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NATALIA IVANOVNA SVENTIZKY'S telegram
proved useless。 The committee appointed to
deal with the petitions in the Emperor's name； de…
cided not even to make a report to the Czar。
But one day when the Sventizky case was dis…
cussed at the Emperor's luncheon…table； the chair…
man of the committee； who was present； mentioned
the telegram which had been received from Sven…
tizky's widow。
〃C'est tres gentil de sa part；〃 said one of the
ladies of the imperial family。
The Emperor sighed； shrugged his shoulders；
adorned with epaulettes。 〃The law；〃 he said；
and raised his glass for the groom of the chamber
to pour out some Moselle。
All those present pretended to admire the wis…
dom of the sovereign's words。 There was no
further question about the telegram。 The two
peasants； the old man and the young boy； were
hanged by a Tartar hangman from Kazan； a cruel
convict and a murderer。
The old man's wife wanted to dress the body of
her husband in a white shirt； with white bands
which serve as stockings； and new boots； but she
was not allowed to do so。 The two men were
buried together in the same pit outside the church…
yard wall。
〃Princess Sofia Vladimirovna tells me he is a
very remarkable preacher；〃 remarked the old Em…
press； the Emperor's mother； one day to her son：
〃Faites le venir。 Il peut precher a la cathedrale。〃
〃No； it would be better in the palace church；〃
said the Emperor； and ordered the hermit Isidor
to be invited。
All the generals； and other high officials； as…
sembled in the church of the imperial palace； it
was an event to hear the famous preacher。
A thin and grey old man appeared； looked at
those present； and said： 〃In the name of God；
the Son； and the Holy Ghost；〃 and began to
speak。
At first all went well； but the longer he spoke
the worse it became。 〃Il devient de plus en plus
aggressif；〃 as the Empress put it afterwards。
He fulminated against every one。 He spoke
about the executions and charged the government
with having made so many necessary。 How can
the government of a Christian country kill men？
Everybody looked at everybody else； thinking
of the bad taste of the sermon； and how unpleas…
ant it must be for the Emperor to listen to it； but
nobody expressed these thoughts aloud。
When Isidor had said Amen； the metropolitan
approached； and asked him to call on him。
After Isidor had had a talk with the metropol…
itan and with the attorney…general； he was imme…
diately sent away to a friary； not his own； but one
at Suzdal； which had a prison attached to it； the
prior of that friary was now Father Missael。
XIV
EVERY one tried to look as if Isidor's sermon
contained nothing unpleasant； and nobody men…
tioned it。 It seemed to the Czar that the hermit's
words had not made any impression on himself；
but once or twice during that day he caught him…
self thinking of the two peasants who had been
hanged； and the widow of Sventizky who had
asked an amnesty for them。 That day the Em…
peror had to be present at a parade； after which
he went out for a drive； a reception of ministers
came next； then dinner； after dinner the theatre。
As usual； the Czar fell asleep the moment his head
touched the pillow。 In the night an awful dream
awoke him： he saw gallows in a large field and
corpses dangling on them； the tongues of the
corpses were protruding； and their bodies moved
and shook。 And somebody shouted； 〃It is you
you who have done it 〃 The Czar woke up
bathed in perspiration and began to think。 It
was the first time that he had ever thought of the
responsibilities which weighed on him； and the
words of old Isidor came back to his
mind。 。 。 。
But only dimly could he see himself as a mere
human being； and he could not consider his mere
human wants and duties； because of all that was
required of him as Czar。 As to acknowledging
that human duties were more obligatory than
those of a Czarhe had not strength for that。
XV
HAVING served his second term in the prison； Pro…
kofy； who had formerly worked on the Sventizky
estate； was no longer the brisk； ambitious； smartly
dressed fellow he had been。 He seemed； on the
contrary； a complete wreck。 When sober he
would sit idle and would refuse to do any work；
however much his father scolded him； moreover；
he was continually seeking to get hold of some…
thing secretly； and take it to the public…house for
a drink。 When he came home he would continue
to sit idle； coughing and spitting all the time。
The doctor on whom he called； examined his chest
and shook his head。
〃You； my man； ought to have many things
which you have not got。〃
〃That is usually the case； isn't it？
〃Take plenty of milk； and don't smoke。〃
〃These are days of fasting； and besides we
have no cow。〃
Once in spring he could not get any sleep； he
was longing to have a drink。 There was nothing
in the house he could lay his hand on to take to
the public…house。 He put on his cap and went
out。 He walked along the street up to the house
where the priest and the deacon lived together。
The deacon's harrow stood outside leaning against
the hedge。 Prokofy approached； took the har…
row upon his shoulder； and walked to an inn kept
by a woman； Petrovna。 She might give him a
small bottle of vodka for it。 But he had hardly
gone a few steps when the deacon came out of his
house。 It was already dawn； and he saw that
Prokofy was carrying away his harrow。
〃Hey； what's that？〃 cried the deacon。
The neighbours rushed out from their houses。
Prokofy was seized； brought to the police station；
and then sentenced to eleven months' imprison…
ment。 It was autumn； and Prokofy had to be
transferred to the prison hospital。 He was
coughing badly； his chest was heaving from the
exertion； and he could not get warm。 Those who
were stronger contrived not to shiver； Prokofy
on the contrary shivered day and night； as the su…
perintendent would not light the fires in the hos…
pital till November； to save expense。
Prokofy suffered greatly in body； and still more
in soul。 He was disgusted with his surroundings；
and hated every onethe deacon； the superin…
tendent who would not light the fires； the guard；
and the man who was lying in the bed next to his；
and who had a swollen red lip。 He began also
to hate the new convict who was brought into
hospital。 This convict was Stepan。 He was
suffering from some disease on his head； and was
transferred to the hospital and put in a bed at
Prokofy's side。 After a time that hatred to
Stepan changed； and Prokofy became； on the con…
trary； extremely fond of him； he delighted in
talking to him。 It was only after a talk with
Stepan that his anguish would cease for a while。
Stepan always told every one he met about his
last murder； and how it had impressed him。
Far from shrieking； or anything of that
kind；〃 he said to Prokofy； 〃she did not move。
'Kill me！ There I am；' she said。 'But it is not
my soul you destroy； it is your own。'〃
〃Well； of course； it is very dreadful to kill。 I
had one day to slaughter a sheep； and even that
made me half mad。 I have not destroyed any liv…
ing soul； why then do th