“When you are told about a complicated and difficult affair, for the most part about some one’s disgusting behaviour, reply to it: Did you make the jam? or: Won’t you like to have tea?—and that’s all. Much harm comes from the so-called attempt to understand circumstances and relations.”
October 1st. I came to Yasnaya Polyana yesterday. It is very nice here now the weather is mild, almost bright, but rather cold. There are no strangers. I am copying Resurrection again, on which L. N. is hard at work. Now I am doing the first chapters of Part III.
There is little joy in the Tolstois’ family life, and to an intimate friend this is extremely marked.
Moscow, November 26th. I am much distressed by L. N.’s serious illness, which at the bottom of my mind I consider hopeless. I called on Wednesday to inquire after his health, and the news was very unfavourable.
December 7th. When Tolstoi was ill (he is much better now) and I was for the first time in his room, he seemed glad to see me, which was a great delight to me. On his table was the volume of Tyutchev’s poems. In his hand he had an English book, Empire and Freedom (I don’t remember by whom). As is always his way, Tolstoi at once spoke of what he was reading.
“Here is a remarkable book!” said Tolstoi. “He (the author) is American, therefore an Anglo-Saxon; nevertheless, he denies the so-called civilizing influence of the Anglo-Saxon race. I can’t understand how people can stick to such superstitions! I understand a Muhammad preaching his doctrine,—mediæval Christianity, the Crusades. Whatever the convictions of those people may have been, they did it in the belief that they knew the truth and were giving that knowledge to others. But now there is nothing! Everything is done for the sake of profit!”
Then Tolstoi began to talk about a French pamphlet on the workers’ co-operative societies which he had read.
“Why not introduce in the villages here such co-operative societies? That is a vital thing! You, instead of doing nothing,” he turned to Ilya Lvovich, who sat there, “ought to do it here in the village.
“Socialist ideas have become a truism. Who can now seriously dispute the idea that every one should have the right to enjoy the result of his labour?”
Then the conversation turned upon the obschina.