第 27 节
作者:低诉      更新:2021-02-27 01:23      字数:9320
  that she can barely move; and only with difficulty。  The little boy;
  all bent over; and stepping gently; with his tiny bare feet; drags
  along a jug of water; shifting it from hand to hand; for it is
  heavier than he。  The young girl flings over her shoulder a load of
  hay which is also heavier than herself; advances a few steps; halts;
  and drops it; without the strength to carry it。  The old woman of
  fifty rakes away without stopping; and with her kerchief awry she
  drags the hay; breathing heavily and tottering。  The old woman of
  eighty only rakes the hay; but even this is beyond her strength; she
  slowly drags along her feet; shod with bast shoes; and; frowning; she
  gazes gloomily before her; like a seriously ill or dying person。  The
  old man has intentionally sent her farther away than the rest; to
  rake near the cocks of hay; so that she may not keep in line with the
  others; but she does not fall in with this arrangement; and she toils
  on as long as the others do; with the same death…like; gloomy
  countenance。  The sun is already setting behind the forest; but the
  cocks are not yet all heaped together; and much still remains to do。
  All feel that it is time to stop; but no one speaks; waiting until
  the others shall say it。  Finally the shoemaker; conscious that his
  strength is exhausted; proposes to the old man; to leave the cocks
  until the morrow; and the old man consents; and the women instantly
  run for the garments; jugs; pitchforks; and the old woman immediately
  sits down just where she has been standings and then lies back with
  the same death…like look; staring straight in front of her。  But the
  women are going; and she rises with a groan; and drags herself after
  them。  And this will go on in July also; when the peasants; without
  obtaining sufficient sleep; reap the oats by night; lest it should
  fall; and the women rise gloomily to thresh out the straw for the
  bands to tie the sheaves; when this old woman; already utterly
  cramped by the labor of mowing; and the woman with child; and the
  young children; injure themselves overworking and over…drinking; and
  when neither hands; nor horses; nor carts will suffice to bring to
  the ricks that grain with which all men are nourished; and millions
  of poods {33} of which are daily required in Russia to keep people
  from perishing。
  And we live as though there were no connection between the dying
  laundress; the prostitute of fourteen years; the toilsome manufacture
  of cigarettes by women; the strained; intolerable; insufficiently fed
  toil of old women and children around us; we live as though there
  were no connection between this and our own lives。
  It seems to us; that suffering stands apart by itself; and our life
  apart by itself。  We read the description of the life of the Romans;
  and we marvel at the inhumanity of those soulless Luculli; who
  satiated themselves on viands and wines while the populace were dying
  with hunger。  We shake our heads; and we marvel at the savagery of
  our grandfathers; who were serf…owners; supporters of household
  orchestras and theatres; and of whole villages devoted to the care of
  their gardens; and we wonder; from the heights of our grandeur; at
  their inhumanity。  We read the words of Isa。 v。 8:  〃Woe unto them
  that join house to house; that lay field to field; till there be no
  place; that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth!
  (11。) Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning; that they may
  follow strong drink; that continue until night; till wine inflame
  them!  (12。) And the harp and the viol; and tabret and pipe; and wine
  are in their feasts; but they regard not the work of the Lord;
  neither consider the operation of his hands。  (18。) Woe unto them
  that draw iniquity with cords of vanity; and sin as it were with a
  cart…rope。  (20。) Woe unto then that call evil good; and good evil;
  that put darkness for light; and light for darkness; that put bitter
  for sweet; and sweet for bitter! (21。) Woe unto them that are wise in
  their own eyes; and prudent in their own sight(22。) Woe unto them
  that are mighty to drink wine; and men of strength to mingle strong
  drink。〃
  We read these words; and it seems to us that this has no reference to
  us。  We read in the Gospels (Matt。 iii。 10):  〃And now also the axe
  is laid unto the root of the trees:  therefore every tree which
  bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire。〃
  And we are fully convinced that the good tree which bringeth forth
  good fruit is ourselves; and that these words are not spoken to us;
  but to some other and wicked people。
  We read the words of Isa。 vi。 10:  〃Make the heart of this people
  fat; and make their ears heavy; and shut their eyes; lest they see
  with their eyes; and hear with their ears; and understand with their
  heart; and convert and be healed。  (11。) Then said I:  Lord; how
  long?  And he answered; Until the cities be wasted without
  inhabitant; and the houses without man; and the land be utterly
  desolate。〃
  We read; and are fully convinced that this marvellous deed is not
  performed on us; but on some other people。  And because we see
  nothing it is; that this marvellous deed is performed; and has been
  performed; on us。  We hear not; we see not; and we understand not
  with our heart。  How has this happened?
  Whether that God; or that natural law by virtue of which men exist in
  the world; has acted well or ill; yet the position of men in the
  world; ever since we have known it; has been such; that naked people;
  without any hair on their bodies; without lairs in which they could
  shelter themselves; without food which they could find in the
  fields;like Robinson {34} on his island;have all been reduced to
  the necessity of constantly and unweariedly contending with nature in
  order to cover their bodies; to make themselves clothing; to
  construct a roof over their heads; and to earn their bread; that two
  or three times a day they may satisfy their hunger and the hunger of
  their helpless children and of their old people who cannot work。
  Wherever; at whatever time; in whatever numbers we may have observed
  people; whether in Europe; in America; in China; or in Russia;
  whether we regard all humanity; or any small portion of it; in
  ancient times; in a nomad state; or in our own times; with steam…
  engines and sewing…machines; perfected agriculture; and electric
  lighting; we behold always one and the same thing;that man; toiling
  intensely and incessantly; is not able to earn for himself and his
  little ones and his old people clothing; shelter; and food; and that
  a considerable portion of mankind; as in former times; so at the
  present day; perish through insufficiency of the necessaries of life;
  and intolerable toil in the effort to obtain them。
  Wherever we have; if we draw a circle round us of a hundred thousand;
  a thousand; or ten versts; or of one verst; and examine into the
  lives of the people comprehended within the limits of our circle; we
  shall see within that circle prematurely…born children; old men; old
  women; women in labor; sick and weak persons; who toil beyond their
  strength; and who have not sufficient food and rest for life; and who
  therefore die before their time。  We shall see people in the flower
  of their age actually slain by dangerous and injurious work。
  We see that people have been struggling; ever since the world has
  endured; with fearful effort; privation; and suffering; against this
  universal want; and that they cannot overcome it 。 。 。 {35}
  Footnotes:
  {1}  The fine; tall members of a regiment; selected and placed
  together to form a showy squad。
  {2}  '' Omitted by the Censor in the authorized edition printed in
  Russia; in the set of Count Tolstoi's works。
  {3}  Reaumur。
  {4}  A drink made of water; honey; and laurel or salvia leaves; which
  is drunk as tea; especially by the poorer classes。
  {5}  '' Omitted by the censor from the authorized edition published
  in Russia in the set of count Tolstoi's works。  The omission is
  indicated thus 。 。 。
  {6}  Kalatch; a kind of roll:  baranki; cracknels of fine flour。
  {7}  An arshin is twenty…eight inches。
  {8}  A myeshchanin; or citizen; who pays only poll…tax and not a
  guild tax。
  {9}  Omitted in authorized edition。
  {10}  Omitted by the censor in the authorized edition。
  {11}  Omitted by the Censor in the authorized edition。
  {12}  Omitted by the Censor in the authorized edition。
  {13}  Omitted by the Censor in the authorized edition。
  {14}  Omitted by the Censor from the authorized edition。
  {15}  Omitted by the Censor in the authorized edition。
  {16}  Omitted by the Censor in the authorized edition
  {17}  Omitted by the Censor in the authorized edition。
  {18}  Omitted by the Censor in the authorized edition。
  {19}  A very complicated sort of whist。
  {20}  The whole of this chapter is omitted by the Censor in the
  authorized edition; and is there represented by the following
  sentence:  〃And I felt that in money; in money itself; in the
  possession of it; there was something immoral; and I asked myself;
  What is money?〃
  {21}  Omitted by the Censor in the authorized edition。
  {22}  Omitted by the Censor in the authorized edition。