the moscow census-第14节

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own　feet；　in　order　to　learn　upon　what　I　was　standing；　I　kept　on
seeking　some　external　means；　outside　myself；　of　helping　the　existing
evil。

I　then　felt　that　my　life　was　bad；　and　that　it　was　impossible　to　live
in　that　manner。　　But　from　the　fact　that　my　life　was　bad；　and　that　it
was　impossible　to　live　in　that　manner；　I　did　not　draw　the　very　simple
and　clear　deduction　that　it　was　necessary　to　amend　my　life　and　to
live　better；　but　I　knew　the　terrible　deduction　that　in　order　to　live
well　myself；　I　must　needs　reform　the　lives　of　others；　and　so　I　began
to　reform　the　lives　of　others。　　I　lived　in　the　city；　and　I　wished　to
reform　the　lives　of　those　who　lived　in　the　city；　but　I　soon　became
convinced　that　this　I　could　not　by　any　possibility　accomplish；　and　I
began　to　meditate　on　the　inherent　characteristics　of　city　life　and
city　poverty。

〃What　are　city　life　and　city　poverty？　　Why；　when　I　am　living　in　the
city；　cannot　I　help　the　city　poor？〃

I　asked　myself。　　I　answered　myself　that　I　could　not　do　any　thing　for
them；　in　the　first　place；　because　there　were　too　many　of　them　here　in
one　spot；　in　the　second　place；　because　all　the　poor　people　here　were
entirely　different　from　the　country　poor。　　Why　were　there　so　many　of
them　here？　and　in　what　did　their　peculiarity；　as　opposed　to　the
country　poor；　consist？　　There　was　one　and　the　same　answer　to　both
questions。　　There　were　a　great　many　of　them　here；　because　here　all
those　people　who　have　no　means　of　subsistence　in　the　country　collect
around　the　rich；　and　their　peculiarity　lies　in　this；　that　they　are
not　people　who　have　come　from　the　country　to　support　themselves　in
the　city　（if　there　are　any　city　paupers；　those　who　have　been　born
here；　and　whose　fathers　and　grandfathers　were　born　here；　then　those
fathers　and　grandfathers　came　hither　for　the　purpose　of　earning　their
livelihood）。　　What　is　the　meaning　of　this：　　TO　EARN　ONE'S　LIVELIHOOD
IN　THE　CITY？　　In　the　words　〃to　earn　one's　livelihood　in　the　city；〃
there　is　something　strange；　resembling　a　jest；　when　you　reflect　on
their　significance。　　How　is　it　that　people　go　from　the　country；that
is　to　say；　from　the　places　where　there　are　forests；　meadows；　grain；
and　cattle；　where　all　the　wealth　of　the　earth　lies；to　earn　their
livelihood　in　a　place　where　there　are　neither　trees；　nor　grass；　nor
even　land；　and　only　stones　and　dust？　　What　is　the　significance　of　the
words　〃to　earn　a　livelihood　in　the　city；〃　which　are　in　such　constant
use；　both　by　those　who　earn　the　livelihood；　and　by　those　who　furnish
it；　as　though　it　were　something　perfectly　clear　and　comprehensible？

I　recall　the　hundreds　and　thousands　of　city　people；　both　those　who
live　well　and　the　needy；　with　whom　I　have　conversed　on　the　reason　why
they　came　hither：　　and　all　without　exception　said；　that　they　had　come
from　the　country　to　earn　their　living；　that　in　Moscow；　where　people
neither　sow　nor　reap；that　in　Moscow　there　is　plenty　of　every　thing；
and　that；　therefore；　it　is　only　in　Moscow　that　they　can　earn　the
money　which　they　require　in　the　country　for　bread　and　a　cottage　and　a
horse；　and　articles　of　prime　necessity。　　But　assuredly；　in　the
country　lies　the　source　of　all　riches；　there　only　is　real　wealth；
bread；　and　forests；　and　horses；　and　every　thing。　　And　why；　above　all；
take　away　from　the　country　that　which　dwellers　in　the　country　need；
flour；　oats；　horses；　and　cattle？

Hundreds　of　times　did　I　discuss　this　matter　with　peasants　living　in
town；　and　from　my　discussions　with　them；　and　from　my　observations；　it
has　been　made　apparent　to　me；　that　the　congregation　of　country　people
in　the　city　is　partly　indispensable　because　they　cannot　otherwise
support　themselves；　partly　voluntary；　and　that　they　are　attracted　to
the　city　by　the　temptations　of　the　city。

It　is　true；　that　the　position　of　the　peasant　is　such　that；　for　the
satisfaction　of　his　demands　made　on　him　in　the　country；　he　cannot
extricate　himself　otherwise　than　by　selling　the　grain　and　the　cattle
which　he　knows　will　be　indispensable　to　him；　and　he　is　forced；
whether　he　will　or　no；　to　go　to　the　city　in　order　there　to　win　back
his　bread。　　But　it　is　also　true；　that　the　luxury　of　city　life；　and
the　comparative　ease　with　which　money　is　there　to　be　earned；　attract
him　thither；　and　under　the　pretext　of　gaining　his　living　in　the　town；
he　betakes　himself　thither　in　order　that　he　may　have　lighter　work；
better　food；　and　drink　tea　three　times　a　day；　and　dress　well；　and
even　lead　a　drunken　and　dissolute　life。　　The　cause　of　both　is
identical；the　transfer　of　the　riches　of　the　producers　into　the
hands　of　non…producers；　and　the　accumulation　of　wealth　in　the　cities。
And；　in　point　of　fact；　when　autumn　has　come；　all　wealth　is　collected
in　the　country。　　And　instantly　there　arise　demands　for　taxes；
recruits；　the　temptations　of　vodka；　weddings；　festivals；　petty
pedlers　make　their　rounds　through　the　villages；　and　all　sorts　of
other　temptations　crop　up；　and　by　this　road；　or；　if　not；　by　some
other；　wealth　of　the　most　varied　descriptionvegetables；　calves；
cows；　horses；　pigs；　chickens；　eggs；　butter；　hemp；　flax；　rye；　oats；
buckwheat；　pease；　hempseed；　and　flaxseedall　passes　into　the　hands
of　strangers；　is　carried　off　to　the　towns；　and　thence　to　the
capitals。　　The　countryman　is　obliged　to　surrender　all　this　to　satisfy
the　demands　that　are　made　upon　him；　and　temptations；　and；　having
parted　with　his　wealth；　he　is　left　with　an　insufficiency；　and　he　is
forced　to　go　whither　his　wealth　has　been　carried　and　there　he　tries；
in　part；　to　obtain　the　money　which　he　requires　for　his　first　needs　in
the　country；　and　in　part；　being　himself　led　away　by　the　blandishments
of　the　city；　he　enjoys；　in　company　with　others；　the　wealth　that　has
there　accumulated。　　Everywhere；　throughout　the　whole　of　Russia；yes；
and　not　in　Russia　alone；　I　think；　but　throughout　the　whole　world；
the　same　thing　goes　on。　　The　wealth　of　the　rustic　producers　passes
into　the　hands　of　traders；　landed　proprietors；　officials；　and
factory…owners；　and　the　people　who　receive　this　wealth　wish　to　enjoy
it。　　But　it　is　only　in　the　city　that　they　can　derive　full　enjoyment
from　this　wealth。　　In　the　country；　in　the　first　place；　it　is
difficult　to　satisfy　all　the　requirements　of　rich　people；　on　account
of　the　sparseness　of　the　population；　banks；　shops；　hotels；　every　sort
of　artisan；　and　all　sorts　of　social　diversions；　do　not　exist　there。
In　the　second　place；　one　of　the　chief　pleasures　procured　by　wealth
vanity；　the　desire　to　astonish　and　outshine　other　peopleis
difficult　to　satisfy　in　the　country；　and　this；　again；　on　account　of
the　lack　of　inhabitants。　　In　the　country；　there　is　no　one　to
appreciate　elegance；　no　one　to　be　astonished。　　Whatever　adornments　in
the　way　of　pictures　and　bronzes　the　dweller　in　the　country　may
procure　for　his　house；　whatever　equipages　and　toilets　he　may　provide；
there　is　no　one　to　see　them　and　envy　them；　and　the　peasants　cannot
judge　of　them。　　＇And；　in　the　third　place；　luxury　is　even　disagreeable
and　dangerous　in　the　country　for　the　man　possessed　of　a　conscience
and　fear。　　It　is　an　awkward　and　delicate　matter；　in　the　country；　to
have　baths　of　milk；　or　to　feed　your　puppies　on　it；　when　directly
beside　you　there　are　children　who　have　no　milk；　it　is　an　awkward　and
delicate　matter　to　build　pavilions　and　gardens　in　the　midst　of　people
who　live　in　cots　banked　up　with　dung；　which　they　have　no　means　of
warming。　　In　the　country　there　is　no　one　to　keep　the　stupid　peasants
in　order；　and　in　their　lack　of　cultivation　they　might　disarrange　all
this。＇　｛11｝

And　accordingly　rich　people　congregate；　and　join　themselves　to　other
rich　people　with　similar　requirements；　in　the　city；　where　the
gratification　of　every　luxurious　taste　is　carefully　protected　by　a
numerous　police　force。　　Well…rooted　inhabitants　of　the　city　of　this
sort；　are　the　governmental　officials；　every　description　of　artisan
and　professional　man　has　sprung　up　around　them；　and　with　them　the
wealthy　join　their　forces。　　All　that　a　rich　man　has　to　do　there　is　to
take　a　fancy　to　a　thing；　and　he　can　get　it。　　It　is　also　more
agreeable　for　a　rich　man　to　live　there；　because　there　he　can　gratify
his　vanity；　there　is　some　one　with　whom　he　can　vie　in　luxury；　there
is　some　one　to　astonish；　and　there　is　some　one　to　outshine。　　But　the
principal　reason　why　it　is　more　comfortable　in　the　city　for　a　rich
man　is　that　formerly；　in　the　country；　his　luxury　made　him　awkward　and
uneasy；　while　now；　on　the　contrary；　it　would　be　awkward　for　him　not
to　live　luxuriously；　not　to　live　like　all　his　peers　around　him。　　That
which　seemed　dreadful　and　awkward　in　the　country；　here　appears　to　be
just　as　it　should　be。　　＇Rich　people　congregate　in　the　city；　and
there；　under　the　protection　of　the　authorities；　they　calmly　demand
every　thing　that　is　brought　thither　from　the　country。　　And　the
countryman　is；　in　some　measure；　compelled　to　go　thither；　where　this
uninterrupted　festival　of　the　wealthy　which　demands　all　that　is　taken
from　him　is　in　progress；　in　order　to　feed　upon　the　crumbs　which　fall
from　the　tables　of　the　rich；　and　partly；　also；　because；　when　he
beholds　the　care…free；　luxurious　life；　approved　and　protected　by
everybody；　he　himself　becomes　desirous　of　regulating　his　life　in　such
a　w