Page:Tolstoy - The Russian Revolution.djvu/69



About a month ago two young men came to see me. One had on a cap and peasant bark-shoes; the other wore a black hat that had once been fashionable, and torn boots.

I asked them who they were. With unconcealed pride they informed me that they were workmen, expelled from Moscow where they had taken part in the armed rising. Passing our village, they had found occupation as watchmen in a garden, but had lived there less than a month. The day before they came to me, the owner of the garden had dismissed them, charging them with persuading the peasants to attack the garden and lay it waste. They denied the charge with a smile, saying they had persuaded no one, they only went into the village of an evening and chatted with their fellows.

They both, particularly the bolder, smiling one, who had sparkling black eyes and white teeth, had read revolutionary literature; and they both used foreign words, in and out of place, such as "orator," "proletariat," "Social-Democrat," "exploitation," etc.

I asked them what they had read. The darker one replied with a smile, that he had read various pamphlets.

I asked, "Which?"

"All sorts: 'Land and Liberty,' for instance."

I then asked them what they thought of such pamphlets.

"They tell the real truth," replied the dark one.

"What is it that is so true in them?" I asked.

"Why, that it has become impossible to go on living so." "Why is it impossible?"