the moscow census-第30章

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totter　past　the　last　rows；　and　only　with　difficulty　are　they　able　to
rise　after　the　breathing…spell；　and　the　women；　often　pregnant；　or
nursing　infants；　work　in　the　same　way。　　The　toil　is　intense　and
incessant。　　All　work　to　the　extreme　bounds　of　their　strength；　and
expend　in　this　toil；　not　only　the　entire　stock　of　their　scanty
nourishment；　but　all　their　previous　stock。　　All　of　themand　they　are
not　fat　to　begin　withgrow　gaunt　after　the　〃suffering〃　season。

Here　a　little　association　is　working　at　the　mowing；　three　peasants；
one　an　old　man；　the　second　his　nephew；　a　young　married　man；　and　a
shoemaker；　a　thin；　sinewy　man。　　This　hay…harvest　will　decide　the　fate
of　all　of　them　for　the　winter。　　They　have　been　laboring　incessantly
for　two　weeks；　without　rest。　　The　rain　has　delayed　their　work。　　After
the　rain；　when　the　hay　has　dried；　they　have　decided　to　stack　it；　and；
in　order　to　accomplish　this　as　speedily　as　possible；　that　two　women
for　each　of　them　shall　follow　their　scythes。　　On　the　part　of　the　old
man　go　his　wife；　a　woman　of　fifty；　who　has　become　unfit　for　work；
having　borne　eleven　children；　who　is　deaf；　but　still　a　tolerably
stout　worker；　and　a　thirteen…year…old　daughter；　who　is　short　of
stature；　but　a　strong　and　clever　girl。　　On　the　part　of　his　nephew　go
his　wife；　a　woman　as　strong　and　well…grown　as　a　sturdy　peasant；　and
his　daughter…in…law；　a　soldier's　wife；　who　is　about　to　become　a
mother。　　On　the　part　of　the　shoemaker　go　his　wife；　a　stout　laborer；
and　her　aged　mother；　who　has　reached　her　eightieth　year；　and　who
generally　goes　begging。　　They　all　stand　in　line；　and　labor　from
morning　till　night；　in　the　full　fervor　of　the　June　sun。　　It　is
steaming　hot；　and　rain　threatens。　　Every　hour　of　work　is　precious。
It　is　a　pity　to　tear　one's　self　from　work　to　fetch　water　or　kvas。　　A
tiny　boy；　the　old　woman's　grandson；　brings　them　water。　　The　old
woman；　evidently　only　anxious　lest　she　shall　be　driven　away　from　her
work；　will　not　let　the　rake　out　of　her　hand；　though　it　is　evident
that　she　can　barely　move；　and　only　with　difficulty。　　The　little　boy；
all　bent　over；　and　stepping　gently；　with　his　tiny　bare　feet；　drags
along　a　jug　of　water；　shifting　it　from　hand　to　hand；　for　it　is
heavier　than　he。　　The　young　girl　flings　over　her　shoulder　a　load　of
hay　which　is　also　heavier　than　herself；　advances　a　few　steps；　halts；
and　drops　it；　without　the　strength　to　carry　it。　　The　old　woman　of
fifty　rakes　away　without　stopping；　and　with　her　kerchief　awry　she
drags　the　hay；　breathing　heavily　and　tottering。　　The　old　woman　of
eighty　only　rakes　the　hay；　but　even　this　is　beyond　her　strength；　she
slowly　drags　along　her　feet；　shod　with　bast　shoes；　and；　frowning；　she
gazes　gloomily　before　her；　like　a　seriously　ill　or　dying　person。　　The
old　man　has　intentionally　sent　her　farther　away　than　the　rest；　to
rake　near　the　cocks　of　hay；　so　that　she　may　not　keep　in　line　with　the
others；　but　she　does　not　fall　in　with　this　arrangement；　and　she　toils
on　as　long　as　the　others　do；　with　the　same　death…like；　gloomy
countenance。　　The　sun　is　already　setting　behind　the　forest；　but　the
cocks　are　not　yet　all　heaped　together；　and　much　still　remains　to　do。
All　feel　that　it　is　time　to　stop；　but　no　one　speaks；　waiting　until
the　others　shall　say　it。　　Finally　the　shoemaker；　conscious　that　his
strength　is　exhausted；　proposes　to　the　old　man；　to　leave　the　cocks
until　the　morrow；　and　the　old　man　consents；　and　the　women　instantly
run　for　the　garments；　jugs；　pitchforks；　and　the　old　woman　immediately
sits　down　just　where　she　has　been　standings　and　then　lies　back　with
the　same　death…like　look；　staring　straight　in　front　of　her。　　But　the
women　are　going；　and　she　rises　with　a　groan；　and　drags　herself　after
them。　　And　this　will　go　on　in　July　also；　when　the　peasants；　without
obtaining　sufficient　sleep；　reap　the　oats　by　night；　lest　it　should
fall；　and　the　women　rise　gloomily　to　thresh　out　the　straw　for　the
bands　to　tie　the　sheaves；　when　this　old　woman；　already　utterly
cramped　by　the　labor　of　mowing；　and　the　woman　with　child；　and　the
young　children；　injure　themselves　overworking　and　over…drinking；　and
when　neither　hands；　nor　horses；　nor　carts　will　suffice　to　bring　to
the　ricks　that　grain　with　which　all　men　are　nourished；　and　millions
of　poods　｛33｝　of　which　are　daily　required　in　Russia　to　keep　people
from　perishing。

And　we　live　as　though　there　were　no　connection　between　the　dying
laundress；　the　prostitute　of　fourteen　years；　the　toilsome　manufacture
of　cigarettes　by　women；　the　strained；　intolerable；　insufficiently　fed
toil　of　old　women　and　children　around　us；　we　live　as　though　there
were　no　connection　between　this　and　our　own　lives。

It　seems　to　us；　that　suffering　stands　apart　by　itself；　and　our　life
apart　by　itself。　　We　read　the　description　of　the　life　of　the　Romans；
and　we　marvel　at　the　inhumanity　of　those　soulless　Luculli；　who
satiated　themselves　on　viands　and　wines　while　the　populace　were　dying
with　hunger。　　We　shake　our　heads；　and　we　marvel　at　the　savagery　of
our　grandfathers；　who　were　serf…owners；　supporters　of　household
orchestras　and　theatres；　and　of　whole　villages　devoted　to　the　care　of
their　gardens；　and　we　wonder；　from　the　heights　of　our　grandeur；　at
their　inhumanity。　　We　read　the　words　of　Isa。　v。　8：　　〃Woe　unto　them
that　join　house　to　house；　that　lay　field　to　field；　till　there　be　no
place；　that　they　may　be　placed　alone　in　the　midst　of　the　earth！
（11。）　Woe　unto　them　that　rise　up　early　in　the　morning；　that　they　may
follow　strong　drink；　that　continue　until　night；　till　wine　inflame
them！　　（12。）　And　the　harp　and　the　viol；　and　tabret　and　pipe；　and　wine
are　in　their　feasts；　but　they　regard　not　the　work　of　the　Lord；
neither　consider　the　operation　of　his　hands。　　（18。）　Woe　unto　them
that　draw　iniquity　with　cords　of　vanity；　and　sin　as　it　were　with　a
cart…rope。　　（20。）　Woe　unto　then　that　call　evil　good；　and　good　evil；
that　put　darkness　for　light；　and　light　for　darkness；　that　put　bitter
for　sweet；　and　sweet　for　bitter！　（21。）　Woe　unto　them　that　are　wise　in
their　own　eyes；　and　prudent　in　their　own　sight（22。）　Woe　unto　them
that　are　mighty　to　drink　wine；　and　men　of　strength　to　mingle　strong
drink。〃

We　read　these　words；　and　it　seems　to　us　that　this　has　no　reference　to
us。　　We　read　in　the　Gospels　（Matt。　iii。　10）：　　〃And　now　also　the　axe
is　laid　unto　the　root　of　the　trees：　　therefore　every　tree　which
bringeth　not　forth　good　fruit　is　hewn　down　and　cast　into　the　fire。〃

And　we　are　fully　convinced　that　the　good　tree　which　bringeth　forth
good　fruit　is　ourselves；　and　that　these　words　are　not　spoken　to　us；
but　to　some　other　and　wicked　people。

We　read　the　words　of　Isa。　vi。　10：　　〃Make　the　heart　of　this　people
fat；　and　make　their　ears　heavy；　and　shut　their　eyes；　lest　they　see
with　their　eyes；　and　hear　with　their　ears；　and　understand　with　their
heart；　and　convert　and　be　healed。　　（11。）　Then　said　I：　　Lord；　how
long？　　And　he　answered；　Until　the　cities　be　wasted　without
inhabitant；　and　the　houses　without　man；　and　the　land　be　utterly
desolate。〃

We　read；　and　are　fully　convinced　that　this　marvellous　deed　is　not
performed　on　us；　but　on　some　other　people。　　And　because　we　see
nothing　it　is；　that　this　marvellous　deed　is　performed；　and　has　been
performed；　on　us。　　We　hear　not；　we　see　not；　and　we　understand　not
with　our　heart。　　How　has　this　happened？

Whether　that　God；　or　that　natural　law　by　virtue　of　which　men　exist　in
the　world；　has　acted　well　or　ill；　yet　the　position　of　men　in　the
world；　ever　since　we　have　known　it；　has　been　such；　that　naked　people；
without　any　hair　on　their　bodies；　without　lairs　in　which　they　could
shelter　themselves；　without　food　which　they　could　find　in　the
fields；like　Robinson　｛34｝　on　his　island；have　all　been　reduced　to
the　necessity　of　constantly　and　unweariedly　contending　with　nature　in
order　to　cover　their　bodies；　to　make　themselves　clothing；　to
construct　a　roof　over　their　heads；　and　to　earn　their　bread；　that　two
or　three　times　a　day　they　may　satisfy　their　hunger　and　the　hunger　of
their　helpless　children　and　of　their　old　people　who　cannot　work。

Wherever；　at　whatever　time；　in　whatever　numbers　we　may　have　observed
people；　whether　in　Europe；　in　America；　in　China；　or　in　Russia；
whether　we　regard　a