the moscow census-第8节

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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　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　prostitute