His
aspect turned brighter and more cheerful. Now his eyes smiled on
her with assurance, and with a live inward power, as if he had in
reality risen to life for mankind, washed and vivified by the hot
blood lavishly shed in his name. Yet those who had lost their blood
modestly refrained from mentioning the name of the unfortunate
friend of the people.
The mother always returned to Nikolay from her travels delightfully
exhilarated by what she had seen and heard on the road, bold and
satisfied with the work she had accomplished.
"It's good to go everywhere, and to see much," she said to Nikolay
in the evening. "You understand how life is arranged. They brush
the people aside and fling them to the edge. The people, hurt and
wounded, keep moving about, even though they don't want to, and
though they keep thinking: 'What for? Why do they drive us away?
Why must we go hungry when there is so much of everything? And
how much intellect there is everywhere! Nevertheless, we must remain
in stupidity and darkness. And where is He, the merciful God, in
whose eyes there are no rich nor poor, but all are children dear to
His heart.' The people are gradually revolting against this life.
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