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his mother's skirt； and looked intensely at his dead
father without blinking。
From a door near them an official； an officer； a
doctor； and a clerk with documents； entered。
After them came a soldier； the one who had shot
the man。 He stepped briskly along behind his
superiors； but the instant he saw the corpse he
went suddenly pale； and quivered； and dropping
his head stood still。 When the official asked him
whether that was the man who was escaping across
the frontier； and at whom he had fired； he was
unable to answer。 His lips trembled； and his
face twitched。 〃The sss〃 he began； but
could not get out the words which he wanted to
say。 〃The same； your excellency。〃 The of…
ficials looked at each other and wrote something
down。
〃You see the beneficial results of that same
system！〃
In a room of sumptuous vulgarity two men sat
drinking wine。 One of them was old and grey；
the other a young Jew。 The young Jew was
holding a roll of bank…notes in his hand； and was
bargaining with the old man。 He was buying
smuggled goods。
〃You've got 'em cheap；〃 he said； smiling。
〃Yesbut the risk〃
〃This is indeed terrible；〃 said the young Tsar；
but it cannot be avoided。 Such proceedings are
necessary。〃
His companion made no response； saying
merely； 〃Let us move on；〃 and laid his hand
again on the head of the Tsar。 When the Tsar
recovered consciousness； he was standing in a
small room lit by a shaded lamp。 A woman was
sitting at the table sewing。 A boy of eight was
bending over the table； drawing； with his feet
doubled up under him in the armchair。 A stu…
dent was reading aloud。 The father and daugh…
ter of the family entered the room noisily。
〃You signed the order concerning the sale of
spirits；〃 said the guide to the Tsar。
〃Well？〃 said the woman。
〃He's not likely to live。〃
〃What's the matter with him？〃
〃They've kept him drunk all the time。〃
〃It's not possible！〃 exclaimed the wife。
〃It's true。 And the boy's only nine years old；
that Vania Moroshkine。〃
〃What did you do to try to save him？〃 asked
the wife。
〃I tried everything that could be done。 I gave
him an emetic and put a mustard…plaster on him。
He has every symptom of delirium tremens。〃
〃It's no wonderthe whole family are drunk…
ards。 Annisia is only a little better than the rest；
and even she is generally more or less drunk；〃
said the daughter。
〃And what about your temperance society？〃
the student asked his sister。
〃What can we do when they are given every
opportunity of drinking？ Father tried to have
the public…house shut up； but the law is against
him。 And； besides； when I was trying to convince
Vasily Ermiline that it was disgraceful to keep
a public…house and ruin the people with drink；
he answered very haughtily； and indeed got the
better of me before the crowd： 'But I have a
license with the Imperial eagle on it。 If there
was anything wrong in my business； the Tsar
wouldn't have issued a decree authorising it。'
Isn't it terrible？ The whole village has been
drunk for the last three days。 And as for feast…
days； it is simply horrible to think of！ It has
been proved conclusively that alcohol does no good
in any case； but invariably does harm； and it
has been demonstrated to be an absolute poison。
Then； ninety…nine per cent。 of the crimes in the
world are committed through its influence。 We
all know how the standard of morality and the
general welfare improved at once in all the coun…
tries where drinking has been suppressedlike
Sweden and Finland； and we know that it can be
suppressed by exercising a moral influence over
the masses。 But in our country the class which
could exert that influencethe Government； the
Tsar and his officialssimply encourage drink。
Their main revenues are drawn from the continual
drunkenness of the people。 They drink them…
selvesthey are always drinking the health of
somebody： 'Gentlemen； the Regiment！' The
preachers drink； the bishops drink〃
Again the guide touched the head of the young
Tsar； who again lost consciousness。 This time he
found himself in a peasant's cottage。 The peas…
anta man of forty； with red face and blood…
shot eyeswas furiously striking the face of an
old man； who tried in vain to protect himself from
the blows。 The younger peasant seized the beard
of the old man and held it fast。
〃For shame！ To strike your father！〃
〃I don't care； I'll kill him！ Let them send
me to Siberia； I don't care！〃
The women were screaming。 Drunken officials
rushed into the cottage and separated father and
son。 The father had an arm broken and the son's
beard was torn out。 In the doorway a drunken
girl was making violent love to an old besotted
peasant。
〃They are beasts！〃 said the young Tsar。
Another touch of his guide's hand and the
young Tsar awoke in a new place。 It was the
office of the justice of the peace。 A fat； bald…
headed man； with a double chin and a chain round
his neck； had just risen from his seat； and was
reading the sentence in a loud voice； while a crowd
of peasants stood behind the grating。 There was
a woman in rags in the crowd who did not rise。
The guard gave her a push。
〃Asleep！ I tell you to stand up！〃 The
woman rose。
〃According to the decree of his Imperial
Majesty〃 the judge began reading the sen…
tence。 The case concerned that very woman。
She had taken away half a bundle of oats as she
was passing the thrashing…floor of a landowner。
The justice of the peace sentenced her to two
months' imprisonment。 The landowner whose
oats had been stolen was among the audi…
ence。 When the judge adjourned the court the
landowner approached； and shook hands； and the
judge entered into conversation with him。 The
next case was about a stolen samovar。 Then
there was a trial about some timber which had
been cut； to the detriment of the landowner。
Some peasants were being tried for having as…
saulted the constable of the district。
When the young Tsar again lost consciousness；
he awoke to find himself in the middle of a vil…
lage； where he saw hungry； half…frozen children
and the wife of the man who had assaulted the
constable broken down from overwork。
Then came a new scene。 In Siberia； a tramp
is being flogged with the lash； the direct result of
an order issued by the Minister of justice。 Again
oblivion； and another scene。 The family of a
Jewish watchmaker is evicted for being too poor。
The children are crying； and the Jew； Isaaks； is
greatly distressed。 At last they come to an ar…
rangement； and he is allowed to stay on in the
lodgings。
The chief of police takes a bribe。 The gov…
ernor of the province also secretly accepts a bribe。
Taxes are being collected。 In the village； while
a cow is sold for payment； the police inspector is
bribed by a factory owner； who thus escapes taxes
altogether。 And again a village court scene； and
a sentence carried into executionthe lash！
〃Ilia Vasilievich； could you not spare me
that？〃
〃No。〃
The peasant burst into tears。 〃Well； of
course； Christ suffered； and He bids us suffer
too。〃
Then other scenes。 The Stundistsa sect
being broken up and dispersed； the