shipping gods made with hands； but worshipping
the spirit and the truth。 He told him how he had
learnt the truth from the lame tailor at the time
when they were dividing the land。
〃And what will become of those who have
done evil？〃 asked Stepan。
〃 The Scriptures give an answer to that；〃 said
Chouev； and read aloud to him Matthew xxv。
31：
〃When the Son of Man shall come in His
glory； and all the holy angels with Him； then shall
He sit upon the throne of His glory： and before
Him shall be gathered all nations： and He shall
separate them one from another； as a shepherd
divideth His sheep from the goats： and He shall
set the sheep on His right hand； but the goats on
the left。 Then shall the King say unto them on
His right hand； Come； ye blessed of My Father；
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the
foundation of the world： for I was an hungred；
and ye gave Me meat： I was thirsty； and ye gave
Me drink： I was a stranger； and ye took Me in：
naked； and ye clothed Me： I was sick； and ye
visited Me： I was in prison； and ye came unto Me。
Then shall the righteous answer Him； saying；
Lord； when saw we Thee an hungred； and fed
Thee？ or thirsty； and gave Thee drink？ When
saw we Thee a stranger； and took Thee in？ or
naked； and clothed Thee？ Or when saw we Thee
sick； or in prison； and came unto Thee？ And the
King shall answer and say unto them； Verily I say
unto you； inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of
the least of these My brethren； ye have done it
unto Me。 Then shall He say also unto them on
the left hand； Depart from Me； ye cursed； into
everlasting fire； prepared for the devil and his an…
gels： for I was an hungred； and ye gave Me no
meat： I was thirsty； and ye gave Me no drink： I
was a stranger and ye took Me not in： naked； and
ye clothed Me not； sick； and in prison； and ye
visited Me not。 Then shall they also answer
Him； saying； Lord； when saw we Thee an hun…
gred； or athirst； or a stranger； or naked； or sick；
or in prison； and did not minister unto Thee？
Then shall He answer them； saying； Verily I say
unto you； Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the
least of these； ye did it not to Me。 And these
shall go away into everlasting punishment： but the
righteous into life eternal。〃
Vassily； who was sitting on the floor at Chouev's
side； and was listening to his reading the Gospel；
nodded his handsome head in approval。 〃True；〃
he said in a resolute tone。 〃Go； you cursed vil…
lains； into everlasting punishment； since you did
not give food to the hungry； but swallowed it all
yourself。 Serves them right！ I have read the
holy Nikodim's writings；〃 he added； showing off
his erudition。
〃And will they never be pardoned？〃 asked
Stepan； who had listened silently； with his hairy
head bent low down。
〃Wait a moment； and be silent；〃 said Chouev
to Vassily； who went on talking about the rich
who had not given meat to the stranger； nor vis…
ited him in the prison。
〃Wait； I say！〃 said Chouev； again turning
over the leaves of the Gospel。 Having found
what he was looking for； Chouev smoothed the
page with his large and strong hand； which had
become exceedingly white in prison：
〃And there were also two other malefactors；
led with Him〃it means with Christ〃to be
put to death。 And when they were come to the
place； which is called Calvary； there they crucified
Him； and the malefactors； one on the right hand；
and the other on the left。 Then said Jesus；
'Father； forgive them； for they know not what
they do。' And the people stood beholding。 And
the rulers also with them derided Him； saying；
'He saved others； let Him save Himself if He
be Christ； the chosen of God。' And the soldiers
also mocked Him； coming to Him； and offering
Him vinegar； and saying； 'If Thou be the King of
the Jews save Thyself。' And a superscription
also was written over Him in letters of Greek；
and Latin； and Hebrew； 'This is the King of the
Jews。' And one of the malefactors which were
hanged railed on Him； saying； 'If thou be Christ；
save Thyself and us。' But the other answering
rebuked Him； saying； 'Dost not thou fear God；
seeing thou art in the same condemnation？ And
we indeed justly； for we receive the due reward of
our deeds： but this man hath done nothing amiss。'
And he said unto Jesus； 'Lord； remember me
when Thou comest into Thy kingdom。' And Je…
sus said unto him； 'Verily I say unto thee； to…day
shalt thou be with Me in paradise。'〃
Stepan did not say anything； and was sitting
in thought； as if he were listening。
Now he knew what the true faith was。 Those
only will be saved who have given food and drink
to the poor and visited the prisoners； those who
have not done it； go to hell。 And yet the male…
factor had repented on the cross； and went never…
theless to paradise。 This did not strike him as
being inconsistent。 Quite the contrary。 The one
confirmed the other： the fact that the merciful
will go to Heaven； and the unmerciful to hell；
meant that everybody ought to be merciful； and
the malefactor having been forgiven by Christ
meant that Christ was merciful。 This was all
new to Stepan； and he wondered why it had been
hidden from him so long。
From that day onward he spent all his free time
with Chouev； asking him questions and listening
to him。 He saw but a single truth at the bottom
of the teaching of Christ as revealed to him by
Chouev： that all men are brethren； and that they
ought to love and pity one another in order that
all might be happy。 And when he listened to
Chouev； everything that was consistent with this
fundamental truth came to him like a thing he
had known before and only forgotten since； while
whatever he heard that seemed to contradict it；
he would take no notice of； as he thought that he
simply had not understood the real meaning。
And from that time Stepan was a different
man。
IV
STEPAN had been very submissive and meek ever
since he came to the prison； but now he made the
prison authorities and all his fellow…prisoners
wonder at the change in him。 Without being or…
dered； and out of his proper turn he would do all
the very hardest work in prison； and the dirtiest
too。 But in spite of his humility； the other pris…
oners stood in awe of him； and were afraid of him；
as they knew he was a resolute man； possessed of
great physical strength。 Their respect for him
increased after the incident of the two tramps
who fell upon him； he wrenched himself loose
from them and broke the arm of one of them in
the fight。 These tramps had gambled with a
young prisoner of some means and deprived him
of all his money。 Stepan took his part； and de…
prived the tramps of their winnings。 The tramps
poured their abuse on him； but when they attacked
him； he got the better of them。 When the Gov…
ernor asked how the fight had come about； the
tramps declared that it was Stepan who had begun
it。 Stepan did not try to exculpate himself； and
bore patiently his sentence which was three days
in the punishment…cell； and after that solitary con…
finement。
In his solitary cell he suffered because he could
no longer listen to Chouev and his Gospel。 He
was also afraid that the former visions of HER and
of the black devils would reappear to torment
him。 But the visions were gone for good。 His
soul was full of new and happy ideas。 He felt
glad to be alone if only he could read； and if he
had the Gospel。 He knew that he might have
got hold of the Gospel； but he could not read。
He had started to learn the alphabet in his
boyhood； but could not grasp the joining of the
syllables； and remained illiterate。 He made up
his mind to start reading anew； and asked the
guard to bring him the Gospels。 They were
brought to him； and he sat down to work。 He
contrived to recollect the letters； but could not join
them into syllables。 He tried as hard as he could
to understand how the letters ought to be put to…
gether to form words； but with no result whatever。
He lost his sleep； had no desire to eat； and a deep
sadness came over him； which he was unable to
shake off。
〃Well； have you not yet mastered it？〃 asked
the guard one day。
〃No。〃
〃Do you know 'Our Father'？〃
〃I do。〃
〃Since you do； read it in the Gospels。 Here
it is；〃 said the guard； showing him the prayer in
the Gospels。 Stepan began to read it； comparing
the letters he knew with the familiar sounds。
And all of a sudden the mystery of the sylla…
bles was revealed to him； and he began to read。
This was a great joy。 From that moment he
could read； and the meaning of the words； spelt
out with such great pains； became more significant。
Stepan did not mind any more being alone。
He was so full of his work that he did not feel
glad when he was transferred back to the common
cell； his private cell being needed for a political
prisoner who had been just sent to prison。
V
IN the meantime Mahin； the schoolboy who had
taught his friend Smokovnikov to forge the cou…
pon； had finished his career at school and then at
the university； where he had studied law。 He
had the advantage of being liked by women； and
as he had won favour with a vice…minister's former
mistress； he was appointed when still young as
examining magistrate。 He was dishonest； had
debts； had gambled； and had seduced many
women； but he was clever； sagacious； and a good
magistrate。 He was appointed to the court of
the district where Stepan Pelageushkine had been
tried。 When Stepan was brought to him the first
time to give evidence； his sincere and quiet answers
puzzled the magistrate。 He somehow uncon…
sciously felt that this man； brought to him in fet…
ters and with a shorn head； guarded by two
soldiers who were waiting to take him back to
prison； had a free soul and was immeasurably su…
perior to himself。 He was in consequence some…
what troubled； and had to summon up all his
courage in order to go on with the inquiry and
not blunder in his questions。 He was amazed
that Stepan should narrate the story of his crimes
as if they had been things of long ago； and com…
mitted not by him but by some different man。
〃Had you no pity for them？〃 asked Mahin。
〃No。 I did not know then。〃
〃