01-the forged coupon-第15节

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wife　had　such　a　heart；　our　life　would　be　a　para…
dise；　instead　of　what　it　is　now　〃　　And　he　wrote
the　telegram；

〃　To　his　Imperial　Majesty；　the　Emperor。
〃Your　Majesty's　loyal　subject；　the　widow　of　Pe…
ter　Nikolaevich　Sventizky；　murdered　by　the　peas…
ants；　throws　herself　at　the　sacred　feet　（this
sentence；　when　he　wrote　it　down；　pleased　the　con…
stable　himself　most　of　all）　of　your　Imperial
Majesty；　and　implores　you　to　grant　an　amnesty
to　the　peasants　so　and　so；　from　such　a　province；
district；　and　village；　who　have　been　sentenced　to
death。〃

The　telegram　was　sent　by　the　constable　him…
self；　and　Natalia　Ivanovna　felt　relieved　and
happy。　　She　had　a　feeling　that　since　she；　the
widow　of　the　murdered　man；　had　forgiven　the
murderers；　and　was　applying　for　an　amnesty；　the
Czar　could　not　possibly　refuse　it。



XI

LISA　EROPKIN　lived　in　a　state　of　continual　ex…
citement。　　The　longer　she　lived　a　true　Christian
life　as　it　had　been　revealed　to　her；　the　more　con…
vinced　she　became　that　it　was　the　right　way；　and
her　heart　was　full　of　joy。

She　had　two　immediate　aims　before　her。　　The
one　was　to　convert　Mahin；　or；　as　she　put　it　to
herself；　to　arouse　his　true　nature；　which　was　good
and　kind。　　She　loved　him；　and　the　light　of　her
love　revealed　the　divine　element　in　his　soul　which
is　at　the　bottom　of　all　souls。　　But；　further；　she
saw　in　him　an　exceptionally　　kind　and　tender
heart；　as　well　as　a　noble　mind。　　Her　other　aim
was　to　abandon　her　riches。　　She　had　first　thought
of　giving　away　what　she　possessed　in　order　to
test　Mahin；　but　afterwards　she　wanted　to　do　so
for　her　own　sake；　for　the　sake　of　her　own　soul。　
She　began　by　simply　giving　money　to　any　one　who
wanted　it。　　But　her　father　stopped　that；　besides
which；　she　felt　disgusted　at　the　crowd　of　suppli…
cants　who　personally；　and　by　letters；　besieged　her
with　demands　for　money。　　Then　she　resolved　to
apply　to　an　old　man；　known　to　be　a　saint　by　his
life；　and　to　give　him　her　money　to　dispose　of　in
the　way　he　thought　best。　　Her　father　got　angry
with　her　when　he　heard　about　it。　　During　a　vio…
lent　altercation　he　called　her　mad；　a　raving　luna…
tic；　and　said　he　would　take　measures　to　prevent
her　from　doing　injury　to　herself。

Her　father's　irritation　proved　contagious。　
Losing　all　control　over　herself；　and　sobbing　with
rage；　she　behaved　with　the　greatest　impertinence
to　her　father；　calling　him　a　tyrant　and　a　miser。

Then　she　asked　his　forgiveness。　　He　said　he
did　not　mind　what　she　said；　but　she　saw　plainly
that　he　was　offended；　and　in　his　heart　did　not
forgive　her。　　She　did　not　feel　inclined　to　tell
Mahin　about　her　quarrel　with　her　father；　as　to
her　sister；　she　was　very　cold　to　Lisa；　being　jealous
of　Mahin's　love　for　her。

〃I　ought　to　confess　to　God；〃　she　said　to　her…
self。　　As　all　this　happened　in　Lent；　she　made　up
her　mind　to　fast　in　preparation　for　the　communion；
and　to　reveal　all　her　thoughts　to　the　father　con…
fessor；　asking　his　advice　as　to　what　she　ought　to
decide　for　the　future。

At　a　small　distance　from　her　town　a　monastery
was　situated；　where　an　old　monk　lived　who　had
gained　a　great　reputation　by　his　holy　life；　by　his
sermons　and　prophecies；　as　well　as　by　the　mar…
vellous　cures　ascribed　to　him。

The　monk　had　received　a　letter　from　Lisa's
father　announcing　the　visit　of　his　daughter；　and
telling　him　in　what　a　state　of　excitement　the　young
girl　was。　　He　also　expressed　the　hope　in　that
letter　that　the　monk　would　influence　her　in　the
right　way；　urging　her　not　to　depart　from　the
golden　mean；　and　to　live　like　a　good　Christian
without　trying　to　upset　the　present　conditions　of
her　life。

The　monk　received　Lisa　after　he　had　seen
many　other　people；　and　being　very　tired；　began
by　quietly　recommending　her　to　be　modest　and　to
submit　to　her　present　conditions　of　life　and　to
her　parents。　　Lisa　listened　silently；　blushing　and
flushed　with　excitement。　　When　he　had　finished
admonishing　her；　she　began　saying　with　tears　in
her　eyes；　timidly　at　first；　that　Christ　bade　us　leave
father　and　mother　to　follow　Him。　　Getting　more
and　more　excited；　she　told　him　her　conception　of
Christ。　　The　monk　smiled　slightly；　and　replied
as　he　generally　did　when　admonishing　his　peni…
tents；　but　after　a　while　he　remained　silent；
repeating　with　heavy　sighs；　〃O　God！〃
Then　he　said；　〃Well；　come　to　confession　to…
morrow；〃　and　blessed　her　with　his　wrinkled
hands。

The　next　day　Lisa　came　to　confession；　and
without　renewing　their　interrupted　conversation；
he　absolved　her　and　refused　to　dispose　of　her　for…
tune；　giving　no　reasons　for　doing　so。

Lisa's　purity；　her　devotion　to　God　and　her　ar…
dent　soul；　impressed　the　monk　deeply。　　He　had
desired　long　ago　to　renounce　the　world　entirely；
but　the　brotherhood；　which　drew　a　large　income
from　his　work　as　a　preacher；　insisted　on　his　con…
tinuing　his　activity。　　He　gave　way；　although　he
had　a　vague　feeling　that　he　was　in　a　false　posi…
tion。　　It　was　rumoured　that　he　was　a　miracle…
working　saint；　whereas　in　reality　he　was　a　weak
man；　proud　of　his　success　in　the　world。　　When
the　soul　of　Lisa　was　revealed　to　him；　he　saw
clearly　into　his　own　soul。　　He　discovered　how
different　he　was　to　what　he　wanted　to　be；　and
realised　the　desire　of　his　heart。

Soon　after　Lisa's　visit　he　went　to　live　in　a　sep…
arate　cell　as　a　hermit；　and　for　three　weeks　did　not
officiate　again　in　the　church　of　the　friary。　　After
the　celebration　of　the　mass；　he　preached　a　sermon
denouncing　his　own　sins　and　those　of　the　world；
and　urging　all　to　repent。

From　that　day　he　preached　every　fortnight；
and　his　sermons　attracted　increasing　audiences。
His　fame　as　a　preacher　spread　abroad。　　His
sermons　were　extraordinarily　fearless　and　sin…
cere；　and　deeply　impressed　all　who　listened　to　him。



XII

VASSILY　was　actually　carrying　out　the　object　he
bad　in　leaving　the　prison。　　With　the　help　of　a　few
friends　he　broke　into　the　house　of　the　rich　mer…
chant　Krasnopuzov；　whom　he　knew　to　be　a　miser
and　a　debauchee。　　Vassily　took　out　of　his　writing…
desk　thirty　thousand　roubles；　and　began　disposing
of　them　as　he　thought　right。　　He　even　gave　up
drink；　so　as　not　to　spend　that　money　on　himself；
but　to　distribute　it　to　the　poor；　helping　poor　girls
to　get　married；　paying　off　people's　debts；　and　do…
ing　this　all　without　ever　revealing　himself　to　those
he　helped；　his　only　desire　was　to　distribute　his
money　in　the　right　way。　　As　he　also　gave　bribes
to　the　police；　he　was　left　in　peace　for　a　long　time。

His　heart　was　singing　for　joy。　　When　at　last
he　was　arrested　and　put　to　trial；　he　confessed
with　pride　that　he　had　robbed　the　fat　merchant。
〃The　money；〃　he　said；　〃was　lying　idle　in　that
fool's　desk；　and　he　did　not　even　know　how　much
he　had；　whereas　I　have　put　it　into　circulation　and
helped　a　lot　of　good　people。〃

The　counsel　for　the　defence　spoke　with　such
good　humour　and　kindness　that　the　jury　felt　in…
clined　to　discharge　Vassily；　but　sentenced　him
nevertheless　to　confinement　in　prison。　　He
thanked　the　jury；　and　assured　them　that　he　would
find　his　way　out　of　prison　before　long。


XIII

NATALIA　IVANOVNA　SVENTIZKY'S　telegram
proved　useless。　　The　committee　appointed　to
deal　with　the　petitions　in　the　Emperor's　name；　de…
cided　not　even　to　make　a　report　to　the　Czar。
But　one　day　when　the　Sventizky　case　was　dis…
cussed　at　the　Emperor's　luncheon…table；　the　chair…
man　of　the　committee；　who　was　present；　mentioned
the　telegram　which　had　been　received　from　Sven…
tizky's　widow。

〃C'est　tres　gentil　de　sa　part；〃　said　one　of　the
ladies　of　the　imperial　family。

The　Emperor　sighed；　shrugged　his　shoulders；
adorned　with　epaulettes。　　〃The　law；〃　he　said；
and　raised　his　glass　for　the　groom　of　the　chamber
to　pour　out　some　Moselle。

All　those　present　pretended　to　admire　the　wis…
dom　of　the　sovereign's　words。　　There　was　no
further　question　about　the　telegram。　　The　two
peasants；　the　old　man　and　the　young　boy；　were
hanged　by　a　Tartar　hangman　from　Kazan；　a　cruel
convict　and　a　murderer。

The　old　man's　wife　wanted　to　dress　the　body　of
her　husband　in　a　white　shirt；　with　white　bands
which　serve　as　stockings；　and　new　boots；　but　she
was　not　allowed　to　do　so。　　The　two　men　were
buried　together　in　the　same　pit　outside　the　church…
yard　wall。

〃Princess　Sofia　Vladimirovna　tells　me　he　is　a
very　remarkable　preacher；〃　remarked　the　old　Em…
press；　the　Emperor's　mother；　one　day　to　her　son：
〃Faites　le　venir。　　Il　peut　precher　a　la　cathedrale。〃

〃No；　it　would　be　better　in　the　palace　church；〃
said　the　Emperor；　and　ordered　the　hermit　Isidor
to　be　invited。

All　the　generals；　and　other　high　officials；　as…
sembled　in　the　church　of　the　imperial　palace；　it
was　an　event　to　hear　the　famous　preacher。

A　thin　and　grey　old　man　appeared；　looked　at
those　present；　and　said：　　〃In　the　name　of　God；
the　Son；　and　the　Holy　Ghost；〃　and　began　to
speak。

At　first　all　went　well；　but　the　longer　he　spoke
the　worse　it　became。　　〃Il　devient　de　plus　en　plus
aggressif；〃　as　the　Empress　put　it　afterwards。　
He　fulminated　against　every　one。　　He　spoke
about　the　executions　and　charged　the　government
with　having　made　so　many　necessary。　　How　can
the　government　of　a　Christian　country　kill　men？

Everybody　looked　at　everybody　else；　thinking
of　the　ba