the moscow census-第13章

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a　watch。　　He　is　a　very　good　boy；　but　he　thinks　that　people　will　laugh
at　him　so　long　as　he　has　no　watch；　and　a　watch　is　necessary。　　During
the　present　year；　a　chambermaid；　a　girl　of　eighteen；　entered　into　a
connection　with　the　coachman　in　our　house。　　She　was　discharged。　　An
old　woman；　the　nurse；　with　whom　I　spoke　in　regard　to　the　unfortunate
girl；　reminded　me　of　a　girl　whom　I　had　forgotten。　　She　too；　ten　yeans
ago；　during　a　brief　stay　of　ours　in　Moscow；　had　become　connected　with
a　footman。　　She　too　had　been　discharged；　and　she　had　ended　in　a
disorderly　house；　and　had　died　in　the　hospital　before　reaching　the
age　of　twenty。　　It　is　only　necessary　to　glance　about　one；　to　be
struck　with　terror　at　the　pest　which　we　disseminate　directly　by　our
luxurious　life　among　the　people　whom　we　afterwards　wish　to　help；　not
to　mention　the　factories　and　establishments　which　serve　our　luxurious
tastes。

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



CHAPTER　XIV。



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

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

〃Why？〃

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He　smiled。

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

〃Well；　what　then？〃

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

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

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

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

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

Not　only　this；　but；　on　taking　a　survey　of　our　life；　of　the　life　of
the　wealthy；　I　saw　that　every　thing　which　is　considered　desirable　in
that　life　consists　in；　or　is　inseparably　bound　up　with；　the　idea　of
getting　as　far　away　from　the　poor　as　possible。　　In　fact；　all　the
efforts　of　our　well…endowed　life；　beginning　with　our　food；　dress；
houses；　our　cleanliness；　and　even　down　to　our　education；every　thing
has　for　its　chief　object；　the　separation　of　ourselves　from　the　poor。
In　procuring　this　seclusion　of　ourselves　by　impassable　barriers；　we
spend；　to　put　it　mildly；　nine…tenths　of　our　wealth。　　The　first　thing
that　a　man　who　was　grown　wealthy　does　is　to　stop　eating　out　of　one
bowl；　and　he　sets　up　crockery；　and　fits　himself　out　with　a　kitchen
and　servants。　　And　he　feeds　his　servants　high；　too；　so　that　their
mouths　may　not　water　over　his　dainty　viands；　and　he　eats　alone；　and
as　eating　in　solitude　is　wearisome；　he　plans　how　he　may　improve　his
food　and　deck　his　table；　and　the　very　manner　of　taking　his　food
（dinner）　becomes　a　matter　for　pride　and　vain　glory　with　him；　and　his
manner　of　taking　his　food　becomes　for　him　a　means　of　sequestering
himself　from　other　men。　　A　rich　man　cannot　think　of　such　a　thing　as
inviting　a　poor　man　to　his　table。　　A　man　must　know　how　to　conduct
ladies　to　table；　how　to　bow；　to　sit　down；　to　eat；　to　rinse　out　the
mouth；　and　only　rich　people　know　all　these　things。　　The　same　thing
occurs　in　the　matter　of　clothing。　　If　a　rich　man　were　to　wear
ordinary　clothing；　simply　for　the　purpose　of　protecting　his　body　from
the　cold；a　short　jacket；　a　coat；　felt　and　leather　boots；　an　under…
jacket；　trousers；　shirt；he　would　require　but　very　little；　and　he
would　not　be　unable；　when　he　had　two　coats；　to　give　one　of　them　to　a
man　who　had　none。　　But　the　rich　man　begins　by　procuring　for　himself
clothing　which　consists　entirely　of　separate　pieces；　and　which　is　fit
only　for　separate　occasions；　and　which　is；　therefore；　unsuited　to　the
poor　man。　　He　has　frock…coats；　vests；　pea…jackets；　lacquered　boots；
cloaks；　shoes　with　French　heels；　garments　that　are　chopped　up　into
bits　to　conform　with　the　fashion；　hunting…coats；　travelling…coats；
and　so　on；　which　can　only　be　used　under　conditions　of　existence　far
removed　from　poverty。　　And　his　clothing　also　furnishes　him　with　a
means　of　keeping　at　a　distance　from　the　poor。　　The　same　is　the　case；
and　even　more　clearly；　with　his　dwelling。　　In　order　that　one　may　live
alone　in　ten　rooms；　it　is　indispensable　that　those　who　live　ten　in
one　room　should　not　see　it。　　The　richer　a　man　is；　the　more　difficult
is　he　of　access；　the　more　porters　there　are　between　him　and　people
who　are　not　rich；　the　more　impossible　is　it　to　conduct　a　poor　man
over　rugs；　and　seat　him　in　a　satin　chair。

The　case　is　the　same　with　the　means　of　locomotion。　　The　peasant
driving　in　a　cart；　or　a　sledge；　must　be　a　very　ill…tempered　man　when
he　will　not　give　a　pedestrian　a　lift；　and　there　is　both　room　for　this
and　a　possibility　of　doing　it。　　But　the　richer　the　equipage；　the
farther　is