05-there are no guilty people-第3章

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thing　that　she　had　been　doing；　thinking；　and　say…
ing；　and　she　evidently　considered　that　everything
that　she　thought；　said；　or　did　was　perfect；　and
that　it　would　please　every　one　except　those　who
were　fools。　　Volgin　felt　and　knew　that　every…
thing　she　said　was　stupid；　but　it　would　never　do
to　let　it　be　seen；　and　so　he　kept　up　the　conversa…
tion。　　Theodorite　was　glum　and　silent；　the　stu…
dent　occasionally　exchanged　a　few　words　with　the
widow。　　Now　and　again　there　was　a　pause　in
the　conversation；　and　then　Theodorite　interposed；
and　every　one　became　miserably　depressed。　　At
such　moments　the　hostess　ordered　some　dish　that
had　not　been　served；　and　the　footman　hurried
off　to　the　kitchen；　or　to　the　housekeeper；　and　hur…
ried　back　again。　　Nobody　felt　inclined　either　to
talk　or　to　eat。　　But　they　all　forced　themselves
to　eat　and　to　talk；　and　so　luncheon　went　on。

The　peasant　who　had　been　begging　because　his
horse　had　died　was　named　Mitri　Sudarikov。　　He
had　spent　the　whole　day　before　he　went　to　the
squire　over　his　dead　horse。　　First　of　all　he　went
to　the　knacker；　Sanin；　who　lived　in　a　village　near。　
The　knacker　was　out；　but　he　waited　for　him；　and
it　was　dinner…time　when　he　had　finished　bargain…
ing　over　the　price　of　the　skin。　　Then　he　bor…
rowed　a　neighbour's　horse　to　take　his　own　to　a
field　to　be　buried；　as　it　is　forbidden　to　bury　dead
animals　near　a　village。　　Adrian　would　not　lend
his　horse　because　he　was　getting　in　his　potatoes；
but　Stephen　took　pity　on　Mitri　and　gave　way　to
his　persuasion。　　He　even　lent　a　hand　in　lifting
the　dead　horse　into　the　cart。　　Mitri　tore　off　the
shoes　from　the　forelegs　and　　gave　them　to　his
wife。　　One　was　broken；　but　the　other　one　was
whole。　　While　he　was　digging　the　grave　with　a
spade　which　was　very　blunt；　the　knacker　appeared
and　took　off　the　skin；　and　the　carcass　was　then
thrown　into　the　hole　and　covered　up。　　Mitri　felt
tired；　and　went　into　Matrena's　hut；　where　he
drank　half　a　bottle　of　vodka　with　Sanin　to　con…
sole　himself。　　Then　he　went　home；　quarrelled
with　his　wife；　and　lay　down　to　sleep　on　the　hay。　
He　did　not　undress；　but　slept　just　as　he　was；　with
a　ragged　coat　for　a　coverlet。　　His　wife　was　in
the　hut　with　the　girlsthere　were　four　of　them；
and　the　youngest　was　only　five　weeks　old。　　Mitri
woke　up　before　dawn　as　usual。　　He　groaned　as
the　memory　of　the　day　before　broke　in　upon　him
how　the　horse　had　struggled　and　struggled；
and　then　fallen　down。　　Now　there　was　no　horse；
and　all　he　had　was　the　price　of　the　skin；　four
roubles　and　eighty　kopeks。　　Getting　up　he　ar…
ranged　the　linen　bands　on　his　legs；　and　went
through　the　yard　into　the　hut。　　His　wife　was　put…
ting　straw　into　the　stove　with　one　hand；　with
the　other　she　was　holding　a　baby　girl　to　her
breast；　which　was　hanging　out　of　her　dirty
chemise。

Mitri　crossed　himself　three　times；　turning
towards　the　corner　in　which　the　ikons　hung；　and
repeated　some　utterly　meaningless　words；　which
he　called　prayers；　to　the　Trinity　and　the　Virgin；
the　Creed　and　our　Father。

〃Isn't　there　any　water？〃

〃The　girl's　gone　for　it。　　I've　got　some　tea。　
Will　you　go　up　to　the　squire？〃

〃Yes；　I'd　better　〃　　The　smoke　from　the　stove
made　him　cough。　　He　took　a　rag　off　the　wooden
bench　and　went　into　the　porch。　　The　girl　had
just　come　back　with　the　water。　　Mitri　filled　his
mouth　with　water　from　the　pail　and　squirted　it
out　on　his　hands；　took　some　more　in　his　mouth
to　wash　his　face；　dried　himself　with　the　rag；　then
parted　and　smoothed　his　curly　hair　with　his　fin…
gers　and　went　out。　　A　little　girl　of　about　ten；
with　nothing　on　but　a　dirty　shirt；　came　towards
him。　　〃Good…morning；　Uncle　Mitri；〃　she　said；
〃you　are　to　come　and　thrash。〃　　〃All　right；　I'll
come；〃　replied　Mitri。　　He　understood　that　he
was　expected　to　return　the　help　given　the　week
before　by　Kumushkir；　a　man　as　poor　as　he　was
himself；　when　he　was　thrashing　his　own　corn　with
a　horse…driven　machine。

〃Tell　them　I'll　comeI'll　come　at　lunch　time。
I've　got　to　go　to　Ugrumi　〃　　Mitri　went　back　to
the　hut；　and　changing　his　birch…bark　shoes　and　the
linen　bands　on　his　legs；　started　off　to　see　the
squire。　　After　he　had　got　three　roubles　from
Volgin；　and　the　same　sum　from　Nicholas　Petro…
vich；　he　returned　to　his　house；　gave　the　money　to
his　wife；　and　went　to　his　neighbour's。　　The　thrash…
ing　machine　was　humming；　and　the　driver　was
shouting。　　The　lean　horses　were　going　slowly
round　him；　straining　at　their　traces。　　The　driver
was　shouting　to　them　in　a　monotone；　〃Now；　there；
my　dears　〃　　Some　women　were　unbinding　sheaves；
others　were　raking　up　the　scattered　straw　and　ears；
and　others　again　were　gathering　great　armfuls　of
corn　and　handing　them　to　the　men　to　feed　the
machine。　　The　work　was　in　full　swing。　　In　the
kitchen　garden；　which　Mitri　had　to　pass；　a　girl；
clad　only　in　a　long　shirt；　was　digging　potatoes
which　she　put　into　a　basket。

〃Where's　your　grandfather？〃　asked　Mitri。
〃He's　in　the　barn　〃　　Mitri　went　to　the　barn　and
set　to　work　at　once。　　The　old　man　of　eighty　knew
of　Mitri's　trouble。　　After　greeting　him；　he　gave
him　his　place　to　feed　the　machine。

Mitri　took　off　his　ragged　coat；　laid　it　out　of　the
way　near　the　fence；　and　then　began　to　work　vig…
orously；　raking　the　corn　together　and　throwing
it　into　the　machine。　　The　work　went　on　without
interruption　until　the　dinner…hour。　　The　cocks
had　crowed　two　or　three　times；　but　no　one　paid
any　attention　to　them；　not　because　the　workers
did　not　believe　them；　but　because　they　were
scarcely　heard　for　the　noise　of　the　work　and　the
talk　about　it。　　At　last　the　whistle　of　the　squire's
steam　thrasher　sounded　three　miles　away；　and　then
the　owner　came　into　the　barn。　　He　was　a　straight
old　man　of　eighty。　　〃It's　time　to　stop；〃　he　said；
〃it's　dinner…time　〃　　Those　at　work　seemed　to
redouble　their　efforts。　　In　a　moment　the　straw
was　cleared　away；　the　grain　that　had　been
thrashed　was　separated　from　the　chaff　and　brought
in；　and　then　the　workers　went　into　the　hut。

The　hut　was　smoke…begrimed；　as　its　stove　had
no　chimney；　but　it　had　been　tidied　up；　and　benches
stood　round　the　table；　making　room　for　all　those
who　had　been　working；　of　whom　there　were　nine；
not　counting　the　owners。　　Bread；　soup；　boiled
potatoes；　and　kvass　were　placed　on　the　table。

An　old　one…armed　beggar；　with　a　bag　slung　over
his　shoulder；　came　in　with　a　crutch　during　the　meal。

〃Peace　be　to　this　house。　　A　good　appetite　to
you。　　For　Christ's　sake　give　me　something。〃

〃God　will　give　it　to　you；〃　said　the　mistress；
already　an　old　woman；　and　the　daughter…in…law　of
the　master。　　〃Don't　be　angry　with　us　〃　　An　old
man；　who　was　still　standing　near　the　door；　said；
〃Give　him　some　bread；　Martha。　　How　can　you？〃

〃I　am　only　wondering　whether　we　shall　have
enough。〃　　〃Oh；　it　is　wrong；　Martha。　　God　tells
us　to　help　the　poor。　　Cut　him　a　slice。〃

Martha　obeyed。　　The　beggar　went　away。　　The
man　in　charge　of　the　thrashing…machine　got　up；
said　grace；　thanked　his　hosts；　and　went　away　to
rest。

Mitri　did　not　lie　down；　but　ran　to　the　shop　to
buy　some　tobacco。　　He　was　longing　for　a　smoke。　
While　he　smoked　he　chatted　to　a　man　from
Demensk；　asking　the　price　of　cattle；　as　he　saw
that　he　would　not　be　able　to　manage　without　sell…
ing　a　cow。　　When　he　returned　to　the　others；　they
were　already　back　at　work　again；　and　so　it　went
on　till　the　evening。

Among　these　downtrodden；　duped；　and　de…
frauded　men；　who　are　becoming　demoralised　by
overwork；　and　being　gradually　done　to　death
by　underfeeding；　there　are　men　living　who
consider　themselves　Christians；　and　others　so
enlightened　that　they　feel　no　further　need　for
Christianity　or　for　any　religion；　so　superior　do
they　appear　in　their　own　esteem。　　And　yet　their
hideous；　lazy　lives　are　supported　by　the　degrading；
excessive　labour　of　these　slaves；　not　to　mention
the　labour　of　millions　of　other　slaves；　toiling　in
factories　to　produce　samovars；　silver；　carriages；
machines；　and　the　like　for　their　use。　　They　live
among　these　horrors；　seeing　them　and　yet　not
seeing　them；　although　often　kind　at　heartold
men　and　women；　young　men　and　maidens；　mothers
and　childrenpoor　children　who　are　being　viti…
ated　and　trained　into　moral　blindness。

Here　is　a　bachelor　grown　old；　the　owner　o