the moscow census-第4章

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herself　on　account　of　her　sensibility；　but　that　she　would　give　money；
how　much　money　she　would　give；　and　when；　she　did　not　say。　　Another
individual　and　a　young　man　offered　their　services　in　going　about
among　the　poor；　but　I　did　not　avail　myself　of　their　offer。　　The
principal　person　to　whom　I　appealed；　told　me　that　it　would　be
impossible　to　do　much　because　means　were　lacking。　　Means　were　lacking
because　all　the　rich　people　in　Moscow　were　already　on　the　lists；　and
all　of　them　were　asked　for　all　that　they　could　possibly　give；　because
on　all　these　benefactors　rank；　medals；　and　other　dignities　were
bestowed；　because　in　order　to　secure　financial　success；　some　new
dignities　must　be　secured　from　the　authorities；　and　that　this　was　the
only　practical　means；　but　this　was　extremely　difficult。

On　my　return　home　that　night；　I　lay　down　to　sleep　not　only　with　a
presentment　that　my　idea　would　come　to　nothing；　but　with　shame　and　a
consciousness　that　all　day　long　I　had　been　engaged　in　a　very
repulsive　and　disgraceful　business。　　But　I　did　not　give　up　this
undertaking。　　In　the　first　place；　the　matter　had　been　begun；　and
false　shame　would　have　prevented　my　abandoning　it；　in　the　second
place；　not　only　the　success　of　this　scheme；　but　the　very　fact　that　I
was　busying　myself　with　it；　afforded　me　the　possibility　of　continuing
to　live　in　the　conditions　under　which　I　was　then　living；　failure
entailed　upon　me　the　necessity　of　renouncing　my　present　existence　and
of　seeking　new　paths　of　life。　　And　this　I　unconsciously　dreaded；　and
I　could　not　believe　the　inward　voice；　and　I　went　on　with　what　I　had
begun。

Having　sent　my　article　to　the　printer；　I　read　the　proof　of　it　to　the
City　Council　（Dum）。　　I　read　it；　stumbling；　and　blushing　even　to
tears；　I　felt　so　awkward。　　And　I　saw　that　it　was　equally　awkward　for
all　my　hearers。　　In　answer　to　my　question　at　the　conclusion　of　my
reading；　as　to　whether　the　superintendents　of　the　census　would　accept
my　proposition　to　retain　their　places　with　the　object　of　becoming
mediators　between　society　and　the　needy；　an　awkward　silence　ensued。
Then　two　orators　made　speeches。　　These　speeches　in　some　measure
corrected　the　awkwardness　of　my　proposal；　sympathy　for　me　was
expressed；　but　the　impracticability　of　my　proposition；　which　all　had
approved；　was　demonstrated。　　Everybody　breathed　more　freely。　　But
when；　still　desirous　of　gaining　my　object；　I　afterwards　asked　the
superintendents　separately：　　Were　they　willing；　while　taking　the
census；　to　inquire　into　the　needs　of　the　poor；　and　to　retain　their
posts；　in　order　to　serve　as　go…betweens　between　the　poor　and　the
rich？　they　all　grew　uneasy　again。　　They　seemed　to　say　to　me　with
their　glances：　　〃Why；　we　have　just　condoned　your　folly　out　of　respect
to　you；　and　here　you　are　beginning　it　again！〃　　Such　was　the
expression　of　their　faces；　but　they　assured　me　in　words　that　they
agreed；　and　two　of　them　said　in　the　very　same　words；　as　though　they
had　entered　into　a　compact　together：　　〃We　consider　ourselves　MORALLY
BOUND　to　do　this。〃　　The　same　impression　was　produced　by　my
communication　to　the　student…census…takers；　when　I　said　to　them；　that
while　taking　our　statistics；　we　should　follow　up；　in　addition　to　the
objects　of　the　census；　the　object　of　benevolence。　　When　we　discussed
this；　I　observed　that　they　were　ashamed　to　look　the　kind…hearted　man；
who　was　talking　nonsense；　in　the　eye。　　My　article　produced　the　same
impression　on　the　editor　of　the　newspaper；　when　I　handed　it　to　him；
on　my　son；　on　my　wife；　on　the　most　widely　different　persons。　　All
felt　awkward；　for　some　reason　or　other；　but　all　regarded　it　as
indispensable　to　applaud　the　idea　itself；　and　all；　immediately　after
this　expression　of　approbation；　began　to　express　their　doubts　as　to
its　success；　and　began　for　some　reason　（and　all　of　them；　too；　without
exception）　to　condemn　the　indifference　and　coldness　of　our　society
and　of　every　one；　apparently；　except　themselves。

In　the　depths　of　my　own　soul；　I　still　continued　to　feel　that　all　this
was　not　at　all　what　was　needed；　and　that　nothing　would　come　of　it；
but　the　article　was　printed；　and　I　prepared　to　take　part　in　the
census；　I　had　contrived　the　matter；　and　now　it　was　already　carrying
me　a　way　with　it。



CHAPTER　IV。



At　my　request；　there　had　been　assigned　to　me　for　the　census；　a
portion　of　the　Khamovnitchesky　quarter；　at　the　Smolensk　market；　along
the　Prototchny　cross…street；　between　Beregovoy　Passage　and　Nikolsky
Alley。　　In　this　quarter　are　situated　the　houses　generally　called　the
Rzhanoff　Houses；　or　the　Rzhanoff　fortress。　　These　houses　once
belonged　to　a　merchant　named　Rzhanoff；　but　now　belong　to　the　Zimins。
I　had　long　before　heard　of　this　place　as　a　haunt　of　the　most　terrible
poverty　and　vice；　and　I　had　accordingly　requested　the　directors　of
the　census　to　assign　me　to　this　quarter。　　My　desire　was　granted。

On　receiving　the　instructions　of　the　City　Council；　I　went　alone；　a
few　days　previous　to　the　beginning　of　the　census；　to　reconnoitre　my
section。　　I　found　the　Rzhanoff　fortress　at　once；　from　the　plan　with
which　I　had　been　furnished。

I　approached　from　Nikolsky　Alley。　　Nikolsky　Alley　ends　on　the　left　in
a　gloomy　house；　without　any　gates　on　that　side；　I　divined　from　its
appearance　that　this　was　the　Rzhanoff　fortress。

Passing　down　Nikolsky　Street；　I　overtook　some　lads　of　from　ten　to
fourteen　years　of　age；　clad　in　little　caftans　and　great…coats；　who
were　sliding　down　hill；　some　on　their　feet；　and　some　on　one　skate；
along　the　icy　slope　beside　this　house。　　The　boys　were　ragged；　and；
like　all　city　lads；　bold　and　impudent。　　I　stopped　to　watch　them。　　A
ragged　old　woman；　with　yellow；　pendent　cheeks；　came　round　the　corner。
She　was　going　to　town；　to　the　Smolensk　market；　and　she　groaned
terribly　at　every　step；　like　a　foundered　horse。　　As　she　came
alongside　me；　she　halted　and　drew　a　hoarse　sigh。　　In　any　other
locality；　this　old　woman　would　have　asked　money　of　me；　but　here　she
merely　addressed　me。

〃Look　there；〃　said　she；　pointing　at　the　boys　who　were　sliding；　〃all
they　do　is　to　play　their　pranks！　　They'll　turn　out　just　such　Rzhanoff
fellows　as　their　fathers。〃

One　of　the　boys　clad　in　a　great…coat　and　a　visorless　cap；　heard　her
words　and　halted：　　〃What　are　you　scolding　about？〃　he　shouted　to　the
old　woman。　　〃You're　an　old　Rzhanoff　nanny…goat　yourself！〃

I　asked　the　boy：

〃And　do　you　live　here？〃

〃Yes；　and　so　does　she。　　She　stole　boot…legs；〃　shouted　the　boy；　and
raising　his　foot　in　front；　he　slid　away。

The　old　woman　burst　forth　into　injurious　words；　interrupted　by　a
cough。　　At　that　moment；　an　old　man；　all　clad　in　rags；　and　as　white　as
snow；　came　down　the　hill　in　the　middle　of　the　street；　flourishing　his
hands　＇in　one　of　them　he　held　a　bundle　with　one　little　kalatch　and
baranki〃　｛6｝＇。　　This　old　man　bore　the　appearance　of　a　person　who　had
just　strengthened　himself　with　a　dram。　　He　had　evidently　heard　the
old　woman's　insulting　words；　and　he　took　her　part。

〃I'll　give　it　to　you；　you　imps；　that　I　will！〃　he　screamed　at　the
boys；　seeming　to　direct　his　course　towards　them；　and　taking　a　circuit
round　me；　he　stepped　on　to　the　sidewalk。　　This　old　man　creates
surprise　on　the　Arbata　by　his　great　age；　his　weakness；　and　his
indigence。　　Here　he　was　a　cheery　laboring…man　returning　from　his
daily　toil。

I　followed　the　old　man。　　He　turned　the　corner　to　the　left；　into
Prototchny　Alley；　and　passing　by　the　whole　length　of　the　house　and
the　gate；　he　disappeared　through　the　door　of　the　tavern。

Two　gates　and　several　doors　open　on　Prototchny　Alley：　　those
belonging　to　a　tavern；　a　dram…shop；　and　several　eating　and　other
shops。　　This　is　the　Rzhanoff　fortress　itself。　　Every　thing　here　is
gray；　dirty；　and　malodorousboth　buildings　and　locality；　and　court…
yards　and　people。　　The　majority　of　the　people　whom　I　met　here　were
ragged　and　half…clad。　　Some　were　passing　through；　others　were　running
from　door　to　door。　　Two　were　haggling　over　some　rags。　　I　made　the
circuit　of　the　entire　building　from　Prototchny　Alley　and　Beregovoy
Passage；　and　returning　I　halted　at　the　gate　of　one　of　these　houses。
I　wished　to　enter；　and　see　what　was　going　on　inside；　but　I　felt　that
it　would　be　awkward。　　What　should　I　say　when　I　was　asked　what　I
wanted　there？　　I　hesitated；　but　went　in　nevertheless。　　As　soon　as　I
entered　the　court…yard；　I　became　conscious　of　a　disgusting　odor。　　The
yard　was　frightfully　dirty。　　I　turned　a　corner；　and　at　the　same
instant　I　heard　to　my　left　and　overhead；　on　the　wooden　balcony；　the
tramp　of　footsteps　of　people　running；　at　first　along　the　planks　of
the　balcony；　and　then　on　the　steps　of　the　staircase。　　There　emerged；
first　a　gaunt　woman；　with　her　sleeves　rolled　up；　in　a　faded　pink
gown；　and　little　boots　on　her　stockingless　feet。　　After　her　came　a
tattered　man　in　a　red　shirt　and　very　full　trousers；　like　a　petticoat；
and　with　overshoes。　　The　man　caught　the　woman　at　the　bottom　of　the
steps。

〃You　shall　not　escape；〃　he　said　laughing。

〃See　here；　you　cock…eyed　devil；〃　began　the　woman；　evidently　flattered
by　this　pursuit；　but　catching　sight　of　me；　she　shrieked　viciously；
〃What　do　you　want？〃

As　I　wanted　nothing；　I　became　confused　and　beat　a　retreat。　　There　was
nothing　remarkable　about　the　place；　but　this　incident；　after　what　I
had　witnessed　on　the　other　side　of　the　yard；　the　cursing　old　woman；
the　jolly　old　man；　and　the　lads　sliding；　suddenly　presented　the
business　which　I　had　concocted　from　a　totally　different　point　of
view。　　I　then　comprehended　for　the　first　time；　that　all　these
unfortunates　to　whom　I　was　desirous　of　playing　the　part　of
benefactor；　besides　the　time；　when；　suffering　from　cold　and　hunger；
they　awaited　admission　into　the　house；　had　still　other　time；　which
they　employed　to　some　other　purpose；　that　there　were　four　and　twenty
hours　in　every　day；　that　there　was　a　whole　life　of　which　I　had　never
thought；　up　to　that　moment。　　Here；　for　the　first　time；　I　understood；
that　all　those　people；　in　addition　to　their　desire　to　shelter
themselves　from　the　cold　and　to　obtain　a　good　meal；　must　still；　in
some　way；　live　out　those　four　and　twenty　hours　each　day；　which　they
must　pass　as　well　as　everybody　else。　　I　comprehended　that　these
people　must　lose　their　tempers；　and　get　bored；　show　courage；　and
grieve　and　be　merry。　　Strange　as　this　may　seem；　when　put　into　words；
I　understood　clearly　for　the　first　time；　that　the　business　which　I
had　undertaken　could　not　consist　alone　in　feeding　and　clothing
thousands　of　people；　as　one　would　feed　and　drive　under　cover　a
thousand　sheep；　but　that　it　must　consist　in　doing　good　to　them。

And　then　I　understood　that　each　one　of　those　thousand　people　was
exactly　such　a　man；with　precisely　the　same　past；　with　the　same
passions；　temptations；　failings；　with　the　same　thoughts；　the　same
perplexities；exactly　such　a　man　as　myself；　and　then　the　thing　that
I　had　undertaken　suddenly　presented　itself　to　me　as　so　difficult　that
I　felt　my　powerlessness；　but　the　thing　had　been　begun；　and　I　went　on
with　it。



CHAPTER　V。



On　the　first　appointed　day；　the　student　enumerators　arrived　in　the
morning；　and　I；　the　benefactor；　joined　them　at　twelve　o'clock。　　I
could　not　go　earlier；　because　I　had　risen　at　ten　o'clock；　then　I　had
drunk　my　coffee　and　smoked；　w