the moscow census-第7章

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on　the　Sivtzevy　Vrazhok　and　on　the　Dimitrovka；　and　not　in　the
Rzhanoff　house；　and　still　eat　and　drink　dainties；　and　not　liver　and
herrings　with　bread；　that　does　not　prevent　them　from　being　exactly　as
unhappy。　　They　are　just　as　dissatisfied　with　their　own　positions；
they　mourn　over　the　past；　and　pine　for　better　things；　and　the
improved　position　for　which　they　long　is　precisely　the　same　as　that
which　the　inhabitants　of　the　Rzhanoff　house　long　for；　that　is　to　say；
one　in　which　they　may　do　as　little　work　as　possible　themselves；　and
derive　the　utmost　advantage　from　the　labors　of　others。　　The
difference　is　merely　one　of　degrees　and　time。　　If　I　had　reflected　at
that　time；　I　should　have　understood　this；　but　I　did　not　reflect；　and
I　questioned　these　people；　and　wrote　them　down；　supposing；　that；
having　learned　all　the　particulars　of　their　various　conditions　and
necessities；　I　could　aid　them　LATER　ON。　　I　did　not　understand　that
such　a　man　can　only　be　helped　by　changing　his　views　of　the　world。
But　in　order　to　change　the　views　of　another；　one　must　needs　have
better　views　himself；　and　live　in　conformity　with　them；　but　mine　were
precisely　the　same　as　theirs；　and　I　lived　in　accordance　with　those
views；　which　must　undergo　a　change；　in　order　that　these　people　might
cease　to　be　unhappy。

I　did　not　see　that　these　people　were　unhappy；　not　because　they　had
not；　so　to　speak；　nourishing　food；　but　because　their　stomachs　had
been　spoiled；　and　because　their　appetites　demanded　not　nourishing　but
irritating　viands；　and　I　did　not　perceive　that；　in　order　to　help
them；　it　was　not　necessary　to　give　them　food；　but　that　it　was
necessary　to　heal　their　disordered　stomachs。　　Although　I　am
anticipating　by　so　doing；　I　will　mention　here；　that；　out　of　all　these
persons　whom　I　noted　down；　I　really　did　not　help　a　single　one；　in
spite　of　the　fact　that　for　some　of　them；　that　was　done　which　they
desired；　and　that　which；　apparently；　might　have　raised　them。　　Three
of　their　number　were　particularly　well　known　to　me。　　All　three；　after
repeated　rises　and　falls；　are　now　in　precisely　the　same　situation　in
which　they　were　three　years　ago。



CHAPTER　VIII。



The　second　class　of　unfortunates　whom　I　also　expected　to　assist　later
on；　were　the　dissolute　women；　there　were　a　very　great　many　of　them；
of　all　sorts；　in　the　Rzhanoff　housefrom　those　who　were　young　and
who　resembled　women；　to　old　ones；　who　were　frightful　and　horrible；
and　who　had　lost　every　semblance　of　humanity。　　The　hope　of　being　of
assistance　to　these　women；　which　I　had　not　at　first　entertained；
occurred　to　me　later。　　This　was　in　the　middle　of　our　rounds。　　We　had
already　worked　out　several　mechanical　tricks　of　procedure。

When　we　entered　a　new　establishment；　we　immediately　questioned　the
landlady　of　the　apartment；　one　of　us　sat　down；　clearing　some　sort　of
a　place　for　himself　where　he　could　write；　and　another　penetrated　the
corners；　and　questioned　each　man　in　all　the　nooks　of　the　apartment
separately；　and　reported　the　facts　to　the　one　who　did　the　writing。

On　entering　a　set　of　rooms　in　the　basement；　a　student　went　to　hunt　up
the　landlady；　while　I　began　to　interrogate　all　who　remained　in　the
place。　　The　apartment　was　thus　arranged：　　in　the　centre　was　a　room
six　arshins　square；　｛7｝　and　a　small　oven。　　From　the　oven　radiated
four　partitions；　forming　four　tiny　compartments。　　In　the　first；　the
entrance　slip；　which　had　four　bunks；　there　were　two　personsan　old
man　and　a　woman。　　Immediately　adjoining　this；　was　a　rather　long　slip
of　a　room；　in　it　was　the　landlord；　a　young　fellow；　dressed　in　a
sleeveless　gray　woollen　jacket；　a　good…looking；　very　pale　citizen。
｛8｝　　On　the　left　of　the　first　corner；　was　a　third　tiny　chamber；　there
was　one　person　asleep　there；　probably　a　drunken　peasant；　and　a　woman
in　a　pink　blouse　which　was　loose　in　front　and　close…fitting　behind。
The　fourth　chamber　was　behind　the　partition；　the　entrance　to　it　was
from　the　landlord's　compartment。

The　student　went　into　the　landlord's　room；　and　I　remained　in　the
entrance　compartment；　and　questioned　the　old　man　and　woman。　　The　old
man　had　been　a　master…printer；　but　now　had　no　means　of　livelihood。
The　woman　was　the　wife　of　a　cook。　　I　went　to　the　third　compartment；
and　questioned　the　woman　in　the　blouse　about　the　sleeping　man。　　She
said　that　he　was　a　visitor。　　I　asked　the　woman　who　she　was。　　She
replied　that　she　was　a　Moscow　peasant。　　〃What　is　your　business？〃　　She
burst　into　a　laugh；　and　did　not　answer　me。　　〃What　do　you　live　on？〃　I
repeated；　thinking　that　she　had　not　understood　my　question。　　〃I　sit
in　the　taverns；〃　she　said。　　I　did　not　comprehend；　and　again　I
inquired：　　〃What　is　your　means　of　livelihood？〃　　She　made　no　reply　and
laughed。　　Women's　voices　in　the　fourth　compartment　which　we　had　not
yet　entered；　joined　in　the　laugh。　　The　landlord　emerged　from　his
cabin　and　stepped　up　to　us。　　He　had　evidently　heard　my　questions　and
the　woman's　replies。　　He　cast　a　stern　glance　at　the　woman　and　turned
to　me：　　〃She　is　a　prostitute；〃　said　he；　apparently　pleased　that　he
knew　the　word　in　use　in　the　language　of　the　authorities；　and　that　he
could　pronounce　it　correctly。　　And　having　said　this；　with　a
respectful　and　barely　perceptible　smile　of　satisfaction　addressed　to
me；　he　turned　to　the　woman。　　And　no　sooner　had　he　turned　to　her；　than
his　whole　face　altered。　　He　said；　in　a　peculiar；　scornful；　hasty
tone；　such　as　is　employed　towards　dogs：　　〃What　do　you　jabber　in　that
careless　way　for？　　'I　sit　in　the　taverns。'　　You　do　sit　in　the
taverns；　and　that　means；　to　talk　business；　that　you　are　a
prostitute；〃　and　again　he　uttered　the　word。　　〃She　does　not　know　the
name　for　herself。〃　　This　tone　offended　me。　　〃It　is　not　our　place　to
abuse　her；〃　said　I。　　〃If　all　of　us　lived　according　to　the　laws　of
God；　there　would　be　none　of　these　women。〃

〃That's　the　very　point；〃　said　the　landlord；　with　an　awkward　smile。

〃Therefore；　we　should　not　reproach　but　pity　them。　　Are　they　to
blame？〃

I　do　not　recollect　just　what　I　said；　but　I　do　remember　that　I　was
vexed　by　the　scornful　tone　of　the　landlord　of　these　quarters　which
were　filled　with　women；　whom　he　called　prostitutes；　and　that　I　felt
compassion　for　this　woman；　and　that　I　gave　expression　to　both
feelings。　　No　sooner　had　I　spoken　thus；　than　the　boards　of　the　bed　in
the　next　compartment；　whence　the　laugh　had　proceeded；　began　to　creak；
and　above　the　partition；　which　did　not　reach　to　the　ceiling；　there
appeared　a　woman's　curly　and　dishevelled　head；　with　small；　swollen
eyes；　and　a　shining；　red　face；　followed　by　a　second；　and　then　by　a
third。　　They　were　evidently　standing　on　their　beds；　and　all　three
were　craning　their　necks；　and　holding　their　breath　with　strained
attention；　and　gazing　silently　at　us。

A　troubled　pause　ensued。　　The　student；　who　had　been　smiling　up　to
this　time；　became　serious；　the　landlord　grew　confused　and　dropped　his
eyes。　　All　the　women　held　their　breath；　stared　at　me；　and　waited。　　I
was　more　embarrassed　than　any　of　them。　　I　had　not；　in　the　least；
anticipated　that　a　chance　remark　would　produce　such　an　effect。　　Like
Ezekiel's　field　of　death；　strewn　with　dead　men's　bones；　there　was　a
quiver　at　the　touch　of　the　spirit；　and　the　dead　bones　stirred。　　I　had
uttered　an　unpremeditated　word　of　love　and　sympathy；　and　this　word
had　acted　on　all　as　though　they　had　only　been　waiting　for　this　very
remark；　in　order　that　they　might　cease　to　be　corpses　and　might　live。
They　all　stared　at　me；　and　waited　for　what　would　come　next。　　They
waited　for　me　to　utter　those　words；　and　to　perform　those　actions　by
reason　of　which　these　bones　might　draw　together；　clothe　themselves
with　flesh；　and　spring　into　life。　　But　I　felt　that　I　had　no　such
words；　no　such　actions；　by　means　of　which　I　could　continue　what　I　had
begun；　I　was　conscious；　in　the　depths　of　my　soul；　that　I　had　lied
＇that　I　was　just　like　them＇；　｛9｝　and　there　was　nothing　further　for　me
to　say；　and　I　began　to　inscribe　on　the　cards　the　names　and　callings
of　all　the　persons　in　this　set　of　apartments。

This　incident　led　me　into　a　fresh　dilemma；　to　the　thought　of　how
these　unfortunates　also　might　be　helped。　　In　my　self…delusion；　I
fancied　that　this　would　be　very　easy。　　I　said　to　myself：　　〃Here；　we
will　make　a　note　of　all　these　women　also；　and　LATER　ON　when　we　＇I　did
not　specify　to　myself　who　〃we〃　were＇　write　every　thing　out；　we　will
attend　to　these　persons　too。〃　　I　imagined　that　we；　the　very　ones　who
have　brought　and　have　been　bringing　these　women　to　this　condition　for
several　generations；　would　take　thought　some　fine　day　and　reform　all
this。　　But；　in　the　mean　time；　if　I　had　only　recalled　my　conversation
with　the　disreputable　woman　who　had　been　rocking　the　baby　of　the
fever…stricken　patient；　I　might　have　comprehended　the　full　extent　of
the　folly　of　such　a　supposition。

When　we　saw　this　woman　with　the　baby；　we　thought　that　it　was　her
child。　　To　the　question；　〃Who　was　she？〃　she　had　replied　in　a
straightforward　way　that　she　was　unmarried。　　She　did　not　saya
prostitute。　　Only　the　master　of　the　apartment　made　use　of　that
frightful　word。　　The　supposition　that　she　had　a　child　suggested　to　me
the　idea　of　removing　her　from　her　position。　　I　inquired：

〃Is　this　your　child？〃

〃No；　it　belongs　to　that　woman　yonder。〃

〃Why　are　you　taking　care　of　it？〃

〃Because　she　asked　me；　she　is　dying。〃

Although　my　supposition　proved　to　be　erroneous；　I　continued　my
conversation　with　her　in　the　same　spirit。　　I　began　to　question　her　as
to　who　she　was；　and　how　she　had　come　to　such　a　state。　　She　related
her　history　very　readily　and　simply。　　She　was　a　Moscow　myeshchanka；
the　daughter　of　a　factory　hand。　　She　had　been　left　an　orphan；　and　had
been　adopted　by　an　aunt。　　From　her　aunt's　she　had　begun　to　frequent
the　taverns。　　The　aunt　was　now　dead。　　When　I　asked　her　whether　she
did　not　wish　to　alter　her　mode　of　life；　my　question；　evidently；　did
not　even　arouse　her　interest。　　How　can　one　take　an　interest　in　the
proposition　of　a　man；　in　regard　to　something　absolutely　impossible？
She　laughed；　and　said：　　〃And　who　would　take　me　in　with　my　yellow
ticket？〃

〃Well；　but　if　a　place　could　be　found　somewhere　as　cook？〃　said　I。

This　thought　occurred　to　me　because　she　was　a　stout；　ruddy　woman；
with　a　kindly；　round；　and　rather　stupid　face。　　Cooks　are　often　like
that。　　My　words　evidently　did　not　please　her。　　She　repeated：

〃A　cookbut　I　don't　know　how　to　make　bread；〃　said　she；　and　she
laughed。　　She　said　that　she　did　not　know　how；　but　I　saw　from　the
expression　of　her　countenance　that　she　did　not　wish　to　become　a　cook；
that　she　regarded　the　position　and　calling　of　a　cook　as　low。

This　woman；　who　in　the　simplest　possible　manner　was　sacrificing　every
thing　that　she　had　for　the　sick　woman；　like　the　widow　in　the　Gospels；
at　the　same　time；　like　many　of　her　companions；　regarded　the　position
of　a　person　who　works　as　low　and　deserving　of　scorn。　　She　had　been
brought　up　to　live　not　by　work；　but　by　this　life　which　was　considered
the　natural　one　for　her　by　those　about　her。　　In　that　lay　her
misfortune。　　And　she　fell　in　with　this　misfortune　and　clung　to　her
position。　　This　led　her　to　frequent　the　taverns。　　Which　of　usman　or
womanwill　correct　her　false　view　of　life？　　Where　among　us　are　the
people　to　be　found　who　are　convinc