06-the young tsar-第3章

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that　Vania　Moroshkine。〃

〃What　did　you　do　to　try　to　save　him？〃　asked
the　wife。

〃I　tried　everything　that　could　be　done。　　I　gave
him　an　emetic　and　put　a　mustard…plaster　on　him。　
He　has　every　symptom　of　delirium　tremens。〃

〃It's　no　wonderthe　whole　family　are　drunk…
ards。　　Annisia　is　only　a　little　better　than　the　rest；
and　even　she　is　generally　more　or　less　drunk；〃
said　the　daughter。

〃And　what　about　your　temperance　society？〃
the　student　asked　his　sister。

〃What　can　we　do　when　they　are　given　every
opportunity　of　drinking？　Father　tried　to　have
the　public…house　shut　up；　but　the　law　is　against
him。　　And；　besides；　when　I　was　trying　to　convince
Vasily　Ermiline　that　it　was　disgraceful　to　keep
a　public…house　and　ruin　the　people　with　drink；
he　answered　very　haughtily；　and　indeed　got　the
better　of　me　before　the　crowd：　　'But　I　have　a
license　with　the　Imperial　eagle　on　it。　　If　there
was　anything　wrong　in　my　business；　the　Tsar
wouldn't　have　issued　a　decree　authorising　it。'
Isn't　it　terrible？　The　whole　village　has　been
drunk　for　the　last　three　days。　　And　as　for　feast…
days；　it　is　simply　horrible　to　think　of！　　It　has
been　proved　conclusively　that　alcohol　does　no　good
in　any　case；　but　invariably　does　harm；　and　it
has　been　demonstrated　to　be　an　absolute　poison。　
Then；　ninety…nine　per　cent。　of　the　crimes　in　the
world　are　committed　through　its　influence。　　We
all　know　how　the　standard　of　morality　and　the
general　welfare　improved　at　once　in　all　the　coun…
tries　where　drinking　has　been　suppressedlike
Sweden　and　Finland；　and　we　know　that　it　can　be
suppressed　by　exercising　a　moral　influence　over
the　masses。　　But　in　our　country　the　class　which
could　exert　that　influencethe　Government；　the
Tsar　and　his　officialssimply　encourage　drink。　
Their　main　revenues　are　drawn　from　the　continual
drunkenness　of　the　people。　　They　drink　them…
selvesthey　are　always　drinking　the　health　of
somebody：　　'Gentlemen；　the　Regiment！'　The
preachers　drink；　the　bishops　drink〃

Again　the　guide　touched　the　head　of　the　young
Tsar；　who　again　lost　consciousness。　　This　time　he
found　himself　in　a　peasant's　cottage。　　The　peas…
anta　man　of　forty；　with　red　face　and　blood…
shot　eyeswas　furiously　striking　the　face　of　an
old　man；　who　tried　in　vain　to　protect　himself　from
the　blows。　　The　younger　peasant　seized　the　beard
of　the　old　man　and　held　it　fast。

〃For　shame！　　To　strike　your　father！〃

〃I　don't　care；　I'll　kill　him！　Let　them　send
me　to　Siberia；　I　don't　care！〃

The　women　were　screaming。　　Drunken　officials
rushed　into　the　cottage　and　separated　father　and
son。　　The　father　had　an　arm　broken　and　the　son's
beard　was　torn　out。　　In　the　doorway　a　drunken
girl　was　making　violent　love　to　an　old　besotted
peasant。

〃They　are　beasts！〃　said　the　young　Tsar。

Another　touch　of　his　guide's　hand　and　the
young　Tsar　awoke　in　a　new　place。　　It　was　the
office　of　the　justice　of　the　peace。　　A　fat；　bald…
headed　man；　with　a　double　chin　and　a　chain　round
his　neck；　had　just　risen　from　his　seat；　and　was
reading　the　sentence　in　a　loud　voice；　while　a　crowd
of　peasants　stood　behind　the　grating。　　There　was
a　woman　in　rags　in　the　crowd　who　did　not　rise。　
The　guard　gave　her　a　push。

〃Asleep！　I　tell　you　to　stand　up！〃　The
woman　rose。

〃According　to　the　decree　of　his　Imperial
Majesty〃　the　judge　began　reading　the　sen…
tence。　　The　case　concerned　that　very　woman。　
She　had　taken　away　half　a　bundle　of　oats　as　she
was　passing　the　thrashing…floor　of　a　landowner。　
The　justice　of　the　peace　sentenced　her　to　two
months'　imprisonment。　　The　landowner　whose
oats　had　been　stolen　was　among　the　audi…
ence。　　When　the　judge　adjourned　the　court　the
landowner　approached；　and　shook　hands；　and　the
judge　entered　into　conversation　with　him。　　The
next　case　was　about　a　stolen　samovar。　　Then
there　was　a　trial　about　some　timber　which　had
been　cut；　to　the　detriment　of　the　landowner。　
Some　peasants　were　being　tried　for　having　as…
saulted　the　constable　of　the　district。

When　the　young　Tsar　again　lost　consciousness；
he　awoke　to　find　himself　in　the　middle　of　a　vil…
lage；　where　he　saw　hungry；　half…frozen　children
and　the　wife　of　the　man　who　had　assaulted　the
constable　broken　down　from　overwork。

Then　came　a　new　scene。　　In　Siberia；　a　tramp
is　being　flogged　with　the　lash；　the　direct　result　of
an　order　issued　by　the　Minister　of　justice。　　Again
oblivion；　and　another　scene。　　The　family　of　a
Jewish　watchmaker　is　evicted　for　being　too　poor。　
The　children　are　crying；　and　the　Jew；　Isaaks；　is
greatly　distressed。　　At　last　they　come　to　an　ar…
rangement；　and　he　is　allowed　to　stay　on　in　the
lodgings。

The　chief　of　police　takes　a　bribe。　　The　gov…
ernor　of　the　province　also　secretly　accepts　a　bribe。　
Taxes　are　being　collected。　　In　the　village；　while
a　cow　is　sold　for　payment；　the　police　inspector　is
bribed　by　a　factory　owner；　who　thus　escapes　taxes
altogether。　　And　again　a　village　court　scene；　and
a　sentence　carried　into　executionthe　lash！

〃Ilia　Vasilievich；　could　you　not　spare　me
that？〃

〃No。〃

The　peasant　burst　into　tears。　　〃Well；　of
course；　Christ　suffered；　and　He　bids　us　suffer
too。〃

Then　other　scenes。　　The　Stundistsa　sect
being　broken　up　and　dispersed；　the　clergy　re…
fusing　first　to　marry；　then　to　bury　a　Protestant。　
Orders　given　concerning　the　passage　of　the　Im…
perial　railway　train。　　Soldiers　kept　sitting　in　the
mudcold；　hungry；　and　cursing。　　Decrees　is…
sued　relating　to　the　educational　institutions　of　the
Empress　Mary　Department。　　Corruption　ram…
pant　in　the　foundling　homes。　　An　undeserved
monument。　　Thieving　among　the　clergy。　　The
reinforcement　of　the　political　police。　　A　woman
being　searched。　　A　prison　for　convicts　who　are
sentenced　to　be　deported。　　A　man　being　hanged
for　murdering　a　shop　assistant。

Then　the　result　of　military　discipline：　　soldiers
wearing　uniform　and　scoffing　at　it。　　A　gipsy　en…
campment。　　The　son　of　a　millionaire　exempted
from　military　duty；　while　the　only　support　of　a
large　family　is　forced　to　serve。　　The　university：
a　teacher　relieved　of　military　service；　while　the
most　gifted　musicians　are　compelled　to　perform
it。　　Soldiers　and　their　debaucheryand　the
spreading　of　disease。

Then　a　soldier　who　has　made　an　attempt　to
desert。　　He　is　being　tried。　　Another　is　on　trial
for　striking　an　officer　who　has　insulted　his　mother。　
He　is　put　to　death。　　Others；　again；　are　tried　for
having　refused　to　shoot。　　The　runaway　soldier
sent　to　a　disciplinary　battalion　and　flogged　to
death。　　Another；　who　is　guiltless；　flogged；　and
his　wounds　sprinkled　with　salt　till　he　dies。　　One
of　the　superior　officers　stealing　money　belonging
to　the　soldiers。　　Nothing　but　drunkenness；　de…
bauchery；　gambling；　and　arrogance　on　the　part　of
the　authorities。

What　is　the　general　condition　of　the　people：
the　children　are　half…starving　and　degenerate；　the
houses　are　full　of　vermin；　an　everlasting　dull
round　of　labour；　of　submission；　and　of　sadness。　
On　the　other　hand：　　ministers；　governors　of　prov…
inces；　covetous；　ambitious；　full　of　vanity；　and
anxious　to　inspire　fear。

〃But　where　are　men　with　human　feelings？〃

〃I　will　show　you　where　they　are。〃

Here　is　the　cell　of　a　woman　in　solitary　confine…
ment　at　Schlusselburg。　　She　is　going　mad。　　Here
is　another　womana　girlindisposed；　violated
by　soldiers。　　A　man　in　exile；　alone；　embittered；
half…dead。　　A　prison　for　convicts　condemned　to
hard　labour；　and　women　flogged。　　They　are
many。

Tens　of　thousands　of　the　best　people。　　Some
shut　up　in　prisons；　others　ruined　by　false　educa…
tion；　by　the　vain　desire　to　bring　them　up　as　we
wish。　　But　not　succeeding　in　this；　whatever　might
have　been　is　ruined　as　well；　for　it　is　made　impos…
sible。　　It　is　as　if　we　were　trying　to　make　buck…
wheat　out　of　corn　sprouts　by　splitting　the　ears。
One　may　spoil　the　corn；　but　one　could　never
change　it　to　buckwheat。　　Thus　all　the　youth　of
the　world；　the　entire　younger　generation；　is　being
ruined。

But　woe　to　those　who　destroy　one　of　these　little
ones；　woe　to　you　if　you　destroy　even　one　of
them。　　On　your　soul；　however；　are　hosts　of　them；
who　have　been　ruined　in　your　name；　all　of　those
over　whom　your　power　extends。

〃But　what　can　I　do？〃　exclaimed　the　Tsar　in
despair。　　〃I　do　not　wish　to