Page:Ossendowski - From President to Prison.djvu/352

340 I feel that the Russian is the most tragic type in the world. He is born with his terrible malady, a melancholy which, though at times unsensed, always poisons and weakens his soul. From the very moment of his birth he seems to feel the heavy burden of the decrees of Fate.

The Russian psychology reveals itself clearly in three of their proverbs and expressions. One of these very old Russian proverb runs:

"Never say that you will not be a beggar nor a criminal convict."

A real Russian, when asked how life goes with him, will never answer "Good" or "Bad," but only "Nichevo" which translates literally as "Nothing" but really conveys the meaning of "Oh, just middling" or "Nothing out of the ordinary worth mentioning." It signifies that his life is neither good nor bad and conveys the idea that all goes well with him. If he acknowledged that it was well, his overpowering superstition would make him fear some form of retributory punishment on the morrow; whereas, if he stated that it was bad, he would be acknowledging his suffering and thus be fastening this state upon himself. If it is just "Nichevo," he experiences no feeling of suffering nor of fear. For this he is thankful to God, to whom he always turns in his short and simple prayers, not as a son to his Father or as a servant to his Master, but as a slave to an omnipotent tyrant.

And what is better than "Nichevo" for a slave who has no hope of liberty, neither at any time nor at any price, but fears only some new oppression? When he feels no fear, when it is absent, then all is "Nichevo," and this is happiness.

During these ruminations in the train I recalled again