the moscow census-第28章

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world；　and　in　this　half…naked　condition；　with　their　uncovered　bosoms
exposed　to　view；　with　arms　bare　to　the　shoulder；　with　a　bustle　behind
and　tightly　swathed　hips；　under　the　most　brilliant　light；　women　and
maidens；　whose　chief　virtue　has　always　been　modesty；　exhibit
themselves　in　the　midst　of　strange　men；　who　are　also　clad　in
improperly　tight…fitting　garments；　and　to　the　sound　of　maddening
music；　they　embrace　and　whirl。　　Old　women；　often　as　naked　as　the
young　ones；　sit　and　look　on；　and　eat　and　drink　savory　things；　old　men
do　the　same。　　It　is　not　to　be　wondered　at　that　this　should　take　place
at　night；　when　all　the　common　people　are　asleep；　so　that　no　one　may
see　them。　　But　this　is　not　done　with　the　object　of　concealment：　　it
seems　to　them　that　there　is　nothing　to　conceal；　that　it　is　a　very
good　thing；　that　by　this　merry…making；　in　which　the　labor　of
thousands　of　toiling　people　is　destroyed；　they　not　only　do　not　injure
any　one；　but　that　by　this　very　act　they　furnish　the　poor　with　the
means　of　subsistence。　　Possibly　it　is　very　merry　at　balls。　　But　how
does　this　come　about？　　When　we　see　that　there　is　a　man　in　the
community；　in　our　midst；　who　has　had　no　food；　or　who　is　freezing；　we
regret　our　mirth；　and　we　cannot　be　cheerful　until　he　is　fed　and
warmed；　not　to　mention　the　impossibility　of　imagining　people　who　can
indulge　in　such　mirth　as　causes　suffering　to　others。　　The　mirth　of
wicked　little　boys；　who　pitch　a　dog's　tail　in　a　split　stick；　and　make
merry　over　it；　is　repulsive　and　incomprehensible　to　us。

In　the　same　manner　here；　in　these　diversions　of　ours；　blindness　has
fallen　upon　us；　and　we　do　not　see　the　split　stick　with　which　we　have
pitched　all　those　people　who　suffer　for　our　amusement。

＇We　live　as　though　there　were　no　connection　between　the　dying
laundress；　the　prostitute　of　fourteen；　and　our　own　life；　and　yet　the
connection　between　them　strikes　us　in　the　face。

We　may　say：　　〃But　we　personally　have　not　pinched　any　tail　in　a
stick；〃　but　we　have　no　right；　to　deny　that　had　the　tail　not　been
pitched；　our　merry…making　would　not　have　taken　place。　　We　do　not　see
what　connection　exists　between　the　laundress　and　our　luxury；　but　that
is　not　because　no　such　connection　does　exist；　but　because　we　have
placed　a　screen　in　front　of　us；　so　that　we　may　not　see。

If　there　were　no　screen；　we　should　see　that　which　it　is　impossible
not　to　see。＇　｛28｝

Surely　all　the　women　who　attended　that　ball　in　dresses　worth　a
hundred　and　fifty　rubles　each　were　born　not　in　a　ballroom；　or　at
Madame　Minanguoit's；　but　they　have　lived　in　the　country；　and　have
seen　the　peasants；　they　know　their　own　nurse　and　maid；　whose　father
and　brother　are　poor；　for　whom　the　earning　of　a　hundred　and　fifty
rubles　for　a　cottage　is　the　object　of　a　long；　laborious　life。　　Each
woman　knows　this。　　　How　could　she　enjoy　herself；　when　she　knew　that
she　wore　on　her　bared　body　at　that　ball　the　cottage　which　is　the
dream　of　her　good　maid's　father　and　brother？　　But　let　us　suppose　that
she　could　not　make　this　reflection；　but　since　velvet　and　silk　and
flowers　and　lace　and　dresses　do　not　grow　of　themselves；　but　are　made
by　people；　it　would　seem　that　she　could　not　help　knowing　what　sort　of
people　make　all　these　things；　and　under　what　conditions；　and　why　they
do　it。　　She　cannot　fail　to　know　that　the　seamstress；　with　whom　she
has　already　quarrelled；　did　not　make　her　dress　in　the　least　out　of
love　for　her；　therefore；　she　cannot　help　knowing　that　all　these
things　were　made　for　her　as　a　matter　of　necessity；　that　her　laces；
flowers；　and　velvet　have　been　made　in　the　same　way　as　her　dress。

But　possibly　they　are　in　such　darkness　that　they　do　not　consider
this。　　One　thing　she　cannot　fail　to　know；that　five　or　six　elderly
and　respectable；　often　sick；　lackeys　and　maids　have　had　no　sleep；　and
have　been　put　to　trouble　on　her　account。　　She　has　seen　their　weary；
gloomy　faces。　　She　could　not　help　knowing　this　also；　that　the　cold
that　night　reached　twenty…eight　degrees　below　zero；　｛29｝　and　that　the
old　coachman　sat　all　night　long　in　that　temperature　on　his　box。　　But
I　know　that　they　really　do　not　see　this。　　And　if　they；　these　young
women　and　girls；　do　not　see　this；　on　account　of　the　hypnotic　state
superinduced　in　them　by　balls；　it　is　impossible　to　condemn　them。
They；　poor　things；　have　done　what　is　considered　right　by　their
elders；　but　how　are　their　elders　to　explain　away　this　their　cruelty
to　the　people？

The　elders　always　offer　the　explanation：　　〃I　compel　no　one。　　I
purchase　my　things；　I　hire　my　men；　my　maid…servants；　and　my　coachman。
There　is　nothing　wrong　in　buying　and　hiring。　　I　force　no　one's
inclination：　　I　hire；　and　what　harm　is　there　in　that？〃

I　recently　went　to　see　an　acquaintance。　　As　I　passed　through　one　of
the　rooms；　I　was　surprised　to　see　two　women　seated　at　a　table；　as　I
knew　that　my　friend　was　a　bachelor。　　A　thin；　yellow；　old…fashioned
woman；　thirty　years　of　age；　in　a　dress　that　had　been　carelessly
thrown　on；　was　doing　something　with　her　hands　and　fingers　on　the
table；　with　great　speed；　trembling　nervously　the　while；　as　though　in
a　fit。　　Opposite　her　sat　a　young　girl；　who　was　also　engaged　in
something；　and　who　trembled　in　the　same　manner。　　Both　women　appeared
to　be　afflicted　with　St。　Vitus'　dance。　　I　stepped　nearer　to　them；　and
looked　to　see　what　they　were　doing。　　They　raised　their　eyes　to　me；
but　went　on　with　their　work　with　the　same　intentness。　　In　front　of
them　lay　scattered　tobacco　and　paper　cases。　　They　were　making
cigarettes。　　The　woman　rubbed　the　tobacco　between　her　hands；　pushed
it　into　the　machine；　slipped　on　the　cover；　thrust　the　tobacco
through；　then　tossed　it　to　the　girl。　　The　girl　twisted　the　paper；
and；　making　it　fast；　threw　it　aside；　and　took　up　another。　　All　thus
was　done　with　such　swiftness；　with　such　intentness；　as　it　is
impossible　to　describe　to　a　man　who　has　never　seen　it　done。　　I
expressed　my　surprise　at　their　quickness。

〃I　have　been　doing　nothing　else　for　fourteen　years；〃　said　the　woman。

〃Is　it　hard？〃

〃Yes：　　it　pains　my　chest；　and　makes　my　breathing　hard。〃

It　was　not　necessary　for　her　to　add　this；　however。　　A　look　at　the
girl　sufficed。　　She　had　worked　at　this　for　three　years；　but　any　one
who　had　not　seen　her　at　this　occupation　would　have　said　that　here　was
a　strong　organism　which　was　beginning　to　break　down。

My　friend；　a　kind　and　liberal　man；　hires　these　women　to　fill　his
cigarettes　at　two　rubles　fifty　kopeks　the　thousand。　　He　has　money；
and　he　spends　it　for　work。　　What　harm　is　there　in　that？　　My　friend
rises　at　twelve　o'clock。　　He　passes　the　evening；　from　six　until　two；
at　cards；　or　at　the　piano。　　He　eats　and　drinks　savory　things；　others
do　all　his　work　for　him。　　He　has　devised　a　new　source　of　pleasure；
smoking。　　He　has　taken　up　smoking　within　my　memory。

Here　is　a　woman；　and　here　is　a　girl；　who　can　barely　support
themselves　by　turning　themselves　into　machines；　and　they　pass　their
whole　lives　inhaling　tobacco；　and　thereby　running　their　health。　　He
has　money　which　he　never　earned；　and　he　prefers　to　play　at　whist　to
making　his　own　cigarettes。　　He　gives　these　women　money　on　condition
that　they　shall　continue　to　live　in　the　same　wretched　manner　in　which
they　are　now　living；　that　is　to　say；　by　making　his　cigarettes。

I　love　cleanliness；　and　I　give　money　only　on　the　condition　that　the
laundress　shall　wash　the　shirt　which　I　change　twice　a　day；　and　that
shirt　has　destroyed　the　laundress's　last　remaining　strength；　and　she
has　died。　　What　is　there　wrong　about　that？　　People　who　buy　and　hire
will　continue　to　force　other　people　to　make　velvet　and　confections；
and　will　purchase　them；　without　me；　and　no　matter　what　I　may　do；　they
will　hire　cigarettes　made　and　shirts　washed。　　Then　why　should　I
deprive　myself　of　velvet　and　confections　and　cigarettes　and　clean
shirts；　if　things　are　definitively　settled　thus？　　This　is　the
argument　which　I　often；　almost　always；　hear。　　This　is　the　very
argument　which　makes　the　mob　which　is　destroying　something；　lose　its
senses。　　This　is　the　very　argument　by　which　dogs　are　guided　when　one
of　them　has　flung　himself　on　another　dog；　and　overthrown　him；　and　the
rest　of　the　pack　rush　up　also；　and　tear　their　comrade　in　pieces。
Other　pe