others to toil for me； but I shall endeavor to free them from the
labor which they have performed for me； as far as possible； either by
doing without this labor or by performing it for myself。
And this very simple and unavoidable deduction enters into all the
details of my life； effects a total change in it； and at one blow
releases me from those moral sufferings which I have undergone at the
sight of the sufferings and the vice of the people； and instantly
annihilates all three causes of my inability to aid the poor； which I
had encountered while seeking the cause of my lack of success。
The first cause was the herding of the people in towns； and the
absorption there of the wealth of the country。 All that a man needs
is to understand how every hiring or purchase is a handle to
extortion from the poor； and that therefore he must abstain from
them； and must try to fulfil his own requirements； and not a single
man will then quit the country； where all wants can be satisfied
without money； for the city； where it is necessary to buy every
thing： and in the country he will be in a position to help the
needy； as has been my own experience and the experience of every one
else。
The second cause is the estrangement of the rich from the poor。 A
man needs but to refrain from buying； from hiring； and； disdaining no
sort of work； to satisfy his requirements himself； and the former
estrangement will immediately be annihilated； and the man； having
rejected luxury and the services of others； will amalgamate with the
mass of the working people； and； standing shoulder to shoulder with
the working people； he can help them。
The third cause was shame； founded on a consciousness of immorality
in my owning that money with which I desired to help people。 All
that is required is： to understand the significance of money as
impersonal slavery； which it has acquired among us； in order to
escape for the future from falling into the error according to which
money； though evil in itself； can be an instrument of good； and in
order to refrain from acquiring money； and to rid one's self of it in
order to be in a position to do good to people； that is； to bestow on
them one's labor； and not the labor of another。
CHAPTER XIX。
＇I saw that money is the cause of suffering and vice among the
people； and that； if I desired to help people； the first thing that
was required of me was not to create those unfortunates whom I wished
to assist。
I came to the conclusion that the man who does not love vice and the
suffering of the people should not make use of money； thus presenting
an inducement to extortion from the poor； by forcing them to work for
him； and that； in order not to make use of the toil of others； he
must demand as little from others as possible； and work as much as
possible himself。＇ ｛22｝
By dint of a long course of reasoning； I came to this inevitable
conclusion； which was drawn thousands of years ago by the Chinese in
the saying； 〃If there is one idle man； there is another dying with
hunger to offset him。
＇Then what are we to do？ John the Baptist gave the answer to this
very question two thousand years ago。 And when the people asked him；
〃What are we to do？〃 he said； 〃Let him that hath two garments impart
to him that hath none； and let him that hath meat do the same。〃 What
is the meaning of giving away one garment out of two； and half of
one's food？ It means giving to others every superfluity； and
thenceforth taking nothing superfluous from people。
This expedient； which furnishes such perfect satisfaction to the
moral feelings； kept my eyes fast bound； and binds all our eyes； and
we do not see it； but gaze aside。
This is precisely like a personage on the stage； who had entered a
long time since； and all the spectators see him； and it is obvious
that the actors cannot help seeing him； but the point on the stage
lies in the acting characters pretending not to see him； and in
suffering from his absence。＇ ｛23｝
Thus we； in our efforts to recover from our social diseases； search
in all quarters； governmental and anti…governmental； and in
scientific and in philanthropic superstitions； and we do not see what
is perfectly visible to every eye。
For the man who really suffers from the sufferings of the people who
surround us； there exists the very plainest； simplest； and easiest
means； the only possible one for the cure of the evil about us； and
for the acquisition of a consciousness of the legitimacy of his life；
the one given by John the Baptist； and confirmed by Christ： not to
have more than one garment； and not to have money。 And not to have
any money； means； not to employ the labor of others； and hence； first
of all； to do with our own hands every thing that we can possibly do。
This is so clear and simple！ But it is clear and simple when the
requirements are simple。 I live in the country。 I lie on the oven；
and I order my debtor； my neighbor； to chop wood and light my fire。
It is very clear that I am lazy； and that I tear my neighbor away
from his affairs； and I shall feel mortified； and I shall find it
tiresome to lie still all the time； and I shall go and split my wood
for myself。
But the delusion of slavery of all descriptions lies so far back； so
much of artificial exaction has sprung up upon it； so many people；
accustomed in different degrees to these habits； are interwoven with
each other； enervated people； spoiled for generations； and such
complicated delusions and justifications for their luxury and
idleness have been devised by people； that it is far from being so
easy for a man who stands at the summit of the ladder of idle people
to understand his sin； as it is for the peasant who has made his
neighbor build his fire。
It is terribly difficult for people at the top of this ladder to
understand what is required of them。 ＇Their heads are turned by the
height of this ladder of lies； upon which they find themselves when a
place on the ground is offered to them； to which they must descend in
order to begin to live； not yet well； but no longer cruelly；
inhumanly； for this reason； this clear and simple truth appears
strange to these people。 For the man with ten servants； liveries；
coachmen； cooks； pictures； pianofortes； that will infallibly appear
strange； and even ridiculous； which is the simplest； the first act
ofI will not say every good manbut of every man who is not
wicked： to cut his own wood with which his food is cooked； and with
which he warms himself； to himself clean those boots with which he
has heedlessly stepped in the mire； to himself fetch that water with
which he preserves his cleanliness； and to carry out that dirty water
in which he has washed himself。＇ ｛24｝
But； besides the remoteness of people from the truth； there is
another cause which prevents people from seeing the obligation for
them of the simplest and most natural personal； physical labor for
themselves： this is the complication； the inextricability of the
conditions； the advantage of all the people who are bound together
among themselves by money； in which the rich man lives： My luxurious
life feeds people。 What would become of my old valet if I were to
discharge him？ What！ we must all do every thing necessary；make our
clothes and hew wood？ 。 。 。 And how about the division of labor？〃
＇This morning I stepped out into the corridor where the fires were
being built。 A peasant was making a fire in the stove which warms my
son's room。 I went in； the latter was asleep。 It was eleven o'clock
in the morning。 To…day is a holiday： there is some excuse； there
are no lessons。
The smooth…skinned； eighteen…year…old youth； with a beard； who had
eaten his fill on the preceding evening； sleeps until eleven o'clock。
But the peasant of his age had been up at dawn； and had got through a
quantity of work； and was attending to his tenth stove； while the
former slept。 〃The peasant shall not make the fire in his stove to
warm that smooth； lazy body of his！〃 I thought。 But I immediately
recollected that this stove also warmed the room of the housekeeper；
a woman forty years of age； who； on the evening before； had been
making preparations up to three o'clock in the morning for the supper
which my son had eaten； and that she had cleared the table； and risen
at seven； nevertheless。 The peasant was building the fire for her
also。 And under her name the lazybones was warming himself。
It is true that the interests of all are interwoven； but； even
without any prolonged reckoning； the conscience of each man will say
on whose side lies labor； and on whose idleness。 But although
conscience says this； the account…book； the cash…book； says it still
more clearly。 The more money any one spends； the more idle he is；
that is to say； the more he makes others work for him。 The less he
spends； the more he works。＇ ｛25｝ But trade； but public undertakings；
and； finally； the most terrible of words； culture； the development of
sciences； and the arts；what of them？
＇If I live I will make answer to those points； and in detail； and
until such answer I will narrate the following。＇ ｛25｝
CHAPTER XX。
LIFE IN THE CITY。
Last year； in March； I was returning home late at night。 As I turned
from the Zubova into Khamovnitchesky Lane； I saw some black spots on
the snow of the Dyevitchy Pole （field）。 Something was moving about
in one place。 I should not have paid any attention to this； if the
policeman who was standing at the end of the street had not shouted
in the direction of the black spots； …
〃Vasily！ why don't you bring her in？〃
〃She won't come！〃 answered a voice； and then the spot moved towards
the policeman。
I halted and asked the police…officer； 〃What is it？〃
He said；〃They are taking a girl from the Rzhanoff house to the
station…house； and she is hanging back； she won't walk。〃 A house…
porter in a sheepskin coat was leading her。 She was walking forward；
and he was pushing her from behind。 All of us； I and the porter and
the policeman； were dressed in winter clothes； but she had nothing on
over her dress。 In the darkness I could make out only her brown
dress； and the kerchiefs on he