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who have been burnt out of their houses； or old people； or women with
children； some； too； were perfectly healthy and able to work。 These
perfectly healthy peasants who were engaged in begging； particularly
interested me。 These healthy； peasant beggars； who were fit for
work； also interested me； because； from the date of my arrival in
Moscow； I had been in the habit of going to the Sparrow Hills with
two peasants； and sawing wood there for the sake of exercise。 These
two peasants were just as poor as those whom I encountered on the
streets。 One was Piotr； a soldier from Kaluga； the other Semyon； a
peasant from Vladimir。 They possessed nothing except the wages of
their body and hands。 And with these hands they earned； by dint of
very hard labor； from forty to forty…five kopeks a day； out of which
each of them was laying by savings； the Kaluga man for a fur coat；
the Vladimir man in order to get enough to return to his village。
Therefore； on meeting precisely such men in the streets； I took an
especial interest in them。
Why did these men toil； while those others begged？
On encountering a peasant of this stamp； I usually asked him how he
had come to that situation。 Once I met a peasant with some gray in
his beard； but healthy。 He begs。 I ask him who is he； whence comes
he？ He says that he came from Kaluga to get work。 At first he found
employment chopping up old wood for use in stoves。 He and his
comrade finished all the chopping which one householder had； then
they sought other work； but found none； his comrade had parted from
him； and for two weeks he himself had been struggling along； he had
spent all his money； he had no saw； and no axe； and no money to buy
anything。 I gave him money for a saw； and told him of a place where
he could find work。 I had already made arrangements with Piotr and
Semyon； that they should take an assistant； and they looked up a mate
for him。
〃See that you come。 There is a great deal of work there。〃
〃I will come； why should I not come？ Do you suppose I like to beg？
I can work。〃
The peasant declares that he will come； and it seems to me that he is
not deceiving me； and that he intents to come。
On the following day I go to my peasants； and inquire whether that
man has arrived。 He has not been there； and in this way several men
deceived me。 And those also deceived me who said that they only
required money for a ticket in order to return home； and who chanced
upon me again in the street a week later。 Many of these I
recognized； and they recognized me； and sometimes； having forgotten
me； they repeated the same trick on me； and others； on catching sight
of me； beat a retreat。 Thus I perceived； that in the ranks of this
class also deceivers existed。 But these cheats were very pitiable
creatures： all of them were but half…clad； poverty…stricken； gaunt；
sickly men； they were the very people who really freeze to death； or
hang themselves； as we learn from the newspapers。
CHAPTER II。
When I mentioned this poverty of the town to inhabitants of the town；
they always said to me： 〃Oh； all that you have seen is nothing。 You
ought to see the Khitroff market…place； and the lodging…houses for
the night there。 There you would see a regular 'golden company。'〃
｛1｝ One jester told me that this was no longer a company； but a
GOLDEN REGIMENT： so greatly had their numbers increased。 The jester
was right； but he would have been still more accurate if he had said
that these people now form in Moscow neither a company nor a
regiment； but an entire army； almost fifty thousand in number； I
think。 ＇The old inhabitants； when they spoke to me about the poverty
in town； always referred to it with a certain satisfaction； as though
pluming themselves over me； because they knew it。 I remember that
when I was in London； the old inhabitants there also rather boasted
when they spoke of the poverty of London。 The case is the same with
us。＇ ｛2｝
And I wanted to have a sight of this poverty of which I had been
told。 Several times I set out in the direction of the Khitroff
market…place； but on every occasion I began to feel uncomfortable and
ashamed。 〃Why am I going to gaze on the sufferings of people whom I
cannot help？〃 said one voice。 〃No； if you live here； and see all the
charms of city life； go and view this also；〃 said another voice。 In
December three years ago； therefore； on a cold and windy day； I
betook myself to that centre of poverty； the Khitroff market…place。
This was at four o'clock in the afternoon of a week…day。 As I passed
through the Solyanka； I already began to see more and more people in
old garments which had not originally belonged to them； and in still
stranger foot…gear； people with a peculiar； unhealthy hue of
countenance； and especially with a singular indifference to every
thing around them； which was peculiar to them all。 A man in the
strangest of all possible attire； which was utterly unlike any thing
else； walked along with perfect unconcern； evidently without a
thought of the appearance which he must present to the eyes of
others。 All these people were making their way towards a single
point。 Without inquiring the way； with which I was not acquainted； I
followed them； and came out on the Khitroff market…place。 On the
market…place； women both old and young； of the same description； in
tattered cloaks and jackets of various shapes； in ragged shoes and
overshoes； and equally unconcerned； notwithstanding the hideousness
of their attire； sat； bargained for something； strolled about； and
scolded。 There were not many people in the market itself。 Evidently
market…hours were over； and the majority of the people were ascending
the rise beyond the market and through the place； all still
proceeding in one direction。 I followed them。 The farther I
advanced； the greater in numbers were the people of this sort who
flowed together on one road。 Passing through the market…place and
proceeding along the street； I overtook two women； one was old； the
other young。 Both wore something ragged and gray。 As they walked
they were discussing some matter。 After every necessary word； they
uttered one or two unnecessary ones； of the most improper character。
They were not intoxicated； but merely troubled about something； and
neither the men who met them； nor those who walked in front of them
and behind them； paid any attention to the language which was so
strange to me。 In these quarters； evidently； people always talked
so。 Ascending the rise； we reached a large house on a corner。 The
greater part of the people who were walking along with me halted at
this house。 They stood all over the sidewalk of this house； and sat
on the curbstone； and even the snow in the street was thronged with
the same kind of people。 On the right side of the entrance door were
the women； on the left the men。 I walked past the women； past the
men （there were several hundred of them in all） and halted where the
line came to an end。 The house before which these people were
waiting was the Lyapinsky free lodging…house for the night。 The
throng of people consisted of night lodgers； who were