dition which is due to your human judgment； the
greater part of them are far better than you or
those who were their judges and who keep them
here。 This one〃he pointed to the handsome；
curly…headed fellow〃is a murderer。 I do not
consider him more guilty than those who kill in
war or in duelling； and are rewarded for their
deeds。 He had neither education nor moral
guidance； and his life had been cast among thieves
and drunkards。 This lessens his guilt； but he has
done wrong； nevertheless； in being a murderer。
He killed a merchant； to rob him。 The other
man； the Jew； is a thief； one of a gang of thieves。
That uncommonly strong fellow is a horse…stealer；
and guilty also； but compared with others not as
culpable。 Look！〃and suddenly the young
Tsar found himself in an open field on a vast
frontier。 On the right were potato fields； the
plants had been rooted out； and were lying in
heaps； blackened by the frost； in alternate streaks
were rows of winter corn。 In the distance a little
village with its tiled roofs was visible； on the left
were fields of winter corn； and fields of stubble。
No one was to be seen on any side； save a black
human figure in front at the border…line； a gun
slung on his back； and at his feet a dog。 On the
spot where the young Tsar stood； sitting beside
him； almost at his feet； was a young Russian
soldier with a green band on his cap； and with his
rifle slung over his shoulders； who was rolling up
a paper to make a cigarette。 The soldier was
obviously unaware of the presence of the young
Tsar and his companion； and had not heard them。
He did now turn round when the Tsar； who was
standing directly over the soldier； asked； 〃Where
are we？〃 〃On the Prussian frontier；〃 his guide
answered。 Suddenly； far away in front of them；
a shot was fired。 The soldier jumped to his feet；
and seeing two men running； bent low to the
ground； hastily put his tobacco into his pocket；
and ran after one of them。 〃Stop； or I'll
shoot！〃 cried the soldier。 The fugitive； without
stopping； turned his head and called out something
evidently abusive or blasphemous。
〃Damn you！〃 shouted the soldier； who put one
foot a little forward and stopped； after which；
bending his head over his rifle； and raising his
right hand； he rapidly adjusted something； took
aim； and； pointing the gun in the direction of the
fugitive； probably fired； although no sound was
heard。 〃Smokeless powder； no doubt；〃 thought
the young Tsar； and looking after the fleeing man
saw him take a few hurried steps； and bending
lower and lower； fall to the ground and crawl on
his hands and knees。 At last he remained lying
and did not move。 The other fugitive； who was
ahead of him； turned round and ran back to
the man who was lying on the ground。 He
did something for him and then resumed his
flight。
〃What does all this mean？ 〃 asked the Tsar。
〃These are the guards on the frontier； enforc…
ing the revenue laws。 That man was killed to
protect the revenues of the State。〃
〃Has he actually been killed？ 〃
The guide again laid his hand upon the head of
the young Tsar； and again the Tsar lost conscious…
ness。 When he had recovered his senses he found
himself in a small roomthe customs office。
The dead body of a man； with a thin grizzled
beard； an aquiline nose； and big eyes with the
eyelids closed； was lying on the floor。 His arms
were thrown asunder； his feet bare； and his thick；
dirty toes were turned up at right angles and stuck
out straight。 He had a wound in his side； and
on his ragged cloth jacket； as well as on his blue
shirt； were stains of clotted blood； which had
turned black save for a few red spots here and
there。 A woman stood close to the wall； so
wrapped up in shawls that her face could scarcely
be seen。 Motionless she gazed at the aquiline
nose； the upturned feet； and the protruding eye…
balls； sobbing and sighing； and drying her tears at
long； regular intervals。 A pretty girl of thirteen
was standing at her mother's side； with her eyes
and mouth wide open。 A boy of eight clung to
his mother's skirt； and looked intensely at his dead
father without blinking。
From a door near them an official； an officer； a
doctor； and a clerk with documents； entered。
After them came a soldier； the one who had shot
the man。 He stepped briskly along behind his
superiors； but the instant he saw the corpse he
went suddenly pale； and quivered； and dropping
his head stood still。 When the official asked him
whether that was the man who was escaping across
the frontier； and at whom he had fired； he was
unable to answer。 His lips trembled； and his
face twitched。 〃The sss〃 he began； but
could not get out the words which he wanted to
say。 〃The same； your excellency。〃 The of…
ficials looked at each other and wrote something
down。
〃You see the beneficial results of that same
system！〃
In a room of sumptuous vulgarity two men sat
drinking wine。 One of them was old and grey；
the other a young Jew。 The young Jew was
holding a roll of bank…notes in his hand； and was
bargaining with the old man。 He was buying
smuggled goods。
〃You've got 'em cheap；〃 he said； smiling。
〃Yesbut the risk〃
〃This is indeed terrible；〃 said the young Tsar；
but it cannot be avoided。 Such proceedings are
necessary。〃
His companion made no response； saying
merely； 〃Let us move on；〃 and laid his hand
again on the head of the Tsar。 When the Tsar
recovered consciousness； he was standing in a
small room lit by a shaded lamp。 A woman was
sitting at the table sewing。 A boy of eight was
bending over the table； drawing； with his feet
doubled up under him in the armchair。 A stu…
dent was reading aloud。 The father and daugh…
ter of the family entered the room noisily。
〃You signed the order concerning the sale of
spirits；〃 said the guide to the Tsar。
〃Well？〃 said the woman。
〃He's not likely to live。〃
〃What's the matter with him？〃
〃They've kept him drunk all the time。〃
〃It's not possible！〃 exclaimed the wife。
〃It's true。 And the boy's only nine years old；
that Vania Moroshkine。〃
〃What did you do to try to save him？〃 asked
the wife。
〃I tried everything that could be done。 I gave
him an emetic and put a mustard…plaster on him。
He has every symptom of delirium tremens。〃
〃It's no wonderthe whole family are drunk…
ards。 Annisia is only a little better than the rest；
and even she is generally more or less drunk；〃
said the daughter。
〃And what about your temperance society？〃
the student asked his sister。
〃What can we do when they are given every
opportunity of drinking？ Father tried to have
the public…house shut up； but the law is against
him。 And； besides； when I was trying to convince
Vasily Ermiline that it was disgraceful to keep
a public…house and ruin the people with drink；
he answered very haughtily； and indeed got the
better of me before the crowd： 'But I have a
license with the Imperial eagle on it。 If there
was anything wrong in my business； the Tsar
wouldn't have issued a decree authorising it。'
Isn't it terrible？ The whole village has been
drunk for the last three days。 And as for feast…
days； it is simply horrible to think of！ It has
been proved conclusively that alcohol does no good
in any case； but invariably does harm； and it
has been demonstrated to be an absolute poison。
Then； ninety…nine per cent。 of the crimes in the
world are committed through its influence。 We
all know how the standard of morality and the
general welfare improved at once in all the coun…
tries where drinking has been suppressedlike
Sweden and Finland； and we know that it can be
suppressed by exercising a moral influence over
the masses。 But in our country the class which
could exert that influencethe Government； the
Tsar and his officialssimply encourage drink。
Their main revenues are drawn from the continual
drunkenness of the people。 They drink them…
selvesthey are always drinking the health of
somebody： 'Gentlemen； the Regiment！' The
preachers drink； the bishops drink〃
Again the guide touched the head of the young
Tsar； who again lost consciousness。 This time he
found himself in a peasant's cottage。 The peas…
anta man of forty； with red face and blood…
shot eyeswas furiously striking the face of an
old man； who tried in vain to protect himself from
the blows。 The younger peasant seized the beard
of the old man and held it fast。
〃For shame！ To strike your father！〃
〃I don't care； I'll kill him！ Let them send
me to Siberia； I don't care！〃
The women were screaming。 Drunken officials
rushed into the cottage and separated father and
son。 The father had an arm broken and the son's
beard was torn out。 In the doorway a drunken
girl was making violent love to an old besotted
peasant。
〃They are beasts！〃 said the young Tsar。
Another touch of his guide's hand and the
young Tsar awoke in a new place。 It was the
office of the justice of the peace。 A fat； bald…
headed man； with a double chin and a chain round
his neck； had just risen from his seat； and was
reading the sentence in a loud voice； while a crowd
of peasants stood behind the grating。 There was
a woman in rags in the crowd who did not rise。
The guard gave her a push。
〃Asleep！ I tell you to stand up！〃 The
woman rose。
〃According to the decree of his Imperial
Majesty〃 the judge began reading the sen…
tence。 The case concerned that very woman。
She had taken away half a bundle of oats as she
was passing the thrashing…floor of a landowner。
The justice of the peace sentenced her to two
months' imprisonment。 The landowner whose
oats had been stolen was among the audi…
ence。 When the judge adjourned the court the
landowner approached； and shook hands； and the
judge entered into conversation with him。 The
next case was about a stolen samovar。 Then
there was a trial about some timber which had
been cut； to the detriment of the landowner。
Some peasants were being tried for having as…
saulted the constable of the district。
When the young Tsar again lost consciousness；
he awoke to find himself in the middle of a vil…
lage； where he saw hungry； half…frozen children
and the wife of the man who