But I want forbidden books--sharp, pointed
books. I'll slip them through their fingers. When the police
commissioners or the priest see that they are illegal books, they'll
think it's the teachers who circulate them. And in the meantime
I'll remain in the background."
Well content with his hard, practical sense, he grinned merrily.
"Hm!" thought the mother. "He looks like a bear and behaves like a fox."
Pavel rose, and pacing up and down the room with even steps, said
reproachfully:
"We'll let you have the books, but what you want to do is not right,
Mikhail Ivanovich."
"Why is it not right?" asked Rybin, opening his eyes in astonishment.
"You yourself ought to answer for what you do. It is not right to
manage matters so that others should suffer for what you do." Pavel
spoke sternly.
Rybin looked at the floor, shook his head, and said:
"I don't understand you."
"If the teachers are suspected," said Pavel, stationing himself in
front of Rybin, "of distributing illegal books, don't you think
they'll be put in jail for it?"
"Yes. Well, what if they are?"
"But it's you who distribute the books, not they. Then it's you
that ought to go to prison.
Pages:
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253