Short Fiction, Leo Tolstoy [general ebook reader .txt] 📗

state of siege is therefore not justified. Ivan Vasilievich But neither have we the right to presume that the consequences of a state of siege must be bad, or, if it proves to be so, that such consequences are brought about by the employment of a state of siege. This is one point. The other is that fear cannot fail to influence those who have lost every human sensibility and are like beasts. What except fear could have any effect on men like that one who calmly stabbed an old woman and three children in order to steal three hundred roubles? Peter Petrovich But I am not against capital punishment in principle; I am only opposed to the special courts martial which are so often formed. If these frequent executions did nothing but inspire fear, it would be different. But in addition they pervert the mind, and killing becomes a habit of thought. Ivan Vasilievich There again we don’t know anything about the remote consequences, but we do know, on the contrary, how beneficial.⁠ ⁠… Peter Petrovich Beneficial? Ivan Vasilievich Yes, how beneficial the immediate results are, and we have no right to deny it. How could society similarly fail to exact the penalty from such a wretch as⁠ ⁠… Peter Petrovich You mean society must take its revenge? Ivan Vasilievich No, the object is not revenge. On the contrary, it must substitute for personal revenge the penalty imposed for the good of the community. Peter Petrovich But in that case it must be subject to regulations settled by the law once forever, and not as a special order of things. Ivan Vasilievich The penalty imposed by the community is a substitute for casual, exaggerated revenge, in many cases ungrounded and erroneous, which a private individual might take. Peter Petrovich Passionately. Do you really mean to say the penalty imposed by society is never casual, is always well founded, is never erroneous? I cannot admit that. None of your arguments could ever convince me or anyone else that this is true of a state of siege, under which thousands have been executed⁠ ⁠… and under which executions are still going on⁠—that all this is both just and legal, and beneficial into the bargain! Rises and walks up and down in great agitation. Fedia To his mother. Mother, what is father talking about? Maria Ivanovna Father thinks it wrong that so many people are put to death. Fedia Do you mean really put to death? Maria Ivanovna Yes. He thinks it ought not to be done so frequently. Fedia Coming up to his father. Father, isn’t it written in the Ten Commandments: “Thou shalt not kill”? Doesn’t that mean you are not to kill at all? Peter Petrovich Smiling. That does not refer to what we are talking about. It only means that men are not to kill other men. Fedia But when they execute they kill, don’t they? Peter Petrovich Certainly. But the thing is to know why and when it is permissible. Fedia When is it? Peter Petrovich Why, think of a war, or of a great villain who has committed many murders. How could one leave him unpunished? Fedia But isn’t it written in the Gospel that we must love and forgive everybody? Peter Petrovich If we could do that it would be splendid. But that cannot be. Fedia Why? Peter Petrovich To Ivan Vasilievich, who listens to Fedia with a smile. As I said, dear Ivan Vasilievich, I cannot and will not admit the benefit of a state of siege and courts-martial. On Prisons

Semka, a boy of thirteen

Aksutka, a girl of ten

Palashka, a girl of nine

Vanka, a boy of eight

They are sitting at the well, with baskets of mushrooms which they have gathered. Aksutka Aunt Matrena was crying so desperately. And the children too would not leave off howling, all at the same time. Vanka Why were they howling? Palashka What about? Why, their father has been taken off to prison. Who should cry but the family? Vanka Why is he in prison? Aksutka I don’t know. They came and told him to get his things ready and led him away. We saw it all from our cottage. Semka Serves him right for being a horse-stealer. He stole a horse from Demkin’s place and one from Hramov’s. He and his gang also got hold of our gelding. Who could love him for that? Aksutka That is all right, but I am sorry for the poor brats. There are four of them. And so poor⁠—no bread in the house. Today they had to come to us. Semka Serves the thief right. Mitka But he’s the only one that is the thief. Why must his children become beggars? Semka Why did he steal? Mitka The kids didn’t steal⁠—it is just he. Semka Kids indeed! Why did he do wrong? That doesn’t alter the case, that he has got children. Does that give him the right to be a thief? Vanka What will they do to him in prison? Aksutka He will just sit there. That’s all. Vanka And will they give him food? Semka That’s just the reason why they’re not afraid, those damned horse-thieves! He doesn’t mind going to prison. They provide him with everything and he has nothing to do but sit idle the whole day long. If I were the Tsar, I would know how to manage those horse-thieves.⁠ ⁠… I would teach them a lesson that would make them give up the habit of stealing. Now he has nothing to worry him. He sits in the company of fellows like himself, and they teach each other how to steal. Grandfather said Petrusha was quite a good boy when he went to prison for the first time, but he came out a desperate villain. Since then he’s taken to⁠— Vanka Then why do they put people in prison? Semka Just ask them. Aksutka He will have all his food given to him⁠— Semka Agreeing. So he will get more accustomed to finding the food ready for him! Aksutka While the kiddies and their mother have to die of starvation. They are our neighbours; we can’t help pitying them. When they come