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〃Peace be to this house。 A good appetite to you。 For Christ's sake
give me something。〃
〃God will give it to you；〃 said the mistress； already an old woman； and
the daughter…in…law of the master。 〃Don't be angry with us。〃 An old
man； who was still standing near the door； said； 〃Give him some bread；
Martha。 How can you？〃
〃I am only wondering whether we shall have enough。〃 〃Oh； it is wrong；
Martha。 God tells us to help the poor。 Cut him a slice。〃
Martha obeyed。 The beggar went away。 The man in charge of the
thrashing…machine got up； said grace； thanked his hosts； and went away to
rest。
Mitri did not lie down； but ran to the shop to buy some tobacco。 He
was longing for a smoke。 While he smoked he chatted to a man from
Demensk； asking the price of cattle； as he saw that he would not be able to
manage without selling a cow。 When he returned to the others； they were
already back at work again； and so it went on till the evening。
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Among these downtrodden； duped； and defrauded men； who are
becoming demoralised by overwork； and being gradually done to death by
underfeeding； there are men living who consider themselves Christians；
and others so enlightened that they feel no further need for Christianity or
for any religion； so superior do they appear in their own esteem。 And yet
their hideous； lazy lives are supported by the degrading； excessive labour
of these slaves； not to mention the labour of millions of other slaves；
toiling in factories to produce samovars； silver； carriages； machines； and
the like for their use。 They live among these horrors； seeing them and yet
not seeing them； although often kind at heartold men and women； young
men and maidens； mothers and childrenpoor children who are being
vitiated and trained into moral blindness。
Here is a bachelor grown old； the owner of thousands of acres； who
has lived a life of idleness； greed； and over…indulgence； who reads The
New Times； and is astonished that the government can be so unwise as to
permit Jews to enter the university。 There is his guest； formerly the
governor of a province； now a senator with a big salary； who reads with
satisfaction that a congress of lawyers has passed a resolution in favor of
capital punishment。 Their political enemy； N。 P。； reads a liberal paper； and
cannot understand the blindness of the government in allowing the union
of Russian men to exist。
Here is a kind； gentle mother of a little girl reading a story to her about
Fox； a dog that lamed some rabbits。 And here is this little girl。 During
her walks she sees other children； barefooted； hungry； hunting for green
apples that have fallen from the trees； and； so accustomed is she to the
sight； that these children do not seem to her to be children such as she is；
but only part of the usual surroundings the familiar landscape。
Why is this？
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THE FORGED COUPONAnd Other Stories
THE YOUNG TSAR
THE young Tsar had just ascended the throne。 For five weeks he had
worked without ceasing； in the way that Tsars are accustomed to work。 He
had been attending to reports； signing papers； receiving ambassadors and
high officials who came to be presented to him； and reviewing troops。 He
was tired； and as a traveller exhausted by heat and thirst longs for a
draught of water and for rest； so he longed for a respite of just one day at
least from receptions； from speeches； from parades a few free hours to
spend like an ordinary human being with his young； clever； and beautiful
wife； to whom he had been married only a month before。
It was Christmas Eve。 The young Tsar had arranged to have a
complete rest that evening。 The night before he had worked till very late
at documents which his ministers of state had left for him to examine。 In
the morning he was present at the Te Deum； and then at a military service。
In the afternoon he received official visitors； and later he had been obliged
to listen to the reports of three ministers of state； and had given his assent
to many important matters。 In his conference with the Minister of Finance
he had agreed to an increase of duties on imported goods； which should in
the future add many millions to the State revenues。 Then he sanctioned the
sale of brandy by the Crown in various parts of the country； and signed a
decree permitting the sale of alcohol in villages having markets。 This
was also calculated to increase the principal revenue to the State； which
was derived from the sale of spirits。 He had also approved of the issuing
of a new gold loan required for a financial negotiation。 The Minister of
justice having reported on the complicated case of the succession of the
Baron Snyders； the young Tsar confirmed the decision by his signature；
and also approved the new rules relating to the application of Article 1830
of the penal code； providing for the punishment of tramps。 In his
conference with the Minister of the Interior he ratified the order
concerning the collection of taxes in arrears； signed the order settling what
measures should be taken in regard to the persecution of religious
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THE FORGED COUPONAnd Other Stories
dissenters； and also one providing for the continuance of martial law in
those provinces where it had already been established。 With the Minister
of War he arranged for the nomination of a new Corps Commander for the
raising of recruits； and for punishment of breach of discipline。 These
things kept him occupied till dinner…time； and even then his freedom was
not complete。 A number of high officials had been invited to dinner； and
he was obliged to talk to them： not in the way he felt disposed to do； but
according to what he was expected to say。 At last the tiresome dinner was
over； and the guests departed。
The young Tsar heaved a sigh of relief； stretched himself and retired to
his apartments to take off his uniform with the decorations on it； and to
don the jacket he