05-there are no guilty people-第3章

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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　of
thousands　of　acres；　who　has　lived　a　life　of　idle…
ness；　greed；　and　over…indulgence；　who　reads　The
New　Times；　and　is　astonished　that　the　govern…
ment　can　be　so　unwise　as　to　permit　Jews　to　enter
the　university。　　There　is　his　guest；　formerly　the
governor　of　a　province；　now　a　senator　with　a　big
salary；　who　reads　with　satisfaction　that　a　congress
of　lawyers　has　passed　a　resolution　in　favor　of
capital　punishment。　　Their　political　enemy；　N。　P。；
reads　a　liberal　paper；　and　cannot　understand　the
blindness　of　the　government　in　allowing　the　union
of　Russian　men　to　exist。

Here　is　a　kind；　gentle　mother　of　a　little　girl
reading　a　story　to　her　about　Fox；　a　dog　that
lamed　some　rabbits。　　And　here　is　this　little　girl。　
During　her　walks　she　sees　other　children；　bare…
footed；　hungry；　hunting　for　green　apples　that　have
fallen　from　the　trees；　and；　so　accustomed　is　she
to　the　sight；　that　these　children　do　not　seem　to　her
to　be　children　such　as　she　is；　but　only　part　of　the
usual　surroundingsthe　familiar　landscape。

Why　is　this？