Nekhludoff； bending only his neck； and with his eyes fixed on
him。 Then； having reluctantly given him his damp hand to shake；
he began to take out the provisions。
Both these political prisoners were of the people； the first was
Nabatoff； a peasant； the second； Markel Kondratieff； a factory
hand。 Markel did not come among the revolutionists till he was
quite a man； Nabatoff only eighteen。 After leaving the village
school； owing to his exceptional talents Nabatoff entered the
gymnasium； and maintained himself by giving lessons all the time
he studied there； and obtained the gold medal。 He did not go to
the university because； while still in the seventh class of the
gymnasium； he made up his mind to go among the people and
enlighten his neglected brethren。 This he did； first getting the
place of a Government clerk in a large village。 He was soon
arrested because he read to the peasants and arranged a
co…operative industrial association among them。 They kept him
imprisoned for eight months and then set him free； but he
remained under police supervision。 As soon as he was liberated he
went to another village； got a place as schoolmaster； and did the
same as he had done in the first village。 He was again taken up
and kept fourteen months in prison； where his convictions became
yet stronger。 After that he was exiled to the Perm Government；
from where he escaped。 Then he was put to prison for seven months
and after that exiled to Archangel。 There he refused to take the
oath of allegiance that was required of them and was condemned to
be exiled to the Takoutsk Government； so that half his life since
he reached manhood was passed in prison and exile。 All these
adventures did not embitter him nor weaken his energy； but rather
stimulated it。 He was a lively young fellow； with a splendid
digestion； always active； gay and vigorous。 He never repented of
anything； never looked far ahead； and used all his powers； his
cleverness； his practical knowledge to act in the present。 When
free he worked towards the aim he had set himself； the
enlightening and the uniting of the working men； especially the
country labourers。 When in prison he was just as energetic and
practical in finding means to come in contact with the outer
world； and in arranging his own life and the life of his group as
comfortably as the conditions would allow。 Above all things he
was a communist。 He wanted； as it seemed to him； nothing for
himself and contented himself with very little； but demanded very
much for the group of his comrades； and could work for it either
physically or mentally day and night； without sleep or food。 As a
peasant he had been industrious； observant； clever at his work；
and naturally self…controlled； polite without any effort； and
attentive not only to the wishes but also the opinions of others。
His widowed mother； an illiterate； superstitious； old peasant
woman； was still living； and Nabatoff helped her and went to see
her while he was free。 During the time he spent at home he
entered into all the interests of his mother's life； helped her
in her work； and continued his intercourse with former
playfellows； smoked cheap tobacco with them in so…called 〃dog's
feet；〃 ＇a kind of cigarette that the peasants smoke； made of a
bit of paper and bent at one end into a hook＇ took part in their
fist fights； and explained to them how they were all being
deceived by the State； and how they ought to disentangle
themselves out of the deception they were kept in。 When he
thought or spoke of what a revolution would do for the people he
always imagined this people from whom he had sprung himself left
in very nearly the same conditions as they were in； only with
sufficient land and without the gentry and without officials。 The
revolution； according to him； and in this he differed from
Novodvoroff and Novodvoroff's follower； Markel Kondratieff；
should not alter the elementary forms of the life of the people；
should not break down the whole edifice； but should only alter
the inner walls of the beautiful； strong； enormous old structure
he loved so dearly。 He was also a typical peasant in his views on
religion； never thinking about metaphysical questions； about the
origin of all origin； or the future life。 God was to him； as
also to Arago； an hypothesis； which he had had no need of up to
now。 He had no business with the origin of the world； whether
Moses or Darwin was right。 Darwinism； which seemed so important
to his fellows； was only the same kind of plaything of the mind
as the creation in six days。 The question how the world had
originated did not interest him； just because the question how it
would be best to live in this world was ever before him。 He never
thought about future life； always bearing in the depth of his
soul the firm and quiet conviction inherited from his
forefathers； and common to all labourers on the land； that just
as in the world of plants and animals nothing ceases to exist；
but continually changes its form； the manure into grain； the
grain into a food； the tadpole into a frog； the caterpillar into
a butterfly； the acorn into an oak； so man also does not perish；
but only undergoes a change。 He believed in this； and therefore
always looked death straight in the face； and bravely bore the
sufferings that lead towards it； but did not care and did not
know how to speak about it。 He loved work； was always employed in
some practical business； and put his comrades in the way of the
same kind of practical work。
The other political prisoner from among the people； Markel
Kondratieff； was a very different kind of man。 He began to work
at the age of fifteen； and took to smoking and drinking in order
to stifle a dense sense of being wronged。 He first realised he
was wronged one Christmas when they； the factory children； were
invited to a Christmas tree； got up by the employer's wife； where
he received a farthing whistle； an apple； a gilt walnut and a
fig； while the employer's children had presents given them which
seemed gifts from fairyland； and had cost more than fifty
roubles； as he afterwards heard。
When he was twenty a celebrated revolutionist came to their
factory to work as a working girl； and noticing his superior
qualities began giving books and pamphlets to Kondratieff and to
talk and explain his position to him； and how to remedy it。 When
the possibility of freeing himself and others from their
oppressed state rose clearly in his mind； the injustice of this
state appeared more cruel and more terrible than before； and he
longed passionately not only for freedom； but also for the
punishment of those who had arranged and who kept up this cruel
injustice。 Kondratieff devoted himself with passion to the
acquirement of knowledge。 It was not clear to him how knowledge
should bring about the realisation of the social ideal； but he
believed that the knowledge that had shown him the injustice of
the state in which he lived would also abolish that injustice
itself。 Besides knowledge would； in his opinion； raise him above
others。 Therefore he left off drinking_ and smoking； and devoted
all his leisure time to study。 The revolutionist gave him
lessons； and his thirst for every kind of knowledge； and the
facility with which he took it in； surprised her。 In two years he
had mastered algebra； geometry； historywhich he was specially
fond ofand made acquaintance with artistic and critical； and
especially socialistic literature。 The revolutionist was
arrested； and Kondratieff with her； forbidden books having been
found in their possession； and they were imprisoned and then
exiled to the Vologda Government。 There Kondratieff became
acquainted with Novodvoroff； and read a great deal more
revolutionary literature； remembered it all； and became still
firmer in his socialistic views。 While in exile he became leader
in a large strike； which ended in the destruction of a factory
and the murder of the director。 He was again arrested and
condemned to Siberia。
His religious views were of the same negative nature as his views
of the existing economic conditions。 Having seen the absurdity of
the religion in which he was brought up； and having gained with
great effort； and at first with fear； but later with rapture；
freedom from it； he did not tire of viciously and with venom
ridiculing priests and religious dogmas； as if wishing to revenge
himself for the deception that had been practised on him。
He was ascetic through habit； contented himself with very little；
and； like all those used to work from childhood and whose muscles
have been developed； he could work much and easily； and was quick
at any manual labour； but what he valued most was the leisure in
prisons and halting stations； which enabled him to continue his
studies。 He was now studying the first volume of Karl Marks's；
and carefully hid the book in his sack as if it were a great
treasure。 He behaved with reserve and indifference to all his
comrades； except Novodvoroff； to whom he was greatly attached；
and whose arguments on all subjects he accepted as unanswerable
truths。
He had an indefinite contempt for women； whom he looked upon as a
hindrance in all necessary business。 But he pitied Maslova and
was gentle with her； for he considered her an example of the way
the lower are exploited by the upper classes。 The same reason
made him dislike Nekhludoff； so that he talked little with him；
and never pressed Nekhludoff's hand； but only held out his own to
be pressed when greeting him。
CHAPTER XIII。
LOVE AFFAIRS OF THE EXILES。
The stove had burned up and got warm； the tea was made and poured
out into mugs and cups； and milk was added to it； rusks； fresh
rye and wheat bread； hard…boiled eggs； butter； and calf's head
and feet were placed on the cloth。 Everybody moved towards the
part of the shelf beds which took the place of the table and sat
eating and talking。 Rintzeva sat on a box pouring out the tea。
The rest crowded round her； only Kryltzoff； who had taken off his
wet cloak and wrapped himself in his dry plaid and lay in his own
place talking to Nekhludoff。
After the cold and damp march and the dirt and disorder they had
found here； and after the pains the