登陆注册
5382300000018

第18章 CHAPTER III(2)

Some ploughs, harrows, and other implements which had been imported at a former period were dragged out of the obscurity in which they had lain for several years, and an attempt was made to farm on scientific principles. The attempt was far from being completely successful, for the serfs--this was before the Emancipation--could not be made to work like regularly trained German labourers. In spite of all admonitions, threats, and punishments, they persisted in working slowly, listlessly, inaccurately, and occasionally they broke the new instruments from carelessness or some more culpable motive. Karl Karl'itch was not naturally a hard-hearted man, but he was very rigid in his notions of duty, and could be cruelly severe when his orders were not executed with an accuracy and punctuality that seemed to the Russian rustic mind mere useless pedantry. The serfs did not offer him any open opposition, and were always obsequiously respectful in their demeanour towards him, but they invariably frustrated his plans by their carelessness and stolid, passive resistance.

Thus arose that silent conflict and that smouldering mutual enmity which almost always result from the contact of the Teuton with the Slav. The serfs instinctively regretted the good old times, when they lived under the rough-and-ready patriarchal rule of their masters, assisted by a native "burmister," or overseer, who was one of themselves. The burmister had not always been honest in his dealings with them, and the master had often, when in anger, ordered severe punishments to be inflicted; but the burmister had not attempted to make them change their old habits, and had shut his eves to many little sins of emission and commission, whilst the master was always ready to assist them in difficulties, and commonly treated them in a kindly, familiar way. As the old Russian proverb has it, "Where danger is, there too is kindly forgiveness." Karl Karl'itch, on the contrary, was the personification of uncompassionate, inflexible law. Blind rage and compassionate kindliness were alike foreign to his system of government. If he had any feeling towards the serfs, it was one of chronic contempt. The word durak (blockhead) was constantly on his lips, and when any bit of work was well done, he took it as a matter of course, and never thought of giving a word of approval or encouragement.

When it became evident, in 1859, that the emancipation of the serfs was at hand, Karl Karl'itch confidently predicted that the country would inevitably go to ruin. He knew by experience that the peasants were lazy and improvident, even when they lived under the tutelage of a master, and with the fear of the rod before their eyes. What would they become when this guidance and salutary restraint should be removed? The prospect raised terrible forebodings in the mind of the worthy steward, who had his employer's interests really at heart; and these forebodings were considerably increased and intensified when he learned that the peasants were to receive by law the land which they occupied on sufferance, and which comprised about a half of the whole arable land of the estate. This arrangement he declared to be a dangerous and unjustifiable infraction of the sacred rights of property, which savoured strongly of communism, and could have but one practical result: the emancipated peasants would live by the cultivation of their own land, and would not consent on any terms to work for their former master.

In the few months which immediately followed the publication of the Emancipation Edict in 1861, Karl Karl'itch found much to confirm his most gloomy apprehensions. The peasants showed themselves dissatisfied with the privileges conferred upon them, and sought to evade the corresponding duties imposed on them by the new law. In vain he endeavoured, by exhortations, promises, and threats, to get the most necessary part of the field-work done, and showed the peasants the provision of the law enjoining them to obey and work as of old until some new arrangement should be made. To all his appeals they replied that, having been freed by the Tsar, they were no longer obliged to work for their former master; and he was at last forced to appeal to the authorities. This step had a certain effect, but the field-work was executed that year even worse than usual, and the harvest suffered in consequence.

Since that time things had gradually improved. The peasants had discovered that they could not support themselves and pay their taxes from the land ceded to them, and had accordingly consented to till the proprietor's fields for a moderate recompense. "These last two years," said Karl Karl'itch to me, with an air of honest self-satisfaction, "I have been able, after paying all expenses, to transmit little sums to the young master in St. Petersburg. It was certainly not much, but it shows that things are better than they were. Still, it is hard, uphill work. The peasants have not been improved by liberty. They now work less and drink more than they did in the times of serfage, and if you say a word to them they'll go away, and not work for you at all." Here Karl Karl'itch indemnified himself for his recent self-control in the presence of his workers by using a series of the strongest epithets which the combined languages of his native and of his adopted country could supply. "But laziness and drunkenness are not their only faults.

They let their cattle wander into our fields, and never lose an opportunity of stealing firewood from the forest."

"But you have now for such matters the rural justices of the peace," I ventured to suggest.

同类推荐
  • Flame and Shadow

    Flame and Shadow

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Flag-Raising

    The Flag-Raising

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 菩萨本缘经

    菩萨本缘经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 娱目醒心编

    娱目醒心编

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 摩醯首罗大自在天王神通化生伎艺

    摩醯首罗大自在天王神通化生伎艺

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 白色讲义

    白色讲义

    杜拉斯打开公文包,拿出一摞手稿来:“夏哀先生,这就是我的新作《白色讲义》,请您不吝指教。”他将手稿放在客房的小餐桌上,坐下来。有几页稍散乱在外的,杜拉斯就用手指拨弄回去。这件事情他做得非常细心,从上往下,一张一张地完成,并且只用食指。夏哀先生一边看着,一边将写字桌那侧的扶手椅挪过来。椅子很重,杜拉斯专心于自己的事,也没想到要过来帮帮忙,而且,当他感觉到对面有人坐下时,便也在身旁的餐椅上坐下了:“在我看来,交给出版社的原稿就是尸体。当然,是艺术化了的说法。”
  • 考研英语词汇词根词缀高效记忆:轻松背单词

    考研英语词汇词根词缀高效记忆:轻松背单词

    书中所收录的单词都是从历届研究生英语考试题中提炼出来的。编者利用先进的电脑统计分析技术,对历年考试题中出现的单词进行系统的电脑分频,将历年考题中出现频率较高的单词甄选出来,标注为常考单词。考题中出现频率较低的,但是考试范围内的单词,标注为普通单词。极大地方便了考生有的放矢地去背单词。
  • 寄秋轩吟草

    寄秋轩吟草

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 观念阿弥陀佛相海三昧功德法门

    观念阿弥陀佛相海三昧功德法门

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 渭南市临渭区军事志

    渭南市临渭区军事志

    本志上限追溯公元前209年,下限迄于2005年。详今明古。以志为主、述、记、传、图、表、录并用。按章、节、目结构,横排竖写,以类系事。
  • 怎当青春也难过

    怎当青春也难过

    爱在心头口难开,情缘已尽方知悔,单纯的我们享受着自由的爱情,小小的不经意让对彼此心动。默默地陪伴早已习以相依,怎想的会有分别时,三年的年华满满都是无限青春,在青春时光中蜕变,再遇之时,还是曾经的那片风光吗?
  • 高能来袭

    高能来袭

    大灾变百年,一个全新的职业诞生,他们掌控铁,铜,磷,金,硅,碳……高能看着自己的隐藏天赋,惊呆了:铁100%,铜100%,锡100%,银100%,金100%,磷100%,硫100%,硅100%……读者交流++++VIP书友群:450416188(需全订),普通书友群:392767347(非全订)
  • 谁偷走了你的自信与信任

    谁偷走了你的自信与信任

    围绕自信与信任谈起,逐个分析并找出致使人们丧失自信与失去信任的几乎所有因素。并提出了切实可行的应对之策,能够助你在最短的时间内找回你的自信和信任,让你在摆脱人生困境的同时,也能更好地发挥自身的潜力并构筑良好的外部关系。压力之下,自信易毁;竞争之中,信任易失。然而,现实所给予我们的更多的恰恰是压力与竞争,压力与竞争成了一种常态。正是这些无形的杀手在暗中不断地蚕食着我们的自信与信任,而我们的自信与信任又绝不会凭空产生,怎么办?我们要学会自己去拯救自己。
  • Man and Wife

    Man and Wife

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 中医针炙与按摩

    中医针炙与按摩

    针灸学是祖国医学宝库中的一颗璀璨的明珠,是我国劳动人民在长期的医疗实践和生活实践中的经验总结。几千年来它为中华民族的繁衍昌盛做出了重要贡献。近几十年来,针灸医学的发展突飞猛进,已经走向世界,成为世界医学的重要组成部分。随着社会的发展和人民群众生活水平的提高,人们对保健知识的渴求越来越强烈,特别是非药物的保健方法,诸如针灸、按摩、饮食疗法等,因安全可靠,疗效持久,适应面广,无任何副作用,而深受广大人民群众的喜爱。