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and　gone　home；　he　did　not　cease　to　think　about
Maria　Semenovna；　both　what　she　had　said　and
what　she　had　read　to　him。



XVII

PETER　NIKOLAEVICH　SVENTIZKY'S　views　of　the
peasantry　had　now　changed　for　the　worse；　and　the
peasants　had　an　equally　bad　opinion　of　him。　　In
the　course　of　a　single　year　they　felled　twenty…seven
oaks　in　his　forest；　and　burnt　a　barn　which　had　not
been　insured。　　Peter　Nikolaevich　came　to　the　con…
clusion　that　there　was　no　getting　on　with　the
people　around　him。

At　that　very　time　the　landowner；　Liventsov；
was　trying　to　find　a　manager　for　his　estate；　and
the　Marshal　of　the　Nobility　recommended　Peter
Nikolaevich　as　the　ablest　man　in　the　district　in
the　management　of　land。　　The　estate　owned　by
Liventsov　was　an　extremely　large　one；　but　there
was　no　revenue　to　be　got　out　of　it；　as　the　peasants
appropriated　all　its　wealth　to　their　own　profit。　
Peter　Nikolaevich　undertook　to　bring　everything
into　order；　rented　out　his　own　land　to　somebody
else；　and　settled　with　his　wife　on　the　Liventsov
estate；　in　a　distant　province　on　the　river　Volga。

Peter　Nikolaevich　was　always　fond　of　order；
and　wanted　things　to　be　regulated　by　law；　and
now　he　felt　less　able　of　allowing　those　raw　and
rude　peasants　to　take　possession；　quite　illegally
too；　of　property　that　did　not　belong　to　them。　　He
was　glad　of　the　opportunity　of　giving　them　a　good
lesson；　and　set　seriously　to　work　at　once。　　One
peasant　was　sent　to　prison　for　stealing　wood；　to
another　he　gave　a　thrashing　for　not　having　made
way　for　him　on　the　road　with　his　cart；　and　for　not
having　lifted　his　cap　to　salute　him。　　As　to　the
pasture　ground　which　was　a　subject　of　dispute；
and　was　considered　by　the　peasants　as　their　prop…
erty；　Peter　Nikolaevich　informed　the　peasants
that　any　of　their　cattle　grazing　on　it　would　be
driven　away　by　him。

The　spring　came　and　the　peasants；　just　as　they
had　done　in　previous　years；　drove　their　cattle　on
to　the　meadows　belonging　to　the　landowner。　
Peter　Nikolaevich　called　some　of　the　men　work…
ing　on　the　estate　and　ordered　them　to　drive　the
cattle　into　his　yard。　　The　peasants　were　working
in　the　fields；　and；　disregarding　the　screaming　of
the　women；　Peter　Nikolaevich's　men　succeeded　in
driving　in　the　cattle。　　When　they　came　home　the
peasants　went　in　a　crowd　to　the　cattle…yard　on　the
estate；　and　asked　for　their　cattle。　　Peter　Nikolae…
vich　came　out　to　talk　to　them　with　a　gun　slung　on
his　shoulder；　he　had　just　returned　from　a　ride　of
inspection。　　He　told　them　that　he　would　not　let
them　have　their　cattle　unless　they　paid　a　fine　of
fifty　kopeks　for　each　of　the　horned　cattle；　and
twenty　kopeks　for　each　sheep。　　The　peasants
loudly　declared　that　the　pasture　ground　was　their
property；　because　their　fathers　and　grandfathers
had　used　it；　and　protested　that　he　had　no　right
whatever　to　lay　hand　on　their　cattle。

〃Give　back　our　cattle；　or　you　will　regret　it；〃
said　an　old　man　coming　up　to　Peter　Nikolaevich。

〃How　shall　I　regret　it？〃　cried　Peter　Niko…
laevich；　turning　pale；　and　coming　close　to　the　old
man。

〃Give　them　back；　you　villain；　and　don't　pro…
voke　us。〃

〃What？〃　cried　Peter　Nikolaevich；　and　slapped
the　old　man　in　the　face。

〃You　dare　to　strike　me？　Come　along；　you
fellows；　let　us　take　back　our　cattle　by　force。〃

The　crowd　drew　close　to　him。　　Peter　Niko…
laevich　tried　to　push　his　way；　through　them；　but
the　peasants　resisted　him。　　Again　he　tried　force。

His　gun；　accidentally　discharged　in　the　melee；
killed　one　of　the　peasants。　　Instantly　the　fight
began。　　Peter　Nikolaevich　was　trodden　down；
and　five　minutes　later　his　mutilated　body　was
dragged　into　the　ravine。

The　murderers　were　tried　by　martial　law；　and
two　of　them　sentenced　to　the　gallows。



XVIII

IN　the　village　where　the　lame　tailor　lived；　in　the
Zemliansk　district　of　the　Voronesh　province；　five
rich　peasants　hired　from　the　landowner　a　hundred
and　five　acres　of　rich　arable　land；　black　as　tar；　and
let　it　out　on　lease　to　the　rest　of　the　peasants　at
fifteen　to　eighteen　roubles　an　acre。　　Not　one　acre
was　given　under　twelve　roubles。　　They　got　a　very
profitable　return；　and　the　five　acres　which　were
left　to　each　of　their　company　practically　cost　them
nothing。　　One　of　the　five　peasants　died；　and　the
lame　tailor　received　an　offer　to　take　his　place。

When　they　began　to　divide　the　land；　the　tailor
gave　up　drinking　vodka；　and；　being　consulted　as
to　how　much　land　was　to　be　divided；　and　to　whom
it　should　be　given；　he　proposed　to　give　allotments
to　all　on　equal　terms；　not　taking　from　the　tenants
more　than　was　due　for　each　piece　of　land　out　of
the　sum　paid　to　the　landowner。

〃Why　so？〃

〃We　are　no　heathens；　I　should　think；〃　he　said。
〃It　is　all　very　well　for　the　masters　to　be　unfair；
but　we　are　true　Christians。　　We　must　do　as　God
bids。　　Such　is　the　law　of　Christ。〃

〃Where　have　you　got　that　law　from？

〃It　is　in　the　Book；　in　the　Gospels。　just　come
to　me　on　Sunday。　　I　will　read　you　a　few　passages；
and　we　will　have　a　talk　afterwards。〃

They　did　not　all　come　to　him　on　Sunday；　but
three　came；　and　he　began　reading　to　them。

He　read　five　chapters　of　St。　Matthew's　Gospel；
and　they　talked。　　One　man　only；　Ivan　Chouev；
accepted　the　lesson　and　carried　it　out　completely；
following　the　rule　of　Christ　in　everything　from
that　day。　　His　family　did　the　same。　　Out　of　the
arable　land　he　took　only　what　was　his　due；　and
refused　to　take　more。

The　lame　tailor　and　Ivan　had　people　calling　on
them；　and　some　of　these　people　began　to　grasp
the　meaning　of　the　Gospels；　and　in　consequence
gave　up　smoking；　drinking；　swearing；　and　using
bad　language　and　tried　to　help　one　another。　
They　also　ceased　to　go　to　church；　and　took　their
ikons　to　the　village　priest；　saying　they　did　not
want　them　any　more。　　The　priest　was　frightened；
and　reported　what　had　occurred　to　the　bishop。　
The　bishop　was　at　a　loss　what　to　do。　　At　last
he　resolved　to　send　the　archimandrite　Missael　to
the　village；　the　one　who　had　formerly　been　Mitia
Smokovnikov's　teacher　of　religion。



XIX

ASKING　Father　Missael　on　his　arrival　to　take　a
seat；　the　bishop　told　him　what　had　happened　in
his　diocese。

〃It　all　comes　from　weakness　of　spirit　and　from
ignorance。　　You　are　a　learned　man；　and　I　rely　on
you。　　Go　to　the　village；　call　the　parishioners　to…
gether；　and　convince　them　of　their　error。〃

〃If　your　Grace　bids　me　go；　and　you　give　me
your　blessing；　I　will　do　my　best；〃　said　Father
Missael。　　He　was　very　pleased　with　the　task　en…
trusted　to　him。　　Every　opportunity　he　could　find
to　demonstrate　the　firmness　of　his　faith　was　a
boon　to　him。　　In　trying　to　convince　others　he　was
chiefly　intent　on　persuading　himself　that　he　was
really　a　firm　believer。

〃Do　your　best。　　I　am　greatly　distressed　about
my　flock；〃　said　the　bishop；　leisurely　taking　a　cup
with　his　white　plump　hands　from　the　servant　who
brought　in　the　tea。

〃Why　is　there　only　one　kind　of　jam？　　Bring
another；〃　he　said　to　the　servant。　　〃I　am　greatly
distressed；〃　he　went　on；　turning　to　Father　Mis…
sael。

Missael　earnestly　desired　to　prove　his　zeal；
but；　being　a　man　of　small　means；　he　asked　to　be
paid　for　the　expenses　of　his　journey；　and　being
afraid　of　the　rough　people　who　might　be　ill…dis…
posed　towards　him；　he　also　asked　the　bishop　to　get
him　an　order　from　the　governor　of　the　province；
so　that　the　local　police　might　help　him　in　case　of
need。　　The　bishop　complied　with　his　wishes；　and
Missael　got　his　things　ready　with　the　help　of　his
servant　and　his　cook。　　They　furnished　him　with
a　case　full　of　wine；　and　a　basket　with　the　victuals
he　might　need　in　going　to　such　a　lonely　place。　
Fully　provided　with　all　he　wanted；　he　started　for
the　village　to　which　he　was　commissioned。　　He
was　pleasantly　conscious　of　the　importance　of　his
mission。　　All　his　doubts　as　to　his　own　faith　passed
away；　and　he　was　now　fully　convinced　of　its　real…
ity。

His　thoughts；　far　from　being　concerned　with
the　real　foundation　of　his　creedthis　was　ac…
cepted　as　an　axiomwere　occupied　with　the　argu…
ments　used　against　the　forms　of　worship。



XX

THE　village　priest　and　his　wife　received　Father
Missael　with　great　honours；　and　the　next　day　after
he　had　arrived　the　parishioners　were　invited　to
assemble　in　the　church。　　Missael　in　a　new　silk
cassock；　with　a　large　cross　on　his　chest；　and　his
long　hair　carefully　combed；　ascended　the　pulpit；
the　priest　stood　at　his　side；　the　deacons　and　the
choir　at　a　little　distance　behind　him；　and　the　side
entrances　were　guarded　by　the　police。　　The　dis…
senters　also　came　in　their　dirty　sheepskin　coats。

After　the　service　Missael　delivered　a　sermon；
admonishing　the　dissenters　to　return　to　the　bosom
of　their　mother；　the　Church；　threatening　them
with　the　torments　of　hell；　and　promising　full　for…
giveness　to　those　who　would　repent。

The　dissenters　kept　silent　at　first。　　Then；　be…
ing　asked　questions；　they　gave　answers。　　To　the
question　why　they　dissented；　they　said　that　their
chief　reason　was　the　fact　that　the　Church　wor…
shipped　gods　made　of　wood；　which；　far　from　be…
ing　ordained；　were　condemned　by　the　Scriptures。

When　asked　by　Missael　whether　they　actually
considered　the　holy　ikons　to　be　mere　planks　of
wood；　Chouev　answered；

〃Just　look　at　the　back　of　any　ikon　you　choose
and　you　will　see　what　they　are　made　of。〃

When　asked　why　they　turned　against　the　priests；
their　answer　was　that　the　Scripture　says：　　〃As　you
have　received　it　without　fee；　so　you　must　give　it
to　the　others；　whereas　the　priests　require　pay…
ment　for　the　grace　they　bestow　by　the　sacraments。〃
To　all　attempts　which　Missael　made　to　oppose
them　by　arguments　founded　on　Holy　Writ；　the
tailor　and　Ivan　Chouev　gave　calm　but　very　firm
answers；　contradicting　his　assertions　by　appeal　to
the　Scriptures；　which　they　knew　uncommonly　well。

Missael　got　angry　and　threatened　them　with
persecution　by　the　authorities。　　Their　answer
was：　　It　is　said；　I　have　been　persecuted　and　so　will
you　be。

The　discussion　came　to　nothing；　and　all　would
have　ended　well　if　Missael　had　not　preached　the
next　day　at　mass；　denouncing　the　wicked　seducers
of　the　faithful　and　saying　that　they　deserved　the
worst　punishment。　　Coming　out　of　the　church；　the
crowd　of　peasants　began　to　consult　whether　it
would　not　be　well　to　give　the　infidels　a　good　lesson
for　disturbing　the　minds　of　the　community。　　The
same　day；　just　when　Missael　was　enjoying　some
salmon　and　gangfish；　dining　at　the　village　priest's
in　company　with　the　inspector；　a　violent　brawl
arose　in　the　village。　　The　peasants　came　in　a
crowd　to　Chouev's　cottage；　and　waited　for　the
dissenters　to　come　out　in　order　to　give　them　a
thrashing。

The　dissenters　assembled　in　the　cottage　num…
bered　about　twenty　men　and　women。　　Missael's
sermon　and　the　attitude　of　the　orthodox　peasants；
together　with　their　threats；　aroused　in　the　mind
of　the　dissenters　angry　feelings；　to　which　they　had
before　been　strangers。　　It　was　near　evening；　the
women　had　to　go　and　milk　the　cows；　and　the
peasants　were　still　standing　and　waiting　at　the
door。

A　boy　who　stepped　out　of　the　door　was　beaten
and　driven　back　into　the　house。　　The　people
within　began　consulting　what　was　to　be　done；　and
could　come　to　no　agreement。　　The　tailor　said；
〃We　must　bear　whatever　is　done　to　us；