06-the young tsar-第3节

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Tsar；　who　again　lost　consciousness。　　This　time　he
found　himself　in　a　peasant's　cottage。　　The　peas…
anta　man　of　forty；　with　red　face　and　blood…
shot　eyeswas　furiously　striking　the　face　of　an
old　man；　who　tried　in　vain　to　protect　himself　from
the　blows。　　The　younger　peasant　seized　the　beard
of　the　old　man　and　held　it　fast。

〃For　shame！　　To　strike　your　father！〃

〃I　don't　care；　I'll　kill　him！　Let　them　send
me　to　Siberia；　I　don't　care！〃

The　women　were　screaming。　　Drunken　officials
rushed　into　the　cottage　and　separated　father　and
son。　　The　father　had　an　arm　broken　and　the　son's
beard　was　torn　out。　　In　the　doorway　a　drunken
girl　was　making　violent　love　to　an　old　besotted
peasant。

〃They　are　beasts！〃　said　the　young　Tsar。

Another　touch　of　his　guide's　hand　and　the
young　Tsar　awoke　in　a　new　place。　　It　was　the
office　of　the　justice　of　the　peace。　　A　fat；　bald…
headed　man；　with　a　double　chin　and　a　chain　round
his　neck；　had　just　risen　from　his　seat；　and　was
reading　the　sentence　in　a　loud　voice；　while　a　crowd
of　peasants　stood　behind　the　grating。　　There　was
a　woman　in　rags　in　the　crowd　who　did　not　rise。　
The　guard　gave　her　a　push。

〃Asleep！　I　tell　you　to　stand　up！〃　The
woman　rose。

〃According　to　the　decree　of　his　Imperial
Majesty〃　the　judge　began　reading　the　sen…
tence。　　The　case　concerned　that　very　woman。　
She　had　taken　away　half　a　bundle　of　oats　as　she
was　passing　the　thrashing…floor　of　a　landowner。　
The　justice　of　the　peace　sentenced　her　to　two
months'　imprisonment。　　The　landowner　whose
oats　had　been　stolen　was　among　the　audi…
ence。　　When　the　judge　adjourned　the　court　the
landowner　approached；　and　shook　hands；　and　the
judge　entered　into　conversation　with　him。　　The
next　case　was　about　a　stolen　samovar。　　Then
there　was　a　trial　about　some　timber　which　had
been　cut；　to　the　detriment　of　the　landowner。　
Some　peasants　were　being　tried　for　having　as…
saulted　the　constable　of　the　district。

When　the　young　Tsar　again　lost　consciousness；
he　awoke　to　find　himself　in　the　middle　of　a　vil…
lage；　where　he　saw　hungry；　half…frozen　children
and　the　wife　of　the　man　who　had　assaulted　the
constable　broken　down　from　overwork。

Then　came　a　new　scene。　　In　Siberia；　a　tramp
is　being　flogged　with　the　lash；　the　direct　result　of
an　order　issued　by　the　Minister　of　justice。　　Again
oblivion；　and　another　scene。　　The　family　of　a
Jewish　watchmaker　is　evicted　for　being　too　poor。　
The　children　are　crying；　and　the　Jew；　Isaaks；　is
greatly　distressed。　　At　last　they　come　to　an　ar…
rangement；　and　he　is　allowed　to　stay　on　in　the
lodgings。

The　chief　of　police　takes　a　bribe。　　The　gov…
ernor　of　the　province　also　secretly　accepts　a　bribe。　
Taxes　are　being　collected。　　In　the　village；　while
a　cow　is　sold　for　payment；　the　police　inspector　is
bribed　by　a　factory　owner；　who　thus　escapes　taxes
altogether。　　And　again　a　village　court　scene；　and
a　sentence　carried　into　executionthe　lash！

〃Ilia　Vasilievich；　could　you　not　spare　me
that？〃

〃No。〃

The　peasant　burst　into　tears。　　〃Well；　of
course；　Christ　suffered；　and　He　bids　us　suffer
too。〃

Then　other　scenes。　　The　Stundistsa　sect
being　broken　up　and　dispersed；　the　clergy　re…
fusing　first　to　marry；　then　to　bury　a　Protestant。　
Orders　given　concerning　the　passage　of　the　Im…
perial　railway　train。　　Soldiers　kept　sitting　in　the
mudcold；　hungry；　and　cursing。　　Decrees　is…
sued　relating　to　the　educational　institutions　of　the
Empress　Mary　Department。　　Corruption　ram…
pant　in　the　foundling　homes。　　An　undeserved
monument。　　Thieving　among　the　clergy。　　The
reinforcement　of　the　political　police。　　A　woman
being　searched。　　A　prison　for　convicts　who　are
sentenced　to　be　deported。　　A　man　being　hanged
for　murdering　a　shop　assistant。

Then　the　result　of　military　discipline：　　soldiers
wearing　uniform　and　scoffing　at　it。　　A　gipsy　en…
campment。　　The　son　of　a　millionaire　exempted
from　military　duty；　while　the　only　support　of　a
large　family　is　forced　to　serve。　　The　university：
a　teacher　relieved　of　military　service；　while　the
most　gifted　musicians　are　compelled　to　perform
it。　　Soldiers　and　their　debaucheryand　the
spreading　of　disease。

Then　a　soldier　who　has　made　an　attempt　to
desert。　　He　is　being　tried。　　Another　is　on　trial
for　striking　an　officer　who　has　insulted　his　mother。　
He　is　put　to　death。　　Others；　again；　are　tried　for
having　refused　to　shoot。　　The　runaway　soldier
sent　to　a　disciplinary　battalion　and　flogged　to
death。　　Another；　who　is　guiltless；　flogged；　and
his　wounds　sprinkled　with　salt　till　he　dies。　　One
of　the　superior　officers　stealing　money　belonging
to　the　soldiers。　　Nothing　but　drunkenness；　de…
bauchery；　gambling；　and　arrogance　on　the　part　of
the　authorities。

What　is　the　general　condition　of　the　people：
the　children　are　half…starving　and　degenerate；　the
houses　are　full　of　vermin；　an　everlasting　dull
round　of　labour；　of　submission；　and　of　sadness。　
On　the　other　hand：　　ministers；　governors　of　prov…
inces；　covetous；　ambitious；　full　of　vanity；　and
anxious　to　inspire　fear。

〃But　where　are　men　with　human　feelings？〃

〃I　will　show　you　where　they　are。〃

Here　is　the　cell　of　a　woman　in　solitary　confine…
ment　at　Schlusselburg。　　She　is　going　mad。　　Here
is　another　womana　girlindisposed；　violated
by　soldiers。　　A　man　in　exile；　alone；　embittered；
half…dead。　　A　prison　for　convicts　condemned　to
hard　labour；　and　women　flogged。　　They　are
many。

Tens　of　thousands　of　the　best　people。　　Some
shut　up　in　prisons；　others　ruined　by　false　educa…
tion；　by　the　vain　desire　to　bring　them　up　as　we
wish。　　But　not　succeeding　in　this；　whatever　might
have　been　is　ruined　as　well；　for　it　is　made　impos…
sible。　　It　is　as　if　we　were　trying　to　make　buck…
wheat　out　of　corn　sprouts　by　splitting　the　ears。
One　may　spoil　the　corn；　but　one　could　never
change　it　to　buckwheat。　　Thus　all　the　youth　of
the　world；　the　entire　younger　generation；　is　being
ruined。

But　woe　to　those　who　destroy　one　of　these　little
ones；　woe　to　you　if　you　destroy　even　one　of
them。　　On　your　soul；　however；　are　hosts　of　them；
who　have　been　ruined　in　your　name；　all　of　those
over　whom　your　power　extends。

〃But　what　can　I　do？〃　exclaimed　the　Tsar　in
despair。　　〃I　do　not　wish　to　torture；　to　flog；　to
corrupt；　to　kill　any　one！　I　only　want　the　welfare
of　all。　　Just　as　I　yearn　for　happiness　myself；　so　I
want　the　world　to　be　happy　as　well。　　Am　I　actu…
ally　responsible　for　everything　that　is　done　in　my
name？　What　can　I　do？　What　am　I　to　do　to
rid　myself　of　such　a　responsibility？　What　can　I
do？　I　do　not　admit　that　the　responsibility　for　all
this　is　mine。　　If　I　felt　myself　responsible　for　one…
hundredth　part　of　it；　I　would　shoot　myself　on　the
spot。　　It　would　not　be　possible　to　live　if　that　were
true。　　But　how　can　I　put　an　end；　to　all　this　evil？
It　is　bound　up　with　the　very　existence　of　the
State。　　I　am　the　head　of　the　State！　What　am　I
to　do？　Kill　myself？　Or　abdicate？　But　that
would　mean　renouncing　my　duty。　O　God；　O　God；
God；　help　me！〃　He　burst　into　tears　and　awoke。

〃How　glad　I　am　that　it　was　only　a　dream；〃
was　his　first　thought。　　But　when　he　began　to
recollect　what　he　had　seen　in　his　dream；　and　to
compare　it　with　actuality；　he　realised　that　the
problem　propounded　to　him　in　dream　remained
just　as　important　and　as　insoluble　now　that　he　was
awake。　　For　the　first　time　the　young　Tsar　became
aware　of　the　heavy　responsibility　weighing　on　him；
and　was　aghast。　　His　thoughts　no　longer　turned
to　the　young　Queen　and　to　the　happiness　he　had
anticipated　for　that　evening；　but　became　centred
on　the　unanswerable　question　which　hung　over
him：　　〃What　was　to　be　done？〃

In　a　state　of　great　agitation　he　arose　and　went
into　the　next　room。　　An　old　courtier；　a　co…worker
and　friend　of　his　father's；　was　standing　there　in
the　middle　of　the　room　in　conversation　with　the
young　Queen；　who　was　on　her　way　to　join　her
husband。　　The　young　Tsar　approached　them；　and
addressing　his　conversation　principally　to　the　old
courtier；　told　him　what　he　had　seen　in　his　dream
and　what　doubts　the　dream　had　left　in　his　mind。

〃That　is　a　noble　idea。　　It　proves　the　rare
nobility　of　your　spirit；〃　said　the　old　man。　　〃But
forgive　me　for　speaking　franklyyou　are　too
kind　to　be　an　　emperor；　and　you　exaggerate　your
responsibility。　　In　the　first　place；　the　state　of
things　is　not　as　you　imagine　it　to　be。　　The　people
are　not　poor。　　They　are　well…to…do。　　Those　who
are　poor　are　poor　through　their　own　fault。　　Only
the　guilty　are　punished；　and　if　an　unavoidable
mistake　does　sometimes　occur；　it　is　like　a　thunder…
boltan　accident；　or　the　will　of　God。　　You　have
but　one　responsibility：　　to　fulfil　your　task　coura…
geously　and　to　retain　the　power　that　is　given　to
you。　　You　wish　the　best　for　your　people　and　God
sees　that。　　As　for　the　errors　which　you　have　com…
mitted　unwittingly；　you　can　pray　for　forgiveness；
and　God　will　guide　you　and　pardon　you。　　All　the
more　because　you　have　done　nothing　that　demands
forgiveness；　and　there　never　have　been　and　never
will　be　men　possessed　of　such　extraordinary　qual…
ities　as　you　and　your　father。　　Therefore　all　we
implore　you　to　do　is　to　live；　and　to　reward　our
endless　devotion　and　love　with　your　favour；　and
every　one；　save　scoundrels　who　deserve　no　happi…
ness；　will　be　happy。