resurrection(复活)- 第50部分

〃How　else？　Of　course；　so　much　per　man；〃　said　the　good　natured
lame　man　with　the　white　strips　of　linen　round　his　legs。

Every　one　confirmed　this　statement；　considering　it　satisfactory。

〃So　much　per　man？　Then　are　the　servants　attached　to　the　house
also　to　have　a　share？〃　Nekhludoff　asked。

〃Oh；　no；〃　said　the　ex…soldier；　trying　to　appear　bold　and　merry。
But　the　tall；　reasonable　man　would　not　agree　with　him。

〃If　one　is　to　divide；　all　must　share　alike；〃　he　said；　in　his　deep
bass；　after　a　little　consideration。

〃It　can't　be　done；〃　said　Nekhludoff；　who　had　already　prepared　his
reply。　〃If　all　are　to　share　alike；　then　those　who　do　not　work
themselvesdo　not　ploughwill　sell　their　shares　to　the　rich。
The　rich　will　again　get　at　the　land。　Those　who　live　by　working
the　land　will　multiply；　and　land　will　again　be　scarce。　Then　the
rich　will　again　get　those　who　need　land　into　their　power。〃

〃Just　so；〃　quickly　said　the　ex…soldier。

〃Forbid　to　sell　the　land；　let　only　him　who　ploughs　it　have　it；〃
angrily　interrupted　the　oven…builder。

To　this　Nekhludoff　replied　that　it　was　impossible　to　know　who　was
ploughing　for　himself　and　who　for　another。

The　tall；　reasonable　man　proposed　that　an　arrangement　be　made　so
that　they　should　all　plough　communally；　and　those　who　ploughed
should　get　the　produce　and　those　who　did　not　should　get　nothing。

To　this　communistic　project　Nekhludoff　had　also　an　answer　ready。
He　said　that　for　such　an　arrangement　it　would　be　necessary　that
all　should　have　ploughs；　and　that　all　the　horses　should　be　alike；
so　that　none　should　be　left　behind；　and　that　ploughs　and　horses
and　all　the　implements　would　have　to　be　communal　property；　and
that　in　order　to　get　that；　all　the　people　would　have　to　agree。

〃Our　people　could　not　be　made　to　agree　in　a　lifetime；〃　said　the
cross　old　man。

〃We　should　have　regular　fights；〃　said　the　white…bearded　old　man
with　the　laughing　eyes。　〃So　that　the　thing　is　not　as　simple　as　it
looks；〃　said　Nekhludoff；　〃and　this　is　a　thing　not　only　we　but
many　have　been　considering。　There　is　an　American；　Henry　George。
This　is　what　he　has　thought　out；　and　I　agree　with　him。〃

〃Why；　you　are　the　master；　and　you　give　it　as　you　like。　What's　it
to　you？　The　power　is　yours；〃　said　the　cross　old　man。

This　confused　Nekhludoff；　but　he　was　pleased　to　see　that　not　he
alone　was　dissatisfied　with　this　interruption。

You　wait　a　bit；　Uncle　Simon；　let　him　tell　us　about　it；〃　said　the
reasonable　man；　in　his　imposing　bass。

This　emboldened　Nekhludoff；　and　he　began　to　explain　Henry
George's　single…tax　system　〃The　earth　is　no　man's；　it　is　God's；〃
he　began。

〃Just　so；　that　it　is；〃　several　voices　replied。

〃The　land　is　common　to　all。　All　have　the　same　right　to　it；　but
there　is　good　land　and　bad　land；　and　every　one　would　like　to　take
the　good　land。　How　is　one　to　do　in　order　to　get　it　justly
divided？　In　this　way：　he　that　will　use　the　good　land　must　pay
those　who　have　got　no　land　the　value　of　the　land　he　uses；〃
Nekhludoff　went　on；　answering　his　own　question。　〃As　it　would　be
difficult　to　say　who　should　pay　whom；　and　money　is　needed　for
communal　use；　it　should　be　arranged　that　he　who　uses　the　good
land　should　pay　the　amount　of　the　value　of　his　land　to　the
commune　for　its　needs。　Then　every　one　would　share　equally。　If　you
want　to　use　land　pay　for　itmore　for　the　good；　less　for　the　bad
land。　If　you　do　not　wish　to　use　land；　don't　pay　anything；　and
those　who　use　the　land　will　pay　the　taxes　and　the　communal
expenses　for　you。〃

〃Well；　he　had　a　head；　this　George；〃　said　the　oven…builder；　moving
his　brows。　〃He　who　has　good　land　must　pay　more。〃

〃If　only　the　payment　is　according　to　our　strength；〃　said　the　tall
man　with　the　bass　voice；　evidently　foreseeing　how　the　matter
would　end。

〃The　payment　should　be　not　too　high　and　not　too　low。　If　it　is　too
high　it　will　not　get　paid；　and　there　will　be　a　loss；　and　if　it　is
too　low　it　will　be　bought　and　sold。　There　would　be　a　trading　in
land。　This　is　what　I　wished　to　arrange　among　you　here。〃

〃That　is　just；　that　is　right；　yes；　that　would　do；〃　said　the
peasants。

〃He　has　a　head；　this　George；〃　said　the　broad…shouldered　old　man
with　the　curls。　〃See　what　he　has　invented。〃

〃Well；　then；　how　would　it　be　if　I　wished　to　take　some　land？〃
asked　the　smiling　foreman。

〃If　there　is　an　allotment　to　spare；　take　it　and　work　it；〃　said
Nekhludoff。

〃What　do　you　want　it　for？　You　have　sufficient　as　it　is；〃　said　the
old　man　with　the　laughing　eyes。

With　this　the　conference　ended。

Nekhludoff　repeated　his　offer；　and　advised　the　men　to　talk　it
over　with　the　rest　of　the　commune　and　to　return　with　the　answer。

The　peasants　said　they　would　talk　it　over　and　bring　an　answer；
and　left　in　a　state　of　excitement。　Their　loud　talk　was　audible　as
they　went　along　the　road；　and　up　to　late　in　the　night　the　sound
of　voices　came　along　the　river　from　the　village。

The　next　day　the　peasants　did　not　go　to　work；　but　spent　it　in
considering　the　landlord's　offer。　The　commune　was　divided　into
two　partiesone　which　regarded　the　offer　as　a　profitable　one　to
themselves　and　saw　no　danger　in　agreeing　with　it；　and　another
which　suspected　and　feared　the　offer　it　did　not　understand。　On
the　third　day；　however；　all　agreed；　and　some　were　sent　to
Nekhludoff　to　accept　his　offer。　They　were　influenced　in　their
decision　by　the　explanation　some　of　the　old　men　gave　of　the
landlord's　conduct；　which　did　away　with　all　fear　of　deceit。　They
thought　the　gentleman　had　begun　to　consider　his　soul；　and　was
acting　as　he　did　for　its　salvation。　The　alms　which　Nekhludoff　had
given　away　while　in　Panovo　made　his　explanation　seem　likely。　The
fact　that　Nekhludoff　had　never　before　been　face　to　face　with　such
great　poverty　and　so　bare　a　life　as　the　peasants　had　come　to　in
this　place；　and　was　so　appalled　by　it；　made　him　give　away　money
in　charity；　though　he　knew　that　this　was　not　reasonable。　He　could
not　help　giving　the　money；　of　which　he　now　had　a　great　deal；
having　received　a　large　sum　for　the　forest　he　had　sold　the　year
before；　and　also　the　hand　money　for　the　implements　and　stock　in
Kousminski。　As　soon　as　it　was　known　that　the　master　was　giving
money　in　charity；　crowds　of　people；　chiefly　women；　began　to　come
to　ask　him　for　help。　He　did　not　in　the　least　know　how　to　deal
with　them；　how　to　decide；　how　much；　and　whom　to　give　to。　He　felt
that　to　refuse　to　give　money；　of　which　he　had　a　great　deal；　to
poor　people　was　impossible；　yet　to　give　casually　to　those　who
asked　was　not　wise。　The　last　day　he　spent　in　Panovo；　Nekhludoff
looked　over　the　things　left　in　his　aunts'　house；　and　in　the
bottom　drawer　of　the　mahogany　wardrobe；　with　the　brass　lions'
heads　with　rings　through　them；　he　found　many　letters；　and　amongst
them　a　photograph　of　a　group；　consisting　of　his　aunts；　Sophia
Ivanovna　and　Mary　Ivanovna；　a　student；　and　Katusha。　Of　all　the
things　in　the　house　he　took　only　the　letters　and　the　photograph。
The　rest　he　left　to　the　miller　who；　at　the　smiling　foreman's
recommendation；　had　bought　the　house　and　all　it　contained；　to　be
taken　down　and　carried　away；　at　one…tenth　of　the　real　value。

Recalling　the　feeling　of　regret　at　the　loss　of　his　property　which
he　had　felt　in　Kousminski；　Nekhludoff　was　surprised　how　he　could
have　felt　this　regret。　Now　he　felt　nothing　but　unceasing　joy　at
the　deliverance；　and　a　sensation　of　newness　something　like　that
which　a　traveller　must　experience　when　discovering　new　countries。


CHAPTER　X。

NEKHLUDOFF　RETURNS　TO　TOWN。

The　town　struck　Nekhludoff　in　a　new　and　peculiar　light　on　his
return。　He　came　back　in　the　evening；　when　the　gas　was　lit；　and
drove　from　the　railway　station　to　his　house；　where　the　rooms
still　smelt　of　naphthaline。　Agraphena　Petrovna　and　Corney　were
both　feeling　tired　and　dissatisfied；　and　had　even　had　a　quarrel
over　those　things　that　seemed　made　only　to　be　aired　and　packed
away。　Nekhludoff's　room　was　empty；　but　not　in　order；　and　the　way
to　it　was　blocked　up　with　boxes；　so　that　his　arrival　evidently
hindered　the　business　which；　owing　to　a　curious　kind　of　inertia；
was　going　on　in　this　house。　The　evident　folly　of　these
proceedings；　in　which　he　had　once　taken　part；　was　so　distasteful
to　Nekhludoff　after　the　impressions　the　misery　of　the　life　of　the
peasants　had　made　on　him；　that　he　decided　to　go　to　a　hotel　the
next　day；　leaving　Agraphena　Petrovna　to　put　away　the　things　as
she　thought　fit　until　his　sister　should　come　and　finally　dispose
of　everything　in　the　house。

Nekhludoff　left　home　early　and　chose　a　couple　of　rooms　in　a　very
modest　and　not　particularly　clean　lodging…house　within　easy　reach
of　the　prison；　and；　having　given　orders　that　some　of　his　things
should　be　sent　there；　he　went　to　see　the　advocate。　It　was　cold
out　of　doors。　After　some　rainy　and　stormy　weather　it　had　turned
out　cold；　as　it　often　does　in　spring。　It　was　so　cold　that
Nekhludoff　felt　quite　chilly　in　his　light　overcoat；　and　walked
fast　hoping　to　get　warmer。　His　mind　was　filled　with　thoughts　of
the　peasants；　the　women；　children；　old　men；　and　all　the　poverty
and　weariness　which　he　seemed　to　have　seen　for　the　first　time；
especially　the　smiling；　old…faced　infant　writhing　with　his
calfless　little　legs；　and　he　could　not　help　contrasting　what　was
going　on　in　the　town。　Passing　by　the　butchers'；　fishmongers'；　and
clothiers'　shops；　he　was　struck；　as　if　he　saw　them　for　the　first
time；　by　the　appearance　of　the　clean；　well…fed　shopkeepers；　like
whom　you　could　not　find　one　peasant　in　the　country。　These　men
were　apparently　convinced　that　the　pains　they　took　to　deceive　the
people　who　did　not　know　much　about　their　goods　was　not　a　useless
but　rather　an　important　business。　The　coachmen　with　their　broad
hips　and　rows　of　buttons　down　their　sides；　and　the　door…keepers
with　gold　cords　on　their　caps；　the　servant…girls　with　their
aprons　and　curly　fringes；　and　especially　the　smart　isvostchiks
with　the　nape　of　their　necks　clean　shaved；　as　they　sat　lolling
back　in　their　traps；　and　examined　the　passers…by　with　dissolute
and　contemptuous　air；　looked　well　fed。　In　all　these　people
Nekhludoff　could　not　now　help　seeing　some　of　these　very　peasants
who　had　been　driven　into　the　town　by　lack　of　land。　Some　of　the
peasants　driven　to　the　town　had　found　means　of　profitin