Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - IV
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has been proofread at least once.
(diff)
(history)
Denna sida har korrekturlästs minst en gång.
(skillnad)
(historik)
with no other reward than that their own conscience
gives them. No honor of any kind awaits them; their
work is hidden, their offering is unrecognized. Their
outer life is a series of struggles and sufferings.
They constitute the outwardly active element of the
Russian intelligentia, — a world by itself, with its own
moral qualities, precarious at times, but always of
more value than the mercantile compound, which in
other parts of Europe goes under the name of moral, — a
pure young world, with the fiery faith of youth, and the
passive character of Russian heroism, constant even in
torture. The faith in their historic mission, and the
consciousness of their spiritual power, sustains them.
Tikhomirof, who has been one of the leading spirits
in revolutionary agitations, and who now lives an exile
in Paris, greatly deploring the attempts at assassination
which alone have made possible the re-action now
prevailing in Russia, is always fully trustworthy when he
portrays single traits, though not always when he
generalizes. He speaks of a young prisoner who was
constantly refractory and asking for unheard-of favors, such
as permission for the prisoners confined in cells to talk
and walk together. “It is necessary to protest,” he
continually repeated. — “But what can you accomplish?”
said his comrade. “You forget that you are under lock
and key. How are you going to find the power of
compelling the authorities?” — “The power! How? In
myself, in you. ... I am myself the power!” — “My dear
friend, that power the others can crush in a minute!” —
“Crush it! let us see first! let them try!”[1]
Without doubt, in a classical sense the fundamental
trait of invincibility is the strength of the party of
agitation in Russia.
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
