resurrection(复活)-第44章

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that　the　foreman　had　so　long　been　unable　to　understand　him。

They　were　fully　convinced　that　it　is　natural　for　every　man　to
consider　his　own　interest。　The　experience　of　many　generations　had
proved　to　them　that　the　landlords　always　considered　their　own
interest　to　the　detriment　of　the　peasants。　Therefore；　if　a
landlord　called　them　to　a　meeting　and　made　them　some　kind　of　a
new　offer；　it　could　evidently　only　be　in　order　to　swindle　them
more　cunningly　than　before。

〃Well；　then；　what　are　you　willing　to　rent　the　land　at？　asked
Nekhludoff。

〃How　can　we　fix　a　price？　We　cannot　do　it。　The　land　is　yours；　and
the　power　is　in　your　hands；〃　answered　some　voices　from　among　the
crowd。

〃Oh；　not　at　all。　You　will　yourselves　have　the　use　of　the　money
for　communal　purposes。〃

〃We　cannot　do　it；　the　commune　is　one　thing；　and　this　is　another。〃

〃Don't　you　understand？〃　said　the　foreman；　with　a　smile　（he　had
followed　Nekhludoff　to　the　meeting）；　〃the　Prince　is　letting　the
land　to　you　for　money；　and　is　giving　you　the　money　back　to　form　a
capital　for　the　commune。〃

〃We　understand　very　well；〃　said　a　cross；　toothless　old　man；
without　raising　his　eyes。　〃Something　like　a　bank；　we　should　have
to　pay　at　a　fixed　time。　We　do　not　wish　it；　it　is　hard　enough　as
it　is；　and　that　would　ruin　us　completely。〃

〃That's　no　go。　We　prefer　to　go　on　the　old　way；〃　began　several
dissatisfied；　and　even　rude；　voices。

The　refusals　grew　very　vehement　when　Nekhludoff　mentioned　that　he
would　draw　up　an　agreement　which　would　have　to　be　signed　by　him
and　by　them。

〃Why　sign？　We　shall　go　on　working　as　we　have　done　hitherto。　What
is　all　this　for？　We　are　ignorant　men。〃

〃We　can't　agree；　because　this　sort　of　thing　is　not　what　we　have
been　used　to。　As　it　was；　so　let　it　continue　to　be。　Only　the　seeds
we　should　like　to　withdraw。〃

This　meant　that　under　the　present　arrangement　the　seeds　had　to　be
provided　by　the　peasants；　and　they　wanted　the　landlord　to　provide
them。

〃Then　am　I　to　understand　that　you　refuse　to　accept　the　land？〃
Nekhludoff　asked；　addressing　a　middle…aged；　barefooted　peasant；
with　a　tattered　coat；　and　a　bright　look　on　his　face；　who　was
holding　his　worn　cap　with　his　left　hand；　in　a　peculiarly　straight
position；　in　the　same　way　soldiers　hold　theirs　when　commanded　to
take　them　off。

〃Just　so；〃　said　this　peasant；　who　had　evidently　not　yet　rid
himself　of　the　military　hypnotism　he　had　been　subjected　to　while
serving　his　time。

〃It　means　that　you　have　sufficient　land；〃　said　Nekhludoff。

〃No；　sir；　we　have　not；〃　said　the　ex…soldier；　with　an　artificially
pleased　look；　carefully　holding　his　tattered　cap　in　front　of　him；
as　if　offering　it　to　any　one　who　liked　to　make　use　of　it。

〃Well；　anyhow；　you'd　better　think　over　what　I　have　said。〃
Nekhludoff　spoke　with　surprise；　and　again　repeated　his　offer。

〃We　have　no　need　to　think　about　it；　as　we　have　said；　so　it　will
be；〃　angrily　muttered　the　morose；　toothless　old　man。

〃I　shall　remain　here　another　day；　and　if　you　change　your　minds；
send　to　let　me　know。〃

The　peasants　gave　no　answer。

So　Nekhludoff　did　not　succeed　in　arriving　at　any　result　from　this
interview。

〃If　I　might　make　a　remark；　Prince；〃　said　the　foreman；　when　they
got　home；　〃you　will　never　come　to　any　agreement　with　them；　they
are　so　obstinate。　At　a　meeting　these　people　just　stick　in　one
place；　and　there　is　no　moving　them。　It　is　because　they　are
frightened　of　everything。　Why；　these　very　peasantssay　that
white…haired　one；　or　the　dark　one；　who　were　refusing；　are
intelligent　peasants。　When　one　of　them　comes　to　the　office　and
one　makes　him　sit　down　to　cup　of　tea　it's　like　in　the　Palace　of
Wisdomhe　is　quite　diplomatist；〃　said　the　foreman；　smiling；　〃he
will　consider　everything　rightly。　At　a　meeting　it's　a　different
manhe　keeps　repeating　one　and　the　same　。　。　。〃

〃Well；　could　not　some　of　the　more　intelligent　men　he　asked　to
come　here？〃　said　Nekhludoff。　〃I　would　carefully　explain　it　to
them。〃

〃That　can　he　done；〃　said　the　smiling　foreman。

〃Well；　then；　would　you　mind　calling　them　here　to…morrow？〃

〃Oh；　certainly　I　will；〃　said　the　foreman；　and　smiled　still　more
joyfully。　〃I　shall　call　them　to…morrow。〃

〃Just　hear　him；　he's　not　artful；　not　he；〃　said　a　blackhaired
peasant；　with　an　unkempt　beard；　as　he　sat　jolting　from　side　to
side　on　a　well…fed　mare；　addressing　an　old　man　in　a　torn　coat　who
rode　by　his　side。　The　two　men　were　driving　a　herd　of　the
peasants'　horses　to　graze　in　the　night；　alongside　the　highroad
and　secretly；　in　the　landlord's　forest。

〃Give　you　the　land　for　nothingyou　need　only　signhave　they　not
done　the　likes　of　us　often　enough？　No；　my　friend；　none　of　your
humbug。　Nowadays　we　have　a　little　sense；〃　he　added；　and　began
shouting　at　a　colt　that　had　strayed。

He　stopped　his　horse　and　looked　round；　but　the　colt　had　not
remained　behind；　it　had　gone　into　the　meadow　by　the　roadside。
〃Bother　that　son　of　a　Turk；　he's　taken　to　getting　into　the
landowner's　meadows；〃　said　the　dark　peasant　with　the　unkempt
beard；　hearing　the　cracking　of　the　sorrel　stalks　that　the
neighing　colt　was　galloping　over　as　he　came　running　back　from　the
scented　meadow。

〃Do　you　hear　the　cracking？　We'll　have　to　send　the　women　folk　to
weed　the　meadow　when　there's　a　holiday；〃　said　the　thin　peasant
with　the　torn　coat；　〃or　else　we'll　blunt　our　scythes。〃

〃Sign；〃　he　says。　The　unkempt　man　continued　giving　his　opinion　of
the　landlord's　speech。　〃'Sign；'　indeed；　and　let　him　swallow　you
up。〃

〃That's　certain；〃　answered　the　old　man。　And　then　they　were
silent；　and　the　tramping　of　the　horses'　feet　along　the　highroad
was　the　only　sound　to　be　heard。


CHAPTER　VIII。

GOD'S　PEACE　IN　THE　HEART。

When　Nekhludoff　returned　he　found　that　the　office　had　been
arranged　as　a　bedroom　for　him。　A　high　bedstead；　with　a　feather
bed　and　two　large　pillows；　had　been　placed　in　the　room。　The　bed
was　covered　with　a　dark　red　doublebedded　silk　quilt；　which　was
elaborately　and　finely　quilted；　and　very　stiff。　It　evidently
belonged　to　the　trousseau　of　the　foreman's　wife。　The　foreman
offered　Nekhludoff　the　remains　of　the　dinner；　which　the　latter
refused；　and；　excusing　himself　for　the　poorness　of　the　fare　and
the　accommodation；　he　left　Nekhludoff　alone。

The　peasants'　refusal　did　not　at　all　bother　Nekhludoff。　On　the
contrary；　though　at　Kousminski　his　offer　had　been　accepted　and　he
had　even　been　thanked　for　it；　and　here　he　was　met　with　suspicion
and　even　enmity；　he　felt　contented　and　joyful。

It　was　close　and　dirty　in　the　office。　Nekhludoff　went　out　into
the　yard；　and　was　going　into　the　garden；　but　he　remembered：　that
night；　the　window　of　the　maid…servant's　room；　the　side　porch；　and
he　felt　uncomfortable；　and　did　not　like　to　pass　the　spot
desecrated　by　guilty　memories。　He　sat　down　on　the　doorstep；　and
breathing　in　the　warm　air；　balmy　with　the　strong　scent　of　fresh
birch　leaves；　he　sat　for　a　long　time　looking　into　the　dark　garden
and　listening　to　the　mill；　the　nightingales；　and　some　other　bird
that　whistled　monotonously　in　the　bush　close　by。　The　light
disappeared　from　the　foreman's　window；　in　the　cast；　behind　the
barn；　appeared　the　light　of　the　rising　moon；　and　sheet　lightning
began　to　light　up　the　dilapidated　house；　and　the　blooming；
over…grown　garden　more　and　more　frequently。　It　began　to　thunder
in　the　distance；　and　a　black　cloud　spread　over　one…third　of　the
sky。　The　nightingales　and　the　other　birds　were　silent。　Above　the
murmur　of　the　water　from　the　mill　came　the　cackling　of　geese；　and
then　in　the　village　and　in　the　foreman's　yard　the　first　cocks
began　to　crow　earlier　than　usual；　as　they　do　on　warm；　thundery
nights。　There　is　a　saying　that　if　the　cocks　crow　early　the　night
will　be　a　merry　one。　For　Nekhludoff　the　night　was　more　than
merry；　it　was　a　happy；　joyful　night。　Imagination　renewed　the
impressions　of　that　happy　summer　which　he　had　spent　here　as　an
innocent　lad；　and　he　felt　himself　as　he　had　been　not　only　at　that
but　at　all　the　best　moments　of　his　life。　He　not　only　remembered
but　felt　as　he　had　felt　when；　at　the　age　of　14；　he　prayed　that
God　would　show　him　the　truth；　or　when　as　a　child　he　had　wept　on
his　mother's　lap；　when　parting　from　her；　and　promising　to　be
always　good；　and　never　give　her　pain；　he　felt　as　he　did　when　he
and　Nikolenka　Irtenieff　resolved　always　to　support　each　other　in
living　a　good　life　and　to　try　to　make　everybody　happy。

He　remembered　how　he　had　been　tempted　in　Kousminski；　so　that　he
had　begun　to　regret　the　house　and　the　forest　and　the　farm　and　the
land；　and　he　asked　himself　if　he　regretted　them　now；　and　it　even
seemed　strange　to　think　that　he　could　regret　them。　He　remembered
all　he　had　seen　to…day；　the　woman　with　the　children；　and　without
her　husband；　who　was　in　prison　for　having　cut　down　trees　in　his
（Nekhludoff's）　forest；　and　the　terrible　Matrona；　who　considered；
or　at　least　talked　as　if　she　considered；　that　women　of　her
position　must　give　themselves　to　the　gentlefolk；　he　remembered
her　relation　to　the　babies；　the　way　in　which　they　were　taken　to
the　Foundlings'　Hospital；　and　the　unfortunate；　smiling；　wizened
baby　with　the　patchwork　cap；　dying　of　starvation。　And　then　he
suddenly　remembered　the　prison；　the　shaved　heads；　the　cells；　the
disgusting　smells；　the　chains；　and；　by　the　side　of　it　all；　the
madly　lavish　city　lift　of　the　rich；　himself　included。

The　bright　moon；　now　almost　full；　rose　above　the　barn。　Dark
shadows　fell　across　the　yard；　and　the　iron　roof　of　the　ruined
house　shone　bright。　As　if　unwilling　to　waste　this　light；　the
nightingales　again　began　their　trills。

Nekhludoff　called　to　mind　how　he　had　begun　to　consider　his　life
in　the　garden　of　Kousminski　when　deciding　what　he　was　going　to
do；　and　remembered　how　confused　he　had　become；　how　he　could　not
arrive　at　any　decision；　how　many　difficulties　each　question　had
presented。　He　asked　himself　these　questions　now；　and　was
surprised　how　simple　it　all　was。　It　was　simple　because　he　was　not
thinking　now　of　what　would　be　the　results　for　himself；　but　only
thought　of　what　he　had　to　do。　And；　strange　to　say；　what　he　had　to
do　for　himself　he　could　not　decide；　but　what　he　had　to　do　for
others　he　knew　without　any　doubt。　He　had　no　doubt　that　he　must
not　leave　Katusha；　but　go　on　helping　her。　He　had　no　doubt　that　he
must　study；　investigate；　clear　up；　understand　all　this　business
concerning　judgment　and　punishment；　which　he　felt　he　saw
differently　to　other　people。　What　would　result　from　it　all　he　did
not　know；　but　he　knew　for　certain　that　he　must　do　it。　And　this
firm　assurance　gave　him　joy。

The　black　cloud　had　spread　all　over　the　sky；　the　lightning
flashed　vividly　across　the　yard　and　the　old　house　with　its
tumble…down　porches；　the　thunder　growled　overhead。　All　the　birds
were　silent；　but　the　leaves　rustled　and　the　wind　reached　the　step
where　Nekhludoff　stood　and　played　with　his　hair。　One　drop　came
down；　then　another；　then　they　came　drumming　on　the　dock　leaves
and　on　the　iron　of　the　roof；　and　all　the　air　was　filled　by　a
bright　flash；　and　before　Nekhludoff　could　count　three　a　fearful
crash　sounded　over　head　and　spread　pealing　all　over　the　sky。

Nekhludoff　went　in。

〃Yes；　yes；〃　he　thought。　〃The　work　that　our　life　accomplishes；　the
whole　of　this　work；　the　meaning　of　it　is　not；　nor　can　be；
intell