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within began consulting what was to be done； and
could come to no agreement。 The tailor said；
〃We must bear whatever is done to us； and not
resist。〃 Chouev replied that if they decided on
that course they would； all of them； be beaten to
death。 In consequence； he seized a poker and
went out of the house。 〃Come！〃 he shouted；
let us follow the law of Moses！〃 And； falling
upon the peasants； he knocked out one man's eye；
and in the meanwhile all those who had been in
his house contrived to get out and make their way
home。
Chouev was thrown into prison and charged
with sedition and blasphemy。
XXI
Two years previous to those events a strong and
handsome young girl of an eastern type； Katia
Turchaninova； came from the Don military settle…
ments to St。 Petersburg to study in the university
college for women。 In that town she met a stu…
dent； Turin； the son of a district governor in the
Simbirsk province； and fell in love with him。 But
her love was not of the ordinary type； and she
had no desire to become his wife and the mother
of his children。 He was a dear comrade to her；
and their chief bond of union was a feeling of re…
volt they had in common； as well as the hatred
they bore； not only to the existing forms of gov…
ernment； but to all those who represented that
government。 They had also in common the sense
that they both excelled their enemies in culture；
in brains； as well as in morals。 Katia Turchan…
inova was a gifted girl； possessed of a good mem…
ory； by means of which she easily mastered the lec…
tures she attended。 She was successful in her ex…
aminations； and； apart from that； read all the new…
est books。 She was certain that her vocation was
not to bear and rear children； and even looked on
such a task with disgust and contempt。 She
thought herself chosen by destiny to destroy the
present government； which was fettering the best
abilities of the nation； and to reveal to the people
a higher standard of life； inculcated by the latest
writers of other countries。 She was handsome； a
little inclined to stoutness： she had a good com…
plexion； shining black eyes； abundant black hair。
She inspired the men she knew with feelings she
neither wished nor had time to share； busy as she
was with propaganda work； which consisted chiefly
in mere talking。 She was not displeased； how…
ever； to inspire these feelings； and； without dress…
ing too smartly； did not neglect her appearance。
She liked to be admired； as it gave her opportuni…
ties of showing how little she prized what was
valued so highly by other women。
In her views concerning the method of fighting
the government she went further than the majority
of her comrades； and than her friend Turin； all
means； she taught； were justified in such a struggle；
not excluding murder。 And yet； with all her revo…
lutionary ideas； Katia Turchaninova was in her
soul a very kind girl； ready to sacrifice herself for
the welfare and the happiness of other people；
and sincerely pleased when she could do a kind…
ness to anybody； a child； an old person； or an ani…
mal。
She went in the summer to stay with a friend； a
schoolmistress in a small town on the river Volga。
Turin lived near that town； on his father's estate。
He often came to see the two girls； they gave each
other books to read； and had long discussions；
expressing their common indignation with the state
of affairs in the country。 The district doctor； a
friend of theirs； used also to join them on many oc…
casions。
The estate of the Turins was situated in the
neighbourhood of the Liventsov estate； the one
that was entrusted to the management of Peter
Nikolaevich Sventizky。 Soon after Peter Niko…
laevich had settled there； and begun to en…
force order； young Turin； having observed an in…
dependent tendency in the peasants on the Livent…
sov estate； as well as their determination to up…
hold their rights； became interested in them。 He
came often to the village to talk with the men；
and developed his socialistic theories； insisting par…
ticularly on the nationalisation of the land。
After Peter Nikolaevich had been murdered；
and the murderers sent to trial； the revolutionary
group of the small town boiled over with indigna…
tion； and did not shrink from openly expressing
it。 The fact of Turin's visits to the village and
his propaganda work among the students； became
known to the authorities during the trial。 A
search was made in his house； and； as the police
found a few revolutionary leaflets among his ef…
fects； he was arrested and transferred to prison
in St。 Petersburg。
Katia Turchaninova followed him to the metrop…
olis； and went to visit him in prison。 She was
not admitted on the day she came； and was told
to come on the day fixed by regulations for visits
to the prisoners。 When that day arrived； and
she was finally allowed to see him； she had to talk
to him through two gratings separating the pris…
oner from his visitor。 This visit increased her in…
dignation against the authorities。 And her feel…
ings become all the more revolutionary after a
visit she paid to the office of a gendarme officer
who had to deal with the Turin case。 The offi…
cer； a handsome man； seemed obviously disposed
to grant her exceptional favours in visiting the
prisoner； if she would allow him to make love to
her。 Disgusted with him； she appealed to the
chief of police。 He pretendedjust as the officer
did when talking officially to herto be power…
less himself； and to depend entirely on orders
coming from the minister of state。 She sent a
petition to the minister asking for an interview；
which was refused。
Then she resolved to do a desperate thing and
bought a revolver。
XXII
THE minister was receiving petitioners at the usual
hour appointed for the reception。 He had talked
successively to three of them； and now a pretty
young woman with black eyes； who was holding
a petition in her left hand； approached。 The
minister's eyes gleamed when he saw how attract…
ive the petitioner was； but recollecting his high po…
sition he put on a serious face。
〃What do you want？〃 he asked； coming down
to where she stood。 Without answering his ques…
tion the young woman quickly drew a revolver
from under her cloak and aiming it at the min…
ister's chest firedbut missed him。
The minister rushed at her； trying to seize her
hand； but she escaped； and taking a step back； fired
a second time。 The minister ran out of the room。
The woman was immediately seized。 She was
trembling violently； and could not utter a single
word； after a while she suddenly burst into a hys…
terical laugh。 The minister was not even wounded。
That woman was Katia Turchaninova。 She
was put into the prison of preliminary detention。
The minister received congratulations and marks
of sympathy from the highest quarters； and even
from the emperor himself； who appointed a com…
mission to investigate the plot that had led to the
attempted assassination。 As a matter of fact
there was no plot whatever； but the police officials
and the detectives set to work with the utmost zeal
to discover all the threads of th