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〃They make it with three fingers〃and now his indignation burst
all bounds； and with a tremendous gesture and almost a scream of
wrath he declared： 〃and every time they make it they crucify
afresh every one of the three persons of the holy and undivided
Trinity。〃
The old man's voice； so gentle at first； had steadily risen
during this catechism of his； in which he propounded the
questions and recited the answers； until this last utterance came
with an outcry of horror。 The beginning of this catechism was
given much after the manner of a boy reciting mechanically the
pons asinorum； but the end was like the testimony of an ancient
prophet against the sins which doomed Israel。
This last burst was evidently too much for Tolstoi。 He said not a
word in reply； but seemed wrapped in overpowering thought； and
anxious to break away。 We walked out with the old Raskolnik； and
at the door I thanked him for his kindness； but even there； and
all the way down the long walk through the park； Tolstoi remained
silent。 As we came into the road he suddenly turned to me and
said almost fiercely； 〃That man is a hypocrite； he can't believe
that； he is a shrewd； long…headed man； how can he believe such
trash？ Impossible！〃 At this I reminded him of Theodore Parker's
distinction between men who believe and men who 〃believe that
they believe；〃 and said that possibly our Raskolnik was one of
the latter。 This changed the subject。 He said that he had read
Parker's biography； and liked it all save one thing； which was
that he gave a pistol to a fugitive slave and advised him to
defend himself。 This Tolstoi condemned on the ground that we are
not to resist evil。 I told him of the advice I had given to
Dobroluboff； a very winning Russian student at Cornell
University； when he was returning to Russia to practise his
profession as an engineer。 That advice was that he should bear in
mind Buckle's idea as to the agency of railways and telegraphs in
extending better civilization； and devote himself to his
profession of engineering； with the certainty that its ultimate
result would be to aid in the enlightenment of the empire； but
never； on any account； to conspire against the government；
telling him that he might be sure that he could do far more for
the advancement of Russian thought by building railways than by
entering into any conspiracies whatever。 Tolstoi said the advice
was good； but that he would also have advised the young man to
speak out his ideas； whatever they might be。 He said that only in
this way could any advance ever be made； that one main obstacle
in human progress is the suppression of the real thoughts of men。
I answered that all this had a fine sound； that it might do for
Count Tolstoi； but that a young； scholarly engineer following it
would soon find himself in a place where he could not promulgate
his ideas；guarded by Cossacks in some remote Siberian mine。
He spoke of young professors in the universities； of their
difficulties； and of the risk to their positions if they spoke
out at all。 I asked him if there was any liberality or breadth of
thought in the Russo…Greek Church。 He answered that occasionally
a priest had tried to unite broader thought with orthodox dogma；
but that every such attempt had proved futile。
From Parker we passed to Lowell； and I again tried to find if he
really knew anything of Lowell's writings。 He evidently knew very
little； and asked me what Lowell had written。 He then said that
he had no liking for verse； and he acquiesced in Carlyle's saying
that nobody had ever said anything in verse which could not have
been better said in prose。
A day or two later； on another of our walks； I asked him how and
when； in his opinion； a decided advance in Russian liberty and
civilization would be made。 He answered that he thought it would
come soon； and with great power。 On my expressing the opinion
that such progress would be the result of a long evolutionary
process； with a series of actions and reactions； as heretofore in
Russian history； he dissented； and said that the change for the
better would come soon； suddenly； and with great force。
As we passed along the streets he was； as during our previous
walks； approached by many beggars； to each of whom he gave as
long as his money lasted。 He said that he was accustomed to take
a provision of copper money with him for this purpose on his
walks； since he regarded it as a duty to give when asked； and he
went on to say that he carried the idea so far that even if he
knew the man wanted the money to buy brandy he would give it to
him； but he added that he would do all in his power to induce the
man to work and to cease drinking。 I demurred strongly to all
this； and extended the argument which I had made during our
previous walk； telling him that by such giving he did two wrongs：
first； to the beggar himself； since it led him to cringe and lie
in order to obtain as a favor that which； if he did his duty in
working； he could claim as a right； and； secondly； to society by
encouraging such a multitude to prey upon it who might be giving
it aid and strength； and I again called his attention to the
hordes of sturdy beggars in Moscow。 He answered that the results
of our actions in such cases are not the main thing； but the
cultivation of proper feelings in the giver is first to be
considered。
I then asked him about his manual labor。 He said that his habit
was to rise early and read or write until noon； then to take his
luncheon and a short sleep； and after that to work in his garden
or fields。 He thought this good for him on every account； and
herein we fully agreed。
On our return through the Kremlin； passing the heaps and rows of
cannon taken from the French in 1812； I asked him if he still
adhered to the low opinion of Napoleon expressed in 〃War and
Peace。〃 He said that he did； and more than ever since he had
recently read a book on Napoleon's relations to women which
showed that he took the lowest possible view of womankind。 I then
asked him if he still denied Napoleon's military genius。 He
answered that he certainly did； that he did not believe in the
existence of any such thing as military genius； that he had never
been able to understand what is meant by the term。 I asked； 〃How
then do you account for the amazing series of Napoleon's
successes？〃 He answered； 〃By circumstances。〃 I rejoined that such
an explanation had the merit； at least； of being short and easy。
He then went on to say that batt