,P>T #a 

#ahhbahhb 

,PEOPLE 3 

,AU?OR 3 ,LEO ,TOL/OY 

,TEXT 3 

,I UND]/OOD ?IS1 BUT IT MADE MATT]S NO BETT] = ME4 ,I 
WAS N[ READY TO ACCEPT ANY FAI? IF ONLY IT DID NOT DEM& ( ME 
A DIRECT D5IAL ( REASON - :I* W\LD BE A FALSEHOOD4 ,& ,I 
/UDI$ ,BUDDHISM & ,MOHAMM$ANISM FROM BOOKS1 & MO/ ( ALL ,I 
/UDI$ ,*RI/IANITY BO? FROM BOOKS & FROM ! PEOPLE >\ND ME4 

,NATURALLY ,I FIR/ ( ALL TURN$ TO ! OR?ODOX ( MY CIRCLE1 
TO PEOPLE :O W]E LE>N$3 TO ,*UR* !OLOGIANS1 MONKS1 TO 
!OLOGIANS ( ! NEWE/ %ADE1 & EV5 TO ,EVANGELICALS :O 
PR(ESS SALVATION BY BELIEF 9 ! ,R$EMPTION4 ,& ,I SEIZ$ ON 
!SE BELIEV]S & QUE/ION$ !M AS TO !IR BELIEFS & !IR 
UND]/&+ ( ! MEAN+ ( LIFE4 

,BUT ?\< ,I MADE ALL POSSIBLE CONCESSIONS1 & AVOID$ ALL 
DISPUTES1 ,I C\LD NOT ACCEPT ! FAI? ( !SE PEOPLE4 ,I SAW ?AT 
:AT !Y GAVE \T AS !IR FAI? DID NOT EXPLA9 ! MEAN+ ( 
LIFE BUT OBSCUR$ IT1 & ?AT !Y !MSELVES AFFIRM !IR BELIEF 
NOT TO ANSW] ?AT QUE/ION ( LIFE :I* BR\<T ME TO FAI?1 BUT 
= SOME O!R AIMS ALI5 TO ME4 

,I REMEMB] ! PA9FUL FEEL+ ( FE> ( BE+ ?R[N BACK 
9TO MY =M] /ATE ( DESPAIR1 AFT] ! HOPE ,I (T5 & (T5 
EXP]I5C$ 9 MY 9T]C\RSE ) !SE PEOPLE4 

,! MORE FULLY !Y EXPLA9$ TO ME !IR DOCTR9ES1 ! MORE 
CLE>LY DID ,I P]CEIVE !IR ]ROR & REALIZ$ ?AT MY HOPE ( 
F9D+ 9 !IR BELIEF AN EXPLANATION ( ! MEAN+ ( LIFE WAS 
VA94 

,IT WAS NOT ?AT 9 !IR DOCTR9ES !Y MIX$ MANY UNNECESS>Y 
& UNREASONABLE ?+S ) ! ,*RI/IAN TRU?S ?AT HAD ALWAYS 
BE5 NE> TO ME3 ?AT WAS NOT :AT REPELL$ ME4 ,I WAS REPELL$ BY 
! FACT ?AT !SE PEOPLE'S LIVES W]E LIKE MY [N1 ) ONLY ?IS 
DIFF]5CE - ?AT SU* A LIFE DID NOT CORRESPOND TO ! PR9CIPLES 
!Y EXP\ND$ 9 !IR TEA*+S4 ,I CLE>LY FELT ?AT !Y 
DECEIV$ !MSELVES & ?AT !Y1 LIKE MYSELF F\ND NO O!R 
MEAN+ 9 LIFE ?AN TO LIVE :ILE LIFE LA/S1 TAK+ ALL ONE'S 
H&S CAN SEIZE4 ,I SAW ?IS BECAUSE IF !Y HAD HAD A MEAN+ 
:I* DE/ROY$ ! FE> ( LOSS1 SUFF]+1 & DEA?1 !Y W\LD 
NOT HAVE FE>$ !SE ?+S4 ,BUT !Y1 !SE BELIEV]S ( \R 
CIRCLE1 JU/ LIKE MYSELF1 LIV+ 9 SUFFICI5CY & SUP]FLUITY1 
TRI$ TO 9CREASE OR PRES]VE !M1 FE>$ PRIVATIONS1 SUFF]+1 
& DEA?1 & JU/ LIKE MYSELF & ALL ( US UNBELIEV]S1 LIV$ TO 
SATISFY !IR DESIRES1 & LIV$ JU/ AS BADLY1 IF NOT WORSE1 ?AN 
! UNBELIEV]S4 

,NO >GUM5TS C\LD CONV9CE ME ( ! TRU? ( !IR FAI?4  
,ONLY DE$S :I* %[$ ?AT !Y SAW A MEAN+ 9 LIFE MAK+ :AT 
WAS SO DREADFUL TO ME - POV]TY1 SICKNESS1 & DEA? - NOT 
DREADFUL TO !M1 C\LD CONV9CE ME4 ,& SU* DE$S ,I DID NOT SEE 
AMONG ! V>I\S BELIEV]S 9 \R CIRCLE4 ,ON ! CONTR>Y1 ,I SAW 
SU* DE$S DONE .<,FOOTNOTE3 ?IS PASSAGE IS NOTEWOR?Y AS BE+ ONE 
( ! FEW REF]5CES MADE BY ,TOL/OY AT ?IS P]IOD TO ! 
REVOLUTION>Y OR 0,BACK-TO-!-,PEOPLE0 MOVEM5T1 9 :I* MANY Y\NG 
M5 & WOM5 W]E RISK+ & SACRIFIC+ HOME1 PROP]TY1 & LIFE 
ITSELF FROM MOTIVES :I* HAD MU* 9 COMMON ) HIS [N 
P]CEPTION ?AT ! UPP] LAY]S ( ,SOCIETY >E P>ASITIC & PREY 
ON ! VITALS ( ! PEOPLE :O SUPPORT !M4 - ,A4,M4.> BY PEOPLE ( 
\R CIRCLE :O W]E ! MO/ UNBELIEV+1 BUT NEV] BY \R SO- 
CALL$ BELIEV]S4 

,& ,I UND]/OOD ?AT ! BELIEF ( !SE PEOPLE WAS NOT ! 
FAI? ,I S\<T1 & ?AT !IR FAI? IS NOT A REAL FAI? BUT AN 
EPICUREAN CONSOLATION 9 LIFE4 

,I UND]/OOD ?AT ?AT FAI? MAY P]HAPS S]VE1 IF NOT = A 
CONSOLATION AT LEA/ = SOME DI/RACTION = A REP5TANT ,SOLOMON 
ON HIS DEA?-B$1 BUT IT CANNOT S]VE = ! GREAT MAJORITY ( 
MANK9D1 :O >E CALL$ ON NOT TO AMUSE !MSELVES :ILE CONSUM+ 
! LABOR ( O!RS BUT TO CREATE LIFE4 

,= ALL HUMANITY TO BE ABLE TO LIVE1 & CONT9UE TO LIVE 
ATTRIBUT+ A MEAN+ TO LIFE1 !Y1 ?OSE MILLI>DS1 MU/ HAVE A 
DIFF]5T1 A REAL1 KN[L$GE ( FAI?4 ,9DE$1 IT WAS NOT ! FACT 
?AT WE1 ) ,SOLOMON & ,S*OP5HAU]1 DID NOT KILL \RSELVES ?AT 
CONV9C$ ME ( ! EXI/5CE ( FAI?1 BUT ! FACT ?AT ?OSE 
MILLI>DS ( PEOPLE HAVE LIV$ & >E LIV+1 & HAVE BORNE 
,SOLOMON & US ON ! CURR5T ( !IR LIVES4 

,& ,I BEGAN TO DRAW NE> TO ! BELIEV]S AMONG ! POOR1 
SIMPLE1 UNLETT]$ FOLK3 PILGRIMS1 MONKS1 SECT>IANS1 & PEASANTS4  
,! FAI? ( !SE COMMON PEOPLE WAS ! SAME ,*RI/IAN FAI? AS 
WAS PR(ESS$ BY ! PSEUDO-BELIEV]S ( \R CIRCLE4 ,AMONG !M1 
TOO1 ,I F\ND A GREAT DEAL ( SUP]/ITION MIX$ ) ! ,*RI/IAN 
TRU?S2 BUT ! DIFF]5CE WAS ?AT ! SUP]/ITIONS ( ! 
BELIEV]S ( \R CIRCLE W]E QUITE UNNECESS>Y TO !M & W]E NOT 
9 CON=MITY ) !IR LIVES1 BE+ M]ELY A K9D ( EPICUREAN 
DIV]SION2 BUT ! SUP]/ITIONS ( ! BELIEV]S AMONG ! 
LABOR+ MASSES CON=M$ SO ) !IR LIVES ?AT IT WAS 
IMPOSSIBLE TO IMAG9E !M TO ONESELF )\T ?OSE SUP]/ITIONS1 
:I* W]E A NECESS>Y CONDITION ( !IR LIFE4 ! :OLE LIFE ( 
BELIEV]S 9 \R CIRCLE WAS A CONTRADICTION ( !IR FAI?1 BUT ! 
:OLE LIFE ( ! WORK+-FOLK BELIEV]S WAS A CONFIRMATION ( ! 
MEAN+ ( LIFE :I* !IR FAI? GAVE !M4 ,& ,I BEGAN TO LOOK 
WELL 9TO ! LIFE & FAI? ( !SE PEOPLE1 & ! MORE ,I 
CONSID]$ IT ! MORE ,I BECAME CONV9C$ ?AT !Y HAVE A REAL 
FAI? :I* IS A NECESSITY TO !M & ALONE GIVES !IR LIFE A 
MEAN+ & MAKES IT POSSIBLE = !M TO LIVE4 ,9 CONTRA/ ) 
:AT ,I HAD SE5 9 \R CIRCLE - :]E LIFE )\T FAI? IS 
POSSIBLE & :]E H>DLY ONE 9 A ?\S& ACKN[L$GES HIMSELF TO 
BE A BELIEV] - AMONG !M !RE IS H>DLY ONE UNBELIEV] 9 A 
?\S&4 ,9 CONTRA/ ) :AT ,I HAD SE5 9 \R CIRCLE1 :]E 
! :OLE ( LIFE IS PASS$ 9 IDL5ESS1 AMUSEM5T1 & 
DISSATISFACTION1 ,I SAW ?AT ! :OLE LIFE ( !SE PEOPLE WAS 
PASS$ 9 HEAVY LABOR1 & ?AT !Y W]E CONT5T ) LIFE4 ,9 
CONTRADI/9CTION TO ! WAY 9 :I* PEOPLE ( \R CIRCLE OPPOSE 
FATE & COMPLA9 ( IT ON ACC\NT ( DEPRIVATIONS & SUFF]+S1 
!SE PEOPLE ACCEPT$ ILLNESS & SORR[ )\T ANY P]PLEXITY OR 
OPPOSITION1 & ) A QUIET & FIRM CONVICTION ?AT ALL IS GOOD4  
,9 CONTRADI/9CTION TO US1 :O ! WIS] WE >E ! LESS WE 
UND]/& ! MEAN+ ( LIFE1 & SEE SOME EVIL IRONY 9 ! FACT 
?AT WE SUFF] & DIE1 !SE FOLK LIVE & SUFF]1 & !Y 
APPROA* DEA? & SUFF]+ ) TRANQUILITY & 9 MO/ CASES 
GLADLY4 ,9 CONTRA/ TO ! FACT ?AT A TRANQUIL DEA?1 A DEA? 
)\T HORROR & DESPAIR1 IS A V]Y R>E EXCEPTION 9 \R CIRCLE1 
A TR\BL$1 REBELLI\S1 & UNHAPPY DEA? IS ! R>E/ EXCEPTION 
AMONG ! PEOPLE4 & SU* PEOPLE1 LACK+ ALL ?AT = US & = 
,SOLOMON IS ! ONLY GOOD ( LIFE & YET EXP]I5C+ ! GREATE/ 
HAPP9ESS1 >E A GREAT MULTITUDE4 ,I LOOK$ MORE WIDELY >\ND ME4  
,I CONSID]$ ! LIFE ( ! 5ORM\S MASS ( ! PEOPLE 9 ! 
PA/ & ! PRES5T4 ,& ( SU* PEOPLE1 UND]/&+ ! 
MEAN+ ( LIFE & ABLE TO LIVE & TO DIE1 ,I SAW NOT TWO OR 
?REE1 OR T5S1 BUT HUNDR$S1 ?\S&S1 & MILLIONS4 & !Y 
ALL - 5DLESSLY DIFF]5T 9 !IR MANN]S1 M9DS1 $UCATION1 & 
POSITION1 AS !Y W]E - ALL ALIKE1 9 COMPLETE CONTRA/ TO MY 
IGNORANCE1 KNEW ! MEAN+ ( LIFE & DEA?1 LABOR$ QUIETLY1 
5DUR$ DEPRIVATIONS & SUFF]+S1 & LIV$ & DI$ SEE+ 
!RE9 NOT VANITY BUT GOOD4 

,& ,I LE>N$ TO LOVE !SE PEOPLE4 ,! MORE ,I CAME TO KN[ 
!IR LIFE1 ! LIFE ( ?OSE :O >E LIV+ & ( O!RS :O >E 
DEAD ( :OM ,I READ & HE>D1 ! MORE ,I LOV$ !M & ! EASI] 
IT BECAME = ME TO LIVE4 ,SO ,I W5T ON = AB\T TWO YE>S1 & A 
*ANGE TOOK PLACE 9 ME :I* HAD LONG BE5 PREP>+ & ! 
PROMISE ( :I* HAD ALWAYS BE5 9 ME4 ,IT CAME AB\T ?AT ! 
LIFE ( \R CIRCLE1 ! RI* & LE>N$1 NOT M]ELY BECAME 
DI/A/EFUL TO ME1 BUT LO/ ALL MEAN+ 9 MY EYES4 ,ALL \R 
ACTIONS1 DISCUSSIONS1 SCI5CE & >T1 PRES5T$ ITSELF TO ME 9 A 
NEW LI<T4 ,I UND]/OOD ?AT IT IS ALL M]ELY SELF-9DULG5CE1 & 
! TO F9D A MEAN+ 9 IT IS IMPOSSIBLE2 :ILE ! LIFE ( ! 
:OLE LABOR+ PEOPLE1 ! :OLE ( MANK9D :O PRODUCE LIFE1 
APPE>$ TO ME 9 ITS TRUE SIGNIFICANCE4 ,I UND]/OOD ?AT "9?AT"9 
IS LIFE ITSELF1 & ?AT ! MEAN+ GIV5 TO ?AT LIFE IS TRUE3 
& ,I ACCEPT$ IT4 

7,S\RCE3 ,A ,CONFESSION1 BY ,LEV ,NIKOLAYEVI* ,TOL/OY1 ,DI/RIBUT$ BY ! ,TOL/OY ,LIBR>Y ,ONL9E1 ,FIR/ DI/RIBUT$ 9 ,RUSSIA 9 #a#h#h#b1 FIR/ PUBLI%$ 9 #a#h#h#d47 

,FROM 3 ,FLAG4,BLACK5$4NET4 

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