resurrection(复活)-第43章

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Nekhludoff　left　the　garden　and　entered　the　porch；　near　which
stood　two　dishevelled　womenone　of　them　pregnant　and　evidently
near　her　time。　On　one　of　the　steps　of　the　porch；　with　his　hands
in　the　pockets　of　his　holland　coat；　stood　the　foreman。　When　they
saw　the　master；　the　women　were　silent；　and　began　arranging　the
kerchiefs　on　their　heads；　and　the　foreman　took　his　hands　out　of
his　pockets　and　began　to　smile。

This　is　what　had　happened。　From　the　foreman's　words；　it　seemed
that　the　peasants　were　in　the　habit　of　letting　their　calves　and
even　their　cows　into　the　meadow　belonging　to　the　estate。　Two　cows
belonging　to　the　families　of　these　two　women　were　found　in　the
meadow；　and　driven　into　the　yard。　The　foreman　demanded　from　the
women　30　copecks　for　each　cow　or　two　days'　work。　The　women；
however；　maintained　that　the　cows　had　got　into　the　meadow　of
their　own　accord；　that　they　had　no　money；　and　asked　that　the
cows；　which　had　stood　in　the　blazing　sun　since　morning　without
food；　piteously　lowing；　should　he　returned　to　them；　even　if　it
had　to　be　on　the　understanding　that　the　price　should　be　worked
off　later　on。

〃How　often　have　I　not　begged　of　you；〃　said　the　smiling　foreman；
looking　back　at　Nekhludoff　as　if　calling　upon　him　to　be　a
witness；　〃if　you　drive　your　cattle　home　at　noon；　that　you　should
have　an　eye　on　them？〃

〃I　only　ran　to　my　little　one　for　a　bit；　and　they　got　away。〃

〃Don't　run　away　when　you　have　undertaken　to　watch　the　cows。〃

〃And　who's　to　feed　the　little　one？　You'd　not　give　him　the　breast；
I　suppose？〃　said　the　other　woman。　〃Now；　if　they　had　really
damaged　the　meadow；　one　would　not　take　it　so　much　to　heart；　but
they　only　strayed　in　a　moment。〃

〃All　the　meadows　are　damaged；〃　the　foreman　said；　turning　to
Nekhludoff。　〃If　I　exact　no　penalty　there　will　be　no　hay。〃

〃There；　now；　don't　go　sinning　like　that；　my　cows　have　never　been
caught　there　before；〃　shouted　the　pregnant　woman。〃

〃Now　that　one　has　been　caught；　pay　up　or　work　it　off。〃

〃All　right；　I'll　work　it　off；　only　let　me　have　the　cow　now；　don't
torture　her　with　hunger；〃　she　cried；　angrily。　〃As　it　is；　I　have
no　rest　day　or　night。　Mother…in…law　is　ill；　husband　taken　to
drink；　I'm　all　alone　to　do　all　the　work；　and　my　strength's　at　an
end。　I　wish　you'd　choke；　you　and　your　working　it　off。〃

Nekhludoff　asked　the　foreman　to　let　the　women　take　the　cows；　and
went　back　into　the　garden　to　go　on　thinking　out　his　problem；　but
there　was　nothing　more　to　think　about。

Everything　seemed　so　clear　to　him　now　that　he　could　not　stop
wondering　how　it　was　that　everybody　did　not　see　it；　and　that　he
himself　had　for　such　a　long　while　not　seen　what　was　so　clearly
evident。　The　people　were　dying　out；　and　had　got　used　to　the
dying…out　process；　and　had　formed　habits　of　life　adapted　to　this
process：　there　was　the　great　mortality　among　the　children；　the
over…working　of　the　women；　the　under…feeding；　especially　of　the
aged。　And　so　gradually　had　the　people　come　to　this　condition　that
they　did　not　realise　the　full　horrors　of　it；　and　did　not
complain。　Therefore；　we　consider　their　condition　natural　and　as
it　should　be。　Now　it　seemed　as　clear　as　daylight　that　the　chief
cause　of　the　people's　great　want　was　one　that　they　themselves
knew　and　always　pointed　out；　i。e。；　that　the　land　which　alone
could　feed　them　had　been　taken　from　them　by　the　landlords。

And　how　evident　it　was　that　the　children　and　the　aged　died
because　they　had　no　milk；　and　they　had　no　milk　because　there　was
no　pasture　land；　and　no　land　to　grow　corn　or　make　hay　on。　It　was
quite　evident　that　all　the　misery　of　the　people　or；　at　least　by
far　the　greater　part　of　it；　was　caused　by　the　fact　that　the　land
which　should　feed　them　was　not　in　their　hands；　but　in　the　hands
of　those　who；　profiting　by　their　rights　to　the　land；　live　by　the
work　of　these　people。　The　land　so　much　needed　by　men　was　tilled
by　these　people；　who　were　on　the　verge　of　starvation；　so　that　the
corn　might　be　sold　abroad　and　the　owners　of　the　land　might　buy
themselves　hats　and　canes；　and　carriages　and　bronzes；　etc。　He
understood　this　as　clearly　as　he　understood　that　horses　when　they
have　eaten　all　the　grass　in　the　inclosure　where　they　are　kept
will　have　to　grow　thin　and　starve　unless　they　are　put　where　they
can　get　food　off　other　land。

This　was　terrible；　and　must　not　go　on。　Means　must　be　found　to
alter　it；　or　at　least　not　to　take　part　in　it。　〃And　I　will　find
them；〃　he　thought；　as　he　walked　up　and　down　the　path　under　the
birch　trees。

In　scientific　circles；　Government　institutions；　and　in　the　papers
we　talk　about　the　causes　of　the　poverty　among　the　people　and　the
means　of　ameliorating　their　condition；　but　we　do　not　talk　of　the
only　sure　means　which　would　certainly　lighten　their　condition；
i。e。；　giving　back　to　them　the　land　they　need　so　much。

Henry　George's　fundamental　position　recurred　vividly　to　his　mind
and　how　he　had　once　been　carried　away　by　it；　and　he　was　surprised
that　he　could　have　forgotten　it。　The　earth　cannot　be　any　one's
property；　it　cannot　be　bought　or　sold　any　more　than　water；　air；
or　sunshine。　All　have　an　equal　right　to　the　advantages　it　gives
to　men。　And　now　he　knew　why　he　had　felt　ashamed　to　remember　the
transaction　at　Kousminski。　He　had　been　deceiving　himself。　He　knew
that　no　man　could　have　a　right　to　own　land；　yet　he　had　accepted
this　right　as　his；　and　had　given　the　peasants　something　which；　in
the　depth　of　his　heart；　he　knew　he　had　no　right　to。　Now　he　would
not　act　in　this　way；　and　would　alter　the　arrangement　in
Kousminski　also。　And　he　formed　a　project　in　his　mind　to　let　the
land　to　the　peasants；　and　to　acknowledge　the　rent　they　paid　for
it　to　be　their　property；　to　be　kept　to　pay　the　taxes　and　for
communal　uses。　This　was；　of　course；　not　the　single…tax　system；
still　it　was　as　near　an　approach　to　it　as　could　be　had　under
existing　circumstances。　His　chief　consideration；　however；　was
that　in　this　way　he　would　no　longer　profit　by　the　possession　of
landed　property。

When　he　returned　to　the　house　the　foreman；　with　a　specially
pleasant　smile；　asked　him　if　he　would　not　have　his　dinner　now；
expressing　the　fear　that　the　feast　his　wife　was　preparing；　with
the　help　of　the　girl　with　the　earrings；　might　be　overdone。

The　table　was　covered　with　a　coarse；　unbleached　cloth　and　an
embroidered　towel　was　laid　on　it　in　lieu　of　a　napkin。　A
vieux…saxe　soup　tureen　with　a　broken　handle　stood　on　the　table；
full　of　potato　soup；　the　stock　made　of　the　fowl　that　had　put　out
and　drawn　in　his　black　leg；　and　was　now　cut；　or　rather　chopped；
in　pieces；　which　were　here　and　there　covered　with　hairs。　After
the　soup　more　of　the　same　fowl　with　the　hairs　was　served　roasted；
and　then　curd　pasties；　very　greasy；　and　with　a　great　deal　of
sugar。　Little　appetising　as　all　this　was；　Nekhludoff　hardly
noticed　what　he　was　eating；　he　was　occupied　with　the　thought
which　had　in　a　moment　dispersed　the　sadness　with　which　he　had
returned　from　the　village。

The　foreman's　wife　kept　looking　in　at　the　door；　whilst　the
frightened　maid　with　the　earrings　brought　in　the　dishes；　and　the
foreman　smiled　more　and　more　joyfully；　priding　himself　on　his
wife's　culinary　skill。　After　dinner；　Nekhludoff　succeeded；　with
some　trouble；　in　making　the　foreman　sit　down。　In　order　to　revise
his　own　thoughts；　and　to　express　them　to　some　one；　he　explained
his　project　of　letting　the　land　to　the　peasants；　and　asked　the
foreman　for　his　opinion。　The　foreman；　smiling　as　if　he　had
thought　all　this　himself　long　ago；　and　was　very　pleased　to　hear
it；　did　not　really　understand　it　at　all。　This　was　not　because
Nekhludoff　did　not　express　himself　clearly；　but　because　according
to　this　project　it　turned　out　that　Nekhludoff　was　giving　up　his
own　profit　for　the　profit　of　others；　and　the　thought　that　every
one　is　only　concerned　about　his　own　profit；　to　the　harm　of
others；　was　so　deeply　rooted　in　the　foreman's　conceptions　that　he
imagined　he　did　not　understand　something　when　Nekhludoff　said
that　all　the　income　from　the　land　must　be　placed　to　form　the
communal　capital　of　the　peasants。

〃Oh；　I　see；　then　you；　of　course；　will　receive　the　percentages
from　that　capital；〃　said　the　foreman；　brightening　up。

〃Dear　me！　no。　Don't　you　see；　I　am　giving　up　the　land　altogether。〃

〃But　then　you　will　not　get　any　income；〃　said　the　foreman；　smiling
no　longer。

〃Yes；　I　am　going　to　give　it　up。〃

The　foreman　sighed　heavily；　and　then　began　smiling　again。　Now　he
understood。　He　understood　that　Nekhludoff　was　not　quite　normal；
and　at　once　began　to　consider　how　he　himself　could　profit　by
Nekhludoff's　project　of　giving　up　the　land；　and　tried　to　see　this
project　in　such　a　way　that　he　might　reap　some　advantage　from　it。
But　when　he　saw　that　this　was　impossible　he　grew　sorrowful；　and
the　project　ceased　to　interest　him；　and　he　continued　to　smile
only　in　order　to　please　the　master。

Seeing　that　the　foreman　did　not　understand　him；　Nekhludoff　let
him　go　and　sat　down　by　the　window…sill；　that　was　all　cut　about
and　inked　over；　and　began　to　put　his　project　down　on　paper。

The　sun　went　down　behind　the　limes；　that　were　covered　with　fresh
green；　and　the　mosquitoes　swarmed　in；　stinging　Nekhludoff。　Just
as　he　finished　his　notes；　he　heard　the　lowing　of　cattle　and　the
creaking　of　opening　gates　from　the　village；　and　the　voices　of　the
peasants　gathering　together　for　the　meeting。　He　told　the　foreman
not　to　call　the　peasants　up　to　the　office；　as　he　meant　to　go　into
the　village　himself　and　meet　the　men　where　they　would　assemble。
Having　hurriedly　drank　a　cup　of　tea　offered　him　by　the　foreman；
Nekhludoff　went　to　the　village。


　CHAPTER　VII。

THE　DISINHERITED。

From　the　crowd　assembled　in　front　of　the　house　of　the　village
elder　came　the　sound　of　voices；　but　as　soon　as　Nekhludoff　came　up
the　talking　ceased；　and　all　the　peasants　took　off　their　caps；
just　as　those　in　Kousminski　had　done。　The　peasants　here　were　of　a
much　poorer　class　than　those　in　Kousminski。　The　men　wore　shoes
made　of　bark　and　homespun　shirts　and　coats。　Some　had　come
straight　from　their　work　in　their　shirts　and　with　bare　feet。

Nekhludoff　made　an　effort；　and　began　his　speech　by　telling　the
peasants　of　his　intention　to　give　up　his　land　to　them　altogether。
The　peasants　were　silent；　and　the　expression　on　their　faces　did
not　undergo　any　change。

〃Because　I　hold；〃　said　Nekhludoff；　〃and　believe　that　every　one
has　a　right　to　the　use　of　the　land。〃

〃That's　certain。　That's　so；　exactly；〃　said　several　voices。

Nekhludoff　went　on　to　say　that　the　revenue　from　the　land　ought　to
be　divided　among　all；　and　that　he　would　therefore　suggest　that
they　should　rent　the　land　at　a　price　fixed　by　themselves；　the
rent　to　form　a　communal　fund　for　their　own　use。　Words　of　approval
and　agreement　were　still　to　be　heard；　but　the　serious　faces　of
the　peasants　grew　still　more　serious；　and　the　eyes　that　had　been
fixed　on　the　gentleman　dropped；　as　if　they　were　unwilling　to　put
him　to　shame　by　letting　him　see　that　every　one　had　understood　his
trick；　and　that　no　one　would　be　deceived　by　him。

Nekhludoff　spoke　clearly；　and　the　peasants　were　intelligent；　but
they　did　not　and　could　not　understand　him；　for　the　same　reason
that　the　foreman　had　so　long　been　unable　to　understand　him。

They　were　fully　convinced　that