resurrection(复活)-第85节

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began　to　spot　the　platform　and　Nekhludoff's　coat；　and　he　stepped
to　the　other　side　of　the　little　platform；　and；　inhaling　the
fresh；　moist　airfilled　with　the　smell　of　corn　and　wet　earth
that　had　long　been　waiting　for　rainhe　stood　looking　at　the
gardens；　the　woods；　the　yellow　rye　fields；　the　green　oatfields；
the　dark…green　strips　of　potatoes　in　bloom；　that　glided　past。
Everything　looked　as　if　covered　over　with　varnishthe　green
turned　greener；　the　yellow　yellower；　the　black　blacker。

〃More！　more！〃　said　Nekhludoff；　gladdened　by　the　sight　of　gardens
and　fields　revived　by　the　beneficent　shower。　The　shower　did　not
last　long。　Part　of　the　cloud　had　come　down　in　rain；　part　passed
over；　and　the　last　fine　drops　fell　straight　on　to　the　earth。　The
sun　reappeared；　everything　began　to　glisten；　and　in　the　eastnot
very　high　above　the　horizonappeared　a　bright　rainbow；　with　the
violet　tint　very　distinct　and　broken　only　at　one　end。

〃Why；　what　was　I　thinking　about？〃　Nekhludoff　asked　himself　when
all　these　changes　in　nature　were　over；　and　the　train　ran　into　a
cutting　between　two　high　banks。

〃Oh！　I　was　thinking　that　all　those　people　（inspector；　convoy
menall　those　in　the　service）　are　for　the　greater　part　kind
peoplecruel　only　because　they　are　serving。〃　He　recalled
Maslennikoff's　indifference　when　he　told　him　about　what　was　being
done　in　the　prison；　the　inspector's　severity；　the　cruelty　of　the
convoy　officer　when　he　refused　places　on　the　carts　to　those　who
asked　for　them；　and　paid　no　attention　to　the　fact　that　there　was
a　woman　in　travail　in　the　train。　All　these　people　were　evidently
invulnerable　and　impregnable　to　the　simplest　feelings　of
compassion　only　because　they　held　offices。　〃As　officials　they
were　impermeable　to　the　feelings　of　humanity；　as　this　paved
ground　is　impermeable　to　the　rain。〃　Thus　thought　Nekhludoff　as　he
looked　at　the　railway　embankment　paved　with　stones　of　different
colours；　down　which　the　water　was　running　in　streams　instead　of
soaking　into　the　earth。　〃Perhaps　it　is　necessary　to　pave　the
banks　with　stones；　but　it　is　sad　to　look　at　the　ground；　which
might　be　yielding　corn；　grass；　bushes；　or　trees　in　the　same　way
as　the　ground　visible　up　there　is　doingdeprived　of　vegetation；
and　so　it　is　with　men；〃　thought　Nekhludoff。　〃Perhaps　these
governors；　inspectors；　policemen；　are　needed；　but　it　is　terrible
to　see　men　deprived　of　the　chief　human　attribute；　that　of　love
and　sympathy　for　one　another。　The　thing　is；〃　he　continued；　〃that
these　people　consider　lawful　what　is　not　lawful；　and　do　not
consider　the　eternal；　immutable　law；　written　in　the　hearts　of　men
by　God；　as　law。　That　is　why　I　feel　so　depressed　when　I　am　with
these　people。　I　am　simply　afraid　of　them；　and　really　they　are
terrible；　more　terrible　than　robbers。　A　robber　might；　after　all；
feel　pity；　but　they　can　feel　no　pity；　they　are　inured　against
pity　as　these　stones　are　against　vegetation。　That　is　what　makes
them　terrible。　It　is　said　that　the　Pougatcheffs；　the　Razins
＇leaders　of　rebellions　in　Russia：　Stonka　Razin　in　the　17th　and
Pougatcheff　in　the　18th　century＇　are　terrible。　These　are　a
thousand　times　more　terrible；〃　he　continued；　in　his　thoughts。　〃If
a　psychological　problem　were　set　to　find　means　of　making　men　of
our　timeChristian；　humane；　simple；　kind　peopleperform　the
most　horrible　crimes　without　feeling　guilty；　only　one　solution
could　be　devised：　to　go　on　doing　what　is　being　done。　It　is　only
necessary　that　these　people　should　he　governors；　inspectors；
policemen；　that　they　should　be　fully　convinced　that　there　is　a
kind　of　business；　called　government　service；　which　allows　men　to
treat　other　men　as　things；　without　human　brotherly　relations　with
them；　and　also　that　these　people　should　be　so　linked　together　by
this　government　service　that　the　responsibility　for　the　results
of　their　actions　should　not　fall　on　any　one　of　them　separately。
Without　these　conditions；　the　terrible　acts　I　witnessed　to…day
would　be　impossible　in　our　times。　It　all　lies　in　the　fact　that
men　think　there　are　circumstances　in　which　one　may　deal　with
human　beings　without　love；　and　there　are　no　such　circumstances。
One　may　deal　with　things　without　love。　one　may　cut　down　trees；
make　bricks；　hammer　iron　without　love；　but　you　cannot　deal　with
men　without　it；　just　as　one　cannot　deal　with　bees　without　being
careful。　If　you　deal　carelessly　with　bees　you　will　injure　them；
and　will　yourself　be　injured。　And　so　with　men。　It　cannot　be
otherwise；　because　natural　love　is　the　fundamental　law　of　human
life。　It　is　true　that　a　man　cannot　force　another　to　love　him；　as
he　can　force　him　to　work　for　him；　but　it　does　not　follow　that　a
man　may　deal　with　men　without　love；　especially　to　demand　anything
from　them。　　If　you　feel　no　love；　sit　still；〃　Nekhludoff　thought；
〃occupy　yourself　with　things；　with　yourself；　with　anything　you
like；　only　not　with　men。　You　can　only　eat　without　injuring
yourself　when　you　feel　inclined　to　eat；　so　you　can　only　deal　with
men　usefully　when　you　love。　Only　let　yourself　deal　with　a　man
without　love；　as　I　did　yesterday　with　my　brother…in…law；　and
there　are　no　limits　to　the　suffering　you　will　bring　on　yourself；
as　all　my　life　proves。　　Yes；　yes；　it　is　so；〃　thought　Nekhludoff；
〃it　is　good；　yes；　it　is　good；〃　he　repeated；　enjoying　the
freshness　after　the　torturing　heat；　and　conscious　of　having
attained　to　the　fullest　clearness　on　a　question　that　had　long
occupied　him。


CHAPTER　XLI。

TARAS'S　STORY。

The　carriage　in　which　Nekhludoff　had　taken　his　place　was　half
filled　with　people。　There　were　in　it　servants；　working　men；
factory　hands；　butchers；　Jews；　shopmen；　workmen's　wives；　a
soldier；　two　ladies；　a　young　one　and　an　old　one　with　bracelets　on
her　arm；　and　a　severe…looking　gentleman　with　a　cockade　on　his
black　cap。　All　these　people　were　sitting　quietly；　the　bustle　of
taking　their　places　was　long　over；　some　sat　cracking　and　eating
sunflower　seeds；　some　smoking；　some　talking。

Taras　sat；　looking　very　happy；　opposite　the　door；　keeping　a　place
for　Nekhludoff；　and　carrying　on　an　animated　conversation　with　a
man　in　a　cloth　coat　who　sat　opposite　to　him；　and　who　was；　as
Nekhludoff　afterwards　found　out；　a　gardener　going　to　a　new
situation。　Before　reaching　the　place　where　Taras　sat　Nekhludoff
stopped　between　the　seats　near　a　reverend…looking　old　man　with　a
white　beard　and　nankeen　coat；　who　was　talking　with　a　young　woman
in　peasant　dress。　A　little　girl　of　about　seven；　dressed　in　a　new
peasant　costume；　sat；　her　little　legs　dangling　above　the　floor；
by　the　side　of　the　woman；　and　kept　cracking　seeds。

The　old　man　turned　round；　and；　seeing　Nekhludoff；　he　moved　the
lappets　of　his　coat　off　the　varnished　seat　next　to　him；　and　said；
in　a　friendly　manner：

〃Please；　here's　a　seat。〃

Nekhludoff　thanked　him；　and　took　the　seat。　As　soon　as　he　was
seated　the　woman　continued　the　interrupted　conversation。

She　was　returning　to　her　village；　and　related　how　her　husband；
whom　she　had　been　visiting；　had　received　her　in　town。

〃I　was　there　during　the　carnival；　and　now；　by　the　Lord's　help；
I've　been　again；〃　she　said。　〃Then；　God　willing；　at　Christmas　I'll
go　again。〃

〃That's　right；〃　said　the　old　man；　with　a　look　at　Nekhludoff；
〃it's　the　best　way　to　go　and　see　him；　else　a　young　man　can　easily
go　to　the　bad；　living　in　a　town。〃

〃Oh；　no；　sir；　mine　is　not　such　a　man。　No　nonsense　of　any　kind
about　him；　his　life　is　as　good　as　a　young　maiden's。　The　money　he
earns　he　sends　home　all　to　a　copeck。　And；　as　to　our　girl　here；　he
was　so　glad　to　see　her；　there　are　no　words　for　it；〃　said　the
woman；　and　smiled。

The　little　girl；　who　sat　cracking　her　seeds　and　spitting　out　the
shells；　listened　to　her　mother's　words；　and；　as　if　to　confirm
them；　looked　up　with　calm；　intelligent　eyes　into　Nekhludoff's　and
the　old　man's　faces。

〃Well；　if　he's　good；　that's　better　still；〃　said　the　old　man。
〃And　none　of　that　sort　of　thing？〃　he　added；　with　a　look　at　a
couple；　evidently　factory　hands；　who　sat　at　the　other　side　of　the
carriage。　The　husband；　with　his　head　thrown　back；　was　pouring
vodka　down　his　throat　out　of　a　bottle；　and　the　wife　sat　holding　a
bag；　out　of　which　they　had　taken　the　bottle；　and　watched　him
intently。

〃No；　mine　neither　drinks　nor　smokes；〃　said　the　woman　who　was
conversing　with　the　old　man；　glad　of　the　opportunity　of　praising
her　husband　once　more。　〃No；　sir；　the　earth　does　not　hold　many
such。〃　And；　turning　to　Nekhludoff；　she　added；　〃That's　the　sort
of　man　he　is。〃

〃What　could　be　better；〃　said　the　old　man；　looking　at　the　factory
worker；　who　had　had　his　drink　and　had　passed　the　bottle　to　his
wife。　The　wife　laughed；　shook　her　head；　and　also　raised　the
bottle　to　her　lips。

Noticing　Nekhludoff's　and　the　old　man's　look　directed　towards
them；　the　factory　worker　addressed　the　former。

〃What　is　it；　sir？　That　we　are　drinking？　Ah；　no　one　sees　how　we
work；　but　every　one　sees　how　we　drink。　I　have　earned　it；　and　I　am
drinking　and　treating　my　wife；　and　no　one　else。〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　Nekhludoff；　not　knowing　what　to　say。

〃True；　sir。　My　wife　is　a　steady　woman。　I　am　satisfied　with　my
wife；　because　she　can　feel　for　me。　Is　it　right　what　I'm　saying；
Mavra？〃

〃There　you　are；　take　it；　I　don't　want　any　more；〃　said　the　wife；
returnin