01-the forged coupon-第10章
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seat； the bishop told him what had happened in
his diocese。
〃It all comes from weakness of spirit and from
ignorance。 You are a learned man； and I rely on
you。 Go to the village； call the parishioners to…
gether； and convince them of their error。〃
〃If your Grace bids me go； and you give me
your blessing； I will do my best；〃 said Father
Missael。 He was very pleased with the task en…
trusted to him。 Every opportunity he could find
to demonstrate the firmness of his faith was a
boon to him。 In trying to convince others he was
chiefly intent on persuading himself that he was
really a firm believer。
〃Do your best。 I am greatly distressed about
my flock；〃 said the bishop； leisurely taking a cup
with his white plump hands from the servant who
brought in the tea。
〃Why is there only one kind of jam？ Bring
another；〃 he said to the servant。 〃I am greatly
distressed；〃 he went on； turning to Father Mis…
sael。
Missael earnestly desired to prove his zeal；
but； being a man of small means； he asked to be
paid for the expenses of his journey； and being
afraid of the rough people who might be ill…dis…
posed towards him； he also asked the bishop to get
him an order from the governor of the province；
so that the local police might help him in case of
need。 The bishop complied with his wishes； and
Missael got his things ready with the help of his
servant and his cook。 They furnished him with
a case full of wine； and a basket with the victuals
he might need in going to such a lonely place。
Fully provided with all he wanted； he started for
the village to which he was commissioned。 He
was pleasantly conscious of the importance of his
mission。 All his doubts as to his own faith passed
away； and he was now fully convinced of its real…
ity。
His thoughts； far from being concerned with
the real foundation of his creedthis was ac…
cepted as an axiomwere occupied with the argu…
ments used against the forms of worship。
XX
THE village priest and his wife received Father
Missael with great honours； and the next day after
he had arrived the parishioners were invited to
assemble in the church。 Missael in a new silk
cassock； with a large cross on his chest； and his
long hair carefully combed； ascended the pulpit；
the priest stood at his side； the deacons and the
choir at a little distance behind him； and the side
entrances were guarded by the police。 The dis…
senters also came in their dirty sheepskin coats。
After the service Missael delivered a sermon；
admonishing the dissenters to return to the bosom
of their mother； the Church； threatening them
with the torments of hell； and promising full for…
giveness to those who would repent。
The dissenters kept silent at first。 Then； be…
ing asked questions； they gave answers。 To the
question why they dissented； they said that their
chief reason was the fact that the Church wor…
shipped gods made of wood； which； far from be…
ing ordained； were condemned by the Scriptures。
When asked by Missael whether they actually
considered the holy ikons to be mere planks of
wood； Chouev answered；
〃Just look at the back of any ikon you choose
and you will see what they are made of。〃
When asked why they turned against the priests；
their answer was that the Scripture says： 〃As you
have received it without fee； so you must give it
to the others； whereas the priests require pay…
ment for the grace they bestow by the sacraments。〃
To all attempts which Missael made to oppose
them by arguments founded on Holy Writ； the
tailor and Ivan Chouev gave calm but very firm
answers； contradicting his assertions by appeal to
the Scriptures； which they knew uncommonly well。
Missael got angry and threatened them with
persecution by the authorities。 Their answer
was： It is said； I have been persecuted and so will
you be。
The discussion came to nothing； and all would
have ended well if Missael had not preached the
next day at mass； denouncing the wicked seducers
of the faithful and saying that they deserved the
worst punishment。 Coming out of the church； the
crowd of peasants began to consult whether it
would not be well to give the infidels a good lesson
for disturbing the minds of the community。 The
same day； just when Missael was enjoying some
salmon and gangfish； dining at the village priest's
in company with the inspector； a violent brawl
arose in the village。 The peasants came in a
crowd to Chouev's cottage； and waited for the
dissenters to come out in order to give them a
thrashing。
The dissenters assembled in the cottage num…
bered about twenty men and women。 Missael's
sermon and the attitude of the orthodox peasants；
together with their threats； aroused in the mind
of the dissenters angry feelings； to which they had
before been strangers。 It was near evening； the
women had to go and milk the cows； and the
peasants were still standing and waiting at the
door。
A boy who stepped out of the door was beaten
and driven back into the house。 The people
within began consulting what was to be done； and
could come to no agreement。 The tailor said；
〃We must bear whatever is done to us； and not
resist。〃 Chouev replied that if they decided on
that course they would； all of them； be beaten to
death。 In consequence； he seized a poker and
went out of the house。 〃Come！〃 he shouted；
let us follow the law of Moses！〃 And； falling
upon the peasants； he knocked out one man's eye；
and in the meanwhile all those who had been in
his house contrived to get out and make their way
home。
Chouev was thrown into prison and charged
with sedition and blasphemy。
XXI
Two years previous to those events a strong and
handsome young girl of an eastern type； Katia
Turchaninova； came from the Don military settle…
ments to St。 Petersburg to study in the university
college for women。 In that town she met a stu…
dent； Turin； the son of a district governor in the
Simbirsk province； and fell in love with him。 But
her love was not of the ordinary type； and she
had no desire to become his wife and the mother
of his children。 He was a dear comrade to her；
and their chief bond of union was a feeling of re…
volt they had in common； as well as the hatred
they bore； not only to the existing forms of gov…
ernment； but to all those who represented that
government。 They had also in common the sense
that they both excelled their enemies in culture；
in brains； as well as in morals。 Katia Turchan…
inova was a gifted girl； possessed of a good mem…
ory； by means of which she easily mastered the lec…
tures she attended。 She was successful in her ex…
aminations； and； apart from that； read all the new…
est books。 She was certain that her vocation was
not to bear and rear children； and even looked on
such a task with disgust and contempt。 She
thought herself chosen by destiny to destroy the
present government； which was fettering the best
abilities of the nation； and to reveal to the people
a higher standard of life； inculcated by the latest
writers of other countries。 She was handsome； a
little inclined to stoutness： she had a good com…
plexion； shining black eyes； abundant black hair。
She inspired the men she knew with feelings she
neither wished nor had time to share； busy as she
was with propaganda work； which consisted chiefly
in mere talking。 She was not displeased； how…
ever； to inspire these feelings； and； without dress…
ing too smartly； did not neglect her appearance。
She liked to be admired； as it gave her opportuni…
ties of showing how little she prized what was
valued so highly by other women。
In her views concerning the method of fighting
the government she went further than the majority
of her comrades； and than her friend Turin； all
means； she taught； were justified in such a struggle；
not excluding murder。 And yet； with all her revo…
lutionary ideas； Katia Turchaninova was in her
soul a very kind girl； ready to sacrifice herself for
the welfare and the happiness of other people；
and sincerely pleased when she could do a kind…
ness to anybody； a child； an old person； or an ani…
mal。
She went in the summer to stay with a friend； a
schoolm
