the moscow census-第1章
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The Moscow Census … From 〃What to do？〃
by Count Lyof N。 Tolstoi
Translated from the Russian by Isabel F。 Hapgood
THOUGHTS EVOKED BY THE CENSUS OF MOSCOW。 ＇1884…1885。＇
And the people asked him； saying； What shall we do then？
He answereth and saith unto them； He that hath two coats； let him
impart to him that hath none； and he that hath meat； let him do
likewiseLUKE iii。 10。 11。
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth； where moth and rust
doth corrupt； and where thieves break through and steal：
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven； where neither moth nor
rust doth corrupt； and where thieves do not break through nor steal：
For where your treasure is； there will your heart be also。
The light of the body is the eye： if therefore thine eye be single；
thy whole body shall be full of light。
But if thine eye be evil； thy whole body shall be full of darkness。
If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness； how great is that
darkness！
No man can serve two masters： for either he will hate the one； and
love the other； or else he will hold to the one； and despise the
other。 Ye cannot serve God and mammon。
Therefore I say unto you； Take no thought for your life； what ye
shall eat； or what ye shall drink； nor yet for your body； what ye
shall put on。 Is not the life more than meat； and the body than
raiment？MATT。 vi。 19…25。
Therefore take no thought； saying； What shall we eat？ or； What shall
we drink？ Or； Wherewithal shall we be clothed？
（For after all these things do the Gentiles seek：） for your heavenly
Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things。
But seek ye first the kingdom of God； and his righteousness； and all
these things shall be added unto you。
Take therefore no thought for the morrow： for the morrow shall take
thought for the things of itself。 Sufficient unto the day is the
evil thereof。MATT。 vi。 31…34。
For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye； than for a
rich man to enter into the kingdom of God。MATT。 xix。 24； MARK x。
25； LUKE xviii。 25。
CHAPTER I。
I had lived all my life out of town。 When； in 1881； I went to live
in Moscow； the poverty of the town greatly surprised me。 I am
familiar with poverty in the country； but city poverty was new and
incomprehensible to me。 In Moscow it was impossible to pass along
the street without encountering beggars； and especially beggars who
are unlike those in the country。 These beggars do not go about with
their pouches in the name of Christ； as country beggars are
accustomed to do； but these beggars are without the pouch and the
name of Christ。 The Moscow beggars carry no pouches； and do not ask
for alms。 Generally； when they meet or pass you； they merely try to
catch your eye； and； according to your look； they beg or refrain from
it。 I know one such beggar who belongs to the gentry。 The old man
walks slowly along； bending forward every time he sets his foot down。
When he meets you； he rests on one foot and makes you a kind of
salute。 If you stop； he pulls off his hat with its cockade； and bows
and begs： if you do not halt； he pretends that that is merely his
way of walking； and he passes on； bending forward in like manner on
the other foot。 He is a real Moscow beggar； a cultivated man。 At
first I did not know why the Moscow beggars do not ask alms directly；
afterwards I came to understand why they do not beg； but still I did
not understand their position。
Once； as I was passing through Afanasievskaya Lane； I saw a policeman
putting a ragged peasant； all swollen with dropsy； into a cab。 I
inquired： 〃What is that for？〃
The policeman answered： 〃For asking alms。〃
〃Is that forbidden？〃
〃Of course it is forbidden；〃 replied the policeman。
The sufferer from dropsy was driven off。 I took another cab； and
followed him。 I wanted to know whether it was true that begging alms
was prohibited and how it was prohibited。 I could in no wise
understand how one man could be forbidden to ask alms of any other
man； and besides； I did not believe that it was prohibited； when
Moscow is full of beggars。 I went to the station…house whither the
beggar had been taken。 At a table in the station…house sat a man
with a sword and a pistol。 I inquired：
〃For what was this peasant arrested？〃
The man with the sword and pistol gazed sternly at me； and said：
〃What business is it of yours？〃
But feeling conscious that it was necessary to offer me some
explanation； he added：
〃The authorities have ordered that all such persons are to be
arrested； of course it had to be done。〃
I went out。 The policeman who had brought the beggar was seated on
the window…sill in the ante…chamber； staring gloomily at a note…book。
I asked him：
〃Is it true that the poor are forbidden to ask alms in Christ's
name？〃
The policeman came to himself； stared at me； then did not exactly
frown； but apparently fell into a doze again； and said； as he sat on
the window…sill：…
〃The authorities have so ordered； which shows that it is necessary；〃
and betook himself once more to his note…book。 I went out on the
porch； to the cab。
〃Well； how did it turn out？ Have they arrested him？〃 asked the
cabman。 The man was evidently interested in this affair also。
〃Yes；〃 I answered。 The cabman shook his head。 〃Why is it forbidden
here in Moscow to ask alms in Christ's name？〃 I inquired。
〃Who knows？〃 said the cabman。
〃How is this？〃 said I； 〃he is Christ's poor； and he is taken to the
station…house。〃
〃A stop has been put to that now； it is not allowed；〃 said the cab…
driver。
On several occasions afterwards； I saw policemen conducting beggars
to the station house； and then to the Yusupoff house of correction。
Once I encountered on the Myasnitzkaya a company of these beggars；
about thirty in number。 In front of them and behind them marched
policemen。 I inquired： 〃What for？〃〃For asking alms。〃
It turned out that all these beggars； several of whom you meet with
in every street in Moscow； and who stand in files near every church
during services； and especially during funeral services； are
forbidden to ask alms。
But why are some of them caught and locked up somewhere； while others
are left alone？
This I could not understand。 Either there are among them legal and
illegal beggars； or there are so many of them that it is impossible
to apprehend them all； or do others assemble afresh when some are
removed？
There are many varieties of beggars in Moscow： there are some who
live by this profession； there are also genuine poor people； who have
chanced upon Moscow in some manner or other； and who are really in
want。
Among these poor people； there are many simple； common peasants； and
women in their peasant costume。 I often met such people。 Some of
them have fallen ill here； and on leaving the hospital they can
neither support themselves here； nor get away from Moscow。 Some of
them； moreover； have indulged in dissipation （such was probably the
case of the dropsical man）； some have not been ill； but are people
who have been burnt out of their houses； or old people； or women with
children； some； too； were perfectly healthy and able to work。 These
perfectly healthy peasants who were engaged in begging； particularly
interested me。 These healthy； peasant beggars； who were fit for
work； also interested me； because； from the date of my arrival in
Moscow； I had been in the habit of going to the Sparrow Hills with
two peasants； and sawing wood there for the sake of exercise。 These
two peasants were just as poor as those whom I encountered on the
streets。 One was Piotr； a soldier from Kaluga； the other Semyon； a
peasant from Vladimir。 They possessed nothing except the wages of
their body and hands。 And with these hands they earned； by dint of
very hard labor； from forty to forty…five kopeks a day； out of which
each of them was laying by savings； the Kaluga man for a fur coat；
the Vladimir man in order to get enough to return to his village。
Therefore； on meeting precisely such men in the streets； I took an
especial interest in them。
Why did these men toil； while those others
