world；　and　in　this　half…naked　condition；　with　their　uncovered　bosoms
  exposed　to　view；　with　arms　bare　to　the　shoulder；　with　a　bustle　behind
  and　tightly　swathed　hips；　under　the　most　brilliant　light；　women　and
  maidens；　whose　chief　virtue　has　always　been　modesty；　exhibit
  themselves　in　the　midst　of　strange　men；　who　are　also　clad　in
  improperly　tight…fitting　garments；　and　to　the　sound　of　maddening
  music；　they　embrace　and　whirl。　　Old　women；　often　as　naked　as　the
  young　ones；　sit　and　look　on；　and　eat　and　drink　savory　things；　old　men
  do　the　same。　　It　is　not　to　be　wondered　at　that　this　should　take　place
  at　night；　when　all　the　common　people　are　asleep；　so　that　no　one　may
  see　them。　　But　this　is　not　done　with　the　object　of　concealment：　　it
  seems　to　them　that　there　is　nothing　to　conceal；　that　it　is　a　very
  good　thing；　that　by　this　merry…making；　in　which　the　labor　of
  thousands　of　toiling　people　is　destroyed；　they　not　only　do　not　injure
  any　one；　but　that　by　this　very　act　they　furnish　the　poor　with　the
  means　of　subsistence。　　Possibly　it　is　very　merry　at　balls。　　But　how
  does　this　come　about？　　When　we　see　that　there　is　a　man　in　the
  community；　in　our　midst；　who　has　had　no　food；　or　who　is　freezing；　we
  regret　our　mirth；　and　we　cannot　be　cheerful　until　he　is　fed　and
  warmed；　not　to　mention　the　impossibility　of　imagining　people　who　can
  indulge　in　such　mirth　as　causes　suffering　to　others。　　The　mirth　of
  wicked　little　boys；　who　pitch　a　dog's　tail　in　a　split　stick；　and　make
  merry　over　it；　is　repulsive　and　incomprehensible　to　us。
  In　the　same　manner　here；　in　these　diversions　of　ours；　blindness　has
  fallen　upon　us；　and　we　do　not　see　the　split　stick　with　which　we　have
  pitched　all　those　people　who　suffer　for　our　amusement。
  ＇We　live　as　though　there　were　no　connection　between　the　dying
  laundress；　the　prostitute　of　fourteen；　and　our　own　life；　and　yet　the
  connection　between　them　strikes　us　in　the　face。
  We　may　say：　　〃But　we　personally　have　not　pinched　any　tail　in　a
  stick；〃　but　we　have　no　right；　to　deny　that　had　the　tail　not　been
  pitched；　our　merry…making　would　not　have　taken　place。　　We　do　not　see
  what　connection　exists　between　the　laundress　and　our　luxury；　but　that
  is　not　because　no　such　connection　does　exist；　but　because　we　have
  placed　a　screen　in　front　of　us；　so　that　we　may　not　see。
  If　there　were　no　screen；　we　should　see　that　which　it　is　impossible
  not　to　see。＇　｛28｝
  Surely　all　the　women　who　attended　that　ball　in　dresses　worth　a
  hundred　and　fifty　rubles　each　were　born　not　in　a　ballroom；　or　at
  Madame　Minanguoit's；　but　they　have　lived　in　the　country；　and　have
  seen　the　peasants；　they　know　their　own　nurse　and　maid；　whose　father
  and　brother　are　poor；　for　whom　the　earning　of　a　hundred　and　fifty
  rubles　for　a　cottage　is　the　object　of　a　long；　laborious　life。　　Each
  woman　knows　this。　　　How　could　she　enjoy　herself；　when　she　knew　that
  she　wore　on　her　bared　body　at　that　ball　the　cottage　which　is　the
  dream　of　her　good　maid's　father　and　brother？　　But　let　us　suppose　that
  she　could　not　make　this　reflection；　but　since　velvet　and　silk　and
  flowers　and　lace　and　dresses　do　not　grow　of　themselves；　but　are　made
  by　people；　it　would　seem　that　she　could　not　help　knowing　what　sort　of
  people　make　all　these　things；　and　under　what　conditions；　and　why　they
  do　it。　　She　cannot　fail　to　know　that　the　seamstress；　with　whom　she
  has　already　quarrelled；　did　not　make　her　dress　in　the　least　out　of
  love　for　her；　therefore；　she　cannot　help　knowing　that　all　these
  things　were　made　for　her　as　a　matter　of　necessity；　that　her　laces；
  flowers；　and　velvet　have　been　made　in　the　same　way　as　her　dress。
  But　possibly　they　are　in　such　darkness　that　they　do　not　consider
  this。　　One　thing　she　cannot　fail　to　know；that　five　or　six　elderly
  and　respectable；　often　sick；　lackeys　and　maids　have　had　no　sleep；　and
  have　been　put　to　trouble　on　her　account。　　She　has　seen　their　weary；
  gloomy　faces。　　She　could　not　help　knowing　this　also；　that　the　cold
  that　night　reached　twenty…eight　degrees　below　zero；　｛29｝　and　that　the
  old　coachman　sat　all　night　long　in　that　temperature　on　his　box。　　But
  I　know　that　they　really　do　not　see　this。　　And　if　they；　these　young
  women　and　girls；　do　not　see　this；　on　account　of　the　hypnotic　state
  superinduced　in　them　by　balls；　it　is　impossible　to　condemn　them。
  They；　poor　things；　have　done　what　is　considered　right　by　their
  elders；　but　how　are　their　elders　to　explain　away　this　their　cruelty
  to　the　people？
  The　elders　always　offer　the　explanation：　　〃I　compel　no　one。　　I
  purchase　my　things；　I　hire　my　men；　my　maid…servants；　and　my　coachman。
  There　is　nothing　wrong　in　buying　and　hiring。　　I　force　no　one's
  inclination：　　I　hire；　and　what　harm　is　there　in　that？〃
  I　recently　went　to　see　an　acquaintance。　　As　I　passed　through　one　of
  the　rooms；　I　was　surprised　to　see　two　women　seated　at　a　table；　as　I
  knew　that　my　friend　was　a　bachelor。　　A　thin；　yellow；　old…fashioned
  woman；　thirty　years　of　age；　in　a　dress　that　had　been　carelessly
  thrown　on；　was　doing　something　with　her　hands　and　fingers　on　the
  table；　with　great　speed；　trembling　nervously　the　while；　as　though　in
  a　fit。　　Opposite　her　sat　a　young　girl；　who　was　also　engaged　in
  something；　and　who　trembled　in　the　same　manner。　　Both　women　appeared
  to　be　afflicted　with　St。　Vitus'　dance。　　I　stepped　nearer　to　them；　and
  looked　to　see　what　they　were　doing。　　They　raised　their　eyes　to　me；
  but　went　on　with　their　work　with　the　same　intentness。　　In　front　of
  them　lay　scattered　tobacco　and　paper　cases。　　They　were　making
  cigarettes。　　The　woman　rubbed　the　tobacco　between　her　hands；　pushed
  it　into　the　machine；　slipped　on　the　cover；　thrust　the　tobacco
  through；　then　tossed　it　to　the　girl。　　The　girl　twisted　the　paper；
  and；　making　it　fast；　threw　it　aside；　and　took　up　another。　　All　thus
  was　done　with　such　swiftness；　with　such　intentness；　as　it　is
  impossible　to　describe　to　a　man　who　has　never　seen　it　done。　　I
  expressed　my　surprise　at　their　quickness。
  〃I　have　been　doing　nothing　else　for　fourteen　years；〃　said　the　woman。
  〃Is　it　hard？〃
  〃Yes：　　it　pains　my　chest；　and　makes　my　breathing　hard。〃
  It　was　not　necessary　for　her　to　add　this；　however。　　A　look　at　the
  girl　sufficed。　　She　had　worked　at　this　for　three　years；　but　any　one
  who　had　not　seen　her　at　this　occupation　would　have　said　that　here　was
  a　strong　organism　which　was　beginning　to　break　down。
  My　friend；　a　kind　and　liberal　man；　hires　these　women　to　fill　his
  cigarettes　at　two　rubles　fifty　kopeks　the　thousand。　　He　has　money；
  and　he　spends　it　for　work。　　What　harm　is　there　in　that？　　My　friend
  rises　at　twelve　o'clock。　　He　passes　the　evening；　from　six　until　two；
  at　cards；　or　at　the　piano。　　He　eats　and　drinks　savory　things；　others
  do　all　his　work　for　him。　　He　has　devised　a　new　source　of　pleasure；
  smoking。　　He　has　taken　up　smoking　within　my　memory。
  Here　is　a　woman；　and　here　is　a　girl；　who　can　barely　support
  themselves　by　turning　themselves　into　machines；　and　they　pass　their
  whole　lives　inhaling　tobacco；　and　thereby　running　their　health。　　He
  has　money　which　he　never　earned；　and　he　prefers　to　play　at　whist　to
  making　his　own　cigarettes。　　He　gives　these　women　money　on　condition
  that　they　shall　continue　to　live　in　the　same　wretched　manner　in　which
  they　are　now　living；　that　is　to　say；　by　making　his　cigarettes。
  I　love　cleanliness；　and　I　give　money　only　on　the　condition　that　the
  laundress　shall　wash　the　shirt　which　I　change　twice　a　day；　and　that
  shirt　has　destroyed　the　laundress's　last　remaining　strength；　and　she
  has　died。　　What　is　there　wrong　about　that？　　People　who　buy　and　hire
  will　continue　to　force　other　people　to　make　velvet　and　confections；
  and　will　purchase　them；　without　me；　and　no　matter　what　I　may　do；　they
  will　hire　cigarettes　made　and　shirts　washed。　　Then　why　should　I
  deprive　myself　of　velvet　and　confections　and　cigarettes　and　clean
  shirts；　if　things　are　definitively　settled　thus？　　This　is　the
  argument　which　I　often；　almost　always；　hear。　　This　is　the　very
  argument　which　makes　the　mob　which　is　destroying　something；　lose　its
  senses。　　This　is　the　very　argument　by　which　dogs　are　guided　when　one
  of　them　has　flung　himself　on　another　dog；　and　overthrown　him；　and　the
  rest　of　the　pack　rush　up　also；　and　tear　their　comrade　in　pieces。
  Other　people　have　begun　it；　and　have　wrought　mischief；　then　why
  should　not　I　take　advantage　of　it？　　Well；　what　will　happen　if　I　wear
  a　soiled　shirt；　and　make　my　own　cigarettes？　　Will　that　make　it　easier
  for　anybody　else？　ask　people　who　would　like　to　justify　their　course。
  If　it　were　not　so　far　from　the　truth；　it　would　be　a　shame　to　answer
  such　a　question；　but　we　have　become　so　entangled　that　this　question
  seems　very　natural　to　us；　and　hence；　although　it　is　a　shame；　it　is
  necessary　to　reply　to　it。
  What　difference　will　it　make　if　I　wear　one　shirt　a　week；　and　make　may
  own　cigarettes；　or　do　not　smoke　at　all？　　This　difference；　that　some
  laundress　and　some　cigarette…maker　will　exert　their　strength　less；
  and　that　what　I　have　spent　for　washing　and　for　the　making　of
  cigarettes　I　can　give　to　that　very　laundress；　or　even　to　other
  laundresses　and　toilers　who　are　worn　out　with　their　labor；　and　who；
  instead　of　laboring　beyond　their　strength；　will　then　be　able　to　rest；
  and　drink　tea。　　But　to　this　I　hear　an　objection