When the reading was over the young people entered into long
discussions; but Vyesovshchikov took no part in the arguments. He
remained longer than the rest, and when alone, face to face with
Andrey, he glumly put to him the question:
"And who is the most to blame? The Czar?"
"The one to blame is he who first said: 'This is mine.' That man
has now been dead some several thousand years, and it's not worth
the while to bear him a grudge," said the Little Russian, jesting.
His eyes, however, had a perturbed expression.
"And how about the rich, and those who stand up for them? Are they right?"
The Little Russian clapped his hands to his head; then pulled his
mustache, and spoke for a long time in simple language about life
and about the people. But from his talk it always appeared as if
all the people were to blame, and this did not satisfy Nikolay.
Compressing his thick lips tightly, he shook his head in demur, and
declared that he could not believe it was so, and that he did not
understand it. He left dissatisfied and gloomy. Once he said:
"No, there must be people to blame! I'm sure there are! I tell
you, we must plow over the whole of life like a weedy field, showing
no mercy!"
"That's what Isay, the record clerk, once said about us!" the mother
said.
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