idle ideas in 1905-第16节

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but；　by　what　perhaps　is　just　as　useful　in　this　grey　old　world；　by
generous；　impulsive　speech。

We　Anglo…Saxons　are　apt　to　pride　ourselves　upon　being
undemonstrative。　　Max　Adeler　tells　the　tale　of　a　boy　who　was　sent　out
by　his　father　to　fetch　wood。　　The　boy　took　the　opportunity　of
disappearing　and　did　not　show　his　face　again　beneath　the　paternal
roof　for　over　twenty　years。　　Then　one　evening；　a　smiling；　well…
dressed　stranger　entered　to　the　old　couple；　and　announced　himself　as
their　long…lost　child；　returned　at　last。

〃Well；　you　haven't　hurried　yourself；〃　grumbled　the　old　man；　〃and
blarm　me　if　now　you　haven't　forgotten　the　wood。〃

I　was　lunching　with　an　Englishman　in　a　London　restaurant　one　day。　　A
man　entered　and　took　his　seat　at　a　table　near　by。　　Glancing　round；
and　meeting　my　friend's　eyes；　he　smiled　and　nodded。

〃Excuse　me　a　minute；〃　said　my　friend；　〃I　must　just　speak　to　my
brotherhaven't　seen　him　for　over　five　years。〃

He　finished　his　soup　and　leisurely　wiped　his　moustache　before
strolling　across　and　shaking　hands。　　They　talked　for　a　while。　　Then
my　friend　returned　to　me。

〃Never　thought　to　see　him　again；〃　observed　my　friend；　〃he　was　one　of
the　garrison　of　that　place　in　Africawhat's　the　name　of　it？that
the　Mahdi　attacked。　　Only　three　of　them　escaped。　　Always　was　a　lucky
beggar；　Jim。〃

〃But　wouldn't　you　like　to　talk　to　him　some　more？〃　I　suggested；　〃I　can
see　you　any　time　about　this　little　business　of　ours。〃

〃Oh；　that's　all　right；〃　he　answered；　〃we　have　just　fixed　it　upshall
be　seeing　him　again　to…morrow。〃

I　thought　of　this　scene　one　evening　while　dining　with　some　Russian
friends　in　a　St。　Petersburg　Hotel。　　One　of　the　party　had　not　seen　his
second　cousin；　a　mining　engineer；　for　nearly　eighteen　months。　　They
sat　opposite　to　one　another；　and　a　dozen　times　at　least　during　the
course　of　the　dinner　one　of　them　would　jump　up　from　his　chair；　and
run　round　to　embrace　the　other。　　They　would　throw　their　arms　about
one　another；　kissing　one　another　on　both　cheeks；　and　then　sit　down
again；　with　moist　eyes。　　Their　behaviour　among　their　fellow
countrymen　excited　no　astonishment　whatever。

But　the　Russians's　anger　is　as　quick　and　vehement　as　his　love。　　On
another　occasion　I　was　supping　with　friends　in　one　of　the　chief
restaurants　on　the　Nevsky。　　Two　gentlemen　at　an　adjoining　table；　who
up　till　the　previous　moment　had　been　engaged　in　amicable
conversation；　suddenly　sprang　to　their　feet；　and　〃went　for〃　one
another。　　One　man　secured　the　water…bottle；　which　he　promptly　broke
over　the　other's　head。　　His　opponent　chose　for　his　weapon　a　heavy
mahogany　chair；　and　leaping　back　for　the　purpose　of　securing　a　good
swing；　lurched　against　my　hostess。

〃Do　please　be　careful；〃　said　the　lady。

〃A　thousand　pardons；　madame；〃　returned　the　stranger；　from　whom　blood
and　water　were　streaming　in　equal　copiousness；　and　taking　the　utmost
care　to　avoid　interfering　with　our　comfort；　he　succeeded　adroitly　in
flooring　his　antagonist　by　a　well…directed　blow。

A　policeman　appeared　upon　the　scene。　　He　did　not　attempt　to
interfere；　but　running　out　into　the　street　communicated　the　glad
tidings　to　another　policeman。

〃This　is　going　to　cost　them　a　pretty　penny；〃　observed　my　host；　who
was　calmly　continuing　his　supper；　〃why　couldn't　they　wait？〃

It　did　cost　them　a　pretty　penny。　　Some　half　a　dozen　policemen　were
round　about　before　as　many　minutes　had　elapsed；　and　each　one　claimed
his　bribe。　　Then　they　wished　both　combatants　good…night；　and　trooped
out　evidently　in　great　good　humour　and　the　two　gentlemen；　with　wet
napkins　round　their　heads；　sat　down　again；　and　laughter　and　amicable
conversation　flowed　freely　as　before。

They　strike　the　stranger　as　a　childlike　people；　but　you　are　possessed
with　a　haunting　sense　of　ugly　traits　beneath。　　The　workersslaves　it
would　be　almost　more　correct　to　call　themallow　themselves　to　be
exploited　with　the　uncomplaining　patience　of　intelligent　animals。
Yet　every　educated　Russian　you　talk　to　on　the　subject　knows　that
revolution　is　coming。

But　he　talks　to　you　about　it　with　the　door　shut；　for　no　man　in　Russia
can　be　sure　that　his　own　servants　are　not　police　spies。　　I　was
discussing　politics　with　a　Russian　official　one　evening　in　his　study
when　his　old　housekeeper　entered　the　rooma　soft…eyed　grey…haired
woman　who　had　been　in　his　service　over　eight　years；　and　whose
position　in　the　household　was　almost　that　of　a　friend。　　He　stopped
abruptly　and　changed　the　conversation。　　So　soon　as　the　door　was
closed　behind　her　again；　he　explained　himself。

〃It　is　better　to　chat　upon　such　matters　when　one　is　quite　alone；〃　he
laughed。

〃But　surely　you　can　trust　her；〃　I　said；　〃She　appears　to　be　devoted　to
you　all。〃

〃It　is　safer　to　trust　no　one；〃　he　answered。　　And　then　he　continued
from　the　point　where　we　had　been　interrupted。

〃It　is　gathering；〃　he　said；　〃there　are　times　when　I　almost　smell
blood　in　the　air。　　I　am　an　old　man　and　may　escape　it；　but　my　children
will　have　to　suffersuffer　as　children　must　for　the　sins　of　their
fathers。　　We　have　made　brute　beasts　of　the　people；　and　as　brute
beasts　they　will　come　upon　us；　cruel；　and　undiscriminating；　right　and
wrong　indifferently　going　down　before　them。　　But　it　has　to　be。　　It　is
needed。〃

It　is　a　mistake　to　speak　of　the　Russian　classes　opposing　to　all
progress　a　dead　wall　of　selfishness。　　The　history　of　Russia　will　be
the　history　of　the　French　Revolution　over　again；　but　with　this
difference：　　that　the　educated　classes；　the　thinkers；　who　are　pushing
forward　the　dumb　masses　are　doing　so　with　their　eyes　open。　　There
will　be　no　Maribeau；　no　Danton　to　be　appalled　at　a　people's
ingratitude。　　The　men　who　are　to…day　working　for　revolution　in　Russia
number　among　their　ranks　statesmen；　soldiers；　delicately…nurtured
women；　rich　landowners；　prosperous　tradesmen；　students　familiar　with
the　lessons　of　history。　　They　have　no　misconceptions　concerning　the
blind　Monster　into　which　they　are　breathing　life。　　He　will　crush
them；　they　know　it；　but　with　them　he　will　crush　the　injustice　and
stupidity　they　have　grown　to　hate　more　than　they　love　themselves。

The　Russian　peasant；　when　he　rises；　will　prove　more　terrible；　more
pitiless　than　were　the　men　of　1790。　　He　is　less　intelligent；　more
brutal。　　They　sing　a　wild；　sad　song；　these　Russian　cattle；　the　while
they　work。　　They　sing　it　in　chorus　on　the　quays　while　hauling　the
cargo；　they　sing　it　in　the　factory；　they　chant　on　the　weary；　endless
steppes；　reaping　the　corn　they　may　not　eat。　　It　is　of　the　good　time
their　masters　are　having；　of　the　feastings　and　the　merrymakings；　of
the　laughter　of　the　children；　of　the　kisses　of　the　lovers。

But　the　last　line　of　every　verse　is　the　same。　　When　you　ask　a　Russian
to　translate　it　for　you　he　shrugs　his　shoulders。

〃Oh；　it　means；〃　he　says；　〃that　their　time　will　also　comesome　day。〃

It　is　a　pathetic；　haunting　refrain。　　They　sing　it　in　the　drawing…
rooms　of　Moscow　and　St。　Petersburg；　and　somehow　the　light　talk　and
laughter　die　away；　and　a　hush；　like　a　chill　breath；　enters　by　the
closed　door　and　passes　through。　　It　is　a　curious　song；　like　the
wailing　of　a　tired　wind；　and　one　day　it　will　sweep　over　the　land
heralding　terror。

A　Scotsman　I　met　in　Russia　told　me　that　when　he　first　came　out　to　act
as　manager　of　a　large　factory　in　St。　Petersburg；　belonging　to　his
Scottish　employers；　he　unwittingly　made　a　mistake　the　first　week　when
paying　his　workpeople。　　By　a　miscalculation　of　the　Russian　money　he
paid　the　men；　each　one；　nearly　a　rouble　short。　　He　discovered　his
error　before　the　following　Saturday；　and　then　put　the　matter　right。
The　men　accepted　his　explanation　with　perfect　composure　and　without
any　comment　whatever。　　The　thing　astonished　him。

〃But　you　must　have　known　I　was　paying　you　short；〃　he　said　to　one　of
them。　　〃Why　didn't　you　tell　me　of　it？〃

〃Oh；〃　answered　the　man；　〃we　thought　you　were　putting　it　in　your　own
pocket　and　then　if　we　had　complained　it　would　have　meant　dismissal
for　us。　　No　one　would　have　taken　our　word　against　yours。〃

Corruption　appears　to　be　so　general　throughout　the　whole　of　Russia
that　all　classes　have　come　to　accept　it　as　part　of　the　established
order　of　things。　　A　friend　gave　me　a　little　dog　to　bring　away　with
me。　　It　was　a　valuable　animal；　and　I　wished　to　keep　it　with　me。　　It
is　strictly　forbidden　to　take　dogs　into　railway　carriages。　　The　list
of　the　pains　and　penalties　for　doing　so　frightened　me　considerably。

〃Oh；　that　will　be　all　right；〃　my　friend　assured　me；　〃have　a　few
roubles　loose　in　your　pocket。〃

I　tipped　the　station　master　and　I　tipped　the　guard；　and　started
pleased　with　myself。　　But　I　had　not　anticipated　what　was　in　store　for
me。　　The　news　that　an　Englishman　with　a　dog　in　a　basket　and　roubles
in　his　pocket　was　coming　must　have　been　telegraphed　all　down　the
line。　　At　almost　every　stopping…place　some　enormous　official；　wearing
generally　a　sword　and　a　helmet；　boarded　the　train。　　At　first　these
fellows　terrified　me。　　I　took　them　for　field…marshals　at　least。

Visions　of　Siberia　crossed　my　mind。　　Anxious　and　trembling；　I　gave
the　first　one　a　gold　piece。　　He　shook　me　warmly　by　the　handI
thought　he　was　going　to　kiss　me。　　If　I　had　offered　him　my　cheek　I　am
sure　he　would　have　do