull's, and altogether he looked as +though cast in iron.</p> + +<p>The gentleman puffed, took off his fur coat, seated himself +on a bench, and said:</p> + +<p>"Who is the master shoemaker?"</p> + +<p>Semén stepped forward, and said:</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_343" id="Page_343">[Pg 343]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I, your Excellency."</p> + +<p>The gentleman shouted to his lad:</p> + +<p>"Oh, Fédka, let me have the material!"</p> + +<p>The lad came running in and brought a bundle. The +gentleman took it and put it on the table.</p> + +<p>"Open it!" he said.</p> + +<p>The lad opened it. The gentleman pointed to the +material, and said to Semén:</p> + +<p>"Listen now, shoemaker! Do you see the material?"</p> + +<p>"I do," he said, "your Honour."</p> + +<p>"Do you understand what kind of material this is?"</p> + +<p>Semén felt of it, and said:</p> + +<p>"It is good material."</p> + +<p>"I should say it is! You, fool, have never seen such +before. It is German material: it costs twenty +roubles."</p> + +<p>Semén was frightened, and he said:</p> + +<p>"How could we have seen such?"</p> + +<p>"That's it. Can you make me boots to fit my feet from +this material?"</p> + +<p>"I can, your Honour."</p> + +<p>The gentleman shouted at him:</p> + +<p>"That's it: you can. You must understand for whom +you are working, and what material you have to work on. +Make me a pair of boots that will wear a year without +running down or ripping. If you can, undertake it and +cut the material; if you cannot, do not undertake it +and do not cut the material. I tell you in advance: if +the boots wear off or rip before the year is over, I will put +you into jail; if they do not wear off or rip for a year, I +will give you ten roubles for the work."</p> + +<p>Semén was frightened and did not know what to say. +He looked at Mikháyla. He nudged him with his +elbow, and said:</p> + +<p>"Friend, what do you say?"</p> + +<p>Mikháyla nodded to him: "Take the work!"</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_344" id="Page_344">[Pg 344]</a></span></p> + +<p>Semén took Mikháyla's advice and undertook to make +a pair of boots that would not wear down or rip.</p> + +<p>The gentleman shouted at his lad, told him to pull off +the boot from his left foot, and stretched out his leg.</p> + +<p>"Take the measure!"</p> + +<p>Semén sewed together a piece of paper, ten inches in +length, smoothed it out, knelt down, carefully wiped his +hand on his apron so as not to soil the gentleman's stocking, +and began to measure. He measured the sole, then +the instep, and then the calf, but there the paper was not +long enough. His leg at the calf was as thick as a log.</p> + +<p>"Be sure and do not make them too tight in the boot-leg!"</p> + +<p>Semén sewed up another piece to the strip. The +gentleman sat and moved his toes in his stocking, and +watched the people in the room. He caught sight of +Mikháyla.</p> + +<p>"Who is that man there?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"That is my master workman,—he will make those +boots."</p> + +<p>"Remember," said the gentleman to Mikháyla, "remember! +Make them so that they will wear a year."</p> + +<p>Semén, too, looked at Mikháyla, and he saw that +Mikháyla was not looking at the gentleman, but gazed +at the corner, as though he saw some one there. Mikháyla +looked and looked, suddenly smiled and shone bright.</p> + +<p>"What makes you show your teeth, fool? You had +better be sure and get the boots in time."</p> + +<p>And Mikháyla said:</p> + +<p>"They will be done in time."</p> + +<p>"Exactly."</p> + +<p>The gentleman put on his boot and his fur coat, and +wrapped himself up, and went to the door. He forgot to +bow down, and hit his head against the lintel.</p> + +<p>The gentleman cursed awhile, and rubbed his head, +and seated himself in the carriage, and drove away.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_345" id="Page_345">[Pg 345]</a></span></p> + +<p>When the gentleman was gone, Semén said:</p> + +<p>"He is mighty flinty! You can't kill him with a club. +He has knocked out the lintel, but he himself took little +harm."</p> + +<p>And Matréna said:</p> + +<p>"How can he help being smooth, with the life he leads? +Even death will not touch such a sledge-hammer!"</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_346" id="Page_346">[Pg 346]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>VII.</h3> + +<p>And Semén said to Mikháyla:</p> + +<p>"To be sure, we have undertaken to do the work, if +only we do not get into trouble! The material is costly, +and the gentleman is cross. I hope we shall not make a +blunder. Your eyes are sharper, and your hands are +nimbler than mine, so take this measure! Cut the material, +and I will put on the last stitches."</p> + +<p>Mikháyla did not disobey him, but took the gentleman's +material, spread it out on the table, doubled it, took +the scissors, and began to cut.</p> + +<p>Matréna came up and saw Mikháyla cutting, and was +wondering at what he was doing. Matréna had become +used to the shoemaker's trade, and she looked, and saw +that Mikháyla was not cutting the material in shoemaker +fashion, but in a round shape.</p> + +<p>Matréna wanted to say something, but thought: "Perhaps +I do not understand how boots have to be made for +a gentleman; no doubt Mikháyla knows better, and I will +not interfere."</p> + +<p>Mikháyla cut the pair, and picked up the end, and began +to sew, not in shoemaker fashion, with the two ends +meeting, but with one end, like soft shoes.</p> + +<p>Again Matréna marvelled, but did not interfere. And +Mikháyla kept sewing and sewing. They began to eat +their dinner, and Semén saw that Mikháyla had made a +pair of soft shoes from the gentleman's material.</p> + +<p>Semén heaved a sigh. "How is this?" he thought. +"Mikháyla has lived with me a whole year, and has never +made a mistake, and now he has made such trouble for +me. The gentleman ordered boots with long boot-legs,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_347" id="Page_347">[Pg 347]</a></span> +and he has made soft shoes, without soles, and has spoiled +the material. How shall I now straighten it out with the +master? No such material can be found."</p> + +<p>And he said to Mikháyla:</p> + +<p>"What is this, dear man, that you have done? You +have ruined me. The master has ordered boots, and see +what you have made!"</p> + +<p>He had just begun to scold Mikháyla, when there was +a rattle at the door ring,—some one was knocking. They +looked through the window: there was there a man on +horseback, and he was tying up his horse. They opened +the door: in came the same lad of that gentleman.</p> + +<p>"Good day!"</p> + +<p>"Good day, what do you wish?"</p> + +<p>"The lady has sent me about the boots."</p> + +<p>"What about the boots?"</p> + +<p>"What about the boots? Our master does not need +them. Our master has bid us live long."</p> + +<p>"You don't say!"</p> + +<p>"He had not yet reached home, when he died in his +carriage. The carriage drove up to the house, and the +servants came to help him out, but he lay as heavy as a +bag, and was stiff and dead, and they had a hard time +taking him out from the carriage. So the lady has sent +me, saying: 'Tell the shoemaker that a gentleman came +to see him, and ordered a pair of boots, and left the material +for them; well, tell him that the boots are not +wanted, but that he should use the leather at once for a +pair of soft shoes. Wait until they make them, and bring +them with you.' And so that is why I have come."</p> + +<p>Mikháyla took the remnants of the material from the +table, rolled them up, and took the soft shoes which he +had made, and clapped them against each other, and wiped +them off with his apron, and gave them to the lad. The +lad took the soft shoes.</p> + +<p>"Good-bye, masters, good luck to you!"</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_348" id="Page_348">[Pg 348]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>VIII.</h3> + +<p>There passed another year, and a third, and Mikháyla +was now living the sixth year with Semén. He +was living as before. He went nowhere, did not speak +an unnecessary word, and all that time had smiled but +twice: once, when they gave him the supper, and the +second time when the gentleman came. Semén did not +get tired admiring his workman. He no longer asked +him where he came from; he was only afraid that Mikháyla +might leave him.</p> + +<p>One day they were sitting at home. The housewife +was putting the iron pots into the oven, and the children +were running on the benches, and looking out of the window. +Semén was sharpening his knives at one window, +and Mikháyla was heeling a shoe at the other.</p> + +<p>One of the little boys ran up to Mikháyla on the bench, +leaned against his shoulder, and looked out of the window.</p> + +<p>"Uncle Mikháyla, look there: a merchant woman is +coming to us with some little girls. One of the girls +is lame."</p> + +<p>When the boy said that, Mikháyla threw down his +work, turned to the window, and looked out into the +street.</p> + +<p>And Semén marvelled. Mikháyla had never before +looked into the street, and now he had rushed to the window, +and was gazing at something. Semén, too, looked +out of the window: he saw, indeed, a woman who was +walking over to his yard. She was well dressed, and led +two little girls in fur coats and shawls. The girls looked +one like the other, so that it was hard to tell them apart,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_349" id="Page_349">[Pg 349]</a></span> +only one had a maimed left leg,—she walked with a +limp.</p> + +<p>The woman walked up the porch to the vestibule, felt +for the entrance, pulled at the latch, and opened the door. +First she let the two girls in, and then entered herself.</p> + +<p>"Good day, people!"</p> + +<p>"You are welcome! What do you wish?"</p> + +<p>The woman seated herself at the table. The girls +pressed close to her knees: they were timid before the +people.</p> + +<p>"I want you to make some leather boots for the girls +for the spring."</p> + +<p>"Well, that can be done. We have not made such +small shoes, but we can do it. We can make sharp-edged +shoes, or turnover shoes on linen. Mikháyla is +my master."</p> + +<p>Semén looked around at Mikháyla, and he saw that +Mikháyla had put away his work and was sitting and +gazing at the girls.</p> + +<p>And Semén marvelled at Mikháyla. Indeed, the girls +were pretty: black-eyed, chubby, ruddy-faced, and the fur +coats and shawls which they had on were fine; but still +Semén could not make out why he was gazing at them as +though they were friends of his.</p> + +<p>Semén marvelled, and began to talk with the woman +and to bargain. They came to an agreement, and he took +the measures. The woman took the lame girl on her +knees, and said:</p> + +<p>"For this girl take two measures: make one shoe for +the lame foot, and three for the sound foot. They have the +same size of feet, exactly alike. They are twins."</p> + +<p>Semén took the measure, and he said about the lame +girl:</p> + +<p>"What has made her lame? She is such a pretty girl. +Was she born this way?"</p> + +<p>"No, her mother crushed her."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_350" id="Page_350">[Pg 350]</a></span></p> + +<p>Matréna broke in,—she wanted to know who the +woman was, and whose the children were, and so she +said:</p> + +<p>"Are you not their mother?"</p> + +<p>"I am not their mother, nor their kin, housewife! I +am a stranger to them: I have adopted them."</p> + +<p>"Not your children! How you care for them!"</p> + +<p>"Why should I not care for them? I nursed them +with my own breast. I had a child of my own, but God +took him away. I did not care for him so much as I +have cared for them."</p> + +<p>"Whose are they, then?"</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_351" id="Page_351">[Pg 351]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>IX.</h3> + +<p>The woman began to talk, and said:</p> + +<p>"It was six years ago that these orphans lost their +parents in one week: their father was buried on a Tuesday, +and their mother died on Friday. These orphans +were born three days after their father's death, and their +mother did not live a day. At that time I was living +with my husband in the village. We were their neighbours, +our yard joining theirs. Their father was a lonely +man; he worked in the forest. They dropped a tree on +him, and it fell across his body and squeezed out his +entrails. They had barely brought him home, when he +gave up his soul to God, and that same week his wife bore +twins,—these girls. The woman was poor and alone; +she had neither old woman nor girl with her.</p> + +<p>"Alone she bore them, and alone she died.</p> + +<p>"I went in the morning to see my neighbour, but she, +the dear woman, was already cold. As she died she fell +on the girl, and wrenched her leg. The people came, +and they washed and dressed her, and made a coffin, and +buried her. All of them were good people. The girls +were left alone. What was to be done with them? Of +all the women I alone had a baby. I had been nursing +my first-born boy for eight weeks. I took them for the +time being to my house. The peasants gathered and +thought and thought what to do with them, and they said +to me: 'Márya, keep the girls awhile, and we will try +and think what to do with them.' And I nursed the +straight girl once, but the lame girl I would not nurse. +I did not want her to live. But, I thought, why should<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_352" id="Page_352">[Pg 352]</a></span> +the angelic soul go out, and so I pitied her, too. I began +to nurse her, and so I raised my own and the two girls, +all three of them with my own breasts. I was young and +strong, and I had good food. And God gave me so much +milk in my breasts that at times they overflowed. I +would feed two of them, while the third would be waiting. +When one rolled away, I took the third. And God +granted that I should raise the three, but my own child I +lost in the second year. And God has given me no other +children. We began to earn more and more, and now we +are living here with the merchant at the mill. The +wages are big, and our living is good. I have no children, +and how should I live if it were not for these girls? +How can I help loving them? They are all the wax of +my tapers that I have."</p> + +<p>With one hand the woman pressed the lame girl to her +side, and with the other she began to wipe off her tears.</p> + +<p>And Matréna sighed, and said:</p> + +<p>"Not in vain is the proverb: 'You can live without +parents, but not without God.'"</p> + +<p>And so they were talking among themselves, when +suddenly the room was lighted as though by sheet lightning +from the corner where sat Mikháyla. All looked at +him, and they saw Mikháyla sitting with folded hands on +his knees, and looking up, and smiling.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_353" id="Page_353">[Pg 353]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>X.</h3> + +<p>The woman went away with the girls, and Mikháyla +got up from his bench. He lay down his work, took off his +apron, bowed to the master and to the housewife, and said:</p> + +<p>"Forgive me, people! God has forgiven me. You, +too, should forgive me."</p> + +<p>And the master and his wife saw a light coming from +Mikháyla. And Semén got up, and bowed to Mikháyla, +and said:</p> + +<p>"I see, Mikháyla, you are not a simple man, and I cannot +keep you, and must not beg you to remain. But tell +me this: Why, when I found you and brought you home, +were you gloomy, and when my wife gave you a supper, +why did you smile at her and after that grow brighter? +Later, when the gentleman ordered the boots, you smiled +for the second time, and after that grew brighter, and +now, when the woman brought her girls, you smiled for +the third time, and grew entirely bright. Tell me, Mikháyla, +why does such light come from you, and why did +you smile three times?"</p> + +<p>And Mikháyla said:</p> + +<p>"The light comes from me, because I had been punished, +and now God has forgiven me. And I smiled three times +because I had to learn three words of God. And I have +learned the three words: one word I learned when your +wife took pity on me, and so I smiled for the first time. +The second word I learned when the rich man ordered +the boots, and then I smiled for the second time. And +now, when I saw the girls, I learned the last, the third +word, and I smiled for the third time."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_354" id="Page_354">[Pg 354]</a></span></p> + +<p>And Semén said:</p> + +<p>"Tell me, Mikháyla, for what did God punish you, and +what are those words of God, that I may know them."</p> + +<p>And Mikháyla said:</p> + +<p>"God punished me for having disobeyed him. I was +an angel in heaven, and I disobeyed God. I was an +angel in heaven, and God sent me down to take the soul +out of a woman. I flew down to the earth, and I saw the +woman lying sick, and she had borne twins,—two girls. +The girls were squirming near their mother, and she +could not take them to her breasts. The woman saw me, +and she knew that God had sent me for her soul. She +wept, and said: 'Angel of God! My husband has just +been buried,—he was killed by a tree in the forest. I +have neither sister, nor aunt, nor granny,—there is no +one to bring up my orphans, so do not take my soul! Let +me raise my own children, and put them on their feet. +Children cannot live without a father, without a mother.' +And I listened to the mother, and placed one girl to her +breast, and gave the other one into her hands, and rose up +to the Lord in heaven. And I came before the Lord, and +said: 'I cannot take the soul out of the mother in childbirth. +The father was killed by a tree, the mother bore +twins, and she begged me not to take the soul out of her, +saying, Let me rear and bring up my children, and put +them on their feet. Children cannot live without a father +or mother. I did not take the soul out of the woman in +childbirth.' And the Lord said: 'Go and take the soul +out of the woman in childbirth! And you will learn +three words: you will learn what there is in men, and +what is not given to men, and what men live by. When +you learn them, you will return to heaven.' I flew back +to earth and took the soul out of the woman.</p> + +<p>"The little ones fell away from the breasts. The dead +body rolled over on the bed and crushed one of the girls, +and wrenched her leg. I rose above the village and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_355" id="Page_355">[Pg 355]</a></span> +wanted to take the soul to God; but the wind caught me, +and my wings fell flat; and dropped off, and the soul went +by itself before God, and I fell near the road on the +earth."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_356" id="Page_356">[Pg 356]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>XI.</h3> + +<p>And Semén and Matréna understood whom they had +clothed and fed, and who had lived with them, and they +wept for terror and for joy, and said the angel:</p> + +<p>"I was left all alone in the field, and naked. I had +not known before of human wants, neither of cold, nor of +hunger, and I became a man. I was starved and chilled +and did not know what to do. I saw in the field a chapel +made for the Lord, and I went to God's chapel and wanted +to hide myself in it. The chapel was locked, and I could +not get in. And I seated myself behind the chapel, to +protect myself against the wind. The evening came, I +was hungry and chilled, and I ached all over. Suddenly +I heard a man walking on the road; he was carrying a +pair of boots and talking to himself. And I saw a mortal +face, for the first time since I had become a man, and +that face was terrible to me, and I turned away from it. +And I heard the man talking to himself about how he +might cover his body in the winter from the cold, and +how he might feed his wife and children. And I thought: +'I am dying from hunger and cold, and here comes a man, +who is thinking only of how to cover himself and his +wife with a fur coat, and of how to feed his family. He +cannot help me.' The man saw me; he frowned, and +looked gloomier still, and passed by me. And I was in +despair. Suddenly I heard the man coming back. I +looked at him and did not recognize him: before that death +had been in his face, and now he was revived, and in his +face I saw God. He came up to me, and clothed me, and +took me with him, and led me to his house. I came to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_357" id="Page_357">[Pg 357]</a></span> +his house, and a woman came out of the house and began +to talk. The woman was more terrible yet than the man; +the dead spirit was coming out of her mouth, and I could +not breathe from the stench of death. She wanted to +send me out into the cold, and I knew that she would +die if she drove me out. And suddenly her husband +reminded her of God. And the woman suddenly changed. +And when she gave us to eat, and looked at us, I glanced +at her: there was no longer death in her,—she was alive, +and I recognized God in her.</p> + +<p>"And I recalled God's first word: 'You will know +what there is in men.' And I learned that there was love +in men. And I rejoiced at it, because God had begun +to reveal to me what He had promised, and I smiled for +the first time. But I could not yet learn everything. I +could not understand what was not given to men, and +what men lived by.</p> + +<p>"I began to live with you, and lived a year, and +there came a man, to order a pair of boots, such as would +wear a year, without ripping or turning. I looked at +him, and suddenly I saw behind his shoulder my companion, +the angel of death. None but me saw that +angel; but I knew him, and I knew that the sun would +not go down before the rich man's soul would be taken +away. And I thought: 'The man is providing for a +year, and does not know that he will not live until evening.' +And I thought of God's second word: 'You will +learn what is not given to men.'</p> + +<p>"I knew already what there was in men. Now I +learned what was not given to men. It is not given +men to know what they need for their bodies. And I +smiled for the second time. I was glad because I had +seen my comrade the angel, and because God had revealed +the second word to me.</p> + +<p>"But I could not understand everything. I could not +understand what men lived by. And I lived and waited<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_358" id="Page_358">[Pg 358]</a></span> +for God to reveal to me the last word. And in the sixth +year came the twin girls with the woman, and I recognized +the girls and knew how they were kept alive. I recognized +them, and I thought: 'The mother begged me for +the sake of the children, and I believed the mother and +thought that the children could not live without father and +mother, and yet a strange woman has fed them and reared +them.' And when the woman was touched as she looked +at the children and wept, I saw in her the living God, and +I understood what men lived by. And I learned that +God had revealed the third word to me and forgave me. +And I smiled for the third time."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_359" id="Page_359">[Pg 359]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>XII.</h3> + +<p>And the angel's body was bared and clothed in light, +so that the eye could not behold him, and he spoke +louder, as though the voice were coming not from him +but from heaven. And the angel said:</p> + +<p>"I have learned that every man lives not by the care +for himself, but by love.</p> + +<p>"It was not given to the mother to know what her +children needed for life. It was not given to the rich +man to know what he needed for himself. And it is not +given to any man to know whether before evening he +will need boots for his life, or soft shoes for his death.</p> + +<p>"I was kept alive when I was a man not by what I +did for myself, but because there was love in a passer-by +and in his wife, and because they pitied and loved me. +The orphans were left alive not by what was done for +them, but because there was love in the heart of a +strange woman, and she pitied and loved them. And all +men live not by what they do for themselves, but because +there is love in men.</p> + +<p>"I knew before that God gave life to men and that He +wanted them to live; now I understand even something +else.</p> + +<p>"I understand that God does not want men to live +apart, and so He has not revealed to them what each +needs for himself, but wants them to live together, and +so He has revealed to them what they all need for themselves +and for all.</p> + +<p>"I understand now that it only seems to men that +they live by the care for themselves, and that they live<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_360" id="Page_360">[Pg 360]</a></span> +only by love. He who has love, is in God, and God is in +him, because God is love."</p> + +<p>And the angel began to sing the praise of God, and +from his voice the whole hut shook. And the ceiling +expanded, and a fiery column rose from earth to heaven. +And Semén and his wife and children fell to the ground. +And the wings were unfolded on the angel's shoulders, +and he rose to heaven.</p> + +<p>And when Semén awoke, the hut was as before, and in +the room were only his family.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_361" id="Page_361">[Pg 361]</a></span></p> + + +<h2><a name="THE_THREE_HERMITS" id="THE_THREE_HERMITS"></a>THE THREE HERMITS<br /> +1884</h2> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_362" id="Page_362">[Pg 362]</a></span><br /></p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_363" id="Page_363">[Pg 363]</a></span></p> + + + +<p class ="big center">THE THREE HERMITS</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen +do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much +speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your +Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask +him. (Matt. vi. 7-8.)</p></div> + + +<p>A bishop was sailing in a ship from Arkhángelsk to Solóvki. +On this ship there were pilgrims on their way to +visit the saints. The wind was favourable, the weather +clear, and the vessel did not roll. Of the pilgrims some +were lying down, some eating, some sitting in groups, and +some talking with each other. The bishop, too, came out +on deck, and began to walk up and down on the bridge. +He walked up to the prow and saw there several men +sitting together. A peasant was pointing to something in +the sea and talking, while the people listened to him. The +bishop stopped to see what the peasant was pointing at: +he could see nothing except that the sun was glistening +on the water. The bishop came nearer and began to listen. +When the peasant saw the bishop, he took off his cap +and grew silent. And the people, too, when they saw +the bishop, took off their caps and saluted him.</p> + +<p>"Do not trouble yourselves, friends," said the bishop. +"I have just come to hear what you, good man, are telling +about."</p> + +<p>"The fisherman is telling us about the hermits," said +a merchant, who was a little bolder than the rest.</p> + +<p>"What about those hermits?" asked the bishop. He<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_364" id="Page_364">[Pg 364]</a></span> +walked over to the gunwale and sat down on a box. +"Tell me, too, and I will listen. What were you pointing +at?"</p> + +<p>"There is an island glinting there," said the peasant, +pointing forward and to the right. "On that island the +hermits are living and saving their souls."</p> + +<p>"Where is that island?" asked the bishop.</p> + +<p>"Please to follow my hand! There is a small cloud; +below it and a little to the left of it the island appears +like a streak."</p> + +<p>The bishop looked and looked, but only the water was +rippling in the sun, and he could not make out anything +with his unaccustomed eye.</p> + +<p>"I do not see it," he said. "What kind of hermits are +living on that island?"</p> + +<p>"God's people," replied the peasant. "I had heard +about them for a long time, and never had any +chance to see them; but two summers ago I saw them +myself."</p> + +<p>The fisherman went on to tell how he went out to +catch fish and was driven to that island, and did not +know where he was. In the morning he walked out and +came to an earth hut, and there he saw one hermit, and +then two more came out. They fed him and dried him +and helped him to mend his boat.</p> + +<p>"What kind of people are they?" asked the bishop.</p> + +<p>"One is small and stooping, a very old man, in an old +cassock; he must be more than a hundred years old, the +gray of his beard is turning green, and he smiles all the +time, and is as bright as an angel of heaven. The second +is taller; he, too, is old, and wears a ragged caftan; his +broad gray beard is streaked yellow, and he is a powerful +man: he turned my boat around as though it were +a vat, before I had a chance to help him; he also is a +cheerful man. The third man is tall; his beard falls +down to his knees and is as white as snow; he is a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_365" id="Page_365">[Pg 365]</a></span> +gloomy man, and his brows hang over his eyes; he is all +naked, and girded only with a piece of matting."</p> + +<p>"What did they tell you?" asked the bishop.</p> + +<p>"They did everything mostly in silence, and spoke +little to one another. When one looked up, the others +understood him. I asked the tall man how long they +had been living there. He frowned and muttered something, +as though he were angry, but the little hermit +took his arm and smiled, and the tall one grew silent. +All the little hermit said was: 'Have mercy on us,' +and smiled."</p> + +<p>While the peasant spoke, the ship came nearer to the +island.</p> + +<p>"Now you can see it plainly," said the merchant. +"Please to look there, your Reverence!" he said, pointing +to the island.</p> + +<p>The bishop looked up and really saw a black strip, +which was the island. The bishop looked at it for quite +awhile, then he went away from the prow to the stern, +and walked over to the helmsman.</p> + +<p>"What island is this that we see there?"</p> + +<p>"That is a nameless island. There are so many of +them here."</p> + +<p>"Is it true what they say, that some hermits are saving +their souls there?"</p> + +<p>"They say so, your Reverence, but I do not know +whether it is so. Fishermen say that they have seen +them. But they frequently speak to no purpose."</p> + +<p>"I should like to land on that island and see the hermits," +said the bishop. "How can I do it?"</p> + +<p>"The ship cannot land there," said the helmsman. +"You can get there by a boat, but you must ask the captain."</p> + +<p>The captain was called out.</p> + +<p>"I should like to see those hermits," said the bishop. +"Can I not be taken there?"</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_366" id="Page_366">[Pg 366]</a></span></p> + +<p>The captain began to dissuade him.</p> + +<p>"It can be done, but it will take much time, and, I +take the liberty of informing your Reverence, it is not +worth while to look at them. I have heard people say +that they were foolish old men: they understand nothing +and cannot speak, just like the fishes of the sea."</p> + +<p>"I wish it," said the bishop. "I will pay you for the +trouble, so take me there."</p> + +<p>It could not be helped. The sailors shifted the sails +and the helmsman turned the ship, and they sailed toward +the island. A chair was brought out for the bishop +and put at the prow. He sat down and looked. All the +people gathered at the prow, and all kept looking at the +island. Those who had sharper eyes saw the rocks on +the island, and they pointed to the earth hut. And one +man could make out the three hermits. The captain +brought out his spy-glass and looked through it and gave +it to the bishop.</p> + +<p>"That's so," he said, "there, on the shore, a little to +the right from that big rock, stand three men."</p> + +<p>The bishop looked through the glass and turned it to +the right spot. There were three men there: one tall, a +second smaller, and a third a very small man. They +were standing on the shore and holding each other's +hands.</p> + +<p>The captain walked over to the bishop, and said:</p> + +<p>"Here, your Reverence, the ship has to stop. If you +wish to go there by all means, you will please go from +here in a boat, and we will wait here at anchor."</p> + +<p>The hawsers were let out, the anchor dropped, the sails +furled, and the vessel jerked and shook. A boat was +lowered, the oarsmen jumped into it, and the bishop went +down a ladder. He sat down on a bench in the boat, +and the oarsmen pulled at the oars and rowed toward the +island. They came near to the shore and could see +clearly three men standing there: a tall man, all naked,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_367" id="Page_367">[Pg 367]</a></span> +with a mat about his loins; the next in size, in a tattered +caftan; and the stooping old man, in an old cassock. +There they stood holding each other's hands.</p> + +<p>The oarsmen rowed up to the shore and caught their +hook in it. The bishop stepped ashore.</p> + +<p>The old men bowed to him. He blessed them, and +they bowed lower still. Then the bishop began to talk +to them:</p> + +<p>"I have heard," he said, "that you are here, hermits of +God, saving your souls and praying to Christ our God for +men. I, an unworthy servant of Christ, have been called +here by the mercy of God to tend His flock, and so I +wanted to see you, the servants of God, and to give you +some instruction, if I can do so."</p> + +<p>The hermits kept silence, and smiled, and looked at +one another.</p> + +<p>"Tell me, how do you save yourselves and serve God?" +asked the bishop.</p> + +<p>The middle-sized hermit heaved a sigh and looked at +the older, the stooping hermit. And the stooping hermit +smiled, and said:</p> + +<p>"We do not know, O servant of God, how to serve +God. We only support ourselves."</p> + +<p>"How, then, do you pray to God?"</p> + +<p>And the stooping hermit said:</p> + +<p>"We pray as follows: There are three of you and three +of us,—have mercy on us!"</p> + +<p>And the moment the stooping hermit had said that, +all three of them raised their eyes to heaven, and all +three said:</p> + +<p>"There are three of you and three of us,—have mercy +on us!"</p> + +<p>The bishop smiled, and said:</p> + +<p>"You have heard that about the Holy Trinity, but you +do not pray the proper way. I like you, hermits of God, +and I see that you want to please God, but do not know<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_368" id="Page_368">[Pg 368]</a></span> +how to serve Him. I will teach you, not according to my +way, but from the Gospel will I teach you as God has +commanded all men to pray to Him."</p> + +<p>And the bishop began to explain to the hermits how +God had revealed Himself to men: he explained to them +about God the Father, and God the Son, and God the +Holy Ghost, and said:</p> + +<p>"God the Son came down upon earth to save men and +taught them to pray as follows. Listen, and repeat after +me."</p> + +<p>And the bishop began to say, "Our Father." And one +of the hermits repeated, "Our Father," and the second repeated, +"Our Father," and the third repeated, "Our Father."</p> + +<p>"Which art in heaven." The hermit repeated, "Which +art in heaven." But the middle hermit got mixed in his +words, and did not say it right; and the tall, naked hermit +did not say it right: his moustache was all over his +mouth, and he could not speak clearly; and the stooping, +toothless hermit, too, lisped it indistinctly.</p> + +<p>The bishop repeated it a second time, and the hermits +repeated it after him. And the bishop sat down on a +stone, and the hermits stood around him and looked into +his mouth and repeated after him so long as he spoke. +And the bishop worked with them all day; he repeated +one word ten, and twenty, and a hundred times, and the +hermits repeated after him. They blundered, and he +corrected them, and made them repeat from the beginning.</p> + +<p>The bishop did not leave the hermits until he taught +them the whole Lord's prayer. They said it with him +and by themselves. The middle-sized hermit was the +first to learn it, and he repeated it all by himself. The +bishop made him say it over and over again, and both +the others said the prayer, too.</p> + +<p>It was beginning to grow dark, and the moon rose from +the sea, when the bishop got up to go back to the ship.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_369" id="Page_369">[Pg 369]</a></span> +The bishop bade the hermits good-bye, and they bowed +to the ground before him. He raised each of them, and +kissed them, and told them to pray as he had taught them, +and entered the boat, and was rowed back to the ship.</p> + +<p>And as the boat was rowed toward the ship, the bishop +heard the hermits loudly repeating the Lord's prayer in +three voices. The boat came nearer to the ship, and the +voices of the hermits could no longer be heard, but in +the moonlight they could be seen standing on the shore, +in the spot where they had been left: the smallest of +them was in the middle, the tallest on the right, and the +middle-sized man on the left. The bishop reached the +ship and climbed up to the deck. The anchors were +weighed, the sails unfurled, and the wind blew and drove +the ship, and on they sailed. The bishop went to the +prow and sat down there and looked at the island. At +first the hermits could be seen, then they disappeared +from view, and only the island could be seen; then the +island, too, disappeared, and only the sea glittered in the +moonlight.</p> + +<p>The pilgrims lay down to sleep, and everything grew +quiet on the deck. But the bishop did not feel like +sleeping. He sat by himself at the prow and looked out +to sea to where the island had disappeared, and thought +of the good hermits. He thought of how glad they had +been to learn the prayer, and thanked God for having +taken him there to help the God's people,—to teach them +the word of God.</p> + +<p>The bishop was sitting and thinking and looking out to +sea to where the island had disappeared. There was something +unsteady in his eyes: now a light quivered in one +place on the waves, and now in another. Suddenly he +saw something white and shining in the moonlight,—either +a bird, a gull, or a white sail on a boat. The +bishop watched it closely.</p> + +<p>"A sailboat is following after us," he thought. "It<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_370" id="Page_370">[Pg 370]</a></span> +will soon overtake us. It was far, far away, but now it is +very near. It is evidently not a boat, for there seems to +be no sail. Still it is flying behind us and coming up +close to us."</p> + +<p>The bishop could not make out what it was: a boat, no, +it was not a boat; a bird, no, not a bird; a fish, no, not +a fish! It was like a man, but too large for that, and +then, how was a man to be in the middle of the ocean? +The bishop got up and walked over to the helmsman.</p> + +<p>"See there, what is it?"</p> + +<p>"What is it, my friend? What is it?" asked the +bishop, but he saw himself that those were the hermits +running over the sea. Their beards shone white, and, as +though the ship were standing still, they came up to it.</p> + +<p>The helmsman looked around and was frightened. He +dropped the helm, and called out in a loud voice:</p> + +<p>"O Lord! The hermits are running after us on the +sea as though it were dry land!"</p> + +<p>The people heard him, and rushed to the helm. All +saw the hermits running and holding each other's hands. +Those at the ends waved their hands, asking the ship to +be stopped. All three were running over the water as +though it were dry land, without moving their feet.</p> + +<p>Before the ship could be stopped, the hermits came +abreast with the ship. They came up to the gunwale, +raised their heads, and spoke in one voice:</p> + +<p>"O servant of God, we have forgotten your lesson. So +long as we repeated it, we remembered it; but when we +stopped for an hour, one word leaped out, and then the +rest scattered. We do not remember a thing, so teach +us again."</p> + +<p>The bishop made the sign of the cross, bent down to +the hermits, and said:</p> + +<p>"Even your prayer, hermits of God, reaches the Lord. +It is not for me to teach you. Pray for us sinful +men!"</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_371" id="Page_371">[Pg 371]</a></span></p> + +<p>And the bishop made a low obeisance to the hermits. +And the hermits stopped, turned around, and walked back +over the sea. And up to morning a light could be seen +on the side where the hermits had departed.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_372" id="Page_372">[Pg 372]</a></span><br /></p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_373" id="Page_373">[Pg 373]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="NEGLECT_THE_FIRE" id="NEGLECT_THE_FIRE"></a>NEGLECT THE FIRE<br /> +And You Cannot Put It Out<br /> +1885</h2> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_374" id="Page_374">[Pg 374]</a></span><br /></p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_375" id="Page_375">[Pg 375]</a></span></p> + +<p class="big center">NEGLECT THE FIRE<br /> +And You Cannot Put It Out</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall +my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven +times?</p> + +<p>Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven +times: but, Until seventy times seven.</p> + +<p>Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain +king, which would take account of his servants.</p> + +<p>And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought +unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.</p> + +<p>But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded +him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all +that he had, and payment to be made.</p> + +<p>The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, +saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee +all.</p> + +<p>Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, +and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.</p> + +<p>But the same servant went out, and found one of his +fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and +he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, +Pay me that thou owest.</p> + +<p>And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought +him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.</p> + +<p>And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, +till he should pay the debt.</p> + +<p>So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they +were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that +was done.</p> + +<p>Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto +him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, +because thou desiredst me:</p> + +<p>Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy +fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_376" id="Page_376">[Pg 376]</a></span></p> + +<p>And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, +till he should pay all that was due unto him.</p> + +<p>So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, +if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother +their trespasses. (Matt. xviii. 21-35.)</p></div> + + +<p>There lived in a village a peasant, by the name of Iván +Shcherbakóv. He lived well; he was himself in full +strength, the first worker in the village, and he had three +sons,—all of them on their legs: one was married, the +second about to marry, and the third a grown-up lad who +drove horses and was beginning to plough. Iván's wife +was a clever woman and a good housekeeper, and his +daughter-in-law turned out to be a quiet person and a +good worker. There was no reason why Iván should not +have led a good life with his family. The only idle mouth +on the farm was his old, ailing father (he had been lying +on the oven for seven years, sick with the asthma).</p> + +<p>Iván had plenty of everything, three horses and a colt, +a cow and a yearling calf, and fifteen sheep. The women +made the shoes and the clothes for the men and worked +in the field; the men worked on their farms.</p> + +<p>They had enough grain until the next crop. From the +oats they paid their taxes and met all their obligations. +An easy life, indeed, might Iván have led with his children. +But next door to him he had a neighbour, Gavrílo +the Lame, Gordyéy Ivánov's son. And there was an +enmity between him and Iván.</p> + +<p>So long as old man Gordyéy was alive, and Iván's +father ran the farm, the peasants lived in neighbourly +fashion. If the women needed a sieve or a vat, or the +men had to get another axle or wheel for a time, they +sent from one farm to another, and helped each other out +in a neighbourly way. If a calf ran into the yard of the +threshing-floor, they drove it out and only said: "Don't +let it out, for the heap has not yet been put away." And +it was not their custom to put it away and lock it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_377" id="Page_377">[Pg 377]</a></span> +up in the threshing-floor or in a shed, or to revile each +other.</p> + +<p>Thus they lived so long as the old men were alive. +But when the young people began to farm, things went +quite differently.</p> + +<p>The whole thing began from a mere nothing. A hen +of Iván's daughter-in-law started laying early. The +young woman gathered the eggs for Passion week. Every +day she went to the shed to pick up an egg from the +wagon-box. But, it seems, the boys scared away the hen, +and she flew across the wicker fence to the neighbour's +yard, and laid an egg there. The young woman heard +the hen cackle, so she thought:</p> + +<p>"I have no time now, I must get the hut in order for +the holiday; I will go there later to get it."</p> + +<p>In the evening she went to the wagon-box under the +shed, to fetch the egg, but it was not there. The young +woman asked her mother-in-law and her brother-in-law if +they had taken it; but Taráska, her youngest brother-in-law, +said:</p> + +<p>"Your hen laid an egg in the neighbour's yard, for she +cackled there and flew out from that yard."</p> + +<p>The young woman went to look at her hen, and found +her sitting with the cock on the perch; she had closed her +eyes and was getting ready to sleep. The woman would +have liked to ask her where she laid the egg, but she +would not have given her any answer. Then the young +woman went to her neighbour. The old woman met her.</p> + +<p>"What do you want, young woman?"</p> + +<p>"Granny, my hen has been in your yard to-day,—did +she not lay an egg there?"</p> + +<p>"I have not set eyes on her. We have hens of our +own, thank God, and they have been laying for quite +awhile. We have gathered our own eggs, and we do not +need other people's eggs. Young woman, we do not go to +other people's yards to gather eggs."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_378" id="Page_378">[Pg 378]</a></span></p> + +<p>The young woman was offended. She said a word too +much, the neighbour answered with two, and the women +began to scold. Iván's wife was carrying water, and she, +too, took a hand in it. Gavrílo's wife jumped out, and +began to rebuke her neighbour. She reminded her of +things that had happened, and mentioned things that had +not happened at all. And the tongue-lashing began. All +yelled together, trying to say two words at the same time. +And they used bad words.</p> + +<p>"You are such and such a one; you are a thief, a sneak; +you are simply starving your father-in-law; you are a +tramp."</p> + +<p>"And you are a beggar: you have torn my sieve; and +you have our shoulder-yoke. Give me back the yoke!"</p> + +<p>They grabbed the yoke, spilled the water, tore off their +kerchiefs, and began to fight. Gavrílo drove up from the +field, and he took his wife's part. Iván jumped out with +his son, and they all fell in a heap. Iván was a sturdy +peasant, and he scattered them all. He yanked out a +piece of Gavrílo's beard. People ran up to them, and +they were with difficulty pulled apart.</p> + +<p>That's the way it began.</p> + +<p>Gavrílo wrapped the piece of his beard in a petition +and went to the township court to enter a complaint.</p> + +<p>"I did not raise a beard for freckled Iván to pull it +out."</p> + +<p>In the meantime his wife bragged to the neighbours +that they would now get Iván sentenced and would have +him sent to Siberia, and the feud began.</p> + +<p>The old man on the oven tried to persuade them to +stop the first day they started to quarrel, but the young +people paid no attention to him. He said to them:</p> + +<p>"Children, you are doing a foolish thing, and for a +foolish thing have you started a feud. Think of it,—the +whole affair began from an egg. The children picked +up the egg,—well, God be with them! There is no<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_379" id="Page_379">[Pg 379]</a></span> +profit in one egg. With God's aid there will be enough +for everybody. Well, you have said a bad word, so correct +it, show her how to use better words! Well, you +have had a fight,—you are sinful people. That, too, +happens. Well, go and make peace, and let there be an +end to it! If you keep it up, it will only be worse."</p> + +<p>The young people did not obey the old man; they +thought that he was not using sense, but just babbling in +old man's fashion.</p> + +<p>Iván did not give in to his neighbour.</p> + +<p>"I did not pull his beard," he said. "He jerked it out +himself; but his son has yanked off my shirt-button and +has torn my whole shirt. Here it is."</p> + +<p>And Iván, too, took the matter to court. The case was +heard before a justice of the peace, and in the township +court. While they were suing each other, Gavrílo lost a +coupling-pin out of his cart. The women in Gavrílo's +house accused Iván's son of having taken it.</p> + +<p>"We saw him in the night," they said, "making his +way under the window to the cart, and the gossip says +that he went to the dram-shop and asked the dram-shopkeeper +to take the pin from him."</p> + +<p>Again they started a suit. But at home not a day +passed but that they quarrelled, nay, even fought. The +children cursed one another,—they learned this from +their elders,—and when the women met at the brook, +they did not so much strike the beetles as let loose their +tongues, and to no good.</p> + +<p>At first the men just accused each other, but later they +began to snatch up things that lay about loose. And +they taught the women and children to do the same. +Their life grew worse and worse. Iván Shcherbakóv and +Gavrílo the Lame kept suing one another at the meetings +of the Commune, and in the township court, and before +the justices of the peace, and all the judges were tired of +them. Now Gavrílo got Iván to pay a fine, or he sent<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_380" id="Page_380">[Pg 380]</a></span> +him to the lockup, and now Iván did the same to Gavrílo. +And the more they did each other harm, the more +furious they grew. When dogs make for each other, they +get more enraged the more they fight. You strike a dog +from behind, and he thinks that the other dog is biting +him, and gets only madder than ever. Just so it was +with these peasants: when they went to court, one or the +other was punished, either by being made to pay a +fine, or by being thrown into prison, and that only +made their rage flame up more and more toward one +another.</p> + +<p>"Just wait, I will pay you back for it!"</p> + +<p>And thus it went on for six years. The old man on +the oven kept repeating the same advice. He would say +to them:</p> + +<p>"What are you doing, my children? Drop all your +accounts, stick to your work, don't show such malice +toward others, and it will be better. The more you rage, +the worse will it be."</p> + +<p>They paid no attention to the old man.</p> + +<p>In the seventh year the matter went so far that Iván's +daughter-in-law at a wedding accused Gavrílo before people +of having been caught with horses. Gavrílo was +drunk, and he did not hold back his anger, but struck +the woman and hurt her so that she lay sick for a week, +for she was heavy with child. Iván rejoiced, and went +with a petition to the prosecuting magistrate.</p> + +<p>"Now," he thought, "I will get even with my neighbour: +he shall not escape the penitentiary or Siberia."</p> + +<p>Again Iván was not successful. The magistrate did +not accept the petition: they examined the woman, but +she was up and there were no marks upon her. Iván +went to the justice of the peace; but the justice sent the +case to the township court. Iván bestirred himself in +the township office, filled the elder and the scribe with +half a bucket of sweet liquor, and got them to sentence<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_381" id="Page_381">[Pg 381]</a></span> +Gavrílo to having his back flogged. The sentence was +read to Gavrílo in the court.</p> + +<p>The scribe read:</p> + +<p>"The court has decreed that the peasant Gavrílo Gordyéy +receive twenty blows with rods in the township +office."</p> + +<p>Iván listened to the decree and looked at Gavrílo, wondering +what he would do. Gavrílo, too, heard the decree, +and he became as pale as a sheet, and turned away and +walked out into the vestibule. Iván followed him out +and wanted to go to his horse, when he heard Gavrílo +say:</p> + +<p>"Very well, he will beat my back, and it will burn, +but something of his may burn worse than that."</p> + +<p>When Iván heard these words, he returned to the +judges.</p> + +<p>"Righteous judges! He threatens to set fire to my +house. Listen, he said it in the presence of witnesses."</p> + +<p>Gavrílo was called in.</p> + +<p>"Is it true that you said so?"</p> + +<p>"I said nothing. Flog me, if you please. Evidently +I must suffer for my truth, while he may do anything +he wishes."</p> + +<p>Gavrílo wanted to say something more, but his lips +and cheeks trembled. He turned away toward the wall. +Even the judges were frightened as they looked at him.</p> + +<p>"It would not be surprising," they thought, "if he +actually did some harm to his neighbour or to himself."</p> + +<p>And an old judge said to them:</p> + +<p>"Listen, friends! You had better make peace with +each other. Did you do right, brother Gavrílo, to strike +a pregnant woman? Luckily God was merciful to you, +but think what crime you might have committed! Is +that good? Confess your guilt and beg his pardon! +And he will pardon you. Then we shall change the +decree."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_382" id="Page_382">[Pg 382]</a></span></p> + +<p>The scribe heard that, and said:</p> + +<p>"That is impossible, because on the basis of Article +117 there has taken place no reconciliation, but the +decree of the court has been handed down, and the decree +has to be executed."</p> + +<p>But the judge paid no attention to the scribe.</p> + +<p>"Stop currycombing your tongue. The first article, +my friend, is to remember God, and God has commanded +me to make peace."</p> + +<p>And the judge began once more to talk to the peasants, +but he could not persuade them. Gavrílo would not +listen to him.</p> + +<p>"I am fifty years old less one," he said, "and I have a +married son. I have not been beaten in all my life, and +now freckled Iván has brought me to being beaten with +rods, and am I to beg his forgiveness? Well, he will—Iván +will remember me!"</p> + +<p>Gavrílo's voice trembled again. He could not talk. +He turned around and went out.</p> + +<p>From the township office to the village was a distance +of ten versts, and Iván returned home late. The women +had already gone out to meet the cattle. He unhitched +his horse, put it away, and entered the hut. The room +was empty. The children had not yet returned from the +field, and the women were out to meet the cattle. Iván +went in, sat down on a bench, and began to think. He +recalled how the decision was announced to Gavrílo, and +how he grew pale, and turned to the wall. And his +heart was pinched. He thought of how he should feel if +he were condemned to be flogged. He felt sorry for Gavrílo. +He heard the old man coughing on the oven. The +old man turned around, let down his legs, and sat up. +He pulled himself with difficulty up to the bench, and +coughed and coughed, until he cleared his throat, and +leaned against the table, and said:</p> + +<p>"Well, have they condemned him?"</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_383" id="Page_383">[Pg 383]</a></span></p> + +<p>Iván said:</p> + +<p>"He has been sentenced to twenty strokes with the +rods."</p> + +<p>The old man shook his head.</p> + +<p>"Iván, you are not doing right. It's wrong, not wrong +to him, but to yourself. Well, will it make you feel +easier, if they flog him?"</p> + +<p>"He will never do it again," said Iván.</p> + +<p>"Why not? In what way is he doing worse than +you?"</p> + +<p>"What, he has not harmed me?" exclaimed Iván. "He +might have killed the woman; and he even now threatens +to set fire to my house. Well, shall I bow to him for it?"</p> + +<p>The old man heaved a sigh, and said:</p> + +<p>"You, Iván, walk and drive wherever you please in the +free world, and I have passed many years on the oven, +and so you think that you see everything, while I see +nothing. No, my son, you see nothing,—malice has +dimmed your eyes. Another man's sins are in front of +you, but your own are behind your back. You say that +he has done wrong. If he alone had done wrong, there +would be no harm. Does evil between people arise from +one man only? Evil arises between two. You see his badness, +but you do not see your own. If he himself were +bad, and you good, there would be no evil. Who pulled +out his beard? Who blasted the rick which was at +halves? Who is dragging him to the courts? And yet +you put it always on him. You yourself live badly, that's +why it is bad. Not thus did I live, and no such thing, +my dear, did I teach you. Did I and the old man, his +father, live this way? How did we live? In neighbourly +fashion. If his flour gave out, and the woman came: 'Uncle +Frol, I need some flour.'—'Go, young woman, into the +granary, and take as much as you need.' If he had nobody +to send out with the horses,—'Go, Iván, and look +after his horses!' And if I was short of anything, I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_384" id="Page_384">[Pg 384]</a></span> +used to go to him. 'Uncle Gordyéy, I need this and +that.' And how is it now? The other day a soldier was +talking about Plévna. Why, your war is worse than +what they did at Plévna. Do you call this living? It is +a sin! You are a peasant, a head of a house. You will +be responsible. What are you teaching your women and +your children? To curse. The other day Taráska, that +dirty nose, cursed Aunt Arína, and his mother only laughed +at him. Is that good? You will be responsible for it. +Think of your soul. Is that right? You say a word to +me, and I answer with two; you box my ears, and I box +you twice. No, my son, Christ walked over the earth +and taught us fools something quite different. If a word +is said to you,—keep quiet, and let conscience smite +him. That's what he, my son, has taught us. If they +box your ears, you turn the other cheek to them: 'Here, +strike it if I deserve it.' His own conscience will prick +him. He will be pacified and will do as you wish. +That's what he has commanded us to do, and not to crow. +Why are you silent? Do I tell you right?"</p> + +<p>Iván was silent, and he listened.</p> + +<p>The old man coughed again, and with difficulty coughed +up the phlegm, and began to speak again:</p> + +<p>"Do you think Christ has taught us anything bad? +He has taught us for our own good. Think of your +earthly life: are you better off, or worse, since that Plévna +of yours was started? Figure out how much you have +spent on these courts, how much you have spent in travelling +and in feeding yourself on the way? See what +eagles of sons you have! You ought to live, and live +well, and go up, but your property is growing less. +Why? For the same reason. From your pride. You +ought to be ploughing with the boys in the field and attend +to your sowing, but the fiend carries you to court or +to some pettifogger. You do not plough in time and do +not sow in time, and mother earth does not bring forth<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_385" id="Page_385">[Pg 385]</a></span> +anything. Why did the oats not do well this year? +When did you sow them? When you came back from +the city. And what did you gain from the court? Only +trouble for yourself. Oh, son, stick to your business, +and attend to your field and your house, and if any one has +offended you, forgive him in godly fashion, and things +will go better with you, and you will feel easier at +heart."</p> + +<p>Iván kept silence.</p> + +<p>"Listen, Iván! Pay attention to me, an old man. Go +and hitch the gray horse, and drive straight back to the +office: squash there the whole business, and in the morning +go to Gavrílo, make peace with him in godly fashion, +and invite him to the holiday" (it was before Lady-day), +"have the samovár prepared, get a half bottle, and make +an end to all sins, so that may never happen again, and +command the women and children to live in peace."</p> + +<p>Iván heaved a sigh, and thought: "The old man is +speaking the truth," and his heart melted. The only +thing he did not know was how to manage things so as +to make peace with his neighbour.</p> + +<p>And the old man, as though guessing what he had in +mind, began once more:</p> + +<p>"Go, Iván, do not put it off! Put out the fire at the +start, for when it burns up, you can't control it."</p> + +<p>The old man wanted to say something else, but did not +finish, for the women entered the room and began to +prattle like magpies. The news had already reached +them about how Gavrílo had been sentenced to be flogged, +and how he had threatened to set fire to the house. They +had found out everything, and had had time in the pasture +to exchange words with the women of Gavrílo's house. +They said that Gavrílo's daughter-in-law had threatened +them with the examining magistrate. The magistrate, they +said, was receiving gifts from Gavrílo. He would now upset +the whole case, and the teacher had already written another<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_386" id="Page_386">[Pg 386]</a></span> +petition to the Tsar about Iván, and that petition mentioned +all the affairs, about the coupling-pin, and about the +garden,—and half of the estate would go back to him. +Iván listened to their talk, and his heart was chilled +again, and he changed his mind about making peace with +Gavrílo.</p> + +<p>In a farmer's yard there is always much to do. Iván +did not stop to talk with the women, but got up and went +out of the house, and walked over to the threshing-floor +and the shed. Before he fixed everything and started +back again, the sun went down, and the boys returned +from the field. They had been ploughing up the field +for the winter crop. Iván met them, and asked them about +their work and helped them to put up the horses. He +laid aside the torn collar and was about to put some poles +under the shed, when it grew quite dark. Iván left the +poles until the morrow; instead he threw some fodder +down to the cattle, opened the gate, let Taráska out with +the horses into the street, to go to the night pasture, and +again closed the gate and put down the gate board.</p> + +<p>"Now to supper and to bed," thought Iván. He took +the torn collar and went into the house. He had entirely +forgotten about Gavrílo, and about what his father had +told him. As he took hold of the ring and was about to +enter the vestibule, he heard his neighbour on the other +side of the wicker fence scolding some one in a hoarse +voice.</p> + +<p>"The devil take him!" Gavrílo was crying to some +one. "He ought to be killed."</p> + +<p>These words made all the old anger toward his neighbour +burst forth in Iván. He stood awhile and listened +to Gavrílo's scolding. Then Gavrílo grew quiet, and +Iván went into the house.</p> + +<p>He entered the room. Fire was burning within. The +young woman was sitting in the corner behind the spinning-wheel; +the old woman was getting supper ready;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_387" id="Page_387">[Pg 387]</a></span> +the eldest son was making laces for the bast shoes, the +second was at the table with a book, and Taráska was +getting ready to go to the night pasture.</p> + +<p>In the house everything was good and merry, if it +were not for that curse,—a bad neighbour.</p> + +<p>Iván was angry when he entered the room. He +knocked the cat down from the bench and scolded the +women because the vat was not in the right place. Iván +felt out of humour. He sat down, frowning, and began +to mend the collar. He could not forget Gavrílo's words, +with which he had threatened him in court, and how he +had said about somebody, speaking in a hoarse voice: +"He ought to be killed."</p> + +<p>The old woman got Taráska something to eat. When +he was through with his supper, he put on a fur coat and +a caftan, girded himself, took a piece of bread, and went +out to the horses. The eldest brother wanted to see him +off, but Iván himself got up and went out on the porch. +It was pitch-dark outside, the sky was clouded, and a +wind had risen. Iván stepped down from the porch, +helped his little son to get on a horse, frightened a colt +behind him, and stood looking and listening while Taráska +rode down the village, where he met other children, +and until they all rode out of hearing. Iván stood and +stood at the gate, and could not get Gavrílo's words out +of his head, "Something of yours may burn worse."</p> + +<p>"He will not consider himself," thought Iván. "It is +dry, and a wind is blowing. He will enter somewhere +from behind, the scoundrel, and will set the house on fire, +and he will go free. If I could catch him, he would not +get away from me."</p> + +<p>This thought troubled Iván so much that he did not go +back to the porch, but walked straight into the street and +through the gate, around the corner of the house.</p> + +<p>"I will examine the yard,—who knows?"</p> + +<p>And Iván walked softly down along the gate. He had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_388" id="Page_388">[Pg 388]</a></span> +just turned around the corner and looked up the fence, +when it seemed to him that something stirred at the +other end, as though it got up and sat down again. Iván +stopped and stood still,—he listened and looked: everything +was quiet, only the wind rustled the leaves in the +willow-tree and crackled through the straw. It was +pitch-dark, but his eyes got used to the darkness: Iván +could see the whole corner and the plough and the penthouse. +He stood and looked, but there was no one there.</p> + +<p>"It must have only seemed so to me," thought Iván, +"but I will, nevertheless, go and see," and he stole up +along the shed. Iván stepped softly in his bast shoes, so +that he did not hear his own steps. He came to the +corner, when, behold, something flashed by near the +plough, and disappeared again. Iván felt as though +something hit him in the heart, and he stopped. As he +stopped he could see something flashing up, and he could +see clearly some one in a cap squatting down with his +back toward him, and setting fire to a bunch of straw in +his hands. He stood stock-still.</p> + +<p>"Now," he thought, "he will not get away from me. +I will catch him on the spot."</p> + +<p>Before Iván had walked two lengths of the fence it +grew quite bright, and no longer in the former place, nor +was it a small fire, but the flame licked up in the straw +of the penthouse and was going toward the roof, and +there stood Gavrílo so that the whole of him could be +seen.</p> + +<p>As a hawk swoops down on a lark, so Iván rushed up +against Gavrílo the Lame.</p> + +<p>"I will twist him up," he thought, "and he will not +get away from me."</p> + +<p>But Gavrílo the Lame evidently heard his steps and +ran along the shed with as much speed as a hare.</p> + +<p>"You will not get away," shouted Iván, swooping down +on him.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_389" id="Page_389">[Pg 389]</a></span></p> + +<p>He wanted to grab him by the collar, but Gavrílo got +away from him, and Iván caught him by the skirt of his +coat. The skirt tore off, and Iván fell down.</p> + +<p>Iván jumped up.</p> + +<p>"Help! Hold him!" and again he ran.</p> + +<p>As he was getting up, Gavrílo was already near his +yard, but Iván caught up with him. He was just going +to take hold of him, when something stunned him, as +though a stone had come down on his head. Gavrílo +had picked up an oak post near his house and hit Iván +with all his might on the head, when he ran up to him.</p> + +<p>Iván staggered, sparks flew from his eyes, then all +grew dark, and he fell down. When he came to his +senses, Gavrílo was gone. It was as light as day, and +from his yard came a sound as though an engine were +working, and it roared and crackled there. Iván turned +around and saw that his back shed was all on fire and +the side shed was beginning to burn; the fire, and the +smoke, and the burning straw were being carried toward +the house.</p> + +<p>"What is this? Friend!" cried Iván. He raised his +hands and brought them down on his calves. "If I +could only pull it out from the penthouse, and put it out! +What is this? Friends!" he repeated. He wanted to +shout, but he nearly strangled,—he had no voice. He +wanted to run, but his feet would not move,—they +tripped each other up. He tried to walk slowly, but he +staggered, and he nearly strangled. He stood still again +and drew breath, and started to walk. Before he came to +the shed and reached the fire, the side shed was all on +fire, and he could not get into the yard. People came +running up, but nothing could be done. The neighbours +dragged their own things out of their houses, and drove +the cattle out. After Iván's house, Gavrílo's caught +fire; a wind rose and carried the fire across the street. +Half the village burned down.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_390" id="Page_390">[Pg 390]</a></span></p> + +<p>All they saved from Iván's house was the old man, who +was pulled out, and everybody jumped out in just what +they had on. Everything else was burned, except the +horses in the pasture: the cattle were burned, the chickens +on their roosts, the carts, the ploughs, the harrows, +the women's chests, the grain in the granary,—everything +was burned.</p> + +<p>Gavrílo's cattle were saved, and they dragged a few +things out of his house.</p> + +<p>It burned for a long time, all night long. Iván stood +near his yard, and kept looking at it, and saying:</p> + +<p>"What is this? Friends! If I could just pull it out +and put it out!"</p> + +<p>But when the ceiling in the hut fell down, he jumped +into the hottest place, took hold of a brand, and wanted +to pull it out. The women saw him and began to call +him back, but he pulled out one log and started for +another: he staggered and fell on the fire. Then his son +rushed after him and dragged him out. Iván had his +hair and beard singed and his garments burnt and his +hands blistered, but he did not feel anything.</p> + +<p>"His sorrow has bereft him of his senses," people said.</p> + +<p>The fire died down, but Iván was still standing there, +and saying:</p> + +<p>"Friends, what is this? If I could only pull it out."</p> + +<p>In the morning the elder sent his son to Iván.</p> + +<p>"Uncle Iván, your father is dying: he has sent for +you, to bid you good-bye."</p> + +<p>Iván had forgotten about his father, and did not understand +what they were saying to him.</p> + +<p>"What father?" he said. "Send for whom?"</p> + +<p>"He has sent for you, to bid you good-bye. He +is dying in our house. Come, Uncle Iván!" said the +elder's son, pulling him by his arm.</p> + +<p>Iván followed the elder's son.</p> + +<p>When the old man, was carried out, burning straw fell on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_391" id="Page_391">[Pg 391]</a></span> +him and scorched him. He was taken to the elder's house +in a distant part of the village. This part did not burn.</p> + +<p>When Iván came to his father, only the elder's wife +was there, and the children on the oven. The rest were +all at the fire. The old man was lying on a bench, with +a taper in his hand, and looking toward the door. When +his son entered, he stirred a little. The old woman went +up to him and said that his son had come. He told her +to have him come closer to him. Iván went up, and then +the old man said:</p> + +<p>"What have I told you, Iván? Who has burned the +village?"</p> + +<p>"He, father," said Iván, "he,—I caught him at it. +He put the fire to the roof while I was standing near. If +I could only have caught the burning bunch of straw and +put it out, there would not have been anything."</p> + +<p>"Iván," said the old man, "my death has come, and +you, too, will die. Whose sin is it?"</p> + +<p>Iván stared at his father and kept silence; he could +not say a word.</p> + +<p>"Speak before God: whose sin is it? What have I +told you?"</p> + +<p>It was only then that Iván came to his senses, and +understood everything. And he snuffled, and said:</p> + +<p>"Mine, father." And he knelt before his father, and +wept, and said: "Forgive me, father! I am guilty +toward you and toward God."</p> + +<p>The old man moved his hands, took the taper in his +left hand, and was moving his right hand toward his +brow, to make the sign of the cross, but he did not get +it so far, and he stopped.</p> + +<p>"Glory be to thee, O Lord! Glory be to thee, O Lord!" +he said, and his eyes were again turned toward his son.</p> + +<p>"Iván! Oh, Iván!"</p> + +<p>"What is it, father?"</p> + +<p>"What is to be done now?"</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_392" id="Page_392">[Pg 392]</a></span></p> + +<p>Iván was weeping.</p> + +<p>"I do not know, father," he said. "How am I to live +now, father?"</p> + +<p>The old man closed his eyes and lisped something, as +though gathering all his strength, and he once more opened +his eyes and said:</p> + +<p>"You will get along. With God's aid will you get +along." The old man was silent awhile, and he smiled +and said:</p> + +<p>"Remember, Iván, you must not tell who started the fire. +Cover up another man's sin! God will forgive two sins."</p> + +<p>And the old man took the taper into both hands, folded +them over his heart, heaved a sigh, stretched himself, and +died.</p> + +<hr class="tb" /> + +<p>Iván did not tell on Gavrílo, and nobody found out +how the fire had been started.</p> + +<p>And Iván's heart was softened toward Gavrílo, and +Gavrílo marvelled at Iván, because he did not tell anybody. +At first Gavrílo was afraid of him, but later he +got used to him. The peasants stopped quarrelling, and +so did their families. While they rebuilt their homes, +the two families lived in one house, and when the village +was built again, and the farmhouses were built farther +apart, Iván and Gavrílo again were neighbours, living in +the same block.</p> + +<p>And Iván and Gavrílo lived neighbourly together, just as +their fathers had lived. Iván Shcherbakóv remembered +his father's injunction and God's command to put out the +fire in the beginning. And if a person did him some +harm, he did not try to have his revenge on the man, but +to mend matters; and if a person called him a bad name, +he did not try to answer with worse words still, but to +teach him not to speak badly. And thus he taught, also +the women folk and the children. And Iván Shcherbakóv +improved and began to live better than ever.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_393" id="Page_393">[Pg 393]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="THE_CANDLE" id="THE_CANDLE"></a>THE CANDLE<br /> +1885</h2> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_394" id="Page_394">[Pg 394]</a></span><br /></p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_395" id="Page_395">[Pg 395]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center big">THE CANDLE</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an +eye, and a tooth for a tooth: but I say unto you, That +ye resist not evil. (Matt. v. 38, 39.)</p></div> + + +<p>This happened in the days of slavery. There were +then all kinds of masters. There were such as remembered +their hour of death and God, and took pity on their people, +and there were dogs,—not by that may their memory +live! But there were no meaner masters than those who +from serfdom rose, as though out of the mud, to be lords! +With them life was hardest of all.</p> + +<p>There happened to be such a clerk in a manorial estate. +The peasants were doing manorial labour. There was +much land, and the land was good, and there was water, +and meadows, and forests. There would have been enough +for everybody, both for the master and for the peasants, +but the master had placed over them a clerk, a manorial +servant of his from another estate.</p> + +<p>The clerk took the power into his own hand, and sat +down on the peasants' necks. He was a married man,—he +had a wife and two married daughters,—and had +saved some money: he might have lived gloriously without +sin, but he was envious, and stuck fast in sin. He +began by driving the peasants to manorial labour more +than the usual number of days. He started a brick-kiln, +and he drove all the men and women to work in it above<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_396" id="Page_396">[Pg 396]</a></span> +their strength, and sold the brick. The peasants went +to the proprietor in Moscow to complain against him, but +they were not successful. When the clerk learned that +the peasants had entered a complaint against him, he took +his revenge out of them. The peasants led a harder life +still. There were found faithless people among the +peasants: they began to denounce their own brothers to +the clerk, and to slander one another. And all the people +became involved, and the clerk was furious.</p> + +<p>The further it went, the worse it got, and the clerk +carried on so terribly that the people became afraid of +him as of a wolf. When he drove through the village, +everybody ran away from him as from a wolf, so as not to +be seen by him. The clerk saw that and raved more than +ever because people were afraid of him. He tortured the +peasants with beating and with work, and they suffered +very much from him.</p> + +<p>It used to happen that such evil-doers were put out of +the way, and the peasants began to talk that way about +him. They would meet somewhere secretly, and such as +were bolder would say:</p> + +<p>"How long are we going to endure this evil-doer? We +are perishing anyway,—and it is no sin to kill a man +like him."</p> + +<p>One day the peasants met in the forest, before Easter +week: the clerk had sent them to clean up the manorial +woods. They came together at dinner-time, and began +to talk:</p> + +<p>"How can we live now?" they said. "He will root +us up. He has worn us out with work: neither in the +daytime nor at night does he give any rest to us or to +the women. And the moment a thing does not go the +way he wants it to, he nags at us and has us flogged. +Semén died from that flogging; Anísim he wore out in +the stocks. What are we waiting for? He will come +here in the evening and will again start to torment us.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_397" id="Page_397">[Pg 397]</a></span> +We ought just to pull him down from his horse, whack +him with an axe, and that will be the end of it. We +will bury him somewhere like a dog, and mum is the +word. Let us agree to stand by each other and not give +ourselves away."</p> + +<p>Thus spoke Vasíli Mináev. He was more furious at +the clerk than anybody else. The clerk had him flogged +every week, and had taken his wife from him and made +her a cook at his house.</p> + +<p>Thus the peasants talked, and in the evening the clerk +came. He came on horseback, and immediately began to +nag them because they were not cutting right. He found +a linden-tree in the heap.</p> + +<p>"I have commanded you not to cut any lindens down," +he said. "Who cut it down? Tell me, or I will have +every one of you flogged!"</p> + +<p>He tried to find out in whose row the linden was. +They pointed to Sídor. The clerk beat Sídor's face until +the blood came, and struck Vasíli with a whip because +his pile was small. He rode home.</p> + +<p>In the evening the peasants met again, and Vasíli began +to speak.</p> + +<p>"Oh, people, you are not men, but sparrows! 'We +will stand up, we will stand up!' but when the time for +action came, they all flew under the roof. Even thus the +sparrows made a stand against the hawk: 'We will not +give away, we will not give away! We will make a stand, +we will make a stand!' But when he swooped down on +them, they made for the nettles. And the hawk seized +one of the sparrows, the one he wanted, and flew away +with him. Out leaped the sparrows: 'Chivik, chivik!' +one of them was lacking. 'Who is gone? Vánka. Well, +served him right!' Just so you did. 'We will not give +each other away, we will not give each other away!' +When he took hold of Sídor, you ought to have come +together and made an end of him. But there you say,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_398" id="Page_398">[Pg 398]</a></span> +We will not give away, we will not give away! We +will make a stand, we will make a stand!' and when he +swooped down on you, you made for the bushes."</p> + +<p>The peasants began to talk that way oftener and +oftener, and they decided fully to make away with the +clerk. During Passion week the clerk told the peasants +to get ready to plough the manorial land for oats during +Easter week. That seemed offensive to the peasants, and +they gathered during Passion week in Vasíli's back yard, +and began to talk.</p> + +<p>"If he has forgotten God," they said, "and wants to do +such things, we must certainly kill him. We shall +be ruined anyway."</p> + +<p>Peter Mikhyéev came to them. He was a peaceable +man, and did not take counsel with the peasants. He +came, and listened to their speeches, and said:</p> + +<p>"Brothers, you are planning a great crime. It is a +serious matter to ruin a soul. It is easy to ruin somebody +else's soul, but how about our own souls? He is +doing wrong, and the wrong is at his door. We must +suffer, brothers."</p> + +<p>Vasíli grew angry at these words.</p> + +<p>"He has got it into his head that it is a sin to kill a +man. Of course it is, but what kind of a man is he? It +is a sin to kill a good man, but such a dog even God has +commanded us to kill. A mad dog has to be killed, if +we are to pity men. If we do not kill him, there will be +a greater sin. What a lot of people he will ruin! Though +we shall suffer, it will at least be for other people. Men +will thank us for it. If we stand gaping he will ruin us +all. You are speaking nonsense, Mikhyéev. Will it be +a lesser sin if we go to work on Christ's holiday? You +yourself will not go."</p> + +<p>And Mikhyéev said:</p> + +<p>"Why should I not go? If they send me, I will go to +plough. It is not for me. God will find out whose sin<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_399" id="Page_399">[Pg 399]</a></span> +it is, so long as we do not forget him. Brothers, I am +not speaking for myself. If we were enjoined to repay +evil with evil, there would be a commandment of that +kind, but we are taught just the opposite. You start to +do away with evil, and it will only pass into you. It is +not a hard thing to kill a man. But the blood sticks +to your soul. To kill a man means to soil your soul with +blood. You imagine that when you kill a bad man you +have got rid of the evil, but, behold, you have reared a +worse evil within you. Submit to misfortune, and misfortune +will be vanquished."</p> + +<p>The peasants could not come to any agreement: their +thoughts were scattered. Some of them believed with +Vasíli, and others agreed with Peter's speech that they +ought not commit a crime, but endure.</p> + +<p>The peasants celebrated the first day, the Sunday. In +the evening the elder came with the deputies from the +manor, and said:</p> + +<p>"Mikhaíl Seménovich, the clerk, has commanded me to +get all the peasants ready for the morrow, to plough the +field for the oats." The elder made the round of the village +with the deputies and ordered all to go out on the +morrow to plough, some beyond the river, and some from +the highway. The peasants wept, but did not dare to +disobey, and on the morrow went out with their ploughs +and began to plough.</p> + +<p>Mikhaíl Seménovich, the clerk, awoke late, and went +out to look after the farm. His home folk—his wife +and his widowed daughter (she had come for the holidays)—were +all dressed up. A labourer hitched a cart for +them, and they went to mass, and returned home again. +A servant made the samovár, and when Mikhaíl Seménovich +came, they sat down to drink tea. Mikhaíl Seménovich +drank his tea, lighted a pipe, and sent for the elder.</p> + +<p>"Well," he said, "have you sent out the peasants to +plough?"</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_400" id="Page_400">[Pg 400]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Yes, Mikhaíl Seménovich."</p> + +<p>"Well, did all of them go?"</p> + +<p>"All. I placed them myself."</p> + +<p>"Of course, you have placed them,—but are they +ploughing? Go and see, and tell them that I will be +there in the afternoon, and by that time they are to plough +a desyatína to each two ploughs, and plough it well. If +I find any unploughed strips, I will pay no attention to +the holiday."</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir."</p> + +<p>The elder started to go out, but Mikhaíl Seménovich +called him back. He called him back, but he hesitated, +for he wanted to say something and did not know how to +say it. He hesitated awhile, and then he said:</p> + +<p>"Listen to what those robbers are saying about me. +Tell me everything,—who is scolding me, or whatever +they may be saying. I know those robbers: they do not +like to work; all they want to do is to lie on their sides +and loaf. To eat and be idle, that is what they like; +they do not consider that if the time of ploughing is +missed it will be too late. So listen to what they have +to say, and let me know everything you may hear! Go, +but be sure you tell me everything and keep nothing +from me!"</p> + +<p>The elder turned around and left the room. He +mounted his horse and rode into the field to the peasants.</p> + +<p>The clerk's wife had heard her husband's talk with the +elder, and she came in and began to implore him. The +wife of the clerk was a peaceable woman, and she had a +good heart. Whenever she could, she calmed her husband +and took the peasants' part.</p> + +<p>She came to her husband, and began to beg him: "My +dear Míshenka, do not sin, for the Lord's holiday! For +Christ's sake, send the peasants home!"</p> + +<p>Mikhaíl Seménovich did not accept his wife's words, +but only laughed at her:</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_401" id="Page_401">[Pg 401]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Is it too long a time since the whip danced over you +that you have become so bold, and meddle in what is not +your concern?"</p> + +<p>"Míshenka, my dear, I have had a bad dream about +you. Listen to my words and send the peasants home!"</p> + +<p>"Precisely, that's what I say. Evidently you have +gathered so much fat that you think the whip will not +hurt you. Look out!"</p> + +<p>Seménovich grew angry, knocked the burning pipe into +her teeth, sent her away, and told her to get the dinner +ready.</p> + +<p>Mikhaíl Seménovich ate cold gelatine, dumplings, beet +soup with pork, roast pig, and milk noodles, and drank +cherry cordial, and ate pastry for dessert; he called in +the cook and made her sit down and sing songs to him, +while he himself took the guitar and accompanied her.</p> + +<p>Mikhaíl Seménovich was sitting in a happy mood and +belching, and strumming the guitar, and laughing with the +cook. The elder came in, made a bow, and began to +report what he had seen in the field.</p> + +<p>"Well, are they ploughing? Will they finish the task?"</p> + +<p>"They have already ploughed more than half."</p> + +<p>"No strips left?"</p> + +<p>"I have not seen any. They are afraid, and are working +well."</p> + +<p>"And are they breaking up the dirt well?"</p> + +<p>"The earth is soft and falls to pieces like a poppy."</p> + +<p>The clerk was silent for awhile.</p> + +<p>"What do they say about me? Are they cursing me?"</p> + +<p>The elder hesitated, but Mikhaíl Seménovich commanded +him to tell the whole truth.</p> + +<p>"Tell everything! You are not going to tell me your +words, but theirs. If you tell me the truth, I will reward +you; and if you shield them, look out, I will have you +flogged. O Kátyusha, give him a glass of vódka to brace +him up!"</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_402" id="Page_402">[Pg 402]</a></span></p> + +<p>The cook went and brought the elder the vódka. The +elder saluted, drank the vódka, wiped his mouth, and +began to speak. "I cannot help it," he thought, "it is +not my fault if they do not praise him; I will tell him +the truth, if he wants it." And the elder took courage +and said:</p> + +<p>"They murmur, Mikhaíl Seménovich, they murmur."</p> + +<p>"What do they say? Speak!"</p> + +<p>"They keep saying that you do not believe in God."</p> + +<p>The clerk laughed.</p> + +<p>"Who said that?"</p> + +<p>"All say so. They say that you are submitting to the +devil."</p> + +<p>The clerk laughed.</p> + +<p>"That is all very well," he said, "but tell me in particular +what each says. What does Vasíli say?"</p> + +<p>The elder did not wish to tell on his people, but with +Vasíli he had long been in a feud.</p> + +<p>"Vasíli," he said, "curses more than the rest."</p> + +<p>"What does he say? Tell me!"</p> + +<p>"It is too terrible to tell. He says that you will die an +unrepenting death."</p> + +<p>"What a brave fellow!" he said. "Why, then, is he +gaping? Why does he not kill me? Evidently his arms +are too short. All right," he said, "Vasíli, we will square +up accounts. And Tíshka, that dog, I suppose he says so, +too?"</p> + +<p>"All speak ill of you."</p> + +<p>"But what do they say?"</p> + +<p>"I loathe to tell."</p> + +<p>"Never mind! Take courage and speak!"</p> + +<p>"They say: 'May his belly burst, and his guts run +out!'"</p> + +<p>Mikhaíl Seménovich was delighted, and he even laughed.</p> + +<p>"We will see whose will run out first. Who said that? +Tíshka?"</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 418px;"> +<a href="images/i_434.jpg"> +<img src="images/i_434_s.jpg" width="418" height="600" alt="" title="" /> +</a> +<span class="caption">"But the candle was still burning"<br /> +<i>Photogravure from Painting by A. Kivshénko</i></span> +</div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_403" id="Page_403">[Pg 403]</a></span></p> +<p>"Nobody said a good word. All of them curse you +and threaten you."</p> + +<p>"Well, and Peter Mikhyéev? What does he say? He, +too, I suppose, is cursing me?"</p> + +<p>"No, Mikhaíl Seménovich, Peter is not cursing."</p> + +<p>"What does he say?"</p> + +<p>"He is the only one of all the peasants who is not +saying anything. He is a wise peasant. I wondered at +him, Mikhaíl Seménovich."</p> + +<p>"How so?"</p> + +<p>"All the peasants were wondering at what he was +doing."</p> + +<p>"What was he doing?"</p> + +<p>"It is wonderful. I rode up to him. He is ploughing +the slanting desyatína at Túrkin Height. As I rode up +to him, I heard some one singing such nice, high tones, +and on the plough-staff something was shining."</p> + +<p>"Well?"</p> + +<p>"It was shining like a light. I rode up to him, and +there I saw a five-kopek wax candle was stuck on the +cross-bar and burning, and the wind did not blow it out. +He had on a clean shirt, and was ploughing and singing +Sunday hymns. And he would turn over and shake off +the dirt, but the candle did not go out. He shook the +plough in my presence, changed the peg, and started +the plough, but the candle was still burning and did not +go out."</p> + +<p>"And what did he say?"</p> + +<p>"He said nothing. When he saw me, he greeted me +and at once began to sing again."</p> + +<p>"What did you say to him?"</p> + +<p>"I did not say anything to him, but the peasants came +up and laughed at him: 'Mikhyéev will not get rid of his +sin of ploughing during Easter week even if he should +pray all his life.'"</p> + +<p>"What did he say to that?"</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_404" id="Page_404">[Pg 404]</a></span></p> + +<p>"All he said was: 'Peace on earth and good-will to +men.' He took his plough, started his horses, and sang +out in a thin voice, but the candle kept burning and did +not go out."</p> + +<p>The clerk stopped laughing. He put down the guitar, +lowered his head, and fell to musing.</p> + +<p>He sat awhile; then he sent away the cook and the +elder, went behind the curtain, lay down on the bed, and +began to sigh and to sob, just as though a cart were driving +past with sheaves. His wife came and began to speak +to him; he gave her no answer. All he said was:</p> + +<p>"He has vanquished me. My turn has come."</p> + +<p>His wife tried to calm him.</p> + +<p>"Go and send them home! Maybe it will be all right. +See what deeds you have done, and now you lose your +courage."</p> + +<p>"I am lost," he said. "He has vanquished me."</p> + +<p>His wife cried to him:</p> + +<p>"You just have it on your brain, 'He has vanquished +me, he has vanquished me.' Go and send the peasants +home, and all will be well. Go, and I will have your horse +saddled."</p> + +<p>The horse was brought up, and the clerk's wife persuaded +him to ride into the field to send the peasants +home.</p> + +<p>Mikhaíl Seménovich mounted his horse and rode into +the field. He drove through the yard, and a woman +opened the gate for him, and he passed into the village. +The moment the people saw the clerk, they hid themselves +from him, one in the yard, another around a corner, +a third in the garden.</p> + +<p>The clerk rode through the whole village and reached +the outer gate. The gate was shut, and he could not open +it while sitting on his horse. He called and called for +somebody to open the gate, but no one would come. He +got down from his horse, opened the gate, and in the gateway<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_405" id="Page_405">[Pg 405]</a></span> +started to mount again. He put his foot into the +stirrup, rose in it, and was on the point of vaulting over +the saddle, when his horse shied at a pig and backed up +toward the picket fence; he was a heavy man and did +not get into his saddle, but fell over, with his belly on +picket. There was but one sharp post in the picket +fence, and it was higher than the rest. It was this post +that he struck with his belly. He was ripped open and +fell to the ground.</p> + +<p>When the peasants drove home from their work, the +horses snorted and would not go through the gate. The +peasants went to look, and saw Mikhaíl lying on his back. +His arms were stretched out, his eyes stood open, and all +his inside had run out and the blood stood in a pool,—the +earth had not sucked it in.</p> + +<p>The peasants were frightened. They took their horses +in by back roads, but Mikhyéev alone got down and +walked over to the clerk. He saw that he was dead, so +he closed his eyes, hitched his cart, with the aid of his +son put the dead man in the bed of the cart, and took +him to the manor.</p> + +<p>The master heard about all these things, and to save +himself from sin substituted tenant pay for the manorial +labour.</p> + +<p>And the peasants saw that the power of God was not +in sin, but in goodness.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_406" id="Page_406">[Pg 406]</a></span><br /></p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_407" id="Page_407">[Pg 407]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="THE_TWO_OLD_MEN" id="THE_TWO_OLD_MEN"></a>THE TWO OLD MEN<br /> +1885</h2> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_408" id="Page_408">[Pg 408]</a></span><br /></p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_409" id="Page_409">[Pg 409]</a></span></p> + + + +<p class="center big">THE TWO OLD MEN</p> + + +<div class="blockquot"><p>Therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the +well: and it was about the sixth hour. There cometh a +woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, +Give me to drink. (For his disciples were gone away unto +the city to buy meat.) Then saith the woman of Samaria +unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of +me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no +dealings with the Samaritans. Jesus answered and said +unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is +that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have +asked of him, for the Father seeketh such to worship him. +(John iv. 19-23.)</p></div> + + +<h3>I.</h3> + +<p>Two old men got ready to go to old Jerusalem to pray +to God. One of them was a rich peasant; his name was +Efím Tarásych Shevelév. The other was not a well-to-do +man, and his name was Eliséy Bodróv.</p> + +<p>Efím was a steady man: he did not drink liquor, nor +smoke tobacco, nor take snuff, had never cursed in his +life, and was a stern, firm old man. He had served two +terms as an elder, and had gone out of his office without +a deficit. He had a large family,—two sons and a +married grandson,—and all lived together. As to looks +he was a sound, bearded, erect man, and only in his +seventh decade did a gray streak appear in his beard.</p> + +<p>Eliséy was neither wealthy nor poor; in former days +he used to work out as a carpenter, but in his old age he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_410" id="Page_410">[Pg 410]</a></span> +stayed at home and kept bees. One son was away earning +money, and another was living at home. Eliséy was +a good-natured and merry man. He liked to drink liquor +and take snuff, and sing songs; but he was a peaceable +man, and lived in friendship with his home folk and with +the neighbours. In appearance he was an undersized, +swarthy man, with a curly beard and, like his saint, +Prophet Elisha, his whole head was bald.</p> + +<p>The old men had long ago made the vow and agreed to +go together, but Tarásych had had no time before: he had +so much business on hand. The moment one thing came +to an end, another began; now he had to get his grandson +married, now he was expecting his younger son back from +the army, and now he had to build him a new hut.</p> + +<p>On a holiday the two old men once met, and they sat +down on logs.</p> + +<p>"Well," said Eliséy, "when are we going to carry out +our vow?"</p> + +<p>Efím frowned.</p> + +<p>"We shall have to wait," he said, "for this is a hard +year for me. I have started to build a house,—I thought +I could do it with one hundred, but it is going on now in +the third. And still it is not done. We shall have to +let it go till summer. In the summer, God willing, we +shall go by all means."</p> + +<p>"According to my understanding," said Eliséy, "there +is no sense in delaying. We ought to go at once. Spring +is the best time."</p> + +<p>"The time is all right, but the work is begun, so how +can I drop it?"</p> + +<p>"Have you nobody to attend to it? Your son will do it."</p> + +<p>"Do it? My eldest is not reliable,—he drinks."</p> + +<p>"When we die, friend, they will get along without us. +Let your son learn it!"</p> + +<p>"That is so, but still I want to see things done under +my eyes."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_411" id="Page_411">[Pg 411]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Oh, dear man! You can never attend to everything. +The other day the women in my house were washing and +cleaning up for the holidays. This and that had to be +done, and everything could not be looked after. My +eldest daughter-in-law, a clever woman, said: 'It is a +lucky thing the holidays come without waiting for us, for +else, no matter how much we might work, we should never +get done.'"</p> + +<p>Tarásych fell to musing.</p> + +<p>"I have spent a great deal of money on this building," +he said, "and I can't start out on the pilgrimage with empty +hands. One hundred roubles are not a trifling matter."</p> + +<p>Eliséy laughed.</p> + +<p>"Don't sin, friend!" he said. "You have ten times as +much as I, and yet you talk about money. Only say +when we shall start. I have no money, but that will be +all right."</p> + +<p>Tarásych smiled.</p> + +<p>"What a rich man you are!" he said. "Where shall +you get the money from?"</p> + +<p>"I will scratch around in the house and will get together +some there; and if that is not enough, I will let +my neighbour have ten hives. He has been asking me +for them."</p> + +<p>"You will have a fine swarm! You will be worrying +about it."</p> + +<p>"Worrying? No, my friend! I have never worried +about anything in life but sins. There is nothing more +precious than the soul."</p> + +<p>"That is so; but still, it is not good if things do not run +right at home."</p> + +<p>"If things do not run right in our soul, it is worse. We +have made a vow, so let us go! Truly, let us go!"</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_412" id="Page_412">[Pg 412]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>II.</h3> + +<p>Eliséy persuaded his friend to go. Efím thought and +thought about it, and on the following morning he came +to Eliséy.</p> + +<p>"Well, let us go," he said, "you have spoken rightly. +God controls life and death. We must go while we are +alive and have strength."</p> + +<p>A week later the old men started.</p> + +<p>Tarásych had money at home. He took one hundred +roubles with him and left two hundred with his wife.</p> + +<p>Eliséy, too, got ready. He sold his neighbour ten hives +and the increase of ten other hives. For the whole he +received seventy roubles. The remaining thirty roubles +he swept up from everybody in the house. His wife gave +him the last she had,—she had put it away for her +funeral; his daughter-in-law gave him what she had.</p> + +<p>Efím Tarásych left all his affairs in the hands of his +eldest son: he told him where to mow, and how many +fields to mow, and where to haul the manure, and how to +finish the hut and thatch it. He considered everything, and +gave his orders. But all the order that Eliséy gave was +that his wife should set out the young brood separately +from the hives sold and give the neighbour what belonged +to him without cheating him, but about domestic affairs +he did not even speak: "The needs themselves," he +thought, "will show you what to do and how to do it. +You have been farming yourselves, so you will do as +seems best to you."</p> + +<p>The old men got ready. The home folk baked a lot of +flat cakes for them, and they made wallets for themselves,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_413" id="Page_413">[Pg 413]</a></span> +cut out new leg-rags, put on new short boots, took reserve +bast shoes, and started. The home folk saw them off +beyond the enclosure and bade them good-bye, and the +old men were off for their pilgrimage.</p> + +<p>Eliséy left in a happy mood, and as soon as he left his +village he forgot all his affairs. All the care he had was +how to please his companion, how to keep from saying an +unseemly word to anybody, how to reach the goal in peace +and love, and how to get home again. As Eliséy walked +along the road he either muttered some prayer or repeated +such of the lives of the saints as he knew. Whenever he +met a person on the road, or when he came to a hostelry, +he tried to be as kind to everybody as he could, and to +say to them God-fearing words. He walked along and +was happy. There was only one thing Eliséy could not +do: he wanted to stop taking snuff and had left his snuff-box +at home, but he hankered for it. On the road a man +offered him some. He wrangled with himself and stepped +away from his companion so as not to lead him into sin, +and took a pinch.</p> + +<p>Efím Tarásych walked firmly and well; he did no +wrong and spoke no vain words, but there was no lightness +in his heart. The cares about his home did not +leave his mind. He was thinking all the time about +what was going on at home,—whether he had not forgotten +to give his son some order, and whether his son +was doing things in the right way. When he saw along +the road that they were setting out potatoes or hauling +manure, he wondered whether his son was doing as he +had been ordered. He just felt like returning, and showing +him what to do, and doing it himself.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_414" id="Page_414">[Pg 414]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>III.</h3> + +<p>The old men walked for live weeks. They wore out +their home-made bast shoes and began to buy new ones. +They reached the country of the Little-Russians. Heretofore +they had been paying for their night's lodging and +for their dinner, but when they came to the Little-Russians, +people vied with each other in inviting them to +their houses. They let them come in, and fed them, and +took no money from them, but even filled their wallets +with bread, and now and then with flat cakes. Thus the +old men walked without expense some seven hundred +versts. They crossed another Government and came to +a place where there had been a failure of crops. There +they let them into the houses and did not take any money +for their night's lodging, but would not feed them. And +they did not give them bread everywhere,—not even for +money could the old men get any in some places. The +previous year, so the people said, nothing had grown. +Those who had been rich were ruined,—they sold everything; +those who had lived in comfort came down to +nothing; and the poor people either entirely left the +country, or turned beggars, or just managed to exist at +home. In the winter they lived on chaff and orach.</p> + +<p>One night the two old men stayed in a borough. There +they bought about fifteen pounds of bread. In the morning +they left before daybreak, so that they might walk a +good distance before the heat. They marched some ten +versts and reached a brook. They sat down, filled their +cups with water, softened the bread with it and ate it, +and changed their leg-rags. They sat awhile and rested<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_415" id="Page_415">[Pg 415]</a></span> +themselves. Eliséy took out his snuff-horn. Efím Tarásych +shook his head at him.</p> + +<p>"Why don't you throw away that nasty thing?" he +asked.</p> + +<p>Eliséy waved his hand.</p> + +<p>"Sin has overpowered me," he said. "What shall +I do?"</p> + +<p>They got up and marched on. They walked another +ten versts. They came to a large village, and passed +through it. It was quite warm then. Eliséy was tired, +and wanted to stop and get a drink, but Tarásych would +not stop. Tarásych was a better walker, and Eliséy had +a hard time keeping up with him.</p> + +<p>"I should like to get a drink," he said.</p> + +<p>"Well, drink! I do not want any."</p> + +<p>Eliséy stopped.</p> + +<p>"Do not wait for me," he said. "I will just run into +a hut and get a drink of water. I will catch up with +you at once."</p> + +<p>"All right," he said. And Efím Tarásych proceeded +by himself along the road, while Eliséy turned to go into +a hut.</p> + +<p>Eliséy came up to the hut. It was a small clay cabin; +the lower part was black, the upper white, and the clay +had long ago crumbled off,—evidently it had not been +plastered for a long time,—and the roof was open at one +end. The entrance was from the yard. Eliséy stepped +into the yard, and there saw that a lean, beardless man +with his shirt stuck in his trousers in Little-Russian +fashion was lying near the earth mound. The man had +evidently lain down in a cool spot, but now the sun was +burning down upon him. He was lying there awake. +Eliséy called out to him, asking him to give him a drink, +but the man made no reply. "He is either sick, or an +unkind man," thought Eliséy, going up to the door. Inside +he heard a child crying. He knocked with the door-ring.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_416" id="Page_416">[Pg 416]</a></span> +"Good people!" No answer. He struck with his +staff against the door. "Christian people!" No stir. +"Servants of the Lord!" No reply. Eliséy was on the +point of going away, when he heard somebody groaning +within. "I wonder whether some misfortune has happened +there to the people. I must see." And Eliséy +went into the hut.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_417" id="Page_417">[Pg 417]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>IV.</h3> + +<p>Eliséy turned the ring,—the door was not locked. +He pushed the door open and walked through the vestibule. +The door into the living-room was open. On the +left there was an oven; straight ahead was the front +corner; in the corner stood a shrine and a table; beyond +the table was a bench, and on it sat a bareheaded old +woman, in nothing but a shirt; her head was leaning on +the table, and near her stood a lean little boy, his face as +yellow as wax and his belly swollen, and he was pulling +the old woman's sleeve, and crying at the top of his voice +and begging for something.</p> + +<p>Eliséy entered the room. There was a stifling air in +the house. He saw a woman lying behind the oven, +on the floor. She was lying on her face without looking +at anything, and snoring, and now stretching out a leg +and again drawing it up. And she tossed from side to +side,—and from her came that oppressive smell: evidently +she was very sick, and there was nobody to take +her away. The old woman raised her head, when she +saw the man.</p> + +<p>"What do you want?" she said, in Little-Russian. +"What do you want? We have nothing, my dear man."</p> + +<p>Eliséy understood what she was saying: he walked +over to her.</p> + +<p>"Servant of the Lord," he said, "I have come in to get +a drink of water."</p> + +<p>"There is none, I say, there is none. There is nothing +here for you to take. Go!"</p> + +<p>Eliséy asked her:</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_418" id="Page_418">[Pg 418]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Is there no well man here to take this woman away?"</p> + +<p>"There is nobody here: the man is dying in the yard, +and we here."</p> + +<p>The boy grew quiet when he saw the stranger, but +when the old woman began to speak, he again took hold +of her sleeve.</p> + +<p>"Bread, granny, bread!" and he burst out weeping.</p> + +<p>Just as Eliséy was going to ask the old woman another +question, the man tumbled into the hut; he walked along +the wall and wanted to sit down on the bench, but before +reaching it he fell down in the corner, near the threshold. +He did not try to get up, but began to speak. He would +say one word at a time, then draw his breath, then say +something again.</p> + +<p>"We are sick," he said, "and—hungry. The boy is +starving." He indicated the boy with his head and began +to weep.</p> + +<p>Eliséy shifted his wallet on his back, freed his arms, +let the wallet down on the ground, lifted it on the bench, +and untied it. When it was open, he took out the bread +and the knife, out off a slice, and gave it to the man. +The man did not take it, but pointed to the boy and the +girl, to have it given to them. Eliséy gave it to the boy. +When the boy saw the bread, he made for it, grabbed the +slice with both his hands, and stuck his nose into the bread. +A girl crawled out from behind the oven and gazed at the +bread. Eliséy gave her, too, a piece. He cut off another +slice and gave it to the old woman. She took it and +began to chew at it.</p> + +<p>"If you would just bring us some water," she said. +"Their lips are parched. I wanted to bring some yesterday +or to-day,—I do not remember when,—but I fell +down and left the pail there, if nobody took it away."</p> + +<p>Eliséy asked where their well was. The old woman +told him where. Eliséy went out. He found the pail, +brought some water, and gave the people to drink. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_419" id="Page_419">[Pg 419]</a></span> +children ate some more bread with water, and the old +woman ate some, but the man would not eat.</p> + +<p>"My stomach will not hold it," he said.</p> + +<p>The woman did not get up or come to: she was +just tossing on the bed place. Eliséy went to the shop, +and bought millet, salt, flour, and butter. He found an +axe, chopped some wood, and made a fire in the oven. +The girl helped him. Eliséy cooked a soup and porridge, +and fed the people.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_420" id="Page_420">[Pg 420]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>V.</h3> + +<p>The man ate a little, and so did the old woman, and +the girl and the little boy licked the bowl clean and +embraced each other and fell asleep.</p> + +<p>The man and the old woman told Eliséy how it had +all happened.</p> + +<p>"We lived heretofore poorly," they said, "but when +the crop failed us, we ate up in the fall everything we +had. When we had nothing left, we began to beg from +our neighbours and from good people. At first they gave +us some, but later they refused. Some of them would +have been willing to give us to eat, but they had nothing +themselves. Besides we felt ashamed to beg: we owed +everybody money and flour and bread. I looked for +work," said the man, "but could find none. People were +everywhere looking for work to get something to eat. +One day I would work, and two I would go around looking +for more work. The old woman and the girl went a +distance away to beg, but the alms were poor,—nobody +had any bread. Still, we managed to get something to +eat: we thought we might squeeze through until the new +crop; but in the spring they quit giving us alms altogether, +and sickness fell upon us. It grew pretty bad: +one day we would have something to eat, and two we +went without it. We began to eat grass. And from the +grass, or from some other reason, the woman grew sick. +She lay down, and I had no strength, and we had nothing +with which to improve matters."</p> + +<p>"I was the only one," the old woman said, "who +worked: but I gave out and grew weak, as I had nothing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_421" id="Page_421">[Pg 421]</a></span> +to eat. The girl, too, grew weak and lost her courage. +I sent her to the neighbours, but she did not go. She hid +herself in a corner and would not go. A neighbour came +in two days ago, but when she saw that we were hungry +and sick, she turned around and went out. Her husband +has left, and she has nothing with which to feed her +young children. So we were lying here and waiting for +death."</p> + +<p>When Eliséy heard what they said, he changed his +mind about catching up with his companion, and remained +there overnight. In the morning Eliséy got up +and began to work about the house as though he were the +master. He set bread with the old woman and made a +fire in the oven. He went with the girl to the neighbours +to fetch what was necessary. Everything he +wanted to pick up was gone: there was nothing left for +farming, and the clothes were used up. Eliséy got everything +which was needed: some things he made himself, +and some he bought. Eliséy stayed with them one day, +and a second, and a third. The little boy regained his +strength, and he began to walk on the bench and to make +friends with Eliséy. The girl, too, became quite cheerful +and helped him in everything. She kept running after +Eliséy: "Grandfather, grandfather!"</p> + +<p>The old woman got up and went to her neighbour. +The man began to walk by holding on to the wall. Only +the woman was lying down. On the third day she came +to and asked for something to eat.</p> + +<p>"Well," thought Eliséy, "I had not expected to lose so +much time. Now I must go."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_422" id="Page_422">[Pg 422]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>VI.</h3> + +<p>The fourth day was the last of a fast, and Eliséy said +to himself:</p> + +<p>"I will break fast with them. I will buy something +for them for the holidays, and in the evening I must +leave."</p> + +<p>Eliséy went once more to the village and bought milk, +white flour, and lard. He and the old woman cooked and +baked a lot of things, and in the morning Eliséy went to +mass and came back and broke fast with the people. On +that day the woman got up and began to move about. +The man shaved himself, put on a clean shirt,—the old +woman had washed it for him,—and went to a rich +peasant to ask a favour of him. His mowing and field +were mortgaged to the rich man, so he went to ask him +to let him have the mowing and the field until the new +crop. He came back gloomy in the evening, and burst +out weeping. The rich man would not show him the +favour; he had asked him to bring the money.</p> + +<p>Eliséy fell to musing.</p> + +<p>"How are they going to live now? People will be +going out to mow, but they cannot go, for it is all mortgaged. +The rye will ripen and people will begin to +harvest it (and there is such a fine stand of it!), but they +have nothing to look forward to,—their desyatína is sold +to the rich peasant. If I go away, they will fall back +into poverty."</p> + +<p>And Eliséy was in doubt, and did not go away in the +evening, but put it off until morning. He went into the +yard to sleep. He said his prayers and lay down, but +could not fall asleep.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_423" id="Page_423">[Pg 423]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I ought to go,—as it is I have spent much time and +money; but I am sorry for the people. You can't help +everybody. I meant to bring them some water and give +each a slice of bread, but see how far I have gone. Now +I shall have to buy out his mowing and field. And if I +buy out the field, I might as well buy a cow for the +children, and a horse for the man to haul his sheaves +with. Brother Eliséy Kuzmích, you are in for it! You +have let yourself loose, and now you will not straighten +out things."</p> + +<p>Eliséy got up, took the caftan from under his head, and +unrolled it; he drew out his snuff-horn and took a pinch, +thinking that he would clear his thoughts, but no,—he +thought and thought and could not come to any conclusion. +He ought to get up and go, but he was sorry for the +people. He did not know what to do. He rolled the caftan +up under his head and lay down to sleep. He lay there +for a long time, and the cocks crowed, and then only +did he fall asleep. Suddenly he felt as though some one +had wakened him. He saw himself all dressed, with his +wallet and staff, and he had to pass through a gate, but it +was just open enough to let a man squeeze through. He +went to the gate and his wallet caught on one side, and +as he was about to free it, one of his leg-rags got caught +on the other side and came open. He tried to free the leg-rag, +but it was not caught in the wicker fence: it was the +girl who was holding on to it, and crying, "Grandfather, +grandfather, bread!" He looked at his foot, and there +was the little boy holding on to it, and the old woman +and the man were looking out of the window. Eliséy +awoke, and he began to speak to himself in an audible voice:</p> + +<p>"I will buy out the field and the mowing to-morrow, +and will buy a horse, and flour to last until harvest-time, +and a cow for the children. For how would it be to go +beyond the sea to seek Christ and lose him within me? +I must get the people started."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_424" id="Page_424">[Pg 424]</a></span></p> + +<p>And Eliséy fell asleep until morning. He awoke early. +He went to the rich merchant, bought out the rye and +gave him money for the mowing. He bought a scythe,—for +that had been sold, too,—and brought it home. He +sent the man out to mow, and himself went to see the +peasants: he found a horse and a cart for sale at the innkeeper's. +He bargained with him for it, and bought it; +then he bought a bag of flour, which he put in the cart, +and went out to buy a cow. As he was walking, he came +across two Little-Russian women, and they were talking +to one another. Though they were talking in their dialect, +he could make out what they were saying about +him:</p> + +<p>"You see, at first they did not recognize him; they +thought that he was just a simple kind of a man. They +say, he went in to get a drink, and he has just stopped +there. What a lot of things he has bought them! I myself +saw him buy a horse and cart to-day of the innkeeper. +Evidently there are such people in the world. I must go +and take a look at him."</p> + +<p>When Eliséy heard that, he understood that they were +praising him, and so he did not go to buy the cow. He +returned to the innkeeper and gave him the money for the +horse. He hitched it up and drove with the flour to the +house. When he drove up to the gate, he stopped and +climbed down from the cart. When the people of the +house saw the horse, they were surprised. They thought +that he had bought the horse for them, but did not dare +say so. The master came out to open the gates.</p> + +<p>"Grandfather, where did you get that horse?"</p> + +<p>"I bought it," he said. "I got it cheap. Mow some +grass and put it in the cart, so that the horse may have +some for the night. And take off the bag!"</p> + +<p>The master unhitched the horse, carried the bag to the +granary, mowed a lot of grass, and put it into the cart. +They lay down to sleep. Eliséy slept in the street, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_425" id="Page_425">[Pg 425]</a></span> +thither he had carried his wallet in the evening. All +the people fell asleep. Eliséy got up, tied his wallet, put +on his shoes and his caftan, and started down the road to +catch up with Efím.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_426" id="Page_426">[Pg 426]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>VII.</h3> + +<p>Eliséy had walked about five versts, when day began +to break. He sat down under a tree, untied his wallet, +and began to count his money. He found that he had +seventeen roubles twenty kopeks left.</p> + +<p>"Well," he thought, "with this sum I cannot travel +beyond the sea, but if I beg in Christ's name, I shall only +increase my sin. Friend Efím will reach the place by +himself, and will put up a candle for me. But I shall +evidently never fulfil my vow. The master is merciful, +and he will forgive me."</p> + +<p>Eliséy got up, slung his wallet over his shoulders, and +turned back. He made a circle around the village so that +people might not see him. And soon he reached home. +On his way out he had found it hard: it was hard keeping +up with Efím; but on his way home God made it +easy for him, for he did not know what weariness was. +Walking was just play to him, and he swayed his staff, +and made as much as seventy versts a day.</p> + +<p>Eliséy came back home. The harvest was all in. The +home folk were glad to see the old man. They asked all +about him, why he had left his companion and why he +had not gone to Jerusalem, but had returned home. +Eliséy did not tell them anything.</p> + +<p>"God did not grant me that I should," he said. "I +spent my money on the way, and got separated from my +companion. And so I did not go. Forgive me for Christ's +sake."</p> + +<p>He gave the old woman what money he had left. He +asked all about the home matters: everything was right;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_427" id="Page_427">[Pg 427]</a></span> +everything had been attended to and nothing missed, and +all were living in peace and agreement.</p> + +<p>Efím's people heard that very day that Eliséy had come +back, and so they came to inquire about their old man. +And Eliséy told them the same story.</p> + +<p>"You see," he said, "the old man started to walk +briskly, and three days before St. Peter's day we lost each +other. I wanted to catch up with him, but it happened +that I spent all my money and could not go on, so I +returned home."</p> + +<p>The people marvelled how it was that such a clever +man had acted so foolishly as to start and not reach the +place and merely spend his money. They wondered +awhile, and forgot about it. Eliséy, too, forgot about it. +He began to work about the house: he got the wood +ready for the winter with his son, threshed the grain +with the women, thatched the sheds, gathered in the +bees, and gave ten hives with the young brood to his +neighbour. When he got all the work done, he sent +his son out to earn money, and himself sat down in +the winter to plait bast shoes and hollow out blocks for +the hives.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_428" id="Page_428">[Pg 428]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>VIII.</h3> + +<p>All that day that Eliséy passed with the sick people, +Efím waited for his companion. He walked but a short +distance and sat down. He waited and waited, and fell +asleep; when he awoke, he sat awhile,—but his companion +did not turn up. He kept a sharp lookout for him, +but the sun was going down behind a tree, and still Eliséy +was not there.</p> + +<p>"I wonder whether he has not passed by me," he +thought. "Maybe somebody drove him past, and he did +not see me while I was asleep. But how could he help +seeing me? In the steppe you can see a long distance +off. If I go back, he may be marching on, and we shall +only get farther separated from each other. I will walk +on,—we shall meet at the resting-place for the night."</p> + +<p>When he came to a village, he asked the village officer +to look out for an old man and bring him to the house +where he stayed. Eliséy did not come there for the +night. Efím marched on, and asked everybody whether +they had seen a bald-headed old man. No one had seen +him. Efím was surprised and walked on.</p> + +<p>"We shall meet somewhere in Odessa," he thought, +"or on the boat," and then he stopped thinking about it.</p> + +<p>On the road he fell in with a pilgrim. The pilgrim, +in calotte, cassock, and long hair, had been to Mount +Athos, and was now going for the second time to Jerusalem. +They met at a hostelry, and they had a chat and started +off together.</p> + +<p>They reached Odessa without any accident. They +waited for three days for a ship. There were many pilgrims<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_429" id="Page_429">[Pg 429]</a></span> +there, and they had come together from all directions. +Again Efím asked about Eliséy, but nobody had +seen him.</p> + +<p>Efím provided himself with a passport,—that cost five +roubles. He had forty roubles left for his round trip, +and he bought bread and herring for the voyage. The +ship was loaded, then the pilgrims were admitted, and +Tarásych sat down beside the pilgrim he had met. The +anchors were weighed, they pushed off from the shore, +and the ship sailed across the sea.</p> + +<p>During the day they had good sailing; in the evening +a wind arose, rain fell, and the ship began to rock and to +be washed by the waves. The people grew excited; the +women began to shriek, and such men as were weak ran +up and down the ship, trying to find a safe place. Efím, +too, was frightened, but he did not show it: where he +had sat down on the floor on boarding the ship by the side +of Tambóv peasants, he sat through the night and the +following day; all of them held on to their wallets and +did not speak. On the third day it grew calmer. On the +fifth day they landed at Constantinople.</p> + +<p>Some of the pilgrims went ashore there, to visit the +Cathedral of St. Sophia, which now the Turks hold; +Tarásych did not go, but remained on board the ship. +All he did was to buy some white bread. They remained +there a day, and then again sailed through the sea. They +stopped at Smyrna town, and at another city by the name +of Alexandria, and safely reached the city of Jaffa. In +Jaffa all pilgrims go ashore: from there it is seventy versts +on foot to Jerusalem. At the landing the people had +quite a scare: the ship was high, and the people were let +down into boats below; but the boats were rocking all +the time, and two people were let down past the boat and +got a ducking, but otherwise all went safely.</p> + +<p>When all were ashore, they went on afoot; on the +third day they reached Jerusalem at dinner-time. They<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_430" id="Page_430">[Pg 430]</a></span> +stopped in a suburb, in a Russian hostelry; there they +had their passports stamped and ate their dinner, and then +they followed a pilgrim to the holy places. It was too +early yet to be admitted to the Sepulchre of the Lord, so +they went to the Monastery of the Patriarch. There +all the worshippers were gathered, and the female sex was +put apart from the male. They were all ordered to take +off their shoes and sit in a circle. A monk came out with +a towel, and began to wash everybody's feet. He would +wash, and rub them clean, and kiss them, and thus he +went around the whole circle. He washed Efím's feet +and kissed them. They celebrated vigils and matins, and +placed a candle, and served a mass for the parents. There +they were fed, and received wine to drink.</p> + +<p>On the following morning they went to the cell of Mary +of Egypt, where she took refuge. There they placed +candles, and a mass was celebrated. From there they +went to Abraham's Monastery. They saw the Sebak +garden, the place where Abraham wanted to sacrifice his +son to God. Then they went to the place where Christ +appeared to Mary Magdalene, and to the Church of Jacob, +the brother of the Lord. The pilgrim showed them all the +places, and in every place he told how much money +they ought to give. At dinner they returned to the +hostelry. They ate, and were just getting ready to lie +down to sleep, when the pilgrim, who was rummaging +through his clothes, began to sigh.</p> + +<p>"They have pulled out my pocketbook with money in +it," he said. "I had twenty-three roubles,—two ten-rouble +bills, and three in change."</p> + +<p>The pilgrim felt badly about it, but nothing could be +done, and all went to sleep.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_431" id="Page_431">[Pg 431]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>IX.</h3> + +<p>As Efím went to sleep, a temptation came over him.</p> + +<p>"They have not taken the pilgrim's money," he +thought, "he did not have any. Nowhere did he offer +anything. He told me to give, but he himself did not +offer any. He took a rouble from me."</p> + +<p>As Efím was thinking so, he began to rebuke himself:</p> + +<p>"How dare I judge the man, and commit a sin. I will +not sin." The moment he forgot himself, he again thought +that the pilgrim had a sharp eye on money, and that it +was unlikely that they had taken the money from him. +"He never had any money," he thought. "It's only an +excuse."</p> + +<p>They got up before evening and went to an early mass +at the Church of the Resurrection,—to the Sepulchre of +the Lord. The pilgrim did not leave Efím's side, but +walked with him all the time.</p> + +<p>They came to the church. There was there collected +a large crowd of worshippers, Greeks, and Armenians, and +Turks, and Syrians. Efím came with the people to the +Holy Gate. A monk led them. He took them past +the Turkish guard to the place where the Saviour was +taken from the cross and anointed, and where candles +were burning in nine large candlesticks. He showed and +explained everything to them. Efím placed a candle +there. Then the monks led Efím to the right over steps +to Golgotha, where the cross stood; there Efím prayed; +then Efím was shown the cleft where the earth was rent +to the lowermost regions; then he was shown the place +where Christ's hands and feet had been nailed to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_432" id="Page_432">[Pg 432]</a></span> +cross, and then he was shown Adam's grave, where Christ's +blood dropped on his bones. Then they came to the rock +on which Christ sat when they put the wreath of thorns +on his head; then to the post to which Christ was tied +when he was beaten. Then Efím saw the stone with the +two holes, for Christ's feet. They wanted to show him +other things, but the people hastened away: all hurried +to the grotto of the Lord's Sepulchre. Some foreign mass +was just ended, and the Russian began. Efím followed +the people to the grotto.</p> + +<p>He wanted to get away from the pilgrim, for in thought +he still sinned against him, but the pilgrim stuck to him, +and went with him to mass at the Sepulchre of the Lord. +They wanted to stand close to it, but were too late. There +was such a crowd there that it was not possible to move +forward or back. Efím stood there and looked straight +ahead and prayed, but every once in awhile he felt his +purse, to see whether it was in his pocket. His thoughts +were divided; now he thought that the pilgrim had deceived +him; and then he thought, if he had not deceived +him, and the pocketbook had really been stolen, the same +might happen to him.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_433" id="Page_433">[Pg 433]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>X.</h3> + +<p>Efím stood there and prayed and looked ahead into the +chapel where the Sepulchre itself was, and where over +the Sepulchre thirty-six lamps were burning. Efím looked +over the heads to see the marvellous thing: under the +very lamps, where the blessed fire was burning, in front +of all, he saw an old man in a coarse caftan, with a bald +spot shining on his whole head, and he looked very much +like Eliséy Bodróv.</p> + +<p>"He resembles Eliséy," he thought. "But how can it +be he? He could not have got here before me. The +previous ship started a week ahead of us. He could not +have been on that ship. On our ship he was not, for I +saw all the pilgrims."</p> + +<p>Just as Efím was thinking this, the old man began to +pray, and made three bows: once in front of him, to God, +and twice to either side, to all the Orthodox people. And +as the old man turned his head to the right, Efím recognized +him. Sure enough, it was Bodróv: it was his blackish, +curly beard, and the gray streak on his cheeks, and his +brows, his eyes, his nose, and full face,—all his. Certainly +it was he, Eliséy Bodróv.</p> + +<p>Efím was glad that he had found his companion, and +he marvelled how Eliséy could have got there ahead of him.</p> + +<p>"How in the world did Bodróv get to that place in +front?" he thought. "No doubt he met a man who knew +how to get him there. When all go out, I will hunt him +up, and I will drop the pilgrim in the colette, and will +walk with him. Maybe he will take me to the front +place."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_434" id="Page_434">[Pg 434]</a></span></p> + +<p>Efím kept an eye on Eliséy, so as not to lose him. +When the masses were over, the people began to stir. As +they went up to kiss the Sepulchre, they crowded and +pushed Efím to one side. He was frightened lest his +purse should be stolen. He put his hand to his purse +and tried to make his way out into the open. When he +got out, he walked and walked, trying to find Eliséy, both +on the outside and in the church. In the church he saw +many people in the cells: some ate, and drank wine, and +slept there, and read their prayers. But Eliséy was not +to be found. Efím returned to the hostelry, but he did +not find his companion there either. On that evening +the pilgrim, too, did not come back. He was gone, and +had not returned the rouble to Efím. So Efím was left +alone.</p> + +<p>On the following day Efím went again to the Sepulchre +of the Lord with a Tambóv peasant, with whom he had +journeyed on the ship. He wanted to make his way to +the front, but he was again pushed back, and so he stood +at a column and prayed. He looked ahead of him, and +there in front, under the lamps, at the very Sepulchre of +the Lord, stood Eliséy. He had extended his hands, like a +priest at the altar, and his bald spot shone over his whole +head.</p> + +<p>"Now," thought Efím, "I will not miss him."</p> + +<p>He made his way to the front, but Eliséy was not +there. Evidently he had left. On the third day he again +went to the Sepulchre of the Lord, and there he saw +Eliséy standing in the holiest place, in sight of everybody, +and his hands were stretched out, and he looked up, as +though he saw something above him. And his bald spot +shone over his whole head.</p> + +<p>"Now," thought Efím, "I will certainly not miss him; +I will go and stand at the entrance, and then he cannot +escape me."</p> + +<p>Efím went out and stood there for a long time. He<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_435" id="Page_435">[Pg 435]</a></span> +stood until after noon: all the people had passed out, but +Eliséy was not among them.</p> + +<p>Efím passed six weeks in Jerusalem, and visited all the +places, Bethlehem, and Bethany, and the Jordan, and had +a stamp put on a new shirt at the Lord's Sepulchre, to be +buried in it, and filled a bottle of Jordan water, and got +some earth, and candles with blessed fire, and in eight +places inscribed names for the mass of the dead. He +spent all his money and had just enough left to get home +on, and so he started for home. He reached Jaffa, boarded +a ship, landed at Odessa, and walked toward his home.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_436" id="Page_436">[Pg 436]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>XI.</h3> + +<p>Efím walked by himself the same way he had come +out. As he was getting close to his village, he began to +worry again about how things were going at his house +without him. In a year, he thought, much water runs +by. It takes a lifetime to get together a home, but it +does not take long to ruin it. He wondered how his son +had done without him, how the spring had opened, how +the cattle had wintered, and whether the hut was well +built. Efím reached the spot where the year before he +had parted from Eliséy. It was not possible to recognize +the people. Where the year before they had suffered +want, now there was plenty. Everything grew well in the +field. The people picked up again and forgot their former +misery. In the evening Efím reached the very village +where the year before Eliséy had fallen behind. He had +just entered the village, when a little girl in a white shirt +came running out of a hut.</p> + +<p>"Grandfather, grandfather! Come to our house!"</p> + +<p>Efím wanted to go on, but the girl would not let him. +She took hold of his coat and laughed and pulled him to +the hut. A woman with a boy came out on the porch, +and she, too, beckoned to him:</p> + +<p>"Come in, grandfather, and eat supper with us and stay +overnight!"</p> + +<p>Efím stepped in.</p> + +<p>"I can, at least, ask about Eliséy," he thought. "This +is the very hut into which he went to get a drink."</p> + +<p>Efím went inside. The woman took off his wallet, gave +him water to wash himself, and seated him at the table.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_437" id="Page_437">[Pg 437]</a></span> +She fetched milk, cheese, cakes, and porridge, and placed +it all on the table. Tarásych thanked her and praised +the people for being hospitable to pilgrims. The woman +shook her head.</p> + +<p>"We cannot help receiving pilgrims," she said. "We +received life from a pilgrim. We lived forgetting God, +and God punished us in such a way that all of us were +waiting for death. Last summer we came to such a point +that we were all lying down sick and starved. We should +certainly have died, but God sent us an old man like you. +He stepped in during the daytime to get a drink; when +he saw us, he took pity on us and remained at our house. +He gave us to eat and to drink, and put us on our feet +again. He cleared our land from debt, and bought a +horse and cart and left it with us."</p> + +<p>The old woman entered the room, and interrupted her +speech:</p> + +<p>"We do not know," she said, "whether he was a man +or an angel of the Lord. He was good to us all, and +pitied us, and then went away without giving his name, +so that we do not know for whom to pray to God. I see +it as though it happened just now: I was lying down and +waiting for death to come; I looked up and saw a man +come in,—just a simple, bald-headed man,—and ask for +a drink. I, sinful woman, thought that he was a tramp, +but see what he did! When he saw us he put down his +wallet, right in this spot, and opened it."</p> + +<p>The girl broke in.</p> + +<p>"No, granny," she said, "first he put his wallet in the +middle of the room, and only later did he put it on the +bench."</p> + +<p>And they began to dispute and to recall his words and +deeds: where he had sat down, and where he had +slept, and what he had done, and what he had said to +each.</p> + +<p>Toward evening the master of the house came home on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_438" id="Page_438">[Pg 438]</a></span> +a horse, and he, too, began to tell about Eliséy, and how +he had stayed at their house.</p> + +<p>"If he had not come to us," he said, "we should all of +us have died in sin. We were dying in despair, and we +murmured against God and men. But he put us on our +feet, and through him we found out God, and began to +believe in good people. May Christ save him! Before +that we lived like beasts, and he has made men of us."</p> + +<p>They gave Efím to eat and to drink, and gave him a +place to sleep, and themselves went to bed.</p> + +<p>As Efím lay down, he could not sleep, and Eliséy did +not leave his mind, but he thought of how he had seen +him three times in Jerusalem in the foremost place.</p> + +<p>"So this is the way he got ahead of me," he thought. +"My work may be accepted or not, but his the Lord has +accepted."</p> + +<p>In the morning Efím bade the people good-bye: they +filled his wallet with cakes and went to work, while Efím +started out on the road.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_439" id="Page_439">[Pg 439]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>XII.</h3> + +<p>Efím was away precisely a year. In the spring he returned +home.</p> + +<p>He reached his house in the evening. His son was not +at home,—he was in the dram-shop. He returned intoxicated, +and Efím began to ask him about the house. +He saw by everything that the lad had got into bad ways +without him. He had spent all the money, and the business +he had neglected. His father scolded him, and he +answered his father with rude words.</p> + +<p>"You ought to have come back yourself," he said. +"Instead, you went away and took all the money with +you, and now you make me responsible."</p> + +<p>The old man became angry and beat his son.</p> + +<p>The next morning Efím Tarásych went to the elder to +talk to him about his son. As he passed Eliséy's farm, +Eliséy's wife was standing on the porch and greeting him:</p> + +<p>"Welcome, friend!" she said. "Did you, dear man, +have a successful journey?"</p> + +<p>Efím Tarásych stopped.</p> + +<p>"Thank God," he said, "I have been at Jerusalem, but +I lost your husband on the way. I hear that he is back."</p> + +<p>And the old woman started to talk to him, for she was +fond of babbling.</p> + +<p>"He is back, my dear; he has been back for quite +awhile. He returned soon after Assumption day. We +were so glad to see him back. It was lonely without him. +Not that we mean his work,—for he is getting old. But +he is the head, and it is jollier for us. How happy our +lad was! Without him, he said, it was as without light<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_440" id="Page_440">[Pg 440]</a></span> +for the eyes. It was lonely without him, my dear. We +love him so much!"</p> + +<p>"Well, is he at home now?"</p> + +<p>"At home he is, neighbour, in the apiary, brushing +in the swarms. He says it was a fine swarming season. +The old man does not remember when there has been such +a lot of bees. God gives us not according to our sins, he +says. Come in, dear one! He will be so glad to see +you."</p> + +<p>Efím walked through the vestibule and through the +yard to the apiary, to see Eliséy. When he came inside +the apiary, he saw Eliséy standing without a net, without +gloves, in a gray caftan, under a birch-tree, extending his +arms and looking up, and his bald spot shone over his +whole head, just as he had stood in Jerusalem at the +Lord's Sepulchre, and above him, through the birch-tree, +the sun glowed, and above his head the golden bees +circled in the form of a wreath, and did not sting him. +Efím stopped.</p> + +<p>Eliséy's wife called out to her husband:</p> + +<p>"Your friend is here."</p> + +<p>Eliséy looked around. He was happy, and walked over +toward his friend, softly brushing the bees out of his +beard.</p> + +<p>"Welcome, friend, welcome, dear man! Did you have +a successful journey?"</p> + +<p>"My feet took me there, and I have brought you some +water from the river Jordan. Come and get it! But +whether the Lord has received my work—"</p> + +<p>"Thank God! Christ save you!"</p> + +<p>Efím was silent.</p> + +<p>"I was there with my feet, but in spirit you were +there, or somebody else—"</p> + +<p>"It is God's work, my friend, God's work."</p> + +<p>"On my way home I stopped at the hut where I lost +you."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_441" id="Page_441">[Pg 441]</a></span></p> + +<p>Eliséy was frightened, and he hastened to say:</p> + +<p>"It is God's work, my friend, God's work. Well, won't +you step in? I will bring some honey."</p> + +<p>And Eliséy changed the subject, and began to speak of +home matters.</p> + +<p>Efím heaved a sigh. He did not mention the people of +the hut to Eliséy, nor what he had seen in Jerusalem. +And he understood that God has enjoined that each man +shall before his death carry out his vow—with love +and good deeds.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_442" id="Page_442">[Pg 442]</a></span><br /></p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_443" id="Page_443">[Pg 443]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="WHERE_LOVE_IS_THERE" id="WHERE_LOVE_IS_THERE"></a>WHERE LOVE IS, THERE +GOD IS ALSO<br /> +1885</h2> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_444" id="Page_444">[Pg 444]</a></span><br /></p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_445" id="Page_445">[Pg 445]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center big">WHERE LOVE IS, THERE +GOD IS ALSO</p> + + +<p>Shoemaker Martýn Avdyéich lived in the city. He +lived in a basement, in a room with one window. The +window looked out on the street. Through it the people +could be seen as they passed by: though only the feet +were visible, Martýn Avdyéich could tell the men by +their boots. He had lived for a long time in one place +and had many acquaintances. It was a rare pair of boots +in the neighbourhood that had not gone once or twice +through his hands. Some he had resoled; on others he +had put patches, or fixed the seams, or even put on new +uppers. Frequently he saw his own work through the +window. He had much to do, for he did honest work, +put in strong material, took no more than was fair, and +kept his word. If he could get a piece of work done by a +certain time he undertook to do it, and if not, he would +not cheat, but said so in advance. Everybody knew +Avdyéich, and his work never stopped.</p> + +<p>Avdyéich had always been a good man, but in his old +age he thought more of his soul and came near unto God. +Even while Martýn had been living with a master, his +wife had died, and he had been left with a boy three +years of age. Their children did not live long. All the +elder children had died before. At first Martýn had +intended sending his son to his sister in a village, but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_446" id="Page_446">[Pg 446]</a></span> +then he felt sorry for the little lad, and thought: "It will +be hard for my Kapitóshka to grow up in somebody else's +family, and so I will keep him."</p> + +<p>Avdyéich left his master, and took up quarters with +his son. But God did not grant Avdyéich any luck +with his children. No sooner had the boy grown up so +as to be a help to his father and a joy to him, than a +disease fell upon him and he lay down and had a fever +for a week and died. Martýn buried his son, and was in +despair. He despaired so much that he began to murmur +against God. He was so downhearted that more than +once he asked God to let him die, and rebuked God for +having taken his beloved only son, and not him. He even +stopped going to church.</p> + +<p>One day an old man, a countryman of Avdyéich's, +returning from Tróitsa,—he had been a pilgrim for eight +years,—came to see him. Avdyéich talked with him +and began to complain of his sorrow:</p> + +<p>"I have even no desire to live any longer, godly man. +If I could only die. That is all I am praying God for. +I am a man without any hope."</p> + +<p>And the old man said to him:</p> + +<p>"You do not say well, Martýn. We cannot judge +God's works. Not by our reason, but by God's judgment +do we live. God has determined that your son should +die, and you live. Evidently it is better so. The reason +you are in despair is that you want to live for your own +enjoyment."</p> + +<p>"What else shall we live for?" asked Martýn.</p> + +<p>And the old man said:</p> + +<p>"We must live for God, Martýn. He gives us life, +and for Him must we live. When you shall live for Him +and shall not worry about anything, life will be lighter +for you."</p> + +<p>Martýn was silent, and he said:</p> + +<p>"How shall we live for God?"</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_447" id="Page_447">[Pg 447]</a></span></p> + +<p>And the old man said:</p> + +<p>"Christ has shown us how to live for God. Do you +know how to read? If so, buy yourself a Gospel and +read it, and you will learn from it how to live for God. +It tells all about it."</p> + +<p>These words fell deep into Avdyéich's heart. And he +went that very day and bought himself a New Testament +in large letters, and began to read.</p> + +<p>Avdyéich had meant to read it on holidays only, but +when he began to read it, his heart was so rejoiced that +he read it every day. Many a time he buried himself so +much in reading that all the kerosene would be spent in +the lamp, but he could not tear himself away from the +book. And Avdyéich read in it every evening, and the +more he read, the clearer it became to him what God +wanted of him, and how he should live for God; and his +heart grew lighter and lighter. Formerly, when he lay +down to sleep, he used to groan and sob and think of his +Kapitóshka, but now he only muttered:</p> + +<p>"Glory be to Thee, glory to Thee, O Lord! Thy will +be done!"</p> + +<p>Since then Avdyéich's life had been changed. Formerly, +he used on a holiday to frequent the tavern, to +drink tea, and would not decline a drink of vódka. He +would drink a glass with an acquaintance and, though he +would not be drunk, he would come out of the tavern in +a happier mood, and then he would speak foolish things, +and would scold, or slander a man. Now all that passed +away from him. His life came to be calm and happy. +In the morning he sat down to work, and when he got +through, he took the lamp from the hook, put it down on +the table, fetched the book from the shelf, opened it, and +began to read it. And the more he read, the better he +understood it, and his mind was clearer and his heart +lighter.</p> + +<p>One evening Martýn read late into the night. He had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_448" id="Page_448">[Pg 448]</a></span> +before him the Gospel of St. Luke. He read the sixth +chapter and the verses: "And unto him that smiteth +thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that +taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat +also. Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him +that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. And as +ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them +likewise."</p> + +<p>And he read also the other verses, where the Lord +says: "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the +things which I say? Whosoever cometh to me, and +heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to +whom he is like: he is like a man which built an house, +and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and +when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon +that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded +upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like +a man that without a foundation built an house upon the +earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, +and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was +great."</p> + +<p>When Avdyéich read these words, there was joy in his +heart. He took off his glasses, put them on the book, +leaned his arms on the table, and fell to musing. And +he began to apply these words to his life, and he +thought:</p> + +<p>"Is my house on a rock, or on the sand? It is well +if it is founded on a rock: it is so easy to sit alone,—it +seems to me that I am doing everything which God has +commanded; but if I dissipate, I shall sin again. I will +just proceed as at present. It is so nice! Help me, +God!"</p> + +<p>This he thought, and he wanted to go to sleep, but he +was loath to tear himself away from the book. And +he began to read the seventh chapter. He read about the +centurion, about the widow's son, about the answer to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_449" id="Page_449">[Pg 449]</a></span> +John's disciples, and he reached the passage where the +rich Pharisee invited the Lord to be his guest, and where +the sinning woman anointed His feet and washed them +with her tears, and he justified her. And he reached +the 44th verse, and read: "And he turned to the +woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? +I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for +my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and +wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me +no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath +not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst +not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with +ointment."</p> + +<p>When he had read these verses, he thought:</p> + +<p>"He gave no water for His feet; he gave no kiss; he +did not anoint His head with oil."</p> + +<p>And again Avdyéich took off his glasses and placed +them on the book, and fell to musing.</p> + +<p>"Evidently he was just such a Pharisee as I am. He, +no doubt, thought only of himself: how to drink tea, and +be warm, and in comfort, but he did not think of the +guest. About himself he thought, but no care did he +have for the guest. And who was the guest?—The Lord +Himself. Would I have done so, if He had come to +me?"</p> + +<p>And Avdyéich leaned his head on both his arms and +did not notice how he fell asleep.</p> + +<p>"Martýn!" suddenly something seemed to breathe +over his very ear.</p> + +<p>Martýn shuddered in his sleep: "Who is that?"</p> + +<p>He turned around and looked at the door, but there +was nobody there. He bent down again, to go to sleep. +Suddenly he heard distinctly:</p> + +<p>"Martýn, oh, Martýn, remember, to-morrow I will come +to the street."</p> + +<p>Martýn awoke, rose from his chair, and began to rub<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_450" id="Page_450">[Pg 450]</a></span> +his eyes. He did not know himself whether he had heard +these words in his dream or in waking. He put out the +light and went to sleep.</p> + +<p>Avdyéich got up in the morning before daybreak, said +his prayers, made a fire, put the beet soup and porridge on +the stove, started the samovár, tied on his apron, and sat +down at the window to work. And, as he sat there at +work, he kept thinking of what had happened the night +before. His thoughts were divided: now he thought that +it had only seemed so to him, and now again he thought +he had actually heard the voice.</p> + +<p>"Well," he thought, "such things happen."</p> + +<p>Martýn was sitting at the window and not so much +working as looking out into the street, and if somebody +passed in unfamiliar boots, he bent over to look out of the +window, in order to see not merely the boots, but also +the face. A janitor passed by in new felt boots; then a +water-carrier went past; then an old soldier of the +days of Nicholas, in patched old felt boots, holding a +shovel in his hands, came in a line with the window. +Avdyéich recognized him by his felt boots. The old +man's name was Stepánych, and he was living with a +neighbouring merchant for charity's sake. It was his duty +to help the janitor. Stepánych began to clear away the +snow opposite Avdyéich's window. Avdyéich cast a +glance at him and went back to his work.</p> + +<p>"Evidently I am losing my senses in my old age," +Avdyéich laughed to himself. "Stepánych is clearing +away the snow, and I thought that Christ was coming to +see me. I, old fool, am losing my senses." But before +he had made a dozen stitches, something drew him again +toward the window. He looked out, and there he saw +Stepánych leaning his shovel against the wall and either +warming or resting himself.</p> + +<p>He was an old, broken-down man, and evidently shovelling +snow was above his strength. Avdyéich thought:<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_451" id="Page_451">[Pg 451]</a></span> +"I ought to give him some tea; fortunately the samovár +is just boiling." He stuck the awl into the wood, got up, +placed the samovár on the table, put some tea in the teapot, +and tapped with his finger at the window. Stepánych +turned around and walked over to the window. Avdyéich +beckoned to him and went to open the door.</p> + +<p>"Come in and get warmed up!" he said. "I suppose +you are feeling cold."</p> + +<p>"Christ save you! I have a breaking in my bones," +said Stepánych.</p> + +<p>He came in, shook off the snow and wiped his boots so +as not to track the floor, but he was tottering all the time.</p> + +<p>"Don't take the trouble to rub your boots. I will clean +up,—that is my business. Come and sit down!" said +Avdyéich. "Here, drink a glass of tea!"</p> + +<p>Avdyéich filled two glasses and moved one of them up +to his guest, and himself poured his glass into the saucer +and began to blow at it.</p> + +<p>Stepánych drank his glass; then he turned it upside +down, put the lump of sugar on top of it, and began to +express his thanks; but it was evident that he wanted +another glass.</p> + +<p>"Have some more," said Avdyéich; and he poured out +a glass for his guest and one for himself. Avdyéich drank +his tea, but something kept drawing his attention to the +window.</p> + +<p>"Are you waiting for anybody?" asked the guest.</p> + +<p>"Am I waiting for anybody? It is really a shame to +say for whom I am waiting: no, I am not exactly waiting, +but a certain word has fallen deep into my heart: I do +not know myself whether it is a vision, or what. You see, +my friend, I read the Gospel yesterday about Father Christ +and how He suffered and walked the earth. I suppose +you have heard of it?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I have," replied Stepánych, "but we are ignorant +people,—we do not know how to read."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_452" id="Page_452">[Pg 452]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Well, so I read about how He walked the earth. I +read, you know, about how He came to the Pharisee, and +the Pharisee did not give Him a good reception. Well, +my friend, as I was reading last night about that very +thing, I wondered how he could have failed to honour +Father Christ. If He should have happened to come to me, +for example, I should have done everything to receive +Him. But he did not receive Him well. As I was thinking +of it, I fell asleep. And as I dozed off I heard some +one calling me by name: I got up and it was as though +somebody were whispering to me: 'Wait,' he said: 'I will +come to-morrow.' This he repeated twice. Would you +believe it,—it has been running through my head,—I +blame myself for it,—and I am, as it were, waiting for +Father Christ."</p> + +<p>Stepánych shook his head and said nothing. He finished +his glass and put it sidewise, but Avdyéich took it +again and filled it with tea.</p> + +<p>"Drink, and may it do you good! I suppose when He, +the Father, walked the earth, He did not neglect anybody, +and kept the company mostly of simple folk. He visited +mostly simple folk, and chose His disciples mostly from +people of our class, labouring men, like ourselves the sinners. +He who raises himself up, He said, shall be humbled, +and he who humbles himself shall be raised. You +call me Lord, He said, but I will wash your feet. He who +wants to be the first, He said, let him be everybody's servant; +because, He said, blessed are the poor, the meek +the humble, and the merciful."</p> + +<p>Stepánych forgot his tea. He was an old man and +easily moved to tears. He sat there and listened, +and tears flowed down his cheeks.</p> + +<p>"Take another glass!" said Avdyéich.</p> + +<p>But Stepánych made the sign of the cross, thanked him +for the tea, pushed the glass away from him, and +got up.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_453" id="Page_453">[Pg 453]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Thank you, Martýn Avdyéich," he said. "You were +hospitable to me, and have given food to my body and my +soul."</p> + +<p>"You are welcome. Come in again,—I shall be glad +to see you," said Avdyéich.</p> + +<p>Stepánych went away. Martýn poured out the last tea, +finished another glass, put away the dishes, and again sat +down at the window to work,—to tap a boot. And as +he worked, he kept looking out of the window,—waiting +for Christ and thinking of Him and His works. And all +kinds of Christ's speeches ran through his head.</p> + +<p>There passed by two soldiers, one in Crown boots, the +other in boots of his own; then the proprietor of a neighbouring +house came by in clean galoshes, and then a +baker with a basket. All of these went past the window, +and then a woman in woollen stockings and peasant shoes +came in line with the window. She went by the window +and stopped near a wall. Avdyéich looked at her through +the window, and saw that she was a strange, poorly +dressed woman, with a child: she had stopped with her +back to the wind and was trying to wrap the child, +though she did not have anything to wrap it in. The +woman's clothes were for the summer, and scanty at that. +Avdyéich could hear the child cry in the street, and her +vain attempt to quiet it. Avdyéich got up and went out +of his room and up to the staircase, and called out:</p> + +<p>"Clever Woman! Clever woman!"</p> + +<p>The woman heard him and turned around.</p> + +<p>"Why are you standing there in the cold with the +child? Come in here! It will be easier for you to wrap +the child in a warm room. Here, this way!"</p> + +<p>The woman was surprised. She saw an old man in an +apron, with glasses over his nose, calling to her. She +followed him in.</p> + +<p>They went down the stairs and entered the room, and +Martýn took the woman up to the bed.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_454" id="Page_454">[Pg 454]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Sit down here, clever woman, nearer to the stove, and +get warm and feed the child."</p> + +<p>"There is no milk in my breasts,—I have not had anything +to eat since morning," said the woman, but still she +took the child to her breast.</p> + +<p>Avdyéich shook his head, went to the table, fetched +some bread and a bowl, opened a door in the stove, filled +the bowl with beet soup, and took out the pot of porridge, +but it was not done yet. He put the soup on the table, +put down the bread, and took off a rag from a hook and +put it down on the table.</p> + +<p>"Sit down, clever woman, and eat, and I will sit with +the babe,—I used to have children of my own, and so I +know how to take care of them."</p> + +<p>The woman made the sign of the cross, sat down at the +table, and began to eat, while Avdyéich seated himself on +the bed with the child. He smacked his lips at it, but +could not smack well, for he had no teeth. The babe +kept crying all the time. Avdyéich tried to frighten it +with his finger: he quickly carried his finger down toward +the babe's mouth and pulled it away again. He did not +put his finger into the child's mouth, because it was black,—all +smeared with pitch. But the child took a fancy +for his finger and grew quiet, and then began even to +smile. Avdyéich, too, was happy. The woman was eating +in the meantime and telling him who she was and +whither she was going.</p> + +<p>"I am a soldier's wife," she said. "My husband was +driven somewhere far away eight months ago, and I do +not know where he is. I had been working as a cook +when the baby was born; they would not keep me with +the child. This is the third month that I have been +without a place. I have spent all I had saved. I wanted +to hire out as a wet-nurse, but they will not take me: they +say that I am too thin. I went to a merchant woman, +where our granny lives, and she promised she would take<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_455" id="Page_455">[Pg 455]</a></span> +me. I thought she wanted me to come at once, but she +told me she wanted me next week. She lives a distance +away. I am all worn out and have worn out the dear +child, too. Luckily our landlady pities us for the sake of +Christ, or else I do not know how we should have lived +until now."</p> + +<p>Avdyéich heaved a sigh, and said:</p> + +<p>"And have you no warm clothes?"</p> + +<p>"Indeed, it is time now to have warm clothing, dear +man! But yesterday I pawned my last kerchief for +twenty kopeks."</p> + +<p>The woman went up to the bed and took her child, +but Avdyéich got up, went to the wall, rummaged there +awhile, and brought her an old sleeveless cloak.</p> + +<p>"Take this!" he said. "It is an old piece, but you +may use it to wrap yourself in."</p> + +<p>The woman looked at the cloak and at the old man, +and took the cloak, and burst out weeping. Avdyéich +turned his face away; he crawled under the bed, pulled +out a box, rummaged through it, and again sat down +opposite the woman.</p> + +<p>And the woman said:</p> + +<p>"May Christ save you, grandfather! Evidently He +sent me to your window. My child would have frozen +to death. When I went out it was warm, but now it has +turned dreadfully cold. It was He, our Father, who taught +you to look through the window and have pity on me, +sorrowful woman."</p> + +<p>Avdyéich smiled, and said:</p> + +<p>"It is He who has instructed me: clever woman, +there was good reason why I looked through the +window."</p> + +<p>Martýn told the soldier woman about his dream, and +how he had heard a voice promising him that the Lord +would come to see him on that day.</p> + +<p>"Everything is possible," said the woman. She got<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_456" id="Page_456">[Pg 456]</a></span> +up, threw the cloak over her, wrapped the child in it, and +began to bow to Avdyéich and to thank him.</p> + +<p>"Accept this, for the sake of Christ," said Avdyéich, +giving her twenty kopeks, with which to redeem her +kerchief.</p> + +<p>The woman made the sign of the cross, and so did +Avdyéich, and he saw the woman out.</p> + +<p>She went away. Avdyéich ate some soup, put the +things away, and sat down once more to work. He was +working, but at the same time thinking of the window: +whenever it grew dark there, he looked up to see who was +passing. There went by acquaintances and strangers, and +there was nothing peculiar.</p> + +<p>Suddenly Avdyéich saw an old woman, a huckstress, +stop opposite the very window. She was carrying a basket +with apples. There were but few of them left,—evidently +she had sold all, and over her shoulder she carried +a bag with chips. No doubt, she had picked them up at +some new building, and was on her way home. The bag +was evidently pulling hard on her shoulder; she wanted +to shift it to her other shoulder, so she let the bag down +on the flagstones, set the apple-basket on a post, and began +to shake down the chips. While she was doing that, a +boy in a torn cap leaped out from somewhere, grasped any +apple from the basket, and wanted to skip out, but the old +woman saw him in time and turned around and grabbed +the boy by the sleeve. The boy yanked and tried to get +away, but the old woman held on to him with both her +hands, knocked down his cap, and took hold of his hair. +The boy cried, and the old woman scolded. Avdyéich did +not have time to put away the awl. He threw it on the +floor, jumped out of the room, stumbled on the staircase, +and dropped his glasses. He ran out into the street. The +old woman was pulling the boy's hair and scolding him. +She wanted to take him to a policeman; the little fellow +struggled and tried to deny what he had done:</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_457" id="Page_457">[Pg 457]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I did not take any, so why do you beat me? Let me +go!"</p> + +<p>Avdyéich tried to separate them. He took the boy's +arm, and said:</p> + +<p>"Let him go, granny, forgive him for Christ's sake!"</p> + +<p>"I will forgive him in such a way that he will not +forget until the new bath brooms are ripe. I will take +the rascal to the police station!"</p> + +<p>Avdyéich began to beg the old woman:</p> + +<p>"Let him go, granny, he will not do it again. Let him +go, for Christ's sake!"</p> + +<p>The woman let go of him. The boy wanted to run, +but Avdyéich held on to him.</p> + +<p>"Beg the grandmother's forgiveness," he said. "Don't +do that again,—I saw you take the apple."</p> + +<p>The boy began to cry, and he asked her forgiveness.</p> + +<p>"That's right. And now, take this apple!" Avdyéich +took an apple from the basket and gave it to the boy. "I +will pay for it, granny," he said to the old woman.</p> + +<p>"You are spoiling these ragamuffins," said the old +woman. "He ought to be rewarded in such a way that +he should remember it for a week."</p> + +<p>"Oh, granny, granny!" said Avdyéich. "That is according +to our ways, but how is that according to God's +ways? If he is to be whipped for an apple, what ought to +be done with us for our sins?"</p> + +<p>The old woman grew silent.</p> + +<p>And Avdyéich told the old woman the parable of the +lord who forgave his servant his whole large debt, after +which the servant went and took his fellow servant who +was his debtor by the throat. The old woman listened to +him, and the boy stood and listened, too.</p> + +<p>"God has commanded that we should forgive," said +Avdyéich, "or else we, too, shall not be forgiven. All are +to be forgiven, but most of all an unthinking person."</p> + +<p>The old woman shook her head and sighed.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_458" id="Page_458">[Pg 458]</a></span></p> + +<p>"That is so," said the old woman, "but they are very +much spoiled nowadays."</p> + +<p>"Then we old people ought to teach them," said +Avdyéich.</p> + +<p>"That is what I say," said the old woman. "I myself +had seven of them,—but only one daughter is left now." +And the old woman began to tell where and how she was +living with her daughter, and how many grandchildren +she had. "My strength is waning," she said, "but still I +work. I am sorry for my grandchildren, and they are such +nice children,—nobody else meets me the way they do. +Aksyútka will not go to anybody from me. 'Granny, +granny dear, darling!'" And the old woman melted with +tenderness.</p> + +<p>"Of course, he is but a child,—God be with him!" +the old woman said about the boy.</p> + +<p>She wanted to lift the bag on her shoulders, when the +boy jumped up to her, and said:</p> + +<p>"Let me carry it, granny! I am going that way."</p> + +<p>The old woman shook her head and threw the bag on +the boy's shoulders. They walked together down the +street. The old woman had forgotten to ask Avdyéich to +pay her for the apple. Avdyéich stood awhile, looking +at them and hearing them talk as they walked along.</p> + +<p>When they disappeared from sight, he returned to his +room. He found his glasses on the staircase,—they were +not broken,—and he picked up his awl and again sat +down to work. He worked for awhile; he could not find +the holes with the bristle, when he looked up and saw the +lampman lighting the lamps.</p> + +<p>"It is evidently time to strike a light," he thought, and +he got up and fixed the lamp and hung it on the hook, +and sat down again to work. He finished a boot: he +turned it around and looked at it, and he saw that it was +well done. He put down his tool, swept up the clippings, +put away the bristles and the remnants and the awls, took<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_459" id="Page_459">[Pg 459]</a></span> +the lamp and put it on the table, and fetched the Gospel +from the shelf. He wanted to open the book where he +had marked it the day before with a morocco clipping, but +he opened it in another place. And just as he went to +open the Gospel, he thought of his dream of the night +before. And just as he thought of it, it appeared to him +as though something were moving and stepping behind +him. He looked around, and, indeed, it looked as though +people were standing in the dark corner, but he could not +make out who they were. And a voice whispered to him:</p> + +<p>"Martýn, oh, Martýn, have you not recognized me?"</p> + +<p>"Whom?" asked Avdyéich.</p> + +<p>"Me," said the voice. "It is I."</p> + +<p>And out of the dark corner came Stepánych, and he +smiled and vanished like a cloud and was no more.</p> + +<p>"And it is I," said a voice.</p> + +<p>And out of the dark corner came the woman with the +babe, and the woman smiled and the child laughed, and +they, too, disappeared.</p> + +<p>"And it is I," said a voice.</p> + +<p>And out came the old woman and the boy with the +apple, and both smiled and vanished.</p> + +<p>And joy fell on Avdyéich's heart, and he made the sign +of the cross, put on his glasses, and began to read the +Gospel, there where he had opened it. And at the top of +the page he read:</p> + +<p>"I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was +thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye +took me in."</p> + +<p>And at the bottom of the page he read:</p> + +<p>"Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of +these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." (Matt. xxv.)</p> + +<p>And Avdyéich understood that his dream had not deceived +him, that the Saviour had really come to him on +that day, and that he had received Him.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_460" id="Page_460">[Pg 460]</a></span><br /></p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_461" id="Page_461">[Pg 461]</a></span></p> + + +<h2><a name="TEXTS_FOR_CHAPBOOK" id="TEXTS_FOR_CHAPBOOK"></a>TEXTS FOR CHAPBOOK<br /> +ILLUSTRATIONS<br /> +1885</h2> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_462" id="Page_462">[Pg 462]</a></span><br /></p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_463" id="Page_463">[Pg 463]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center big">TEXTS FOR CHAPBOOK<br /> +ILLUSTRATIONS</p> + + +<h2><a name="THE_FIEND_PERSISTS_BUT_GOD_RESISTS" id="THE_FIEND_PERSISTS_BUT_GOD_RESISTS"></a>THE FIEND PERSISTS, BUT GOD RESISTS</h2> + + +<p>In ancient times there lived a good master. He had +plenty of everything, and many slaves served him. And +the slaves prided themselves on their master. They said:</p> + +<p>"There is not a better master under heaven. He feeds +us and dresses us well, and gives us work to do according +to our strength, and never offends us with a word, and +bears no grudge against any one; he is not like other +masters who torture their slaves worse than cattle, and +punish them with cause and without cause, and never +say a good word to them. Our master wishes us good, +and does us good, and speaks good words to us. We do +not want any better life."</p> + +<p>Thus the slaves boasted of their master. And the devil +was annoyed to see the slaves living well and in love with +their master. And the devil took possession of one of the +master's slaves, Aleb. He took possession of him and +commanded him to seduce other slaves. And when all +the slaves were resting and praising their master, Aleb +raised his voice and said:</p> + +<p>"Brothers, in vain do you pride yourselves on the goodness +of your master. Try to do the devil's bidding, and +he, too, will be kind to you. We serve our master well,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_464" id="Page_464">[Pg 464]</a></span> +and please him in everything. He needs only to have a +thing in mind, and we do it.—we guess his thoughts. +Why, then, should he not be good to us? Stop doing his +bidding and do him some wrong, and he will be like +everybody else, and will repay evil with evil, much worse +than the worst of masters."</p> + +<p>And the other slaves began to dispute with Aleb. They +disputed and made a wager. Aleb undertook to anger the +good master. He undertook to do so on condition that +if he did not succeed in making him angry, he should +lose his holiday garment, but if he did, each should give +him his own holiday garment, and, besides, they promised +to defend him against the master and to free him if the +master should put him in irons or throw him into prison. +They made this wager, and Aleb promised to anger the +master on the following morning.</p> + +<p>Aleb was serving in the master's sheepfold and tended +on costly thoroughbred rams. And so, when the good +master came the next morning with his guests to the +sheepfold to show them his favourite expensive rams, the +devil's labourer winked to his companions: "Watch me +now! I am going to anger the master." All the slaves +gathered and looked through the door and over the enclosure, +and the devil climbed a tree and looked from +there into the yard, to see how his labourer was going to +serve him. The master walked through the yard, showing +his guests the sheep and lambs, and he wanted to +show them his best ram.</p> + +<p>"The other rams are nice, too, but the one with the +twisted horns is priceless, and I think more of him than +of the pupil of my eye."</p> + +<p>The sheep and the lambs were shying from the people +in the yard, and the guests could not get a good look at +the expensive ram. The moment the ram stopped, the +labourer of the devil, as though by accident, frightened +the sheep, and they got all mixed. The guests could not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_465" id="Page_465">[Pg 465]</a></span> +make out which was the expensive ram. The master got +tired of it, so he said:</p> + +<p>"Aleb, my dear friend, take the trouble carefully to +catch the best ram with the twisted horns and to hold +him awhile."</p> + +<p>The moment the master had said that, Aleb rushed +forward, like a lion, into the midst of the rams and +caught the priceless ram by his fleece. He got hold of +the wool, and with one hand he seized the left hind leg +and raised it and in the eyes of the master jerked it in +such a way that it snapped like a linden post. Aleb had +broken the ram's leg beneath the knee. The ram began +to bleat and fell down on his fore legs. Aleb grasped the +right leg while the left hung loose like a whip-cord. The +guests and all the slaves groaned, and the devil rejoiced, +when he saw how cleverly Aleb had done his work. The +master looked blacker than night. He frowned, lowered +his head, and did not say a word. The guests and the slaves +were silent. They waited to see what would happen.</p> + +<p>The master was silent, then shook himself, as though +he wanted to throw something off, and raised his head +and lifted it to the sky. He looked at it for a short +time, and the wrinkles on his face disappeared, and he +smiled and lowered his eyes on Aleb. He looked at Aleb, +and smiled, and said:</p> + +<p>"O Aleb, Aleb! Your master has commanded you to +anger me. But my master is stronger than yours: you +have not angered me, but I will anger your master. You +were afraid that I would punish you, and you wanted to +be free, Aleb. Know, then, that you will receive no punishment +from me, and, since you wanted to be free, I free +you in the presence of these my guests. Go in all four +directions and take your holiday garment with you!"</p> + +<p>And the good master went with his guests to the house. +But the devil ground his teeth and fell down from the +tree and sank through the earth.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_466" id="Page_466">[Pg 466]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="LITTLE_GIRLS_WISER_THAN_OLD_PEOPLE" id="LITTLE_GIRLS_WISER_THAN_OLD_PEOPLE"></a>LITTLE GIRLS WISER THAN OLD PEOPLE</h2> + + +<p>It was an early Easter. They had just quit using +sleighs. In the yards lay snow, and rills ran down the +village. A large puddle had run down from a manure +pile into a lane between two farms. And at this puddle +two girls, one older than the other, had met. Both of +them had been dressed by their mothers in new bodices. +The little girl had a blue bodice, and the elder a yellow +one with a design. Both had their heads wrapped in red +kerchiefs. After mass the two girls went to the puddle, +where they showed their new garments to each other, and +began to play. They wanted to plash in the water. The +little girl started to go into the puddle with her shoes on, +but the older girl said to her:</p> + +<p>"Don't go, Malásha, your mother will scold you. I +will take off my shoes, and you do the same."</p> + +<p>The girls took off their shoes, raised their skirts, and +walked through the puddle toward each other. Malásha +stepped in up to her ankles, and said:</p> + +<p>"It is deep, Akúlka, I am afraid."</p> + +<p>"Never mind," she replied, "it will not be any deeper. +Come straight toward me!" They came closer to each +other. Akúlka said:</p> + +<p>"Malásha, look out, and do not splash it up, but walk +softly."</p> + +<p>She had barely said that when Malásha plumped her +foot into the water and bespattered Akúlka's bodice, and +not only her bodice, but also her nose and eyes. When +Akúlka saw the spots on her bodice, she grew angry at +Malásha, and scolded her, and ran after her, and wanted<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_467" id="Page_467">[Pg 467]</a></span> +to strike her. Malásha was frightened and, seeing what +trouble she had caused, jumped out of the puddle and ran +home.</p> + +<p>Akúlka's mother passed by; she saw her daughter's +bodice bespattered and her shirt soiled.</p> + +<p>"Where, accursed one, did you get yourself so dirty?"</p> + +<p>"Malásha has purposely splashed it on me."</p> + +<p>Akúlka's mother grasped Malásha and gave her a knock +on the nape of her neck. Malásha began to howl, and +her mother ran out of the house.</p> + +<p>"Why do you strike my daughter?" she began to +scold her neighbour.</p> + +<p>One word brought back another, and the women began +to quarrel. The men, too, ran out, and a big crowd gathered +in the street. All were crying, and nobody could +hear his neighbour. They scolded and cursed each other; +one man gave another man a push, and a fight had begun, +when Akúlka's grandmother came out. She stepped in +the midst of the peasants, and began to talk to them:</p> + +<p>"What are you doing, dear ones? Consider the holiday. +This is a time for rejoicing. And see what sin +you are doing!"</p> + +<p>They paid no attention to the old woman, and almost +knocked her off her feet. She would never have stopped +them, if it had not been for Akúlka and Malásha. While +the women exchanged words, Akúlka wiped off her bodice, +and went back to the puddle in the lane. She picked up +a pebble and began to scratch the ground so as to let the +water off into the street. While she was scratching, +Malásha came up and began to help her: she picked up +a chip and widened the rill. The peasants had begun +to fight, just as the water went down the rill toward +the place where the old woman was trying to separate the +men. The girls ran, one from one side of the rill, +the other from the other side.</p> + +<p>"Look out, Malásha, look out!" shouted Akúlka.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_468" id="Page_468">[Pg 468]</a></span></p> + +<p>Malásha wanted to say something herself, but could +not speak for laughter.</p> + +<p>The girls were running and laughing at a chip which +was bobbing up and down the rill. They ran straight +into the crowd of the peasants. The old woman saw them +and said to the peasants:</p> + +<p>"Shame on you before God, men! You have started +fighting on account of these two girls, and they have long +ago forgotten it: the dear children have been playing +nicely together. They are wiser than you."</p> + +<p>The men looked at the girls, and they felt ashamed. +Then they laughed at themselves, and scattered to their +farms.</p> + +<p>"Except ye become as little children, ye shall not enter +into the kingdom of heaven."</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_469" id="Page_469">[Pg 469]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="THE_TWO_BROTHERS_AND_THE_GOLD" id="THE_TWO_BROTHERS_AND_THE_GOLD"></a>THE TWO BROTHERS AND THE GOLD</h2> + + +<p>In ancient times there lived not far from Jerusalem two +brothers, the elder named Athanasius, and the younger +John. They lived in a mountain, not far from the city, +and supported themselves on what people offered them. +The brothers passed all their days at work. They worked +not for themselves, but for the poor. Wherever were +those who were oppressed by labour, or sick people, or +orphans, or widows, thither the brothers went, and there +they worked, and received no pay. Thus the two brothers +passed the whole week away from each other, and met +only on Saturday evening in their abode. On Sunday +alone did they stay at home, and then they prayed and +talked with each other. And an angel of the Lord came +down to them and blessed them. On Monday they +separated each in his own direction. Thus they lived +for many years, and each week the angel of the Lord +came down to them and blessed them.</p> + +<p>One Monday, when the brothers had already gone out +to work and had gone each in his direction, the elder +brother, Athanasius, was loath to part from his brother, +and he stopped and looked back. John was walking with +lowered head, in his direction, without looking back. But +suddenly John, too, stopped and, as though he had suddenly +noticed something, gazed at something, while shielding +his eyes. Then he approached what he was gazing +at, suddenly jumped to one side, and, without looking +back, ran down-hill and up-hill again, away from the +place, as though a wolf were after him. Athanasius was +surprised. He went back to that spot, to see what it was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_470" id="Page_470">[Pg 470]</a></span> +that had so frightened his brother. He went up to it and +saw something shining in the sun. He came nearer, +and there lay a heap of gold on the ground, as though +poured out from a measure. And Athanasius was still +more surprised, both at the gold and at his brother's leap.</p> + +<p>"Why was he frightened, and why did he run away?" +thought Athanasius. "There is no sin in gold. The sin +is in man. With gold one may do wrong, but also some +good. How many orphans and widows may be fed, how +many naked people dressed, and the poor and sick aided +with this gold! We now serve people, but our service is +small, though it is to the best of our strength. With this +gold, however, we can serve people better."</p> + +<p>Thus Athanasius thought, and he wanted to tell it all +to his brother; but John was out of the range of hearing, +and could be seen only as a speck the size of a beetle on +another mountain.</p> + +<p>Athanasius took off his cloak, scooped up as much gold +as he was able to carry away, threw it on his shoulder, +and carried it into the city. He came to a hostelry and +left the gold with the keeper, and went back for the rest. +When he had brought all the gold, he went to the +merchants, bought some land in the city, and stones and +timber, and hired labourers, and began to build three +houses.</p> + +<p>Athanasius lived for three months in the city, and +built three houses there: one—an asylum for widows +and orphans, another—a hospital for the sick and the +lame, and a third—for pilgrims and for the needy. And +Athanasius found three God-fearing old men, and one of +them he placed in charge of the asylum, the second—of +the hospital, and the third—of the hostelry. And Athanasius +had still three thousand gold coins left. He gave +each old man one thousand coins to distribute them to the +poor.</p> + +<p>The three houses began to fill up with people, and the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_471" id="Page_471">[Pg 471]</a></span> +people began to praise Athanasius for everything he had +done. And Athanasius was glad of that and did not feel +like leaving the city. But he loved his brother and so +he bade the people farewell and, without keeping a single +coin, went back to his abode, wearing the same old garment +in which he had come.</p> + +<p>As Athanasius was approaching his mountain, he +thought:</p> + +<p>"My brother did not judge rightly when he jumped +from the gold and ran away from it. Have I not done +better?"</p> + +<p>And no sooner had Athanasius thought so than he saw +the angel who used to bless him standing in the road +and looking threateningly at him. And Athanasius was +frightened and only said:</p> + +<p>"For what, O Lord?"</p> + +<p>And the angel opened his lips, and said:</p> + +<p>"Go hence! You are not worthy of living with your +brother. One leap of your brother is worth all the deeds +which you have done with your gold."</p> + +<p>And Athanasius began to speak of how many poor +people and pilgrims he had fed, and how many orphans +he had housed. And the angel said:</p> + +<p>"The devil who placed the gold there has also taught +you these words."</p> + +<p>Then only did his conscience trouble him, and he saw +that he had done his deeds not for God, and he wept and +began to repent.</p> + +<p>The angel stepped out of the road and opened the path +on which his brother, John, was already standing and +waiting for him. After that Athanasius no longer submitted +to the temptation of the devil who had scattered +the gold, and he understood that not with gold, but only +with words can we serve God and men.</p> + +<p>And the brothers began to live as before.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_472" id="Page_472">[Pg 472]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="ILYAS" id="ILYAS"></a>ILYÁS</h2> + + +<p>In the Government of Ufá there lived a Bashkir, Ilyás. +His father had left him no wealth. His father had died +a year after he had got his son married. At that time +Ilyás had seven mares, two cows, and a score of sheep; +but Ilyás was a good master and began to increase his +possessions; he worked with his wife from morning until +night, got up earlier than anybody, and went to bed later, +and grew richer from year to year. Thus Ilyás passed +thirty-five years at work, and came to have a vast fortune.</p> + +<p>Ilyás finally had two hundred head of horses, 150 +head of cattle, and twelve hundred sheep. Men herded +Ilyás's herds and flocks, and women milked the mares +and cows, and made kumys, butter, and cheese. Ilyás +had plenty of everything, and in the district everybody +envied him his life. People said:</p> + +<p>"Ilyás is a lucky fellow. He has plenty of everything,—he +does not need to die."</p> + +<p>Good people made Ilyás's friendship and became his +friends. And guests came to him from a distance. He +received them all, and fed them, and gave them to drink. +No matter who came, he received kumys, and tea, and +sherbet, and mutton. If guests came to see him, a +sheep or two were killed, and if many guests arrived, he +had them kill a mare.</p> + +<p>Ilyás had two sons and a daughter. He had got all of +them married. When Ilyás had been poor, his sons had +worked with him and had herded the horses and the +cattle and the sheep; but when they grew rich, the sons<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_473" id="Page_473">[Pg 473]</a></span> +became spoiled, and one of them even began to drink. +One of them, the eldest, was killed in a fight, and the +other, the younger, had a proud wife, and did not obey +his father, and his father had to give him a separate +maintenance.</p> + +<p>Ilyás gave him a house and cattle, and his own wealth +was diminished. Soon after a plague fell on Ilyás's +sheep, and many of them died. Then there was a famine +year, the hay crop was a failure, and in the winter many +head of cattle died. Then the Kirgizes drove off the best +herd of horses. And thus Ilyás's estate grew less, and he +fell lower and lower, and his strength began to wane.</p> + +<p>When he was seventy years old, he began to sell off +his furs, rugs, saddles, and tents, and soon had to sell his +last head of cattle, so that he was left without anything. +Before he knew it, all was gone, and in his old age he +had to go with his wife to live among strangers. All +that Ilyás had left of his fortune was what garments he +had on his body, a fur coat, a cap, and his morocco slippers +and shoes, and his wife, Sham-shemagi, who was +now an old woman. The son to whom he had given the +property had left for a distant country, and his daughter +had died. And so there was nobody to help the old +people.</p> + +<p>Their neighbour, Muhamedshah, took pity on them. +Muhamedshah was neither rich nor poor, and he lived an +even life, and was a good man. He remembered Ilyás's +hospitality, and so pitied him, and said to Ilyás:</p> + +<p>"Come to live with me, Ilyás, and bring your wife with +you! In the summer work according to your strength in +my truck-garden, and in the winter feed the cattle, and +let Sham-shemagi milk the mares and make kumys. I +will feed and clothe you and will let you have whatever +you may need."</p> + +<p>Ilyás thanked his neighbour, and went to live with his +wife as Muhamedshah's labourers. At first it was hard<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_474" id="Page_474">[Pg 474]</a></span> +for them, but soon they got used to the work, and the +old people worked according to their strength.</p> + +<p>It was profitable for the master to keep these people, +for they had been masters themselves and knew all the +order and were not lazy, but worked according to their +strength; but it pained Muhamedshah to see the well-to-do +people brought down so low.</p> + +<p>One day distant guests, match-makers, happened to call +on Muhamedshah; and the mulla, too, came. Muhamedshah +ordered his men to catch a sheep and kill it. +Ilyás flayed the sheep and cooked it and sent it in to the +guests. They ate the mutton, drank tea, and then started +to drink kumys. The guests and the master were sitting +on down cushions on the rugs, drinking kumys out of +bowls, and talking; but Ilyás got through with his work +and walked past the door. When Muhamedshah saw +him, he said to a guest:</p> + +<p>"Did you see the old man who just went past the +door?"</p> + +<p>"I did," said the guest; "but what is there remarkable +about him?"</p> + +<p>"What is remarkable is that he used to be our richest +man. Ilyás is his name; maybe you have heard of +him?"</p> + +<p>"Of course I have," said the guest. "I have never +seen him, but his fame has gone far abroad."</p> + +<p>"Now he has nothing left, and he lives with me as a +labourer, and his wife is with him,—she milks the cows."</p> + +<p>The guest was surprised. He clicked with his tongue, +shook his head, and said:</p> + +<p>"Evidently fortune flies around like a wheel: one it +lifts up, another it takes down. Well, does the old man +pine?"</p> + +<p>"Who knows? He lives quietly and peaceably, and +works well."</p> + +<p>Then the guest said:</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_475" id="Page_475">[Pg 475]</a></span></p> + +<p>"May I speak with him? I should like to ask him +about his life."</p> + +<p>"Of course you may," said the master, and he called +out of the tent: "Babay!" (This means "grandfather" +in the Bashkia language.) "Come in and drink some +kumys, and bring your wife with you!"</p> + +<p>Ilyás came in with his wife. He exchanged greetings +with the guests and with the master, said a prayer, and +knelt down at the door; but his wife went back of a curtain +and sat down with the mistress.</p> + +<p>A bowl of kumys was handed to Ilyás. Ilyás saluted +the guests and the master, made a bow, drank a little, and +put down the bowl.</p> + +<p>"Grandfather," the guest said to him, "I suppose it +makes you feel bad to look at us and think of your former +life, considering what fortune you had and how hard your +life is now."</p> + +<p>But Ilyás smiled and said:</p> + +<p>"If I should tell you about my happiness and unhappiness, +you would not believe me,—you had better ask +my wife. She is a woman, and what is in her heart is +on her tongue: she will tell you all the truth about this +matter."</p> + +<p>And the guest spoke to her behind the curtain:</p> + +<p>"Well, granny, tell us how you judge about your +former happiness and present sorrow."</p> + +<p>And Sham-shemagi spoke from behind the curtain:</p> + +<p>"I judge like this: My husband and I lived for fifty +years trying to find happiness, and we did not find it; but +now it is the second year that we have nothing left and +that we live as labourers, and we have found that happiness +and need no other."</p> + +<p>The guests were surprised and the master marvelled, +and he even got up to throw aside the curtain and to look +at the old woman. But the old woman was standing +with folded hands, smiling and looking at her husband,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_476" id="Page_476">[Pg 476]</a></span> +and the old man was smiling, too. The old woman said +once more:</p> + +<p>"I am telling you the truth, without any jest: for half +a century we tried to find happiness, and so long as we +were rich, we did not find it; now nothing is left, and +we are working out,—and we have come to have such +happiness that we wish for no other.".</p> + +<p>"Wherein does your happiness lie?"</p> + +<p>"In this: when we were rich, my husband and I did +not have an hour's rest: we had no time to talk together, +to think of our souls, or to pray. We had so many cares! +Now guests called on us,—and there were the cares about +what to treat them to and what presents to make so that +they should not misjudge us. When the guests left, we +had to look after the labourers: they thought only of +resting and having something good to eat, but we cared +only about having our property attended to,—and so +sinned. Now we were afraid that a wolf would kill a +colt or a calf, and now that thieves might drive off a herd. +When we lay down to sleep, we could not fall asleep, +fearing lest the sheep might crush the lambs. We would +get up in the night and walk around; no sooner would we +be quieted than we would have a new care,—how to get +fodder for the winter. And, worse than that, there was +not much agreement between my husband and me. He +would say that this had to be done so and so, and I would +say differently, and so we began to quarrel, and sin. Thus +we lived from one care to another, from one sin to another, +and saw no happy life."</p> + +<p>"Well, and now?"</p> + +<p>"Now my husband and I get up, speak together peaceably, +in agreement, for we have nothing to quarrel about, +nothing to worry about,—all the care we have is to serve +our master. We work according to our strength, and we +work willingly so that our master shall have no loss, but +profit. When we come back, dinner is ready, and supper,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_477" id="Page_477">[Pg 477]</a></span> +and kumys. If it is cold, there are dung chips to make +a fire with and a fur coat to warm ourselves. For fifty +years we looked for happiness, but only now have we +found it."</p> + +<p>The guests laughed.</p> + +<p>And Ilyás said:</p> + +<p>"Do not laugh, brothers! This is not a joke, but a +matter of human life. My wife and I were foolish and +wept because we had lost our fortune, but now God has +revealed the truth to us, and we reveal this to you, not for +our amusement but for your good."</p> + +<p>And the mulla said:</p> + +<p>"That was a wise speech, and Ilyás has told the precise +truth,—it says so, too, in Holy Writ."</p> + +<p>And the guests stopped laughing and fell to musing.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_478" id="Page_478">[Pg 478]</a></span></p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_479" id="Page_479">[Pg 479]</a></span></p> + + + +<h2><a name="A_FAIRY-TALE" id="A_FAIRY-TALE"></a>A FAIRY-TALE</h2> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>About Iván the Fool and His Two Brothers, Semén +the Warrior and Tarás the Paunch, and His +Dumb Sister Malánya, and About the Old Devil +and the Three Young Devils</p></div> + +<p>1885</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_480" id="Page_480">[Pg 480]</a></span></p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_481" id="Page_481">[Pg 481]</a></span></p> + + + +<p class="center big">A FAIRY-TALE</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>About Iván the Fool and His Two Brothers, Semén +the Warrior and Tarás the Paunch, and His +Dumb Sister Malánya, and About the Old Devil +and the Three Young Devils</p></div> + + +<h3>I.</h3> + +<p>In a certain kingdom, in a certain realm, there lived a +rich peasant. He had three sons, Semén the Warrior, +Tarás the Paunch, and Iván the Fool, and a daughter Malánya, +the dumb old maid.</p> + +<p>Semén the Warrior went to war, to serve the king; +Tarás the Paunch went to a merchant in the city, to sell +wares; but Iván the Fool and the girl remained at home, +to work and hump their backs.</p> + +<p>Semén the Warrior earned a high rank and an estate, +and married a lord's daughter. His salary was big, and +his estate was large, but still he could not make both ends +meet: whatever he collected, his wife scattered as though +from a sleeve, and they had no money.</p> + +<p>Semén the Warrior came to his estate, to collect the +revenue. His clerk said to him:</p> + +<p>"Where shall it come from? We have neither cattle, +nor tools: neither horses, nor cows, nor plough, nor harrow.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_482" id="Page_482">[Pg 482]</a></span> +Everything has to be provided, then there will be +an income."</p> + +<p>And Semén the Warrior went to his father:</p> + +<p>"You are rich, father," he said, "and you have not +given me anything. Cut off a third and I will transfer it +to my estate."</p> + +<p>And the old man said:</p> + +<p>"You have brought nothing to my house, why should +I give you a third? It will be unfair to Iván and to the +girl."</p> + +<p>But Semén said:</p> + +<p>"But he is a fool, and she is a dumb old maid. What +do they need?"</p> + +<p>And the old man said:</p> + +<p>"As Iván says so it shall be!"</p> + +<p>But Iván said:</p> + +<p>"All right, let him have it!"</p> + +<p>So Semén the Warrior took his third from the house, +transferred it to his estate, and again went away to serve +the king.</p> + +<p>Tarás the Paunch, too, earned much money,—and +married a merchant woman. Still he did not have +enough, and he came to his father, and said:</p> + +<p>"Give me my part!"</p> + +<p>The old man did not want to give Tarás his part:</p> + +<p>"You," he said, "have brought nothing to the house, +and everything in the house has been earned by Iván. I +cannot be unfair to him and to the girl."</p> + +<p>But Tarás said:</p> + +<p>"What does he want it for? He is a fool. He cannot +marry, for no one will have him; and the dumb girl does +not need anything, either. Give me," he said, "half of the +grain, Iván! I will not take your tools, and of your animals +I want only the gray stallion,—you cannot plough +with him."</p> + +<p>Iván laughed.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_483" id="Page_483">[Pg 483]</a></span></p> + +<p>"All right," he said, "I will earn it again."</p> + +<p>So Tarás, too, received his part. Tarás took the grain +to town, and drove off the gray stallion, and Iván was left +with one old mare, and he went on farming and supporting +his father and his mother.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_484" id="Page_484">[Pg 484]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>II.</h3> + +<p>The old devil was vexed because the brothers had not +quarrelled in dividing up, but had parted in love. And so +he called up three young devils.</p> + +<p>"You see," he said, "there are three brothers, Semén +the Warrior, Tarás the Paunch, and Iván the Fool. They +ought to be quarrelling, but, instead, they live peacefully; +they exchange with each other bread and salt. The fool +has spoiled all my business. Go all three of you.—get +hold of them, and mix them up in such a way that they +shall tear out one another's eyes. Can you do it?"</p> + +<p>"We can," they said.</p> + +<p>"How are you going to do it?"</p> + +<p>"We will do it like this," they said: "First we will +ruin them, so that they will have nothing to eat; then we +will throw them all in a heap, so that they will quarrel +together."</p> + +<p>"Very well," he said. "I see that you know your +business. Go, and do not return to me before you have +muddled all three, or else I will flay all three of you."</p> + +<p>The three devils all went to a swamp, and considered +how to take hold of the matter: they quarrelled and +quarrelled, for they wanted each of them to get the easiest +job, and finally they decided to cast lots for each man. If +one of them got through first, he was to come and help the +others. The devils cast lots, and set a time when they +were to meet again in the swamp, in order to find out +who was through, and who needed help.</p> + +<p>When the time came, the devils gathered in the swamp.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_485" id="Page_485">[Pg 485]</a></span> +They began to talk about their affairs. The first devil, +Semén the Warrior's, began to speak.</p> + +<p>"My affair," he said, "is progressing. To-morrow my +Semén will go to his father."</p> + +<p>His comrades asked him how he did it.</p> + +<p>"In the first place," he said, "I brought such bravery +over Semén that he promised his king to conquer +the whole world, and the king made him a commander +and sent him out to fight the King of India. They +came together for a fight. But that very night I wet +all his powder, and I went over to the King of India +and made an endless number of soldiers for him out of +straw. When Semén's soldiers saw the straw soldiers +walking upon them on all sides, they lost their courage. +Semén commanded them to fire their cannon and their +guns, but they could not fire them. Semén's soldiers were +frightened and ran away like sheep. And the King of +India vanquished them. Semén is disgraced,—they have +taken his estate from him, and to-morrow he is to be +beheaded. I have only one day's work left to do: to let +him out of the prison, so that he can run home. To-morrow +I shall be through with him, so tell me which of +you I am to aid!"</p> + +<p>Then the other devil, Tarás's, began to speak:</p> + +<p>"I do not need any help," he said, "for my affair is also +progressing nicely,—Tarás will not live another week. +In the first place, I have raised a belly on him, and made +him envious. He is so envious of other people's property +that, no matter what he sees, he wants to buy it. He +has bought up an endless lot of things and spent all his +money on them and is still buying. He now buys on other +people's money. He has quite a lot on his shoulders, and is +so entangled that he will never free himself. In a week the +time will come for him to pay, and I will change all his +wares into manure,—and he will not be able to pay his +debts, and will go to his father's."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_486" id="Page_486">[Pg 486]</a></span></p> + +<p>They began to ask the third devil, Iván's.</p> + +<p>"How is your business?"</p> + +<p>"I must say, my business is not progressing at all. +The first thing I did was to spit into his kvas jug, so as +to give him a belly-ache, and I went to his field and made +the soil so hard that he should not be able to overcome it. +I thought that he would never plough it up, but he, the +fool, came with his plough and began to tear up the soil. +His belly-ache made him groan, but he stuck to his +ploughing. I broke one plough of his, but he went +home, fixed another plough, wrapped new leg-rags on +him, and started once more to plough. I crept under the +earth, and tried to hold the ploughshare, but I could not +do it,—he pressed so hard on the plough; the ploughshares +are sharp, and he has cut up my hands. He has +ploughed up nearly the whole of it,—only a small strip +is left. Come and help me, brothers, or else, if we do not +overpower him, all our labours will be lost. If the fool is +left and continues to farm, they will have no want, for +he will feed them all."</p> + +<p>Semén's devil promised to come on the morrow to help +him, and thereupon the devils departed.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_487" id="Page_487">[Pg 487]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>III.</h3> + +<p>Iván ploughed up all the fallow field, and only one strip +was left. His belly ached, and yet he had to plough. He +straightened out the lines, turned over the plough, and +went to the field. He had just made one furrow, and was +coming back, when something pulled at the plough as +though it had caught in a root. It was the devil that had +twined his legs about the plough-head and was holding it +fast.</p> + +<p>"What in the world is that?" thought Iván. "There +were no roots here before, but now there are."</p> + +<p>Iván stuck his hand down in the furrow, and felt something +soft. He grabbed it and pulled it out. It was as +black as a root, but something was moving on it. He +took a glance at it, and, behold, it was a live devil.</p> + +<p>"I declare," he said, "it is a nasty thing!" And Iván +swung him and was about to strike him against the plough-handle; +but the devil began to scream.</p> + +<p>"Do not beat me," he said, "and I will do for you anything +you wish."</p> + +<p>"What will you do for me?"</p> + +<p>"Say what you want!"</p> + +<p>Iván scratched himself.</p> + +<p>"My belly aches,—can you cure me?"</p> + +<p>"I can," he said.</p> + +<p>"Very well, cure me!"</p> + +<p>The devil bent down to the furrow, scratched awhile +in it, pulled out a few roots,—three of them in a bunch,—and +gave them to Iván.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_488" id="Page_488">[Pg 488]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Here," he said, "is a root, which, if you swallow, will +make your ache go away at once."</p> + +<p>Iván took the roots, tore them up, and swallowed one. +His belly-ache stopped at once.</p> + +<p>Then the devil began to beg again:</p> + +<p>"Let me go, now, and I will slip through the earth, and +will not come up again."</p> + +<p>"All right," he said, "God be with you!"</p> + +<p>And the moment Iván mentioned God's name, the +devil bolted through the earth, as a stone plumps into +the water, and only a hole was left. Iván put the remaining +two roots in his cap, and started to finish his work. +He ploughed up the strip, turned over the plough, and +went home. He unhitched the horse, came to the house, +and there found his eldest brother, Semén the Warrior, +with his wife, eating supper. His estate had been taken +from him, and he had with difficulty escaped from prison +and come to his father's to live.</p> + +<p>Semén saw Iván, and, "I have come to live with you," +he said. "Feed me and my wife until I find a new +place!"</p> + +<p>"All right," he said, "stay here!"</p> + +<p>Iván wanted to sit down on a bench, but the lady did +not like the smell of Iván. So she said to her husband:</p> + +<p>"I cannot eat supper with a stinking peasant."</p> + +<p>"All right," he said, "I have to go anyway to pasture +the mare for the night."</p> + +<p>Iván took some bread and his caftan, and went out to +herd his mare.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_489" id="Page_489">[Pg 489]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>IV.</h3> + +<p>That night Semén's devil got through with his work +and by agreement went to find Iván's devil, to help to +make an end of the fool. He came to the field and looked +for him everywhere, but found only the hole.</p> + +<p>"Something has evidently gone wrong with my comrade," +he thought,—"I must take his place. The ploughing +is done,—I shall have to catch him in the mowing +time."</p> + +<p>The devil went to the meadows and sent a flood on the +mowing so that it was all covered with mud. Iván returned +in the morning from the night watch, whetted his +scythe, and went out to mow the meadows. He came, +and began to mow: he swung the scythe once, and a +second time, and it grew dull and would not cut,—it was +necessary to grind it. Iván worked hard and in vain.</p> + +<p>"No," he said, "I will go home, and will bring the +grindstone with me, and a round loaf. If I have to stay +here for a week, I will not give up until I mow it all."</p> + +<p>When the devil heard it he thought:</p> + +<p>"This fool is stiff-necked,—I cannot get at him. I +must try something else."</p> + +<p>Iván came back, ground his scythe, and began to mow. +The devil crept into the grass and began to catch the scythe +by the snath-end and to stick the point into the ground. +It went hard with Iván, but he finished the mowing, and +there was left only one scrubby place in the swamp. +The devil crawled into the swamp and thought:</p> + +<p>"If I get both my paws cut, I will not let him +mow it."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_490" id="Page_490">[Pg 490]</a></span></p> + +<p>Iván went into the swamp; the grass was not dense, +but he found it hard to move the scythe. Iván grew angry +and began to swing the scythe with all his might. The +devil gave in; he had hardly time to get away,—he saw +that matters were in bad shape, so he hid in a bush. Iván +swung the scythe with all his might and struck the bush, +and cut off half of the devil's tail. Iván finished the +mowing, told the girl to rake it up, and himself went to +cut the rye.</p> + +<p>He went out with a round knife, but the bobtailed +devil had been there before him and had so mixed up the +rye that he could not cut it with the round knife. Iván +went back, took the sickle, and began to cut it; he cut all +the rye.</p> + +<p>"Now I must go to the oats," he said.</p> + +<p>The bobtailed devil heard it, and thought:</p> + +<p>"I could not cope with him on the rye, but I will get +the better of him in the oats,—just let the morning come."</p> + +<p>The devil ran in the morning to the oats-field, but the +oats were all cut down. Iván had cut them in the night, +to keep them from dropping the seed.</p> + +<p>The devil grew angry:</p> + +<p>"The fool has cut me all up, and has worn me out. I +have not seen such trouble even in war-time. The accursed +one does not sleep,—I cannot keep up with him. +I will go now to the ricks, and will rot them all."</p> + +<p>And the devil went to the rye-rick, climbed between +the sheaves, and began to rot them: he warmed them up, +and himself grew warm and fell asleep.</p> + +<p>Iván hitched his mare, and went with the girl to haul +away the ricks. He drove up to one and began to throw +the sheaves into the cart. He had just put two sheaves +in when he stuck his fork straight into the devil's back; +he raised it, and, behold, on the prongs was a live devil, +and a bobtailed one at that, and he was writhing and +twisting, and trying to get off.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_491" id="Page_491">[Pg 491]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I declare," he said, "it is a nasty thing! Are you +here again?"</p> + +<p>"I am a different devil," he said. "My brother was +here before. I was with your brother Semén."</p> + +<p>"I do not care who you are," he replied, "you will catch +it, too."</p> + +<p>He wanted to strike him against the ground, but the +devil began to beg him:</p> + +<p>"Let me go, and I will not do it again, and I will do +for you anything you please."</p> + +<p>"What can you do?"</p> + +<p>"I can make soldiers for you from anything."</p> + +<p>"What good are they?"</p> + +<p>"You can turn them to any use you please: they will +do anything."</p> + +<p>"Can they play music?"</p> + +<p>"They can."</p> + +<p>"All right, make them for me!"</p> + +<p>And the devil said:</p> + +<p>"Take a sheaf of rye, strike the lower end against the +ground, and say: 'By my master's command not a sheaf +shall you stand, but as many straws as there are so many +soldiers there be.'"</p> + +<p>Iván took the sheaf, shook it against the ground, and +spoke as the devil told him to. And the sheaf fell to +pieces, and the straws were changed into soldiers, and in +front a drummer was drumming, and a trumpeter blowing +the trumpet. Iván laughed.</p> + +<p>"I declare," he said, "it is clever. This is nice to +amuse the girls with."</p> + +<p>"Let me go now," said the devil.</p> + +<p>"No," he said, "I will do that with threshed straw, +and I will not let full ears waste for nothing. I will +thresh them first."</p> + +<p>So the devil said:</p> + +<p>"Say, 'As many soldiers, so many straws there be!<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_492" id="Page_492">[Pg 492]</a></span> +With my master's command again a sheaf it shall +stand.'"</p> + +<p>Iván said this, and the sheaf was as before. And the +devil begged him again:</p> + +<p>"Let me go now!"</p> + +<p>"All right!" Iván caught him on the cart-hurdle, held +him down with his hand, and pulled him off the fork. +"God be with you!" he said.</p> + +<p>The moment he said, "God be with you," the devil +bolted through the earth, as a stone plumps into the water, +and only a hole was left.</p> + +<p>Iván went home, and there he found his second brother. +Tarás and his wife were sitting and eating supper. Tarás +the Paunch had not calculated right, and so he ran away +from his debts and came to his father's. When he saw +Iván, he said:</p> + +<p>"Iván, feed me and my wife until I go back to trading!"</p> + +<p>"All right," he said, "stay with us!"</p> + +<p>Iván took off his caftan, and seated himself at the +table.</p> + +<p>But the merchant's wife said:</p> + +<p>"I cannot eat with a fool. He stinks of sweat."</p> + +<p>So Tarás the Paunch said:</p> + +<p>"Iván, you do not smell right, so go and eat in the +vestibule!"</p> + +<p>"All right," he said, and, taking bread, he went out. +"It is just right," he said, "for it is time for me to go and +pasture the mare for the night."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_493" id="Page_493">[Pg 493]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>V.</h3> + +<p>That night Tarás's devil got through with his job, and +he went by agreement to help out his comrades,—to get +the best of Iván the Fool. He came to the field and +tried to find his comrades, but all he saw was a hole in +the ground; he went to the meadows, and found a tail +in the swamp, and in the rye stubbles he found another +hole.</p> + +<p>"Well," he thought, "evidently some misfortune has +befallen my comrades; I must take their place, and go +for the fool."</p> + +<p>The devil went forth to find Iván. But Iván was +through with the field, and was chopping wood in the +forest.</p> + +<p>The brothers were not comfortable living together, and +they had ordered the fool to cut timber with which to +build them new huts.</p> + +<p>The devil ran to the woods, climbed into the branches, +and did not let Iván fell the trees. Iván chopped the +tree in the right way, so that it might fall in a clear +place; he tried to make it fall, but it came down the +wrong way, and fell where it had no business to fall, and +got caught in the branches. Iván made himself a lever +with his axe, began to turn the tree, and barely brought +it down. Iván went to chop a second tree, and the same +thing happened. He worked and worked at it, and +brought it down. He started on a third tree, and again +the same happened.</p> + +<p>Iván had expected to cut half a hundred trunks, and +before he had chopped ten it was getting dark. Iván<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_494" id="Page_494">[Pg 494]</a></span> +was worn out. Vapours rose from him as though a mist +were going through the woods, but he would not give up. +He chopped down another tree, and his back began to +ache so much that he could not work: he stuck the axe +in the wood, and sat down to rest himself.</p> + +<p>The devil saw that Iván had stopped, and was glad:</p> + +<p>"Well," he thought, "he has worn himself out, and he +will stop soon. I will myself take a rest," and he sat +astride a bough, and was happy.</p> + +<p>But Iván got up, pulled out his axe, swung with all +his might, and hit the tree so hard from the other side +that it cracked and came down with a crash. The devil +had not expected it and had no time to straighten out +his legs. The bough broke and caught the devil's hand. +Iván began to trim, and behold, there was a live devil. +Iván was surprised.</p> + +<p>"I declare," he said, "you are a nasty thing! Are you +here again?"</p> + +<p>"I am not the same," he said. "I was with your +brother Tarás."</p> + +<p>"I do not care who you are,—you will fare the same +way." Iván swung his axe, and wanted to crush him +with the back of the axe.</p> + +<p>The devil began to beg him:</p> + +<p>"Do not kill me,—I will do anything you please for +you."</p> + +<p>"What can you do?"</p> + +<p>"I can make as much money for you as you wish."</p> + +<p>"All right, make it for me!"</p> + +<p>And the devil taught him how to do it.</p> + +<p>"Take some oak leaves from this tree," he said, "and rub +them in your hands. The gold will fall to the ground."</p> + +<p>Iván took some leaves and rubbed them,—and the +gold began to fall.</p> + +<p>"This is nice to have," he said, "when you are out +celebrating with the boys."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_495" id="Page_495">[Pg 495]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Let me go now!" said the devil.</p> + +<p>"All right!" Iván took his lever, and freed the devil. +"God be with you," he said, and the moment he mentioned +God's name, the devil bolted through the earth, as a stone +plumps into the water, and only a hole was left.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_496" id="Page_496">[Pg 496]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>VI.</h3> + +<p>The brothers built themselves houses, and began to +live each by himself. But Iván got through with his +field work, and brewed some beer and invited his brothers +to celebrate with him. They would not be Iván's +guests:</p> + +<p>"We have never seen a peasant celebration," they said.</p> + +<p>Iván treated the peasants and their wives, and himself +drank until he was drunk, and he went out into the street +to the khorovód. He went up to the women, and told +them to praise him.</p> + +<p>"I will give you what you have not seen in all your +lives."</p> + +<p>The women laughed, and praised him. When they got +through, they said:</p> + +<p>"Well, let us have it!"</p> + +<p>"I will bring it to you at once," he said.</p> + +<p>He picked up the seed-basket and ran into the woods. +The women laughed: "What a fool he is!" And they +forgot about him, when, behold, he was running toward +them, and carrying the basket full of something.</p> + +<p>"Shall I let you have it?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>Iván picked up a handful of gold and threw it to the +women. O Lord, how they darted for the money! The +peasants rushed out and began to tear it out of the hands +of the women. They almost crushed an old woman to +death. Iván laughed.</p> + +<p>"Oh, you fools," he said, "why did you crush that old +woman? Be more gentle, and I will give you some<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_497" id="Page_497">[Pg 497]</a></span> +more." He began to scatter more gold. People ran up, +and Iván scattered the whole basketful. They began to +ask for more. But Iván said:</p> + +<p>"That is all. I will give you more some other time. +Now let us have music! Sing songs!"</p> + +<p>The women started a song.</p> + +<p>"I do not like your kind of songs," he said.</p> + +<p>"What kind is better?"</p> + +<p>"I will show you in a minute," he said. He went to +the threshing-floor, pulled out a sheaf, straightened it up, +placed it on end, and struck it against the ground.</p> + +<p>"At your master's command not a sheaf shall you stand, +each straw a soldier shall be."</p> + +<p>The sheaf flew to pieces, and out came the soldiers, and +the drums began to beat and the trumpets to sound. Iván +told the soldiers to play songs, and went into the street +with them. The people were surprised. The soldiers +played songs, and then Iván took them back to the threshing-floor, +and told nobody to follow him. He changed +the soldiers back into a sheaf, and threw it on the loft. +He went home and went to sleep behind the partition.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_498" id="Page_498">[Pg 498]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>VII.</h3> + +<p>On the next morning his eldest brother, Semén the +Warrior, heard of it, and he went to see Iván.</p> + +<p>"Reveal to me," he said, "where did you find those +soldiers, and where did you take them to?"</p> + +<p>"What is that to you?" he said.</p> + +<p>"What a question! With soldiers anything may be +done. You can get a kingdom for yourself."</p> + +<p>Iván was surprised.</p> + +<p>"Indeed? Why did you not tell me so long ago?" he +said. "I will make as many for you as you please. +Luckily the girl and I have threshed a lot of straw."</p> + +<p>Iván took his brother to the threshing-floor, and said:</p> + +<p>"Look here! I will make them for you, but you take +them away, or else, if we have to feed them, they will +ruin the village in one day."</p> + +<p>Semén the Warrior promised that he would take the +soldiers away, and Iván began to make them. He struck +a sheaf against the floor, there was a company; he struck +another, there was a second, and he made such a lot of +them that they took up the whole field.</p> + +<p>"Well, will that do?"</p> + +<p>Semén was happy, and said:</p> + +<p>"It will do. Thank you, Iván."</p> + +<p>"All right," he said. "If you need more, come to me, +and I will make you more. There is plenty of straw +to-day."</p> + +<p>Semén the Warrior at once attended to the army, collected +it as was proper, and went forth to fight.</p> + +<p>No sooner had Semén the Warrior left, than Tarás the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_499" id="Page_499">[Pg 499]</a></span> +Paunch came. He, too, had heard of the evening's affair, +and he began to beg his brother:</p> + +<p>"Reveal to me, where do you get the gold money +from? If I had such free money, I would with it gather +in all the money of the whole world."</p> + +<p>Iván was surprised.</p> + +<p>"Indeed? You ought to have told me so long ago," +he said. "I will rub up for you as much as you want."</p> + +<p>His brother was glad:</p> + +<p>"Give me at least three seed-baskets full!"</p> + +<p>"All right," he said, "let us go to the woods! But +hitch up the horse, or you will not be able to carry it +away."</p> + +<p>They went to the woods, and Iván began to rub the +oak leaves. He rubbed up a large heap.</p> + +<p>"Will that do, eh?"</p> + +<p>Tarás was happy.</p> + +<p>"It will do for awhile," he said. "Thank you, Iván."</p> + +<p>"You are welcome. If you need more, come to me, +and I will rub up some more,—there are plenty of leaves +left."</p> + +<p>Tarás the Paunch gathered a whole wagon-load of +money, and went away to trade with it.</p> + +<p>Both brothers left the home. And Semén went out to +fight, and Tarás to trade. And Semén the Warrior conquered +a whole kingdom for himself, while Tarás the +Paunch made a big heap of money by trading.</p> + +<p>The brothers met, and they revealed to one another +where Semén got the soldiers, and Tarás the money.</p> + +<p>Semén the Warrior said to his brother:</p> + +<p>"I have conquered a kingdom for myself, and I lead a +good life, only I have not enough money to feed my +soldiers with."</p> + +<p>And Tarás the Paunch said:</p> + +<p>"And I have earned a whole mound of money, but here +is the trouble: I have nobody to guard the money."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_500" id="Page_500">[Pg 500]</a></span></p> + +<p>So Semén the Warrior said:</p> + +<p>"Let us go to our brother! I will tell him to make +me more soldiers, and I will give them to you to guard +your money; and you tell him to rub me more money +with which to feed the soldiers."</p> + +<p>And they went to Iván. When they came to him, +Semén said:</p> + +<p>"I have not enough soldiers, brother. Make me some +more soldiers,—if you have to work over two stacks."</p> + +<p>Iván shook his head.</p> + +<p>"I will not make you any soldiers, for nothing in the +world."</p> + +<p>"But you promised you would."</p> + +<p>"So I did, but I will not make them for you."</p> + +<p>"Why, you fool, won't you make them?"</p> + +<p>"Because your soldiers have killed a man. The other +day I was ploughing in the field, when I saw a woman +driving with a coffin in the road, and weeping all the time. +I asked her who had died, and she said, 'Semén's soldiers +have killed my husband in a war.' I thought that the +soldiers would make music, and there they have killed a +man. I will give you no more."</p> + +<p>And he stuck to it, and made no soldiers for him.</p> + +<p>Then Tarás the Paunch began to beg Iván to make +him more gold money. But Iván shook his head.</p> + +<p>"I will not rub any, for nothing in the world."</p> + +<p>"But you promised you would."</p> + +<p>"So I did, but I will not do it."</p> + +<p>"Why, you fool, will you not do it?"</p> + +<p>"Because your gold coins have taken away Mikháylovna's +cow."</p> + +<p>"How so?"</p> + +<p>"They just did. Mikháylovna had a cow, whose milk +the children sipped, but the other day the children came +to me to ask for some milk. I said to them: 'Where +is your cow?' And they answered: 'Tarás the Paunch's<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_501" id="Page_501">[Pg 501]</a></span> +clerk came, and he gave mother three gold pieces, and she +gave him the cow, and now we have no milk to sip.' I +thought you wanted to play with the gold pieces, and you +take the cow away from the children. I will not give +you any more."</p> + +<p>And the fool stuck to it, and did not give him any. +So the brothers went away.</p> + +<p>They went away, and they wondered how they might +mend matters. Then Semén said:</p> + +<p>"This is what we shall do. You give me money to +feed the soldiers with, and I will give you half my +kingdom with the soldiers to guard your money." Tarás +agreed to it. The brothers divided up, and both became +kings, and rich men.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_502" id="Page_502">[Pg 502]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>VIII.</h3> + +<p>But Iván remained at home, supporting father and +mother, and working the field with the dumb girl.</p> + +<p>One day Iván's watch-dog grew sick: he had the mange +and was dying. Iván was sorry for him, and he took some +bread from the dumb girl, put it in his hat, and took it +out and threw it to the dog. But the cap was torn, and +with the bread one of the roots fell out. The old dog +swallowed it with the bread. And no sooner had he swallowed +it than he jumped up, began to play and to bark, +and wagged his tail,—he was well again.</p> + +<p>When his father and his mother saw that, they were +surprised.</p> + +<p>"With what did you cure the dog?"</p> + +<p>And Iván said to them:</p> + +<p>"I had two roots with which to cure all diseases, and +he swallowed one."</p> + +<p>It happened that at that time the king's daughter grew +ill, and the king proclaimed in all the towns and villages +that he would reward him who should cure her, and that +if it should be an unmarried man, he should have his +daughter for a wife. The same was also proclaimed in +Iván's village.</p> + +<p>Father and mother called Iván, and said to him:</p> + +<p>"Have you heard what the king has proclaimed? You +said that you had a root, so go and cure the king's daughter. +You will get a fortune for the rest of your life."</p> + +<p>"All right," he said. And he got ready to go. He +was dressed up, and went out on the porch, and saw a +beggar woman with a twisted arm.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_503" id="Page_503">[Pg 503]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I have heard that you can cure," she said. "Cure +my arm, for I cannot dress myself."</p> + +<p>And Iván said:</p> + +<p>"All right!" He took the root, gave it to the beggar +woman, and told her to swallow it.</p> + +<p>She swallowed it, and was cured at once and could +wave her arm. Iván's parents came out to see him off on +his way to the king, and when they heard that he had +given away the last root and had nothing left with which +to cure the king's daughter, they began to upbraid him.</p> + +<p>"You have taken pity on the beggar woman, but you +have no pity on the king's daughter."</p> + +<p>But he hitched his horse, threw a little straw into the +hamper, and was getting ready to drive away.</p> + +<p>"Where are you going, fool?"</p> + +<p>"To cure the king's daughter."</p> + +<p>"But you have nothing to cure her with!"</p> + +<p>"All right," he said, and drove away.</p> + +<p>He came to the king's palace, and the moment he +stepped on the porch, the king's daughter was cured.</p> + +<p>The king rejoiced, and sent for Iván. He had him all +dressed up:</p> + +<p>"Be my son-in-law!" he said.</p> + +<p>"All right," he said.</p> + +<p>And Iván married the king's daughter. The king died +soon after, and Iván became king. Thus all three brothers +were kings.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_504" id="Page_504">[Pg 504]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>IX.</h3> + +<p>The three brothers were reigning.</p> + +<p>The elder brother, Semén the Warrior, lived well. +With his straw soldiers he got him real soldiers. He +commanded his people to furnish a soldier to each ten +homes, and every such soldier had to be tall of stature, +and white of body, and clean of face. And he gathered +a great many such soldiers and taught them all what to +do. And if any one acted contrary to his will, he at once +sent his soldiers against that person, and did as he pleased. +And all began to be afraid of him.</p> + +<p>He had an easy life. Whatever he wished for, or his +eyes fell upon, was his. He would send out his soldiers, +and they would take away and bring to him whatever he +needed.</p> + +<p>Tarás the Paunch, too, lived well. The money which +he had received from Iván he had not spent, but he had +increased it greatly. He, too, had good order in his kingdom. +The money he kept in coffers, and exacted more +money from the people. He exacted money from each +soul for walking past, and driving past, and for bast shoes, +and leg-rags, and shoe-laces. And no matter what he +wished, he had; for money they brought him everything, +and they went to work for him, because everybody needs +money.</p> + +<p>Nor did Iván the Fool live badly. As soon as he had +buried his father-in-law, he took off his royal garments +and gave them to his wife to put away in the coffer. He +put on his old hempen shirt and trousers, and his bast +shoes, and began to work.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_505" id="Page_505">[Pg 505]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I do not feel well," he said. "My belly is growing +larger, and I cannot eat, nor sleep."</p> + +<p>He brought his parents and the dumb girl, and began +to work again.</p> + +<p>People said to him:</p> + +<p>"But you are a king!"</p> + +<p>"All right," he said, "but a king, too, has to eat."</p> + +<p>The minister came to him, and said:</p> + +<p>"We have no money with which to pay salaries."</p> + +<p>"All right," he said, "if you have none, pay no salaries!"</p> + +<p>"But they will stop serving you."</p> + +<p>"All right," he said, "Let them stop serving! They will +have more time for work. Let them haul manure. +They have not hauled any for a long time."</p> + +<p>People came to Iván to have a case tried. One said:</p> + +<p>"He stole money from me."</p> + +<p>But Iván replied:</p> + +<p>"All right, evidently he needed it."</p> + +<p>All saw that Iván was a fool. His wife said to him:</p> + +<p>"They say about you that you are a fool."</p> + +<p>"All right," he said.</p> + +<p>Iván's wife, too, was a fool, and she thought and +thought.</p> + +<p>"Why should I go against my husband?" she said. +"The thread belongs where the needle is."</p> + +<p>She took off her regal garments, put them in a coffer, +and went to the dumb girl to learn to work. She learned, +and began to help her husband.</p> + +<p>All the wise men left Iván's kingdom, and only the +fools were left. Nobody had any money. They lived +and worked and fed themselves and all good people.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_506" id="Page_506">[Pg 506]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>X.</h3> + +<p>The old devil waited and waited for some news from +the young devils about how they had destroyed the three +brothers, but none came. He went to find out for himself: +he looked everywhere for the three, but found only +three holes.</p> + +<p>"Well," he thought, "evidently they did not get the +best of them. I shall have to try it myself."</p> + +<p>He went to find the brothers, but they were no longer +in their old places. He found them in different kingdoms. +All three were living and reigning there. That vexed the +old devil.</p> + +<p>"I shall have to do the work myself," he said.</p> + +<p>First of all he went to King Semén. He did not go +to him in his own form, but in the shape of a general. +He went to him, and said:</p> + +<p>"I have heard that you, King Semén, are a great warrior. +I have had good instruction in this business, and I +want to serve you."</p> + +<p>King Semén began to ask him questions, and he saw +that he was a clever man, and so received him into his +service.</p> + +<p>The old general began to teach King Semén how to +gather a great army.</p> + +<p>"In the first place," he said, "you must collect more +soldiers, for too many people in your kingdom are walking +about idly. You must shave the heads of all the +young men without exception, and then you will have an +army which will be five times as large as it is now. In +the second place, you must introduce new guns and cannon.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_507" id="Page_507">[Pg 507]</a></span> +I will get you the kind of guns that fire one +hundred bullets at once, as though pouring out pease. +And I will get you cannon that burn with their fire: +whether a man, or a horse, or a wall,—they burn everything."</p> + +<p>King Semén listened to his new general, and ordered +all the young men without exception to be drafted as +soldiers, and started new factories. He had a lot of new +guns and cannon made, and at once started a war against +a neighbouring king. The moment the enemy's army +came out against him, he ordered his soldiers to fire at +them with bullets and to burn them with the cannon fire. +He at once maimed and burnt one-half the army. The +neighbouring king became frightened, and he surrendered +and gave up his kingdom to him. King Semén was +happy.</p> + +<p>"Now I will vanquish the King of India," he said.</p> + +<p>But the King of India heard of King Semén, and +adopted all his inventions and added a few of his own. +The King of India drafted not only all the young men, +but he also made all the unmarried women serve as +soldiers, and so he had even more soldiers than King +Semén. He adopted all of King Semén's guns and cannon, +and introduced flying in the air and throwing +explosive bombs from above.</p> + +<p>King Semén went out to make war on the King of +India. He thought that he would conquer him as he had +conquered before; but the scythe was cutting too fine,—the +King of India did not give Semén's army a chance to +fire a single shot, for he sent his women into the air, to +throw explosive bombs on Semén's army. The women +began to pour the bombs on Semén's army, like borax on +cockroaches, and the whole army ran away, and King +Semén was left alone. The King of India took possession +of the whole of Semén's kingdom, and Semén the Warrior +ran whither his eyes took him.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_508" id="Page_508">[Pg 508]</a></span></p> + +<p>The old devil had done up this brother, and he made for +King Tarás. He took the shape of a merchant and settled +in Tarás's kingdom. He started an establishment, and +began to issue money. The merchant paid high prices for +everything, and the whole nation rushed to the merchant +to get his money. And the people had so much money +that they paid all their back taxes and paid on time all +the taxes as they fell due. King Tarás was happy.</p> + +<p>"Thanks to the merchant," he thought, "I shall now +have more money than ever, and my life will improve."</p> + +<p>And King Tarás fell on new plans. He began to build +himself a new palace: he commanded the people to haul +lumber and stone, and to come to work, and offered high +prices for everything. King Tarás thought that as before +the people would rush to work for him. But, behold, all +the lumber and stone was being hauled to the merchant, +and only the labourers were rushing to the king.</p> + +<p>King Tarás offered higher prices, but the merchant +went higher still. King Tarás had much money, but the +merchant had more still, and the merchant could offer +better pay than the king. The royal palace came to a +standstill,—it could not be built.</p> + +<p>King Tarás wanted to get a garden laid out. When +the fall came, King Tarás proclaimed that he wanted +people to come and set out trees for him; but nobody +came, as they were all digging a pond for the merchant.</p> + +<p>Winter came. King Tarás wanted to buy sable furs for +a new coat, and he sent out men to buy them. The messenger +came back, and said that there were no sables,—that +all the furs were in the merchant's possession, as he +had offered a higher price, and that he had made himself +a sable rug.</p> + +<p>King Tarás wanted to have some stallions. He sent +messengers to buy them for him; but they came back, +and said that the merchant had all the good stallions, +and they were hauling water and filling up the pond.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_509" id="Page_509">[Pg 509]</a></span></p> + +<p>All the business of the king came to a stop. Men +would not do anything for him, but worked only for the +merchant; all he received was the merchant's money, for +taxes.</p> + +<p>And the king collected such a mass of money that he +did not know what to do with it, and his life grew bad. +The king stopped planning things, and only thought of +how he might pass his life peacefully, but he could not +do so. He was oppressed in everything. His cooks, and +his coachmen, and his servants began to leave him for the +merchant. And he began to suffer for lack of food. He +would send the women to market to buy provisions, but +there was nothing there, for the merchant bought up +everything, and all he received was money for taxes.</p> + +<p>King Tarás grew angry and sent the merchant abroad; +but the merchant settled at the border and continued to +do his work: as before, people dragged for the merchant's +money all the things from the king to him. The king +was in a bad plight: he did not eat for days at a time, +and the rumour was spread that the merchant was boasting +that he was going to buy the king himself with his +money. King Tarás lost his courage, and did not know +what to do.</p> + +<p>Semén the Warrior came to him, and said:</p> + +<p>"Support me, for the King of India has vanquished +me."</p> + +<p>But Tarás himself was pinched.</p> + +<p>"I have not eaten myself for two days," he said.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_510" id="Page_510">[Pg 510]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>XI.</h3> + +<p>The old devil had done up the two brothers, and now +went to Iván. The old devil took the shape of a general, +and he came to Iván and tried to persuade him to provide +himself with an army.</p> + +<p>"It will not do for a king to live without an army," +he said. "Just command me, and I will gather soldiers +from among your people, and will get you up an army."</p> + +<p>Iván took his advice.</p> + +<p>"All right," he said, "get me up an army: teach them +to play good music,—I like that."</p> + +<p>The old devil started to go over the kingdom, to gather +volunteers. He said that they should go and get their +crowns shaved, for which they would get a bottle of vódka +each, and a red cap.</p> + +<p>The fools laughed at him.</p> + +<p>"We have all the liquor we want," they said, "for we +distil it ourselves, and as for caps, our women will make +us any we want, even motley ones, with tassels at that."</p> + +<p>Not one of them would go. The old devil went to +Iván and said:</p> + +<p>"Your fools will not go of their own will; you will +have to force them."</p> + +<p>"All right," he said, "drive them by force!"</p> + +<p>And so the old devil announced that all the fools were +to inscribe themselves as soldiers, and that Iván would +execute those who would not go.</p> + +<p>The fools came to the general and said:</p> + +<p>"You say that the king will have us killed if we do +not become soldiers, but you do not tell us what we shall<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_511" id="Page_511">[Pg 511]</a></span> +have to do as soldiers. They say that soldiers, too, are +killed."</p> + +<p>"Yes, that cannot be helped."</p> + +<p>When the fools heard that, they became stubborn.</p> + +<p>"We will not go," they said. "If so, let us be killed +at home! Death cannot be escaped anyway."</p> + +<p>"Fools that you are!" said the old devil. "A soldier +may be killed or not, but if you do not go, King Iván will +certainly have you killed."</p> + +<p>The fools considered the matter, and went to see Iván +the Fool.</p> + +<p>"Your general has come," they said, "and tells us all +to turn soldiers. 'If you become soldiers,' he says, 'you +may be killed, or not, but if you do not become soldiers +King Iván will certainly put you to death.' Is that true?"</p> + +<p>Iván began to laugh.</p> + +<p>"How can I, one man, have you all put to death? If +I were not a fool, I should explain that to you, but as it is, +I do not understand it myself."</p> + +<p>"If so," they said, "we shall not become soldiers."</p> + +<p>"All right," he said, "don't."</p> + +<p>The fools went to the general and refused to become +soldiers.</p> + +<p>The old devil saw that his business did not work, so +he went to the King of Cockroachland, and got into his +favour.</p> + +<p>"Let us go," he said, "and wage war on King Iván, and +vanquish him. He has no money, but he has plenty of +grain, and cattle, and all kinds of things."</p> + +<p>The King of Cockroachland went out to make war: he +had gathered a large army, and collected guns and cannon, +and left his borders, to enter Iván's kingdom.</p> + +<p>People came to Iván and said:</p> + +<p>"The King of Cockroachland is coming against us."</p> + +<p>"All right," he said, "let him come."</p> + +<p>The King of Cockroachland crossed the border, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_512" id="Page_512">[Pg 512]</a></span> +sent the advance-guard to find Iván's army. They looked +and looked for it, and could not find it. They thought +that they might wait for it to show up. But they heard +nothing about it,—there was no army to fight.</p> + +<p>The King of Cockroachland sent out his men to take +possession of the villages. The soldiers came to one village,—and +there the fools jumped out to look at the +soldiers and to marvel at them. The soldiers began to +take away the grain and the cattle: the fools gave it all +up, and did not resist. The soldiers went to the next +village, and the same happened. The soldiers walked for +a day or two, and everywhere the same happened. They +gave up all they had, and nobody resisted, and they invited +the soldiers to come and live with them:</p> + +<p>"If you, dear people," they said, "have not enough to +live on in your country, come and settle among us."</p> + +<p>The soldiers walked and walked, but no army was to +be found; everywhere people were living, and feeding +themselves and other people, and they did not resist, but +invited them to come and live with them.</p> + +<p>The soldiers felt bad, and they came back to the King +of Cockroachland.</p> + +<p>"We cannot fight here," they said, "so take us to some +other place: war would be a good thing, but this is as +though we were to cut soup. We cannot fight here."</p> + +<p>The King of Cockroachland grew wroth, and commanded +his soldiers to march through the whole kingdom, +and destroy villages and houses, and burn the grain and +kill the cattle.</p> + +<p>"If you do not obey my command," he said, "I shall +have you all executed."</p> + +<p>The soldiers became frightened, and began to carry out +the king's command. They started to burn the houses +and the grain, and to kill the cattle. And still the fools +did not resist, but only wept. The old men wept, and +the old women wept, and the children wept.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_513" id="Page_513">[Pg 513]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Why do you offend us? Why do you destroy the +property? If you need it, take it along!"</p> + +<p>The soldiers felt ashamed. They did not go any farther, +and the whole army ran away.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_514" id="Page_514">[Pg 514]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>XII.</h3> + +<p>The old devil went away,—he could not get at Iván +by means of the soldiers. The old devil changed into a +clean-looking gentleman, and went to live in Iván's kingdom: +he wished to get at him by means of money, as he +had done with Tarás the Paunch.</p> + +<p>"I want to do you good," he said, "and to teach you +what is good and proper. I will build a house in your +country, and will start an establishment."</p> + +<p>"All right," he said, "stay here!"</p> + +<p>The clean-looking gentleman stayed overnight, and the +following morning he took a large bag of gold to the market-square, +and a sheet of paper, and said:</p> + +<p>"You are all of you living like pigs. I will teach you +how to live. Build me a house according to this plan! +You work, and I will show you how, and will pay gold +money to you."</p> + +<p>And he showed them the gold. The fools were astounded: +they had no such a thing as money, and only +exchanged things among themselves, or paid with work. +They marvelled at the gold and said:</p> + +<p>"They are nice things."</p> + +<p>And for these gold things they began to give him what +they had and to work for him. The old devil rejoiced +and thought:</p> + +<p>"My affair is proceeding favourably. I will now ruin +Iván completely, as I have ruined Tarás, and will buy +him up, guts and all."</p> + +<p>As soon as the fools had any gold, they gave it all away +to their women for necklaces, and their girls wove it into<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_515" id="Page_515">[Pg 515]</a></span> +their braids, and the children began to play in the streets +with those pretty things. When all had enough of it, +they refused to get any more. The clean-looking gentleman's +palace was not half done, and the grain and the +cattle were not yet attended to for the year. And +the gentleman demanded that they should go and work +for him, and haul his grain, and drive his cattle; he +promised them much gold for everything and for all +work.</p> + +<p>But no one came to work, and they brought nothing to +him. Only now and then a boy or girl would run in +to exchange an egg for a gold coin; otherwise nobody +came, and he had nothing to eat. The clean-looking +gentleman was starved, and he went to the village to buy +something to eat: he went into one yard, and offered a +gold coin for a chicken, but the woman would not take it.</p> + +<p>"I have too many of them as it is," she said.</p> + +<p>He went to a homeless woman, to buy a herring of her, +and offered her a gold coin.</p> + +<p>"I do not want it, dear man," she said. "I have no +children, and so there is nobody to play with it; I myself +have three of these for show."</p> + +<p>He went to a peasant to buy bread of him, but the peasant, +too, would not take the money.</p> + +<p>"I do not want it," he said. "If you want bread, for +Christ's sake, wait, and I will have my wife cut you off a +piece."</p> + +<p>The devil just spit out and ran away from the peasant. +Not only would he not take anything for Christ's sake, +but it was worse than cutting him even to hear that +word.</p> + +<p>And so he did not get any bread. Everywhere it was +the same; no matter where the devil went, they gave him +nothing for money, but said:</p> + +<p>"Bring us something else, or come and work for it, or +take it for Christ's sake!"</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_516" id="Page_516">[Pg 516]</a></span></p> + +<p>But the devil had nothing but money. He did not +like to work, and for Christ's sake he could not take anything. +The old devil grew angry.</p> + +<p>"What else do you want, if I give you money? You +can buy anything for money, or hire a labourer."</p> + +<p>The fools paid no attention to him.</p> + +<p>"No," they said, "we do not want it. We have no +taxes and no wages to pay, so what do we want with the +money?"</p> + +<p>The old devil went to bed without eating supper.</p> + +<p>This affair reached the ears of Iván the Fool. They +went to ask him:</p> + +<p>"What shall we do? A clean-looking gentleman has +appeared among us: he is fond of eating and drinking, +and does not like to work, and does not beg for Christ's +sake, but only offers us gold pieces. So long as we did +not have enough of them, we gave him everything, but +now we do not give him any more. What shall we do with +him? We are afraid that he will starve."</p> + +<p>Iván listened to what they had to say.</p> + +<p>"All right," he said, "we shall have to feed him. Let +him go from farm to farm as a shepherd!"</p> + +<p>The old devil could not help himself, and he began to +go from farm to farm. The turn came to Iván's farm. +The old devil came to dinner, and the dumb girl was just +fixing it. Those who were lazy used to deceive her. +Without having worked they came to dinner earlier and +ate up all the porridge. And so the dumb girl contrived +to tell the good-for-nothing by their hands: if one had +calluses, she seated him at the table, but if not, she gave +him what was left of the dinner. The old devil climbed +behind the table; but the dumb girl took hold of his +hands, and there were no calluses; the hands were clean +and smooth, and the nails long.</p> + +<p>The dumb girl bawled, and pulled the devil out from +behind the table.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_517" id="Page_517">[Pg 517]</a></span></p> + +<p>Iván's wife said to him:</p> + +<p>"Don't take it amiss, clean gentleman! My sister-in-law +will not let a man without calluses sit down at the +table. Wait awhile! Let the people eat first, and then +you will get what is left."</p> + +<p>The old devil was insulted, because at the king's house +they would feed him with the swine. He said to +Iván:</p> + +<p>"What a fool's law you have in your country to let all +men work with their hands! You have invented that in +your stupidity. Do men work with their hands only? +How do you suppose clever people work?"</p> + +<p>But Iván said:</p> + +<p>"How can we fools know? We labour mostly with +our hands and with our backs."</p> + +<p>"That is so, because you are fools. I will teach you," +he said, "how to work with your heads. You will see that +with your heads you can work faster than with your +hands."</p> + +<p>Iván marvelled.</p> + +<p>"Indeed," he said, "we are called fools for good +reason."</p> + +<p>And the old devil said:</p> + +<p>"But it is not easy to work with the head. You do +not give me anything to eat because I have no calluses on +my hands, and you do not know that it is a hundred +times harder to work with the head. At times it just +makes the head burst."</p> + +<p>Iván fell to musing.</p> + +<p>"But why do you torture yourself so much, my dear? +It is no small matter to have your head burst. You had +better do some easy work,—with your hands and +back."</p> + +<p>And the devil said:</p> + +<p>"The reason I torture myself is because I pity you +fools. If I did not torture myself, you would remain<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_518" id="Page_518">[Pg 518]</a></span> +fools to the end of your days. I have worked with my +head, and now I will teach you, too."</p> + +<p>Iván marvelled.</p> + +<p>"Teach us," he said, "for now and then the hands get +tired, and it would be nice to use the head instead."</p> + +<p>The devil promised to teach him.</p> + +<p>And Iván proclaimed throughout his kingdom that a +clean-looking man had appeared who would teach people +how to work with their heads, that they could work more +with their heads than with their hands, and that they +should come and learn.</p> + +<p>In Iván's kingdom there was a high tower, and a straight +staircase led up to it, and at the top there was a spy-room. +Iván took the gentleman there so that he might +see better.</p> + +<p>The gentleman stood up on the tower and began to +speak from it. The fools gathered around to look at him. +The fools thought that he would show them in fact how +to work with the head instead of the hands. But the old +devil taught them only in words how to live without +working.</p> + +<p>The fools did not understand a word. They looked +and looked and went away, each to his work.</p> + +<p>The old devil stood on the tower a day, and a second +day, and kept talking. He wanted to eat; but the fools +did not have enough sense to send some bread up to the +tower. They thought that if he could work better with +his head than with his hands, he would somehow earn +bread for himself with his head. The old devil stood +another day in the tower-room, and kept talking all the +time. And the people came up and looked, and looked +and went away.</p> + +<p>Then Iván asked:</p> + +<p>"Well, has the gentleman begun to work with his +head?"</p> + +<p>"Not yet," people said, "he is still babbling."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_519" id="Page_519">[Pg 519]</a></span></p> + +<p>The old devil stood another day on the tower and began +to weaken; he tottered and struck his head against a post. +One of the fools saw that, and told Iván's wife about it, +and she ran to her husband in the field.</p> + +<p>"Come, let us go and see," she said. "The gentleman +is beginning to work with his head."</p> + +<p>Iván was surprised.</p> + +<p>"Indeed?" he said. He turned in the horse, and went +to the tower. When he came up to it, the old devil was +weakened from hunger and tottering from side to side and +knocking his head against the posts. Just as Iván came +up, the devil stumbled and fell and rattled down the +stairs, head foremost: he counted all the steps.</p> + +<p>"Well," said Iván, "the clean-looking gentleman told +the truth when he said that at times the head bursts. +This is worse than calluses: such works will leave bumps +on the head."</p> + +<p>The old devil came down the whole staircase and struck +his head against the ground. Iván wanted to go and see +how much work he had done, but suddenly the earth +gave way, and the old devil went through the earth, and +nothing but a hole was left.</p> + +<p>Iván scratched himself.</p> + +<p>"I declare," he said, "it is a nasty thing! It is again +he. He must be the father of those others. What a +big fellow he is!"</p> + +<p>Iván is still living, and people are all the time rushing +to his kingdom, and his brothers, too, came to him, and +he is feeding them all. If any one comes and says: +"Feed me!" he replies:</p> + +<p>"All right, stay here, we have plenty of everything."</p> + +<p>They have but one custom in his country, and that is, +if one has calluses on his hands, he may sit down at the +table, and if he has not, he gets the remnants.</p> + + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<p class="transnote"> +<span class="big">Transcriber's note:</span><br /> +On <a href="#Page_133">page 133</a>, the original read: "The Tartars after him. He into the +river."<br /> + +This has been changed to "The Tartars after him. He threw himself into +the river."</p> + +<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FABLES FOR CHILDREN, STORIES FOR CHILDREN, NATURAL SCIENCE STORIES, POPULAR EDUCATION, DECEMBRISTS, MORAL TALES ***</div> +<div style='text-align:left'> + +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will +be renamed. +</div> + +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, +so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United +States without permission and without paying copyright +royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part +of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project +Gutenberg™ electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG™ +concept and trademark. 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