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〃What do you want？〃
As I wanted nothing； I became confused and beat a retreat。 There was
nothing remarkable about the place； but this incident； after what I
had witnessed on the other side of the yard； the cursing old woman；
the jolly old man； and the lads sliding； suddenly presented the
business which I had concocted from a totally different point of
view。 I then comprehended for the first time； that all these
unfortunates to whom I was desirous of playing the part of
benefactor； besides the time； when； suffering from cold and hunger；
they awaited admission into the house； had still other time； which
they employed to some other purpose； that there were four and twenty
hours in every day； that there was a whole life of which I had never
thought； up to that moment。 Here； for the first time； I understood；
that all those people； in addition to their desire to shelter
themselves from the cold and to obtain a good meal； must still； in
some way； live out those four and twenty hours each day； which they
must pass as well as everybody else。 I comprehended that these
people must lose their tempers； and get bored； show courage； and
grieve and be merry。 Strange as this may seem； when put into words；
I understood clearly for the first time； that the business which I
had undertaken could not consist alone in feeding and clothing
thousands of people； as one would feed and drive under cover a
thousand sheep； but that it must consist in doing good to them。
And then I understood that each one of those thousand people was
exactly such a man；with precisely the same past； with the same
passions； temptations； failings； with the same thoughts； the same
perplexities；exactly such a man as myself； and then the thing that
I had undertaken suddenly presented itself to me as so difficult that
I felt my powerlessness； but the thing had been begun； and I went on
with it。
CHAPTER V。
On the first appointed day； the student enumerators arrived in the
morning； and I； the benefactor； joined them at twelve o'clock。 I
could not go earlier； because I had risen at ten o'clock； then I had
drunk my coffee and smoked； while waiting on digestion。 At twelve
o'clock I reached the gates of the Rzhanoff house。 A policeman
pointed out to me the tavern with a side entrance on Beregovoy
Passage； where the census…takers had ordered every one who asked for
them to be directed。 I entered the tavern。 It was very dark； ill…
smelling； and dirty。 Directly opposite the entrance was the counter；
on the left was a room with tables； covered with soiled cloths； on
the right a large apartment with pillars； and the same sort of little
tables at the windows and along the walls。 Here and there at the
tables sat men both ragged and decently clad； like laboring…men or
petty tradesmen； and a few women drinking tea。 The tavern was very
filthy； but it was instantly apparent that it had a good trade。
There was a business…like expression on the face of the clerk behind
the counter； and a clever readiness about the waiters。 No sooner had
I entered； than one waiter prepared to remove my coat and bring me
whatever I should order。 It was evident that they had been trained
to brisk and accurate service。 I inquired for the enumerators。
〃Vanya！〃 shouted a small man； dressed in German fashion； who was
engaged in placing something in a cupboard behind the counter； this
was the landlord of the tavern； a Kaluga peasant； Ivan Fedotitch； who
hired one…half of the Zimins' houses and sublet them to lodgers。 The
waiter； a thin； hooked…nosed young fellow of eighteen； with a yellow
complexion； hastened up。
〃Conduct this gentleman to the census…takers； they went into the main
building over the well。〃 The young fellow threw down his napkin； and
donned a coat over his white jacket and white trousers； and a cap
with a large visor； and； tripping quickly along with his white feet；
he led me through the swinging door in the rear。 In the dirty；
malodorous kitchen； in the out…building； we encountered an old woman
who was carefully carrying some very bad…smelling tripe； wrapped in a
rag； off somewhere。 From the out…building we descended into a
sloping court…yard； all encumbered with small wooden buildings on
lower stories of stone。 The odor in this whole yard was extremely
powerful。 The centre of this odor was an out…house； round which
people were thronging whenever I passed it。 It merely indicated the
spot； but was not altogether used itself。 It was impossible； when
passing through the yard； not to take note of this spot； one always
felt oppressed when one entered the penetrating atmosphere which was
emitted by this foul smell。
The waiter； carefully guarding his white trousers； led me cautiously
past this place of frozen and unfrozen uncleanness to one of the
buildings。 The people who were passing through the yard and along
the balconies all stopped to stare at me。 It was evident that a
respectably dressed man was a curiosity in these localities。
The young man asked a woman 〃whether she had seen the census…takers？〃
And three men simultaneously answered his question： some said that
they were over the well； but others said that they had been there；
but had come out and gone to Nikita Ivanovitch。 An old man dressed
only in his shirt； who was wandering about the centre of the yard；
said that they were in No。 30。 The young man decided that this was
the most probable report； and conducted me to No。 30 through the
basement entrance； and darkness and bad smells； different from that
which existed outside。 We went down…stairs； and proceeded along the
earthen floor of a dark corridor。 As we were passing along the
corridor； a door flew open abruptly； and an old drunken man； in his
shirt； probably not of the peasant class； thrust himself out。 A
washerwoman； wringing her soapy hands； was pursuing and hustling the
old man with piercing screams。 Vanya； my guide； pushed the old man
aside； and reproved him。
〃It's not proper to make such a row；〃 said me； 〃and you an officer；
too！〃 and we went on to the door of No。 30。
Vanya gave it a little pull。 The door gave way with a smack； opened；
and we smelled soapy steam； and a sharp odor of spoilt food and
tobacco； and we entered into total darkness。 The windows were on the
opposite side； but the corridors ran to right and left between board
partitions； and small doors opened； at various angles； into the rooms
made of uneven whitewashed boards。 In a dark room； on the left； a
woman could be seen washing in a tub。 An old woman was peeping from
one of these small doors on the right。 Through another open door we
could see a red…faced； hairy peasant； in bast shoes； sitting on his
wooden bunk； his hands rested on his knees； and he was swinging his
feet； shod in bast shoes； and gazing gloomily at them。
At the end of the corridor was a little door leading to the apartment
where the census…takers were。 This was the chamber of the mistress
of the whole of No。 30； she rented the entire apartment from Ivan
Feodovitch； and let it out again to lodgers and as night…quarters。
In her tiny room； under the tinsel images； sat the student census…