the moscow census-第6章

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were　working　people　and　very　good　people　at　that。

We　found　more　than　half　the　inhabitants　at　work：　　laundresses　bending
over　their　tubs；　cabinet…makers　at　their　lathes；　cobblers　on　their
benches。　　The　narrow　rooms　were　full　of　people；　and　cheerful　and
energetic　labor　was　in　progress。　　There　was　an　odor　of　toilsome　sweat
and　leather　at　the　cobbler's；　of　shavings　at　the　cabinet…maker's；
songs　were　often　to　be　heard；　and　glimpses　could　be　had　of　brawny
arms　with　sleeves　roiled　high；　quickly　and　skilfully　making　their
accustomed　movements。　　Everywhere　we　were　received　cheerfully　and
politely：　　hardly　anywhere　did　our　intrusion　into　the　every…day　life
of　these　people　call　forth　that　ambition；　and　desire　to　exhibit　their
importance　and　to　put　us　down；　which　the　appearance　of　the
enumerators　in　the　quarters　of　well…to…do　people　evoked。　　It　not　only
did　not　arouse　this；　but；　on　the　contrary；　they　answered　all　other
questions　properly；　and　without　attributing　any　special　significance
to　them。　　Our　questions　merely　served　them　as　a　subject　of　mirth　and
jesting　as　to　how　such　and　such　a　one　was　to　be　set　down　in　the　list；
when　he　was　to　be　reckoned　as　two；　and　when　two　were　to　be　reckoned
as　one；　and　so　forth。

We　found　many　of　them　at　dinner；　or　tea；　and　on　every　occasion　to　our
greeting：　　〃bread　and　salt；〃　or　〃tea　and　sugar；〃　they　replied：　　〃we
beg　that　you　will　partake；〃　and　even　stepped　aside　to　make　room　for
us。　　Instead　of　the　den　with　a　constantly　changing　population；　which
we　had　expected　to　find　here；　it　turned　out；　that　there　were　a　great
many　apartments　in　the　house　where　people　had　been　living　for　a　long
time。　　One　cabinet…maker　with　his　men；　and　a　boot…maker　with　his
journeymen；　had　lived　there　for　ten　years。　　The　boot…maker's　quarters
were　very　dirty　and　confined；　but　all　the　people　at　work　were　very
cheerful。　　I　tried　to　enter　into　conversation　with　one　of　the
workmen；　being　desirous　of　inquiring　into　the　wretchedness　of　his
situation　and　his　debt　to　his　master；　but　the　man　did　not　understand
me　and　spoke　of　his　master　and　his　life　from　the　best　point　of　view。

In　one　apartment　lived　an　old　man　and　his　old　woman。　　They　peddled
apples。　　Their　little　chamber　was　warm；　clean；　and　full　of　goods。　　On
the　floor　were　spread　straw　mats：　　they　had　got　them　at　the　apple…
warehouse。　　They　had　chests；　a　cupboard；　a　samovar；　and　crockery。　　In
the　corner　there　were　numerous　images；　and　two　lamps　were　burning
before　them；　on　the　wall　hung　fur　coats　covered　with　sheets。　　The　old
woman；　who　had　star…shaped　wrinkles；　and　who　was　polite　and
talkative；　evidently　delighted　in　her　quiet；　comfortable；　existence。

Ivan　Fedotitch；　the　landlord　of　the　tavern　and　of　these　quarters；
left　his　establishment　and　came　with　us。　　He　jested　in　a　friendly
manner　with　many　of　the　landlords　of　apartments；　addressing　them　all
by　their　Christian　names　and　patronymics；　and　he　gave　us　brief
sketches　of　them。　　All　were　ordinary　people；　like　everybody　else；
Martin　Semyonovitches；　Piotr　Piotrovitches；　Marya　Ivanovnas；people
who　did　not　consider　themselves　unhappy；　but　who　regarded　themselves；
and　who　actually　were；　just　like　the　rest　of　mankind。

We　had　been　prepared　to　witness　nothing　except　what　was　terrible。
And；　all　of　a　sudden；　there　was　presented　to　us；　not　only　nothing
that　was　terrible；　but　what　was　good；things　which　involuntarily
compelled　our　respect。　　And　there　were　so　many　of　these　good　people；
that　the　tattered；　corrupt；　idle　people　whom　we　came　across　now　and
then　among　them；　did　not　destroy　the　principal　impression。

This　was　not　so　much　of　a　surprise　to　the　students　as　to　me。　　They
simply　went　to　fulfil　a　useful　task；　as　they　thought；　in　the
interests　of　science；　and；　at　the　same　time；　they　made　their　own
chance　observations；　but　I　was　a　benefactor；　I　went　for　the　purpose
of　aiding　the　unfortunate；　the　corrupt；　vicious　people；　whom　I
supposed　that　I　should　meet　with　in　this　house。　　And；　behold；　instead
of　unfortunate；　corrupt；　and　vicious　people；　I　saw　that　the　majority
were　laborious；　industrious；　peaceable；　satisfied；　contented；
cheerful；　polite；　and　very　good　folk　indeed。

I　felt　particularly　conscious　of　this　when；　in　these　quarters；　I
encountered　that　same　crying　want　which　I　had　undertaken　to
alleviate。

When　I　encountered　this　want；　I　always　found　that　it　had　already　been
relieved；　that　the　assistance　which　I　had　intended　to　render　had
already　been　given。　　This　assistance　had　been　rendered　before　my
advent；　and　rendered　by　whom？　　By　the　very　unfortunate；　depraved
creatures　whom　I　had　undertaken　to　reclaim；　and　rendered　in　such　a
manner　as　I　could　not　compass。

In　one　basement　lay　a　solitary　old　man；　ill　with　the　typhus　fever。
There　was　no　one　with　the　old　man。　　A　widow　and　her　little　daughter；
strangers　to　him；　but　his　neighbors　round　the　corner；　looked　after
him；　gave　him　tea　and　purchased　medicine　for　him　out　of　their　own
means。　　In　another　lodging　lay　a　woman　in　puerperal　fever。　　A　woman
who　lived　by　vice　was　rocking　the　baby；　and　giving　her　her　bottle；
and　for　two　days；　she　had　been　unremitting　in　her　attention。　　The
baby　girl；　on　being　left　an　orphan；　was　adopted　into　the　family　of　a
tailor；　who　had　three　children　of　his　own。　　So　there　remained　those
unfortunate　idle　people；　officials；　clerks；　lackeys　out　of　place；
beggars；　drunkards；　dissolute　women；　and　children；　who　cannot　be
helped　on　the　spot　with　money；　but　whom　it　is　necessary　to　know
thoroughly；　to　be　planned　and　arranged　for。　　I　had　simply　sought
unfortunate　people；　the　unfortunates　of　poverty；　those　who　could　be
helped　by　sharing　with　them　our　superfluity；　and；　as　it　seemed　to　me；
through　some　signal　ill…luck；　none　such　were　to　be　found；　but　I　hit
upon　unfortunates　to　whom　I　should　be　obliged　to　devote　my　time　and
care。



CHAPTER　VII。



The　unfortunates　whom　I　noted　down；　divided　themselves；　according　to
my　ideas；　into　three　sections；　namely：　　people　who　had　lost　their
former　advantageous　position；　and　who　were　awaiting　a　return　to　it
（there　were　people　of　this　sort　from　both　the　lower　and　the　higher
class）；　next；　dissolute　women；　of　whom　there　are　a　great　many　in
these　houses；　and　a　third　division；　children。　　More　than　all　the
rest；　I　found　and　noted　down　people　of　the　first　division；　who　had
forfeited　their　former　advantageous　position；　and　who　hoped　to　regain
it。　　Of　such　persons；　especially　from　the　governmental　and　official
world；　there　are　a　very　great　number　in　these　houses。　　In　almost　all
the　lodgings　which　we　entered；　with　the　landlord；　Ivan　Fedotitch；　he
said　to　us：　　〃Here　you　need　not　write　down　the　lodger's　card
yourself；　there　is　a　man　here　who　can　do　it；　if　he　only　happens　not
to　be　intoxicated　to…day。〃

And　Ivan　Fedotitch　called　by　name　and　patronymic　this　man；　who　was
always　one　of　those　persons　who　had　fallen　from　a　lofty　position。　　At
Ivan　Fedotitch's　call；　there　crawled　forth　from　some　dark　corner；　a
former　wealthy　member　of　the　noble　or　official　class；　generally
intoxicated　and　always　undressed。　　If　he　was　not　drunk；　he　always
readily　acceded　to　the　task　proposed　to　him；　nodded　significantly；
frowned；　set　down　his　remarks　in　learned　phraseology；　held　the　card
neatly　printed　on　red　paper　in　his　dirty；　trembling　hands；　and
glanced　round　at　his　fellow…lodgers　with　pride　and　contempt；　as
though　now　triumphing　in　his　education　over　those　who　had　so　often
humiliated　him。　　He　evidently　enjoyed　intercourse　with　that　world　in
which　cards　are　printed　on　red　paper；　and　with　that　world　of　which　he
had　once　formed　a　part。　　Nearly　always；　in　answer　to　my　inquiries
about　his　life；　the　man　began；　not　only　willingly；　but　eagerly；　to
relate　the　story　of　the　misfortunes　which　he　had　undergone；which　he
had　learned　by　rote　like　a　prayer；and　particularly　of　his　former
position；　in　which　he　ought　still　to　be　by　right　of　his　education。

A　great　many　such　people　were　scattered　over　all　the　corners　of　the
Rzhanoff　house。　　But　one　lodging　was　densely　occupied　by　them　alone
both　men　and　women。　　After　we　had　already　entered；　Ivan　Fedotitch
said　to　us：　　〃Now；　here　are　some　of　the　nobility。〃　　The　lodging　was
perfectly　crammed；　nearly　all　of　the　people；　forty　in　number；　were　at
home。　　More　demoralized　countenances；　unhappy；　aged；　and　swollen；
young；　pallid；　and　distracted；　were　not　to　be　seen　in　the　whole
building。　　I　conversed　with　several　of　them。　　The　story　was　nearly
identical　in　all　cases；　only　in　various　stages　of　development。　　Every
one　of　them　had　been　rich；　or　his　father；　his　brother　or　his　uncle
was　still　wealthy；　or　his　father　or　he　himself　had　had　a　very　fine
position。　　Then　misfortune　had　overtaken　him；　the　blame　for　which
rested　either　on　envious　people；　or　on　his　own　kind…heartedness；　or
some　special　chance；　and　so　he　had　lost　every　thing；　and　had　been
forced　to　condescend　to　these　surroundings　to　which　he　was　not
accustomed；　and　which　were　hateful　to　himamong　lice；　rags；　among
drunkards　and　corrupt　persons；　and　to　nourish　himself　on　bread　and
liver；　and　to　extend　his　hand　in　beggary。　　All　the　thoughts；　desires；
memories　of　these　people　were　directed　exclusively　to　the　past。　　The
present　appeared　to　them　something　unreal；　repulsive；　and　not　worthy
of　attention。　　Not　one　of　them　had　any　present。　　They　had　only
memories　of　the　past；　and　expectations　from　the　future；　which　might
be　realized　at　any　moment；　and　for　the　realization　of　which　only　a
very　little　was　required；　but　this　little　they　did　not　possess；　it
was　nowhere　to　be　obtained；　and　this　had　been　ruining　their　whole
future　life　in　vain；　in　the　case　of　one　man；　for　a　year；　of　a　second
for　five　years；　and　of　a　third　for　thirty　years。　　All　one　needed　was
merely　to　dress　respectably；　so　that　he　could　present　himself　to　a
certain　personage；　who　was　well…disposed　towards　him　another　only
needed　to　be　able　to　dress；　pay　off　his　debts；　and　get　to　Orel；　a
third　required　to　redeem　a　small　property　which　was　mortgaged；　for
the　continuation　of　a　law…suit；　which　must　be　decided　in　his　favor；
and　then　all　would　be　well　once　more。　　They　all　declare　that　they
merely　require　something　external；　in　order　to　stand　once　more　in　the
position　which　they　regard　as　natural　and　happy　in　their　own　case。

Had　my　mind　not　been　obscured　by　my　pride　as　a　benefactor；　a　glance
at　their　faces；　both　old　and　young；　which　were　mostly　weak　and
sensitive；　but　amiable；　would　have　given　me　to　understand　that　their
misfortunes　were　irreparable　by　any　external　means；　that　they　could
not　be　happy　in　any　position　whatever；　if　their　views　of　life　were　to
remain　unchanged；　that　they　were　in　no　wise　remarkable　people；　in
remarkably　unfortunate　circumstances；　but　that　they　were　the　same
people　who　surround　us　on　all　sides；　and　just　like　ourselves。　　I
remember　that　intercourse　with　this　sort　of　unfortunates　was
peculiarly　difficult　for　me。　　I　now　understand　why　this　was　so；　in
them　I　beheld　myself；　as　in　a　mirror。　　If　I　had　reflected　on　my　own
life　and　on　the　life　of　the　people　in　our　circle；　I　should　have　seen
that　no　real　difference　existed　between　them。

If　those　about　me　dwell　in　spacious　quarters；　and　in　their　own　houses
on　the　Sivtzevy　Vrazhok　and　on　the　Dimitrovka；　and　not　in　the
Rzhanoff　ho