Short Fiction

watchmen! Then the land would be free. The land is God’s, and the people are God’s; let him who needs it, plough and sow and gather in the harvest! Peasant That is to say, you think we ought to strike? To meet that, my friend, they have the soldiers. They’d send their soldiers⁠ ⁠… one, two, fire!⁠ ⁠… some would get shot, and others taken up. Soldiers give short shrift! Traveller But is it not also the likes of you that are soldiers? Why should they shoot at their own fellows? Peasant How can they help it? That’s what the oath is for. Traveller The oath? What oath? Peasant Don’t you understand? Aren’t you a Russian?⁠ ⁠… The oath is⁠—well, it’s the oath! Traveller It means swearing, doesn’t it? Peasant Well, of course! They swear by the Cross and by the Gospels, to lay down their life for their country. Traveller Well, I think that should not be done. Peasant What should not be done? Traveller Taking the oath. Peasant Not done? Why, the law demands it! Traveller No, it is not in the Law. In the Law of Christ, it is plainly forbidden. He said: “Swear not at all.” Peasant Come now! What about the priests? Traveller Takes a book, looks for the place, and reads: “It was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but I say unto you, Swear not at all.⁠ ⁠… But let your speech be, Yea, yea; nay, nay: and whatsoever is more than these is of the evil one” (Matthew 5:33). So, according to Christ’s Law, you must not swear. Peasant If there were no oath, there would be no soldiers. Traveller Well, and what good are the soldiers? Peasant What good?⁠ ⁠… But supposing other Tsars were to come and attack our Tsar⁠ ⁠… what then? Traveller If the Tsars quarrel, let them fight it out themselves. Peasant Come! How could that be possible? Traveller It’s very simple. He that believes in God, no matter what you may tell him, will never kill a man. Peasant Then why did the priest read out in church that war was declared, and the Reserves were to be ready? Traveller I know nothing about that; but I know that in the Commandments, in the Sixth, it says quite plainly: “Thou shalt do no murder.” You see, it is forbidden for a man to kill a man. Peasant That means, at home! At the wars, how could you help it? They’re enemies! Traveller According to Christ’s Gospel, there is no such thing as an enemy. You are told to love everybody. Opens the Bible and looks for place. Peasant Well, read it! Traveller “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment.⁠ ⁠… Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy: but I say unto you, Love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you” (Matthew 5:21, 43⁠–⁠44). A long pause. Peasant Well, but what about taxes? Ought we to refuse to pay them too? Traveller That’s as you think best. If your own children are hungry, naturally you should first feed them. Peasant So you think soldiers are not wanted at all? Traveller What good do they do? Millions and millions are collected from you and your folk for them⁠—it’s no joke to clothe and feed such a host! There are nearly a million of those idlers, and they’re only useful to keep the land from you; and it is on you they will fire. The Peasant sighs, and shakes his head. Peasant That’s true enough! If everybody were to do it at once⁠ ⁠… but if one or two make a stand, they’ll be shot or sent to Siberia, and that will be the end of the matter. Traveller And yet there are men, even now⁠—young men⁠—who by themselves stand up for the Law of God, and refuse to serve. They say: “According to Christ’s Law, I dare not be a murderer! Do as you please, but I won’t take a rifle in my hands!” Peasant Well, and what happens? Traveller They are put in prison; they remain there, poor fellows, three years, or four.⁠ ⁠… But I’ve heard that it’s not so bad for them, for the authorities themselves respect them. And some are even let out as unfit for service⁠—bad health! Though he is sometimes a strapping, broad-shouldered fellow, he’s “not fit,” because they’re afraid of taking a man of that kind, for fear he should tell others that soldiering is against God’s Law. So they let him go. Peasant Really? Traveller Yes, sometimes it happens that they are let off; but it also happens that they die there. Still, soldiers die too, and even get maimed in service⁠—lose a leg, or an arm.⁠ ⁠… Peasant Oh, you’re a clever fellow! It would be a good thing, only it won’t work out like that. Traveller Why not? Peasant That’s why. Traveller What’s that? Peasant That the authorities have power given them. Traveller They only have power, because you obey them. Do not obey the authorities, and they won’t have any power! Peasant Shakes his head. You do talk queer! How can one do without the authorities? It is quite impossible to do without some authority. Traveller Of course it is! Only whom will you take for authority⁠—the policeman, or God? Whom will you obey⁠—the policeman, or God? Peasant That goes without saying! No one is greater than God. To live for God is the chief thing. Traveller Well, if you mean to live for God, you must obey God and not man. And if you live according to God, you will not drive people off the land: you will not be a policeman, a village elder, a tax-collector, a watchman, or above all, a soldier.⁠ ⁠… You will not promise to kill men. Peasant And how about those long-maned fellows⁠—the priests? They must see that things are being done not according to God’s Law. Then why don’t they teach how it ought to be? Traveller I don’t know anything about that. Let them go their way, and you go yours. Peasant They are long-maned devils! Traveller It’s not