for him。 A few newcomers were standing with them。 Among the
women； of whom several had babies in their arms； was the thin
woman with the baby who had the patchwork cap on its head。 She
held lightly in her arms the bloodless infant； who kept strangely
smiling all over its wizened little face； and continually moving
its crooked thumbs。
Nekhludoff knew the smile to be one of suffering。 He asked who
the woman was。
〃It is that very Anisia I told you about；〃 said the elder boy。
Nekhludoff turned to Anisia。
〃How do you live？〃 he asked。 〃By what means do you gain your
livelihood？〃
〃How do I live？ I go begging；〃 said Anisia； and began to cry。
Nekhludoff took out his pocket…book； and gave the woman a
10…rouble note。 He had not had time to take two steps before
another woman with a baby caught him up； then an old woman； then
another young one。 All of them spoke of their poverty； and asked
for help。 Nekhludoff gave them the 60 roublesall in small
noteswhich he had with him； and； terribly sad at heart； turned
home； i。e。； to the foreman's house。
The foreman met Nekhludoff with a smile； and informed him that
the peasants would come to the meeting in the evening。 Nekhludoff
thanked him； and went straight into the garden to stroll along
the paths strewn over with the petals of apple…blossom and
overgrown with weeds； and to think over all he had seen。
At first all was quiet； but soon Nekhludoff heard from behind the
foreman's house two angry women's voices interrupting each other；
and now and then the voice of the ever…smiling foreman。
Nekhludoff listened。
〃My strength's at an end。 What are you about； dragging the very
cross ＇those baptized in the Russo…Greek Church always wear a
cross round their necks＇ off my neck；〃 said an angry woman's
voice。
〃But she only got in for a moment；〃 said another voice。 〃Give it
her back； I tell you。 Why do you torment the beast； and the
children； too； who want their milk？〃
〃Pay； then； or work it off；〃 said the foreman's voice。
Nekhludoff left the garden and entered the porch； near which
stood two dishevelled womenone of them pregnant and evidently
near her time。 On one of the steps of the porch； with his hands
in the pockets of his holland coat； stood the foreman。 When they
saw the master； the women were silent； and began arranging the
kerchiefs on their heads； and the foreman took his hands out of
his pockets and began to smile。
This is what had happened。 From the foreman's words； it seemed
that the peasants were in the habit of letting their calves and
even their cows into the meadow belonging to the estate。 Two cows
belonging to the families of these two women were found in the
meadow； and driven into the yard。 The foreman demanded from the
women 30 copecks for each cow or two days' work。 The women；
however； maintained that the cows had got into the meadow of
their own accord； that they had no money； and asked that the
cows； which had stood in the blazing sun since morning without
food； piteously lowing； should he returned to them； even if it
had to be on the understanding that the price should be worked
off later on。
〃How often have I not begged of you；〃 said the smiling foreman；
looking back at Nekhludoff as if calling upon him to be a
witness； 〃if you drive your cattle home at noon； that you should
have an eye on them？〃
〃I only ran to my little one for a bit； and they got away。〃
〃Don't run away when you have undertaken to watch the cows。〃
〃And who's to feed the little one？ You'd not give him the breast；
I suppose？〃 said the other woman。 〃Now； if they had really
damaged the meadow； one would not take it so much to heart； but
they only strayed in a moment。〃
〃All the meadows are damaged；〃 the foreman said； turning to
Nekhludoff。 〃If I exact no penalty there will be no hay。〃
〃There； now； don't go sinning like that； my cows have never been
caught there before；〃 shouted the pregnant woman。〃
〃Now that one has been caught； pay up or work it off。〃
〃All right； I'll work it off； only let me have the cow now； don't
torture her with hunger；〃 she cried； angrily。 〃As it is； I have
no rest day or night。 Mother…in…law is ill； husband taken to
drink； I'm all alone to do all the work； and my strength's at an
end。 I wish you'd choke； you and your working it off。〃
Nekhludoff asked the foreman to let the women take the cows； and
went back into the garden to go on thinking out his problem； but
there was nothing more to think about。
Everything seemed so clear to him now that he could not stop
wondering how it was that everybody did not see it； and that he
himself had for such a long while not seen what was so clearly
evident。 The people were dying out； and had got used to the
dying…out process； and had formed habits of life adapted to this
process： there was the great mortality among the children； the
over…working of the women； the under…feeding； especially of the
aged。 And so gradually had the people come to this condition that
they did not realise the full horrors of it； and did not
complain。 Therefore； we consider their condition natural and as
it should be。 Now it seemed as clear as daylight that the chief
cause of the people's great want was one that they themselves
knew and always pointed out； i。e。； that the land which alone
could feed them had been taken from them by the landlords。
And how evident it was that the children and the aged died
because they had no milk； and they had no milk because there was
no pasture land； and no land to grow corn or make hay on。 It was
quite evident that all the misery of the people or； at least by
far the greater part of it； was caused by the fact that the land
which should feed them was not in their hands； but in the hands
of those who； profiting by their rights to the land； live by the
work of these people。 The land so much needed by men was tilled
by these people； who were on the verge of starvation； so that the
corn might be sold abroad and the owners of the land might buy
themselves hats and canes； and carriages and bronzes； etc。 He
understood this as clearly as he understood that horses when they
have eaten all the grass in the inclosure where they are kept
will have to grow thin and starve unless they are put where they
can get food off other land。
This was terrible； and must not go on。 Means must be found to
alter it； or at least not to take part in it。 〃And I will find
them；〃 he thought； as he walked up and down the path under the
birch trees。
In scientific circles； Government institutions； and in the papers
we talk about the causes of the poverty among the people and the
means of ameliorating their condition； but we do not talk of the
only sure means which would certainly lighten their condition；
i。e。； giving back to them the land they need so much。
Henry George's fundamental position recurred vividly to his mind
and how he had once been carried away by it； and he was surprised
that he could have forgotten it。 The earth cannot be any one's
property； it cannot be bought or sold any more than water； air；
or sunshine。 All have an equal right to the advantages it gives
to men。 And now he knew why he had felt ashamed to remember the
transaction at Kousminski。 He had been deceiving himself。 He knew
that no man could have a right to own land； yet he had accepted
this right as his； and had given the peasants something which； in
the depth of his heart； he knew he had no right to。 Now he would
not act in this way； and would alter the arrangement in
Kousminski also。 And he formed a project in his mind to let the
land to the peasants； and to acknowledge the rent they paid for
it to be their property； to be kept to pay the taxes and for
communal uses。 This was； of course； not the single…tax system；
still it was as near an approach to it as could be had under
existing circumstances。 His chief consideration； however； was
that in this way he would no longer profit by the possession of
landed property。
When he returned to the house the foreman； with a specially
pleasant smile； asked him if he would not have his dinner now；
expressing the fear that the feast his wife was preparing； with
the help of the girl with the earrings； might be overdone。
The table was covered with a coarse； unbleached cloth and an
embroidered towel was laid on it in lieu of a napkin。 A
vieux…saxe soup tureen with a broken handle stood on the table；
full of potato soup； the stock made of the fowl that had put out
and drawn in his black leg； and was now cut； or rather chopped；
in pieces； which were here and there covered with hairs。 After
the soup more of the same fowl with the hairs was served roasted；
and then curd pasties； very greasy； and with a great deal of
sugar。 Little appetising as all this was； Nekhludoff hardly
noticed what he was eating； he was occupied with the thought
which had in a moment dispersed the sadness with which he had
returned from the village。
The foreman's wife kept looking in at the door； whilst the
frightened maid with the earrings brought in the dishes； and the
foreman smiled more and more joyfully； priding himself on his
wife's culinary skill。 After dinner； Nekhludoff succeeded； with
some trouble； in making the foreman sit down。 In order to revise
his own thoughts； and to express them to some one； he explained
his project of letting the land to the peasants； and asked the
foreman for his opinion。 The foreman； smiling as if he had
thought all this himself long ago； and was very pleased to hear
it； did not really understand it at all。 This was not because
Nekhludoff did not express himself clearly； but because according
to this project it turned out that Nekhludoff was giving up his
own profit for the profit of others； and the thought that every
one is only concerned about his own profit； to the harm of
others； was so deeply rooted in the foreman's conceptions that he
imagined he did not understand something when Nekhludoff said
that all the income from the land must be placed to form the
communal capital of the peasants。
〃Oh； I see； then you； of course； will receive the percentages
from that capital；〃 said the foreman； brightening up。
〃Dear me！ no。 Don't you see； I am giving up the