01-the forged coupon-第8节
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er's head in two。 The man tumbled down on the
threshold of the door； then on the ground。
Stepan stepped into the bedroom。 Matrena
jumped out of bed； and remained standing by its
side。 With the same axe Stepan killed her also。
Then he lighted the candle； took the money out
of the desk； and left the house。
XVI
IN a small district town； some distance away from
the other buildings； an old man； a former official；
who had taken to drink； lived in his own house
with his two daughters and his son…in…law。 The
married daughter was also addicted to drink and
led a bad life； and it was the elder daughter； the
widow Maria Semenovna； a wrinkled woman of
fifty； who supported the whole family。 She had
a pension of two hundred and fifty roubles a year；
and the family lived on this。 Maria Semenovna
did all the work in the house； looked after the
drunken old father； who was very weak； attended
to her sister's child； and managed all the cooking
and the washing of the family。 And； as is al…
ways the case； whatever there was to do； she was
expected to do it； and was； moreover； continually
scolded by all the three people in the house； her
brother…in…law used even to beat her when he was
drunk。 She bore it all patiently； and as is also
always the case； the more work she had to face；
the quicker she managed to get through it。 She
helped the poor； sacrificing her own wants； she
gave them her clothes； and was a ministering
angel to the sick。
Once the lame； crippled village tailor was work…
ing in Maria Semenovna's house。 He had to
mend her old father's coat； and to mend and re…
pair Maria Semenovna's fur…jacket for her to wear
in winter when she went to market。
The lame tailor was a clever man； and a keen
observer： he had seen many different people ow…
ing to his profession； and was fond of reflection；
condemned as he was to a sedentary life。
Having worked a week at Maria Semenovna's；
he wondered greatly about her life。 One day she
came to the kitchen； where he was sitting with his
work； to wash a towel； and began to ask him how
he was getting on。 He told her of the wrong he
had suffered from his brother； and how he now
lived on his own allotment of land； separated from
that of his brother。
〃I thought I should have been better off that
way；〃 he said。 〃But I am now just as poor as
before。〃
〃It is much better never to change； but to take
life as it comes；〃 said Maria Semenovna。 〃Take
life as it comes；〃 she repeated。
〃Why； I wonder at you； Maria Semenovna；〃
said the lame tailor。 〃You alone do the work；
and you are so good to everybody。 But they
don't repay you in kind； I see。〃
Maria Semenovna did not utter a word in an…
swer。
〃I dare say you have found out in books that
we are rewarded in heaven for the good we do
here。〃
〃We don't know that。 But we must try to do
the best we can。〃
〃Is it said so in books？〃
〃In books as well；〃 she said； and read to him
the Sermon on the Mount。 The tailor was much
impressed。 When he had been paid for his job
and gone home； he did not cease to think about
Maria Semenovna； both what she had said and
what she had read to him。
XVII
PETER NIKOLAEVICH SVENTIZKY'S views of the
peasantry had now changed for the worse； and the
peasants had an equally bad opinion of him。 In
the course of a single year they felled twenty…seven
oaks in his forest； and burnt a barn which had not
been insured。 Peter Nikolaevich came to the con…
clusion that there was no getting on with the
people around him。
At that very time the landowner； Liventsov；
was trying to find a manager for his estate； and
the Marshal of the Nobility recommended Peter
Nikolaevich as the ablest man in the district in
the management of land。 The estate owned by
Liventsov was an extremely large one； but there
was no revenue to be got out of it； as the peasants
appropriated all its wealth to their own profit。
Peter Nikolaevich undertook to bring everything
into order； rented out his own land to somebody
else； and settled with his wife on the Liventsov
estate； in a distant province on the river Volga。
Peter Nikolaevich was always fond of order；
and wanted things to be regulated by law； and
now he felt less able of allowing those raw and
rude peasants to take possession； quite illegally
too； of property that did not belong to them。 He
was glad of the opportunity of giving them a good
lesson； and set seriously to work at once。 One
peasant was sent to prison for stealing wood； to
another he gave a thrashing for not having made
way for him on the road with his cart； and for not
having lifted his cap to salute him。 As to the
pasture ground which was a subject of dispute；
and was considered by the peasants as their prop…
erty； Peter Nikolaevich informed the peasants
that any of their cattle grazing on it would be
driven away by him。
The spring came and the peasants； just as they
had done in previous years； drove their cattle on
to the meadows belonging to the landowner。
Peter Nikolaevich called some of the men work…
ing on the estate and ordered them to drive the
cattle into his yard。 The peasants were working
in the fields； and； disregarding the screaming of
the women； Peter Nikolaevich's men succeeded in
driving in the cattle。 When they came home the
peasants went in a crowd to the cattle…yard on the
estate； and asked for their cattle。 Peter Nikolae…
vich came out to talk to them with a gun slung on
his shoulder； he had just returned from a ride of
inspection。 He told them that he would not let
them have their cattle unless they paid a fine of
fifty kopeks for each of the horned cattle； and
twenty kopeks for each sheep。 The peasants
loudly declared that the pasture ground was their
property； because their fathers and grandfathers
had used it； and protested that he had no right
whatever to lay hand on their cattle。
〃Give back our cattle； or you will regret it；〃
said an old man coming up to Peter Nikolaevich。
〃How shall I regret it？〃 cried Peter Niko…
laevich； turning pale； and coming close to the old
man。
〃Give them back； you villain； and don't pro…
voke us。〃
〃What？〃 cried Peter Nikolaevich； and slapped
the old man in the face。
〃You dare to strike me？ Come along； you
fellows； let us take back our cattle by force。〃
The crowd drew close to him。 Peter Niko…
laevich tried to push his way； through them； but
the peasants resisted him。 Again he tried force。
His gun； accidentally discharged in the melee；
killed one of the peasants。 Instantly the fight
began。 Peter Nikolaevich was trodden down；
and five minutes later his mutilated body was
dragged into the ravine。
The murderers were tried by martial law； and
two of them sentenced to the gallows。
XVIII
IN the village where the lame tailor lived； in the
Zemliansk district of the Voronesh province； five
rich peasants hired from the landowner a hundred
and five acres of rich arable land； black as tar； and
let it out on lease to the rest of the peasants at
fifteen to eighteen roubles an acre。 Not one acre
was given under twelve roubles。 They got a very
profitable return； and the five acres which were
left to each of their company practically cost them
nothing。 One of the five peasants died； and the
lame tailor received an offer to take his place。
When they began to divide the land； the tailor
gave up drinking vodka； and； being consulted as
to how much land was to be divided； and to whom
it should be given； he proposed to give allotments
to all on equal terms； not taking from the tenants
more than was due for each piece of land out of
the sum paid to the landowner。
〃Why so？〃
〃We are no heathens； I should think；〃 he said。
〃It is all very well for the masters to be unfair；
but we are true Christians。 We must do as God
bids。 Such is the law of Christ。〃
〃Where have you got that law from？
〃It is in the Book； in the Gospels。 just come
to me on Sunday。 I will read you a few passages；
and we will have a talk afterwards。〃
They did not all come to him on Sunday； but
three came； and he began reading to them。
He read five chapters of St。 Matthew's Gospel；
and they talked。 One man only； Ivan Chouev；
accepted the lesson and carried it out completely；
following the rule of Christ in everything from
that day。 His family did the same。 Out of the
arable land he took only what was his due； and
refused to take more。
The lame tailor and Ivan had people calling on
them； and some of these people began to grasp
the meaning of the Gospels； and in consequence
gave up smoking； drinking； swearing； and using
bad language and tried to help one another。
They also ceased to go to church； and took their
ikons to the village priest； saying they did not
want them any more。 The priest was frightened；
and reported what had occurred to the bishop。
The bishop was at a loss what to do。 At last
he resolved to send the archimandrite Missael to
the village； the one who had formerly been Mitia
Smokovnikov's teacher of religion。
XIX
ASKING Father Missael on his arrival to take a
seat； the bishop told him what had happened in
his diocese。
〃It all comes from weakn
